Tag: COVID-19

South African businesses in the metals and engineering (M&E) sector have faced enormous challenges over the past few years, with the  pandemic compounding an already difficult situation. A shrinking domestic market, declining production, weak production sales, a smaller contribution to the economy, increasing joblessness, cheap imports and low investment levels are just some of the issues they face.

With the ravages of COVID-19 since early 2020, has come a rise in employees in full time employment taking on a ‘side hustle’ to supplement income. Further to this, remote working provides employees with a great opportunity to engage in secondary jobs, especially where once being at the office may have been a hindrance.

As South Africa battles a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, all eyes are on how businesses will steady the ship and continue to prepare themselves for future shocks and disruptions. This, coupled with a global surge in cyber attacks, means that digital transformation and acceleration remain as relevant and important, if not more so than ever. 

The start of a new year is the perfect time to change old habits and make choices that promote growth and well-being. This isn’t only good advice for life, but also for one’s investments. As we welcome 2022, there may be no better opportunity to look back at how the investment landscape has changed, consider where the biggest opportunities for the next 11 months will come from, and take note of which investment habits you need to shake.

It seems conceivable that the state of disaster declared under the Disaster Management Act (DMA) in 2020 might soon end. This would involve the removal of various regulatory restrictions South Africans have been burdened with to cope with the spread of COVID-19.

Reframing disruption is necessary to thrive through chaos and change. Future-proof Yourself is written for such a time as this, helping us to win at both work and life, regardless of circumstances. It’s a compelling and practical guide to helping individuals and business leaders to reframe and reinvent in the face of uncertainty and change.

As pandemic restrictions slowly ease, SA’s economy is being imbued with a fresh sense of hope for a better 2022. Recovery after the virus-induced downswing is sorely needed - Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) shows that the total number of liquidations in the country increased by a staggering 46.2% in the second quarter of 2021, compared with the same period the year before.

On Friday 21 January 2022, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) delivered a much anticipated first pronouncement on the fairness of a dismissal following an employee’s refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.

On 21 January 2022, the first Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) decision relating to mandatory vaccinations in the workplace was issued. The Commissioner found that the employee's dismissal for incapacity arising from her refusal to vaccinate was both procedurally and substantively fair.

From a healthcare perspective, we have witnessed, and continue to live through, a truly historical moment. While it has certainly been a difficult period of history, could we now be looking ahead to a golden age of healthcare innovation?