PCB Blog Archive

Branding

2012/02/01

Brands are more important today than they have ever been, not only because they establish a presence in the marketplace, but they also simplify consumer decision-making

Tags: Brands⁽¹⁾ branding⁽¹⁾ Consumer⁽¹⁾ Customers⁽³⁾ Marketing⁽⁴⁾

2012/01/24

Towards the end of last year I met a very inspiring woman named Judy Stuart. She described herself as a simple farmer from Underberg and asked whether she could stop by my office to tell me about a project that she is involved in called "The Future Farmers Project".

Tags: Farming⁽²⁾ Empowerment⁽²⁾ Farmers⁽¹⁾

Business Budgeting – Making it Work

2012/01/23

Every business needs to have a budget. Too many business owners make up a budget and then forget about it. Budgets only help your business if you use them.

Tags: Budget⁽²⁾ Cash flow⁽¹⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾

The Theatre

2011/12/14

The theatre is one of my favourite places in the world. I get goose bumps just standing in the foyer. This last week, I was treated to Snow White at the Sneddon, and quite frankly, I was spellbound.

Tags: Theatre⁽¹⁾ Snow White⁽¹⁾ Sneddon⁽¹⁾ Drama⁽¹⁾ Art⁽¹⁾

Labour Brokers

2011/12/08

The labour broker debate continues to rage. For me, the important thing to consider is what we, as citizens, and our economy stands to gain or lose from the proposed banning of labour brokers.

Tags: Labour⁽⁷⁾ broker⁽¹⁾ Jobs⁽²⁾ Legislation⁽⁸⁾

Are You Fully Insured?

2011/12/02

As you might expect, the recession has brought a number of criminals into play and burglaries and thefts have increased dramatically over the past years.

Tags: Insurance⁽¹⁾ Insured⁽¹⁾ Theft⁽¹⁾ Burglary⁽¹⁾

Economic Growth in Mauritius

2011/12/01

Mauritius has not only managed sustained economic growth (averaging 4.6% GDP growth between 1977 and 2008), but it has also managed to achieve real human development and has achieved impressive reductions in inequality.

Tags: Moeletsi⁽²⁾ Mbeki⁽³⁾ Mauritius⁽¹⁾ Economic⁽⁶⁾ Growth⁽³⁾ Leadership⁽⁵⁾

The SA Education System

2011/11/30

I am busy reading Moeletsi Mbeki’s book: “Advocates for Change: How to Overcome Africa’s Challenges”, and it makes for fascinating reading.

Tags: Moeletsi⁽²⁾ Mbeki⁽³⁾ Education⁽⁸⁾ Africa⁽⁴⁾

South African Institute of International Affairs

2011/11/24

We are most fortunate to have a branch of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) in Pietermaritzburg, the only one, to my knowledge, in KwaZulu-Natal.

Tags: SAIIA⁽¹⁾ International⁽¹⁾ Affairs⁽¹⁾ Africa⁽⁴⁾ Mbeki⁽³⁾

Disabilities in South Africa

2011/11/18

Like many South Africans, we have family that emigrated to Australia some ten years ago. They are currently back for a visit, and I was curious to get their impression of our country after having been away for such a long time.

Tags: Disabled⁽¹⁾ Disabilities⁽¹⁾

Productivity & Empowerment

2011/11/09

I had a very interesting conversation with a colleague the other day. We were talking about increasing productivity and her view was that people will not be prepared to do more work for the same reward.

Tags: Productivity⁽¹⁾ Empowerment⁽²⁾ Trust⁽¹⁾

Plan for Festive Season Trading

2011/11/03

While New Year’s Resolutions have become part of our pop culture, and just as easily forgotten in the real world, taking the time to spring clean your business before the silly season hits will pay immediate benefits by improving profits, cash flow and stress levels.

Tags: Profits⁽¹⁾ Competitive⁽¹⁾ Marketing⁽⁴⁾ Festive⁽¹⁾

Women & Leadership

2011/11/02

I read a shocking statistic the other day. According to the 2011 Grant Thornton International Business Report (IRB), women now occupy almost a third of all management positions in South Africa, however, men still hold 97% of all CEO positions.

Tags: Women⁽¹⁾ Leadership⁽⁵⁾ Workplace⁽³⁾

Life Coaching

2011/11/01

So why should you, as a business owner, consider Life Coaching for yourself or your staff?

Tags: Coaching⁽¹⁾ Coach⁽²⁾ development⁽¹⁰⁾ employees⁽¹⁾

A Land of Opportunity

2011/10/26

The KZN Lean Congress certainly exceeded all my expectations, and to my knowledge, that of the delegates as well. I can say this with confidence, because of the incredibly positive feedback that I have received.

Tags: lean⁽⁴⁾ Conference⁽¹⁾ Michael Balle⁽²⁾ Africa⁽⁴⁾ Manufacturing⁽⁶⁾ Quality⁽²⁾

KZN Lean Congress

2011/10/25

The KZN Lean Congress certainly exceeded all my expectations, and to my knowledge, that of the delegates as well. I can say this with confidence, because of the incredibly positive feedback that I have received.

Tags: Lean⁽⁴⁾ Management⁽³⁾ Quality⁽²⁾ africa⁽⁴⁾ Manufacturing⁽⁶⁾

Disciplinary Action

2011/10/19

Instituting disciplinary action in the workplace is not only stressful for the employer and the employee concerned, but also for other staff, especially when it ends in dismissal.

Tags: Discipline⁽¹⁾ CCMA⁽¹⁾ Labour⁽⁷⁾ Arbitration⁽¹⁾ Employee⁽³⁾ Employer⁽²⁾

Tips for Top Entrepreneurs

2011/10/13

We believe that it is important to nurture an entrepreneurial spirit within an organisation and to empower the business to operate as if each individual works for themself.

