Business Day (South Africa) articles from November 2009, page 2

Business Day (South Africa) archives from November 2009

Investec resilience draws record funds.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Edward West Investec resilience draws record funds EDWARD WEST INVESTEC Asset Management was enjoying a year of record funds under management and inflows as investors recovered from the shock of the financial crisis and were investing...

Car sale will be family fun day at botanical gardens.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Madden Cole Car sale will be family fun day at botanical gardens PARK Village Auctions is wrapping up its car sales schedule for this year with three sales over the next two weeks. More than 200 Absa bank-repossessed vehicles, bikes,...

Precautions needed to avoid future financial crises.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Edward West Precautions needed to avoid future financial crises EDWARD WEST Finance Editor THERE is a danger that the commitment by governments to reform financial systems after the global financial crisis will fade in the euphoria of...

Optimism reigns at Savile Row.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Madden Cole Optimism reigns at Savile Row MD says many buyers have shown interest in stock on offer at February sale SAVILE Row Auctions held its last property auction for the year at Summer Place yesterday, ending the year on an...

Sekunjalo ready to 'cherry-pick' assets.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Sure Kamhunga Sekunjalo ready to 'cherry-pick' assets SURE KAMHUNGA Companies Editor EMPOWERMENT firm Sekunjalo yesterday posted an operating loss of R28m in the year to August, but CEO Khalid Abdulla said it now had a strong balance...

Strauss leads paintings market for SA artists, new figures show.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Madden Cole Strauss leads paintings market for SA artists, new figures show FIGURES released recently by Art Vault show that art auction house Strauss leads the South African paintings auction market, ahead of the London auction house...

Vox to reinvent itself after fee cuts.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Lesley Stones Vox to reinvent itself after fee cuts Cheaper cellphone interconnection forces least-cost router to increase other offerings LESLEY STONES Information Technology Editor IMPENDING cuts in the cost of making a...

Serving pizza with a smile.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Alf James Serving pizza with a smile WHILE customer service is a strong attribute at Roman's Pizza, measures to improve on it in all areas of a business are ongoing, says MD John Nicolakakis. He says this business philosophy is...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT. Service levels in SA assessed.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Alf James FOOD FOR THOUGHT Service levels in SA assessed Orange Index rates industry players and recognises Woolworths Food as top of the pops with consumers, writes THE overall winner of this year's Ask Afrika Orange Index is...

Happiness is satisfying the customer.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Alf James Happiness is satisfying the customer THE best part about winning the Ask Afrika Orange Index service award is knowing that consumers voted for the company, says Miladys. That means consumers were happy with our service....

PUTTING CUSTOMERS FIRST. Recession forced insurer's rethink.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Alf James PUTTING CUSTOMERS FIRST Recession forced insurer's rethink Importance of exceptional service delivery to policyholders in four key areas became central to decision-making SOUTH Africans want to do business with reliable,...

Crucial factor is to build trust.
November 27, 2009... Byline: Alf James Crucial factor is to build trust THE organisations that will perform the best through this tough economic period and beyond are those that maintain a strong customer-centric focus while dealing with the complexity,...

MASSMART HOLDINGS.
November 26, 2009... MASSMART HOLDINGS Full year 2009 2008 Sales (Rbn) 43,1 39 Pretax (Rbn) 1,9 1,93 Net income (Rbn) 1,28 1,3 Headline EPS (c) 605 634,1 Dividend PS (c) 134 163

The Third Umpire. In: Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
November 26, 2009... Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi. A new plan to revitalise hospitals and clinics, and an independent watchdog to police it, is long overdue but might just be what the health system needs.

Selections.
November 26, 2009... 1st Race: (2) Sailor's Club (3) Mountain Cat (4) Coastal Club (7) Cavern Club 2nd Race: (8) Annamoona (5) Woodland Spirit (4) Spice Club (10) Mandulo 3rd Race: (6) Tynelli (4) Space Jewel (1) Full Moon Rising (3) La Creole 4th Race: (8) Africa's...

I admit it: I was wrong about the overseas-based Springboks.
November 26, 2009... Byline: Zeena Isaacs I admit it: I was wrong about the overseas-based Springboks I TAKE back what I said a year or two ago that the overseas-based Springboks should be overlooked for the national squad. I recall saying if they opted for...

Big business takes Zuma at his word on policy debate.
November 25, 2009... Byline: HILARY JOFFE Big business takes Zuma at his word on policy debate Lobby group decides to elevate its previous low-profile participation Senior Associate Editor BIG business will express its view on issues such as energy and healthcare...

