South Africa: White citizens are coming home

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[...]The Anglo-African population has a high relative turnover rate; not just of emigration, but immigration as well: By 2005, an estimated 212,000 British citizens were residing in South Africa. Since 2003, the numbers of British emigrants coming to South Africa has risen by 50%. An estimated 20,000 British emigrants moved to South Africa in 2007. The reasons cited by many emigrants are South Africa's family values, the weather and a better quality of life. [...]

[...]The current global financial crisis has slowed down the high rates of white people emigrating overseas and has led to increasing numbers of white emigrants returning to live in South Africa. Charles Luyckx, CEO of Elliot International and a board member of the Professional Movers Association said that in the past six months leading to December (2008), emigration numbers had dropped by "10%".Meanwhile he revealed that "people imports" had increased by 50%

White South African - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_South_African)

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Homecoming Revolution (http://www.homecomingrevolution.co.za)

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South Africa, why you should consider coming home?

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Johannesburg Development Agency committed to inner city regeneration

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Nelson Mandela Bay - Port Elizabeth

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Johannesburg and Gauteng's economic growth

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JOBURG, with a population of 3,9-million, is the capital of SA’s most prosperous province, Gauteng (a Sesotho name meaning ‘Place of Gold’) and is the country’s largest metropolitan economy.

As such, it is the largest single contributor to national economic product, generating 17 percent of SA’s wealth and 48 percent of Gauteng’s economic output. Its economy is 1,5 times bigger than that of the second largest metropole, Cape Town.

For a copy of the Annual Economic Review 2009 Report by the Economic Research Unit of the City of Joburg’s Department of Economic Development (DED), please click here.

Growth rate
The City is aiming for a 9 percent economic growth rate by 2014.

Over a five year period (2003 – 2008), Joburg’s average growth rate was 5,3 percent higher than that of the national economy, which grew by 4,67 percent during the same period.

A positive sign in a country that is moving aggressively to reduce poverty levels is that Joburg has made significant strides in slowing down the growth in income inequality.

Workforce
With its economic status, it’s not surprising that the City enjoys the highest proportion of formal sector employment in SA, currently about 7 to 10 percent higher than in all the other main metropolitans. Read more

The population is, in general, becoming better educated. For example, the category showing the highest increase in growth from 1996 to 2007 was those with matric (Grade 12) and post graduate degrees (6,65 percent). Those with a Bachelor’s degree also grew.

http://www.joburg.org.za/images/stories/2009/december/formal_sector-emplyment.jpg



Read more: city of johannesburg - Economic growth (http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/4664/58/#ixzz0qPqQeNXc)

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Remember Durban

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12 Reasons to Come Back to South Africa

Going on holiday is a true luxury, especially overseas holidays, which I have been fortunate enough to experience a number of times. The culture, the food, the people, the landscapes, the activities – everything is captivating and unique. It is an experience for the senses and the soul and this is what I absolutely revel in. However, holidays as with all good things, must come to an end and arriving home after a long trip is one of life’s small pleasures, well for me anyway! Suddenly I start to appreciate so many things; aaaah my own bed and comfy pillows, my pets, the food I love, the friends we socialise with, the language I can speak and understand and most definitely the 5 Roses Tea that I’ve craved for the past 2 weeks! No matter how “ubercool” my holiday was, I always find myself reflecting on the fact that there is no place like home.

I guess that makes me think of the saying, “home is where the heart is”, it’s that place you have grown to love, where all the familiar things that you know and appreciate are, it’s a place you understand and relate to, it’s the place you feel happiest!

With so many South Africans living and working overseas, I thought I would list a couple of things that I adore about South Africa, a real list of reasons t entice anyone to purchase a one-way ticket home!

So herewith a list of my top reasons for returning to Sunny South Africa:

1) Zoo biscuits, biltong and braais. Need I say more?

2)Obviously the Five Roses Tea…!!

3)South Africa hasn’t earned the name Sunny South Africa for nothing, we have incredible weather. Enjoy a FREEZING 17 degrees on an average winters day in Durban. Brrrr.

4)Experience a world of activities in South Africa. Have you ever been white water rafting on the Umkomaas, hiking in the berg, wine tasting in Stellenbosch, on Safari in Limpopo, Hot Air ballooning in Gauteng, Surfing in Durban or partied in Cape Town? If you haven’t done any of these things then we suggest you get the next plane back to Sunny land so that we can save you from a life of “boringness”!

5)Yislaaaik, kiff bru, agh shame man, now now, eish…All the lingo you love and can understand! (Check out more slang in our slangtionary.)

6)Let’s take a look at value for money in terms of purchasing a house, shall we. In South Africa you could buy a spacious 3 bed roomed house with a lawn, swimming pool and in close proximity to schools for approximately R2 million (perhaps even less). But in Australia, the UK or the States, you’ll be lucky if you come close to finding anything for the same value for money.

7)For all the sporty South Africans out there or for those just wanting to burn off the effects of the Heathrow injection, you can Run, Paddle, Swim and Mountain Bike the biggest sporting races in South Africa: The Comrades, Dusi Canoe Marathon, Midmar Mile, Cape Epic and Cape Argus.

8)Earn money, yes, earn m-o-n-e-y. Opportunities are abound for start-ups, skilled artisans as well as professionals. Help reverse the brain drain and come back to SA!

9)Without trying to sound dramatic, this is a place where you can really give back and make a difference to the life of so many people, whether it be starting your own business, getting involved with community projects or supporting local initiatives.

10)Fit in with the South African family – you have 11 official languages to choose from (plus various unofficial ones) and numerous cultures to experience. Viva South Africa.


11)There is always an enthusiastic car guard to direct you into and out of every parking bay – This has personally saved me from a few expensive prangs!

12)South Africa is dynamic; it has an infectious energy and passion about it that is difficult to understand unless you have lived here. When friends go to other countries (the countries South Africans often emigrate to) for a “look -see”, I’ll often hear them say, “it was great, really pretty, lots to do but it lacks something and I can’t quite put my finger on it.” And that is what I call the indescribable “buzz”, that is present in Africa’s air, it just can’t be reproduced anywhere else but Africa!

12 Reasons to Come Back to South Africa | Phuthu.co.za | aka Putu or Phutu (http://www.phuthu.co.za/2009/03/03/12-reasons-to-come-back-to-south-africa/)

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Whites come back to SA

Devon Haynie

Johannesburg - When South African native Nicky Prins lived in London, there was one television advertisement that always touched her heart.

As part of an effort to encourage tourism, the South African government ran a commercial showing the country's dramatic landscape, coupled with emotive music and excerpts from President Thabo Mbeki's famous "I am an African" speech.

"Sometimes I would cry when I watched it. It sort of brought on the emotions to a head, and you would think, 'I really want to go home,"' said the 34-year-old Prins, an economist who left South Africa eight years ago for better career opportunities.

A few months after she first saw the ad, she packed up her bags and came home.

Brain drain

Brain drain has plagued South Africa since the unravelling of apartheid in the early 1990s. Affluent, accomplished South Africans of all races, but whites in particular, still flood out of the country in search of adventure, better opportunities and an escape from crime.

But now some - like Prins - are returning.

Moving companies, real estate agents and non-profit groups say more and more white South Africans in their late 20s and beyond are returning to South Africa. Hungry for their own culture, eager to raise children near their own families, and encouraged by their country's economic potential, these adults are leaving their successful careers abroad for an uncertain future at home.