Tags: Entrepreneur⁽³⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾

Proposed Business Tax

2011/10/12

I am very concerned about the proposed business tax, and more particularly about the implications of imposing it.

Tags: Tax⁽¹⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾ Unemployment⁽⁶⁾ Employment⁽⁵⁾ Training⁽¹⁾ skills⁽¹⁾

Making Decisions – Your Nemesis?

2011/10/11

Procrastination over decisions is fatal for a business owner as decisions come before actions and the right actions lead to the desired outcomes.

Tags: Decisions⁽¹⁾ Procrastination⁽¹⁾ Goals⁽¹⁾

Spring Is Here

2011/10/07

This past weekend we enjoyed one of Pietermaritzburg’s very special events, the Sunday Tribune Garden & Leisure Show.

Tags: Garden⁽²⁾ Picture Perfect Pietermaritzburg⁽¹⁾ Recycling⁽¹⁾ ⁽⁷⁾

Lean Congress

2011/09/28

The secret to successful manufacturing is being able to get your goods through the production process as quickly as possible, because goods can’t be invoiced when they are only partly manufactured.

Tags: Manufacturing⁽⁶⁾ Lean⁽⁴⁾ Michael Balle⁽²⁾ alec Hogg⁽¹⁾

Recruit for Attitude, Train for Skill

2011/09/21

Every business at some point will have to recruit new staff. A vacancy may arise as a result of someone leaving a post or new positions are created for whatever reason.

Tags: recruit⁽¹⁾ Recruitment⁽¹⁾ staff⁽¹⁾ Vacancy⁽¹⁾ Skill⁽¹⁾ attitude⁽¹⁾ ⁽⁷⁾

Edendale Mall

2011/09/15

I have been told that there are almost as many people living in and around the Edendale Valley, as there are other citizens of the city, and it is thertefore about time that we see this kind of development taking place there.

Tags: Edendale⁽¹⁾ Development⁽¹⁰⁾ Job⁽²⁾ creation⁽²⁾ Unemployment⁽⁶⁾ Mall⁽¹⁾

Employment Relationships

2011/09/14

If one considers the employment relationship in its simplest form, a business requires the services of a qualified individual to do a certain job at an agreed price

Tags: Employment⁽⁵⁾ Employee⁽³⁾ Employer⁽²⁾ Relationship⁽¹⁾

Lean Manufacturing

2011/09/13

Lean manufacturing is an operational strategy aimed at achieving the shortest possible cycle time by eliminating waste.

Tags: Lean⁽⁴⁾ Manufacturing⁽⁶⁾ Unemployment⁽⁶⁾ Waste⁽³⁾ Resources⁽²⁾

With regard to regard(s)

2011/09/09

Increasingly I’m hearing, and seeing, the word “regards” incorrectly used where it should be “regard”.

Tags: Regard⁽²⁾ Grammar⁽²⁾

European Logistics Operations

2011/09/07

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting the Minister-President of Flanders at a reception hosted by the Belgian Consul General.

Tags: Flanders⁽¹⁾ Logistics⁽¹⁾ Investment⁽²⁾ Infrastructure⁽²⁾ Policy⁽¹⁾

Image and Incongruity

2011/09/02

I hope someone in the administration of our local university who cares enough about public image read my blog about the correct way to write KwaZulu-Natal last Friday (26th August), because it is misspelt on some of the signs bearing the university’s name in and around Scottsville.

Tags: Image⁽²⁾ Signs⁽¹⁾ University⁽²⁾ Language⁽³⁾

Economic Growth & Unemployment

2011/08/31

International reports show that South Africa is falling behind in global competitiveness, we are experiencing weak economic growth and our unemployment rate is sky-rocketing.

Tags: Competitiveness⁽¹⁾ Growth⁽³⁾ Strike⁽⁶⁾ Municipality⁽⁸⁾ Economy⁽¹⁾

And the name of our province is …

2011/08/26

There is only one correct way to write our province’s name, and this is it: KwaZulu-Natal.

Tags: Spelling⁽¹⁾ KwaZulu-Natal⁽¹⁾ Province⁽¹⁾

Strike Action

2011/08/24

During the last week we interviewed for a position at the chamber, and in view of the high unemployment levels, it was especially wonderful to be able to give a young and enthusiastic person an opportunity to work.

Tags: Unemployment⁽⁶⁾ Municipal⁽¹⁾ Ratepayers⁽¹⁾ Msunduzi⁽⁷⁾ Services⁽¹⁾ Misconduct⁽¹⁾

Corruption

2011/08/17

Corruption is the cancer spreading nefariously through the venous system of our young democracy, draining all vitality and promise.

Tags: Corruption⁽³⁾ Municipality⁽⁸⁾ Accountability⁽¹⁾ Scorpions⁽¹⁾ Fraud⁽¹⁾ Corruption⁽³⁾

Public Image Is A Package

2011/08/11

Most businesses have well-groomed, well-spoken people at their front desks – few businesses would dream of having someone at reception who is well spoken but not well groomed, or well groomed but not well spoken.

Tags: Image⁽²⁾ Communication⁽¹⁾ Text⁽¹⁾ Language⁽³⁾

Generations & Presentations

2011/08/10

Mpho Makwana, ex Chairman of the Board of Eskom, recently gave a very thought-provoking address at our Presidential Induction Gala Dinner. According to Mpho, we should first establish what generation we are talking to before we plan any business presentation.

Tags: Generation⁽¹⁾ Presentations⁽¹⁾ Smell⁽¹⁾ workplace⁽³⁾

Entrepreneurs Are Born, Not Made!

2011/08/03

I am passionate about trying to address unemployment - both from a socio-economic perspective and from a fiscal sustainability point of view.

Tags: Unemployment⁽⁶⁾ LEAN⁽⁴⁾ SMME⁽¹⁾ Entrepreneur⁽³⁾ Entrepreneurship⁽³⁾

Electricity Tariffs

2011/07/27

The matter of increasing electricity tariffs is bound to cause tension, any way one looks at it.

