25 Sep 2013

Government

For Denel, the sky's the limit

SunSpace has teamed up with Denel to form a new business unit, Spaceteq, which, it is intended, will strengthen the group's position as a leader in innovative and advanced aerospace systems and technology.

On the aquaculture front, a South African fish farm has been shortlisted for an international award. Cape Town's Alan Fleming and his team from the Business Place Philippi were selected from over 800 entries for their entry, Fish Farm, into the "empowering people. Award" [sic] of the Siemens Stiftung. Let's hope our South African entrant is still there at the "finnish". Geddit?

Legal eagles flying high... three SA law firms, Bowman Gilfillan, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr and Webber Wentzel, have been shortlisted for the African Legal Awards.

Some good news on the rhino front... an innovative campaign to build awareness of the danger rhinos are in from barbaric poachers feeding backward beliefs in the Far East, has taken Twitter by storm. This week's World Rhino Day saw the virtual world unite behind the #iam4rhinos campaign to raise awareness about the world's rhinos, which are threatened by extinction due to poaching.

Here's hoping it will have some effect; many people, however, want to see draconian measures taken to stop poaching and the trade.

Rod Baker, Content Director

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Weekly top stories


Government
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Administration
DA hits at reworked tax incentive bill
[Karl Gernetzky] The Democratic Alliance (DA) has expressed disappointment that the new version of the Employment Tax Incentive Bill, which introduces a youth wage subsidy, waters down the benefits of the youth wage subsidy proposed three years ago. Read more >>

SA moves to improve food security
Cabinet has approved the National Policy on Food and Nutrition Security, the Household Food and Nutrition Security Strategy and the Fetsa Tlala Food Production intervention, which it is claimed will reduce poverty amongst the nation's most vulnerable groups. Read more >>

Heritage Day remembered
South Africans across the country today marked Heritage Day, with Acting President Kgalema Motlanthe calling on citizens to celebrate their diverse cultures. Read more >>

Minister intervenes in motor strike
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant has intervened in the extended strike by petrol attendants and workers in the automotive industry after meeting with employers and union leaders. Read more >>

Eastern Cape hospital CEO faces axe
Plans are afoot to suspend the chief executive of the Holy Cross Hospital in the Eastern Cape and its nursing manager, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said. Read more >>

SA won't allow rhino extinction says Molewa
The South African government will not allow the rhino to become extinct, the department of environmental affairs said on Sunday (22 September). Read more >>

Cabinet approves bill banning alcohol ads
Cabinet has approved a draft bill banning alcohol advertising and it will now be gazetted for public comment, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini said. Read more >>

State mandates Safcol to devise new business model
[Linda Ensor] Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba has mandated the state-owned South African Forestry Company Ltd (Safcol) "as a matter of urgency" to come up with a new business model to ensure its long-term financial sustainability. Read more >>

Simpler cross-border payment 'will boost SADC'
[Gillian Jones] Simplifying the cross-border transactions between Southern African Development Community (SADC) members can bolster trade and boost economies, according to BankservAfrica's chief executive of regulated products, Brad Gillis. Read more >>

Ndzimande launches first university since 1994
The new Sol Plaatjie University in Kimberley will represent a new order of African intellect, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said. Read more >>

DTI closes manufacturing incentive applications
[Mark Allix] The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) says that from Friday (20 September) it will not accept new applications for support under its Manufacturing Investment Programme (MIP)‚ until further notice. Read more >>

Imperial asks Commission to probe airfreight market
Imperial Logistics has urged the Competition Commission to investigate anti-competitive behaviour in the airfreight market. Read more >>

Flood of water protests
If there's one thing that makes South Africans stand together more than the 2010 Fifa World Cup, it is the lack of water service delivery. Read more >>

Matjila on leave during R530m probe
International relations director general Jerry Matjila has been placed on special leave following allegations of irregular expenditure of R530m in taxpayers' money, Beeld reported on Thursday, 19 September. Read more >>

DBSA hands out R9.2bn for infrastructure projects
The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has disbursed R9.2bn to support key strategic infrastructure projects in SA and the South African Development Community (SADC) region‚ of which 81% related to projects in SA and 19% in the rest of SADC. Read more >>