"We've been happy and enjoying ourselves ever since the day we've been back," said Prins, who moved to Johannesburg last October. "I felt like my quality of life improved dramatically."

Prins and her boyfriend Mark Kirkness, a civil engineer, may not have made the decision to come home if weren't for the Homecoming Revolution, one of several South African organisations dedicated to persuading expatriates to come back. Kirkness received a job offer after attending a career fair put on by the group, which also provides candid information about the South African economy, security conditions and crime, and hosts networking dinners and other events for those who have returned.

"We've certainly seen South Africans returning," said Homecoming Revolution manager Martine Schaffer, whose website draws 17 000 new visitors each month. "At the beginning of this year, I think we have more people returning than leaving."

More coming back

The South African Department of Home Affairs says it does not track South Africans who move abroad and then return. Anecdotal evidence, however, indicates more South Africans have been returning to the country since the late 1990s.

A spokesperson for Stuttafords Van Lines, the largest moving company in South Africa, said that for every person the company moves out of South Africa to the United Kingdom, it helps another 1.5 return. And the Come Back Home Campaign, a largely Afrikaner-run initiative similar to the Homecoming Revolution, says it's seen a rise in the number of white South Africans looking for help with career advice, immigration papers and other tasks associated with moving home.

But in moments of national insecurity, like during South Africa's power cuts in December and the xenophobic attacks in May, the consistent flow of immigrants turns into a trickle.

"There was until about six months ago a very large influx of returnees," said Brent Townes, CEO of Sotheby's International Realty South Africa. "It was the Soccer World Cup that got their attention. We had quite a few sales."

Better lifestyle here

South Africans flock in the largest numbers to the United Kingdom, where many of British descent are eligible for ancestral visas. Others travel to Canada, the United States and Australia in smaller, but significant numbers. Many of those who leave want to return eventually.

Gregg Anderson, 41, returned to South Africa from the United Kingdom a month ago.

"The lifestyle here (in South Africa) is completely different. You've got vast open spaces, you've got scenery that you don't get in the UK, and the weather is a major factor."

The government has launched a programme called Global South Africans to encourage talented South Africans expatriates to share their skills and knowledge with their fellow citizens. And the office of the South African deputy president has launched similar initiatives to inspire South Africans to share their skills or return home.

- SAPA

Whites come back to SA: News24: South Africa: News (http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Whites-come-back-to-SA-20080727)

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Cape Town 2010 - A city reimagined

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Whites returning to South Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) — When South African native Nicky Prins lived in London, there was one television advertisement that always touched her heart.
As part of an effort to encourage tourism, the South African government ran a commercial showing the country's dramatic landscape, coupled with emotive music and excerpts from President Thabo Mbeki's famous "I am an African" speech.

"Sometimes I would cry when I watched it. It sort of brought on the emotions to a head, and you would think, 'I really want to go home,"' said the 34-year-old Prins, an economist who left South Africa eight years ago for better career opportunities.

A few months after she first saw the ad, she packed up her bags and came home.

Brain drain has plagued South Africa since the unraveling of apartheid in the early 1990s. Affluent, accomplished South Africans of all races, but whites in particular, still flood out of the country in search of adventure, better opportunities and an escape from crime.

But now some — like Prins — are returning.

Moving companies, real estate agents and nonprofit groups say more and more white South Africans in their late 20s and beyond are returning to South Africa. Hungry for their own culture, eager to raise children near their own families, and encouraged by their country's economic potential, these adults are leaving their successful careers abroad for an uncertain future at home.

"We've been happy and enjoying ourselves ever since the day we've been back," said Prins, who moved to Johannesburg last October. "I felt like my quality of life improved dramatically."

Prins and her boyfriend Mark Kirkness, a civil engineer, may not have made the decision to come home if weren't for the Homecoming Revolution, one of several South African organizations dedicated to persuading expatriates to come back. Kirkness received a job offer after attending a career fair put on by the group, which also provides candid information about the South African economy, security conditions and crime, and hosts networking dinners and other events for those who have returned.

"We've certainly seen South Africans returning," said Homecoming Revolution manager Martine Schaffer, who's website draws 17,000 new visitors each month. "At the beginning of this year, I think we have more people returning than leaving."

The South African Department of Home Affairs says it does not track South Africans who move abroad and then return. Anecdotal evidence, however, indicates more South Africans have been returning to the country since the late 1990s.

A spokesman for Stuttafords Van Lines, the largest moving company in South Africa, said that for every person the company moves out of South Africa to the United Kingdom, it helps another 1.5 return. And the Come Back Home Campaign, a largely Afrikaner-run initiative similar to the Homecoming Revolution, says it's seen a rise in the number of white South Africans looking for help with career advice, immigration papers and other tasks associated with moving home.

But in moments of national insecurity, like during South Africa's power cuts in December and the xenophobic attacks in May, the consistent flow of immigrants turns into a trickle.

"There was until about six months ago a very large influx of returnees," said Brent Townes, CEO of Sotheby's International Realty South Africa. "It was the soccer World Cup that got their attention. We had quite a few sales."

White South Africans, who make up only 9% of South Africa's population, leave the country for various reasons. Some seek professional opportunities, believing that their careers won't advance as quickly in South Africa because of affirmative action policies meant to redress decades of discrimination against blacks. Others go looking for a short adventure and end up staying for years.

South Africans flock in the largest numbers to the United Kingdom, where many of British descent are eligible for ancestral visas. Others travel to Canada, the United States and Australia in smaller, but significant numbers. Many of those who leave want to return eventually.

Gregg Anderson, 41, returned to South Africa from the United Kingdom a month ago. He originally wanted to stay away for only a few years, but found it hard to leave as his career in investment banking and the telecommunications industry picked up. Twelve years, a marriage and two kids later, he realized he had to make the move, even though it meant starting over with his career.

"I've had children and my perspective on life and my needs in life have changed," Anderson said. "I wanted a different way of life — the quality of life that the U.K couldn't afford me."

"The lifestyle here (in South Africa) is completely different. You've got vast open spaces, you've got scenery that you don't get in the U.K., and the weather is a major factor."

The South African government recognizes that white South Africans like Anderson have valuable skills, and is trying to persuade successful expatriates to invest in their country, even if they don't come home.

The government has launched a program called Global South Africans to encourage talented South Africans expatriates to share their skills and knowledge with their fellow citizens. And the office of the South African deputy president has launched similar initiatives to inspire South Africans to share their skills or return home.

But not everyone is receptive.

Louise Gardiner, a 31-year-old International Finance Corporation officer living in Washington, D.C., says she often takes trips back to her native Cape Town, but that the "general despondence" of friends and family has persuaded her not to return.

"Up until a year ago I thought I would eventually move back," Gardiner said. "But the violent crime, energy crisis, and just all around feeling of things getting worse made me think again. I love my country, but I don't see a future there anymore."

Schaffer says South Africans have created their own image problem, and she believes getting accurate information to people can help.

"Many of the issues in this country we have invented: that political instability doesn't happen anywhere else in the world, that racism doesn't happen anywhere else in the world," she said. "We need to look at these things and put them in context. We're an emerging market and that should make us exciting. We have a wonderful country and we have to fight for it; we have to stand up for it."