Tags: Electricity⁽²⁾ Tariff⁽³⁾ Industry⁽²⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾ Eskom⁽⁵⁾ Municipality⁽⁸⁾ Msunduzi⁽⁷⁾

Efficiency & A Shared Vision

2011/07/20

It is clear from the engagement that the current state of our province is not acceptable, that the current way of doing things is not working, and that we are going to need strong, decisive and visionary leadership into the future that is open to creative solutions and willing to engage, debate and take decisive action.

Tags: Efficiency⁽¹⁾ Vision⁽¹⁾ Lean⁽⁴⁾ Manufacturing⁽⁶⁾ Employment⁽⁵⁾

Our Role in SA's Future

2011/07/13

As a country, we have plenty to be proud of. We are a well-respected member of the international community, and were recently included as a member of the exclusive BRICSA.

Tags: BRICSA⁽¹⁾ Economic⁽⁶⁾ Competitiveness⁽¹⁾ Politics⁽²⁾ Crime⁽⁵⁾

Selling Yourself

2011/07/11

It is often said in business that the first step to selling your service or your product is to sell yourself.

Tags: Selling⁽¹⁾ relationships⁽¹⁾ Customers⁽³⁾ clients⁽¹⁾ Communicate⁽¹⁾

Tourism Industry

2011/07/06

I find that the tourism industry is often misunderstood. For some reason, people think that the fundamental rules of business don't apply.

Tags: Tourism⁽⁴⁾ Infrastructure⁽²⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾ Development⁽¹⁰⁾

Zero Defect

2011/07/01

Why are we prepared to settle for such appallingly low standards when it comes to language and communication?

Tags: Communicate⁽¹⁾ Language⁽³⁾

Do Your Customers Buy on Price?

2011/06/30

Many business owners that I speak to are firm believers that their customers are 90% if not totally price focused when shopping around for their product/service. Nothing is further from the truth.

Tags: Customers⁽³⁾ Price⁽¹⁾ Product⁽¹⁾ value⁽²⁾ Confidence⁽¹⁾

Non-Profit Organisations

2011/06/29

I was at a tea hosted in aid of Save the Children the other day and I was reminded that there are so many wonderful organisations out there, doing excellent and very necessary work.

Tags: NGO⁽¹⁾ funding⁽³⁾ Government⁽⁹⁾ CINDI⁽¹⁾

Minerals in South Africa

2011/06/22

There are currently about 108 000 mineral prospecting applications lodged with the Mineral Affairs Department in KZN alone, if one can believe it?

Tags: Minerals⁽¹⁾ Coal⁽¹⁾ Fracking⁽²⁾ Water⁽³⁾

The Qualities Of Successful Leadership

2011/06/21

If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself.

Tags: Leadership⁽⁵⁾ Leader⁽¹⁾

Life Online

2011/06/17

My limited cooking skills extend to pressing a few buttons and hey presto! There’s a guy at the door with a pizza.

Tags: Online⁽¹⁾ Skype⁽¹⁾ Internet⁽¹⁾

Lean Manufacturing

2011/06/15

Our unemployment levels are unacceptably high and we must do something about this, but what?

Tags: Unemployment⁽⁶⁾ job⁽²⁾ creation⁽²⁾ Lean⁽⁴⁾ Manufacturing⁽⁶⁾

10 Steps to Growing your Business & Profits

2011/06/13

In the quest for better time management, we have been flooded with a large variety of gizmos, tools, and programs invented to help us more effectively manage our time.

Tags: Time⁽¹⁾ Management⁽³⁾ Planning⁽¹⁾ Tasks⁽¹⁾ Calendar⁽¹⁾

Agriculture

2011/06/08

It has been an interesting week in the Capital City, with the lively election of the new city leadership and with the Royal Show and Nashua-sponsored Art in the Park taking place at the same time.

Tags: Royal Show⁽¹⁾ Art in the Park⁽²⁾ Land⁽¹⁾ Security⁽¹⁾ Farming⁽²⁾ Fracking⁽²⁾ agriculture⁽¹⁾

Practical Social Media Marketing

2011/06/06

Adding social media to your marketing mix for your business should be a natural decision in today’s modern online and connected world.

Tags: Media⁽²⁾ Social⁽¹⁾ Facebook⁽¹⁾ LinkedIn⁽¹⁾ Marketing⁽⁴⁾

Tourist Season in Pietermaritzburg

2011/06/03

The other day I was writing a tourism article for a magazine, and, I must admit, that having made a career change, I felt somewhat liberated – I can now approach this from a perspective other than a destination marketing perspective.

Tags: Tourism⁽⁴⁾ Pietermaritzburg⁽⁶⁾ Comrades⁽¹⁾ Art in the park⁽²⁾ Royal Agricultural show⁽¹⁾

Tips To Help With Recession-Proofing Your Business

2011/05/30

Small-to-medium sized businesses can survive a recession, if they act early while customers have still not committed to other vendors.

Tags: Recession⁽²⁾ Marketing⁽⁴⁾ Customers⁽³⁾ Referrals⁽¹⁾ Articles⁽¹⁾ Strategy⁽¹⁾

Picture Perfect Pietermaritzburg

2011/05/25

In order to encourage business to do something positive to restore the image of our city, the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business has launched a “garden city” project, in partnership with the Municipality, which we have called the P³ Campaign - Picture Perfect Pmb.

Tags: Garden⁽²⁾ Landscaping⁽¹⁾ Picture⁽¹⁾ Perfect⁽¹⁾

Con-Artists

2011/05/18

Every day con-artists are inventing new ways of deceiving people. And when they are exposed, in a manner of speaking, a con man highlighted the vulnerability of upstanding members of the business community trying to make an honest living.

