South Africa has appointed Roelf Meyer, the 78-year-old former chief negotiator who helped dismantle white minority rule in the 1990s, as its next ambassador to the United States, signalling a calculated effort to repair a bilateral relationship that collapsed more than a year ago. The diplomatic post has remained vacant since March 2025, when former ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was expelled by US President Donald Trump after criticising the Make America Great Again movement. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office confirmed the appointment, with spokesperson Vincent Magwenya stating that Meyer would assume the role once all Washington protocols are completed. Meyer, an Afrikaner…
Author: Staff Writer
The Western Cape has secured a significant vote of confidence from the global fintech sector, with UK-based ClearScore Group announcing the expansion of its Cape Town operations and naming the city its second major tech hub outside London. The move marks a new chapter for the company in South Africa and reinforces the Western Cape’s growing reputation as a destination for globally relevant technology investment. Located on Loop Street in Cape Town’s CBD, the new headquarters will serve as ClearScore Group’s second major tech hub outside London. The office will support globally strategic engineering, product management and data analyst functions…
Yesterday marked a pivotal moment for South African business within the hospitality sector with the announcement of a R750 million investment to develop the new Waterfall City Conference Centre and Hotel. The development is a strategic collaboration between Attacq Limited and Rabie Property Group. “Century City has shown what is possible when conferencing and hospitality form part of a carefully planned mixed-use precinct. It becomes an economic engine for the node, not just a venue. Partnering with Attacq in Waterfall City allows us to take that proven model and apply it in a precinct that’s already built for scale, security,…
In a significant development for bilateral trade, newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, L. Brent Bozell III, has secured a major commitment from Harith General Partners, one of Africa’s premier infrastructure investment firms, to join the official South African delegation to the upcoming SelectUSA Investment Summit. The announcement, made by the official U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, marks a strategic win for the Ambassador’s recently launched “Investment Accelerator” initiative. The Ambassador met with Harith founder Tshepo Mahloele to discuss expanding trade and investment opportunities, with Harith’s participation in the Washington D.C. summit serving as a tangible outcome. The meeting…
This year has been marked by significant geopolitical instability. As the conflict in the Middle East continues, South African importers are being squeezed from three sides. Fuel costs are up. Supply chains are broken. And the rand, already one of the world’s most volatile emerging market currencies, now carries a war premium on every international transaction. These costs are hitting the bottom line. To mitigate the impact, businesses need to lock in their currency exposure and review their contract terms. Defending the rand In a global risk-off environment, the rand often serves as a proxy for emerging market sentiment. When…
Dr Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, Chief Executive Officer of Naspers South Africa and a trustee of the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by the Central University of Technology (CUT). The Foundation, which announced the honour, praised Mahanyele-Dabengwa’s leadership and commitment to impact, noting that her guidance has played a key role in strengthening the organisation’s strategic direction and long-term sustainability. “Dr Mahanyele-Dabengwa’s leadership, insight, and steadfast commitment to impact have played an important role in strengthening the Foundation’s strategic direction and long-term sustainability,” the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation said in a statement. The Foundation added that…
The leadership of African Bank, a struggling lender with ambitions of a JSE listing, faces renewed scrutiny after the Financial Services Tribunal delivered a stinging rebuke, likening the firm’s attempt to artificially inflate its capital position to the outdated practice of “kite-flying.” The ruling, which sided with the Prudential Authority (PA), the banking supervision arm operating under the South African Reserve Bank, throws the bank’s governance into sharper focus following the recent acrimonious departure of its chief executive . The dispute centres on the bank’s submissions in the Form BA 700 for January and February 2025, a critical regulatory document…
Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSAf) has announced the appointment of Mr. Takashi Nishida as its new Chairman (Non-Executive Director), effective 1 April 2026. Mr. Nishida succeeds Mr. Satoshi Yamaguchi, who is retiring after an exemplary 43-year career with Isuzu Motors Limited. Mr. Yamaguchi served as Managing Executive Officer: Light Commercial Vehicle Business and Chairman of Isuzu Motors South Africa. With a career at ISUZU spanning nearly three decades, Mr. Nishida brings extensive global experience to his new role. He began his career in Aftersales and Parts operations before transitioning to Overseas Sales, where he has focused significantly on the African…
Nicholas Mukasa has been appointed as Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Namibia, effective 1 May 2026. The appointment was made by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in terms of Article 32(4)(b) of the Namibian Constitution and Section 5 of the Bank of Namibia Act, 2020. Mukasa succeeds Ebson Uanguta in the role, following Uanguta’s appointment as Governor of the Bank of Namibia with effect from 1 January 2026 for a five-year term, succeeding Johannes !Gawaxab. Leonie Dunn remains the other Second Deputy Governor, having been appointed in 2021. Mukasa joins the central bank’s leadership at a time when it is…
Residential house prices have risen quickest in percentage terms in the lower price bands over the last ten years, but the gap between the higher and lower bands has widened. At the same time, homeownership among younger buyers has declined. “Our analysis of data from 2014 – 2025 confirms that property volumes have drifted downwards while prices have escalated most significantly in the higher price bands. Perhaps most revealing – and worrying – is the decline of buyers between the ages of 18-35, both in percentage terms from 40% to 30% but also in absolute numbers from 72 000 in 2014…