Banking & Insurance

You may have missed a recent entry in the growing list of aviation absurdities. On 15 October 2025, a United Boeing 767 departed Washington Dulles for Italy. The flight seemed normal during its first hour. Then the pilots reported a problem that sounded like a bad joke.

In an increasingly uncertain global and domestic landscape, the banking sector delivers steady performance while demonstrating resilience and strategic clarity. Through disciplined management, digital transformation and customer-focused innovation, the country’s leading banks continue to maintain stability despite economic headwinds.

As medical schemes unveil their 2026 product ranges, South Africans face a recurring challenge. Too many options and too much jargon make the process difficult. Many medical aid seekers also risk choosing plans that do not fit.

South Africa faces rising operational costs and sluggish growth. As a result, business owners must keep adapting, persevering, and innovating to stay ahead. During this Global Entrepreneurship Week, entrepreneurs should pause and assess their own capacity. I believe financial literacy for entrepreneurs strengthens decision-making and boosts long-term stability.

Medical aid contribution increases for 2026 are generally lower than the sharp hikes seen in 2025. This offers some relief to members after last year’s double-digit adjustments.

South Africa’s financial institutions are rewriting the rules of banking technology. The cloud has become a new balance sheet of innovation. For decades, the country’s banking sector has punched above its weight. For example, it provided electronic banking long before many global peers.

Each year, thousands of people lose their lives on South Africa’s roads. National Transport Month, traditionally recognised in October, provided an opportunity to reflect on road safety statistics, infrastructure challenges and the urgent need to reduce the devastating human and economic cost of accidents.

An insurance concept that often gets misunderstood, despite underpinning every policy, is insurable interest. While it might sound technical, the principle is quite simple. Simply put, you can only insure something if its loss or damage would cause you a financial setback. If you do not stand to suffer financial loss directly from the loss of or damage to an insured item, insurance will not cover that loss.

Earlier this month, a bus caught fire inside Africa's longest road tunnel, the Huguenot Tunnel. The flames were sorted out “chop chop”. The traffic, not so much. Like a braai without firelighters, everything smoked for about two weeks. For most drivers, it meant longer trips and irritation. Still, we are South Africans. We do not sit still. We find another road, dodge a few potholes and carry on.

South Africa’s financial markets are entering a new era. The Johannesburg Interbank Average Rate (JIBAR), long the anchor of domestic funding and lending, will soon be replaced by the South African Rand Overnight Index Average (ZARONIA). This transition is reshaping how interest rates are priced.