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Disability case may open can of worms for life assurers 2006-02-08 06:00:01 Yesterday's ruling by the office of the pension funds adjudicator may well represent another landmark case in the way that life assurers and pension funds deal with people heading for retirement. [Full Story...] Tribunal walkout adds intrigue to forestry privatisation 2006-02-07 06:00:01 The withdrawal of the Bonheur consortium, the preferred bidder, and state-owned Komatiland Forests from the competition tribunal hearing into their proposed merger has once more thrown into doubt the privatisation of the forestry assets package. [Full Story...] Four foreign takeovers are in the offing, Investec hears 2006-02-03 06:00:01 At a presentation by Investec Asset Management yesterday, Gail Daniels, the head of equities, said the company had heard that there were four foreign takeovers in the pipeline for local firms. [Full Story...] Share options for executives could become conditional 2006-02-02 06:00:01 Good news on the executive remuneration front is that there are rumours that an increasing number of remuneration committees are insisting that performance conditions are attached to the awarding of share options. [Full Story...] Gold Fields' decision to enforce formality may haunt it 2006-02-01 06:00:01 It is difficult to imagine how the Securities Regulation Panel and the investment community will get around the impasse created by last year's high court decision that the panel's executive director, Richard Connellan, may have shown a perception of bias in issuing an ex parte ruling in favour of Harmony during its hostile bid for Gold Fields. [Full Story...] Sanlam, taxman the big winners in PSG's Naspers raid 2006-01-31 06:00:01 Besides Sanlam, which has managed to cash in R135 million of the value of its previously very undervalued Naspers A shares, the big winner in the PSG-led bid to unlock value in the Naspers control structure is the taxman. [Full Story...] Bekker puts his money where his Naspers job is 2006-01-27 06:00:01 Naspers chief executive Koos Bekker is obviously very happy to put his money where his job is. Not many people have the resources to fork out R65 million just to make sure their job is secure, or at least to ensure that they continue to be able to exercise pretty much unfettered control in that job. [Full Story...] SEC proposal gets its teeth into executive remuneration 2006-01-26 06:00:01 It is rather comforting to learn that such an august body as the very powerful Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the US appears to be as confused about the issue of executive remuneration as most of us non-executives over here in South Africa. [Full Story...] Johnnic should settle with Modise in a public forum 2006-01-25 06:00:01 Perhaps the best that the long-suffering Johnnic shareholders can hope for in the matter of Jacob Modise's R20.8 million settlement claim against the company is that it is sorted out in a public forum. [Full Story...] Mvela's Ophir holds Somaliland cards close to its chest 2006-01-24 06:00:01 The ability to play one's cards close to one's chest is a key advantage of managing an unlisted company. And so it is with Tokyo Sexwale, the chairman of unlisted Mvelaphanda Holdings, which has a controlling stake in Ophir, an Africa-focused oil and gas explorer that has quietly gone about building a tantalising portfolio of concessions in Africa. [Full Story...] Johnnic's thrifty new owner to vacate Gallagher Estate 2006-01-20 06:00:01 For the first time in its nine-year life, it seems that Johnnic Holdings is going to be run like a company that doesn't have a whole load of dosh to squander. The rather nice offices at Gallagher Estate in Midrand will be rented out as soon as the operations are transferred to Durban. [Full Story...] Tata Steel scores points in Richards Bay pollution debate 2006-01-19 06:00:01 On the face of it, it would be cause for concern if a company that is known to produce hexavalent chromium emissions moves into your already grubby town and sets up a plant within 2km of residential areas. [Full Story...] Corporate bankers likely to push for bigger beer deals 2006-01-18 06:00:01 The global corporate banking community has presumably become addicted to doing beer industry transactions and for this reason alone we should expect to see a continuation of deal making in this industry during calendar 2006. [Full Story...] Listing Mondi in London would be sensible for Anglo 2006-01-17 06:00:01 Anglo American is very tight-lipped about what progress has been made on Mondi's future since the mining company's announcement in October that it was considering establishing the paper division as an independent business, but solid speculation strongly supports the possibility of a London listing. [Full Story...] DA starts the new year with fresh knots in its knickers 2006-01-13 06:00:01 After its little stampede of late last year, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has quickly got its knickers into a right royal knot this year over several issues. [Full Story...] Bortolan's reforms leave no mark on Nampak financials 2006-01-12 06:00:01 Long-suffering Nampak shareholders would probably have preferred to see some evidence of the operating improvements that the directors say were achieved during financial 2005 before awarding chief executive John Bortolan a R1.3 million incentive bonus. [Full Story...] Anglo was the big winner in the sad Johnnic saga 2006-01-11 06:00:01 It is difficult to determine at exactly what stage Johnnic Holdings was doomed not to be the great black economic empowerment hope that we all thought it would be back in 1995, when negotiations between a variety of black and union-related organisations and Anglo American commenced. [Full Story...] Sub Nigel investors want answers, not secrecy excuses 2006-01-10 06:00:01 "It's a secret, so we can't tell you." That was about the gist of the explanation given by the management of Sub Nigel, the marginal gold mining house, at last week's annual general meeting when asked about the rather sudden resignation of former chief executive Stephen Ward. [Full Story...] Enough! The Bafokeng are already empowered 2005-12-15 06:00:01 It is difficult to find the Royal Bafokeng nation a naturally sympathetic group of people with whom one would heartily join in the celebrations on being the beneficiaries of yet another empowerment deal. [Full Story...] Sea change in pension fund industry bodes well 2005-12-14 06:00:01 Today we wrap up the series of investigations into the rulings on the life assurance sector by the pension funds adjudicator. But it won't be the last time we look at these issues. As intimated on Monday by the minister of finance, Trevor Manuel, th ... [Full Story...] Drako hastens to capitalise on oil industry's failures 2005-12-13 06:00:01 Drako Oil is a cocky little company that has decided to take on South Africa's oil refiners. A few months ago, it announced its intention to build a multibillion-dollar refinery at Richards Bay. [Full Story...] Don't expect a cheaper car in your Christmas stocking 2005-12-09 06:00:01 Consumers will be well advised not to think that Christmas has come early and that new vehicle prices will be slashed after the competition commission reached agreements with six car companies over contraventions of the Competition Act. [Full Story...] Without access to information, public life will fester 2005-12-08 06:00:01 The almost chronic reluctance by both the public and private sectors to make available the kind of information that people need in order to make informed decisions was thoroughly slammed in parliament this week. [Full Story...] Dippenaar's departure stresses Harmony's lack of depth 2005-12-07 06:00:01 Harmony's vulnerability to criticism over the depth of its management team emerged during the gold mining house's now famous hostile bid for Gold Fields. [Full Story...] Brazil boxes with heavyweights 2005-12-06 06:00:01 Brazil, an emerging agricultural power, is winning a reputation as the tough guy of world trade talks, sometimes forcing its rich nation opponents on to the ropes. [Full Story...] Seems like time for Angloplat and Implats to split shares 2005-12-06 06:00:01 With the stonking year platinum shares have had so far, the index is up 80 percent. Questions have been asked about whether it's time Anglo Platinum (Angloplat) and Impala Platinum (Implats) did a share split, perhaps on a 10-for-one basis or even 20 for one. [Full Story...] Dis-Chem's large volumes, low prices do the trick 2005-12-02 06:00:01 Pharmaceutical chain Dis-Chem seems to be on a winning streak as it expands into the Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The chain was the first to implement the government's stipulated dispensing fee of 26 percent capped at R26, much to the irritation of other pharmacists who were busy lobbying for a change in the pricing regulations. [Full Story...] Superfederation may return focus to shop floor issues 2005-12-01 06:00:01 Whatever either side may say to the contrary, the labour superfederation to be formed by the coming together of the Confederation of SA Workers' Unions, the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) and the National Council of Trade Unions is a threat to Cosatu. [Full Story...] Mbeki needed prodding to target 6% growth, says Tata 2005-11-30 06:00:01 It took some very persuasive arguments by some of the world's most powerful businessmen before President Thabo Mbeki took the plunge and announced that South Africa was aiming to achieve a 6 percent growth rate. [Full Story...] Hands up all who think Old Mutual's on wild bore chase 2005-11-29 06:00:01 Hands up all of those who are bored with Old Mutual's never-ending bid for Skandia? More importantly, hands up all those investors who are worried that Old Mutual is flushing huge amounts of money down the toilet? [Full Story...] |
