Get ready for a masterclass in retail from Pieter Engelbrecht, CEO of South Africa's largest employer. If you're ready to learn about the secrets to Shoprite's success, you're in the right place.

It starts with the culture and commitment to delivering value to customers. You can then add the power of investment in data and systems, creating the foundation for an omnichannel model that has positioned Checkers as the biggest brand in South Africa - and not just in retail.

With the South African retail sector having to navigate tremendous challenges, Shoprite keeps coming out on top. But how do they do it?

This podcast deals with topics like:

• The "secret sauce" at Shoprite and the culture in the group.
• The importance of inflation in the retail business model and how deflation makes things much tougher.
• The difference between Shoprite's measure of inflation and the Official Food Basket used by the SARB in making decisions.
• The power of the Checkers brand and how Shoprite has taken it right to the top in South Africa - as anyone with a toddler on a Sixty60 bike can confirm!
• How value retailers can achieve such strong gross margins through efficiencies.
• The omnichannel strategy and the parallels to a global giant like Walmart.
• The elevator pitch for why an investor should consider Shoprite.

Shoprite believes strongly in the value of Ghost Mail in the South African investment ecosystem. They have sponsored this podcast for readers, but I was allowed to ask whatever I wanted to ask. Please do your own research and do not treat this podcast as an endorsement of Shoprite as an investment.

South Africa’s 2026 Budget Speech announced a mix of bold, interesting and ultimately positive changes - especially for small businesses and South African investors. With pro-business policies that signal economic stability, could this be a turning point for the country?

Described affectionately by Tertius Troost (Associate Director - Tax Consulting at Forvis Mazars) as a "boring" budget, this is the first time in years that we've seen any kind of tax relief for South Africa's middle class. In his words, it's a pivot to stability - and at a time when things are really looking up for South Africa.

He joined me on this podcast to break down the budget basics and to specifically comment on areas like:

• How the budget addresses "bracket creep" by adjusting personal income tax brackets for inflation.
• The increase in the VAT registration threshold and how this assists small businesses.
• A boost for investors in the form of a higher annual limit for Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSA).
• The approach taken to online gambling and whether education and regulation should precede taxes.
• Other changes aimed at helping South Africans with retirements savings and even global investments.

You can connect with Tertius on LinkedIn here.

As always, please discuss the impact of the tax changes on your affairs with your personal financial advisor. Nothing you hear on this podcast should be interpreted as advice.

The team at Satrix has clearly been busy. They've launched two brand new ETFs to help South Africans tweak their exposure to offshore markets.

If you're ready to learn more about Europe and Japan, then you're in the right place.

Why does it matter? For most South African investors, offshore exposure is really just a proxy for US tech names. It's hard to avoid this outcome, as Big Tech has been the driving force of most global indices, let alone US indices. The Magnificent Seven are everywhere.

Well, almost everywhere.

Diversification across both sectors and regions is important for investors. In that spirit, Satrix has launched the Satrix Stoxx Europe 600 ETF and the Satrix MSCI Japan ETF.

Siyabulela Nomoyi of Satrix joined me to unpack these offerings. This included discussions on:

• The macro trends in each region and how they have such different top-of-mind items at the moment
• The nature of the underlying indices tracked by these ETFs and how they vary in terms of market depth and sector exposures
• The investment thesis for each regions and what the drivers of returns will likely be over time
• How both products should be seen as complementary to the global picture

If your portfolio is a Lego structure, Satrix has just given you two new pieces.

This podcast was first published here.

Disclaimer:

Satrix Investments (Pty) Ltd & Satrix Managers (RF) (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial services provider. The information does not constitute advice as contemplated in FAIS. Use or rely on this information at your own risk. Consult your Financial Adviser before making an investment decision. While every effort has been made to ensure the reasonableness and accuracy of the information contained in this document (“the information”), the FSP’s, its shareholders, subsidiaries, clients, agents, officers and employees do not make any representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or suitability of the information and shall not be held responsible and disclaims all liability for any loss, liability and damage whatsoever suffered as a result of or which may be attributable, directly or indirectly, to any use of or reliance upon the information. For more information, visit https://satrix.co.za/products