Many of the people the Homecoming Revolution helps return to South Africa are shocked to find it's not the same place they left years ago. Prices are higher, and some jobs in some industries are scarce. But for the most part, Schaffer says, most who return home are thrilled to be back.

"I've been back for a month now and I find it exhilarating," said Anderson, who is now trying to start up his own business in Cape Town. "It's a beautiful country and there are immense opportunities here if you are patient and you just look around."

Whites returning to South Africa - USATODAY.com (http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-07-27-whites-south-africa_N.htm)

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Grahamstown Eastern Cape South Africa

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Whites return to South Africa with pride

Published: 1 February 2010 09:43 | Changed: 1 February 2010 16:37

White South Africans are moving back to the country 800,000 of them have left since Mandela's release. "People should know the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence."

By Peter Vermaas

It would still be dark in London when Bianca Brebnor's alarm sounded in the morning. She would tiptoe around the house not to wake up her flatmate, as she dressed warmly before wriggling her way into the crowded train to get to work. "What a miserable life that was," said the 29-year-old, who returned to South Africa last year. "I always thought the entire world outside of South Africa would be better than here, but that is just not true."

Like many of her white compatriots, Brebnor emigrated to England, in 2006. Disappointed, she moved back to Johannesburg, the city she grew up in, three years later. "South Africa has its problems," she said. "But the quality of life here is much better than in Europe."

The white exodus from South Africa began after the release of Nelson Mandela, 20 years ago next month. An estimated 800,000 white South-Africans since left for countries like Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. They all had their own reasons: the high crime rate, insecurity about the economical and political situation, or affirmative action favouring black South Africans on the labour market, which made it more difficult for some white people to find work.

Many people were also sick and tired - gatvol, they say in Afrikaans – of unreliable public service delivery. The well educated in particular, doctors and chartered accountants South Africa needs so much amongst them, were lured abroad at special emigration fairs in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Deepest recession kept at bay

But now they are moving back. No exact statistics are available, but Alana Bailey of ‘Kom Huis Toe Veldtog’, an organisation that encourages South Africans to return and helps them find work, said she has helped 6,000 people move back in the last six years. The 'Homecoming Revolution', a similar organisation, said it receives between 60 and 120 requests for help a month since the global economic crisis erupted. A special information fair held in London this March is expecting hundreds of South Africans eager to return home. Moving companies report the same trend.

Many South Africans abroad have lost their job as a result of the recession, Alana Bailey said. Finding work in the UK and Australia has also become more difficult. Besides, many people are disappointed by their experience abroad. According to Bailey, many were lured by offers of high salaries, but few realised the cost of living would be much higher outside of their country. The upcoming football World Cup organised in South Africa has prompted some people to return with pride.

The World Cup tournament has also kept the deepest recession at bay for South Africa. The government invested billions in new infrastructure before the crisis hit, hence developing a stimulus package before any other country. Partly because of that, recent numbers from the national statistics office have shown, the recession in South Africa lasted only three quarters.

Account for apartheid

White people who have been living in South Africa for generations still like to see themselves as European, said former emigrant John Weber (41). He himself had never left the country before he was offered a job by an IT company and moved to the Netherlands in 1998. It was to be a rude awakening. Not only because many Dutch people demanded he account for the apartheid regime, but mostly because of what he called "the cultural difference". "If you are a bicycle repair man in the Netherlands, people expect you to repair bikes for the rest of your life," he said about the lack of upward mobility. "People pigeon-hole each other and shy away from ambition. And all those rules and regulations ... I was brought up much more open and liberal."

Weber moved back, but chose the more relaxed Cape Town over the hectic Johannesburg he grew up in. "I am still not wildly optimistic about the future of my country, but if nothing else, the Netherlands has proved I am nothing but South African."

To vent his frustrations, Weber wrote an online book titled Living in Europe Sucks about his experience. "I have come to take a slightly more nuanced view since then," he said. "But I recommend every South African who thinks about leaving to read my book. That way they will know what to expect." One thing he learnt was that it is "practically impossible" to make Dutch friends. "You only see your colleagues on the job and if you want to meet someone outside of the workplace, you have to make an appointment weeks in advance. I let my South African family come over because I yearned for conversation that was about more than the morning traffic. The only real friends I made there were fellow South Africans."

'A permanent state of fear'

A Canadian immigration and refugee board panel last year granted political asylum to South African Brandon Huntley who claimed white people had to fear for their life in the new South Africa and the government was unwilling to protect them. At the request of South Africa, the Canadian government is appealing the ruling. A federal judge will decide in April whether the board must revise its decision.

"Obvious nonsense," said Bianca Brebnor about Huntley's plea. "Crime is certainly a major problem and I have invested in my own security, but statistics show black South Africans are victimised more often than white people." Huntley's argument that it is impossible for white people to find work in South Africa is also false. While over 25 percent of black South Africans are out of work, less than 5 percent of whites are unemployed. Brebnor, who is an accountant, worked for the American investment bank JP Morgan in London and had no trouble landing a job at Absa Capital, a subsidiary of Barclays Bank, when she returned.

Crime, especially violent robberies and burglaries, is the most important reason for South Africans of any colour to consider leaving, according to Alana Bailey. "Some people live in a permanent state of fear," she said. "If you feel unsafe in your own bed, I can imagine you would want to leave."

A chastening experience

She doesn't feel inclined to discourage those who really want to go. "But because we have learnt they are often disappointed and because South Africa can only move forward if educated people apply their knowledge here, we try to give people the opportunity to make an informed decision. They should know the grass it not always greener on the other side of the fence and won't be easy to pick up all your belongings and move back. Many people sell everything they own and empty out their pension when they leave South Africa. When they lose their job in Europe or Australia, they get in trouble."

Brebnor said her three years in London were a chastening experience. She now feels privileged in South Africa. "I was extremely negative when I left. I really believed I would only come back to South Africa on holidays. But I really wanted to get away from England last year. I missed my friends and family. Unlike people in Europe, South Africans are so friendly." Also, by European standards, her average salary makes her a rich woman in South Africa. "I was able to buy a beautiful apartment here. In London, I couldn't afford so much as a shoe box. Plus: I never have to take a train again and the weather is always good. Wonderful."

Peter Vermaas is NRC Handelsblad's South Africa correspondent

nrc.nl - International - Features - Whites return to South Africa with pride (http://www.nrc.nl/international/Features/article2472801.ece/Whites_return_to_South_Africa_with_pride)

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The UK is now a sinking ship.

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SA finance sector in good health: IMF

The World Bank and International Monetary Fund have given South Africa's financial sector the thumbs-up following an assessment of the country's adherence to international banking, insurance and securities markets regulatory standards.

The Report on Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC) was compiled by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in terms of their Financial Sector Assessment Programme (FSAP), South African National Treasury spokeswoman Kershia Singh said in a statement on Wednesday.

"ROSC assessors found the supervision of South African banking, insurance and securities markets to be of a high standard and that the regulatory framework is generally sound, as seen in the ability of the South African financial sector to weather the global financial crisis relatively well," Singh said.

"Furthermore, the ROSC found that South Africa has made substantial progress in addressing recommendations made in earlier FSAPs."
Financial stability and compliance

The ROSC assesses countries' financial stability and compliance in terms of three key standards: the Basel Core Principles for banking supervision; International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) principles for securities markets regulation; and Insurance Core Principles of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) for insurance regulation.