Tags: Con⁽¹⁾ artist⁽¹⁾ Bank⁽²⁾ account⁽¹⁾ Payment⁽¹⁾

How Many Customers Can You Afford to Lose?

2011/05/13

According to the Harvard Business Review, 67 percent of customers who choose a new supplier said they were satisfied with their former supplier!

Tags: Customer⁽¹⁾ Supplier⁽¹⁾ Value⁽²⁾ Satisfaction⁽¹⁾ harvard⁽¹⁾

Tourism

2011/05/11

Speaking to people at Indaba this year, I was reminded once again of the funding frustrations experienced at a local level in the tourism industry.

Tags: Tourism⁽⁴⁾ Indaba⁽¹⁾ development⁽¹⁰⁾

Developments

2011/05/04

Speaking to some developers from Johannesburg a little while ago, I was surprised to hear them say that it’s is too difficult and too costly to get developments off the ground in KZN.

Tags: Developments⁽¹⁾ Developers⁽¹⁾ Economic Growth⁽¹⁾ ⁽⁷⁾

Economic Growth

2011/04/20

Twice during the last week I have been part of discussions on the barriers to economic growth.

Tags: Economic⁽⁶⁾ Growth⁽³⁾ Agriculture⁽¹⁾ Leather⁽¹⁾ cotton⁽¹⁾

Entrepreneurship

2011/04/13

As large enterprises have restructured and downsized, small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) have come to play an increasingly important role in South Africa's economy.

Tags: SMME⁽¹⁾ economy⁽¹⁾ Entrepreneurship⁽³⁾ Economic⁽⁶⁾ Development⁽¹⁰⁾ Unemployment⁽⁶⁾

Job Creation

2011/04/06

Since the job creation challenge was put on the table by the President, I have been thinking about how best to make a contribution.

Tags: Job creation⁽¹⁾ Manufacturing⁽⁶⁾ Water⁽³⁾ Electricity⁽²⁾ Labour⁽⁷⁾

Chinese Investment

2011/03/30

I attended a very interesting breakfast last week, at which Alec Hogg shared some fascinating insights gleaned at the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Tags: China⁽¹⁾ imports⁽¹⁾ South africa⁽²⁾ Work⁽¹⁾ Ethic⁽¹⁾

Education

2011/03/25

Something is very wrong. I am deeply concerned about what appears to be happening in our education system. A couple of months ago, I was asked to assist with the selection process for an internship programme.

Tags: Education⁽⁸⁾ Learnership⁽¹⁾ Maths⁽¹⁾ Qualification⁽¹⁾ Employment⁽⁵⁾

Accommodation in PMB

2011/03/17

While Pietermaritzburg is a capital city, a business centre and a very successful events city, the city hasn't acted the attention of many hotel investors over the years - until recently, that is.

Tags: Accommodation⁽¹⁾ hotel⁽¹⁾ Event⁽¹⁾ Comrades Marathon⁽¹⁾ Midmar Mile⁽²⁾ Amashova⁽¹⁾

Airlink out of PMB

2011/03/09

I find that whenever I am required to fly to Johannesburg, I have to prepare myself mentally a few of days before the scheduled flight. I have to brace myself, not because I am afraid of flying, but because of the enormous effort required to get there from Pietermaritzburg.

Tags: Flying⁽¹⁾ airport⁽¹⁾ Johannesburg⁽¹⁾ Pietermaritzburg⁽⁶⁾ Airlink⁽²⁾ Gautrain⁽²⁾

Events Tourism

2011/03/02

Having just had two of our major annual events, the Midmar Mile and the Dusi Canoe Marathon, made me think, once again, of the power of events tourism.

Tags: Events⁽¹⁾ Tourism⁽⁴⁾ Midmar Mile⁽²⁾ Dusi Canoe Marathon⁽¹⁾ Tourists⁽¹⁾ Pietermaritzburg⁽⁶⁾

Integrated Living

2011/02/18

I bought into the dream of our Rainbow Nation and I believe, that if we are really serious about making this a reality, we need to get people living together and interacting with each other in a meaningful way.

Tags: Intgration⁽¹⁾ Government⁽⁹⁾ Jobs⁽²⁾

Sister Cities as Economic Development Tool

2011/02/13

I have just been speaking to an inspiring gentleman named Dennis about ICT connectivity in South Africa and a Korean-funded ICT project in Edendale, the township on the city's doorstep.

Tags: Pietermaritzburg⁽⁶⁾ Atlanta⁽¹⁾ Economic⁽⁶⁾ development⁽¹⁰⁾

Reflecting on 13 years as PCB CEO

2011/01/19

When this article appears, I will be approaching my last day at the Pietermaritzburg Chamber which thirteen years ago offered me a new career.

Tags: Pietermaritzburg⁽⁶⁾ Chamber⁽²⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾ Education⁽⁸⁾ BEE⁽¹⁾

Sport

2010/12/15

It might transpire that our legacy from the FIFA Soccer World Cup will be several white elephant stadia, but it begs the question: what will Qatar do with its air-conditioned masterpieces after its World Cup?

Tags: Soccer⁽⁵⁾ World Cup⁽²⁾ Sport⁽²⁾ FIFA⁽⁴⁾

White Collar Crime

2010/12/08

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a gathering of the KZN White Collar Crime Task Group which was hosted by the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Tags: White Collar Crime⁽¹⁾ Corruption⁽³⁾ Legislation⁽⁸⁾

New Growth Path

2010/12/01

The New Growth Path for the South African economy has excited a good deal of comment, much of it positive no doubt from the political left wing which under the strong leadership of COSATU has prepared the way carefully.

Tags: Growth⁽³⁾ COSATU⁽³⁾ Economic⁽⁶⁾ Development⁽¹⁰⁾

Small Business

2010/11/24

It is a unique feature of South Africa, by comparison with other developing countries, that we have low levels of employment in the informal sector of the economy.

