Business Day (South Africa) articles from April 2008

Business Day (South Africa) archives from April 2008

Rules for businesses.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Edward West Rules for businesses NO LESS than 25 new or revised accounting standards and three new interpretations are expected to hit the business sector in the new year. The aim of the new changes is to improve financial...

Sanlam results bleak despite 'resilience'.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Edward West Sanlam results bleak despite 'resilience' LIKE FirstRand earlier this week, Sanlam's trading update yesterday can only be described as grim. The insurance company might have gone on about its resilience, it might have...

Check foundations.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Edward West Check foundations FOR several years now, construction companies have been strongly implying their high valuations are justified on the basis of the size and length of their order book. In these times of economic...

Law on business rescues 'has a fatal flaw'.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Sanchia Temkin Law on business rescues 'has a fatal flaw' Professional Services Editor DIRECTORS of companies that are in financial distress and are considering applying to court for business rescue under the new Companies Bill,...

Encore as Buy and Sell collects top prize again.
April 12, 2008... Byline: David Mollett Encore as Buy and Sell collects top prize again Racing Editor BUY and Sell, owned by Johannesburg businessman Chris van Niekerk, has been voted KwaZulu-Natal's Horse of the Year for the second year running. The...

The origin of bulls and bears.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Michel Pireu The origin of bulls and bears THE most common explanation for the origin of the expressions bull and bear markets is that they derive from the way in which each animal attacks its opponents. A bull will thrust its...

Expect a rate cut.
April 12, 2008... Expect a rate cut THIS may come as a surprise to many, but it now looks likely the Reserve Bank will cut interest rates at its policy meeting next week. That is because there is little now standing in the way of SA joining the dizzying round...

Cape of Storms.
April 12, 2008... Cape of Storms AFRICAN National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma's acknowledgment of the importance of the poor coloured vote in Western Cape is a long overdue recognition of the demographics of the province. According to the 2001 census,...

Business guru takes a look at some wacky enterprises.
April 12, 2008... Business guru takes a look at some wacky enterprises WORLD-famous business thinker Gary Hamel turns his eye on some unconventional firms. On Whole Foods Market, the organic supermarket chain: Imagine a retailer where frontline employees...

A few softeners but for most of us it is a bleak December.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Renee Bonorchis A few softeners but for most of us it is a bleak December ARE some South Africans about to experience the most pleasant recession in history? With petrol significantly cheaper than it was just a few months ago,...

How Bok became rugby's badge of pride.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Mark Smit How Bok became rugby's badge of pride Though it was agreed the King Protea would be SA's national sport symbol, the 'divisive' Springbok unified a nation Chief Sports Correspondent THE tempestuous tale of rugby and the...

'Interesting year ahead' for world cricket.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Mark Smit 'Interesting year ahead' for world cricket Subcontinent worries security expert Chief Sports Correspondent TOP South African sports security consultant Rory Steyn said yesterday the entire Asian subcontinent was very...

Swimming report delayed.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Mark Smit Swimming report delayed Chief Sports Correspondent NORMAN Arendse's report into allegations of mismanagement in South African swimming has still not been released, and will not be released, according to Swimming SA...

'Cautious aggression' key to victory.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Colin Anthony 'Cautious aggression' key to victory Golf Correspondent SUN CITY The player who walks off with the R1,2m first prize at the Nedbank Challenge will have to do two things well at Sun City's Gary Player course this...

JAZZ.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Gwen Ansell Arts& Leisure JAZZ THE major cultural event of last month was the election of Barack Obama as US president. On 125th Street in Harlem, where I was when John McCain conceded, the event set off a barrage of music: song,...

Commission's report gets it wrong on rights.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Rhoda Kadalie SAHRC AND ANGLOPLAT/ Commission's report gets it wrong on rights IT HAS been a rough year for the platinum mining industry in SA. At the beginning of the year, an ounce of platinum was worth $2200, but seven months...

Embrace inflation as the lesser evil.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Kenneth Rogoff Embrace inflation as the lesser evil IT IS time for the world's major central banks to acknowledge that a sudden burst of moderate inflation would be extremely helpful in unwinding today's epic debt morass. In...

