South African Business Matters

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South African Business Matters

Fostering dialogue and collaboration - driving positive change and progress within the business community.

Join us to shape the future of South African business. South African business truly matters, in fact, the collective success of businesses
stands as the utmost priority for our nation. However, for the nation’s business success to thrive, collaboration is paramount. It entails sharing expertise and resources toward common goals, with businesses and stakeholders across industries actively communicating and collaborating. Through our extensive network of top business personalities, journalists, editors, industry associations, PR professionals and media platforms, the mission of South African Business Matters is to foster dialogue and engagement, driving positive change and progress within the business community. Adopting a highly conversational approach, we delve into the trends, issues and challenges facing businesses. We actively involve decision-makers and policymakers in spirited debates aimed at seeking solutions and driving progress. South African Business Matters is where professionals converge to engage, contribute, and ultimately influence the trajectory of South African business.

31/08/2026

Women’s Month may be coming to an end, but the recognition should not.

Throughout August, we had the privilege of sharing the voices and perspectives of women leading, building, investing, innovating and creating meaningful change across South African business.

Our latest newsletter brings some of these perspectives together, exploring leadership, inclusion, healthcare, workplace burnout and financial independence.

These are not just Women’s Month conversations. They matter throughout the year, and we intend to keep them going.

Read the full edition https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/women-shaping-south-african-business-sabusinessmatters-aqk8f, share it with your network and let us know which story or perspective stood out for you.

26/08/2026

For decades, businesses have been built like pyramids: a large junior workforce, a narrower layer of middle management and a small group of executives at the top.

AI is starting to reshape that structure.

As entry-level tasks become increasingly automated and organisations become flatter, younger employees may find themselves taking on complex projects, decisions and leadership responsibilities much earlier in their careers.

But are we preparing them for it?

In this thought-provoking article https://www.southafricanbusinessmatters.co.za/from-pyramid-to-diamond-ai-is-reshaping-organisational-structure/, Lynn Madeley, CEO of High Performance Matters, argues that more training alone isn’t the answer. What people increasingly need is coaching that helps them develop judgement, resilience and confidence while navigating real decisions and real pressure.

If AI is accelerating responsibility, should we be accelerating how we develop our future leaders too?

25/08/2026

What does real inclusion look like when Women’s Month ends?

Opening the door is important. But lasting progress happens when women are given the opportunity, trust and support to build confidence, capability and authority over time.

In this personal reflection https://www.southafricanbusinessmatters.co.za/inclusion-means-staying-for-the-whole-journey/, Maxcine Pillay, Product and Partner Manager at Sentiv, draws an unexpected but powerful connection between her 20+ year career in technology and helping women find their confidence on the golf course through Queens of the Greens.

Her experience points to a simple lesson: people don’t build confidence simply because they were invited into the room. They build it when they are trusted with meaningful work, given access to opportunities and supported for long enough to grow.

Whether in technology, leadership or even on the first tee, inclusion isn’t a once-off invitation. It’s a journey.

Are we doing enough to open doors for women, or are we also creating the pathways that help them thrive once they’re inside?

21/08/2026

Why are more South Africans thinking about offshore planning earlier?

The offshore conversation is changing. It’s no longer simply about protecting wealth or managing tax. Increasingly, South Africans are thinking about international business growth, currency diversification, succession planning and global mobility as part of a much bigger long-term strategy.

Recent enquiry trends from Sovereign Trust SA reflect this shift, with around 40% of enquiries relating to company formation, international structuring and cross-border business expansion.

Brandon Voges, Business Development Manager at Sovereign Trust SA, explores how younger entrepreneurs and investors are approaching offshore planning differently, and why getting the right structures in place early can become increasingly important as businesses, wealth and families become more globally connected https://www.southafricanbusinessmatters.co.za/the-biggest-shifts-shaping-offshore-wealth-planning-in-2026/

As the world becomes more connected, should offshore planning become part of the conversation much earlier in the wealth and business journey?

20/08/2026

What if the biggest cost problem in mining isn’t rising costs, but how late businesses respond to them?

With electricity, labour and capital costs placing sustained pressure on South Africa’s mining sector, traditional month-end reporting may no longer be enough.

Alvarez & Marsal argues that cost control needs to move closer to the operation itself, with real-time visibility, clear accountability and regular operational cost reviews becoming part of how mines are managed every day.

