Business Day (South Africa) articles from February 2009

Business Day (South Africa) archives from February 2009

Private healthcare sector is proving immune to global ills.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Edward West Private healthcare sector is proving immune to global ills WELL, economic growth statistics released this week confirm that the economy's in a parlous state, and although lower producer inflation points to further...

IN BRIEF - MEDIA REVIEW.
February 28, 2009... Byline: WEEKENDER REPORTER IN BRIEF Vodacom's big new rugby campaign targets 'Number 23' the avid fan VODACOM has gone on an ambitious, fully integrated marketing campaign to leverage its sponsorship investment in South African rugby....

A passion for quirky side of news.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Jocelyn Newmarch A passion for quirky side of news Jonathan Cherry likes to know what's going on in the world, but always tries to make time for sports, writes JOCELYN NEWMARCH WHEN Jonathan Cherry, owner of Cherryflava Media,...

We're looking for a cure in all the wrong places.
February 28, 2009... Byline: David Lascelles We're looking for a cure in all the wrong places AFTER fighting the fires of the crisis for the past six months, governments are finally getting down to the more lasting matter of making sure it never happens...

Credit growth falls sharply.
February 28, 2009... Byline: MARIAM ISA Credit growth falls sharply Talk of early rate cut resumes as data point to households under strain and wariness among banks, writes GROWTH in private sector credit slowed more sharply than expected last month as...

Value investing short-term pain for long-term gain.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Daniel Malan Value investing short-term pain for long-term gain IT NEVER fails to amaze us how often people try to gauge so-called market sentiment, the outlook for earnings growth at a company or even for the whole economy....

Shark helps Ponzi schemers to loot funds.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Paul Theron Shark helps Ponzi schemers to loot funds Investors eaten alive Another week, another Ponzi scheme masquerading as a hedge fund. The founders of Westridge Capital were arrested on Wednesday by the New York FBI. While...

Lights, camera action?
February 28, 2009... Byline: Jocelyn Newmarch Lights, camera action? SA still holds appeal for filmmakers but consolidation in the industry can be expected, writes JOCELYN NEWMARCH TIMES are set to get tough for the local commercial film industry as the...

HOW MUCH CAN YOU TRUST YOUR TRUST?
February 28, 2009... Byline: Ian Bere Do you still need a trust after changes to estate taxes? TRUSTS have been around since the Middle Ages. When knights went off to battle they wanted to preserve their wealth and protect their dependants should they not...

Do your homework and make the most of incentives to save.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Don Richter Do your homework and make the most of incentives to save WHAT tax implications should be kept in mind when giving investment advice? While there are indications that investors are generally getting smarter about...

Blowing one's trumpet in the coop.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Mariam Isa Blowing one's trumpet in the coop IT's a sad fact that in most big companies, the ability to play the cloak-and-dagger game of internal politics is just as important, if not more so, than actual competence. This is not...

Fighting talk from Bush and Russia Today.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Edward West Fighting talk from Bush and Russia Today NEWS that Barack Obama intends sending another 17 000 troops to Afghanistan comes as wonderful encouragement to those who prefer their wars long, bloody and pointless. After...

Hard times change habits of borrowers.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Michael Bleby Hard times change habits of borrowers As home and car loans fall, short-term loans increase, writes MICHAEL BLEBY SOUTH Africans cut back on their borrowing as interest rates rose in the first half of last year,...

Melrose Arch sets the stage for 90 new outlets.
February 28, 2009... Byline: EDWARD WEST Melrose Arch sets the stage for 90 new outlets MELROSE Arch Shopping plans to introduce some 90 new shopping outlets over 28 000m on March 26. A number of the world's desirable brands will be showcased for the first...

What price an exquisite ride?
February 28, 2009... Byline: Alxander Parker What price an exquisite ride? The Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG is fun, incredibly fast and powerful, and combines sports car with luxury although the nose job is all wrong IT WAS the editor of this publication who said...

Sasol's attempt to clean up a dirty job.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Edward West Sasol's attempt to clean up a dirty job SA's biggest polluter has sought UN recognition of its emission reduction efforts but Earthlife is sceptical, writes EDWARD WEST SASOL is well known as a global leader in...

Special Assignment celebrates a decade.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Jocelyn Newmarch Special Assignment celebrates a decade JOCELYN NEWMARCH SPECIAL Assignment is relaunching next week, 10 years after its first broadcast. We've built up quite a reputation as a programme that would deliver a...

