Tag: load shedding

With Coal & Energy Transition Day taking place this month, the discussion around sustainability and coal mining ramps up, as the sector grapples with the desire and responsibility to lower its carbon footprint – but not lose its very reason for existence.

Local businesses that have transitioned to hybrid work programmes are well aware of the potential productivity gains to be had when employees have the flexibility to work from anywhere. Of course, the journey from a traditional office setup to a complete remote model during the pandemic was the catalyst for this model.

The South African retail industry operates in a complex and challenging environment. Economic uncertainty, rising costs, and unpredictable consumer demands have created conditions in which retailers must constantly adapt to survive.

Yes, the keto diet has been around for a while; you’ve heard about it but don’t fully understand the concept and think it’s too expensive. Or perhaps you tried it but were overwhelmed with a deluge of often conflicting information, so you gave up. Possibly, you are following it faithfully but need new inspiration.

Losing a loved one is hard. It’s even more difficult to deal with such a loss in the face of long and complicated estate administration processes. It can become emotionally and financially taxing. In South Africa, it is not uncommon for a deceased estate to take two to five years to finalise.

It’s no secret that the Rand is incredibly volatile. Anyone who listens to the currency reports at the end of a news bulletin knows how big the swings (mostly in the wrong direction) any time there’s a major economic event at home and abroad.

Mining is a historically linear process – we take materials from the earth, make products from them and eventually throw them away as waste. With the intensification of climate change, environmental degradation, pollution – all products of linear economies – the mining industry needs to transition to a circular economy.

From smoke signals and homing pigeons, long-distance communications have come a long way – today telecom platforms and solutions have transformed how organisations and individuals share voice, data, video and information. The world has moved beyond the physical and into the digital with solutions that allow for clear, always-on, and accessible communications.

South Africa’s major banks registered resilient growth against difficult operating conditions and a complex macroeconomic environment. Combined headline earnings growth of 13.8% against FY22 to R113.2 billion, combined ROE of 17.6% (FY22: 17.1%), net interest margin of 458 bps (FY22: 430 bps), credit loss ratio of 102 bps (FY22: 82 bps), cost-to-income ratio of 52.2% (FY22: 53%), common equity tier ratio of 13.2% (FY22: 13.5%).

Let’s not pretend! Times are tough! A flailing economy, escalating costs, load shedding, geopolitical tensions and elections coming up in 2024 - to name a few challenges. So how do we keep our heads down and our businesses afloat? Often, the same strategies that help achieve success during ‘easier’ years still largely apply – albeit with a heightened focus.