Singh said South Africa was committed to regular ROSCs and assessments of financial sector regulation, which were made public.

The Financial Stability Board had concluded that South Africa's authorities adhered to regulatory and supervisory standards on international co-operation and information exchange, she said.

http://www.afrotrading.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=822%3Asa-finance-sector-in-good-health-imf&catid=20%3Aafrica&Itemid=441&lang=en

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Gearing for growth in a changing world

John Battersby Share


9 December 2010

A group of 20 international journalists got a close-up view of South African transport and energy infrastructure, and heard first-hand about the country's growth plans, during a week-long visit to the country. John Battersby reports.

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Durban Harbour, the largest port on the continent and a major gateway to Africa

The world is changing and South Africa will look increasingly to more integrated African markets and the new economic powers – China, India, Russia and Brazil – for trade and investment to create jobs and accelerate development in the country.

This was the core message of Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel to a group of visiting journalists from China, Russia, Africa, the Middle East and Britain as they got an upfront view of energy and transport infrastructure in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal during a week-long visit to the country.

The "gearing for growth" tour, organised by the International Marketing Council of South Africa, followed the release two weeks ago of a new economic growth path as the country gears up for a more intensive phase of growth following the hosting of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

The release has sparked an intense dialogue about the economic model which can achieve a social compact between government, business and labour to best ensure sustainable growth for South Africa in the medium- to long-term.

From Gautrain ride to Durban port tour


The journalists rode on the Gautrain rapid rail link and the Rea Vaya bus rapid transit system in Johannesburg, ascended the sky walk of Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, traversed the extensive container terminals and grain and sugar depots at Africa's largest port of Durban, and visited the expansive Sasol plant at Secunda in Mpumalanga province.

They heard first-hand from the ministers of Economic Development and Arts and Culture and met with business and civil society leaders. They visited the Competition Commission on the eve of a landmark case defining the extent of its mandate to dismantle cartels with interventionist financial measures.

There were many moments of insight and revelation during the six-day tour, but the moment of truth for many of the visiting journalists came during the tour of Durban harbour by port manager Ricky Bikraj.

"When one sees and experiences the scale of this port you can better appreciate the crucial role of South Africa in the continent's development," said Onyekachi Wambu, a Nigerian-born journalist living in the UK who writes a regular column in New African, a London-based magazine.

Ebrahim Patel connects the dots


Another moment of truth came with the 90-minute briefing and question-and-answer session with Minister Patel, which connected the dots for the visiting journalists by drawing together the various strands of the country's emerging economic framework to balance development and growth for the benefit of all.

"I thought that Minister Patel was hugely impressive," said Enoch Wambua of the Nation Media Group in Kenya. "He really knows what he is talking about and offers great insight into the future growth trajectory of South Africa and the continent."

Coming face-to-face with a 71 000-ton sugar mountain at Durban harbour's sugar terminal was one of the highlights for Nagy Abd El Aziz of Egypt's independent daily, Al Masry Al Youm.

Egypt recently experienced a sugar shortage and wants to diversify its sources of supply. A deal to import South African sugar was announced during the visit.

The need for Africa to integrate


The need for Africa to integrate trade within the continent and revamp rail and transport systems designed to benefit the former colonial powers rather than serve the continent's own development was highlighted by Minister Patel.

He contrasted the low 10% market integration in Africa with 50% in Asia and 70% in Europe.

"The continent's transport links reflect patterns of development designed to exploit natural resources and send them elsewhere to be processed," he said, highlighting the problem of different rail gauges in different African countries.

He said that the rebuilding of Africa's infrastructure could not be a South African project but needed to involve the whole continent.

"Our future lies in balanced economic growth across the African continent," said Patel.

'The opportunities are huge'

The media tour also highlighted the growing emphasis on renewable energy – such as nuclear and solar energy and hydrogen fuel cells – as a key factor in the country's future economic growth.

Patel said that while some R800-billion would be spent on energy and transport infrastructure over the next three years, trillions of rands would be spent on energy infrastructure over the next 10 to 20 years.

"The opportunities in South Africa are huge," said Lu Yingni, an expert in renewable energy who writes for the London-based Reconnect Africa website.

At a dinner hosted by the Financial Times and the International Marketing Council in Johannesburg's Turbine Hall, Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile provided an interesting insight into the role that arts and culture can play as a driver of economic growth.

He cited recent statements by Chinese President Hu Jintao, who has initiated such a process in China, in support of his thesis.

"We want to put the creative industries and cultural heritage at the heart of driving our economy," he said, citing the role that cultural heritage could play in attracting more tourists.

John Battersby is the UK country manager of the International Marketing Council of South Africa. He accompanied 20 international journalists on the "South Africa Gearing for Growth Media Tour" from 28 November to 5 December 2010.

Gearing for growth in a changing world - SouthAfrica.info (http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/media-tour-091210.htm)

[Ortodossia]

Moody's upgrades Eskom

Johannesburg - Moody's Investors Service has changed the outlook on the Baa2 senior unsecured bonds of Eskom Holdings to stable from negative.

The rating action reflects a number of measures that have been taken over the last few months in order to strengthen the company and allow it to continue with essential investments in South Africa's electricity infrastructure, the ratings agency said.

"The timing of the review by Moody's is fitting given the progress made towards resolving the concerns raised by all rating agencies," said Eskom finance director Paul O'Flaherty.

"Firstly, we have posted improved financial results for the six months ended September 2010 and secondly the SA Government has demonstrated its strong financial support by approving an increase in its guarantee limit from R176bn to R350bn and proposing an equity injection of R20bn, which is still subject to government's internal approvals", said O'Flaherty.

Eskom said it views this rating amendment favourably and views it as a further enabler to its commitment to delivering the much needed capacity whilst maintaining the financial sustainability of the company.

Moody's said the rating action reflects a number of measures that have been taken over the last few months in order to strengthen the company and allow it to continue with essential investments in South Africa's electricity infrastructure, the ratings agency said.

Moody's upgrades Eskom : Fin24: Economy (http://www.fin24.com/Economy/Moodys-upgrades-Eskom-20101202)

[Ortodossia]

Helping the SA Diaspora to give back

24 December 2010

Acknowledging the important role the South African Diaspora can play in shaping the future of the country, Homecoming Revolution has launched an online giving community to enable South Africans living abroad to connect with thousands of good causes across the country.

The campaign, It Feels Good To Do Good, encourages South Africans around the world to give their time, money, goods or skills to various causes in South Africa.

Launched in November, the campaign portal is powered by GreaterGood South Africa, a registered non-profit and public benefit organisation with significant experience of working with givers and causes.

"One doesn't need to live in South Africa in order to contribute towards the future success of the country," Homecoming Revolution managing executive Brigitte Lightfoot said in a statement.

'A platform for giving back'


"We often get feedback from South Africans, both locally and abroad, who want to make a difference but don't know where to start; this platform provides an easy, secure and meaningful way to give back."

Rachelle Lane, a South African living in the UK, told Homecoming Revolution that she felt the need to give more back to her home country, "and I am looking into a few things that will allow us the flexibility to live here for a few years but still contribute towards building our country."

The campaign aims to capitalise on the nation-building momentum and global presence created by the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

"We've seen how the World Cup unified the nation, and we believe the time is ripe to mobilise South Africans to commit to a common purpose and to take action towards doing good", said Homecoming Revolution founder Angel Jones.

