Edcon mulls JSE listings to repay debt

SA's biggest clothes retailer, Edcon, may return to the JSE as early as next year as the company seeks to repay debt owed to bondholders by 2014. Read more >>

Brand Council launched, promises 100 days of action

The Brand Council of South Africa (BCSA), which launched yesterday 1 March 2012, has set its first 100 days as a timeframe for measurable achievements, with chairman Sean McCoy of the HKLM Group describing the roll-out of its action plan as "aggressive and exciting." Read more >>

Nominations for Shoprite Checkers Women of the Year Award open

Brian Weyers, director of the Shoprite Group, announced the opening of the nationwide search for the most outstanding women in South Africa for the 2012 Shoprite Checkers Women of the Year Award. Nominations close 26 April 2012. Read more >>

New school, office stationery giant formed

Maped, a French family-owned international leader in school and office stationery, has acquired Helix, a UK family owned business famous for its Helix Oxford math set, used by millions of pupils worldwide. Helix has developed markets in Britain and overseas (mainly in commonwealth countries). Maped has developed globally in 125 countries, with subsidiaries and a comprehensive network of exclusive importers. A Hong Kong branch and a distribution centre in the US support its international network. Read more >>

Nestle says cutting artificial ingredients from UK sweets

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND: The Swiss group Nestle said on Friday, 2 March 2012, it was the first company in Britain to remove artificial flavours in all its confectionery products such as Smarties or Rolo. Read more >>

[Design Indaba 2012] An architect's manifesto

[Herman Manson: @marklives] People are expecting real change real fast. This is true for the Middle East and North Africa. It's also true here at the Southernmost point of Africa. Urban environments that imprison and entrench poverty rather than provide economic mobility has immense socio-economic and cultural ramifications for an increasingly urbanised nation. Read more >>

Reviewing group buying success

Group buying, a fairly new-concept introduced into US markets a few years ago, has proved to be a large industry with the most successful company being Groupon. This success has led to it going public on the US market with the highest IPO opening for a tech company since Google. Read more >>

Research conference will highlight retail trends

The complex relationship between retailers and consumers will be highlighted at the SA Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) Research Conference on 14 March 2012 at the Hilton, Sandton. This one-day session will combine insight from some of the best minds in South Africa and abroad, to bring delegates the latest research, best practice and trends. Read more >>

[Design Indaba 2012] Clive van Heerden sees the 'far-future' of design

[Herman Manson: @marklives] Clive van Heerden is the senior director of Design-Led Innovation at Philips Design. In its simplest terms, Van Heerden and his team researches how socio-cultural and technology shifts only just emerging today might shape society and the way we live ten or twenty years from now. Read more >>

Spur appoints Pierre van Tonder as CEO

Spur Corporation (SUR) today, 2 March 2012, announced that Pierre van Tonder had been appointed as the group's chief executive officer. Read more >>

Oyster Box staff join appreciation awards in London

click to enlarge

The Oyster Box in Umhlanga Rocks, as part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection Group, will be sending 23 staff members to a Staff Appreciation Award Ceremony held in London to honour top performing staff members from across all the group's hotels. The five-star Oyster Box, is also one of the newest hotels to become a member of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), luxury hospitality organisation.

Mindshare Technologies president to retire

SALT LAKE CITY, US: Mindshare Technologies, a leader in Customer Feedback solutions, announced today that Richard D. Hanks will retire as president of the company on 31 March 2012. Hanks will remain chairman of the Board and continue to be involved in strategic planning and business development as a senior advisor to the company. Read more >>

Allegations of nepotism to be probed at Lotteries Board

The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) is to look into allegations of nepotism at the National Lotteries Board. Read more >>

SAPS disciplinary processes audited

An extensive audit of the disciplinary processes within SAPS has been completed, says Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa. Read more >>

Evoque - the ultimate 'toff-roader'

[Henrie Geyser: motoring editor] It's been a long time since any vehicle has stirred up so much international emotion and devotion as the provocative Range Rover Evoque has been doing since its launch last year. Yes, there are a few who find its spaced-out styling too over the top but the rest of the planet love it and crave it. Read more >>

Excuse me, Madame, is this yours?

Can anyone honestly, truly swear they have never taken anything from a hotel room when they check out? But here's another thing... Can you honestly say you have never left anything behind when you have checked out... perhaps even something that you'll deny is yours when the hotel gives you a call? Read more >>

A Jewish Italian walks into a therapist's office ...

[Eugene Yiga] My mother's Italian, my father's Jewish and I'm in therapy. Wait, that's not me. So what was I doing watching an 80-minute show about a man for whom this was true? Laughing my butt off, that's what! Read more >>

Sensational performances in Somewhere On The Border

[Daniel Dercksen] If you are looking for a hard core journey into the bleeding hearts and tortured souls of a group of young soldiers fighting for their dignity and individuality, make sure to see Anthony Akerman's powerful Somewhere On The Border at the Baxter Flipside before it ends its run on 17 March. Read more >>

Storm Thorgerson, the last great surrealist

[Sindy Peters] Raised in a home that had Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and the like, regularly blaring from our record player, I'm not new to the enigmatic album art of Storm Thorgerson. On hearing the opening of the Raging Storm exhibition in Cape Town, I jumped at the chance to meet the man behind the fascinating surrealism, and possibly make an addition to my budding art collection. Read more >>