Cosatu is now reported as wanting
a national minimum wage rather than sectoral minimum wages - currently clothing workers have one set for their industry, domestic workers have one set for theirs, and so on. It seems the Cosatu call has "flummoxed" the experts, who reckon a national minimum wage would boost unemployment levels. Any chance Cosatu will listen to the experts?
There's news - good or bad, depending on your viewpoint - for taxpayers... the new Tax Administration Bill has "substantially supplemented" the department's powers to gather information on you, your company, etc. Critics however, say the sweeping powers are
open to abuse.
So how many schoolchildren still do not have the books - that they
should have had six months ago? The department of Basic Education - and it seems to be getting more and more basic as time passes - says that
most textbooks have been delivered in Limpopo. By today, they should now have been all delivered, but that's no reason to celebrate - how have the affected schoolchildren been taught, and learned up to now? No wonder
demand for private schooling is soaring.
Will it fly, won't it fly... Zuma's new jet, that is... However, there shouldn't even be such a question; the current presidential plane SA1, or whatever it's called, is in perfect condition and there are better things on which to spend R2bn - like schoolbooks, houses for the poor, hospital upgrades, new hospitals... That sort of thing. Just a thought...
Rod Baker, content director
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ALGIERS: Algeria and French automaker Renault plan to sign an agreement in August that will clear the way for them to build a factory in the north African country, a minister said on Thursday (28 June 2012). 
MANILA: US auto giant Ford said Wednesday (27 June 2012) it is to close its vehicle assembly plant in the Philippines by the end of the year, with the loss of 360 jobs, as part of an ongoing restructuring across Asia. 
Durban to Rosebank in just over an hour's high-speed train travel time is something that could become a reality by 2030‚ discussions with China's CSR Corporation at the Rail Africa exhibition and conference on Wednesday revealed. 
US-based General Electric (GE) Transportation has announced that another locomotive, which forms part of a deal sealed with state-owned Transnet, was delivered with local content that exceeds the commitment from GE's initial Transnet order of 100 locomotives. 
State-owned freight and ports company Transnet will go to the international debt market before the end of March to raise capital for its R300bn capital expenditure programme‚ Transnet CEO Brian Molefe said today. 
