An exclusive analysis of the Gallup International Voice of the People survey for the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows women are more pessimistic than men about the current state of security and prosperity in the world, WEF said in a statement on Thursday. More than 43 000 citizens in over 50 countries across the globe were interviewed in the survey – representing the views of almost 1,2 billion citizens .
President Thabo Mbeki governs an imagined South Africa — that much is clear from his regular ruminations on the internet. And any citizen or body of citizens who diverges in word or deed from the president’s imagined country is out. Dissent, and you face an on-line skewering. Last week it was the turn of journalist and activist Charlene Smith.
<b>Project Manager, IUCN-SA</b>
After training as an attorney, Ridwana’s first involvement with conservation was as a consultant to DEAT to establish its conflict management and dispute resolution systems. In 2002 she was offered a position by the IUCN as project manager on access and benefit-sharing in biodiversity, to assist DEAT to develop a legislative framework to enable communities to derive benefits from providing access to genetic resources.
<b>Administration Manager, ResourceAfrica</b>
“We act as the ‘voice of the voiceless’,” says Ursula van Graan. “I have been revamping the office systems and facilitating workshops, but I hope to become involved in projects in a more hands-on way, so I can understand how what I do at the office affects projects on the ground.”
<b>Chief Executive Officer, Johannesburg Zoo</b>
A qualified civil engineer, Jennifer specialised in transportation before joining the zoo in November 2003. She ran Durban’s bus operations and transport for KwaZulu-Natal province, before moving to an airline and then into corporate banking, along the way acquiring an MBA.
<b>Manager: De Wildt Vulture Unit, De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust</b>
Kerri seems too small to handle huge vultures. But woe betide you if you dare to imply that vultures are dirty birds! “I hate sitting behind a desk and my job is unique. I love it to the last feather,” she says.
<b>Project Manager: Water Unit, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Environmentek</b>
In matric, Mapule applied to the CSIR for a bursary to do a BSc in biochemistry. She went on to do honours in pharmacology and an MSc in water resources management.
Vodacom will announce the launch date of its third generation (3G) network at the Sandton convention centre on November 9. Vodacom will also, for the first time, run a public 3G demonstration at a location outside its offices at Vodaworld. The event will begin with a series of workshops including panel discussions on topics including WiFi, broadband, 3G technology, mobile marketing and messaging.
Debt servicing at any level is incompatible with attaining the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in many African countries, according to <i>Debt Sustainability: Oasis or Mirage?</i>, released today by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad). The report concludes that any lasting solution to the debt overhang hinges as much on political will as on financial rectitude.
South Africa’s Minister of Labour, Membathisi Mdladlana, said on Tuesday that skills-and-development programmes were critically important in meeting the Government’s aim of halving poverty and unemployment by 2014. Speaking on the last day of the Imbizo Programme in Limpopo, Mdladlana commended community-development initiatives in providing skills and creating jobs for local communities.
South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called off its strike action, which was planned for Wednesday, after the union and Harmony Gold reached an agreement late on Tuesday. The strike, if it went ahead, would have led to at least 20 000 workers downing tools at Harmony’s gold mines, the union said in a statement.
A black economic empowerment deal announced by financial services group Sanlam on Wednesday will enable the group to break into new markets, according to Sanlam Financial Director Flip Rademeyer. He said it would also allow the group to expand access to financial services to a broader market.
AngloGold Ashanti CEO Bobby Godsell recently called for "black Oppenheimers". "We need enriched individuals and we need symbols or role models of dramatic success in the black community," he writes in <i>Voices for a New Democracy</i>. Who is "we"? That "we" is not us. It is white capitalists who need black capitalists.
The Belgian Parliament has passed legislation to introduce a currency transaction tax, otherwise known as a "Tobin Tax", after its original promoter 30 years ago. This is a step forward for the global Tobin Tax movement. Belgium follows Canada, which passed Tobin Tax-enabling legislation about five years ago, and is the first move towards getting a handle on speculative currency dealing.
Deep-fried Oreos, the US Presidential debates, methods of restraining one’s spouse, little-known <i>Star Wars</i> facts, quotes from <i>King Kong</i>, kidnappings in Iraq, David Hasselhof and country music, PC protection advice and a pinch of porn. There’s something for everyone this week in Fraser’s bag.
