Treasury's views on household and retirement saving

The National Treasury on Thursday released several papers aimed at trying to improve non-retirement savings and tax incentives for retirement savings in South Africa. Read more >>

Treasury notes S&P downgrade

PRETORIA: National Treasury says it has noted Standard and Poor's (S&P) decision to downgrade South Africa's long term foreign currency credit rating to BBB from BBB+ and the long term local currency credit rating to A- from A. Read more >>

Standard Bank signs US$175 million syndicated term loan

The Standard Bank of South Africa (SBSA) has signed a US$175 million, 364 day syndicated term loan. The transaction, which is a debut SBSA transaction in the Middle East, was launched at US$100 million and was well oversubscribed. The facility is priced at 130 basis points over Libor. Read more >>

SANRAL gets clean audit report despite tolling issues

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has received another unqualified audit report from the Auditor General for the financial year ended 31 March 2012. Read more >>

Lindani Dhlamini keeps living her dream

Lindani Dhlamini, entrepreneur and chief executive of accounting firm SekelaXabiso - a merger between Sekela Consulting and Xabiso Chartered Accountants - has always had her sights set on the future. Read more >>

ISACA and IIA SA signs memorandum of understanding

The Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa (IIA SA) and the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) have entered into a formal relationship through the signing of a memorandum of understanding. Read more >>

New TVC for Standard Bank brings in next phase of Moving Forward campaign

The new TVC for Standard Bank's 'Moving Forward' campaign is a snapshot of historic moments from the first flight to the first democratic elections in South Africa, all to the tune of 'Sh'boom' by The Crew Cuts, which enjoyed nine weeks at Number One in the charts in 1954. Read more >>

Absa wins 2012 Ask Africa Orange Index award

Absa is the only bank in the top 20 of the 2012 Ask Africa Orange Index and the winner of the Banking Category for Customer Service. The bank says happy customers voted with their hearts and rewarded Absa with the top spot in Service Excellence in the Banking Industry Category. Read more >>

Debt levels spiral as consumers battle to pay

High levels of unemployment and increased levels of real inflation have led to more consumers not being able to service their debt‚ says Magauta Mphahlele‚ chief executive of the National Debt Mediation Association (NDMA). Read more >>

The decline in the number of bonds is drastic, but their size continues to rise

[Tony Clarke] The August 2012 residential market overview, compiled by the highly respected analysts Lightstone, reveals clearly that the four major banks in South Africa, as well as Investec and SA Homeloans, have by-and-large come to terms with and solved the unpaid mortgage loan crisis that hit them in 2008/2009. Read more >>

World Bank urges Africa to conserve resources

The World Bank has urged African countries to conserve natural resources as rising mineral demand and prices keep growth strong on the continent, said a review of the region released on Thursday. Read more >>

Seed Engine launches boot camp competition for entrepreneurs

In South Africa, early stage entrepreneurs are generally ignored as they only tend to attract funding once the business has existing revenues. Now, for the first time, selected entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to convert their business ideas into commercial realities via the Seed Engine Business Accelerator. Read more >>

BankservAfrica to use Strate's SWIFT Services

Automated payments clearing house BankservAfrica, through its BSVA Integrated Services business, is to use Strate's SWIFT infrastructure to allow it to send and receive messages over the SWIFT network. Read more >>

Fund managers must understand the role of emotion in investments

Fund managers need to engage more regularly with their clients in order to avoid them making critical investment mistakes. This is particularly true at times of high volatility, when investors are prone to panic. Read more >>

Taxpayers face big SABC bill

The SABC's 24-hour news channel is expected to cost R180-million in its first year of operation - and the Treasury is expected to have to continue coughing up to keep it afloat. Read more >>

Govt welcomes decision on Wal-Mart development fund

The Departments of Economic Development, Trade and Industry (dti) and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) have welcomed the Competition Appeal Court's decision, instructing retail giant Wal-Mart to set up a R240m supplier development fund as a condition for it acquiring South African retailer Massmart. Read more >>