Pay… toll death do you part - 13 Mar 2012

The bad news is that, despite massive opposition, government is determined the Gauteng tolling will go ahead. The good news is that plans for more tolls have apparently been shelved. So it does pay to protest after all; what irks, however, is that the government cannot seem to see - or refuses to see - that tolling is double taxation (we already pay towards new roads with every litre of fuel we buy), and tolling in Gauteng will hit every person in this country. Why? Because every company that operates in or through Gauteng and/or has client companies in that province, will face increased costs. And, they will probably pass them on to us.

Meanwhile, the association representing the trawler industry is testy with agriculture and fisheries minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson, who wants to move the fisheries branch of her department from Cape Town to Pretoria. Doesn't it make sense to have a department and its officials close to the very people - trawler companies, fishermen and so on - with whom they need to be working?

From the blue sea to the blue sky... Despite some unkind soul nicknaming the company Velcro Sky, if everything works out as chief executive Dhevan Pillay says, Velvet Sky will fly again.

Finally, for all of you in the tourism industry, nominations for the HICA Business Awards are open, so get your entries in now.