Johannesburg’s electricity supply is now genuinely at risk, and the country’s organised business community is sounding the alarm with growing urgency. Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso used her weekly newsletter on Monday to deliver one of her starkest warnings yet — that the city’s R5.3 billion debt to Eskom is not being resolved in a sustainable way, and that the consequences of inaction are no longer theoretical. The immediate trigger is a missed payment deadline. Eskom had granted Johannesburg a 30-day reprieve from its Promotion of Administrative Justice Act process — the legal procedure the utility must follow…
Author: Staff Writer
The recent conviction of former property management employee Riaan Theunissen to 10 years imprisonment for fraud amounting to more than R5.5 million highlights a growing concern for South African businesses – that trusted insiders remain one of the biggest fraud risks for employers. According to Christo Snyman, Managing Member of leading forensics investigation firm CS Forensics – who conducted the forensic investigation and assisted in reporting the matter to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) i.e. the Hawks – the probe uncovered multiple irregular allocations within the rental payment system, as well as payments made to false beneficiaries allegedly…
Engen Xtreme reinforced its commitment to motorsport and customer engagement at the Regional Extreme Festival hosted at Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday, 13 June, where the brand welcomed customers and partners to an exclusive hospitality experience overlooking the action-packed circuit. The Regional Extreme Festival provided the ideal setting to connect directly with customers in an environment that celebrates performance, precision and passion. Set against the backdrop of one of Gauteng’s most iconic race venues, the event showcased a full day of regional racing action, including the much-anticipated Zwartkops 200, attracting local competitors, motorsport enthusiasts and provincial racing talent. Engen hosted customers…
The Western Cape’s continued property market surge is creating increasingly sophisticated transaction requirements, driving growing demand for commercial funding solutions that can provide the speed, certainty and flexibility often required in complex property deals. Financial services specialist Fedgroup recently provided just such a solution in the form of a structured property finance facility to Blaauwklippen Estate in Stellenbosch, one of the Cape Winelands’ most established, mixed-use lifestyle estates. Founded in 1682, Blaauwklippen is South Africa’s oldest registered company and one of the country’s oldest wine estates. Today, the estate has evolved into a diversified lifestyle destination encompassing vineyards, hospitality offerings,…
When anti-money laundering (AML) is discussed, the focus logically seems to be on compliance teams, reporting obligations and regulatory requirements. However, board accountability should never be forgotten. Executives are expected to provide oversight, understand the risks facing their organisations and ensure that appropriate controls are in place. The publication of the Generally Accepted Compliance Practice (GACP) by the Compliance Institute of South Africa (CISA) gives board members a fresh look at how financial crime risk is understood and managed across their organisations. Brad Elliott, CEO of RelyComply, a global anti-financial crime platform for enterprise financial services, highlights five questions executives…
Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) continues to support youth development through its participation in the Youth Employment Service (YES) programme, investing R40 million annually in support of this youth empowerment initiative. In 2026, VWGA welcomed 675 new trainees as part of the programme. From the 675 trainees set to be onboarded, 288 will be placed within the company (Kariega and Johannesburg) and 387 will be placed with external partners. This will bring the total number of YES trainees supported by VWGA since joining the initiative in 2019 to 4 325. The YES programme was launched as a public-private partnership by the…
A balloon payment can be a useful feature of a vehicle finance agreement and when managed correctly, it can help reduce monthly payments. However, it is also one of the least understood products available and that can make it a more expensive option than some anticipate. Understanding how balloon payments work, and what to do if you’re struggling to meet one, can improve your financial wellbeing. A balloon payment on a vehicle is when you pay a smaller monthly instalment but agree to pay a large lump sum at the end of the finance agreement/contract. To illustrate the difference…
Maserati has unveiled updates to three of its most significant models — the GranTurismo, GranCabrio, and Grecale SUV — in a year that carries particular symbolic weight for the Italian marque. 2026 marks the centenary of the iconic Trident logo, as well as the centenary of Maserati’s first ever racing victory, achieved by Alfieri Maserati at the wheel of the Tipo 26 at the 1926 Targa Florio. The new range is positioned as both a commercial and cultural milestone, arriving with updated design, revised powertrains, and a significantly expanded digital customer experience. Santo Ficili, Alfa Romeo CEO and Maserati COO,…
Tsholofelo Moeng did not plan to become a business owner. Like many young South Africans, she had a job, a routine, and a plan. Then retrenchment arrived, and the plan fell apart. What came next is the kind of story that South Africa’s Youth Month was made to tell. In June 2025, Moeng founded De Joint Carwash and Shisa in Lime Acres, a small mining town in the Northern Cape. The business started with a simple premise — identify what the community needs and find a way to provide it. One year on, De Joint offers carwash services, catering, cleaning,…
20-year-old Nkosingiphile Khumalo left Port Shepstone for Johannesburg with a clear dream: to become a doctor. Along the way, she discovered a passion for chemistry and data science, but financial barriers nearly brought her journey to a standstill. “Before receiving the bursary, I wasn’t able to get accommodation because I had to pay upfront,” she says. “I had to travel from home every day.” Long daily commutes, pressure at home and the constant anxiety of not knowing how she would afford basic needs made it difficult to focus on her studies. Everything changed when she was awarded an ISFAP bursary,…