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By Olebogeng Manhe, Chairman of the Gap Infrastructure Corporation (GIC) Construction is building Africa’s capacity and potential, driving thousands of jobs per year. The challenge is that the industry is highly cyclical and vulnerable to economic fluctuations. In the past few years, especially, the industry has experienced sustained contraction with particularly slow recovery, as the aftereffects of the pandemic, geopolitical instability and supply chain disruptions, tighten

Picture the scene: you’re sipping a delightful glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and taking in a breathtaking mountain landscape, a cool breeze teasing your hair, while your children explore the outdoors nearby. For many families, this kind of escape has long felt out of reach – wine farms were places for adults, not weekend destinations designed with children in mind.   That perception is changing. As hospitality trends increasingly favour family-friendly wine estates, farms acros

By Tshepo David Sebe, Principal at Heidrick & Struggles Boards have come to expect CFOs to operate as strategic business partners rather than purely technical finance leaders. The modern CFO mandate spans strategy, technology oversight, stakeholder alignment, and team leadership. Expanding CFO responsibilities require organisations to strengthen the structures and teams that support the role.   Chief financial officers (CFOs) are under mounting pressure as their mandates expa

Written by: Extraordinary African wild dogs ( Lycaon pictus ), among Africa’s most endangered carnivores, are thriving in parts of the Waterberg Biosphere thanks to innovative conservation programmes and coordinated efforts between reserves and wildlife organisations. Globally, fewer than 7,000 wild dogs remain in the wild, and their survival hinges on vast territories, sufficient prey, and careful population management. “Wild dogs are highly social species and require large

Written by: Pedri Reyneke, CEO Multilink Financial Services As global markets fluctuate , many South African investors are making financial decisions based on headlines rather than hard data — a pattern that history shows can negatively affect long-term investment returns . Recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East , particularly the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran , have contributed to rising global oil prices and increased market uncer

By Roelof van den Berg, CEO of Gap Infrastructure Corporation (GIC) One of the biggest takeaways from this year’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) and the National Budget Speech was the sheer scale of government’s infrastructure commitment – more than R1 trillion in public infrastructure spending over three years. But while this amount is unprecedented, the real story is delivery. SONA set the direction, while the 2026 Budget has outlined real efforts to build the project p

Written by: Pedri Reyneke, CEO Multilink Financial Services The expansion of tax-advantaged saving thresholds in the 2026 Budget will not materially shift South Africa’s household financial trajectory unless economic policy is matched by behavioural change at consumer level, according to Multilink Financial Services. While financial policy can encourage saving behaviour, it cannot substitute for household economic capacity or financial literacy. South Africa’s savings challen

By Sarah Arnot, Partner at Heidrick & Struggles South African organisations face sustained loss of senior talent to international markets and competitors. Weak succession planning and inconsistent executive onboarding are amplifying retention risk. Human-centred leadership, alignment, and structured support remain the most reliable stabilisers.   South African firms are confronting an intensifying war for top talent, both locally and abroad, and companies without a sound succ

Written by: Pedri Reyneke, CEO Multilink Financial Services Following last night’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), which highlighted economic recovery and falling inflation, South Africans can expect an improved outlook for retirement savings, says Pedri Reyneke, CEO of Multilink Financial Services. The SONA highlighted a 20-year low in inflation alongside four consecutive quarters of GDP growth, signaling a shift towards economic recovery despite ongoing fiscal challenge

Valentine’s Day has a habit of tipping into cliché. The same red roses, the same gift cards and teddy bears, and the same rush to demonstrate romance in a single evening. But this year, wine-led experiences are poised to quietly steal the spotlight. As couples push back against over-curated celebrations and predictable gifts, many are choosing slower, more grounded ways to connect through sharing a delicious meal and a few good bottles.   Narina Cloete, Head Winemaker at Blaa

By Mark Watt, Partner at Heidrick & Struggles South Africa South Africa is lagging global peers on leadership development investment despite rising pressure to retain top talent. Effective leadership development improves retention when it is aligned to organisational needs and culture. Organisations with stronger retention outcomes embed development across multiple levels.   Johannesburg, February 12, 2026 : As global companies continue to increase investment in leadership de

Written by: Pedri Reyneke Every time a South African changes jobs, a critical financial decision follows: what happens to their retirement savings. Yet research shows that 60-70% of South Africans cash out their retirement funds when leaving an employer - often to cover short-term expenses, settle debt, or upgrade their lifestyle - without fully grasping the long-term damage. With most professionals now changing jobs every two to three years, according to CareerJunction, this

