I have just come back from two weeks of blissful holiday in idyllic Mozambique. A recommended trip for anyone needing a break.
What struck me, though, was the work that is going on to fix and upgrade the infrastructure, which took such a battering during the civil war. Of the 600 or […]
International expansion and consolidation is the catch-phrase for any number of businesses, and it will continue to be so into the future. Many are investing in emerging markets because of the higher returns that can be gained. For example, even Warren Buffet made his first major investment outside the USA recently, paying $4bn for an […]
South Africa is sitting in a precarious position as far as the future of political freedom is concerned.Â
Historically, countries that have experienced high levels of insecurity or political instability and ineffectiveness have become targets for extremists wanting to take control. A good recent example is Thailand, which has suffered a military coup due to the […]
Those determined to bring down Jacob Zuma and destroy his future political career by pillorying him in the media should learn from the recent experience of Israel in Lebanon. When Hezbollah first kidnapped Israeli soldiers, Israel actually had quite a number of sympathisers in Lebanon. But that country’s over-zealous response has turned them into enemies […]
The new advertisement being run on South African television by the Department of Home Affairs is hypocritical in the extreme. The advertisement calls on South Africans to be more welcoming to refugees. It hints at the similar hardships that struggle heroes who left South Africa went through.
In itself, the advertisement is commendable, but the reality […]
(Published in Business Day, June 2006)On 30 May South Africa’s Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, was quoted in a Reuters interview as saying that South Africa would support Zimbabwe in the event of an economic meltdown. Now I don’t know if “meltdown” was the word that she actually used or if that was journalistic licence, but […]
(Published in Business Day, June 2006)The leader article “Expansion into Africa too costly – Vodacom” (Business Day, 6 June) is disappointing. It reflects a misplaced Afro-pessimism that is at odds with the optimistic climate displayed at the recent World Economic Forum on Africa, with its focus on opportunities.CEO of Vodacom, Alan Knott-Craig is quoted […]