Tsvangirai to attend lavish Mugabe bash.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Dumisani Muleya Tsvangirai to attend lavish Mugabe bash DUMISANI MULEYA HARARE GLORIFIED in Zanu (PF) circles as the dear leader and vilified elsewhere as an indulgent tyrant, Robert Mugabe will celebrate his 85th birthday this...

Joke may be in bad taste, but speech has to be free.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Bryan Rostron Joke may be in bad taste, but speech has to be free AN ARTICLE in the University of Cape Town student magazine, Sax Appeal, has elicited an outpouring of intolerance from some Capetonian Christians. I haven't read...

A bitter war of words floods the judiciary.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Carmel Rickard A bitter war of words floods the judiciary AT THE height of the furore about Cape Town's Judge-President John Hlophe last year, Johannesburg judges did something very strange. They pulled the file on the Hlophe...

Stopping unpopular Lekota's arrogance.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Xolela Mangcu Stopping unpopular Lekota's arrogance IT REALLY takes some doing. How do you establish a political party, and then members of that party declare you unfit to lead it? And even worse, they are now talking about...

Time to honour Sobukwe.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Xolela Mangcu Time to honour Sobukwe THIS weekend marks yet another anniversary of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe's burial. Robert who? I hear you ask. In these days of fickle leadership it may be important to remember and honour a man...

P.S.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Xolela Mangcu IT IS the height of hypocrisy for COPE to defend their choice of Allan Boesak as premier candidate of Western Cape on the grounds that, technically, he has no criminal record because he received a presidential...

Madiba's actions challenge prejudice.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Xolela Mangcu Madiba's actions challenge prejudice SO NELSON Mandela appears at an ANC rally alongside Jacob Zuma. I have a theory why the whole thing has been made into such a big deal. Frankly, it's neither about Mandela nor...

Pikoli has sensitised us to autocrats.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Xolela Mangcu Pikoli has sensitised us to autocrats THIS past week, former national director of public prosecutions Vusi Pikoli spoke at the Platform for Public Deliberation at the University of Johannesburg. He struck me as a...

HERO-RATED: US PRESIDENT - Barack Obama.
February 28, 2009... HERO-RATED Barack Obama US PRESIDENT Barack Obama's ratings at home and abroad soared this week following his congressional address and his unveiling of details of his budget. Obama's budget is the biggest redistribution of wealth from...

COPE plays into hands of 'Xhosa Nostra' theorists.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Jacob Dlamini COPE plays into hands of 'Xhosa Nostra' theorists I KNOW it should not, but it does bother me that the Congress of the People (COPE) has chosen, in Mvume Dandala, a Xhosa to be its presidential candidate. I know,...

What has happened to impartiality?
February 28, 2009... Byline: Victor Gordon What has happened to impartiality? What has happened to journalistic impartiality? Reading Xolela Mangcu's article, A pure state is a pipe dream, Israel (The Weekender, February 21-22), one must conclude it to be a...

Get rich first, and only then help the poor.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Jim Harris Get rich first, and only then help the poor In, Maximise budget's better tax breaks (The Weekender, February 21-22), Debbie Netto-Jonker refers to tax paid as a percentage of our gross (personal) income and several...

Analyse this: myths about footballers.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Sifiso Mxolisi Ndlovu Analyse this: myths about footballers Simon Kuper's article on South African footballers (The Weekender, February 21-22), particularly his focus on the reedy Steven Pienaar, is redolent with myths and...

Hamas is an irresponsible government.
February 28, 2009... Byline: S Kaye Hamas is an irresponsible government There was nothing intellectual about Xolela Mangcu's piece on Israel: more like the lowest form of emotional rabble rousing, I would say. He takes us on a bloodthirsty tour of the...

TOP NU METRO DVDs.
February 28, 2009... TOP NU METRO DVDs 1. High School Musical 3 Now in their final year of high school, Troy and Gabriella struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring...

SA will not come out of the global downturn unscathed.
February 28, 2009... SA will not come out of the global downturn unscathed Recession likely after last quarter's contraction but in our favour we have slowing inflation, room for rate cuts and robust agriculture SA MAY have had a somewhat delayed reaction to the...

'Make or break for ANC'.
February 28, 2009... Byline: KARIMA BROWN 'Make or break for ANC' Zuma vows to get tough with politicians who don't do their jobs, writes JACOB Zuma, the African National Congress (ANC) presidential candidate poised to become SA's next president, says he...

Law Society tackles RAF changes in court.
February 28, 2009... Byline: FRANNY RABKIN Law Society tackles RAF changes in court THE Law Society of SA has launched legal proceedings in the Pretoria High Court to have amendments to the Road Accident Fund (RAF) Act declared unconstitutional and unlawful....

