Browsing: South Africa

Why Australia is a top mining destination

The answer is in the law and the governance models that these countries approach. The way in which the governments of those countries approach the mining industry is imperative.

In South Africa, the natural resource curse is more pronounced in the sense that while the mining sector has made a few individuals fabulously wealthy, inequality in that country has meant that while the richest of the rich get richer, the poor get poorer.

How can governments approach the mining sector to ensure its development leads to broad-based and shared prosperity for all? The answer is the same. The answer is in the respective governments and the legal frameworks for the mining industries of those countries.

In 2020, Amazon launched the Africa (Cape Town) Region, the first AWS Infrastructure Region in South Africa. However, plans for the construction of a new Cape Town-based Amazon Africa headquarters were blocked earlier this year by the Cape Town High Court as Amazon had allegedly not gone through the proper process to acquire the land.

Meanwhile, retailer Pick n Pay migrated its entire on-premise information technology infrastructure to Amazon Web Services (AWS).

In a statement, AWS says Pick n Pay worked with Lemongrass Consulting, an AWS Premier consulting partner with migration and SAP Consulting Competencies, to migrate its on-premises SAP environment to AWS and implement a modern SAP HANA platform.

According to the US-based cloud computing giant, moving to the cloud will enable Pick n Pay to streamline its operations and modernize the supply chain network for its stores, develop new digital customer experiences in omnichannel grocery, and expand into new areas of business.

BRICS nations championing the de-dollarization of international trade.

The current large-scale transition of the global economy, principally triggered by the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia as well as the standoff between China and the United States, creates a multipolar world map with new centres of power.

Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, also known as the BRICS nations, have enhanced industrial and financial might and are pushing for a seat at the global new power axis table. These nations are essential participants in international markets for products, services, and money, having a considerable, sometimes decisive, effect on how the global economy operates.

Critical Steps to follow for a successful Tech acquisition. www.theexchange.africa

According to Refinitiv Data, the value of South African mergers and acquisitions increased by 958 per cent from the same period in 2020 to US$52 billion in the first half of 2021, from a total of 169 deals. When compared to the same period in 2020, deals involving tech businesses soared by US$160 million, or about 2000 per cent.

According to an article by Tech Cabal, acquisitions in South Africa can broadly be categorized into three:

Inbound inter-country acquisitions of South African startups by international companies (mostly US-based),
Domestic intra-country acquisitions of South African startups by well-established South African companies, and
Domestic intra-country acquisitions of South African startups by other South African startups.

Relief as China Lifts Import Ban on South African Wool products. www.theexchange.africa

In 2020, Wool was the world’s 653rd most traded product, with a total trade of US$2.5 billion. Between 2019 and 2020, Wool exports decreased by -31.4 per cent, from US$3.65 billion to US$2.5 billion. Trade in Wool represents 0.015 per cent of total world trade.

Wool is a part of fine or coarse animal hair, horsehair yarn, and woven fabric. They include greasy shorn wool, not carded or combed, Degreased shorn wool, not carded, combed, or carbonize, Carbonized wool, not carded or combed, Degreased wool, not carded, combed, or carbonized, and Greasy wool (other than shorn) not carded or combed. In 2020 the top exporters of Wool were Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.

The fastest growing export markets for Wool of South Africa between 2019 and 2020 were China, Eswatini, and Uruguay. In April 2022, South Africa’s Wool exports accounted for up to ZAR205 million, and imports accounted for up to ZAR4.5 million, resulting in a positive trade balance of ZAR200 million. Between April 2021 and April 2022, South Africa’s Wool exports decreased by ZAR-96.2 million (-32 per cent) from ZAR301 million to ZAR205 million, while imports increased by ZAR1.76 million (64 per cent) from ZAR2.75 million to ZAR4.5 million according to data from OEC.World.

Irrespective of size, reputation, experience, and capability, being awarded a project is not as easy and achievable as in other countries due to the B-BBEE (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) legislation introduced by the Government of South Africa, which is unique and only applicable to firms registered and trading in South Africa. www.theexchange.africa

Nasdaq in an article dated April 20, 2022, said the move is classed as Black economic empowerment (BEE) transaction, a government initiative to reverse ongoing economic inequalities almost three decades after the end of apartheid, encouraging companies to meet quotas in areas including Black ownership, employment, and procurement.

“This deal underpins our firm belief that real transformation is necessary to sustain business growth and serve the best interests of all South Africans,” CEO Iain Williamson said in a statement.

“Through this Old Mutual Bula Tsela Retail Scheme, we will give our people the opportunity to become (indirect) owners of the company they love and trust,” he added.

The new shares will constitute approximately 4.36 per cent of Old Mutual’s current issued share capital and 4.18 per cent of the enlarged share capital.