The campaign portal – Greater Good SA - Homecoming Revolution Community (http://www.itfeelsgoodtodogood.co.za) – enables givers to:

Connect with and give to registered causes all year round, securely.
Post stories about giving and volunteer experiences.
Sign up to volunteer during national campaigns like Do It Day and Mandela Day.
Post offers and fundraise for the causes they are passionate about.
Buy alternative gifts which really make a difference.
Invite friends to support good causes.


'People do good in order to feel good'


According to Homecoming Revolution, a recent study by an MBA student at the Gordon Institute of Business Science sought to identify the emotions influencing the willingness of South African emigrants to transfer knowledge to people back home.

"The overwhelming sense was that emigrants who were prepared to share their knowledge did so because it made them feel good about themselves, thus adding value to their lives," the organisation said.

"Thus the evidence suggests that the South African emigrant most likely to share knowledge is a highly educated person who loves sharing knowledge generally, who left South Africa to reconnect with loved ones, and who is happy to be living abroad even though he or she still experiences some feelings of nostalgia and guilt.

"Taking these findings into consideration, The Homecoming Revolution believes there is a substantial market of South Africans abroad who are willing to share their skills, knowledge, money and time to benefit their home country."

Founded in 2003, The Homecoming Revolution is an independent non-profit organisation, sponsored by First National Bank, that encourages and helps South Africans around the world to return home.

SAinfo reporter

Helping the SA Diaspora to give back - SouthAfrica.info (http://www.southafrica.info/abroad/itfeelsgoodtodogood.htm)

[Ortodossia]

South Africa, why you should consider coming home?

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South Africa - Live here dont live here - these are my thoughts after 3 years home!



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[Ortodossia]

http://www.statssa.gov.za/PublicationsHTML/P03022010/images/P03022010_1_0.jpg

MID-YEAR POPULATION ESTIMATES FOR SOUTH AFRICA: 2009 and 2010 -

-2009 2010 % change -

-Group Number % of total Number % of total -


African 39 136 200 79.3% 39 682 600 79.4% 1.4%
White 4 472 100 9.1% 4 584 700 9.2% 2.5%
Coloured 4 433 100 9% 4 424 100 8.8% -0.2%
Indian/Asian 1 279 100 2.6% 1 299 900 2.6% 1.6%
Total 49 320 500 100% 49 991 300 100% 1.36%

South Africa's population - MediaClubSouthAfrica.com (http://www.mediaclubsouthafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81:south-africas-population&catid=42:landnews&Itemid=110)

[Ortodossia]

Bright future for SA car industry

December sees strong car sales in SA

http://www.iol.co.za/polopoly_fs/iol-mot-jan11-brand-pretorius-1.1010657!/image/679489089.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_300/679489089.jpg
Brand Pretorius predicts 11.6% sales rise for 2011.

"Buoyed by better-than-expected sales in 2010 it seems the South African motor industry's sails are set for an even better 2011," said McCarthy CEO and industry guru Brand Pretorius at his annual media briefing on 11 January.

Commenting on the overall vehicle market, which grew by nearly 25% last year, he said it was a very favourable performance.

Especially when one considers that the confidence levels in the international environment remained fragile in the aftermath of the global financial meltdown which contributed to a quicker than expected shift in the balance of economic power in favour of emerging markets.

"We were fortunate in South Africa in that our economy recovered much quicker than anticipated with a 3% growth rate in GDP, while the local bond market and the JSE experienced a strong inflow of foreign capital. There were also meaningful further declines in inflation and the interest rate," explained Pretorius.

"Other positives were a modest improvement in business and consumer confidence, a surprisingly strong Rand and a marked increase in disposable income, while the resounding success in staging the FIFA World Cup put the country in the limelight in a very positive fashion.

"In terms of the motor industry itself we saw a low level of new vehicle price inflation which resulted in a pronounced swing to buying new instead of used vehicles. The industry benefitted somewhat from an improvement in the credit application approval ratio, while sales were also boosted by strong buying by the car rental companies."

"On the other side of the coin the industry had to deal with strikes in August and September that impacted negatively on the market share of the local manufacturers as well as the introduction of a controversial Carbon Emissions Tax on September 1," added Pretorius.

"Although there are a number of factors in both the international and local economies that will make some industry insiders take a fairly cautious approach to forecasting sales in 2011, I am of the opinion that it is possible to achieve meaningful growth this year.

"I am therefore predicting a total market for 2011 of 550 000 units, which will equate to a rise of 11.6% over the 2010 figure."

Brand Pretorius then explained the wide range of factors that he saw as influencers for the coming year.

These included the anticipated sustainability of the global and local macro-economic recovery, with GDP growth of 3.5% predicted for South Africa, the growing levels of business and consumer confidence, backed by rising indexes on more than one indicator, as well as the "wealth effect" created by the strong improvement in the JSE All Share Index.

Other factors he listed and backed up by graphs and statistics included the ongoing strength of the South African currency, particularly against the Dollar and the Euro, which should result in enhanced vehicle affordability.

The McCarthy CEO said further positive factors were the prime lending rate, which has fallen 5% since 2008, and the increasing willingness of financial institutions to grant credit in the light of a modest improvement in the ratio of household debt to disposable income.

Pretorius also anticipates growth in both the corporate and the inbound leisure markets in 2011: "Then, of course, there is ongoing replacement demand by fleets that is being driven by the ageing vehicle population, following the record sales achieved in 2006 and the slump since then.

"It is also a fact that we have one of the toughest automotive trading environments in the world, with one of the widest selections of makes and models on the globe and a multitude of dealerships, which all lead to intense competition and aggressive marketing, with benefits to the consumers. It is likely that a buyers' market will prevail.

"However, it is not all moonshine and roses and there are several factors which could impact negatively on disposable income and therefore on the vehicle market in 2011. These include the planned increase in company car fringe benefit tax, the tolling of all major freeways in Gauteng, higher fuel prices and further hikes in electricity tariffs.

"However, the much improved sales situation in 2010 and the positive momentum we are observing in the market, have certainly set the scene for an even better 2011," concluded Pretorius, who retires as CEO of the McCarthy Group at the end of next month, marking an end to a 38-year career in the local motor industry.
Bright future for SA car industry - Industry News - IOL | Breaking News | South Africa News | World News | Sport | Business | Entertainment | IOL.co.za (http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/industry-news/bright-future-for-sa-car-industry-1.1010658)

[Ortodossia]

South African mining industry

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[Ortodossia]

Hope returns -- behind high walls

It's another day stuck in Johannesburg's traffic.

http://mg.co.za/image/square/20110106lamontsecuritycomplex3144jpg/300
Clint, Emma and Nate Lamont at their secure complex in Fourways. The family came back from London to South Africa for the lifestyle.(Lisa Skinner, M&G)
Nearly two miserable hours later I reach my destination -- a town house in Sandton where Clint and Emma Lamont have been staying since their return to South Africa after a decade in London.

"We came back for the lifestyle," Clint tells me. I am deadpan, thinking of the past two hours. But I know what he means -- this country has a hold on people that is hard to define.

"I always wanted to come home and in the last year or so it really started to get to me." He looks at Emma. "We talked about it for a long while, but I was always keener than her." The turning point was the birth of their son, Nate, just over a year ago.

"Things were difficult for me," Emma says. "It was then that I realised that we were really on our own living in London."

