Category Archives: South Africa News

South Africa News

Developments in the South African automotive industry creating optimism for manufacturing sector

By Prenisha Martin, Advanced Associate, Tax Practice, Baker McKenzie Johannesburg The amended Automotive Production Development Programme (APDP) regulations, legislated in Schedule No.3 of the Customs and Excise Act, were released by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) just over a year ago, on 5 February 2021. The APDP is essentially South Africa’s long-term masterplan to […]

Budget’s focus on taxpayer relief bodes well for bill payments

South African’s can say thank you to the Minister of Finance for providing some tax relief during his maiden Budget speech that will put money back into their pockets – something that bodes well for economic activity and the bill payments sector. In the 2022 Budget Speech, delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on Wednesday, […]

Tips for Successful Homeschooling in Africa

In many African nations, homeschooling is becoming a popular choice for both nationals and ex-pats. It guarantees the quality of education and allows parents to guide the curriculum. If you’re considering homeschooling your children, be sure to keep these tips in mind.  Find Out the Rules for Homeschooling in Your Country While homeschooling is legal […]

How 3 draws per week makes the French Lotto that more appealing

Did you know the French Lotto draw happens three times a week? That’s one more than most major lotteries around the world and yet another opportunity in a seven-day period to win big. It happens on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, giving those who enter a chance to triumph at the start, in the middle and […]

Paramount Group Recognised As Top Employer For Third Consecutive Year

Paramount Group Recognised As Top Employer For Third Consecutive Year

Aerospace and Technology Company Awarded 2022 Top Employers Institute Accolade For Setting Exemplary Standards In People Practices Johannesburg, South Africa, February 15th, 2022 – The Top Employers Institute has announced its Top Employers around the world in 2022 and for the third consecutive year, the global aerospace and technology company, Paramount Group, has been recognised as […]

AURA launch inaugural crime trend report to better understand and prevent SA’s high crime rate

AURA, South Africa’s leading security and medical response marketplace has released its inaugural Crime Trend Report, providing new and unique insight into South Africa’s crime stats in key categories from armed robberies to attempted hijackings and gender-based violence. The report gathered data over the past year from AURA’s nationwide network of over 250 private security […]

Paramount Group Appoints Steve Griessel as Group Chief Executive Officer

Abu Dhabi. United Arab Emirates. 25 January 2022 – Paramount Group, the global aerospace and technology company, announced today that it has appointed Steve Griessel as its Group Chief Executive Officer. South African-born Griessel, a global business executive who served as CEO of several companies in South Africa and the United States, including two public companies, brings more […]

Developing a quality culture across South Africa’s Solar PV value chain

By 2030, total installed PV capacity in South Africa is expected to reach 8,400 MW. However, if we want sustainable growth, we need to ensure that we develop and implement quality infrastructure for solar PV systems. “Embedding a culture of quality is vital if we want to unlock the huge economic potential of solar technologies”, […]

Policy Reforms Essential for Creating an Enabling Environment for Entrepreneurs

Faster economic growth requires determined implementation of policy reforms to promote confidence, investment, competitiveness, entrepreneurship and job creationi. This is according to the recently delivered Medium Term Budget Policy Statement.    With this in mind, Matsi Modise, Chairperson of the South African Startup Act Steering Committee and Vice-Chairperson of SiMODiSA, together with Steering Committee members Tanya van […]

Big manufacturers need to redesign our (circular) economy

Last year saw the UK government call on all businesses to sign up to the globally recognised UN Race to Zero Climate Commitment, by pledging to go One Step Greener during COP26. With 45% of global greenhouse gas emissions coming from the way we make and use products and food, local business needs to start […]

Make a success of sustainability: An innovative incubator aimed at equipping entrepreneurs to build the green economy

According to a recent study by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), transitioning to a more circular economy can create value across all sectors of the economy. The circular economy promotes sustainability, and the sector consists of businesses that focus on eliminating waste, leading to improved efficiency and greater profit margins. Sixty-five entrepreneurs will […]

Trends shaping the workspace in 2022

The first half of 2021 saw the return, albeit slow, of employees to offices and the realisation for many that they craved interaction with their colleagues, to collaborate with, bounce ideas off or simply talk to. The surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant towards the end of the year, however, resulted in many companies delaying […]

New UK-South Africa Partnership Launched to Tackle Poverty, Unemployment, and Inclusive Economic Growth Through Innovation

South Africa has been ranked as the 13th biggest carbon dioxide emitter in the world[1]. For the country to help bring global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050, it will need to cut its emissions by approximately 60% to 75%[2]. Not only will this benefit the planet, but the people of South […]

Africa is leapfrogging into the future of retail

The bi-annual Global Retail Development Index (GRDI), which is a study of the global retailing landscape has revealed Africa is poised to move away from traditional retail models and become the fastest-growing, richest, and most sophisticated market in the world. Prashaen Reddy, a partner at management consulting firm Kearney says that this is thanks to the […]

Are Brick Houses a Good Investment in South Africa?

Clay bricks are created using the same formula that has been used to build many famous structures. They are a long-lasting, visually beautiful construction material that works effectively over time.  The final combination of raw materials provides clay brick its particular features, such as sturdiness, resilience, dimensional stability, and durability, as well as fire and […]

SMEs of Tomorrow – Tips to Drive Growth in 2022

Employing over half the workforce, driving significant growth in the private sector, and representing some 98% of all businesses, SMEs are the lifeblood of the South African economy. Experts speculate that Digital Transformation, COVID-19 awareness, shifting supply-chain trends, and operational optimisations, are among the key areas where SMEs can drive improvements, and thrive in 2022. […]

Why the sector is fertile ground for South African entrepreneurs

By Catherine Wijnberg, CEO of Fetola South Africa needs entrepreneurs to reverse our shrinking economy and high unemployment rate. And while they face numerous barriers in almost every sector, there is one industry that offers them the key to success: The circular economy. Only about 1% of micro-enterprises[1] in South Africa, starting with one to five […]

Payment fraud – top five scams to look out for

The truth is, all businesses are at risk of being scammed at some point, and just one incident can cost a company millions of Rand. Ryan Mer, CEO, eftsure Africa, a Know Your Payee™ (KYP) platform provider, says that fraudsters are constantly finding new ways to exploit vulnerabilities and attack corporate payment systems and it’s […]

There are lessons in the US iBuyer Bubble Burst for the South African property market

By Gil Sperling, Co-CEO & Co-Founder: Flow The US housing market suffered a seismic shock last week when leading property listings portal Zillow exited its iBuying business after a $1 billion loss over the course of three years – and there are lessons in the move for the South African market. iBuying has been a […]

Financial Inclusion across Africa starts here

Africa’s first digital in-store lay-by app is aiming to create financial inclusion throughout the continent – starting in South Africa. Local fintech startup LayUp is taking the lay-by process into the 21st century – for merchants and consumers – with a mobile app and rollout of a terminal app via payment & merchant solutions provider […]

ESG obligations leading to the risk of increased litigation for African businesses

By Darryl Bernstein, Partner and Head of the Dispute Resolution Practice at Baker McKenzie in Johannesburg As African businesses begin to recover and build the resilience needed to successfully navigate COVID-19 disruption, a focus on Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) strategies is proving to be essential for long-term success. In order to stay competitive, organisations […]

Digital identity is a crucial business requirement post-Covid

It is well-known that the Covid-pandemic has forced change in many industries and driven digitalisation at a pace faster than anyone could have anticipated, but it has happened at the cost of robust security and digital authentication. The ramifications of this could be felt soon as it becomes increasingly difficult to know whether the person […]