The Monocle Banking Podcast

Can finance help solve South Africa's housing crisis? Michael Avery was joined by Alessandro Scalco, Sustainable Finance Transactor at RMB, to explore how innovative funding models are unlocking affordable rental housing while expanding access to finance for underserved property entrepreneurs.

The conversation unpacked RMB's partnership with property fintech Indlu, the power of blended finance and data-driven lending, and why sustainable finance is creating new opportunities for both investors and communities.

Johannesburg is at a crossroads - and its future could shape South Africa's economic outlook. Michael Avery was joined by Roy Havemann, who heads the Impumelelo Economic Growth Lab at the Bureau for Economic Research at Stellenbosch University, and Nomvuyo Guma, author of the Lab's latest urban-risk briefing on Johannesburg, to unpack the city's growing challenges.

The conversation explored the impact of deteriorating infrastructure, financial pressure and political instability, why Johannesburg remains too important to fail, and what it will take to restore confidence and drive long-term growth.

To examine one of South Africa's most contentious economic policy debates - the effectiveness of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) - Michael Avery is joined by Dr. Daan Steenkamp, CEO of Codera Analytics, and Donald Mackay, Director at XA Global Trade Advisors.

Drawing on new research into the costs and outcomes of B-BBEE compliance, the discussion explores whether the policy is achieving its intended objectives of transformation or creating unintended consequences for investment, employment and economic growth. They unpack the distinction between transformation as a national imperative and B-BBEE as a policy tool, while considering what the data reveals about South Africa's current approach and the need for evidence-based policy reform.

To explore the journey of building one of South Africa's leading university-focused investment platforms Michael Avery was joined by Wayne Stocks, Managing Partner at Stocks & Strauss. Their conversation unpacked the challenges and opportunities of commercialising academic research, the structural barriers facing South Africa's venture capital ecosystem, and what it takes to turn breakthrough innovation into globally scalable businesses.

What does it take for a business to reinvent itself after facing repeated setbacks? Michael Avery sat down with Jorge Mendes, the CEO of Cell C, to unpack the company's remarkable transformation and its vision for a new era of telecommunications in South Africa.

The conversation explored how Cell C has reimagined its operating model, embraced strategic partnerships and built a leaner, more agile business designed for long-term sustainability. They also discussed the importance of disciplined execution and the evolving role of collaboration in the telecoms sector.