"It wasn't an easy decision career-wise," Clint says. '"It was hard to find a job. But I wanted to come home long before the economic crash. And the feeling got stronger the older I got and the longer I stayed away."

Emma is thoughtful. "The London experience displaces you. I went at 23 for a year for the independence and to see the world, and suddenly I found I'd been there for 11 years."

Adds Clint: "We missed a sense of connectedness. I never felt like a British citizen."

Returning home
They are part of a growing number of mostly thirtysomething South Africans who have returned to the country in the past two years. Exact numbers are hard to find but a recent CNN report quoted a British employment survey which found that about 100 000 South African job-seekers were planning to return home.
Stuttafords Van Lines says that 80% of their current business is "returning residents".

Charles Luyckx, the chief executive of Elliott International, says: "In the last 24 months we've seen a significant increase in South Africans coming home. It's mostly people in their 30s or early 40s.

"There's a number of reasons. There are a lot of opportunities here, Europe is falling apart and then, of course, there's the weather."

John Herbst, the national sales executive of Pam Golding Properties, said that he had seen a number of South Africans who had let their properties no longer renew leases because they were returning from overseas to live in the country again.

Why is this happening? As the rental trends seem to indicate, and as the Lamonts point out, many returning South Africans never intended to emigrate, or perhaps went overseas for a while on contract.

Attractive SA
The HSBC Expat Explorer Survey of 2010 rates South Africa as the fifth most attractive place for expatriates to live in, behind Thailand, Canada, Bahrain and Spain -- while the United States is ranked 16th and Britain 20th. About 24% of expatriates living in South Africa are retired.

Martine Schaffer, from the Homecoming Revolution, said that the shift began with the economic crash of 2008.

"We'd been working since 2003 and were going against the grain of the thinking at the time. The dinner party conversations were all about 'where are you going?' People didn't have hope and people weren't coming back."

The CNN report estimates that up to 20% of South African professionals, almost exclusively white, have left the country since 1995 -- a loss of about 800 000 people, from a white population of 4,5-million.

Schaffer said this year's World Cup was a tipping point. "We were allowed to be proudly South African and many who came back for the World Cup marvelled when they came," she said. But not all the returnees are white.

Durban-based Lucky Sithole said: "I'd been in London for five years on a contract that ended about the time of the World Cup. I wanted to come back and be part of the magic. And it was a good call. We live in a beautiful country and my friends and family were so embracing."

The difficulties
Sithole said he had been on a roller coaster of emotion. "I lived in London for five years and got used to the independence there. Here I can't survive without a car, the internet is much slower -- little details like that are difficult to adjust to."

But his biggest problem is that he hasn't found a job. "I get discouraged sometimes, but I know it's a bad time of the year and I'm positive I'll find one early in 2011."

He says that some in the black community questioned his move overseas. "There's a sense from some people, especially those who don't know me, that I've betrayed the country. They ask if I'm like those white people who think the country is unsafe.

"But I say to them, 'If you had the opportunity to work overseas, would you take it?' That usually shuts them up."

Crime remains the biggest negative. Emma's stepfather was murdered in April last year while they were deciding to return, and that nearly persuaded them to stay put. Clint points to the high walls of his gated community. "We would definitely not be here if we couldn't live somewhere like this. My biggest concern is Emma's safety.

"You can't resolve that dilemma. We've minimised the risk, but when you come here, you know in the back of your mind that something will happen to you. You just hope that it won't be catastrophic."

Something fundamental is shifting in South Africa. Schaffer said: "When we started it was almost exclusively white, but now the mix has changed."

For almost 50 years after World War II, the world and many South Africans themselves expected the worst of the country. The insidious legacy of swart gevaar (black danger) has deep roots and the failure of many African countries after independence -- and the chaos in Zimbabwe -- did not help.

It appears to be a generational thing. Those under 35 inhabit a different country from that of their parents.

Emma speaks for many of them: "Crime always worried me. But it was never my reason for going. I never felt insecure about South Africa's future.

"The world has changed. After 2008 South Africans overseas began asking themselves: 'What am I doing here?' Those who come back are often excited by what they see, and the perspective they bring is important for the country."

Hope returns -- behind high walls - Newspaper - Mail & Guardian Online (http://www.mg.co.za/article/2011-01-07-hope-returns-behind-high-walls)

[Ortodossia]

South African bond market with Alexi Contogiannis[SIZE="5"]

DAqNHVzDWGQ

[kouros]

"Come si è trovato in Africa?"
"L'Africa è un cesso!A parte quel poco di buono che han saputo fare gli inglesi e di cui tra poco non vi sarà più traccia!"
Dal film "L'ingorgo-Una storia impossibile".Dialogo tra Orazio Orlando ed Alberto Sordi.
SOTTOSCRIVO PAROLA PER PAROLA SILLABA PER SILLABA!!!!!!:giagia::giagia::giagia:

[Ortodossia]

Title: SA business in Russia for trade, investment drive

http://visualrian.com/storage2/PreviewOfficial/7362/38/736238.jpg?1281023544
August 5, 2010. Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (3d to the left) during the meeting with South Africa's President Jacob Zuma (3d to the right) at Russia's Government House.

Pretoria - A delegation of business leaders and government officials from South Africa arrived in Moscow on Monday for a three-day visit to boost trade and investment between Russia and South Africa.

This comes ahead of South Africa's participation in the BRICS summit in China, scheduled for April.

The three-day Trade and Investment Initiative in Moscow will include an exhibition and sector-specific investment seminars. The visit aims to strengthen partnerships between Russia and South Africa through joint ventures, technology transfer and skills sharing.

It will also showcase products and services in Russia and South African markets.

"There is enormous potential for Russia and South Africa to grow our business links - from aerospace and agriculture to energy. Not to mention sharing experiences of hosting the World Cup," Acting Deputy Director General of the Department of Trade and Industry, Riaan Le Roux, said.

South Africa's inclusion into the BRICS group of countries was welcomed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month.

"By 2020, the BRIC countries are expected to contribute nearly half of all global GDP growth. I am delighted that South Africa is now a part of this winning team," said Le Roux.

Total trade turnover between South Africa and Russian Federation in 2009 increased by 6.42 percent from US$ 484.02 million to $517.21 million.

In 2009, the import of Russian goods into South Africa increased by $155.69 million, compared to the same period of 2008, from $40.28 million to $195.97 million. - BuaNews
BuaNews Online homepage (http://www.buanews.gov.za/news/11/11021508451001)

[Ortodossia]

Latests music events in South Africa

2011 Rammstein Tour of South Africa

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U2 returns to SA with 360°

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Origin eletronic festival

FKCy88mkEtc

[Ortodossia]

SA economy to grow 3.8% in 2011: BER

http://www.southafrica.info/cm_pics/overview/1856-4381-0-0_1633194.jpg
Workers at a plant owned by petrochemicals giant Sasol

The Bureau for Economic Research (BER) has revised its economic growth forecast for South Africa slightly upwards to 3.8% in 2011. Growth for 2012 is forecast at 3.9%.

"For 2011, the BER has made an upward revision to the SA Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast of 0.4 percentage points to 3.8%," the BER said in a statement on Thursday.

The improved outlook stems from a more optimistic projection of household consumption expenditure.

"The result is that gross domestic expenditure (GDE), the broadest measure of domestic spending that includes fixed investment, government expenditure and inventory investment, accelerates to growth of 4.8% during 2011 from a projected 4.3% in 2010," the bureau said.

