Instead of pointing to inflexible labour markets as the cause of South Africa’s unemployment problems, the Reserve Bank should look to its own policies, reports Charles Millward TWO remarkable events connected to the Reserve Bank took place last week. First, Gencor announced that it would transfer (with the permission of the bank) the greater part […]

FRIDAY, 11.00AM BLACK-controlled investment group the National Empowerment Corporation and asset management company Coronation Holdings on Thursday announced they have joined forces in a new investment company, African Harvest Holdings, which starts life off a R1-billion capital base, including R800-million in cash. African Harvest will be created through a R1,25-billion rights offer of Coronation N-shares, […]

`ACT in haste, repent at leisure” is not an adage one can throw at the Reserve Bank, or its governor Chris Stals. His inaction, when South Africa is crying out for a well- deserved cut in interest rates to put the economy back on a firmer growth path, is nothing short of unpardonable. Instead of […]

SWAPNA PRABHAKARAN finds out about what’s going on behind the scenes during the glamorous SA tour of the Alvin Ailey dance company IT is easy to be impressed by the glamour and technical bravura of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (AAADT) performances. The foot-tapping, hum-along dances and songs have been so very popular with […]

FRIDAY, 11.00AM: THE Wimbledon tournament has built up a backlog of over 130 unplayed matches, as Thursday was declared a day of no-play due to a continuous downpour. The weather beaureau predicted five more days of non-stop rain — a bleak outlook for scheduled matches. Thirty singles players have not yet begun their first round […]

candidate Iden Wetherell A ZIMBABWEAN Cabinet minister and three members of Parliament stood by as youth members of President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party beat up an independent mayoral candidate. The incident, in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe’s largest township adjoining the capital Harare, reinforces fears that the country is reverting to its past habits of electoral intimidation, civil […]

SUZY BELL visits playwright Mbongeni Ngema at his Durban home to find out where his life and his work are at after the Sarafina 2 scandal `SARAFINA 2 messed up my life, both professionally and personally,” says Mbongeni Ngema with absolute candour. “It stressed me out so much I landed in hospital with high blood […]

NOT for the first time the name of Swanieville evokes horror and revulsion. Five years ago, a Zulu impi cut a bloody swathe through the squatter camp, attacking alleged African National Congress supporters, in full view of the police. The police were again on the scene this week as schoolchildren were bussed in to exact […]

Despite criticism of Gear, the strategy is on target and the country should tough it out, Maria Ramos tells Madeleine Wackernagel DIRECTOR General of Finance Maria Ramos believes Gear is right on track. “Well she would, wouldn’t she,” was one cynical response, but to hear her tell it, the government’s growth, employment and redistribution strategy […]