'No additional funds' to speed up Gautrain.
November 25, 2009... Byline: CHANTELLE BENJAMIN 'No additional funds' to speed up Gautrain Provincial government says it will not approach the Treasury to have the service ready in time for World Cup GAUTENG roads and transport MEC Bheki Nkosi yesterday moved to...

Nationalising mines not the answer YCL.
November 25, 2009... Byline: KARIMA BROWN Nationalising mines not the answer YCL Manamela also rejects 'truce' over Malema's jibe directed at Cronin Political Editor YOUNG Communist League (YCL) national secretary Buti Manamela says the call by its counterpart in...

Pressure growing for Balfour to explain jailhouse rot.
November 25, 2009... Byline: LINDA ENSOR Pressure growing for Balfour to explain jailhouse rot Political Correspondent CAPE TOWN Pressure is mounting for former correctional services minister Ngconde Balfour now SA's high commissioner to Botswana to be called to...

Selebi trial postponed after ruling that Gilder must testify.
November 25, 2009... Byline: ERNEST MABUZA Selebi trial postponed after ruling that Gilder must testify Legal Affairs Correspondent THE corruption trial of former police commissioner Jackie Selebi has been delayed until next Tuesday to allow State Security...

Malema 'mimicked' judge.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Franny Rabkin Malema 'mimicked' judge THE relevance of Julius Malema's intention when he made comments about President Jacob Zuma's rape accuser was debated at the Equality Court in Johannesburg yesterday. In the run-up to April's...

Province probed for exam cheating.
November 25, 2009... Byline: SUE BLAINE Province probed for exam cheating Report should tell minister why Mpumalanga is the source of chronic matric leaks Education Correspondent BASIC Education Minister Angie Motshekga was likely to receive a first report this...

Social grants explain dip in poverty levels.
November 25, 2009... Byline: LUPHERT CHILWANE Social grants explain dip in poverty levels General Reporter ALTHOUGH poverty levels were at their lowest for at least 10 years due to the effects of social grants, four out of 10 South Africans still lived in poverty...

Chabane repays credit card debt.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Wyndham Hartley Chabane repays credit card debt CAPE TOWN Minister in the Presidency for Evaluation and Monitoring Collins Chabane was stranded without money or his belongings when he asked permission to use a state credit card for...

Media in uproar over Fifa's terms.
November 25, 2009... Byline: WYNDHAM HARTLEY Media in uproar over Fifa's terms Editors' body worries accreditation agreement will thwart 'normal' reporting Parliamentary Editor CAPE TOWN With little more than two months to go before media accreditation for the...

Zuma discusses co-operation with Norway's King Harald.
November 25, 2009... Byline: ALEX MATTHEWS Zuma discusses co-operation with Norway's King Harald A CEREMONIAL guard, a band and a 21-gun salute welcomed the king and queen of Norway to the Union Buildings in Pretoria yesterday for talks which President Jacob Zuma...

High-end staffing business hits profit at Kelly.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Simon Mundy High-end staffing business hits profit at Kelly SIMON MUNDY Staff Reporter KELLY Group saw profit fall 39% to R58,8m for the six months to September as the recruitment firm endured a revenue decline of nearly a third in...

General Construction contracted to build La Balise.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Thabang Mokopanele General Construction contracted to build La Balise ENL Property, the development manager of the $220m La Balise Marina project in Mauritius, has signed a contracting agreement with General Construction to undertake...

In lease agreements, cut through the jargon and be specific.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Thabang Mokopanele In lease agreements, cut through the jargon and be specific LENGTHY lease agreements filled with legal jargon can be daunting, especially for the hundreds of new tenants joining the letting market each day. ...

Justify the insults.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Evan Mantzaris Justify the insults Jacob Dlamini's diatribe (While SA laughs, Malema spreads his tentacles, November 19) is a very cryptic and intriguing piece of intellectual self-satisfaction. Mr Dlamini uses very insulting language...

It's time to accept foreign doctors.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Stephen Twinoburyo It's time to accept foreign doctors SA is in great need of medical doctors and, according to the Rural Doctors' Association of SA (Rudasa), this need is more dire in rural areas. The country therefore has no choice...

Becoming accomplices.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Brian Sandberg Becoming accomplices Your Editor's Notebook about the potential lack of future state funding for the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) Company (Thick end of the wedge, November 23) left me somewhat aghast. Thank you for...

It's our money.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Neil Jacobsohn It's our money And so the disturbing trend continues. Rather than face any kind of embarrassing truths emerging, the government expediently and cynically uses taxpayers' money to make its many political messes just go...