Petrol price rises while diesel continues to fall.
February 28, 2009... Byline: SISEKO NJOBENI Petrol price rises while diesel continues to fall THE retail price for petrol will next week increase by 45c/l, continuing with the recent trend of increasing petrol prices while diesel prices fall. An increase in...

'Our leaders have skills to cope'.
February 28, 2009... Byline: SIBONGAKONKE SHOBA 'Our leaders have skills to cope' Lekota says ruling party made the mistake of appointing comrades, not people with the right experience, writes CONGRESS of the People (COPE) president Mosiuoa Lekota told...

No big guns on COPE premier list.
February 28, 2009... Byline: SIBONGAKONKE SHOBA No big guns on COPE premier list THE Congress of the People (COPE) finalised its list of premier candidates this week, but failed to deliver the big names it promised. The party has chosen its head of...

Political parties take to TV ads.
February 28, 2009... Byline: JOCELYN NEWMARCH Political parties take to TV ads There is concern that smaller parties may not be able to reach voters due to cost factors, writes TELEVISION advertising is being allowed for the first time in SA in the coming...

'Politicians are failing women'.
February 28, 2009... Byline: WEEKENDER REPORTER 'Politicians are failing women' POLITICAL parties pay lip service to women in their manifestos and on their candidate lists, but the political culture in SA is overwhelmingly male, a public debate co-hosted by...

DA manifesto a blueprint for success, not a 'false cure'.
February 28, 2009... Byline: HELEN ZILLE DA manifesto a blueprint for success, not a 'false cure' IN HIS article, DA manifesto peddles false cure for cronyism (The Weekender, February 21-22), Eusebius McKaiser concedes that cronyism and corruption have...

Dandala highly respected by peers.
February 28, 2009... Byline: PATRICK LAURENCE Dandala highly respected by peers THE selection of Mvume Dandala by the Congress of the People (COPE) as its presidential candidate for the April elections invokes memories of the election of another Methodist...

Bishop promises a clean fight.
February 28, 2009... Byline: SIBONGAKONKE SHOBA Bishop promises a clean fight COPE's presidential candidate plans to focus on real issues and not launch an attack on the ANC, writes MVUME DANDALA LIKE a bomb squad officer called in to deactivate a ticking...

Violence is not the inevitable outcome.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Rehana Rossouw Violence is not the inevitable outcome IT's bad enough that we're going through tough times, but the really bad news is that it's predicted that violence perhaps even war will result from this. Last year,...

TOP TV FOR THE WEEKEND.
February 28, 2009... TOP TV FOR THE WEEKEND Election (1999) MM1, SUNDAY, 19:00 TRACY Flick (a young Reese Witherspoon) is an ambitious and successful high school senior who hates to lose. Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) is a high school teacher disappointed...

Intercourse with the vampire and bloody barmaids.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Katy Chance Intercourse with the vampire and bloody barmaids TRUE Blood (M-Net): I went into the onscreen guide to find out what it's about; this is what I got. True Blood follows the exploits of telepathic barmaid Sookie...

Winslet's weird Oscar prediction.
February 28, 2009... Winslet's weird Oscar prediction AT THIS week's Oscars , Kate Winslet finally fulfilled her dream of winning best actress for her role as a former Nazi in The Reader. Winslet couldn't have been too shocked: she predicted the circumstances of...

ZERO-RATED: Mosiuoa Lekota.
February 28, 2009... ZERO-RATED Mosiuoa Lekota THE leader of the Congress of the People (COPE) seems not to realise that AIDS is a huge issue for South Africans and that they may choose their new crop of leaders based on their views on the disease. In an...

Getting the best out of playing on the Wanderers pitch.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Daryll Cullinan Getting the best out of playing on the Wanderers pitch THE long-awaited Test series between SA and Australia has got under way at the Wanderers. The toss is always important at this venue and this Test proved to...

Goalie with a plan B.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Dave Gemmell Goalie with a Plan B Gary Bailey talks about the lonely life of a Man United bachelor, why he rates Sir Alex, and how he prepared for life after soccer Your father was a goalkeeper; was that why you became one? His...

Downhill skiers show real courage on slippery slopes.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Edward Griffiths Downhill skiers show real courage on slippery slopes THERE is no shortage of overused, and devalued, words and phrases in the overblown world of sport. Great is one, world class is another and perhaps courageous...

Big Joe faces up to home truths.
February 28, 2009... Byline: RYAN VREDE Big Joe faces up to home truths Van Niekerk claims that he has given up his hard-partying lifestyle and is now ready to play rugby, writes EIGHTEEN months ago Joe van Niekerk couldn't stand looking at himself in the...

