Of course, the big news over the past few days has been Pravin Gordhan's budget speech, which has been dissected and analysed, as usual. Not least of these analyses is that by Nedbank Private Wealth, which provided its
observations on the 2013-14 Budget Speech.
Gordhan's budget, as usual, was somewhat of a balancing act, but what taxpayers everywhere would like to see is action, not just words, on corruption, mismanagement and waste. After all, we all realise we have to pay taxes, but we want to see our tax monies being used where it matters - and properly, across the board.
Our planet is our only home, so we'd better do better in looking after it. One way of doing so is through protecting and nurturing biodiversity, which, says minister of water and environmental affairs, Edna Molewa,
contributes to economy - she says the benefits derived from biodiversity or ecosystem services are estimated at R73bn, contributing to 7% of South Africa's GDP per annum.
We've heard it all before... this plan and that plan to create jobs - or "job opportunities" - and this time it's the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government that says it will
assist in creating 11m jobs by 2030.
Job creation is absolutely vital for the future of this country; some fear the levels of frustration and despair among the unemployed could rise to such levels as to lead to civil unrest. Hence, any plan to create jobs is to be welcomed... but how many have there been, and what successes have they achieved? Governments - provincial and national, need to be wary of over-promising and under-delivering.
Is it the end of the land line? Mitchell Barker says that landline users in South Africa are cutting the cord.
Finally, our not so frugal, but fast and fancy motoring editor Henrie Geyser reckons that the new Ford Fiesta is just that...
frugal, fast, fancy.
Rod Baker: Content Director
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governmentnews@bizcommunity.com. Exclusive contributions may be sent to
contributors-government@bizcommunity.com.
A third of all workers in the formal‚ non-agricultural sector in South Africa are members of trade unions‚ the SA Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) said on Monday (4 March). 
President Jacob Zuma says the funds allocated to healthcare in the national budget show government's commitment to improving the quality of health services provided to all South Africans. 
Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti says the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Bill seeks to transform land administration, with clear proposals to achieve equity, integration and sustainability in spatial planning. 
Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on Tuesday met with the new South African National Aids Council (SANAC) Trust to induct the members of the trust in their new roles. 
The feasibility of establishing a Brics development bank will be an agenda item prominent in the upcoming fifth summit. Brics comprises five member states: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. 
The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, says the benefits derived from biodiversity or ecosystem services are estimated at R73bn, contributing to 7% of South Africa's GDP per annum. 
The Department of Basic Education, in partnership with LEAD SA, has announced a major initiative to raise awareness and educate South Africa's 10.2 million learners about rape. 
The Gautrain Management Agency has revealed that it will soon be embroiled in a legal battle with its private partner, Bombela, over an alleged lack of transparency about its income. 
Despite earlier opposition to the structure of the Passenger Rail Agency of SA's (Prasa) R123bn fleet renewal plan, executives from the Black Business Council (BBC) hope to cash in. 
About 12m Gauteng residents are paying more than R70m a month to keep the Gautrain on its tracks. 
The draft policy on intellectual property aims to bring an end to unfair practices and piracy in the South African market, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said on Tuesday (26 February). 
Listed carrier Comair, which operates British Airways flights and low-cost airline kulula, will file papers on Wednesday (27 February) in the North Gauteng High Court to challenge the government's R5bn guarantee extended to loss-making South African Airways (SAA) in October last year, Comair Erik Venter said. 
Green technology is essential to guarantee South Africa's energy security and reduce reliance on imported oil, Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said in Pretoria West on Tuesday (26 February). 
The new minimum wage for farmworkers is being enforced and the labour department's spokesman Page Boikanyo urged farmers to comply with the new wage of R105 a day, up from R69 a day. 
Agriculture Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson has been asked to explain the "sudden change of heart" that led to the approval of a R6bn golf course development after it had been blocked by her department. 
Officials at some of the country's colleges have created ghost students as bursary beneficiaries and siphoned money into their own pockets, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said on Thursday (28 February). 
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