Social Compact on a Decent Living Level in South Africa – Is It possible?
By Isobel Frye With each passing day, the impact of the platinum strike increases its toll on workers and shareholders alike. The earlier announcement of the involvement of the new Minister of Energy appears to have dissipated to nothing. At the heart of the apparent failure of constructive social dialogue about the resolution of grievances […]
SA’s economic growth forecast cut to 2%
RENE VOLLGRAAFF – The World Bank has revised South Africa’s economic growth forecast from 2.3% to 2% for 2014 due to the ongoing strike in the platinum sector . The Reserve Bank governor Gill Marcus has argued that the economic downturn is “domestically driven” and that the country holds the solutions to the problems. Read […]
US rebukes Rwanda about human rights
BY NICHOLAS KOTCH – THE US has signalled to Rwanda’s hardline government that there is a limit to its support, particularly when human rights are deemed to be under threat. The US state department rebuked Rwanda on Wednesday for holding people incommunicado and threatening journalists.”The US is deeply concerned by the arrest and disappearance of […]
Assets of poor are not bankable — hence Abil’s woes
BY PHAKAMISA NDZAMELA – I HAVE a theory that African Bank Investments Limited (Abil), SA’s largest unsecured lender, finds itself in a difficult position today partly because of a failure by the big banks to transform and extend their lending, especially home loans, to areas that have been largely neglected. The flawed title-deed structure in […]
Avert forced removals by giving the rich’s land to the poor
By JARED SACKS The outcry over this past week’s brutal eviction of shack dwellers in Lwandle, outside Cape Town, has prompted new Minister of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu, to step in and temporarily allow residents back on the land from which they were evicted. She promised to investigate the matter and pursue what she called […]
Why Should We Support the Idea of an Unconditional Basic Income?
By Scott Santens A BIG seems to be cropping up all over the place – even in the US. “And that’s basic income. It’s a win-win for the market and those who comprise the market. It’s a way to improve on capitalism and even democracy, by making sure everyone has the minimum amount of voice.” What […]
The ANC’s call for action: More social grants; abstain, be faithful and condomise
By J BROOKS SPECTOR Once again it has become time to attend another ANC Monday morning briefing that will deliver yet another chapter of the party’s increasingly familiar mantra: They have “a good story to tell.” This time around, the briefing is to cover social grants and the nation’s health services. In attendance are Public […]
Homeless still out in the cold
By Philani Nombembe Cape Town residents who were evicted from land owned by the SA National Roads Agency were still in the dark yesterday about where the government would accommodate them – almost a week after their homes were demolished. Read full article here
Minister leaves Amcu, employers to reach deal
By Londiwe Buthelezi Johannesburg – The Minister of mineral resources will leave it up to employers and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) to resolve the “tiny” outstanding matters between themselves if the two parties do not sign a deal to end the strike today. Read full article here
EDITORIAL: Scrutiny of state wage bill needed
LITTLE has been heard lately of the Financial and Fiscal Commission, the independent body that is supposed to scrutinise the public finances each year and make recommendations on what the government should be doing. The bold comments in the commission’s latest report might help to raise its profile — and ask important questions about how […]
