The Alec Hogg Show BizNews

In the inaugural episode of the Alec Hogg Show, the Biznews founder engages with Paul O'Sullivan, nemesis of the corrupt. In this half hour, O'Sullivan opens up about his Irish childhood that sounds a lot like that in Frank McCourt's classic Angela's Ashes to the reason why he has channelled the fruits of a successful business career into bringing the powerful to society's heel.

South Africa possesses many extraordinary people few of us ever hear about until they get pushed into the spotlight by unusual circumstances. Like the Covid-19 pandemic which was grabbed as an opportunity by politicians to stir up fears enabling them to wield unfettered power. In episode two of the Alec Hogg Show, the founder of Biznews.com taps into one of the few consistently dissenting voices. In this podcast, we get to hear what makes PANDA co-ordinator Nick Hudson tick. And discover a well-travelled, widely-read, deep-thinking actuary from a long line of community-focused Eastern Cape physicians who makes his living in private equity and intends becoming an educator. Riveting.

Next week, 45-year-old restauranteur Anastasia Sideris will enjoy a double celebration: 15th anniversary of the founding of her 25-store Tasha's restaurant group; and the repurchase from Famous Brands of the 51% stake sold in 2008. In this biographical podcast, we get a unique insight into an OCD workaholic who has already surpassed the achievements of her successful restauranteur father. After reaching her targets in SA and UAE, she is about to introduce Tasha's into new geographies, including the UK and Australia.

In Episode Four our guest is a lad from Kensington in London whose chance meeting with a lass sitting on a wall in Cornwall sent him on an adventure that was to have a massive impact on South Africa’s peaceful transition. Until fate intervened, the highlight of Clem Sunter’s life had been playing on the undercard of a Rolling Stones concert at Oxford University as one half a folk music duo called Clem and John. Like other guests on this show, Clem was selected on the basis that if his story were captured in book form, it would likely be a bestseller. The only surprise is why South Africa’s most famous futurist hasn’t written that autobiography already. Clem Sunter is a prodigious written, having written 17 books, the most recent of which refer to how we can all learn from foxes in this world of warp speed change.

This episode features Sygnia founder Magda Wierzycka, a visionary financial services entrepreneur whose story is an inspiration for all. A rags to riches story of penury in Poland when the country was a vassal to the Soviet Union, to a role model for anyone possessing the grit and determination to overcome the odds. Today Magda is living her dream - but in her words, getting there "hasn't been a picnic."

Our guest in this episode is Leon Louw, the Marxist-turned-Free Marketeer who emerged from a conservative Afrikaner background to embrace communism before having his views reversed by a street vendor in her 70s. For almost half a century louw has provided a clear voice of rationality in a country where economic policies have been shaped by political rather than wealth creating agendas. A riveting half hour.