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Allegations of institutionalised racism and abuse of younger students at the Wilgenhof residence of Stellenbosch University created a media storm. The university established a three-person panel headed by Adv NC de Jager to investigate. It recommended that the 121-year-old residence for around 200 students in the heart of the campus be closed at the end of the 2024 academic year. The University’s Council this week suspended the closure pending further investigation - a decision welcomed by Jaco Rabie of the Wilgenhof Alumni Association, which regards the panel’s report as “substantially flawed”. He explains why and provides context in this interview with BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

In a mammoth exercise to determine how South African population groups voted in Election’24,  leading polling company Victory Research overlaid SA’s 2022 Census with voter returns from the 23 296 Voting Districts. The results delivered some surprises about the racial diversity of leading political parties. Victory’s CEO, Gareth van Onselen, shared the findings with BizNews editor Alec Hogg.

South Africa’s new Government of National Unity has grown to 10 parties - and more parties could still join. In this interview on the latest developments, United Independent Movement (UIM) President Neil de Beer says: “what is though going to murky the water and what will put more blood in the street is that now you have to accommodate it because the invitation was given as an open invitation and that invitation’s window is closing slowly but surely and I think the last cats are trying to get into this house before the thunder comes down”. De Beer looks at the impact this will have on the position of the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the GNU, and dissects the argument between Helen Zille and African National Congress (ANC) SG Fikile Mbablula over the interpretation of the agreement signed by the two parties. He warns that the stability of the GNU is under much pressure - and warns that unless President Cyril Ramaphosa announces his Cabinet within the next 48 to 72 hours, “the matters that are now boiling up, the threats, the innuendos is going to cause everlasting damage on the way of the Government of National Unity forward”. De Beer also gives his opinion on the racism scandals that have hit the DA with two of its new MPs, Renaldo Gouws - who has already been suspended - and Ian Cameron in the line of fire.

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The Government of National Unity (GNU) is likely to have been a “complete disappointment” for Russia. That is the opinion of SA-Russia expert Dr Irina Filatova who predicts that the Russians will now try to work with the part of the African National Congress (ANC) which is “radically inclined” towards former President Jacob Zuma. Professor Filatova believes Russia has funded Mr Zuma’s MK Party in the hope that his faction could be returned to the ANC, preferably heading it and getting rid of President Cyril Ramaphosa “because then the ANC would become the old ANC where Zuma could dictate the policy, and where Russia would have supreme influence”. Professor Filatova also explains where South Africa fits into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s latest vision for BRICS as “an independent organisation regulating international relations…based entirely on power”.

South Africa will soon welcome its first amphibious ‘Waterfront Duck’ bus at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town.The attraction is the brainchild of Keith Lindsay, who shared with Biznews the regulatory challenges he faced to get all his ‘ducks in a row.’ Inspired by a similar tour in Boston, Lindsay commissioned a custom-built boat from Windsor in the UK. The Waterfront Duck boat is not planning to brave the Cape waves, its tours will stick to the confines of the harbour wall and would focus on the history and marine ecology of the area. If all regulatory hurdles are overcome, the Waterfront Duck will take to the water in July. Should the launch go swimmingly, Lindsay hopes to add more boats to his growing fleet.

Explore the fascinating world of poultry production with Marthinus Stander, CEO of Rainbow Chicken, alongside financial expert David Shapiro and seasoned interviewer Bronwyn Nielsen. Discover insights into industry challenges, innovation, and the path to success as Rainbow Chicken prepares for its listing on the JSE. Join this dynamic conversation to uncover the strategies driving affordable, quality chicken to consumers and the journey of growth and resilience in a competitive market.

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