Kallis joins league of cricket legends.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Ryan Vrede Kallis joins league of cricket legends One fine all-rounder, Shaun Pollock, pays tribute to another the greatest all-rounder in cricketing history, writes RYAN VREDE I RECALL Jacques's Test debut fairly clearly. A lot...

Hiddink's small ego fits right in at thorny Chelsea.
February 28, 2009... Byline: SIMON KUPER Hiddink's small ego fits right in at thorny Chelsea IT WAS a snowy evening in Amsterdam, and a dozen men had gathered in an apartment. First there was a soccer quiz, then a banquet, then good talk into the early...

Shrivelling Proteas.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Robert Taylor Shrivelling Proteas Ponting's Aussies are sucking the life out of SA, writes MARK SMIT at the Wanderers North and Johnson clobber SA's bowlers BRAND Protea, the image hoping to become the No1 Test brand in world...

Eager amateur swings to his own rhythm on the fairways.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Colin Anthony Eager amateur swings to his own rhythm on the fairways A former professional squash player who was an all-round sportsman, Murray Winckler plays golf for enjoyment , writes COLIN ANTHONY MURRAY Winckler's swing is...

Fresh off the conveyor belts of Suspense Inc.
February 28, 2009... Byline: William Saunderson-Meyer Fresh off the conveyor belts of Suspense Inc SCARPETTA Patricia Cornwell Little Brown RUN FOR YOUR LIFE James Patterson (with Michael Ledwidge) Century THE ASSOCIATE John Grisham Century IT IS appropriate...

MOVIE SHORTS.
February 28, 2009... HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU This film differs from other romantic comedies in that it is based on a self-help book designed to explain both why a particular romance failed to materialise and how to avoid future disappointment. To illustrate...

Art's sarcastic truths.
February 28, 2009... Byline: CHRIS THURMAN Art's sarcastic truths In Crocodile Tears, Brett Murray pokes a very sharp stick at Mbeki and Zuma and laughs at himself too, writes TOWARDS the end of 2007, when Polokwane was on everyone's lips, South Africans...

Knowing when to unleash those pearlers.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Leigh Page Knowing when to unleash those pearlers MY FRIEND Mike Wills is a great journalist. He's also an exhilarating radio host and inspiring parent. But what many don't know about Wills is that he has an inordinate (some...

A light take on inherent beauty.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Chris Thurman A light take on inherent beauty IT's tempting to give The Fat Black Women Sing a glib tag such as an urban Zulu Vagina Monologues or the Sex in the City of Jozi like these precursors, the show celebrates the female...

Nataniel's aesthetic quest.
February 28, 2009... Byline: TAT WOLFEN Nataniel's aesthetic quest NATANIEL's new show at Emperors, Coronation, draws on the resources of nine supporting musicians and vocalists. It's an unusually large cast for a show of this sort but, considering the bold...

It's not commercial, but it has appeal.
February 28, 2009... Byline: MELVYN MINNAAR It's not commercial, but it has appeal A GROUP exhibition at the Muti Gallery in Cape Town is cheekily titled Supermarket. It is advertised as a till slip of artists' names. The idea, says Lizza Littlewort, one...

Design Indaba promises all the latest in decor and flair.
February 28, 2009... Design Indaba promises all the latest in decor and flair DESIGN Indaba Expo promises creativity that knows no boundaries. Now in its sixth year, the expo promises to outdo itself in showcasing SA's best in advertising, architecture, craft,...

A sordid, sorry tale that is not redeemed in the telling.
February 28, 2009... Byline: AMANDA LORENTZ A sordid, sorry tale that is not redeemed in the telling THE BUSINESS Martina Cole Headline SOME books contain a hint of kitchen sink but The Business is an all-out assault on the senses, heady with steam, eau de...

Exceptional people are created by communities.
February 28, 2009... Byline: SUE GRANT-MARSHALL Exceptional people are created by communities OUTLIERS: The Story of Success Malcolm Gladwell Allen Lane WHY some people succeed and others do not is a question that has teased the best minds for centuries. The...

Problems that will always haunt us.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Rehana Rossouw Problems that will always haunt us Alex Perry has travelled the world looking at the devastating effects of globalisation, writes REHANA ROSSOUW FALLING OFF THE EDGE: Globalisation, World Peace & Other Lies Alex...

