Zimbabwe eyes China blueberry market to boost exports despite financing challenges for farmers

Zimbabwe is looking to turn growing demand for blueberries in China into a new source of agricultural export earnings. The country shipped its first blueberries to China in July, following a phytosanitary agreement and China’s removal of tariffs on imports from 53 African countries. However, farme…

Zambian economists hail inclusion in JPMorgan frontier bond index

Economists in Zambia have reacted positively at news that JPMorgan is set to launch its long-awaited "frontier" market local-currency government ​bond index by the end of September which will give investors a new benchmark for nearly $330 billion of debt across some of the ‌world's fastest-growing …

SARB increases the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7.25%

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has decided to increase the repo rate by 25 basis points to7.25 % meaning the prime lending rate will increase to 10.75%. This follows a meeting of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee. Increasing oil prices are the main driver behind the increasing inflation …

SUVs gain significant ground in SA market driven by competitive pricing

Affordability is driving a structural shift in South Africa's vehicle market, with SUVs gaining significant ground as consumers increasingly seek competitively priced, well-equipped vehicles. An analysis of 2.56 million new and used vehicle finance applications processed by Absa Vehicle and Asset …

Making smart phones accessible to everybody

We end the show by talking about how easy it's becoming to access a cellphone these days. Yes many of us do remember the hurdles one had to go through to access a phone, but now to get a smart phone is as easy as ABC.  Limited to basic functions, cell phones gave us more freedom to call and message…

Biolfuels could be answer to SA's energy security challenges

South Africa (SA) is exploring biofuels as a way of strengthening its energy security and reducing its exposure to fluctuations in global fuel prices. The country's agricultural sector could provide raw materials for renewable fuels. But there are concerns about whether a commercially viable biofu…

South Africans continue to feel financial pressure

South African households are coming under renewed financial pressure after the country's central bank raised interest rates by 25 basis points to 7.25 percent.The move follows a rise in annual consumer inflation to 4.4 percent in August, with the South African Reserve Bank warning that higher fuel …

C-Suite: Woolworths Food CEO Chan Pillay on growth, innovation and the future of food retail

For our C-SUITE feature today, we speak to Chan Pillay, CEO of Woolworths Food. He joined Woolworths in 1993 and has over three decades of experience across the Foods Business holding a number of key leadership roles.Woolworths recetly unveiled its Dainfern Square store as the first Food Emporium i…

South African businesses explore opportunities in the continent 

South African small and medium-sized businesses are being encouraged to look beyond the domestic market and explore opportunities across the continent. A workshop in the city of Johannesburg is focusing on how MSMEs can use the African Continental Free Trade Area to become exporters, suppliers and…

Africa Aerospace and Defence 2026 highlights need for Africa to reduce reliance on imported technology

As Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2026 approaches, the rapid evolution of drone technology, autonomous systems, AI and electronic warfare is forcing countries to rethink how they prepare for modern security threats. Recent conflicts have demonstrated how quickly relatively low-cost unmanned tec…