21 May 2013

Logistics

Cloaks without daggers?

Minister of State Security Siyabonga Cwele says that a solid case is being built against South Africans suspected of having links with terrorist groups such as Al-Shabaab; arrests can be expected soon. In passing, however, he also mentioned that the government wants to recruit more spies. That begs the question for some: what for? It also makes some people wonder... given the fact that we have an air force that cannot fly many of its aircraft, and an army that ... well ... hasn't fared too well recently, and a navy that has its subs up on blocks, will our budding 007s be properly trained and equipped to do the job? Or will it be a case of cloaks without daggers.

Durban says, "Yes, we iCANN!" and the city's exclusive internet namespace .durban is on its way after passing its first ICANN hurdle.

One wedding and a whitewash? Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Jeff Radebe has said that the probe into the Waterkloof incident is to continue. However, a number of commentators believe that the so-called "probe" is little more than a whitewash to protect Jacob Zuma and an assortment of cabinet ministers, with officials taking the heat in their stead.

There's nothing like trying to get the message across... the WWF and TRAFFIC are targeting rhino horn consumers, particularly in Vietnam, as part of their global campaign against illegal wildlife trade. The bodies have developed a series of advertisements to discourage Vietnamese citizens from buying or consuming rhino horn.

Well, good luck and we hope it works, but in the meantime, efforts to stop the poaching must be stepped up, the kingpins be arrested and sentenced to rot in jail, and perhaps local communities around our game reserves be involved in some sort of system that rewards them for reporting suspect activities and people in their areas.

Rod Baker, Content Director

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Weekly top stories

Beautiful Butterflies and Moths stamps and first-day covers launched
In recognition of South Africa's rich variety of Lepidoptera, the SA Post Office have issued a set of ten stamps and two first-day covers featuring indigenous moths and butterflies. Read more >>
SAX says it might make money this year
[Nicky Smith]
Probe into Waterkloof incident to continue


Editorial news

Aviation
Visas for British tourists will hurt SA
Requiring British tourists to obtain visas to visit South Africa could negatively affect the country's economy, Beeld reported on Tuesday. Read more >>

SAX says it might make money this year
[Nicky Smith] State-owned regional carrier South African Express (SAX), which has made headlines over the past two years because of its chaotic finances, expects to break even this year after losing R187m in 2010 - the last audited accounts the troubled airline has been able to publish. Read more >>

ATNS, Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority sign MoU
The Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) Company of South Africa and the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority (SWACAA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which is in line with the African aviation agenda, of harmonising the continental airspace, thereby improving the smoothness and cost-efficiency of the entire air traffic service chain. Read more >>

SOEs exploring set-asides for small firms, black industrialists
Minister of Public Enterprises Malusi Gigaba is considering putting in place set-asides from the growing procurement spend of state-owned enterprises for small businesses and black industrialists to help transform the economy. Read more >>

Gupta wedding probe concluded
[Amukelani Chauke] The investigation into the landing of a plane carrying Gupta wedding guests at the Waterkloof Air Force Base has been concluded. Read more >>


Distribution
Beautiful Butterflies and Moths stamps and first-day covers launched
In recognition of South Africa's rich variety of Lepidoptera, the SA Post Office have issued a set of ten stamps and two first-day covers featuring indigenous moths and butterflies. Read more >>

Warehouse profits reach R243,3m
[Zeenat Moorad] Holdsport‚ which owns the Sportsmans Warehouse and Outdoor Warehouse on Wednesday (15 May) said the current retail environment was challenging and the group did not envisage any improvement in its performance during the remainder of the year. Read more >>


Transport
Barloworld's share earnings up 31%
[Mark Allix] Barloworld‚ a diversified industrial group‚ saw revenue rise 11%‚ operating profit increase 14% and headline earnings per share shoot up 31% for the interim period that ended in March. Read more >>

Get off the roads, use trains
South Africa needs to increase its use of rail freight to boost economic growth and preserve the country's roads, deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe said in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, on Monday (20 May). Read more >>

Sanral's notice "not legal" court hears
[Emsie Ferreira] Sanral's public notice on the winelands tolling project was unlawful because the national roads agency never took a proper board decision committing to the project, the Western Cape High Court heard last week. Read more >>

Poor won't be hurt by tolls says Sanral
A proposed toll system in the winelands in the Western Cape will not impact on the poor people of South Africa, the SA National Road Agency Limited (Sanral) said on Sunday (19 May). Read more >>

Cape Town wants toll road report
The City of Cape Town wants access to the complete feasibility report for the South African Road Agency Limited's (Sanral) proposed winelands tolling project, the Western Cape High Court heard on Thursday (16 May). Read more >>

Engen kicks off annual Driver Wellness campaign
Engen and Trucking Wellness, an initiative of the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI), have once again joined hands to bring this year's Driver Wellness campaign to the community of Pinetown. Read more >>

Transnet's wage deal with workers
Transport utility Transnet has concluded a two-year wage agreement for bargaining unit employees‚ it said on Wednesday (15 May). Read more >>

Hard roads for Cargo Carriers
[Edward West] Cargo Carriers (CRG) raised its dividend 76.5% for the year to February after its logistics and transport related operations performed well in an operating environment of low economic growth and industrial relations interruptions. Read more >>

Wild Coast toll fees to be scrapped
The SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has scrapped plans to construct a toll road on the N2 Wild Coast Highway, it said on Tuesday (14 May). Read more >>

SA motor trade sales up 5.1%
Measured at current prices‚ South Africa's motor trade sales increased by 5.1% year-on-year in March according to data released by Statistics SA on Thursday (16 May). Read more >>

Pondo people allow extension of N2 highway
PRETORIA: The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has welcomed the decision by the Pondo people and their traditional leaders to allow the extension of the N2 coastal highway between East London and Durban. Read more >>


International
Obama's itinerary for his Africa trip
WASHINGTON USA: President Barack Obama will leave on a first African tour next month, visiting Senegal, Tanzania and South Africa, but his itinerary released on Monday (20 May) bypasses Kenya, an ancestral homeland. Read more >>

Maersk profits, sales fall 33%
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK: Danish conglomerate A.P. Moeller-Maersk reported a drop in net profit and sales in the first quarter of 33% and blamed its performance on the sluggish economies in North America and Europe. Read more >>

More International...


Government
Probe into Waterkloof incident to continue
The probe into the landing of a commercial airliner at Waterkloof Air Force Base has revealed a number of transgressions made by officials, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Jeff Radebe, said yesterday, adding that investigations would continue. Read more >>

Public Enterprises wins Treasury battle
[Nicky Smith] A six-month battle between the Treasury and the Department of Public Enterprises over the empowerment and local content weighting in Transnet's R35bn acquisition of new locomotives has ended with the Treasury agreeing to let the tender go unchanged. Read more >>

More Government news...


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