The wages of sin No business can survive by selling its products for less than it costs to produce those same products. Hence, Agri SA reckons that the just-announced minimum wages for farmworkers will drive farmers to make tough decisions. As Johannes Möller, president of Agri SA says: "The 52% increase in the minimum wage for farmworkers, as announced by the Minister Oliphant ... will have drastic implications for this sector and related industries." It's also as well for farmworkers and Cosatu to realise once and for all, that it is government that sets the minimum wage. Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has vowed to strengthen public order policing, and says public order policing in South Africa needs to reflect the ethos of human rights and dignity. Not before time, but it will be an uphill battle, given the somewhat less than stellar record when it comes to police brutality directed at the public, suspects and protesters... Tatane and Marikana spring to mind. One cannot help but feel that Eskom knows that they will never get the massive hikes they are demanding, but on the basis of go in high and settle for less, the Eskom public hearings kicked off in Gauteng. More than one player pointed out what impact such hikes will have on poverty, investment and a range of other issues, if granted. Perhaps one of the first things Eskom could do is stop placing ads on TV telling us how great they are and how they care about us. Chris Moerdyk asks whether there is light at the end of the Telkom tunnel, and points that perhaps... there is... and that is good news for consumers who for decades have been subjected to call and internet costs that are way out of kilter with what is reasonable. Rod Baker: Content Director
Submit your company news to governmentnews@bizcommunity.com. Exclusive contributions may be sent to contributors-government@bizcommunity.com. Top stories
 South Africa will miss the 2015 deadline to convert its analog broadcasting signal to digital, according to a report. Read more >>
 [Allan Seccombe] Mining company Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) has bowed to pressure from the African National Congress (ANC) by agreeing to postpone its plans to retrench up to 14‚000 employees for 60 days to allow for "detailed consultation". Read more >>
 [Issued by Bizcommunity] Come on, admit, you'd love R5000 in cash, right? Whisk your true love away for a romantic St Valentine's weekend... or not... Maybe it's that set of golf clubs you saw that need your fingerprints all over them... Well, here's your chance to do just that, and it's so easy... Read more >> visit press office >>
[Issued by Corporate Games] This February, 3rd South Africa, Official License Holder of Corporate Games South Africa, is challenging companies to battle it out on the sea for the grand prize of complimentary practice sessions leading up to the Cape Town Corporate Games in June 2013. Read more >> visit press office >>
 Doctors in Gauteng public hospitals are being paid for overtime worked, the provincial health department said on Monday (4 February) Read more >>
 "The 52% increase in the minimum wage for farmworkers, as announced by the Minister Oliphant this afternoon, has not duly taken into account the implications for agriculture and employment which will have drastic implications for this sector and related industries," said Johannes Möller, president of Agri SA. Read more >>
 [Rod Baker] NEWSWATCH: Rebecca Davis, writing in Daily Maverick, tries reading The New Age and asks whether it really is pro-ANC. Meanwhile, it appears there's no hassle for MTN after Lord Hoffman cleared the company over the Iran deal, reports Politics Web; mobile provider Turkcell and its subsidiary, East Asian Consortium (EAC), had lodged a claim against MTN. Read more >>
 The dispute between what should constitute a health insurance policy and what is the terrain of medical schemes looks set to drag on for some time. Read more >>
 The Medical and Dental Professions Board of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has extended by 21 days the deadline for submissions to determine guideline tariffs for medical and dental services. Read more >>
 The group stages of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament have been a great success, says Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula. Read more >>
The Office of the Pension Funds Adjudicator is on track to eliminate the backlog in complaints while reducing the turnaround time for all new complaints‚ it said on Thursday (31 January) Read more >>
Companies in SA had incurred total research and development expenditure of R6.2bn between November 2006 and February 2010. About 75% of that was eligible for tax incentives, according to Mohammed Jada, KPMG's head of tax and research and development incentives. Read more >>
 The Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has postponed the planned facilitation process between itself, Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and the respective unions around possible retrenchments. Read more >>