Urgent signals in trails of smoke above Mumbai.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Jorge Heine Urgent signals in trails of smoke above Mumbai THE view from the sixth-floor suites at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai is breathtaking. At sunrise, looking out on the Arabian Sea, one can see the majestic Gateway of...

Long-term authority lies in the middle of the road.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Xolela Mangcu Long-term authority lies in the middle of the road FELLOW columnist Sipho Seepe wrote a brilliant piece the other day about how the newly formed Congress of the People (COPE) could still surprise the African...

No BEE law changes official.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Linda Ensor No BEE law changes official Political Correspondent CAPE TOWN The trade and industry department did not see a need to review black economic empowerment (BEE) legislation and codes of good practice now as Trade and...

BHP Billiton cuts manganese output.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Charlotte Mathews BHP Billiton cuts manganese output Resources Editor WEAK conditions in the global steel industry have hit BHP Billiton, which announced yesterday it would cut back on production of manganese in SA and Australia....

Watershed for Mugabe as soldiers run riot.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Dumisani Muleya Watershed for Mugabe as soldiers run riot Protests raise fear of uprising amid discontent and a cholera epidemic Harare Correspondent ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe appears to be losing his 28-year iron grip...

Concern as Chinese clothing quotas expire.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Linda Ensor Concern as Chinese clothing quotas expire Cheap imports resulted in 80000 clothing and 20000 textile job losses before quotas were introduced last year, says union Political Correspondent CAPE TOWN The quotas on...

Green technologies set to help hotels trim costs.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Julius Baumann Green technologies set to help hotels trim costs Vineyard has addressed environmental issues in every aspect of service it provides, and has minimised expenditure Aviation and Tourism Editor THE motivation for...

Probe Vodacom sale, Telkom tenders union.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Lesley Stones Probe Vodacom sale, Telkom tenders union Information Technology Editor THE Communication Workers' Union (CWU) is calling for a thorough investigation into alleged crimes or misdemeanours involving Telkom's sale of...

ANC wines and dines black middle class.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Karima Brown and Hajra Omarjee ANC wines and dines black middle class THE looming battle for the soul of the black middle class is heating up, as rival political parties vie with each other to woo voters in the run-up to next...

Council holds up drug test DA.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Wyndham Hartley Council holds up drug test DA Parliamentary Editor CAPE TOWN The Medicines Control Council (MCC) was in a state of collapse and its inefficiency was jeopardising clinical trials of important HIV/AIDS drugs because...

ANC shuns debate over constitution.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Sibongakonke Shoba ANC shuns debate over constitution Party says focus not relevant, other participants cite attack on judiciary as threats to enshrined rights Staff Writer THE African National Congress (ANC) yesterday turned...

'Fear inhibits' COPE campaign in KwaZulu-Natal.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Sibongakonke Shoba 'Fear inhibits' COPE campaign in KwaZulu-Natal THE Congress of the People (COPE) was lagging behind in mobilising support in KwaZulu-Natal compared with other provinces because its supporters feared being...

SA agrees to ban on cluster bombs.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Hopewell Radebe SA agrees to ban on cluster bombs Diplomatic Editor SA WAS one of 100 countries yesterday that endorsed a new treaty to ban cluster munitions, with Defence Minister Charles Nqakula announcing in Oslo, Norway, that...

Hani's killer in new bid to gain parole.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Franny Rabkin Hani's killer in new bid to gain parole Staff Writer CLIVE Derby-Lewis, convicted killer of South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani, has launched a second application in the Pretoria High Court to be...

AfriForum to sue state over crime.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Chantelle Benjamin AfriForum to sue state over crime Study shows how policies have failed Chief Reporter THE government has failed to fulfil its constitutional obligations to address crime and public security, according to a...

Dispute over Angloplat relocation fund.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Stephan Hofstatter Dispute over Angloplat relocation fund Protests turn violent as groups contest who represents 6000 villagers moved for platinum mine Contributing Editor VIOLENT protests have erupted in Motlhotlo village in...

'Charities will suffer' because of court decision against WiniKhaya.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Ernest Mabuza 'Charities will suffer' because of court decision against WiniKhaya Legal Affairs Correspondent THE Supreme Court of Appeal's (SCA's) order that the WiniKhaya competition was not a promotional competition and was...

