Current Edition >> Archives Section >> Spot Coverage >> December 2006
Free State Premier's Awards for Export Excellence: Export trade, value adding, manufacturing and job creation will be at the centre stage when the Free State Premier recognizes and awards best performing entrepreneurs in export promotion on 5 December 2006. A total of 20 Free State companies will be competing in four categories. Exporters will be adjudicated in the following categories: Premier's Award – Exporter of the year / Small Business Exporter of the Year / Emerging Exporter of the year / New Entrant to the Exporter field. Export trade is rated the centre piece of the Free State Growth and Development Strategy. The Department of Tourism, Environmental and Economic Affairs, established these awards seven years ago with the expressed aim of creating an international platform for Free State products. The winning companies will be awarded their prizes at a glittering gala dinner on 5 December 2006 at the Sand du Plessis Theatre in Bloemfontein. More info from Kgotoso Tau at 082 833 9595 / 051 – 400 4726.
80% of Clarens Estate sold out: To date more than 80% of the units at the Clarens Golf & Trout Estate have been sold out. Developed by national property group Pinnacle Point Holdings, the estate comprises 250 homes - including 25 two-bedroom rental villas and 25 lodges. Investment options include land averaging 900 m² from R650 000 (excl) plus fractional ownership options. The estate design reflects the Free State colonial style of low-pitched roofs and sandstone brick. At the estate a new 18-hole golf course is being designed by Golf Data and constructed around the existing nine-hole course. Property owners have automatic golf club membership as well as five-year membership of the local conservancy and trout club, giving them access to 30km of trout fishing waters due to the 70km tunnel from the Khatse Dam. More info from www.theclarens.co.za.
Kimberley Big Hole restored: The famous Big Hole at Kimberley has been restored – to an even smarter glory it has ever known. In conjunction with the Northern Cape Government, the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality and the Frances Baard District Municipality, De Beers Mining donated R300 million for the revamp – into a world class tourist attraction. New additions include a tourist centre, lookout point, audiovisual theatre, an underground mining experience, an exhibition of real diamonds, a town piece depicting Kimberley of yesteryear, shops and a guesthouse. A new Protea Hotel is to follow early next year.
Suidwes Groep grootste wins nog: Die Suidwes Groep, voorheen Suidwes Köoperasie, met hoofkantoor te Leeudoringstad en ook takke in die noordwesVrystaat, het hierdie jaar die grootste wins in sy geskiedenis gemaak. In die 2006-finansiële jaar is 'n netto wins van R32,6 miljoen gemaak – teenoor 'n netto verlies van R25,3 miljoen in 2005. Hierdie positiewe ommeswaai is ondanks die feit dat die lae graanpryse wat aan die einde van die 2005-finansiële jaar gegeld het, vir die grootste gedeelte van die 2006-finansiële jaar voortgeduur het, terwyl die aanplantings van graangewasse in die Suidwes Groep se tradisionele bedieningsgebied gedurende 2005 aansienlik afgeskaal is. Die verliesmakende bedrywe, Westra Nywerhede en Groundnut International, is onderskeidelik verkoop en gesluit en die fokus is nou op die kernbesigheid van die Groep gerig.
Suid-Afrika oorstroom deur immigrante: Uit 'n indiensnemingverslag wat onafhanklike ekonoom Mike Schüssler so pas vir die vakbond UASA opgestel het, blyk dit dat immigrante grotendeels uit buurstate en Afrika tans letterlik in Suid-Afrika instroom en dat die totale getal tans op soveel as 13 miljoen kan staan. Maandeliks stroom sowat 85 000 immigrante oor die land se grense en deporteer Suid-Afrika jaarliks sowat 210 000 onwettige immigrante na hul tuisstate – teenoor die VSA wat verlede jaar sowat 187 000 onwettige immigrante gedeporteer het. Verdere syfers toon dat Suid-Afrika sowat 6,4% van die bevolking van Mosambiek huisves en 4,3% van dié van Zimbabwe. Die aanduidings is voorts dat daar tans meer Zimbabwiërs in SA werksaam is as in hul eie land.
KVBA na bewering bevooroordeeld teenoor werkgewers: Volgens die jongste jaaroorsig van Tokiso, die land se enigste onafhanklike arbeidsdispuutorganisasie, is daar 'n duidelike en sorgwekkende “statistiese bevooroordeeldheid” teen werkgewers in die uitsprake van die Kommissie vir Versoening, Bemiddeling en Arbitrasie (KVBA). Boonop is die Arbeidshof, wat oor net drie regters beskik, volgens Tokiso besig om in duie te stort en is dit feitlik onmoontlik om 'n behoorlike ontleding van uitsprake van die hof te maak. Volgens Tokiso het in die KVBA werkgewers 42,49% van die geskille gewen, in private arbitrasies 61,34% en in bedingingsraad-arbitrasies was werkgewers in 64,3% die wenners. Dit beteken dat 'n werkgewer teoreties sowat 'n 40% beter kans het om 'n arbitrasie in 'n bedingingsraad te wen as in die KVBA.