Tags: Employment⁽⁵⁾ Informal sector⁽¹⁾ Unemployment⁽⁶⁾ Entrepreneurship⁽³⁾

Entrepreneurs

2010/11/18

Not every person who starts a business, or aspires to do so, can be called an entrepreneur, even though this is the trend in South Africa where the term is used very loosely.

Tags: Entrepreneur⁽³⁾ Creative⁽²⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾ Enterprise⁽¹⁾

Global Entrepreneurship Week

2010/11/18

This week is Global Entrepreneurship Week. It is a dedicated period when people throughout the world celebrate those qualities that are associated with the entrepreneurial spirit.

Tags: Entrepreneur⁽³⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾ Funds⁽¹⁾ Creative⁽²⁾ Innovation⁽¹⁾

Global Entrepreneurship Week

2010/11/17

I don’t think there is much doubt that the successful growth and development of our country, and many others, perhaps all, will depend on the extent to which entrepreneurship is encouraged and developed.

Tags: Development⁽¹⁰⁾ Entrepreneur⁽³⁾ Success⁽¹⁾

Intervention

2010/11/12

Public hearings are something of a culture shock. This relates rather more to white inhibition, or apathy perhaps, than to black enthusiasm for the opportunity to engage with government.

Tags: Hearings⁽¹⁾ Governance⁽¹⁾ Intervention⁽¹⁾

PCB CEO Resignation

2010/11/10

I am extremely grateful to the many people who have sent me messages of goodwill since the announcement of my move to the Durban Chamber.

Tags: Chamber⁽²⁾ Pietermaritzburg⁽⁶⁾ Durban⁽¹⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾

City Administration

2010/11/10

It is a measure of democracy that the oversight role of parliament should be strengthened.

Tags: Democracy⁽¹⁾ Finance⁽²⁾ Budget⁽²⁾ Government⁽⁹⁾ Municipality⁽⁸⁾

The Value of Chambers

2010/11/10

Prospective members of chambers of commerce ask about the value proposition. Accordingly, chambers prepare lengthy lists of benefits.

Tags: Chamber⁽²⁾ Networking⁽¹⁾ Leadership⁽⁵⁾ economic⁽⁶⁾ Development⁽¹⁰⁾

Consumer Protection Bill

2010/11/03

The Consumer Protection Bill boggles the mind. The only hope is that the postponement of its enactment until April next year signifies a lot of objections to it from people who have an understanding of business. Not that there is anything wrong with its essential principles, by the way.

Tags: Consumer⁽¹⁾ Protection⁽¹⁾ Bill⁽²⁾ Legislation⁽⁸⁾ ⁽⁷⁾

7 Profit Winning Strategies For Your Business

2010/11/02

Imagine knowing exactly how to make more money in your business and more money for you without working any harder or longer!

Tags: Money⁽²⁾ Profit⁽¹⁾ Financials⁽¹⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾ Coach⁽²⁾ Budget⁽²⁾

10 Steps To Effective Delegation

2010/10/29

There are many people who hesitate to delegate for a number of reasons. For example, they may have had bad experiences in the past when they have tried to delegate.

Tags: Delegate⁽¹⁾ Resources⁽²⁾ Plan⁽¹⁾ Responsibility⁽¹⁾

Safe City

2010/10/28

I am very proud to chair the Board of Safe City Pietermaritzburg. This company, non-profit at present but soon to become a fully-fledged commercial entity in order to satisfy legislative demands, manages the CCTV camera network.

Tags: Safe City⁽¹⁾ CCTV⁽¹⁾ Crime⁽⁵⁾ Msunduzi Municipality⁽⁵⁾

Legatum Prosperity Index

2010/10/28

The Legatum Prosperity Index advertises itself as the “world’s only global assessment of wealth and well-being”. Its philosophy is that prosperity is about more than just money and includes a range of circumstances that add to people’s happiness and well-being.

Tags: Economy⁽¹⁾ Development⁽¹⁰⁾ Poverty⁽²⁾ Wealth⁽¹⁾ Health⁽¹⁾ democracy⁽¹⁾ Entrepreneur⁽³⁾

Tourism

2010/10/27

Many readers will not know that the Ingwe Local Municipality is the one in which Creighton is located. This municipality is part of the Sisonke District Municipality, by the way.

Tags: Tourism⁽⁴⁾ Train⁽¹⁾ Local Economic Development⁽¹⁾

Corruption

2010/10/21

Isn’t it sad that all this corruption cannot be arrested? Today, as I write there are reports of over fifty teachers being paid by the Education Department for qualifications that they do not have.

Tags: Corruption⁽³⁾ Education⁽⁸⁾ bribe⁽¹⁾

Pietermartizburg

2010/10/21

The Carte Blanche programme on Pietermaritzburg paraded all our dirty laundry to the whole country. Frankly, I don’t think it did justice to the issue.

Tags: Municipality⁽⁸⁾ Msunduzi⁽⁷⁾ Carte Blanche⁽¹⁾ Politics⁽²⁾

SACCI Convention

2010/10/20

I spent Thursday and Friday of last week at the annual SACCI AGM and Convention. The election of office-bearers brought KZN business people to the fore.

Tags: SACCI⁽¹⁾ Reserve Bank⁽¹⁾ Government⁽⁹⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾ Chamber⁽²⁾

Enforcement

2010/10/13

I have been fascinated by two recent public debates in particular. The reason is that the discussion seems to go round and round the point with very little recognition of the fact that there are already measures in place which should render these debates superfluous.

Tags: Corruption⁽³⁾ Legislation⁽⁸⁾ Crime⁽⁵⁾ Strike⁽⁶⁾ Enforcement⁽¹⁾

Media

2010/10/07

The Government’s Protection of Information Bill and the ANC’s proposal for the establishment of a Media Tribunal have brought the matters of the freedom of the press and the right of the public to know right into the foreground.