SA economy to grow 3.8% in 2011: BER - SouthAfrica.info (http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/bergdpgrowth-180211.htm)

iYw7fBYUnSQ

Pretoria - The South African economy grew by 4.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said on Tuesday.

Seasonally adjusted Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 4.4 percent in quarter four, compared to a revised 2.7 percent (from an increase of 2.6 percent) increase in the third quarter.

The mining and quarrying industry, general government services, manufacturing industry and finance, real estate and business services and real estate and business services contributed to the increase in economic activity in the fourth quarter, with the construction industry contributing 0.0 percent for five consecutive quarters.

Kedibone Mabaso, GDP manager at Stats SA, said that the construction industry had been reflecting a downward trend since the completion of the 2010 Soccer World Cup stadia. "Even now construction, including residential, is not doing well," she said.

Unadjusted real GDP for the fourth quarter increased by 3.8 percent, compared with the fourth quarter of 2009. Real annual GDP increased by 2.8 percent compared to the previous year's 1.7 percent.

Stats SA's Deputy Director General, Dr Rashad Cassim, said the figures suggested that the country is in a moderate growth territory.

"Real GDP grew at a slightly quicker pace than the market expected and above market expectations of a 4.2 percent increase. We expected growth of 4.5 percent quarter-on-quarter," said analysts at Nedbank.

The data comes as Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is preparing to deliver the budget speech in Parliament on Wednesday afternoon.

"Today's GDP figures are encouraging, suggesting that the recovery is no longer confined to spending but also supported by a relatively robust rebound in production. As the economy continues to grow and slowly starts to create some jobs, while inflationary pressures gradually increase due to rising global fuel and food prices, the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will probably feel less pressure to stimulate the economy," said Nedbank.

It warned, however, that growth was likely to be more subdued as weak credit growth, limited fixed investment spending and infrastructure constraints hold back the recovery. - BuaNews

BuaNews Online homepage (http://www.buanews.gov.za/news/11/11022213451003)

[Ortodossia]

Datatec division buys UK firm for £7.3m

Information and communications technology group Datatec's subsidiary Logicalis has agreed to acquire Inca Software from its parent company, AIM-listed Avisen, for a total equity value consideration of £7.3 million.
Inca, the largest IBM Cognos partner in the UK, provides a full suite of IBM business analytics products and implements solutions for more than 400 companies across all industry sectors.

The acquisition was set to create a UK systems integrator capable of delivering the full suite of next-generation business transformation tools - analytics, collaboration and cloud computing.

Logicalis would pay a maximum of £7.3 million in cash (£6.0 million on completion and £1.3 million one year later) and assume £0.7 million of debt. Inca's interim results for the six months ended July 31 2010 disclosed unaudited revenues of £4.3 million.

Datatec CE Jens Montanana said: "This acquisition opens up a new stream of expertise in analytics to Logicalis' customers, and will give it a unique and compelling proposition. By combining Logicalis' expertise in collaboration and cloud computing with Inca's expertise in business analytics, Logicalis will be able to help its customers to become smarter organisations.

"Both Logicalis and Inca are IBM premier partners so this acquisition also helps to strengthen this strategically important relationship," he concluded.

Datatec division buys UK firm for £7.3m - Business LIVE (http://www.businesslive.co.za/incoming/2011/03/17/datatec-division-buys-uk-firm-for-7.3m)

[Ortodossia]

Industrial policy attracts investment

23 March 2011

Transnet's decision to assemble 90 of the 100 locomotives on order from General Electric, and the securing of R14-billion in planned automotive investments, are some of the immediate achievements of South Africa's new Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP).

Briefing Parliament's portfolio committee on trade and industry in Cape Town on Tuesday, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies outlined several achievements of the plan, while adding that a lot of work still had to be done in the roll-out of the plan, which was launched last year.

He said lots of work had so far been done on setting up the systems, and that the coming year should yield results, particularly with the country's revised procurement legislation, the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act, expected to come into force.

Davies said the planned R14-billion investment in South Africa's automotive sector was in the form of investment commitments from both assemblers and component suppliers.

Last month, meanwhile, Transnet took delivery of the first of 100 new General Electric diesel locomotives at Transnet's plant in Koedoespoort in North West province, where 90 locomotives are to be assembled by Transnet.

This is part of the pledge by state-owned enterprises to introduce more localisation and supplier development into their procurement policies.

Local manufacturing and procurement

The department's deputy director-general of industrial development, Nimrod Zalk, said government departments were also looking to promote local manufacturing.

Zalk pointed to the Department of Health's recent R4.2-billion tender for antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, where 72 percent of the contract's value was awarded to South African manufacturers, while achieving significant price reductions relative to the 2008 ARV tender.

Zalk also outlined several key areas where the department had made progress with the IPAP, in areas such as procurement, industrial financing, improved competition and trade.

While the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has earmarked R25-billion for the green economy and a further R5 billion for an agro-processing fund, a R10-billion job creation fund, announced by President Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation address last month, would be priced at prime minus 3 percent.

Added to this, the Department of Trade and Industry's Enterprise Investment Programme, which is aimed at small and medium-sized firms in manufacturing and tourism, created 10 211 direct jobs between April and December last year.

To improve trade for exporters, the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has set up the Exporter Early Warning System on Technical Barriers to Trade. The system identifies technical barriers to trade notified to the WTO and is distributed for free to subscribers on a weekly basis.

To crack down on anti-competitive practices, South Africa's competition authorities has also launched investigations into a number of areas, including tyre companies, scrap merchants, chemical firms, airlines, and construction companies.

Sector support programmes

Zalk also detailed various achievements in the government's sector support programmes, including:

The creation of 1 100 new jobs in the clothing sector through the Clothing Textile Competitiveness Programme, which also helped firms retain 40 000 other jobs.
The seizure of R37-million worth of clothing merchandise suspected of being counterfeit or non tax-compliant, following raids on 56 premises by the SA Revenue Service.
The creation of 950 jobs and R40-million in investments in the call centre sector and the training of 3 400 young trainees under the Monyetla II Programme.
The IPAP would also included programmes for boat-building sector, and had elevated a Western Cape initiative in the oil and gas servicing industry to become a national programme.

Turning to implementation of the IPAP, Davies was adamant that his department would take a sterner approach to meeting targets than was taken for the first industrial policy action plan of 2007.

He said the department held internal monthly progress meetings around IPAP, calling in officials from other departments when necessary.

Industrial policy attracts investment - SouthAfrica.info (http://www.southafrica.info/business/investing/ipap-230311.htm)

[Ortodossia]

Plans to Make It Easier to Do Business in SA

Cape Town — Government plans to cut the red tape and make it easier to do business in South Africa by setting up a national one-stop shop to assist with investment approvals, reforming BEE codes and simplifying forms and procedures faced by small businesses.

These measures, among others, were outlined by the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Gugile Nkwinti in a briefing in Parliament today.

Nkwinti, who chairs the government's cluster on economic sectors and employment, mapped out the work of the cluster for the year ahead.

He said the reform of the BEE codes would contribute more to creating jobs through local procurement with focus on incentivising support for local procurement, small businesses and broad-based ownership.

Other initiatives involved the formation of Companies and Property Intellectual Commission, which would takeover from the Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (Cipro).