The smart card industry is poised for an unprecedented explosion in South Africa, with three large-scale rollouts set to begin in 2005 and several more waiting in the wings. More than 50-million smart cards are expected to be issued in 2004 and
2005 combined.
Medicines, especially for chronic conditions, are critical to survival, and should be exempted from VAT, official opposition health spokesman Ryan Coetzee says. In a statement released at Parliament, Coetzee noted that, despite it being a recommendation of her own pricing committee, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang "appears to have taken no action whatsoever to address the question of VAT on medicines".
Twenty-two striking Anglo Platinum mineworkers were injured on Tuesday morning when police fired rubber bullets to break up a roadblock outside a mine near Rustenburg, North West province police said. About 500 protesters started gathering outside the mine from about 4am and barricaded the entrance to the facility, said Captain David Serepa.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?cg=BreakingNews-Business&ao=123171">Strikes: Mine loses R28m a day</a>
The week before last, Dr Anban Pillay made certain statements about pharmacists and pricing regulations ("Pills without frills"). The Department of Health is now in the unenviable position of having to deal with the aftermath of introducing a fee that, in the words of Judge Jeanette Traverso, appears to be a "thumbsuck". Lorraine Osman exercises her right to reply.
South African Trade Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa says nearly 290 000 pirated DVDs were seized by the South African Police Service and customs officials between January and July this year. "This figure is double the number seized in 2003," he added. .
South African Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana has confirmed that he will be consulted before quotas for professional categories and occupational classes of immigrants are set in terms of the Immigration Act. "Regarding criteria for the attraction of skilled immigrants, the Immigration Act uses quotas that are now to be prescribed according to specific professional categories and occupational classes," the minister said.
Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir has opposed calls by United Nations personnel to grant autonomy to the war-torn Darfur region. "I will "strongly oppose any idea by outsiders at implementing the self-rule model in Darfur," al-Bashir warned in a meeting organised by the Sudanese Women General Union on Sunday.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?cg=BreakingNews-Africa&ao=123017">PAP to send mission to Darfur</a>
Four online publishers, Creamer Media, 5FM Music, JHBLive and Business in Africa, have joined the ranks of the Online Publishing Association (OPA), it was announced on Monday. The new members now bring the total number of online publishers that are part of the OPA to 21.
<i>Fahrenheit 451</i> was a Ray Bradbury science fiction classic novel that was turned into a futuristic (well, futuristic in those days) movie in 1966 by the great French New Wave director Francois Truffaut. And of course, by his choice of title for his new documentary, Michale Moore inevitably invites comparison with the earlier work and his <i>Fahrenheit 9/11</i>.
WIth lots of rolypoly sheep as extras and, as witnesses, those splayfoot ratites, otherwise known as Boer chickens: ostriches, Olive Schreiner’s <em>Story of an African Farm</em> has been filmed for the second time, writes Stephen Gray.
With two dance movies coming out in October, we quiz you on movies about dancing (musicals don’t count) …
It appears that the knight in shining armour for the arts needs to be reminded that the power to appoint, to remove, to suspend, to do something at the NAC, resides with him, comments Mike van Graan.
Matt Damon hit big with <i>The Bourne Identity</i> two years ago, and now he’s back once more as the ex-CIA assassin taking aim at his former employers. Here he talks about the role and the film.
Draft legislation designed to drastically overhaul the lending practices of banks, retailers and microloan providers is self-defeating and riddled with problems, industry stakeholders have told the Department of Trade and Industry. The draft Consumer Credit Bill aims to improve access, equity and competition in the R362-billion credit market, while limiting reckless lending and protecting borrowers.
Two years after throwing his weight, credibility and, some say, money behind a noble cause, Patrice Motsepe’s endeavour to revive the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (Nafcoc) seems to have been largely fruitless. As Nafcoc prepares to elect office-bearers for a new term in less than three weeks, the organisation is plagued with infighting.
The success of Barclays’s R20-billion-plus bid for control of Absa may hinge on which tool the government trusts to crack open the cosy oligopoly of the big four banks. Any transaction that results in control of a bank changing hands — whether to a local or a foreign buyer — requires regulatory approval. Several analysts suggest that the lack of competition will be a key factor in Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel’s decision on the deal.