History sits lightly at Blaauwklippen Wine Estate, but it runs deep throughout the property. And with the reopening of its iconic Manor House and adjacent Jonkershuis this week, it marks the return of one of the Cape’s most enduring landmarks, restored with painstaking care and a deep respect for its past.   Founded in 1682 and recognised as the first registered company in South Africa and the oldest wine farm in Stellenbosch. The Manor House itself dates back to the mid-1700

Written by: Extraordinary At Clifftop Exclusive Safari Hideaway, the most impressive moments are rarely the ones that make it onto Instagram. Instead, it looks like someone remembering how you take your coffee. It sounds like your name being used before you introduce yourself. It feels like a problem being solved before you even realise you have one. That kind of service isn’t instinct. It’s learned. Recently, a group of Clifftop’s butlers and duty managers completed speciali

Mrs South Africa, powered by iME, has officially begun unveiling its 2026 semi-finalists following a series of high-energy live casting events across the country, kicking off one of the most competitive entry seasons in the programme’s history.   Entries for the 2026 season closed on Monday, 26 January, drawing hundreds of applications nationwide. According to organisers, the overwhelming response reflects both the strength of the Mrs South Africa brand, as well as the growin

Written by: Extraordinary In the rolling hills of Bushbuckridge, a small veranda once stood as the modest beginning of a life that would later inspire generations. It was there that a young Reuel Khoza and his wife, Mumsy, began their journey together. Converted by his aunt into a single room when they married, it was barely large enough to hold a single bed. “However, a single bed is conducive to intimacy,” he says with a smile. In that confined space, the seeds of purpose a

The short-term insurance industry recorded a Customer Experience (CE) Index score of 69.5 in 2025, placing it behind banking (73.0) and life insurance (74.1), but slightly ahead of medical schemes (68.8), according to the 2025 CE Index for the Short-Term Insurance Industry.   The results, compiled by Professor Adré Schreuder, Head of the Industry Chair in Customer Experience at the University of Pretoria (UP), are based on a national sample of 6,384 consumers across product a

By Roelof van den Berg, CEO of the Gap Infrastructure Corporation (GIC) February’s National Budget Speech represents an exciting opportunity to place infrastructure development at the heart of South Africa’s growth strategy. Few areas of policy can match the scale at which infrastructure development can strengthen the economy, unlock employment, and support confidence across municipalities and the nation.   The next budget cycle is an opportune period to build on the National

Written by: Pedri Reyneke, CEO of Multilink Financial Services Multiple global studies show that the average investor consistently underperforms the market by 3-5 percentage points each year - not because of poor fund selection, but because of behavioural choices (or lack thereof). One of the biggest culprits is portfolio inertia: leaving investments unchanged long after conditions have shifted. “Set and forget” investing has long been positioned as a mark of discipline: choo

New leadership to drive next phase of growth in South Africa and Africa, leveraging firm’s global capabilities and insights. Leadership advisory services are increasingly key to organisations as they face significant technological and geopolitical disruptions. Agility, rather than experience alone, is becoming the defining leadership capability, says Legoete.   Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc, a premier provider of global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solut

By Roelof van den Berg, CEO of the Gap Infrastructure Corporation (GIC) The difference between short-lived entrepreneurs and those who build institutions that last is simplicity – applying their own version of Occam’s razor within the milieu of commercial imperatives.   This is not simplicity for simplicity’s sake. Complexity in business is part and parcel of leadership. A leader’s role is to weigh different choices and make decisions based on the inputs received, applying ju

15 January 2026: January is often seen as a time to reset health goals, but it is also when crash diets and fads flood social feeds and friends and family share well-meaning advice without proper medical backing.   Dr Tommie Smook, Medical and Holistic Wellness Expert at Dr Smook and Partners, managed by RxME, cautions that sustainable weight loss and wellness are not built through deprivation or harmful quick-fix solutions. “A meaningful reset starts with understanding your

14 January 2026: As the Class of 2025 celebrates its matric results, South Africa is again facing a problem that has little to do with learner performance and everything to do with system capacity, warn education experts.   In 2025, over 900,000 learners wrote the National Senior Certificate examinations. With a national pass rate of 88%, more than 656,000 learners successfully passed – one of the largest cohorts of successful candidates the country has produced.   But while

Mrs South Africa, powered by iME, has declared 2026 the year of the formidable woman, with entries for this year’s pageant season now open and applications from married women across the country already pouring in.   The past three queens embody that formidable spirit. Tshego Gaelae made history as the first Black woman to be crowned Mrs World, Erin-Jane Miller emerged as a powerful force for change in the lives of women and vulnerable children, and Verushka Singh, crowned in