Tags: Media⁽²⁾ Print⁽¹⁾ Journalist⁽¹⁾

Outstanding Fines

2010/10/07

I was a very proud chairperson when Safe City Pietermaritzburg presented the Mayor of Msunduzi with a laptop computer which would enable the city to implement a programme of fine recovery from the thousands of motorists who have failed to pay up.

Tags: Traffic⁽²⁾ Law⁽¹⁾ Technology⁽²⁾ Safe City⁽¹⁾ Pietermaritzburg⁽⁶⁾ Fine⁽¹⁾ Motorists⁽¹⁾

Depression & Poverty

2010/10/06

In South Africa, in June of last year, unemployment stood at 32,5%. (This is based on the number of people who are available to work, including those who are not active job-seekers.) The Depression plunged a great many people into poverty.

Tags: Poverty⁽²⁾ Depression⁽¹⁾ Unemployment⁽⁶⁾

Msunduzi Turnaround Process

2010/10/01

It is an appropriate time to take stock of the city and its fortunes now that we have had six months of administration.

Tags: Finance⁽²⁾ Government⁽⁹⁾ Msunduzi Municipality⁽⁵⁾

CeaseFire

2010/09/29

Dr Gary Slutkin is Professor of Epidemiology and International Health at the University of Ilinois in the USA. He has been in South Africa, however, as the founder of a programme known as CeaseFire.

Tags: CeaseFire⁽¹⁾ Murder⁽¹⁾ Crime⁽⁵⁾ Funding⁽³⁾ Epidemiology⁽¹⁾

Joint Aid Management

2010/09/23

A R50 million investment has been made recently in Mason’s Mill. The premises that were formerly occupied by Kodak were bought and altered to meet the requirements of an organisation known as JAM.

Tags: Joint Aid Management⁽¹⁾ JAM⁽¹⁾ Non-Profit⁽¹⁾ Food⁽³⁾ Production⁽¹⁾ Employment⁽⁵⁾

Edendale Mall

2010/09/23

It is a measure of the extent to which our society is consumer rather than production oriented that we regard the development of shopping centres (we prefer to call them malls now, no matter how big or small they may be) as a sure sign that we are making economic progress.

Tags: Mall⁽¹⁾ Shopping⁽¹⁾ development⁽¹⁰⁾ Edendale⁽¹⁾ Development⁽¹⁰⁾

Identity

2010/09/22

Last week, I quoted Professor Koraan who referred to our nation as one of forty-five million “minorities” rather than a conglomeration of groups – “opposition” parties, “majority” parties, “disadvantaged” people, those in “designated groups”, and so on.

Tags: Group⁽¹⁾ Identity⁽¹⁾ Diversity⁽¹⁾ Stereotype⁽¹⁾

SMME

2010/09/16

If ever a term was misunderstood in this country, it is SMME. This stands for Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises and is a universally-used classification of businesses.

Tags: SMME⁽¹⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾ Finance⁽²⁾ Labour⁽⁷⁾

Trust

2010/09/16

If mutual trust is the key to any constructive relationship, I must concede that this is at a very low point in the relationship between the Msunduzi Municipality and the city’s business community.

Tags: Trust⁽¹⁾ Msunduzi⁽⁷⁾ Municipality⁽⁸⁾ Business⁽¹⁴⁾ Rates⁽³⁾

Irrational Exuberance

2010/09/15

I consider myself to be very lucky to have been present at the Kwanalu Congress last week at the time that Professor Mohammed Koraan, the Dean of Agricultural Sciences at Stellenbosch, was delivering an address on his perspectives of the agricultural sector of our economy.

Tags: Agriculture⁽¹⁾ Expenditure⁽³⁾ Food⁽³⁾ Water⁽³⁾ Planet⁽¹⁾ Farming⁽²⁾

Public Service Strike

2010/09/14

During the last month there have been many acts of intimidation and thoughtless disruptions to ordinary people caused by strikers.

Tags: Strike⁽⁶⁾ Government⁽⁹⁾ Power⁽¹⁾ Labour⁽⁷⁾ Employee⁽³⁾ Grievance⁽¹⁾ negotiate⁽¹⁾

Ahmed Bawa

2010/09/09

At a function at the Durban University of Technology, I was very pleased to meet Ahmed Bawa again. He took up the position of Vice Chancellor of the University on 1 September.

Tags: Ahmed Bawa⁽¹⁾ University⁽²⁾ Technology⁽²⁾ Student⁽¹⁾ Activism⁽¹⁾

Teachers Strike

2010/09/09

One wonders whether there has ever been a worse year for children in school.

Tags: Strike⁽⁶⁾ School⁽¹⁾ Government⁽⁹⁾ Teachers⁽¹⁾ education⁽⁸⁾

Regional Electricity Distributers

2010/09/08

Over the past few years I have become convinced that the sooner the Regional Electricity Distributers (REDS) are put in place the better.

Tags: Electricity⁽²⁾ Eskom⁽⁵⁾ Msunduzi Municipality⁽⁵⁾

Productivity

2010/09/03

At a function hosted recently by Productivity SA, a speaker referred to the dilemma faced by China when conscious decisions were to be taken that would set that country on the part of economic growth. Should the focus be on productivity, or on quality?

Tags: Productivity⁽¹⁾ Labour⁽⁷⁾

Middle Class

2010/09/02

There is nothing wrong with middle class aspiration. In fact, the growth of a middle class is one of the most important indicators of a growing economy.

Tags: Class⁽¹⁾ Income⁽¹⁾ Strike⁽⁶⁾ Poverty⁽²⁾ greed⁽¹⁾

Transformation

2010/09/02

If ever there were an over-used term, it is “transformation”. It’s used by all and sundry and never seems to mean exactly the same thing.

