JAMIE CARR: Optimum Coal: turned to ashes
The Guptas were better at getting their mitts on an asset than making it work
Sahara was the vehicle that kicked off the transformation of Clan Gupta from car-boot salesmen to parasites on the ship of state, and its demise won’t be greeted with widespread wailing and gnashing of teeth. Mustek, on the other hand, is a perky performer that has kept its nose clean and gone about growing into one of the largest assemblers and distributors of PCs and related bits and pieces in SA. The company’s interims show an excellent performance despite difficult economic conditions, with headline earnings up 55.5%. Mustek points to communications, mobility and energy as three pillars that are constantly evolving and providing opportunities for the group to add value with its portfolio of brands. In the energy field it is targeting solar as a way to allow commercial users to mitigate the effect of rising electricity prices. It points to the return on investment that a solar set-up can provide over its expected 25-year life span, with tax deductions and government rebates makin...
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