FRIDAY, 5.30PM: IT was a bad Friday at the JSE, as the disappointing money supply and credit extension figures from the Reserve Bank (see below) helped drive the JSE southwards, and the gold price remained at low levels. The all gold index fell 30 points to 727 — its worst level in14 years. The JSE […]

of life Dying from cancer, Ameen Akhalwaya reflects on a life of pain and gain as a newsman `How are you?” “Up and down – long spells of feeling fine and then sudden pain and discomfort for a couple of hours – I’ve got cancer.” A pregnant silence on the other end of the line. […]

evil In an extract from his book, Into the Heart of Darkness, journalist Jacques Pauw describes his meeting with Paul van Vuuren, whose only regrets were that he lost the war, was exposed and had to confess It is Sunday lunch on the farm “Drooglaagte” west of Warmbaths in the Northern Transvaal bushveld. The burly, […]

Mail & Guardian reporters The beginning of November was D-day for radio stations: one in five songs or 20% of their music must now be a home-brew. Although a number of radio stations are below that quota, only one has applied to the Independent Broadcasting Authority for a broadcasting exemption. Highveld Stereo’s station manager Malcolm […]

Intel maintains its dominance of the microchip market by suing companies that compete with it. Tim Jackson tells the story of one of these battles In the mid-1980s, George Hwang decided to start a new business combining his own expertise in process technology and manufacturing with the talents of Bob Woo, a friend with an […]

centre Wonder Hlongwa Controversial Durban businessman Vivian Reddy, who was suspected of being the mysterious Sarafina II donor, has once again attracted attention for his generosity. Last week he announced an “eight digit” contribution to the Curries Fountain Stadium Sports Development Centre. The Mail & Guardian has learnt that Afrisun, a company in which Reddy […]

Thebe Investment Company pioneered a new South African corporate culture but black business still has far to go, writes Charlene Smith Seven years ago there were no black companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange; indeed there was not a single black corporation. Pondering this, Vusi Khanyile, then finance head of the African National Congress, […]

FRIDAY, 10.30AM: KWAZULU-Natal Finance MEC Ben Ngubane on Thursday told the provincial legislature that the Ulundi government is drafting legislation that will lead to department heads being jailed for spending beyond their budgets. Ngubane said that he also intends setting up a commission of inquiry to establish the reasons for the province’s financial problems and […]

Madeleine Wackernagel : Taking Stock Anglo American interims are not the most exciting event on the business calendar but on Tuesday this week it was standing room only. The markets had been abuzz with rumours, but even the seemingly wild speculation didn’t come close to the real thing. In one elegant move, Anglo rid itself […]

Owen Bowcott Detectives in Sydney this week ruled out auto-erotic sex games as the cause of rock star Michael Hutchence’s death, but said they were awaiting toxicology tests to determine whether he had taken drugs or alcohol. As the INXS lead singer’s distraught British fiance, Paula Yates, flew to Australia with their 16-month-old daughter, the […]