Tags: Transformation⁽¹⁾ Affirmative Action⁽¹⁾ Employment Equity⁽¹⁾ Discrimination⁽¹⁾ Education⁽⁸⁾

Electricity Tariffs

2010/09/01

After such a promising start in a revitalised relationship with the Msunduzi Municipality, I am preparing, as I write, to wage another battle on behalf of the city’s industrial electricity consumers.

Tags: municipality⁽⁸⁾ electricity⁽²⁾ tariff⁽³⁾ eskom⁽⁵⁾ Msunduzi⁽⁷⁾ Industry⁽²⁾

Leadership

2010/08/26

I have heard recently of projects in Sobantu which represent the desire by the community itself to improve the lives of the villagers.

Tags: Government⁽⁹⁾ Leadership⁽⁵⁾ Employment⁽⁵⁾ Money⁽²⁾

Service Delivery

2010/08/26

We have many crises of identity in South Africa, it seems to me. Sometimes the government is the ruling party, and sometimes, as was said by an ANC leader recently, the ANC does not interfere in the running of the government.

Tags: Government⁽⁹⁾ Strike⁽⁶⁾ ANC⁽¹⁾ Cosatu⁽³⁾ SACP⁽¹⁾ Media⁽²⁾ Service⁽²⁾ Remuneration⁽¹⁾

Strike Action

2010/08/25

Like many South Africans, I am outraged by the behaviour of striking union members. I understand that demonstrations and the like that are associated with strikes have the potential to degenerate into violence and vandalism, but in this instance the incitement for workers to intimidate has been overtly expressed by union leaders.

Tags: Strike⁽⁶⁾ Union⁽¹⁾ Workers⁽¹⁾ Labour⁽⁷⁾

Education

2010/08/19

What needs to be done in our country to provide youth with the opportunity to become entrepreneurs and or leaders in their communities?

Tags: Entrepreneurs⁽¹⁾ Education⁽⁸⁾ Leadership⁽⁵⁾

Electricity Tariff

2010/08/19

It is a particularly bad time for industrialists. The electricity accounts for July are causing considerable panic because they are so much higher than expected.

Tags: Electricity⁽²⁾ Eskom⁽⁵⁾ Tariff⁽³⁾ Msunduzi Municipality⁽⁵⁾

Reporting

2010/08/18

Last week there was a press article drawing attention to the fact that the senior management of the Msunduzi Municipality had spent R55 000 on a strategic planning getaway.

Tags: Strategic Planning⁽¹⁾ Perception⁽¹⁾ Msunduzi Municipality⁽⁵⁾ Journalism⁽¹⁾ Media⁽²⁾

Modern-Day Demands

2010/08/12

I write this article on National Women’s Day and have been prompted by today’s After Eight Debate on SAfm to express some thoughts. An older woman phoned in and made the point that women should not denigrate their role as 'queen of the home'.

Tags: Woman⁽¹⁾ Breadwinners⁽¹⁾ Workplace⁽³⁾

National Health Insurance

2010/08/12

In a recent debate about the National Health Insurance scheme that government wishes (is committed?) to introduce, an antagonist suggested that the scheme would not be successful unless it followed a complete overhaul of the public health sector.

Tags: Health⁽¹⁾ Insurance⁽¹⁾ Medical Aid⁽¹⁾ ⁽⁷⁾

Promotion of Access to Information

2010/08/11

The Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) was launched several years ago amidst a fanfare of transparency.

Tags: Information⁽²⁾ Act⁽¹⁾ Promotion of Access to Information⁽¹⁾ Legislation⁽⁸⁾

World BMX Championships

2010/08/05

The organisers of the just-completed World BMX Championships estimated that the event would inject more than R20 million into the local economy.

Tags: World BMX Championships⁽¹⁾ sport⁽²⁾ Events⁽¹⁾ Olympic Games⁽¹⁾

Agriculture

2010/08/04

I know nothing about agricultural economics and don’t understand the dynamics of food production and consumer markets.

Tags: Agriculture⁽¹⁾ Economics⁽¹⁾ Food⁽³⁾ Glboal Warming⁽¹⁾

Sustainable Development

2010/07/29

The term “sustainable development” is a relatively new one in the socio-economic context of the world.

Tags: Sustainable⁽¹⁾ Environment⁽¹⁾ Emissions⁽¹⁾ Legislation⁽⁸⁾ Waste⁽³⁾

Golden Handshake

2010/07/29

All my working life I have been waiting for my employer to offer me a golden handshake for being fired. It’s never happened, and I don’t expect it to happen in the future either.

Tags: Fired⁽¹⁾ Labour⁽⁷⁾ Legislation⁽⁸⁾ ⁽⁷⁾

Protection of Information Bill

2010/07/28

Some years prior to full democracy, the Natal Teachers Society wrestled with the apartheid paradigm.

Tags: Information⁽²⁾ Bill⁽²⁾ Legislation⁽⁸⁾

Recycling

2010/07/21

I am not a green activist; nor have I been a model citizen as far as waste management is concerned. Like most people, I have waited for someone else to spur me on to some sort of conscious effort to deal with domestic waste.

Tags: Environment⁽¹⁾ Waste⁽³⁾ Recycle⁽¹⁾

World Cup Aftermath

2010/07/15

This is rather like the morning after the night before. When I was a teacher and did a fair amount of counselling, I used to liken the ego to a bag or a balloon.

Tags: World Cup⁽²⁾ Soccer⁽⁵⁾ education⁽⁸⁾ Expenditure⁽³⁾ Olympics⁽¹⁾ South africa⁽²⁾

Xenophobia

2010/07/14

During last week, a topic for discussion on one of the SAfm talk programmes was xenophobia. As is quite often the case, regrettably, some of the callers revealed all that is bad about South Africans.

Tags: Xenophobia⁽¹⁾ Racial⁽¹⁾ Race⁽¹⁾ Zimbabwean⁽¹⁾ Entrepreneurial⁽¹⁾

City Administration

2010/07/08

Not long ago in a meeting attended by the leaders of the Municipal administration team and a local rate-payers association, one of the representatives of the latter remarked that the administrators had not done enough to address the city’s problems.