The powers of the Competition Commission and Tribunal would also be strengthened through the amendment of the Competition Act, which plans to criminalise cartel involvement.

Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies said the idea to set up a one-stop agency would involve the bolstering the capacity of Trade and Investment South Africa (Tisa), which already helps facilitate international investments in the country and falls under the Department of Trade and Industry.

Davies said the campaign to minimise red tape for small businesses includes the roll out of an initiative to assist certain municipalities to cut regulations that effect small enterprises, following the conclusion last year of a pilot focusing on several municipalities.

Added to this, he said, the new Companies Act, due to come into effect on 1 April, will see less onerous regulations for small companies.

The Consumer Protection Act, due to come into effect on the same date, would also stimulate the economy.

The minister pointed to the example of building regulations, where many contractors neglect to fit lights and plugs that meet the compulsory specifications for electrical installations in new buildings and said that under the Consumer Protection Act, homeowners would have recourse meaning more work for contractors, which he believed would benefit the economy.

"Now what will happen is that everyone who is involved in the process - the retailer, the housing contractor - will no longer be able to say 'I didn't know about that, that's what I was given by the shop' - they will now have responsibility for that.

"And we think that is the kind of effective regulation that will protect our consumers against unsafe products and our industries against unfair competition from low quality products," he said.

Minister of Economic Development Ebrahim Patel said reducing the red tape for business owners and entrepreneurs faced involved tackling four areas, namely:

- Speeding up the time it took for businesses to process documents at government agencies.

- Reducing the number forms of business owners have to fill out.

- Creating a more co-ordinated system so that business owners wouldn't have to be sent from pillar to post.

- Setting up one-stop shops so that businesses wouldn't have to go to various places to get the same thing.

allAfrica.com: South Africa: Plans to Make It Easier to Do Business in SA (http://allafrica.com/stories/201102240838.html)

[Ortodossia]

A State of Trance, South Africa: March 2011

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[Ortodossia]

The youth of the Italian Club in Cape Town
takes to the streets to prove that it is well alive

On Saturday 19 Feb the Youth of ICCT (Italian Club of Cape Town) took to the streets of Cape Town - only this time around it was not a Ferrari but rather a red party bus with flickering lights that took 35 enthusiastic youngsters on the joy ride of their lives.

To begin the festivities we all met at the Italian Club to grab a pizza and a Peroni in preparation for the evening ahead...as usual Fratelli Palmieri did not disappoint with their portions and it felt like we were back at nonna's house.

Thirsts quenched and bellys full, you could feel the excitement building as we were waiting for the bus to arrive.

After a quick head count and most importantly drink count, we were ready to go...next stop, Long street! It was like the World Cup all over again, with Italian flags brandished and passionate cries of "Italia" we let Long street know who we were. It was now time to do the Camps Bay strip.

After making our mark on Camps Bay we took a scenic drive back to Sea Point where we off-loaded the serious party animals at Deco Dance and the rest made their way back to the Italian Club to call it a night.

I would like to thank Palmieri Fratelli, the Italian Club, Peroni and Ramazzotti for all their support.

Stories and laughter have still been shared a week later about the wild antics that went on and I can honestly say that this event was a great success. The Youth of ICCT is alive and here to stay.

Well done guys.

Riccardo Raciti
The youth of the Italian Club in Cape Town (http://www.lagazzettadelsudafrica.net/Articoli/2011/febbraio/Art_280211_5.html)

[Ortodossia]

South Africa keeps rates on hold

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South African Reserve Bank governor Gill Marcus – and her place of work in Pretoria

25 March 2011

The South African Reserve Bank has left its key repo rate unchanged at 5.5 percent, in line with market expectations, keeping the rate at its lowest level in 30 years.

The prime rate thus stays at nine percent.

According to a Bloomberg poll, all 23 economists surveyed expected the Bank to keep the repo rate on hold.

The decision followed a three-day meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in Pretoria. This was the second consecutive meeting where the rate remained unchanged.

Reserve Bank governor Gill Marcus warned on Thursday that there were significant risks that could lead to an increase in inflation. This could lead the MPC to increase the repo rate in future.

"The MPC is of the view that the risks to the inflation outlook are on the upside... Given the significant upside risks to the inflation outlook, the MPC will closely monitor any indications of second round effects on inflation emanating from these cost pressures," Marcus said.

The biggest upside risks to inflation were food prices and administered prices, particularly oil prices.

"The biggest risks to the inflation outlook remain food and administered prices, in particular oil prices," she told a media briefing.

Oil prices had increased as a consequence of political upheaval in North Africa and the Middle East which had raised concerns about the security of oil supplies.

Marcus said even if the political issues were resolved soon, "the underlying demand pressures are likely to still keep oil prices at relatively elevated levels".

Wage settlements also posed a risk to the inflation outlook.

"High real wage settlements have been a significant upside risk to the inflation outlook.

"However there are indications that nominal wage settlement rates may be moderating."

Marcus said Andrew Levy Employment Publications had found the overall average wage settlement rate in collective bargaining agreements was 8.2 per cent in 2010, compared to 9.3 percent in 2009.

"Similarly, the downward trend in year-on-year growth in unit labour costs continued into the fourth quarter of 2010 when it measured 7.7 percent, compared with 9.3 percent in the previous quarter.

"This positive trend, if continued, may contribute meaningfully to attaining an environment of low inflation and employment creation," she said.

Sapa

South Africa keeps rates on hold - SouthAfrica.info (http://www.southafrica.info/news/business/698914.htm)

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Stellenbosch Wine Route

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It feels great to be back in such an incredible country.

After 11 years in the UK Darryl Hilliar has returned to South Africa and shares the ups and the downs of being home.



How long have you been back in SA and where did you come back to? 4 months, Cape Town


Why did you decide to come back to SA?

Came back home to family, friends and a better lifestyle


What are you doing since you have been back?

Working in IT for a massive publishing company.

Has coming back to SA been different from what you expected and if so, why?

Yes, very difficult to find a job being white and male, not a racist thing, just a fact. My 3 job agencies I signed up with did absolutely nothing to help me find work. I got a job through a friend in the end (after looking for 3 months). I have missed the sunny weather and friendly people though.

How does it feel to be back in South Africa?

It feels good now that we started settling down after 4 months. It feels great to be back in such an incredible country.

Explain the most difficult thing about moving back.

Shipping everything back, especially the car and trying to deal with the paperwork which took 9 weeks to get sorted. Insuring the imported car now is a very difficult job now.


What do you love most about South Africa?

The wonderful scenic countryside and fantastic weather.

What advice would you give someone thinking of moving back?

Try secure a job before coming back. It has become extremely expensive place to live in now and your savings will not last long at all. Also, don’t bother shipping your car back. Too much of a mission.

Having spent time living abroad, what do you think we could be doing to make SA a better place to live?

Start employing everyone equally and forget what happened in the past. Many qualified white people have left this wonderful country because of the discrimination. Start training up people properly so that the customer service level is kept high and not a joke like it is at the moment. For example, a waitress at a top hotel in Hout Bay the other day brought our food to a table of 8. She asked everyone what they are eating! This is appalling and they're not doing their job properly. They should know what everyone is eating as they took their orders.


Anything else you want to share.

I did the Otter Trail a month ago with 7 great friends and now know why I came back to this country. It is the most beautiful place in the world.

Homecoming Revolution (http://www.homecomingrevolution.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5644)