Wrong to grab land.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Willem Cronje Wrong to grab land African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema was recently quoted as saying: Why must we buy our land back? The land was stolen from us. We must march forward and demand our land back....

Tiger Brands gains from cheaper choices.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Michael Bleby Tiger Brands gains from cheaper choices SA's largest food company sees profit rise 8% to R2,5bn as consumers switch to maize products MICHAEL BLEBY Retail Industries Editor TIGER Brands, SA's largest food company,...

Moody's gives Imperial BAA3 rating, stable outlook.
November 25, 2009... Byline: BUSINESS DAY REPORTER Moody's gives Imperial BAA3 rating, stable outlook MOODY's Investors Service yesterday affirmed the long-term issuer rating of Imperial Group of BAA3 and changed its outlook to stable from negative, praising the...

Invest pension surpluses in job creation projects Metropolitan.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Sure Kamhunga Invest pension surpluses in job creation projects Metropolitan SURE KAMHUNGA Companies Editor A RETIREMENT fund yesterday suggested legislation was needed to compel pension funds to invest unclaimed pension fund...

Stratcorp posts loss as revenue dives.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Simon Mundy Stratcorp posts loss as revenue dives SIMON MUNDY Staff Reporter WEAK consumer spending saw venture capital specialist Stratcorp post a loss of R5,95m for the six months to September, it said yesterday. Revenue fell...

Super Group's rights issue to hit earnings.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Artwell Dlamini Super Group's rights issue to hit earnings ARTWELL DLAMINI Transport Correspondent SUPER Group said yesterday it had raised R1,227bn through the rights issue that would boost its shares listed on the JSE 500%, hugely...

Africa luring local groups seeking 'gold'.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Thabang Mokopanele Africa luring local groups seeking 'gold' Turnkey construction companies in SA sniff a fortune, writes AFRICA, beset by political turmoil and economic neglect for decades, stands to gain from turnkey local...

Telkom sets its sights on R6bn mobile strategy.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Lesley Stones Telkom sets its sights on R6bn mobile strategy The company aims to grow as SA's fourth cellular operator LESLEY STONES Information Technology Editor TELKOM reckons it can succeed as SA's fourth cellular operator by...

Adcock signs empowerment deal of R1,3bn.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Tamar Kahn Adcock signs empowerment deal of R1,3bn Company will be better positioned to bid for lucrative state contracts TAMAR KAHN Science and Health Editor CAPE TOWN JSE-listed pharmaceutical maker Adcock Ingram will sell 13% of...

UCS to buy back unbundled division Argility from its shareholders.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Lesley Stones UCS to buy back unbundled division Argility from its shareholders LESLEY STONES SOFTWARE developer UCS is reversing a decision to unbundle one of its divisions two years ago and will buy it back from its shareholders in...

Read the future in your bones.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Graeme Addison BIOSCIENCE Read the future in your bones Regenerative medicine, which allows the body to renew and replace missing or injured organs, is at the cutting edge of 21st century bioscience, writes SURELY the most common...

A go-getter who is leading the field.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Sue Grant-Marshall VITAL SIGNS A go-getter who is leading the field Khanyi Chaba is director of Standard Bank's home loans affordable housing. She tells how she put herself through school and technikon, and has become the interface...

Scientists on the trail of fixing broken hearts.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Ed Edelson BIOSCIENCE Scientists on the trail of fixing broken hearts Stem cells can be a sticking plaster therapy that promises to rebuild damaged hearts, writes US SCIENTISTS report a major step towards the goal of literally...

Duo of disorders bound by genes.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Ed Edelson GENETICS Duo of disorders bound by genes Studies have suggested the genetic link between Parkinson's and Gaucher disease but there have always been questions based on their size and controls. Now scientists say they have...

Train will hit car rentals.
November 25, 2009... Byline: ALF JAMES Train will hit car rentals SA's flagship Europcar airport branch at OR Tambo International Airport is now more efficient with recent improvements turning the newly launched, welcome centre into a conveyor belt of optimum...

Challenge to keep planes flying amid construction.
November 25, 2009... Byline: ALF JAMES FLYING HIGH Lanseria hurtles into the 21st century Ambitious plans to develop facilitiesyet retain ambience of a smaller landing strip FROM small beginnings as a grass-strip airfield to the highly sophisticated,...

Challenge to keep planes flying amid construction.
November 25, 2009... Byline: ALF JAMES Challenge to keep planes flying amid construction IN SEPTEMBER 2008 Electrical Engineering Solutions (EES), was awarded the contract to project manage the implementation of Cape Town International Airport's intelligence...

