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The Business LIVE Network

New mobile price 'war' erupts in SA

A brutal price war has broken out between two of the mobile operators in SA, with the result that they have slashed the cost of calls between networks by at least 34%. The competition is so fierce that Vodacom and Cell C on Wednesday slashed off-network and peak call tariffs to 99 cents per minute.

Broadband Infraco to improve cash position

Government and state-owned enterprise Broadband Infraco were working on a detailed funding programme to shore up the company's cash position, says _Public Enterprises Minister Maulis Gigaba.

New labour laws a 'compromise' on labour broking

The proposed amendments to SA's labour laws provide a compromise between the competing interests of business and labour, but will have significant implications for employers and employees, according to Brian Patterson, employment law director at Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs (ENS).

'Fair' labour law amendment likely to be dropped

The re-introduction of the strike ballot would be a "fair" amendment to current labour laws, but since its proposal it has received huge opposition from labour unions and is likely to be withdrawn, according to Lizle Louw, employment law director at Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs.

SMME News

Late payment puts SMEs under 'unnecessary' strain

Late and protracted payments by large corporations and state agencies is putting an increasing number of SA's small and medium enterprises under 'unnecessary pressure', Gerrie van Biljon, executive director at Business Partners, a specialist risk finance company for SMEs says.

BEE ‘success stories’ to be celebrated on Thursday

The prestigious Oliver Empowerment Awards will be held on Thursday, May 3, when local companies will be acknowledged, congratulated and celebrated for their efforts towards the development of BEE and transformation.

Finance for your start-up

There are numerous options to obtain funding to get a small business off the ground, writes Tina Weavind

SMEs need to reflect on cost efficiencies

The recent fuel and electricity price increases present an opportunity for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to review their operational efficiencies, according to Kobus Engelbrecht, marketing head of Sanlam Business Market.

CEOs

Battening down hatches at Remgro

South African companies will not be unscathed as Europe rides out its economic storms, but Remgro's new CEO says there's still money to be made, writes Chris Barron

CEOs in the retail sector focussed on 'growth'

CEOs in the retail & consumer sector remain focused on growth as they try to cope with sluggish demand in developed economies, a report by professional services firm PwC has found.

Clark rises to the top after shake-up at beer maker

SABMiller made sweeping boardroom changes this week - but the world's second-largest brewer retains strong ties to its local heritage and will be run by a former South African.

CEO of SA's biggest bank earned R27.2m in 2011

The CEO of Standard Bank, South Africa's biggest bank in terms of assets, Jacko Maree, earned an effective R27.2 million in 2011, according to the group's latest annual report.
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Leadership and Management

Top 5 jobs on the road to riches

Choosing a specific career whose skills are in demand is the way to go if you want to prosper. But you have to keep upskilling

ANC: bad managers but great fundraisers

So now it's official. Our glorious revolutionary movement, the ANC, is, by its own admission, for sale to the highest bidder.

Brokers confident about business conditions

Brokers have confidence levels of 61% for the outlook of the economy over the next 12 months, results from the CIB Broker Confidence Index for the first quarter of 2012 show.

Transformation of actuarial sector remains slow

One of the biggest challenges facing the actuarial sector in South Africa is the lack of black matriculants who are currently looking towards careers within the industry.

Entrepreneur's Corner

My Brilliant Career: Happy to put his life on the vine

Mike Ratcliffe tells Thekiso Anthony Lefifi why he abandoned his dream of becoming a skipper - and why he has never regretted taking up the art of winemaking instead

New government agency to promote entrepreneurship

A new agency aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and job creation will encourage such start up business to be heavily involved in the country's infrastructure development, says Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel.
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Pniel cultivates entrepreneurial spirit

The small town of Pniel in the Western Cape has given rise to a notable group of entrepreneurs in the deciduous fruit industry, who trade in both the domestic and export markets.

HR & Careers

Top 5 jobs on the road to riches

Choosing a specific career whose skills are in demand is the way to go if you want to prosper. But you have to keep upskilling

Unskilled workers ‘paid too much’ in SA

The ugly truth in SA is that unskilled and semiskilled workers are being overpaid, which contributes to keeping other people out of the job market, economist Mike Schüssler said on Friday.

Demand for actuarial skills in SA increasing fast

Demand for actuarial skills in SA is increasing at a rapid pace, and while the supply of graduate trainees is adequate, there is a shortage of actuarial practitioners with relevant experience, according to Craig Falconer, executive head of actuarial at Aon Hewitt SA and chairman of the Africa Committee for the Actuarial Society of SA.
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My Brilliant Career: All hail the wedding planner

Angelique Thompson takes care of a bride's big day, from settling on a style to organising transport. She told Margaret Harris how she remained calm in the face of a bridezilla and was always ready to avert disasters like forgotten wedding rings or the effect of horrible weather

Legal Briefs

Africa Fraud Barometer rises

Reported cases of fraud on the African continent increased from 355 in the first half of 2011 to 520 cases in the second half of the year - an increase of 46.4%, the inaugural Africa Fraud Barometer shows.
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Tribunal confirms settlement with Singapore Airlines

The Competition Tribunal on Tuesday confirmed a settlement between the Competition Commission and Singapore Airlines in which Singapore Airlines has agreed to pay a penalty of R25.1 million rand for infringing the Competition Act.

Tribunal approves AngloGold acquisition

The proposed plan by mining and exploration company AngloGold Ashanti to acquire First Uranium's local operations has gained the support of the Competition Tribunal.

Sharp end of the stick for unions

Membership of unions is down. Hence, economist Loane Sharp tells Chris Barron, the increasingly rough tactics adopted by organised labour
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Tax Insights

Tax Inspectors without Borders are on the way

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development will establish an independent foundation, Tax Inspectors without Borders, by the end of next year to help developing countries address waning tax bases compounded by tax evasion.

Some may chance arm to foil new dividends tax

Expert warns of incentive to manipulate results to meet changes

Saica urges firms to note new tax regulations

Companies need to take note of tax changes, especially regarding the new dividends tax, which has replaced the Secondary Tax on Companies, says the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.

SA's millionaires fret over tax hikes

The CEO of Sanlam Investment Managers, Daniël Kriel, says the wealthy are increasingly concerned about rising taxes.
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Technology Trends

Social media stress? There's an app for that

Nestle, purveyor of the decades-old KitKat snack, has launched an app it says addresses a growing problem among young social media users - giving them a break from the stress of posting updates by doing it for them.

'Net generation' do it their way

Personal technologies play increasingly big role in business

Freedom to join new iPad club

As South Africa celebrated its 18th anniversary of democracy on Friday, many locals used the public holiday to queue for the new iPad.

ZTE taken aback as SA unit takes on Telkom

Chinese firm ZTE Corporation has distanced itself from an interim interdict that was awarded to its 40%-owned associate, ZTE Mzanzi, against Telkom, saying yesterday that it would go to court to have the ruling set aside.

Internet users manage finances, shop online: poll

A majority - 59% - of citizens in 24 countries who use the internet say they do so to check their bank accounts, while 48% shop for products online and four in ten have surfed to look for jobs in the last three months, a poll by global research company Ipsos on behalf of Reuters News has found.