Assets & Investments

It is sometimes said that the 'law is an ass' when one thinks the law is too rigid, unnecessary or ridiculous. The complainant sought payment of a surplus benefit following the death of her husband who was a member of the Auto Workers Provident Fund.

In his budget speech on 22 February 2023, the Minister of Finance announced that the proposed two-pot system will take effect on 1 March 2024. Many had hoped for a delayed implementation date, given the development required to systems to accommodate the new structure.

South Africans are struggling to achieve financial freedom with 34% not having enough savings to last more than a month if they lost their income/jobs. However, this freedom can be within reach through investing in quality assets such as real estate to build up a passive income.

When investing, sometimes the best course of action is to do nothing. Having the ability to block out the noise, and look through the cycle, are some of the cornerstones to investment success over the long term. But what else sets successful investors apart?

Of the companies we research, the tobacco industry has some of the best structural fundamentals. Tobacco consumption is relatively price-inelastic, which means that price increases can make up for falls in sales volumes. Taxes make up a large portion of sale prices.

There is an increasing amount of investment entering the venture capital and private equity space in South Africa and abroad. In the latest SAVCA Venture Capital Industry survey, it is said that R 6.97 billion had been invested into 841 active deals, with 53.4% of the recipients being seed or start-up stage businesses.

Tourism is a significant sector. It directly and indirectly supports 8,6% of South Africa’s GDP. Its economic activity encompasses all non-commuter passenger travel, car hire, a wide range of accommodation types, a vast array of activities and attractions, conference centres, retail and restaurants and services such as tour operators, travel agents, conference and event organisers and the like.

Having worked in the commercial property sector for many years, let me state a truth universally acknowledged, but often overlooked: we will come through this, and the sector will recover from the significant knocks its faced recently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With all the uncertainty in the South African market and concerns about future investment returns, many investors are looking offshore for investment opportunities. A diversified investment portfolio is always a good strategy when saving for retirement but before you set off looking for greener pastures in offshore markets, take note of Regulation 28 and its integration in retirement annuity funds.

According to recent research from the Master of the High Court of South Africa, it’s estimated that 15% of South Africans who die have a will in place, which means that five out of six don’t. If you die without a will, your estate will be intestate. This can be a long and drawn-out process, and the assets from your estate will not be in line with what you wanted.