Hotels ready to fly high.
November 25, 2009... Byline: ALF JAMES TAKING OFF Hotels ready to fly high Group's airport move aimed at boosting its core market of business travellers both domestically and internationally, writes Alf James CITY Lodge Hotels sees airports as a key location for...

State-of-the-art parkades.
November 25, 2009... Byline: ALF JAMES State-of-the-art parkades ZEAG are the pioneers of the pay-on-foot parking concept that started in the 1970s with punch-code technology, says MD Craig Cockburn. He says the company's relationship with the Airports Company...

An explorer always in search of the next great adventure.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Lauren de Beer An explorer always in search of the next great adventure According to British wanderer Patrick Woodhead, writing a book was another novel challenge, writes The Cloud Maker Patrick Woodhead Random House Struik GIVEN...

Success of Telkom going mobile questioned.
November 25, 2009... THE BOTTOM LINE COLUMN Success of Telkom going mobile questioned IT WILL not be easy for Telkom to enter the market as SA's fourth cellular operator. It will be hugely expensive for a start, as it needs to have a mobile network that will...

Jim Simons: Legendary mathematician and fund manager.
November 25, 2009... Byline: MICHEL PIREU Jim Simons: Legendary mathematician and fund manager StreetDogs FEW people have heard of James Simons, US mathematician and hedge fund manager who, last year, was estimated by Forbes magazine to be worth about $8,5bn. ...

Flat-earth eccentricity or cruel and criminal.
November 25, 2009... Byline: KHEHLA SHUBANE VS RW JOHNSON Flat-earth eccentricity or cruel and criminal state behaviour? Should any individuals be held to account for the failure of the state's HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment strategy, and if so, who should...

No rush to make changes to Proteas squad.
November 25, 2009... Byline: KULANI NKUNA No rush to make changes to Proteas squad DESPITE the Proteas slumping to a defeat in the second one-day international against England, convener of selectors Mike Proctor said the coaching staff would not rush to make...

Telkom's future.
November 25, 2009... Telkom's future Future plans make sense, but does the CEO? TELKOM is becoming the latest parastatal to set the alarm bells ringing. For years it enjoyed a protected monopoly, and failed to respond as the markets grew more competitive. It was...

Treat guests with respect.
November 25, 2009... Treat guests with respect Rip off World Cup visitors and they won't return WITH 450000 soccer fans expected to descend on SA next June, it is not surprising that there is already a scramble for accommodation and flights. Recently, prices have...

Wine.
November 25, 2009... Byline: MICHAEL FRIDJHON Wine IT IS customary in most wine- consuming countries for imbibers to resent the margins of retailers a result, no doubt, of the suspicion about middle-men which lurks in human DNA. Those who think along these lines...

Hypocritical pot calling the kettle black for a 'Hand of God'.
November 25, 2009... Byline: MNINAWA NTLOKO Hypocritical pot calling the kettle black for a 'Hand of God' THE genius that is former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright had us rolling in the aisles the other day when he gave in to the compelling urge to add his...

Chiefs coach warns league title up for play.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Mninawa Ntloko Chiefs coach warns league title up for play Vermezovic says it is crucial Chiefs beat SuperSport United tonight MNINAWA NTLOKO Sports Editor KAIZER Chiefs coach Vladimir Vermezovic warned yesterday that holders...

Absolute return is the real test of investment.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Ben Temkin PRIVATE INVESTOR Absolute return is the real test of investment IN THE report on the results for the year ended September 30, the directors of Coronation Fund Managers (Coronat) emphasised how the performance of their funds...

OUT; Monitoring and Evaluation Minister Collins Chabane.
November 25, 2009... Monitoring and Evaluation Minister Collins Chabane appears to need some monitoring and evaluation of his own, after admitting to private overspending on his state-issued credit card.

IN: Statistician-general Pali Lehohla.
November 25, 2009... Statistician-general Pali Lehohla. SA's perennially mistrusted crime statistics need all the credibility they can get, so kudos to Statistics SA for helping the police whip them into shape.

IN: Human rights lawyer George Bizos.
November 25, 2009... Human rights lawyer George Bizos is a welcome voice of reason in the unseemly spat between Julius Malema and Jeremy Cronin. Now if we could all just take his advice and ignore Malema.

British join chorus of 2010 safety alarmism.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Mninawa Ntloko. British join chorus of 2010 safety alarmism DANNY Jordaan CEO of the 2010 Soccer World Cup local organising committee yesterday expressed his displeasure at reports the British government had warned fans to be on the...