International academics rally behind KwaZulu professors.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Sue Blaine International academics rally behind KwaZulu professors Education Correspondent THE international and South African academic community is up in arms over the way the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has treated two...

Bad-mouthing the buy-and-hold way.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Ben Temkin PRIVATE INVESTOR/ Bad-mouthing the buy-and-hold way THE mistakes I make when investing are in public view, which means it's all too obvious when egg has been splattered on my face. I'm especially careful, therefore,...

MADE IT: Businesswoman Mamphela Ramphele.
April 12, 2008... Businesswoman Mamphela Ramphele, who quite correctly points out that business is too timid in the face of government failures that directly affect it. Once an activist, always an activist, it seems.

OUT: Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.
April 12, 2008... Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. The people, and now the courts, have spoken. At least he is going quietly, hounded out of power and his party disbanded for vote-buying in last year's election.

OUT: Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai.
April 12, 2008... Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai.Like a pair of modern-day Neros, they are fiddling while Zimbabwe burns. When, for the love of humanity, will they stop letting their egos trump the suffering of their people?

Safair rents Alitalia's old aircraft.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Julius Baumann Safair rents Alitalia's old aircraft Aviation and Tourism Editor A NUMBER of MD82 aircraft once belonging to failed Italian airline Alitalia are due to arrive in SA soon where they will be taken over by Safair....

Paulson may ask for next $350bn.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Foreign Staff Paulson may ask for next $350bn Sapa-AFP WASHINGTON US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson was considering whether to ask Congress for the next part of a $700bn bail-out package, the Wall Street Journal reported...

The joke is on us.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Andy Dott The joke is on us Sometimes I have to wonder if I am the only person who has not been informed that I am partaking in some kind of prolonged, mass candid-camera skit. We have an American election where the loser...

Test of freedom.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Professor Doug Blackmur Test of freedom To its great credit, SA protects academic freedom in the Bill of Rights. The exchange between Khehla Shubane and RW Johnson (Precious water of freedom, Face Off, December 3) draws attention...

Cops, what cops?
April 12, 2008... Byline: Harry Hyams Cops, what cops? Why aren't our traffic cops in highly visible squad cars mingling in the traffic streams instead of sitting by the roadside collecting money ? Sandton

Tell me why.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Jabu Mabuza Tell me why In his article spelling out 10 marks of intolerance (Foundations of ANC shaken by culture of intolerance, December 3) JJ Tabane gives 10 reasons for his disgruntlement with the ANC but says sweet nothing...

Failing industry.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Mike Sampson Failing industry South African industry faces severe stress from crumbling prices and falling world demand for metals, commodities and goods. Prices and demand will overshoot to the downside, wreaking damage to our...

Question Tsvangirai's motives.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Paul Rumema Chimhosva Question Tsvangirai's motives Thabo Mbeki has once again attracted controversy with his letter to the Zimbabwean opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai. I am a proud Zimbabwean passionately opposed to the...

Coup by stealth.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Dr Denis Venter Coup by stealth It is shockingly naive to think that SA's decision to withhold R300m in agricultural aid to Zimbabwe until a representative government is in place will sway the Zanu (PF) regime to finally strike a...

MTN reassures potential investors.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Andrew Parker MTN reassures potential investors Emerging market telecoms firms still offer value and should fare better in crisis times, says CE Financial Times MOBILE firm MTN, with operations in Africa and the Middle East, is...

Companies urged to come clean on pay deals for executives.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Renee Bonorchis Companies urged to come clean on pay deals for executives Renee Bonorchis SA IS still going to see some large executive pay packages coming through next year, despite the widespread downturn in markets and company...

Sanlam share sheds 4% on poor profit news.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Renee Bonorchis Sanlam share sheds 4% on poor profit news CEO gives reassurances about business growth and capital, but headline earnings per share down 86% over 10 months Renee Bonorchis Financial Services Editor SHARES in...

