Business News in South Africa: Trends, Deals, and Economic Shifts

When it comes to Business, the system of buying, selling, and producing goods and services that drives economies, especially in emerging markets like South Africa. Also known as commerce, it's not just about profits—it's about who controls infrastructure, how policy shifts affect jobs, and why companies like Telkom are selling off assets to survive. In South Africa, business isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s shaped by elections, regulatory battles, and global investors looking for the next big opportunity.

Take Telkom, South Africa’s major telecom provider, which recently sold its Swiftnet tower division to a consortium led by Actis. Also known as telecom infrastructure, these towers are the backbone of mobile networks, and Telkom’s move shows a broader trend: companies are shedding non-core assets to reduce debt and focus on digital services. This isn’t just a sale—it’s a strategic pivot that affects how millions connect to the internet. Meanwhile, business confidence, a measure of how optimistic company leaders feel about the economy. Also known as SACCI index, it’s a real-time pulse check. After dipping during the 2024 election chaos, it bounced back above 110, not because the economy suddenly grew, but because leaders saw less chaos in government decisions—even if GDP barely moved. That’s the kind of detail you won’t find in headlines, but it tells you whether companies are hiring, expanding, or just holding on.

It’s not just South Africa. The Finance Bill 2025, Kenya’s new tax reform package that cuts red tape for small businesses and removes taxes on pensions. Also known as tax overhaul, it’s a rare example of a government listening to SMEs instead of raising levies. And over in Nigeria, the fight between Aliko Dangote and the NNPC isn’t just a personal feud—it’s a test of whether big private investment can survive in a system where state-owned companies still hold too much power. These aren’t isolated stories. They’re all part of the same ecosystem: where policy meets profit, and where one decision can ripple across borders.

And then there’s the quiet stuff—the investigations, the firings, the internal battles. Transnet’s disciplinary action against Pepi Selinga wasn’t just about one bad tender. It’s about whether public infrastructure agencies can be trusted to run fairly. When a forensic report leads to charges against top managers, it tells you the system is being watched. And that matters.

What you’ll find here isn’t fluff. It’s the real stuff: who sold what, who got fired, who changed the rules, and what it means for the people running businesses—or trying to. No jargon. No guesses. Just facts, deals, and the consequences that follow.