As 2024 draws to a close, The Sandton Times reflects on a year marked by extraordinary achievements, significant growth, and unwavering support from its loyal audience.

• This year has been a testament to the power of community, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
• A global perspective met local insights as The Sandton Times covered destinations from Venice to Hong Kong.
• The Sandton Times Hour earned its place among Africa’s top podcasts, with a prestigious APVA nomination.
• Visit www.sandtontimes.co.za for more stories.

Here’s a look back at the milestones that defined 2024 and a glimpse into what lies ahead for 2025. In 2024, The Sandton Times experienced remarkable growth, with the website recording a staggering 129.8% increase in active users. On average, users engaged with the platform approximately 4.5 times per week, showcasing an impressive level of user loyalty and interaction. The average session duration stabilised at 1-minute and 47-seconds, reflecting the platform’s engaging content.

The Total Addressable Audience across all platforms, including the website, radio, podcast, social media channels, mobile app, and weekly mailer, expanded to over 400’000. Among these platforms, LinkedIn emerged as a rising star, with notable engagement and growth, while Instagram delivered a standout moment when a piece of content went viral, amassing over 58’000 organic views. X (formerly Twitter) remains the largest social channel, further solidifying the brand’s digital presence.

This year, The Sandton Times Hour reached new heights, earning a nomination for the prestigious “Podcast of the Year” category in the African Podcast and Voice Awards (APVA) by Afripods. This recognition, shared with only one other South African podcast, underscored the show’s impact and quality. Additionally, The Sandton Times Hour secured third place on Feedspot’s “30 Best South Africa Podcasts for 2024” list.

Spotify Wrapped 2024 revealed more impressive statistics: a 22% increase in listeners, a 37% rise in streams, and a 26% growth in followers. A remarkable 93% of listeners discovered the show this year, highlighting its expanding reach and appeal. The show also noted an increased interest from listeners in Nigeria, United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Germany and Qatar.

This year, The Sandton Times Hour released 42 shows equating to 42-hours of content produced. The podcast welcomed an extraordinary line-up of 126 guests, ranging from business leaders like Kevin Brady, Co-Founder and CEO of A2X Markets, to iconic personalities such as Rugby World Cup-winning captain John Smit, and Miss Universe 2017, Demi-Leigh Tebow. Other notable names included renowned scenario planner Clem Sunter; artist Pinky Taylor; Chef Wandile Mabaso; CEO of the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA), Tshepo Kgobe; CEO of Hong Kong China Rugby, Robbie McRobbie; Chairman of ATFX, Joe Li; National Geographic Channel Correspondent, Mariana van Zeller; CEO of Discovery Insure, Robert Attwell; President of the South African Polo Association, Guy Slater; CEO of Discovery Bank, Hylton Kallner; Dr. Terry Dubrow of the hit TV series ‘Botched’; Zelda La Grange, former private secretary to Nelson Mandela; Antonio Iozzo, CEO of IUM and author of “Slaying the Dragon”; Miss South Africa 2024, Mia le Roux; South African Olympic champion, Tatjana Smith; Colin Cowie, one of the most celebrated event designers and producers in the world; former radio presenter and media personality John Robbie; Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse; cartoonist Zapiro and CEO of Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), Busisiwe Mavuso, among others. Each guest brought unique insights and opinions, making every episode a captivating experience.

Adding to its accolades, The Sandton Times Hour joined The Podcast Party, a collaborative initiative fostering critical engagement and dialogue, marking a new chapter in its journey. The podcast also celebrated its two-year anniversary on Mix 93.8, continuing to dominate Monday nights while reaching global audiences on major podcast platforms.

2024 was a year of travel and discovery for The Sandton Times, as the brand ventured to iconic destinations like Dubai, Rome, Madrid, Hong Kong, Venice, Bodrum and Florence covering 99’012 kilometers. Closer to home, it provided comprehensive coverage of local events, bridging global perspectives with South African stories. This content underscore The Sandton Times’ growing influence on global and local stages.

On a personal note, the year marked a significant academic achievement. Awarded the 2021 Dean’s Scholarship for Innovation and Creativity, The Sandton Times Founder & Managing Editor, Alexander Leibner, completed an Executive MBA at Henley Business School Africa. The graduation ceremony was historic, featuring the first-ever attendance of the University of Reading Chancellor, Paul Lindley OBE, at Henley Africa.

As The Sandton Times looks toward 2025, the focus remains on delivering engaging, high-quality content while embracing growth and innovation. The extended team is poised for even greater achievements, driven by the unwavering support of its audience and partners. With milestones like the exponential growth of its digital platforms, international collaborations, and a steadily increasing global audience, The Sandton Times is set to continue its trajectory as a leading voice in a new world of multi-channel media – parts of which remain untapped and unexplored!

None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of readers, listeners, and collaborators. As the year concludes, The Sandton Times extends its deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to its success. Here’s to a bright and prosperous ‘twenty-twenty thrive’!

The Sandton Times will be taking a short break over the Christmas and New Year period.

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