'Trustees missing out' on SRI bond funds.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Stephen Gunnion 'Trustees missing out' on SRI bond funds Markets Editor PENSION fund trustees may be missing out on an opportunity to invest in SA's infrastructure development while earning good returns for pension fund members,...

Brewer tries to woo Indians.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Thabang Mokopanele Brewer tries to woo Indians Trade and Industry Correspondent FACED with a small beer market, low consumption but a huge population, brewery giant SABMiller is working hard to enhance beer's appeal in India for...

Venue for Ajax vs Pirates match named.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Mninawa Ntloko Venue for Ajax vs Pirates match named Sports Editor UPSTARTS Ajax Cape Town emerged victorious from their standoff with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) when Durban's Chatsworth Stadium was announced as the venue...

Watershed for Mugabe as soldiers rampage.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Dumisani Muleya Watershed for Mugabe as soldiers rampage Spectre of uprising amid growing discontent and cholera epidemic Harare Correspondent ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe appears to be losing his 28-year iron grip on the...

Choosing a real business traveller.
April 12, 2008... Byline: LERATO MATEBESE Choosing a real business traveller In the last of our Buyers' Guides for this year, looks at the choices in the workhorse bakkie market TOYOTA HILUX STILL the best-selling bakkie in the country, the Hilux...

MITSUBISHI TRITON.
April 12, 2008... MITSUBISHI TRITON THE latest entrant into the bakkie market, the Mitsubishi Triton has brought with it a new styling brief to the table. It has a much softer and modern facade compared to the rest of the pack. This, however, doesn't entirely...

NISSAN NP 300.
April 12, 2008... THE Hardbody name might have taken a back seat, but the new NP300 has retained the core attributes of its predecessor. It remains a popular alternative to a gaggle of Chinese imports making inroads into the South African market. It offers a...

TATA TELCOLINE.
April 12, 2008... ARGUABLY the most bareback of the lot gathered here, but what the Telcoline lacks in cabin comfort it more than makes up for in capability. Featuring drop sides in addition to the tailgate, loading of heavy items becomes a much simpler...

List of Coty finalists unveiled.
April 12, 2008... Byline: ROGER HOUGHTON List of Coty finalists unveiled INDUSTRY NEWS THE South African Guild of Motoring Journalists has announced a list of nine cars to be tested at the Gerotek facility, west of Pretoria, at the end of January to...

Deals of the week.
April 12, 2008... Deals of the week BUYING WHILE most of us are looking in gift shops this time of year, there are those who are in the market for a four wheeled addition to the family this Christmas. Motor News has been looking around for some great deals....

Whiplash test dispels hype.
April 12, 2008... Whiplash test dispels hype The benchmark Euro NCAP organisation has conducted its first seat whiplash tests, with worrying results INDUSTRY NEWS EURO NCAP continues to set new standards in vehicle safety testing and recently released the...

Race helps Soweto flaunt its street vibe.
April 12, 2008... Byline: LERATO MATEBESE Race helps Soweto flaunt its street vibe Following the debut race on Sunday, Soweto will now be home to the first street circuit event on the local production car calendar, writes LOCAL MOTORSPORT THE smell of...

Three-model range of mini pick-ups.
April 12, 2008... Byline: ROGER HOUGHTON Three-model range of mini pick-ups FAW is known for its budget trucks but it is now adding a bakkie offering as well, writes JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW IMPERIAL Group subsidiary Associated Motor Holdings...

Local range expanded.
April 12, 2008... Byline: ROGER HOUGHTON Local range expanded Foton is now imported by Pearl Automotive and it displayed a wider range at the motor show, writes JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW THE arrival of new bakkies and other commercial vehicles...

Chinese-built buses in SA.
April 12, 2008... Byline: ROGER HOUGHTON Chinese-built buses in SA MOTOR SHOW IVECO SA used the recent Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) to launch a new range of two buses to the local market. The big news was that these Power Daily models,...

Treading the green path.
April 12, 2008... Byline: LERATO MATEBESE Treading the green path Going green has never felt so entertaining as found during his spell with the Lexus GS450h ROAD TEST TECH SPECS DARE mention hybrid cars among enthusiasts and petrol-heads alike and you are...

