Current Edition >> Archives Section >> Business Pointers >> July 2002

Business pointers :: Sakeflitse

• Civil engineering and construction buoyant: The indications are that the civil engineering and construction sector is poised for a buoyant future, as the government moves towards increased infrastructure spending, while the private sector is implementing large projects, particularly in the mining and minerals industry. Mega projects in the mining sector currently under way include Anglovaal Mining's R2,1 billion Target gold-mine in the Free State; IHM's R1,9 billion heavy-minerals project in KwaZulu-Natal; Impala Platinum's R1,6 billion Winnaarshoek platinum mine in Limpopo Province; and the R1,35 billion Maandagshoek platinum-mine, being developed in Limpopo Province. Several similar and smaller projects are being implemented or are envisaged in the platinum-group metals industry. Meanwhile the government has set aside R33,3 billion for investment in infrastructure during the 2002/3 fiscal year. Of this figure, 23% has been allocated to national government departments, 34% to provincial governments and 46% to municipalities. For the 12 months to December 2001, the civil engineering industry's turnover, at R12 billion, was 26% higher than in 2000, in nominal terms.

• Nasionale sakestem steeds 'n droom? Dit lyk of die samesmelting tussen Nafcoc en Sabek op nasionale vlak van die baan is nadat mnr. Sabelo Macingwane, uitvoerende hoof van Nafcoc wat in Sabek se kantoor gewerk het sedert die samesmelting, afgedank is deur me. Lidya Mzoneli, waarnemende president. Mnre. Simon Mathysen, president, en Beef Molefe, sekretaris-generaal van Nafcoc, is drie weke gelede uit die organisasie geskors weens beweerde finansiële ongerymdhede. Inmiddels poog Business South Africa (BSA) en die Black Business Council (BBC) om samewerking te beredder, maar dit word bemoeilik omdat Nafcoc nie meer amptelik lid van die BBC is nie.

• Vigourised British interest in SA: Britain's newly-appointed trade and investment director for South Africa, Mr. Michael Mowlam, is hoping to strengthen relationships between the UK and SA business through the selection of 16 priority industrial sectors, viz.: Agriculture, airport development, automotive components, broadcasting and film, food and drink, healthcare, information technology and electronics, leisure and tourism, ports and harbours, power, railways, security equipment, telecoms and water. Trade in goods last year grew to £4,6 billion, with the balance-of-trade weighted strongly in South Africa's favour on exports of £2,9 billion to the UK and imports from the UK of around £1,6 billion. This figure was also up on two-way trade of £3,9 billion in 2000 and £2,7 billion in 1999.

• Kaapstad lok groot nuwe beleggings: Meer as R2,7 miljard in nuwe beleggings het na Kaapstad se sentrale besigheidsdistrik (SBD) gevloei sedert die stigting van die Kaapse stadsverbeteringsdistrik (CID) 19 maande gelede. Dit bring die totale beplande en goedgekeurde beleggings op ongeveer R8,7 miljard te staan. Sedert die stigting van die CID het daar vir die 19 opeenvolgende maande meer as R100 miljoen na Kaapstad gevloei. Dit blyk ook dat afgesien van die belangstelling in die Foreshore en Konvensiesentrum, van die R535 miljoen wat tot dusver vanjaar ontvang is, ongeveer R400 miljoen aan die historiese SBD bestee word. Van die ontwikkelinge wat reeds vanjaar bevestig is, is onder meer Woolworths wat sy hoofkantoor in die SBD konsolideer teen sowat R20 miljoen.

• Mintek establishes window: As part of its mandate to increase the domestic beneficiation of South Africa's minerals and metals and to support its own research and development (R&D), science council Mintek recently established a subsidiary company, call Mindev. The function of the new company 100% owned by Mintek, is to assist the commercialisation of the science council's technology, thereby assisting Mintek to more effective beneficiation. Mindev will also allow Mintek to implement its commercial technologies more flexible, while helping the science council to protect its intellectual property rights.

• Western Cape goes for exports: Exports from the Western Cape and Cape Town are big business, totalling over R19 billion last year an increase of R3 billion since 2000. As part of an effort to further boost foreign trade, a large-scale trade promotion user-needs survey of Western Cape exporters has identified that the main barriers facing exporters included cost of marketing activities (46%); high transport costs (35%); lack of financial resources (30%); foreign entry barriers (30%); infrastructure bottlenecks (24%); qualified sources of advice (20%); lack of knowledge (19%) and the high cost of getting practical advice (16%). On the other hand, the main constraints facing non-exporters of foreign markets (71%); cost of marketing activities (57%); high cost of getting practical advice (52%); lack of knowledge (52%); high transport costs (43%); foreign entry barriers (38%); and lack of time to devote to export drive (38%).

• Advertensie-inkomste wêreldwyd 7% laer: Die koerantbedryf het oor die wêreld heen in 2001 'n daling van 7% in advertensie-inkomste ondervind, terwyl sirkulasie met 'n skrale 0,4% gestyg het, lui 'n verslag van die World Association of Newspapers (WAN). Die resultate van 'n opname wat op die 55ste internasionale koerantkongres voorgelê is, dui aan dat koerante se aandeel in die wêreldadvertensiemark vir die eerste keer in 15 jaar gestabiliseer het, terwyl die webtuistes van koerante steeds sterk voordeel trek uit toenemende internetverkeer.

• Disturbing stats on gambling in SA: Mr. Kent Durr of the ACDP quoted last month in Parliament the following on the gambling situation in SA: “We have 10 gambling boards in South Africa, run by 16 Chairmen, 10 CEO's and staffed by 274 officials, spending some R121 471 000 million per annum, to regulate an industry which is failing to deliver taxes in any significant way - an industry which has brought huge social costs and human misery and very little public benefit, an industry which has diverted income from more productive avenues of expenditure such as food, education, housing, clothing, etc. to self-indulgence and deviance. How does one explain that the Western Cape Gambling Board chairperson receives a R681 909 payment package per annum and in the North West the man earns R12 025 or in Gauteng R40 132. Or that Gauteng spends R25 815 000 with 74 posts to do what the North West does for R3 000 000? Should there not be a massive rethink on this profligacy en bureaucracy gone mad?

• Sosio-ekonomiese ramp dreig in Zimbabwe: Volgense die Wêreld voedsel program in Rome dreig 'n sosio-ekonomiese ramp van katastrofale omvang in Zimbabwe. Die “grondhervormingsgebeleid” van die regering tesame met die ergste droogte in 20 jaar kan veroorsaak dat tot 6 miljoen van die 13 miljoen Zimbabwiërs binne enkele maande van buitelandse voedselhulp afhanklik gaan wees. Die reeds erg geknoude kommersiële boerdery in die land is op die rand van ineenstorting. Met 'n inflasiekoers van meer as 100% en werkloosheid van oor die 60%, word deur ekonome voorspel dat die ekonomie van Zimbabwe binnekort slegs die helfte sal wees van wat dit eers was. Die impakt op die res van Suidelike Afrika kan uiteraard verreikend wees.