Bulls unveil master plan for success.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Zeena Isaacs Bulls unveil master plan for success ZEENA ISAACS Rugby Correspondent THE Blue Bulls Rugby Union has developed a master plan to advance to even greater heights in the future by forming a development dream team, which...

IN BRIEF - PROPERTY.
November 25, 2009... IN BRIEF Emerging middle class finding new homes CHANGE More than 50000 former township and lower income bracket residents are moving annually into what were formerly exclusively white areas and, although this process has been slowed by the...

Global iron-ore prices 'expected to rise 10%'.
November 25, 2009... Byline: BHEKI MPOFU Global iron-ore prices 'expected to rise 10%' Resources Editor GLOBAL iron-ore prices were expected to rise about 10% next year as demand, mainly from Europe and Asia, recovered, Kumba Iron Ore CEO Chris Griffiths said...

Call to get strict on housing tenders.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Thabang Mokopanele Call to get strict on housing tenders THE policy that weights the tender process in favour of black-empowered contractors needs to be changed, especially when it comes to awarding low-cost housing contracts, a...

B&W buys Pontins to expand contracting business.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Thabang Mokopanele B& W buys Pontins to expand contracting business THABANG MOKOPANELE Property Editor ELECTRICAL and instrumentation company B& W has acquired earthing and lightning protection company Pontins for R19,2m,...

FNB launches new EasyPlan network.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Edward West FNB launches new EasyPlan network EDWARD WEST Finance Editor FNB hopes to make banking more accessible through the launch yesterday of a tailor-made branch network, EasyPlan. FNB's EasyPlan branches will be aimed at the...

SA home ownership rate like a developed country.
November 25, 2009... Byline: Thabang Mokopanele SA home ownership rate like a developed country The Vhembe district in Limpopo had the highest proportion of owner-occupiers in the country in 2007, at 88% SA IS faring pretty well among its developing country...

Surfing simply with the hotshot behind the hotspots.
November 24, 2009... Byline: Dave Marrs Surfing simply with the hotshot behind the hotspots Young Cape-based internet entrepreneur Henk Kleynhans is the man putting laptops in SA's coffee shops, writes TELKOM'S monopoly over landline communications may officially...

Investors expect equity returns to continue falling.
November 24, 2009... Byline: Edward West Investors expect equity returns to continue falling EDWARD WEST Finance Editor THE Sanlam Investment Management investor confidence indices' November survey shows that the respondents increasingly consider the equity...

Oando 'making progress' in upstream plans.
November 24, 2009... Byline: Siseko Njobeni Oando 'making progress' in upstream plans SISEKO NJOBENI Energy Affairs Editor JSE-listed energy group Oando expected its oil fields Oil Mining Lease 90 and 56 to start production within the next two quarters, the...

Small business is not a magic bullet.
November 24, 2009... Byline: Stephen Timm Small business is not a magic bullet PROMOTING and supporting the small business sector was not the magic bullet to overcoming the country's high unemployment rate, Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies said in an...

Vital to tap staff input on wellness initiatives.
November 24, 2009... Byline: Erica Webster Vital to tap staff input on wellness initiatives BEFORE embarking on any kind of employee assistance or wellness programme, companies should determine what their employees consider to be their areas of need and then...

ENTREPRENEURIAL NEEDS. Noble purpose a key to success.
November 24, 2009... Byline: Stephen Timm ENTREPRENEURIAL NEEDS Noble purpose a key to success It is not enough simply to chase wealth creation. Innovation and not fearing failure are also crucial factors, writes THE government should reduce the number of...

Still bias in reports on sustainability.
November 24, 2009... Byline: Sanchia Temkin Still bias in reports on sustainability SANCHIA TEMKIN Professional Services Editor WHILE sustainability and environmental responsibility may be challenges for many businesses, the practice of inaccurate, wishful or...

Netcare sees increasing demand for private care.
November 24, 2009... Byline: Tamar Kahn Netcare sees increasing demand for private care Organic local growth, acquisitions in UK drive group's performance TAMAR KAHN Science and Health Editor CAPE TOWN SA's biggest private hospital group, Network Healthcare...

Vukile hit by higher electricity and rates charges.
November 24, 2009... Byline: Thabang Mokopanele Vukile hit by higher electricity and rates charges THABANG MOKOPANELE Property Editor PROPERTY loan stock company Vukile's distributions for the six months to September increased 6,6% to R138,9m, or 47c per linked...