Because by the time a problem appears in a month-end report, the decisions that created that cost have already been made.

The article https://www.southafricanbusinessmatters.co.za/african-miners-cannot-budget-their-way-out-of-structural-cost-pressure/ explores why tighter budgets alone won’t solve the problem, and why operational discipline, reliability and cost management increasingly need to work together.

Is it time for mining companies to stop treating cost control as a finance function and start treating it as an operational capability?

19/08/2026

Financial independence is about more than how much you earn. It’s about having the knowledge and confidence to make choices about your future.

For many South African women, financial planning happens alongside caregiving, running households, building careers, supporting families and growing businesses. And with women often planning for longer financial lives, taking ownership of those finances becomes even more important.

In this Women’s Month article https://www.southafricanbusinessmatters.co.za/why-women-should-never-leave-investing-in-their-future-as-an-afterthought/, Nadine Laubscher, Chief Financial Officer at Aurora Capital SA, explores why investing, retirement planning, protection and financial clarity should form part of the broader conversation about women’s independence.

Because investing isn’t simply about accumulating wealth. It’s about creating options, resilience and greater freedom to make decisions on your own terms.

How involved are you in understanding and planning for your own financial future?

18/08/2026

Can R100 really be the start of building long-term wealth?

For many women, investing can feel like something reserved for people with large amounts of money or extensive financial knowledge. But that picture is changing.

In this article https://www.southafricanbusinessmatters.co.za/womens-month-financial-independence-starts-with-one-investment-decision/ , Niki Giles, Head of Strategy at Prescient Fund Services, explores how Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are making investing more accessible, affordable and transparent for South Africans.

From understanding how ETFs work and the benefits of diversification, to comparing different investment options and making that first investment, the article offers a practical introduction for women who want to take greater control of their financial futures.

This Women’s Month, perhaps the most important step isn’t how much you start with, but simply that you start.

What could taking that first step towards financial independence mean for you?

12/08/2026

A CEO is a CEO. A CFO is a CFO.
Or are they?

Two executives with the same title can carry vastly different levels of accountability, complexity and risk depending on the organisation they lead.

Industry dynamics. Company size. Capital employed. Number of employees. Business units. Countries of operation. Ownership structure.

These factors can fundamentally change the weight and complexity of an executive role.

In this thought-provoking article, Dr Chris Blair of 21st Century explores why effective executive job evaluation requires far more than title matching or applying a standard framework.

The article examines the role of organisational complexity, transformative industries and decision-making risk, while highlighting some of the common pitfalls that can undermine the validity of executive grading.

So, when two executives share the same title, are we really comparing like with like?

Explore the full article https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/executive-job-evaluation-why-context-matters-more-than-377zf and join the conversation around what makes executive job evaluation truly valid.

03/08/2026

Is the AI boom creating lasting value or are we repeating the mistakes of the dotcom era?

As organisations invest billions in AI infrastructure, the challenge isn't deciding whether artificial intelligence will transform business. It's determining which investments will continue delivering value long after today's hype has faded.

In this insightful article https://www.southafricanbusinessmatters.co.za/the-ai-bubble-may-build-lasting-value-but-businesses-must-avoid-owning-the-wrong-assets/, Francois van der Merwe, CEO and Founder of Otinga.io, explores why business leaders need to separate belief in AI's long-term potential from the financial assumptions behind individual investments. From hardware depreciation and cloud versus on-premise infrastructure to ROI expectations and board-level decision-making, the article offers practical guidance for organisations navigating one of the biggest technology shifts of our time.

If your organisation is investing in AI, are you buying technology or building sustainable business value?

17/06/2026

Youth Day is an important reminder of the role young people play in shaping South Africa's future.

But youth employment, skills development and access to opportunity cannot be conversations reserved for June alone.

The real challenge is creating sustainable pathways that connect potential with opportunity throughout the year.

In our latest Youth Matters newsletter, we explore why the future workforce is already here, highlight organisations making a difference, and share practical resources designed to support young South Africans on their journey into the world of work.

Because the true measure of Youth Month is not what we say in June, but what we continue doing in July.

Please don't forget to subscribe https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sabm-june-2026-special-youth-month-edition-sabusinessmatters-jedyf to our newsletter and share this with someone!

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