After the 2008 global financial crisis, the G20 group of countries – of which South Africa is a member – saw the need to reinforce a stable financial system and asked the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision to create a new banking regulation framework. Basel III, the committee’s current standards for bank soundness, has called for more stringent capital and liquidity requirements, with the…
The Company AngloGold Ashanti is the world’s third-largest gold producer by volume, with annual production of around 4m oz and a strong presence in exploration, mining and marketing. The company is headquartered in Johannesburg and has 21 operations in 10 countries. Its major development projects are Tropicana in Australia, Kibali in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and La Colosa in Colombia. The…
The Company Kumba is a listed iron ore mining company and 70% subsidiary of global diversified miner Anglo American, benefitting from group procurement and mine optimisation strategies. Kumba was formed in a 2001 demerger from South African integrated steel company Iscor and a subsequent demerger of coal mining operations in 2006 to form a separately listed company, Exxaro. Exxaro simultaneously became…
The Company MTN is a multi-national telecommunications company headquartered in South Africa, with operations in 22 countries across Africa and the Middle East. MTN’s offerings include voice services through 2G or GSM networks and data services through 3G networks. Incorporated in 1994 under the name M-Cell, the company was awarded the second national licence in South Africa, commencing…
The Company Sasol is an integrated oil and gas company with substantial chemical interests based in South Africa, where it enjoys a leading 35% share of the liquid fuels market. Its core business is the production of liquid fuels and chemicals from coal using Fischer Tropsch technology. The company has also developed natural gas reserves in Mozambique in partnership with the local government. The…
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) retained its ranking as the best-governed bourse globally, a position it has held for four years running, according to the World Economic Forum’s “Global Competitiveness Report” for 2013-14. Balancing effective regulation with an enabling environment for new products has been key to the JSE’s success. Sound, Strong & Supportive The JSE is South Africa’s…
The Company Woolworths Holding is an investment holding company, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and operating through two subsidiaries, Woolworths (proprietary) and Country Road, as well as joint venture Woolworths Financial Services. Woolworths is a chain of retail stores in South Africa and certain countries in Africa and the Middle East that offers a range of clothing, food and general…
Low-income earners are typically the population segment most negatively affected by unexpected adverse events, and they also tend to be the group with the lowest insurance coverage. While South Africa’s micro-insurance penetration compares favourably – around 30% of South African adults use micro-insurance compared to less than 1% in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa – there is still room for growth,…
It seems that every year in South Africa, newspaper headlines are filled with a pending shift in policy direction for the mining sector, but rarely with any results. In 2012 fears were of a populist-driven move towards resource nationalisation, which was subsequently quashed by President Jacob Zuma’s administration, while 2013 saw concerns over a new resources tax. In March 2014 an amendment bill…
Industrial action has become an annual event for a number of South African sectors, leading to what is referred to as “strike season” during the second and third quarters of the year. In the mining sector, particularly in the platinum industry, the last couple of years have seen an escalation in terms of the size and scope of labour unrest, which could have significant ramifications for future…