Casualties of crime fight.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Sarah Hudleston Casualties of crime fight New laws to prevent the sale of stolen goods will be unworkable for second-hand book dealers, writes SARAH HUDLESTON SECOND-HAND book dealers say the Second-hand Goods Bill is going to...

A curious case indeed.
February 28, 2009... Byline: PHILLIP ALTBEKER A curious case indeed sees possible Hollywood nepotism in the slew of Oscar nominations for a well-made but sentimental film AT SOME date in the future a film historian will look back and speculate on the reasons...

Sneak preview of Orlin's new collaboration.
February 28, 2009... Byline: TAMMY BALLANTYNE Sneak preview of Orlin's new collaboration IT's always a treat to pop into one of Robyn Orlin's rehearsals; there's a frisson of excitement and energy building as her cast prepare for her work that will premiere...

Rules and regulations for the novice fly-fisher.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Neels Blom Rules and regulations for the novice fly-fisher DEAR Jessie, I was very pleased to learn from your mother of your interest in fly-fishing and that she would let you join our next expedition to the mountains, despite...

A simple and inspiring classic with a long shelf life.
February 28, 2009... Byline: ANDREA BURGENER A simple and inspiring classic with a long shelf life ITALIAN FOOD Elizabeth David Various THE world is more in love with Italian food every year. Just when you think that last year's book or TV show on the joys...

Deconstructing the tasting.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Sue Blaine Deconstructing the tasting SUE BLAINE revisits Le Quartier Francais, and is still editing her tasting memory IT SEEMS to me that, like memories of the good times spent with a former lover, the mental images we harbour...

Our chosen menu at The Tasting Room.
February 28, 2009... Our chosen menu at The Tasting Room Sugar-cured organic lamb carpaccio and tartare, pea shoot and Pecorino salad (x2) Butterfish en papillote, grilled calamari, chorico, periwinkle veloute, prawn koeksuster, and Norwegian salmon gravadlax,...

The beating heart of the Colonial Karoo.
February 28, 2009... Byline: CHRIS MARAIS The beating heart of the Colonial Karoo The second Laird of Matjiesfontein has a 21st-century plan, says 'Knack of the Karoo' at work WHEN it rains in the Karoo, everything stops to take notice. Birds halt their...

Talking about a revolution.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Katy Chance Talking about a revolution KATY CHANCE visits Palais de Tokyo, a revolutionary art museum in Paris that guarantees instant access to the neo-Bohemian set PALAIS de Tokyo is not your mainstream Paris tourist...

INFO CENTRE.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Alana Rank INFO CENTRE PALAIS de Tokyo is the only art museum in the world open from noon until midnight from Tuesday to Sunday. Entrance is free if staying at a Le Meridien hotel your key card gives you access; if not, entrance...

Tourism Ireland hosts two-day St Patrick's Festival.
February 28, 2009... Tourism Ireland hosts two-day St Patrick's Festival ST PATRICK is the patron saint of Ireland and St Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish green and gold, shamrocks (the national flower) and luck. One theory for...

IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR.
February 28, 2009... IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR 2 eggs 250ml cream 125ml evaporated milk 200ml condensed milk 5ml vanilla extract 5ml caramel flavouring 50ml coffee liqueur 125ml Irish whiskey Process the eggs and cream in a blender until well mixed. Add remaining...

LE MERIDIEN ETOILE.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Katy Chance LE MERIDIEN ETOILE ETOILE is one of the best situated, large, business-friendly hotels in Paris. Rather like the Westin Grand in Cape Town, it is directly opposite, and about 20 paces away from the magnificent,...

With stars in their eyes.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Katy Chance With stars in their eyes Le Meridien is more than a hotel group, finds KATY CHANCE, it's a cultural guardian THE Medicis started it. Before there were governments or arts councils to protect and nurture art and...

Pairing up in the office is much harder than marriage.
February 28, 2009... Byline: Ian Franks Pairing up in the office is much harder than marriage SINCE Adam and Eve played snakes and apples the urge to pair off has been a powerful driver. Antony and Cleo, Romeo and Juliet, Abbott and Costello, two have always...

Semantics be damned: SA is now in recession.
February 27, 2009... Byline: Edward West THE BOTTOM LINE COLUMN Semantics be damned: SA is now in recession WHETHER we are in recession or not has become a bit of a semantic roundabout. Technically, a recession is two quarters of negative growth....

Dancer's Daughter can steal the show.
February 27, 2009... Byline: David Mollett Dancer's Daughter can steal the show Turffontein could be scene of 11th win of her career Racing Editor PHUMELELA has attracted the racing equivalent of Madonna as the star attraction in tomorrow's R1m Laurie Jaffee...