End of year start for e-tolling says Peters
The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) will be implemented this year‚ but the commencement date for e-tolling has yet to be determined‚ according to Transport Minister Dipuo Peters. Read more >>

Motshekga moots scrapping of quintile system
The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, plans to do away with the quintile system, which her department uses to allocate funds to schools, in favour of a two-category system. Read more >>

Progress claimed to have been made towards strengthening effectiveness of health system
Progress is claimed to have been made towards strengthening the effectiveness of the health system to improve its responsiveness to the health needs of South Africans and to prepare for the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI). Read more >>

The impact of POPI
[Danette Breitenbach] On 20 August 2013, the National Assembly passed the final version of the Protection of Personal Information Bill (POPI). This final version of POPI is to be submitted to the President for his assent. Read more >>

Carrim‚ Madonsela back media freedom
[Khulekani Magubane] Communications Minister Yunus Carrim has told community newspaper publishers in Johannesburg it is important to preserve the independence and quality of community print publications. Read more >>

SA sees strong growth in tourism
[Linda Ensor] SA had achieved strong growth in tourism in the first quarter of this year‚ continuing the trend of the past year when the country experienced an exceptional 10.2% growth in the number of international tourists coming to the country‚ Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said in Parliament on Tuesday, 17 September. Read more >>

Formal sector sheds 28‚000 jobs in second quarter
[Ntsakisi Maswanganyi] Formal sector employment disappointed in the second quarter‚ leading to concerns the country will not meet its targets of halving unemployment by 2020. Read more >>

SA scientists develop world's first digital laser
Researchers at South Africa's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have developed the world's first digital laser. Read more >>

Fishing sector's under-transformation creates opportunities
[Tina Joemat-Petterssen] The fisherman in South Africa has always been a man who leaves home for months on end to go to sea. He earns his living by working on fishing boats. Read more >>

Laser puts SA's scientists at cutting edge
[Tamar Kahn] South African scientists have devised a novel way to shape a laser beam, a technological advance they say could have large-scale applications in medicine, telecommunications, and high technology manufacturing. Read more >>

Transnet seeks 14.4% hike in port tariffs
Transnet's National Ports Authority (NPA), which runs SA's eight ports, has asked for a 14.4% tariff hike for the 2014/15 financial year, a figure more than double its request last year. Read more >>


Law Enforcement
Cabinet weighs in on crime stats
Cabinet has commended the efforts of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and all organisations that have partnered with government in the fight against crime. Read more >>

Alcohol, drugs central to violent crimes
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa says the police will step up their fight against alcohol and drug abuse. Read more >>

Road accidents cost SA R306bn a year
[Linda Ensor] An estimated R306bn was lost to the economy annually as a result of road accidents‚ Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said on Wednesday, 17 September. Read more >>

Experts to look into road deaths
A team of experts has been assembled to help government curb the number of road deaths, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said on Wednesday (17 September). Read more >>

Dedicated courts to deal with mining violence
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe has set aside courts to deal with cases arising from criminal, labour-related incidents in mines in the North West province. Read more >>

State to decide on Mpisane
The State is set to decide whether to continue pursuing tax fraud charges against Durban businesswoman Shawn Mpisane. Read more >>


Government

Bomb deaths -- Widow sues state for R5m
Minister of Defence Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and the Tshwane municipality have been hit with a R5m lawsuit by a Pretoria mother whose son and husband were killed in a bomb explosion more than two years ago. Read more >>

Employment Tax Incentive Bill coming for public comment
[Karl Gernetzky] The cabinet has approved for public comment the Employment Tax Incentive Bill‚ which aims to encourage employers to give youths their first jobs‚ the Treasury said. Read more >>


More Government news


New events to diarise

5th Annual Business Process Management
Intelligence Transfer Centre - 12 Nov 2013 to 14 Nov 2013 Johannesburg


Upcoming events

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Dale Carnegie Training - 28 Sep 2013 to 21 Nov 2013 Johannesburg
The Fundamentals of B-BBEE
Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business - 1 Oct 2013 Pietermaritzburg


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