Current Edition >> Archives Section >> Business Pointers >> November 2002

Business pointers :: Sakeflitse

• Foreign direct investment slumps globally: According to Unctad's 2002 World Investment Report foreign direct investment (FDI) flows across the globe in 2001 slumped to $735 billion or less than half the 2000-figure, due to the slowdown in the world economy and subsiding business confidence, both of which were aggravated by the September 11 attacks in the US. The downturn in FDI was concentrated in the developed countries, which collectively suffered a 59% decline to $500-billion. Flows to the US halved to $124 billion, while those to the European Union dropped by some $323 billion. Central and Eastern Europe, however, reported a small increase of 2 %. In Africa, South Africa was the largest recipient of FDI, but a substantial portion of the $6,7-billion it received pertains to the cancellation of the cross-shareholding between the London-listed Anglo American and De Beers.

• Standard Bank Afrika Ontwikkelingsfonds: Standard Bank het die leiding geneem in 'n konsortium wat deur die Britse regering aangestel is om 'n fonds van R3,5 miljard te vestig. Die fonds sal hom daarvoor beywer om projekte in die private sektor, wat kommersieël lewensvatbaar is, in Afrika suid van die Sahara te finansier. Standard Bank het ook R700 miljoen belê in die fonds, wat daarop gemik is om armoede te bestry en ekonomiese groei aan te wakker. Die Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (Emerging Africa) sal deur Standard Bank Infrastructure Fund Managers (Africa) bestuur word. Dit word deur Standard Bank met sy vennote, FMO, die Nederlandse ontwikkelingsfinansieringsinstituut en die Emerging Markets Partnership van Amerika (EMP) bestuur. Emerging Africa sal langtermynfinansiering aan die private sektor verskaf vir infrastruktuurprojekte in 44 Afrikalande. Dit sluit egter Suid-Afrika en Mauritius uit, wat reeds in staat is om dié soort finansiering te kry.

• Permanent international trade centre in Joh'burg: South Africa's first international trade center will open its doors in the Johannesburg central business district (CBD) in March next year. As an initiative of the International Trade Bureau (ITB), a private sector international trade promotion company, the 17-storey trade centre, which has been billed as one of the world's largest 'trade marks', will offer 15 000 m2 of permanent exhibition space for 773 South African and 537 foreign companies. The first 10 floors will be allocated to South African companies, followed by exhibitors from Europe, Africa and the Middle East, North and Central America, Australasia, the Far East and Asia.

• Toerisme in Suid-Afrika styg: Minister van Toerisme, Valli Moosa het bekendgemaak dat die aantal buitelandse toeriste in die eerste sewe maande van vanjaar met 7,2 % gestyg het - 236 314 toeriste meer as verlede jaar. Altesaam 3,5 miljoen mense het reeds vanjaar die land besoek. Dié syfers is net tot Julie en sluit nog nie die besoekersgetalle van die Wêreldberaad vir Volhoubare Ontwikkeling in nie.

• Departemente skuld baie: Minister van Openbare Werke, Stella Sigcau het in die Parlement gesê staatsdepartemente het einde Junie vanjaar meer as R6,47 miljoen se agterstallige huurgeld aan private instellings en munisipaliteite geskuld. Die Dept. van Arbeid het sowat R1,29 miljoen aan JHI Eiendomme geskuld en die SA Weermag sowat R1,58 miljoen aan die Nasionale Hawe-owerheid. Die rede vir die skuld is hoofsaaklik vertragings met die afhandeling van betalings weens die laat indiening van gesertifiseerde huurkontrakte.

• Anglo American spreads huge wings: Mining giant Anglo American has spent $1,9 billion to acquire new assets in South Africa and in other regions of the world during the first half of this year. In SA, this investment included an expenditure of $530 million to raise its stake in Anglo Platinum, the world's largest platinum producer, to 63,8 %; $205-million to increase its shareholding in Gold Fields; and a total of $365-million to acquire 20,1 % of Kumba Resources and 34,9 % of Anglovaal Mining (Avmin). The Kumba and Avmin transactions formed the basis of Anglo's strategy of securing what CE Tony Trahar called “a meaningful interest in the iron-ore sector in South Africa”.

• Emigrasie / immigrasie SA: Volgens Statistieke Suid-Afrika het sowat 20 000 Suid-Afrikaners onlangs die land verlaat as deel van die groeiende uitvloei van kundiges. Altesaam 12 260 mense het verlede jaar permanent vanaf die drie grootste lughawens van Suid-Afrika vertrek. Net in die eerste helfte van vanjaar het 7 423 Suid-Afrikaners hul tasse gepak teenoor die 7 086 verlede jaar. Groot getalle is hoogs geskooldes, terwyl in teenstelling daarmee talle werklose mense Suid-Afrika binne stroom. Van die net meer as 3 600 amptelike immigrante verlede jaar, was bykans 3 000 nie ekonomies bedrywig nie. Slegs 367 was beroepslui, terwyl 232 bestuurs- of administratiewe werk gedoen het. Die meeste is van lande soos Nigerië, Zimbabwe, Indië of Pakistan.

• Prominent Paints open in China: Prominent Paints, national supplier headquartered on the East Rand, has successfully established a subsidiary in China and in February this year shipped its first consignment of containers to Dalian City in Lianong Province . The paint company - the third biggest in South Africa - has also sent shop equipment including shelving, signage and point-of-sale furniture, to help the Chinese buyer create a Western-look-and-feel paint outlet. It has also established a manufacturing plant in China and has permission to sell to a 5,5 million strong middle class market. In addition, it has had paints tested and approved by the Beijing Paint Institute for use at the 2008 Beijing Olympic village.

• Swart bemagtiging in tafeldruiwe: 'n Finansieringsooreenkoms van R230 miljoen is onderteken vir die ontwikkeling van 'n uitvoerprojek vir tafeldruiwe van 500 ha in Noord-Kaap - die grootste swartbeleggingsooreenkoms nog in landbou in Suid-Afrika. Die vennote in die projek is die Nywerheidsontwikkelingskorporasie (NOK), Black Management Forum Investment Company (BMFI), Plaaswerkersvereniging en Karsten Boerdery naby Upington. Die projek, Keboes Vrugteplase, sal na verwagting 1 250 werkgeleenthede skep en R166 miljoen per jaar bydra tot buitelandse valuta wanneer dit teen 2010 in volle produksie is.

• L'Oreal expands in South Africa: French cosmetic company L'Oreal has built a new R25-million warehouse in Centurion, Gauteng. The 18-month project to construct the 10 000 m2 warehouse was managed by Super Group's supply-chain expertise. The facility currently employs 50 permanent staff and an additional 25 casual workers, holding between R50-million and R60-million-worth of stock. L'Oreal aims to capture 50% of the Africa market within the next five to ten years, expanding from its current 41% share of the South African R950-million-a-year market.