Tags: Municipal⁽¹⁾ Adminstration⁽¹⁾ Rates⁽³⁾ Government⁽⁹⁾ Msunduzi⁽⁷⁾ Expenditure⁽³⁾ Education⁽⁸⁾

Rate Payers

2010/07/08

It is an interesting thing about rate-payers that most of them believe that they are being over-charged. I’m sure this relates to a lot of misunderstandings about property rates and how they are calculated.

Tags: Rates⁽³⁾ Property⁽¹⁾ Tax⁽¹⁾ Msunduzi⁽⁷⁾ Municipality⁽⁸⁾

A Systematic Approach

2010/07/07

Professor Jake Chapman, an academic at the Open University in the UK for thirty-one years, is a specialist in energy – research, policy and its use in housing.

Tags: Energy⁽¹⁾ Government⁽⁹⁾ Education⁽⁸⁾ Systems⁽¹⁾ Service⁽²⁾

Municipal Budget: 2010/11

2010/07/02

In a very constructive meeting with the Mayor and senior officials of the administration team, the PCB has been able to interrogate the budget proposed for the financial year beginning 1 July 2010.

Tags: Budget⁽²⁾ Municipality⁽⁸⁾ Pietermaritzburg. Tariff⁽¹⁾

World Cup Legacy

2010/07/02

The Great Event has run more than half its course. The country has come alive and revelling in the euphoria of being the host nation.

Tags: Soccer⁽⁵⁾ Wold Cup⁽¹⁾ Pride⁽¹⁾ Tourist⁽¹⁾ Tourism⁽⁴⁾ SAPS⁽¹⁾ economy⁽¹⁾ Trade Union⁽¹⁾ Eskom⁽⁵⁾

Friends of Our City

2010/07/01

Some weeks ago, our President said in an interview on East Coast Radio that the Chamber urged people in the city to support the Municipality by paying their dues timeously and, if possible, early, so as to ease the cash flow burden.

Tags: Municipality⁽⁸⁾ rates⁽³⁾ Pietermaritzburg⁽⁶⁾ volunteers⁽²⁾

Grease Payments

2010/07/01

Grease payments are those made by people to officials in the public sector who are in a position to take some action in favour of the person doing the paying.

Tags: Bribes⁽¹⁾ Corruption⁽³⁾

Eskom Strike

2010/06/30

As I write, the nation is not quite sure whether Eskom workers will go on strike or not. They are appealing to government, apparently, to intervene on their behalf.

Tags: Eskom⁽⁵⁾ Strike⁽⁶⁾ Soccer World Cup⁽³⁾

Pietermaritzburg Airport

2010/06/24

Since the beginning of 2006, Airlink has had 6 249 scheduled flights into Pietermaritzburg. The number in each year has declined steadily from 1 681 in 2006 to 1 270 in 2009 and a monthly average of 93 until the end of May this year.

Tags: Pietermaritzburg⁽⁶⁾ Airlink⁽²⁾ Travel⁽²⁾ Airline⁽¹⁾ Airtravel⁽¹⁾

Education

2010/06/23

It was announced a little while ago that the Minister of Basic Education had signed her performance agreement with the President as required by government’s accountability programme, which, of course, is based on the measurement of quantitative achievement.

Tags: Education⁽⁸⁾ Performance⁽¹⁾ Evaluation⁽¹⁾ Students⁽¹⁾ teaching⁽¹⁾

Entrepreneurs

2010/06/17

It is no secret that entrepreneurs represent the engines of economic growth in emerging countries. Our country is no different.

Tags: Entrepreneur⁽³⁾ Funding⁽³⁾ Money⁽²⁾ Bank⁽²⁾ Business Plan⁽¹⁾ Skill⁽¹⁾

World Cup Legacy

2010/06/17

The assertion of some authority by government is to be welcomed. In our own city, though it took some time, government acted decisively to arrest the slide into oblivion.

Tags: Democracy⁽¹⁾ Crime⁽⁵⁾ Soccer World Cup⁽³⁾ Wage⁽¹⁾ strikes⁽¹⁾ Treasury⁽¹⁾

World Cup - Do Not Lose Perspective

2010/06/16

If I were to say that I am as excited about the World Cup as the next person, I would be untruthful. I am not an excitable person by nature and I try to keep perspective.

Tags: World Cup⁽²⁾ Soccer⁽⁵⁾ Strike⁽⁶⁾ Productivity⁽¹⁾ Vuvuzela⁽¹⁾ Tourism⁽⁴⁾

World Cup - It's Here, I'm Feeling It

2010/06/10

It is here! I am feeling it! And so are millions of South Africans. Suddenly, we have come alive. Everywhere there are national flags and boisterous enthusiasm and our country has never looked as united and as excited in a common purpose.

Tags: World Cup⁽²⁾ FIFA⁽⁴⁾ Soccer⁽⁵⁾ Bafana Bafana⁽²⁾ South African⁽¹⁾ King Shaka⁽²⁾

World Cup - It's here!

2010/06/10

It is here! And it is clear that thousands of South Africans are feeling it. The countrywide-vibe is something to be behold as displaying one’s support of Bafana Bafana and the country has become a contagion that has swept across the land.

Tags: World Cup⁽²⁾ Soccer⁽⁵⁾ FIFA⁽⁴⁾ Bafana Bafana⁽²⁾ King Shaka⁽²⁾ Gautrain⁽²⁾

Effects of the Recession

2010/06/09

Last week I was invited to attend a presentation of a report commissioned by the provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism that analysed the effects of the recession on the provincial economy. It elicited some lively discussion, not so much about its contents, but its significances.

Tags: recession⁽²⁾ Economy⁽¹⁾

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