Spectators threaten hill climb.
April 12, 2008... Byline: JOHN FLOYD Spectators threaten hill climb The behaviour of spectators on the King of the Mountain hill climb in Ceres could risk the event's future, writes LOCAL MOTORSPORT THIS year's King of the Mountain hill climb event run...

Mini drops its top.
April 12, 2008... Byline: MOTOR NEWS REPORTER Mini drops its top The British-built favourite is to get a brand new convertible version FUTURE MODELS The new Mini Convertible is set to make a welcome return to our roads next year, with a completely new...

All a Porsche.
April 12, 2008... Byline: MARK SMYTH All a Porsche should be travelled to Spain to experience the new Porsche Cayman and found that it has emerged from the 911's shadow INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH I AM thinking about so-called nouvelle cuisine, not because my...

MOTOR SPARES.
April 12, 2008... Decline continues in local vehicle market FIGURES released this week show the local vehicle market fell by 30% in November adding to a year-to-date decline of 20,7%. Passenger vehicle sales were down 31,4% (AMH down 51%), medium commercials...

Workhorse bakkie ready to rumble.
April 12, 2008... Byline: ROGER HOUGHTON Workhorse bakkie ready to rumble One-ton Tata Ace pick-up truck launched at show aims at market niche, writes JOBURG INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW THE motor company within the Tata conglomerate continues its forward...

The ultimate in Benz luxury.
April 12, 2008... Byline: DANDRE STEENKAMP The ultimate in Benz luxury The Mercedes-Benz S-Class provides all the luxury an executive might need, writes USED CAR THE latest generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class is not only huge in size, but also huge in...

Volvo teases with S60.
April 12, 2008... Volvo teases with S60 Volvo has revealed the first picture of its new S60 model that will be unveiled in Detroit FUTURE MODELS This is the first picture of the Volvo S60 concept car, which is to be unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in early...

SUVs.
April 12, 2008... SUVs AUDI Q7 3.0TDI quattro Tiptronic R588500 Q7 3.6 FSI quattro Tiptronic R577500 Q7 4.2 FSI quattro Tiptronic R675000 Q7 4.2 TDI quattro Tiptronic R738500 BMW X3 2.0d R405000 X3 2.5i R455500 X3 2.5i STEPTRONIC R469600 X3 3.0i STEPTRONIC...

PASSENGER CARS.
April 12, 2008... PASSENGER CARS ALFA ROMEO 147 1.6 3-DOOR PROGRESSION R204000 147 1.6 5-DOOR PROGRESSION R214300 147 1.9 JTD 5-DOOR PROGRESSION R247500 147 2.0 3-DOOR DISTINCTIVE R228900 147 2.0 5-DOOR DISTINCTIVE R239300 159 1.9 JTS R292400 159 2.2 JTS...

LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.
April 12, 2008... LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES CHANA 1.0 S/CAB R67900 1.0 CLUB CAB R73900 1.0 D/CAB R79900 1.3 S/CAB R77900 1.3 CLUB CAB R79900 1.3 D/CAB R89900 CHEVROLET LUMINA UTE 6.0 V8 SS AT R375900 LUMINA UTE 6.0 V8 SS 6spd MT R375900 CITROEN BERLINGO 1.4i...

Need to assess rising replacement costs.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Andrew Gillingham Need to assess rising replacement costs CONDITIONS in the corporate insurance market have tightened significantly, driven by factors such as the worldwide financial markets meltdown which has obliged insurers to...

Needed: a menu of solutions for current economic climate.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Andrew Gillingham Needed: a menu of solutions for current economic climate THERE is a significant increase in the number of motor claims and the cost of each claim is rising under the influence of the weaker rand and inflation,...

Industry struggles after wave of negative factors.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Andrew Gillingham Industry struggles after wave of negative factors They include the global financial crisis, the credit crunch, offshore bailouts, fires and storms, writes ANDREW GILLINGHAM BOTH the global financial crisis and...

Reinsurers diversify.
April 12, 2008... Byline: Andrew Gillingham Reinsurers diversify THE cost of reinsurance capacity is likely to remain at present levels, though insurers may opt for higher limits. Keith Kennedy, MD of Mutual & Federal, says reinsurers and the rates...