Bruce Whitfield’s Business Week

In this episode, Arthur Gillis, the last of the old-school hoteliers, reflects on 50 years in the industry, growing Protea Hotels from four properties to 116 across seven countries, negotiating its R2 billion sale to Marriott in 2014, and now handing the keys of Platinum Hospitality Holdings to his son Anton after deliberately leaving the room during the board process that appointed him. Patrick Schofield of BackaBuddy tells the story of a platform he inherited with no staff, no momentum, and R14 000 raised in its first month, to now being on track to reach R1 billion raised and 1 million donors in 2026, sustained by a bold decision to drop platform fees entirely in favour of optional donor tips. News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman unpacks Pepkor’s R21 billion fintech play targeting township traders, a trusted employer scheme cutting visa times from months to days, and Gareth Penny’s consortium emerging as the preferred bidder for De Beers. And Peter Armitage of Anchor Capital tells us why South African bonds are attracting record foreign capital and why the AI spend is the one secular force holding global markets together despite oil, inflation and rising long bond yields. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24’s Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.

In this episode, Bruce chats with Herotel CEO, Van Zyl Botha, about the partnership bringing Amazon Leo to South Africa, a satellite internet service that could finally connect farms, townships and rural communities where fibre has never reached. South Africa goes live in 2027. Claire Swanson of ARK Provisions tells the story of a sweet she tasted in Mexico that reminded her of corner shop treats from Mitchell’s Plain. Graeme Korner of Korner Perspective unpacks a market caught between AI euphoria and oil anxiety, where pick-and-shovel companies are soaring even as SpaceX trades below its listing price. And News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman covers the alarming breakdown at the PIC, whose CEO has been suspended and the FSCA has stepped in; Richemont’s surprise 20% sales jump; and why a Hormuz flare-up means petrol price relief may be short-lived. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24’s Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.

This week, Bruce chats with Ricky Ruthenberg, CEO of Bootlegger Coffee Company, about building one of South Africa’s most recognisable coffee chains from a single Sea Point store in 2013 to 116 locations today – with 15 to 20 more planned before year’s end. Ruthenberg unpacks the two-model strategy, the cautious push into Namibia and Africa, and why the coffee revolution in South Africa is still far from over. Meryl Pick of Old Mutual Investment Group makes sense of a complicated week in oil markets, where Brent has been squeezed lower by China stepping back from imports and Russia flooding crude onto the market, while refining margins have hit levels not seen since 2001 – meaning lower oil prices are not yet translating into relief at the pump. And William Brederode, tech and trends journalist at News24, covers Adnoc’s $1 billion acquisition of Shell’s South African fuel station business, the forced labour tariff hearings in the US and what they reveal about South Africa’s compliance gaps, and the chaotic rollout of the AARTO demerit point system for drivers. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels, or catch up on past episodes here. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.

In this episode, Bruce chats with Stuart Williams, CEO of Rolux Global, about one of the most unlikely turnaround stories in South African business. In 2023, six weeks from closure, Williams shipped product cold into the United States with no brand and no customers. It sold out in six weeks. He has since moved his family to Atlanta, partnered with EGO Commercial on battery mowers to crack California, and is building a deliberately niche but genuinely underserved global business. The episode also features Deon Gouws of Credo in London on Andy Burnham’s UK leadership prospects; why Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s hawkish stance has limits when inflation is supply-driven; and why 30 years of government debt warnings haven’t yet collapsed the system. Business editor Helena Wasserman weighs in on the week’s big talking point: Alcoa’s acquisition of Hillside, South Africa’s biggest power user. Also up for discussion are the Constitutional Court’s dismissal of the broad rand manipulation case, and growing anxiety about the Government Employees’ Medical Scheme. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.

In this episode: why being unreasonable might be the best leadership trait right now, why food prices could be the world’s next flashpoint, and the El Niño risk building in commodity markets. Andrew Woodburn of Amrop Woodburn Mann discusses why uncompromising leadership may be exactly what the world needs. Christiaan van den Berg of JOBJACK explains why SA’s unemployment crisis persists even as employers say they can’t find staff. Peter Armitage of Anchor Capital discusses a market where Elon Musk lost a quarter of a trillion dollars in a week – and why he’s staying disciplined rather than chasing  AI hype. Plus, News24 Business editor Helena Wasserman shares insights on a busy week of bank results, Novo Nordisk’s court win against a copycat Ozempic pharmacy, and an oil oversupply sending Brent back to pre-war levels. This podcast is sponsored by Capitec. To catch every episode, click the follow and subscribe buttons on News24's Spotify, Apple, and YouTube podcast channels. Editions drop on Thursdays at 17:00.