Format of Saitex being revised: The future shape of the annual SA International Trade Exhibition (Saitex) is currently being revised. At present foreign countries (and, indeed, South African provinces) wishing to have a significant participation in Saitex, do so through national (or provincial) pavilions. The thinking now is that this is great if you are looking for a particular country, but not if you are interested in a particular industry or product. Business tends to be more interested in products than where they come from. So the idea is that instead of national and provincial, rather specialised halls, where specific products or sectors will be grouped, regardless of nationality, will be made available instead of countries being consolidated and industries scattered, industries will be consolidated and countries scattered.
Jobless South Africans turn to entrepreneurship: A Statistics SA Survey of Employers and the Self-Employed conducted in September 2005 shows that unemployment was the main reason for starting a business by 67,3% of respondents. The report estimates there were 1,7 million non-VAT registered businesses in South Africa, of which approximately 91% were owned by black Africans. “A little more than 94,8% of persons who ran non-VAT registered businesses were the single owners of the business,” Stats SA says.
According to the latest economic growth report by Stats SA, Gauteng remained the largest contributor to South Africa's GDP in 2005, with 33.7%. The Free State's contribution is 5.5%, the second lowest, except for the Northern Cape at 2,2%. For full detail and comparisons, see table at bottom below. However, when comparing the real economic growth rates of the provinces in 2005 with 2004, the Western Cape grew faster than Gauteng at 5.7%, compared to the latter’s 5.4% growth. The Free State at 4.2% is the third lowest of the nine provinces – only Limpopo at 4.1% and the Northern Cape recording 3.9% are lower. The growth percentages of the remaining provinces are KZN at 5.3%, North West at 5.1%, Eastern Cape at 4.8% and Mpumalanga at 4.3%. South Africa's quarterly GDP slowed to 4.7%, in the third quarter, from the second quarter's 5.5% growth. In the first quarter of the year, GDP had grown by 5%. The contributors to growth in the third quarter were due mainly to four sectors of finance, trade, manufacturing and the combined transport and communication sector. The finance, real estate and business services industry pushed growth up by 1.2 of a percentage point. The wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants industry contributed 0,9 of a percentage point; the manufacturing industry gave 0.8 of a percentage point while transport and communication contributed 0.5 of a percentage point. Smaller contributors to GDP growth were the construction industry and general government sector, which each contributed 0.4 of a percentage point. Sectors contributing to the slow-down in growth were the combined agriculture, forestry and fishing sector which slowed growth down by -0.3 of a percentage point and the electricity, gas and water sector which made no contribution to quarterly GDP. In monetary terms, the independent annual estimate for GDP in 2005 had been revised upwards by 1.1% to R1 539 billion.
Terwyl die aantal slagoffers van plaasmoorde in Suid-Afrika sedert 1994 reeds sowat 1 600 beloop, is daar sedert Mei vanjaar al 10 mense op plase in die Vrystaat vermoor. Die lys is: 7 Mei: Mnr. Nico Bezuidenhout word in sy plaaswinkel op Damplaas buite Excelsior doodgeskiet. Sy vrou, Willien, is in die aanval gewond. 30 Mei: Mnr. Kobus (78) en mev. Charlotte (68) van Tonder word op hul plaas Merino buite Vrede vermoor. 22 Junie: Mnr. Flip Heyneke (51), 'n melkboer, is met elektriese koord opgehang in sy plaashuis sowat 20 km buite Bloemfontein in die Bainsvlei omgewing. 3 November: Me. Emmerentia “Nan” Botha (64) is op haar plaas Skuilhoek buite Luckhoff vermoor. 16 November: Mnr. Eugene (56) en mev. Anne-Marie Fourie (52) is op hul familieplaas Rietfontein in die distrik Thaba Nchu doodgeskiet. Hul dogter, Anerette (32) is ernstig gewond in die aanval. 20 November: Mnr. Louis Fivaz (77), sy vriendin mev. Bettie Smit (72) en 'n onbekende plaaswerker word vermoor aangetref op 'n plaas tussen Steynsrus en Ventersburg.
The Association of Catholic Tertiary Students (ACTS) at the University of the Free State is undertaking various targeted projects to support the less privileged and needy in the Bloemfontien / Mangaung and Botshabelo communities. The projects have been running now for three years as part of the social responsibility of the students. Food parcels and clothing have been collected and distributed, while patients at hospitals, at Sunflower House, Bagtamea School, etc. have been visited and handed fruit and sweets. The ACTS also advocates the ABCD lifestyle – Abstain, Be faithful, Change your lifestyle or face Danger. Businesses, stakeholders and institutions interested in sponsoring or supporting the ACTS students, can contact Kagiso Nkhoma at kagisonkhoma@yahoo.com.
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