 Eskom's chief executive officer, Brian Dames, says a stable supply of energy is crucial to power South Africa's economic growth going into the future. Read more >>
About a quarter of the country's unemployed have been looking for work for over five years, according to a survey released on Wednesday (30 January). Read more >>
The North Gauteng High Court has dismissed an application brought by the chairman of Liberty Medical Scheme, Dan Pienaar to stop the Council for Medical Schemes investigating whether he is fit for his job. Read more >>
 Bringing remittance prices down to 5% from the current 12.4% average cost would put US$4bn more in the pockets of Africa's migrants and their families who rely on remittances for survival‚ the World Bank said on Monday (28 January). Read more >>
The University of Cape Town (UCT) has launched a three-year, pan-African study on how to foster youth entrepreneurship in order to tackle the scourge of youth unemployment on the continent. Read more >>
The Manufacturing Circle has welcomed further designations made by the Department of Trade and Industry for public sector procurement. Read more >>
 The commuter bus industry says it is facing a funding crisis as government subsidies are not keeping pace with increases in its costs, which these companies are forced to pass on to consumers. Read more >>
 Although the lack of space at tertiary institutions may be one of the reasons many matriculants cannot enrol at university, high fees are also a barrier to entry. Read more >>
 A new-look Rainbow Chicken is taking shape amid enthusiasm from investors who have boosted its share price by a third since November. Driving the change is Rainbow's R1bn acquisition of Foodcorp and a R3,9bn rights issue, setting the scene for more positive developments. Read more >>
 In a dramatic about turn, the government is set to implement its jobs-for-youth plan despite opposition to it by sections of the ANC and its alliance partners. Read more >>
 [Rose Setshoge] So, First National Bank (FNB) received an incredible volume of publicity recently; trended on Twitter, dominated other social media conversations, headlined peak hour news, talk shows opened lines for debate and met with the ruling party due to the 'You Can Help' campaign. Honestly, what more can a brand possibly ask for? Read more >>
 [Natasha Marrian and Alistair Anderson] Barely a month after the conclusion of the African National Congress's (ANC's) Mangaung congress, the party's alliance partners are voicing their dissatisfaction with the party over a range of issues from soaring electricity prices to e-tolls. Read more >>
 An environmental organisation has laid criminal charges against mining group Platmin for operating an open cast mine on the doorstep of the Pilanesberg Nature Reserve, Beeld reported on Monday. Read more >>
 Poachers have killed 57 rhinos in South Africa's national parks since the beginning of the year, a rate of almost two a day, officials said on Thursday (31 January). Read more >>
 Local cement manufacturers maintain that importers are bringing sub-standard and underweight bags of cement into SA. Read more >>
 [Amanda Visser] Former ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema has instructed his attorneys to oppose the application by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to have his estate sequestrated following his failure to pay a tax debt of R16m. Read more >>
 Two passenger trains packed with communters and school children collided near outside Pretoria on Thursday (31 January). At least two people died, 19 were in a critical condition and more than 150 people were hospitalised, Read more >>
 The ramifications of cable theft could have cost those injured in the Pretoria train collision their lives, says Transport Minister Ben Martins. Read more >>
The SA Revenue Service (SARS) filed papers in the High Court in Pretoria to have expelled African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema sequestrated, it was reported on Thursday (31 January). Read more >>
 Public order policing in South Africa needs to reflect the ethos of human rights and dignity, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said today. Read more >>
 The Tax Administration Act kicked in towards the end of 2012 and the new legislation could have some scary consequences for individual taxpayers. Read more >>
 South Africa has pledged its support for Somalia's new government and the country on their road to towards a prosperous and stable democracy. Read more >>
SAVARE, MALI: President Francois Hollande arrived in Mali on Saturday (2 February) as French-led troops worked to secure the last Islamist stronghold in the north after a lightning offensive against the extremists. Read more >>
[Tawanda Karombo] Three foreign-owned banks are facing increased pressure from authorities to comply with the empowerment policy and are among the top Zimbabwean banks that are adequately capitalised. Read more >>
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