Current Edition >> Archives Section >> Spot Coverage >> February 2008
Bloemskou vanjaar 125 jaar: Die 125ste bestaansjaar van die jaarlikse Bloemfontein Skou word gevier vanaf 24 April tot 3 Mei 2008. Volgens 'n mediaverklaring is Bloemskou tans een van die drie grootste skoue in die land wat steeds landbou en kommersiële sektore kombineer, naas Pietermaritzburg Royal Skou en die Pretoria Skou. Bloemskou is welbekend vir die aanbied van die grootste Saalperdskou in die wêreld, met meer as 1 000 Saalperde. Bloemskou akkommodeer huidiglik meer as 400 uitstallers vanoor die land en meer as 110 000 besoekers besoek die skou oor die 10 dae tydperk. 'n Spesiale poging word aangewend om vanjaar die 125jarige bestaan te vier, en sluit in landbouhoogtepunte soos nege groot Nasionale veeraskampioenskappe. Vir meer besonderhede, skakel (051) 448 9894 of info@bloemskou.co.za.
Launch of LARP for the Free State: The Land and Agrarian Reform Project (LARP) for the Free State was launched on 23 February 2008 at Tussenvier, Bloemspruit, with Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs, Lulu Xingwana, delivering the keynote address. The Department of Agriculture and of Land Affairs have initiated the joint accelerated LARP, which is managed as a joint project of the national Departments of Agriculture and Land Affairs, provincial departments of agriculture (PDAs), the Department of Land Affairs (DLA) and sector partners. The objectives of the LARP are to redistribute 5 million ha of white-owned agricultural land to 10 000 new agricultural producers, to increase black entrepreneurs in the agribusiness industry by 10%, to provide access to agricultural support services to target groups, to increase agricultural production by 10 to 15% for the target groups under the Ilima/Letsema campaign and to increase agricultural trade by 10 to 15% for the target groups. For more information, contact Karabelo Percy Raseobi at 082 334 5076 or Ndumo at 072 480 3968.
Veediefstal looi VS ekonomie: Volgens statistiek deur die SAPS pas vrygestel loop die Vrystaat wat veediefstal betref die ergste deur indien per capita van die bevolking en die waarde van die gesteelde vee in ag geneem word. Volgens die statistieke is daar in die laaste verslagjaar sowat 4 700 stuks vee in die Vrystaat gesteel, heelwat meer as die vorige jaar. Die per capita syfer vir die Vrystaat is 160 per 100 000 van die bevolking, gevolg deur die Noord-Kaap met 144 en die Oos-Kaap en KZN met onderskeidelik 100 en 74. In kommentaar sê die ACDP dat volgens die jongste landbousensus verloor Vrystaatse boere sowat R100 miljoen per jaar weens veediefstalle, die Noord-Kaap sowat R40 miljoen en die Oos-Kaap en KZN jaarliks sowat R60 miljoen. Met 'n gesamentlike verlies van bykans R500 miljoen as gevolg van veediefstal volgens die landbousensus, spreek dit vanself dat veediefstal 'n baie groot impak op voedselpryse sal hê.
Gold market predictions: In its Gold Survey 2007-Update 2, precious metals consultancy GFMS expects the price of gold to reach $1000/oz, “ if not beyond”, in 2008, but not before a severe correction point. During the period of correction, gold will be lucky to go above R900 per oz. This is because of the “very” high level of speculative long positions and a price - induced collapse in fabrication demand, GFMS cautions in the statement announcing the launch. It expects investment demand to surge in 2008 because of the security gold represents against financial turmoil and inflation. It sees high oil prices at the centre of the inflation debate. Further, “savage” cuts in US interest rates, aimed at buoying the financial system and heading off what seems to be an impending recession in the US, will boost gold, the survey says.
Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel, in delivering his 2008/09 Budget Speech in Parliament on 20 February, dismissed doomsday worries about the current global economic downturn and insisted that the South African economy will weather any coming storms. As such, the Minister delivered a “sunny” Budget for South Africa this year, pointing out that five years of economic growth will continue to stand the economy in good stead. The Budget therefore brings another surplus, lowered taxes and increased spending in continued moves to address “binding constraints” to economic growth, such as skills capacity, infrastructure and better systems. The Budget also points to a 4% GDP growth that will rise to about 4,6% by 2010, backed up by the fact that gross fixed capital formation – fixed investment – reached 21% of GDP last year and that this pace is expected to remain “robust”. Tax relief of R10,5 billion is being proposed for the 2008/09 financial year, with personal income tax relief for individuals forming the bulk of this, at R7,7 billion. At the same time, corporates get a reduction too with the headline corporate tax rate reduced by one percentage point, bringing it to 28%. Small businesses get a massive boost, with the compulsory VAT registration threshold raised from R300 000 to R1 million, while R5 billion in tax subsidies over the next three years will support “emerging industrial policy”. Meanwhile, there are virtually all-round additions to spending over the next three years: An additional R12,5 billion goes to social grants, with the extension of the child support grant to children up to their 15th birthday as of next year. This amount also caters to lowering the age of eligibility for men to receive the old-age pension to 60. Also in the Budget is an additional R8,2 billion for public, transport, roads and railway infrastructure, while there is an additional R2 billion for 2010 FIFA World Cup stadiums and related infrastructure. An additional R2,6 billion goes to agriculture and land reform including restitution, with Manuel defending this number by refusing to put a potential price on farmland that could be earmarked for redistribution or restitution to members of the country's dispossessed majority. An additional R2,5 billion goes to industrial development and small, medium and micro enterprises, while an additional R1,4 billion is set aside for higher education, research and knowledge development. This is while the Budget surplus is held over from last year, remaining at 1%, with this budget balance as a percentage of GDP projected to fall to 0,6% in 2009/10 and rise slightly to 0,7% by 2010/11. Overall, the resilience of the country's economy to global economic shocks is supported by steady growth in net foreign reserves, which reached US$32 billion by the end of last month.
Die afgelope drie maande het die gevalle van riool in drinkwaterbronne van Vrystaatse dorpe, die voorbeelde van besoedeling van die ondergrondse watertafel en die gevalle van gebrekkige instandhouding van die munisipale watersuiweringswerke in die provinsie, so toegeneem dat 'n permanente rooilig flikker. In die watertoetsingsverslag van die WNNR namens die Departement van Waterwese en Bosbou vir Januarie 2008, is 'n kode rooi (die laagste en gevaarlikste) toegeken aan die dirnkwater van 23 van die 80 dorpe en stede in die Vrystaat. T.o.v. Bloemfontein/Mangaung is al berig dat die rou riool van Wepener tot ten minste onlangs via die Sandspruit en Caledonrivier in die Welbedachtdam, die hoofbron van die stad se drinkwater, gestort is. By Welkom het 'n R8 miljoen pompstasieprojek twee jaar gelede skipbreuk gely, met die resultaat 'n groot rou riool/drinkwaterprobleem vir die stedelike gebied. Na berig word staan die rioolsuiweringsaanleg by Parys al vir twee jaar botstil, met rioolafval wat direk in die Vaalrivier inloop. Talle gevalle van ernstige siek mense met diarree, maagaandoenings, ens. te Parys, Vredefort en Viljoenskroon word wyd in gemeenskappe gerapporteer. Te Reitz is ecoli in die munisipale drinkwater gevind en het babasterftes na bewering a.g.v. die water voorgekom. Daar is haas nie 'n Vrystaatse dorp waar nie al ernstige drinkwaterprobleme ondervind is nie. Dit het die punt bereik waar 'n mens bykans nie meer munisipale kraanwater kan drink sonder dat dit deur 'n private huishoudelike watersuiweringstelsel gegaan het nie. Water is 'n strategiese en noodsaaklike bate - trouens goeie gehalte daarvan word in die SA Grondwet as 'n mensereg omskryf – en die wye voorkoms van ernstige probleme met drinkwatergehalte in die provinsie dui op 'n krisis. As sulks stel dit 'n geweldige uitdaging aan volgehoue en effektiewe sosio-ekonomiese groei in die provinsie. Hoe die situasie verder gaan ontplooi en wat deur wie daaromtrent gedoen word, word deur die Vrystaat Sake Bulletin gemonitor en word beoog om in volgende uitgawes daaroor te berig.
Ask some people what it takes to start a business and they will tell you “money”. They are right – to an extent. Sooner or later you certainly need money to get a business up and running.
My experience with small businesses revealed that many a times, small business owners go too far in raising a large amount of capital, only to realize later that the money tilted them more to the failure side than to success.
This is a fact, out of every 10 new businesses started this year, at least two will have gone out of business by Christmas. Research around the world constantly shows that if a new venture runs into trouble in the first few months, it is invariably due to one or more of the following basic and often fatal mistakes:
No business plan: How could anyone embark on a long journey without a detailed plan? Solution: Get yourself a business plan. It will help you get started and help you anticipate common “teething” problems that characterize new ventures.
