ROB ROSE: Astral, like South African business, hits peak gatvol
It’s not ‘inefficient farmers’ causing food prices to rocket, says CEO, but the costs companies must pay to keep the lights on and taps open
25 May 2023 - 05:00
“I’m gatvol of not being able to just focus on our main business, which is producing chicken efficiently,” says Chris Schutte, CEO of Astral Foods. “Instead, I’m having to focus on putting in place all these things — like electricity and water — for which we already pay tax.”
Gatvol is an apt word for the prevailing sentiment from other executives too. It was evident in the views of Investec CEO Fani Titi, who told journalists last week that the country is “going nowhere fast”, and MTN CEO Ralph Mupita, who told the FM that “doing nothing at this point will lead to a failed state”...
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