The controversial painting of the president "on view" so to speak, has just about everyone talking, so much so that in the smoke of battle it's easy to lose sight of other issues that are perhaps more demanding of our attention. So, while the ANC goes to court today in an effort to have the painting removed from view, Gwede Mantashe says the ANC is basically OK with the Press Freedom Commission report issued yesterday, but he
has some thoughts on issues such as "lazy" journalists... Oh, and also "that painting".
There's good news for those of you with an interest in the
property & real estate field or the
education & training field... today sees the launch of our first newsletters covering these sectors.
On the property front, read about a
new app designed to make property hunting easier. The app is for iPhones and iPads, and a mobi-site makes browsing properties on all mobile devices possible while on the go.
On the education & training front, Mpumalanga's top government leaders have
adopted the province's worst performing schools in an effort to raise standards and hence give the pupils a better chance at life.
Beware... fraudsters are on the prowl and
SANParks has issued a warning to the public of fraudsters - including online forums - that claim to represent the South African National Parks (SANParks) and in particular the KNP "by offering customer care facilities that discuss conservation and tourism-related matters for guests."
Still on the crime front, Acting Public Service and Administration Minister Mildred Oliphant has assured parliament - and hence us - that
fighting corruption within government remains a priority. That's good; here's hoping the Public Service Anti-Corruption Unit (PSACU) will be successful, but given the scale of corruption, and outright theft of our tax monies, the PSACU has an uphill battle ahead of it.
Finally, our very own "bad boy" on the motoring scene, Henrie Geyser, has some good things to say about the Mercedes Benz C-Class Coupé C63 AMG. Henrie glowingly describes it as a
scorcher Merc with bad-boy tattoos, with "looks and power in one package" and a "wild child"; again, we could be talking about Henrie. Or not...
Rod Baker, content director
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ACE has announced two new management appointments for its South African business as it continues to strengthen its presence across emerging insurance markets in its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. 
The World Bank has released a report urging governments to think green when pursing growth policies, which can be inclusive, efficient, affordable and above all necessary to sustain economic expansion in years ahead. 
The results of recent research and studies into the small and medium enterprise (SME) space in South Africa may be painting an overly gloomy picture of the sector, which is in far better health than these statistics suggest. 
A new planned capital injection by the government into South African Airways (SAA) is part of a plan to make the carrier more competitive in routes on the African continent, and does not constitute a bailout of the national carrier, says Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba. 
South African businesses are either putting off their investment decisions or investing in foreign countries according to Grant Thornton's first quarter survey and Business Live says that government incompetence and inefficiency is the main reason for the lack of confidence. 
According to Business Report, international and local media companies report that Facebook's share price was fixed at US$38 ahead of its initial public offering, giving the company a market value of $104-billion. 
LONDON, UK: An economic climate of disappointing growth and volatility could be the 'new normal' for charities, prolonging the challenging fundraising climate, and further shocks cannot be ruled out. 
LONDON, UK: With evolving technology, a growing emphasis on a cashless society and a demanding, time-poor culture, products that aim to make consumer payments as easy as possible are rapidly appearing on the market. 
The postponement of the e-toll system creates an element of unpredictability in government finances. Kristin Lindow, senior vice-president and lead analyst for SA at Moody's, said last week the ratings agency is paying attention to this unpredictability. 
The private sector will have to be involved in helping state-owned logistics group Transnet to meet its capital expenditure requirements, says Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba. 
The manufacturing sector is to get a R5.75bn injection over six years from the Department of Trade and Industry to help factories become more competitive in the increasingly difficult global economic environment. 
