Barely 10 months after its seventh national congress, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) is embroiled in an organisational crisis that threatens the unity of the union. Tensions reached boiling point this week, when a faction comprising the regional leadership accused the current Numsa leadership of abusing power.
A confidential Inkatha Freedom Party discussion paper, which calls for a change in the party’s old guard leadership, has been leaked to the <i>Mail & Guardian</i> in the week in which national chairperson Ziba Jiyane was given his marching orders because of his drive to revolutionise the dying party.
You have to keep a close eye on all the euphemisms that are flying around these days. A euphemism, for the benefit of younger readers, is a figure of speech that allows its user to call a spade a shovel, or even a trowel, rather than a spade. It allows you, in the words of the dictionary, to give a more pleasant, public-friendly spin to something that might otherwise have been considered unpleasant.
A string of unrealised multimillion-rand investments with shady financial traders based in South Africa has left some Namibian state-owned companies embarrassed by the fact that they may have been conned into signing away at least R130-million in public funds.
The first study of the film sector in almost five years says it is "particularly important that the restrictive tax and labour legislation is addressed", if the industry is to maintain its stature and increase its competitiveness. According to the Microeconomic Development Strategy Report, which will be officially released later this month, the sector’s worth stands at a turnover of R1-billion per annum
The BBC’s headline read “Bolton appointed US envoy to UN”, and suddenly I found myself hoping that it was Michael Bolton. What a splendid envoy he would be! Crimped mane streaming behind him, its middle parting as white and straight as the American Dream, his linen shirt open to the medallion-line.
Pioneering empowerment company Worldwide Africa Investment Holdings, traditionally a discreet player in a game dominated by high-profile individuals, is having to deal with intense scrutiny as its assets expand and public attention focuses on two of its founders: South African Airways CEO Khaya Ngqula and MTN chief Phutuma Nhleko.
Spare a thought for Telkom CEO Sizwe Nxasana. He has just had his salary package cut by 37%, from R11,14-million to R6,9-million. Telkom has cut executive salaries and bonuses in the past two years from R59-million to R33-million. The Telkom board, no doubt, has taken note of the new mood sweeping the country as workers look not so much at CPIX.
The most high profile legal battle in three years is likely between Telkom and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) over the cost of high-speed Internet access, after Icasa slammed the telecoms giant for charging "exorbitant" fees.
Car manufacturers BMW, DaimlerChrysler and Volkswagen; the country’s fourth-largest financial institution, Commerzbank; Europe’s largest chip-producer, Infineon — five of Germany’s leading firms, all members of its Dax-30 blue-chip index, have become embroiled in corruption scandals in recent months.