Petrochemical giant Sasol is facing two important challenges to its pricing policy and general conduct, which are alleged to be strangling South Africa’s fertilizer and plastic industries. The outcome is seen by trade unions as critical to developing the growth and job-creating potential of the chemical sector.
Edcon, owner of Edgars stores, has rejected claims by trade union official that the company is increasing casualisation and exploiting workers. The claims were made to the <i>Mail & Guardian</i> by Simphiwe Nikiwe, national organiser of the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu) in the wake of Edcon’s results two weeks ago.
The National Treasury’s long-awaited retail bonds, to be issued from May 24, are welcome as a move to boost savings by small investors. Savings rates in South Africa stand at 16% of gross domestic product; to grow the economy meaningfully they should be at least 20%.
Women and children carrying head-loads of personal belongings streamed out of Bakin Ciyawa — a little village of mud huts and a few cement buildings with corrugated iron roofing in central Nigeria’s Plateau State — just ahead of dusk, fearful of another militia attack. Residents doubt the emergency measures will end the round of tit-for-tat violence.
Malawi’s new president, Bingu wa Mutharika, sworn in on May 24, has promised wide-ranging economic reforms that, he says, will turn the country around. The list includes strict budgetary control, strengthening the national Audit Office, Accountant General and Anti-Corruption Bureau, and trimming the Cabinet from his predecessor’s 46 members to a "small but effective one".
Provincial and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi corrected the new Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Buyelwa Patience Sonjica, when she said some targets would be met. Taking the microphone from her, he said: "No, not some targets will be met. All targets will be met." This is the kind of confidence displayed by Minister of Housing Lindiwe Sisulu.
Mpumalanga’s health department, once viewed as corrupt and inept, is getting back to business. When Hussein Verachia was appointed head of the department last year he inherited what he refers to as a "dysfunctional department". These are polite words to describe the situation he found.
A South African company has come up with what appears to be a novel and innovative solution to combat the increasing scourge of viruses that have been bringing many companies to their knees. Shaya Technologies, which describes itself as an information and communications technology and black economic empowerment company, thinks its solution is so innovative that it has even lodged a patent on it.
Justine Henin-Hardenne, a shell of the player she has been for the past 12 months, relinquished her French Open crown in her match against Italy’s Tathiana Garbin on Wednesday and then turned her mind to Wimbledon, the one grand slam title she has yet to win.
If selecting a team is all about chemistry then successive Springbok coaches have discovered to their cost that certain volatile components when put together display a fine tendency to explode. So it should come as no surprise that Jake White’s Bloemfontein training camp has hardly been an unqualified success.