Being undercapitalized: Too little capital at start-up can quickly ground your business. Sometimes some of your customers (especially government and corporate) will take between 30 – 90 days to pay for your services. This can be fatal to your cash flow. Solution: Extend your projected break-even date by at least 50%. Have extra cash to cover personal living expenses for at least 6 months.
Jumping in blindly: Entrepreneurs often jump into new venture without fully exploring the line of trade and all the implications. Solution: Learn as much as possible. If you want to open a restaurant, then do some part-time work in one for three months.
Over-spending: Flashy equipments, new vehicles, etc, eat up valuable cash, thereby restricting the company's ability to deliver. Solution: The golden rule is to cut corners on items that aren't necessary to bring in business. The fancy chairs, expensive stationery, cars, etc. Buy second hand or lease equipments where possible.
Friend or relative as partner: Avoid making a friend or relative as partner especially if he or she is the one with the large chunk of the capital required. Solution: Formally establish ground rules. Put everything down on paper particularly financial agreements such as return on investments objectives. Design specific areas of responsibilities for each partner and stick to them.
Picking the wrong employees: Staff theft, abuse of company assets, dubious sick leave and literacy problems come up time and time again. The effect is to dilute valuable time away from the core business activities. Solution: Hire first on probation and do a thorough background check. Ask prospective employees to compose a letter by hand, or better still on a computer. Verify telephone manner and obtain ID no for credit checks.
Getting too comfortable: When things are going well, it is tempting for entrepreneurs to get too comfortable, hiring a manager to replace them. Solution: Select the right person to assist, not replace you. Make sure you see all financial documents daily and never lose your passion for your business.
Profitability: Many business owners do not know the unit price of their product and services thereby making it difficult to fix the right price. Solution: Know your cost price, selling price, profit margin and profit as a percentage of cost price. Learn to say no to sale. Not every sale is in your company's best interest.
Being fooled by flattery: Don't' surround yourself with people who agree with everything you say or do. Encourage criticism or your ideas and be a good listener. If you can't absorb questions and objections then you are not ready for the stark reality and responsibility of running your own business.
Dit blyk dat hokkie in die Vrystaat tans op 'n wipplankrit is met sommige afdelings waarin dit baie goed gaan en ander afdelings waarin dit swak gaan. By die Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV) met sy twee Astrobane gaan dit uitstekend. Mnr. Frans van der Watt, bestuurder: hokkie by die UV Sportburo, sê die aantal hokkiespelers aan die universiteit het die afgelope jaar verdubbel. Hy sê die twee nuutgeboude Astrobane plaas die sport op 'n nuwe vlak. Die UV het in 2007 manshokkieklubkampioenskappe in die stad gewen en die dames het tweede naas Raiders geeïndig. ABSA is die hoofborg van Kovsie-hokkie. Om hokkie in die Vrystaat te bevorder, beplan die UV om in samewerking met die Universiteit se Afdeling Samelewingsdiens, verskeie kursusse en afrigtingsklinieke vir minder bevoorregtes in afgeleë skole en woongebiede in die Suid-Vrystaat aan te bied. Daarenteen gaan dit volgens mnr. Stewart Leech, voorsitter van Vrystaat Hokkie en afrigter van hokkie by die Sentrale Universiteit van Tegnologie (SUT), nie goed met die sport sowel op provinsiale vlak as by SUT nie. Die rede is hoofsaaklik moderne geriewe, veral Astrobane en maak hulle waar moontlik van die bane by die UV gebruik. Die Astrobaan langs die Vrystaat Stadion het tot niet gegaan vanweë gebrek aan instandhouding deur die maatskappy wat verantwoordelikheid daarvoor geneem het. Op provinsiale vlak het beide die Vrystaatse dames - en manshokkiespanne teleurstellend gevaar en het albei spanne laaste geeïndig. Provinsiale hokkie sukkel ook om borgskappe te bekom. Die enigste ander Astrobane in die Vrystaat is by Grey Kollege en by Hoërskool Oranje een baan elk. Op die Vrystaatse platteland is daar nie juis sprake van hokkie op senior vlak nie, maar in die Noord-Vrystaat bestaan wel 'n sterk klubstruktuur. Skolehokkie vir hoërskooldogters op die platteland is egter lewendig en gesond.
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