CITY’S DRAFT TARIFF INCREASES ON THE TABLE

The consultative meeting to discuss the city’s proposed tariff increases has been set for March 10, from 12 noon till 2 pm in  Committee Room 3, at City Hall. This meeting was called after the first meeting was postponed by the Msunduzi Municipality to obtain feedback on the tariff increases for services, proposed as follows: Electricity - 8.00%; water - 6.10 % on the basic charge and 15.00% on consumption; and rates - 6.10%. While Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business CEO Melanie Veness will represent the PCB, members are encouraged to attend. 

Veness said the proposed tariffs likely were drafted before the National Energy Regulator’s (NERSA’s) recent decision to limit Eskom’s tariff increase for the period to 2.2% and that the draft tariffs will be adjusted. “It is my intention to oppose anything above the NERSA recommended tariff for municipalities for the ensuing year, which I understand is 1.88 %. A proposed electricity tariff increase of 8% can’t be justified in this context – it is clearly unreasonable,” she said. Veness said the proposed 15% increase in the cost of water consumption is also difficult to defend, and that she intends to oppose any increase that exceeds inflation. Veness urged members to submitted feedback on the proposed increases to ceo@pcb.org.za.

CALL FOR REFERENDUM ON LAND EXPROPRIATION WITHOUT COMPENSATION

KZN MEC for economic development, tourism and environmental affairs Sihle Zikalala called for a referendum on the expropriation of land without compensation during a debate on the state of the province in the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg yesterday. Citing the Radical Agrarian Socio-Economic Transformation (RASET) initiative reported by premier Willies Mchunu in his state of the province address, Zikalala said it aims to transform the agricultural value chain by including historically disadvantaged people into “meaningful production and control of agricultural produce”. He also condemned “opportunistic tendencies by some in the opposition benches who want to use the issue of land as a political football” and praised a pioneering 50/50 voluntary land share initiative in the Muden area between a farmer and members of the community. He also called for an “equal ownership of shopping malls between the developers and local people” in townships in a bid to ameliorate the the destruction of informal businesses and for the “anchor shops in these shopping malls” to sources products from local SMMEs and cooperatives.

POWER PRODUCTION UP, CONSUMPTION DOWN

Electricity production increased by 0.8% year on year in January, while consumption contracted by 0.6% year on year after a 1.0% decline in December, according to figures released by Statistics SA yesterday. Based on available data, the electricity sector detracted from GDP in the first three quarters of 2016 by falling 2.9% in this period, the performance partially ascribed to weak activity in energy-intensive sectors. Mining contracted by 4.1% in this period while manufacturing sector activity essentially stagnated. (BDLive)

COSATU INKS MINIMUM WAGE DEAL

Cosatu has accepted the proposed national minimum wage, but taken a hardline against Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini over the looming social grants crisis. In February, in the lead-up to the state of the nation address, the union federation pulled out of a national minimum wage signing ceremony, putting a damper on what had been billed an historic moment. Cosatu had cited the need to consult its central executive committee (CEC). Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali, who was speaking after a three-day CEC meeting, said on Thursday that, while the proposed ZAR20 did not reach the minimum living standards of an average South African household, "it is a significant starting base".  (BDLive)

RESERVE BANK SHARES UP FOR SALE

The South African Reserve Bank has opened the doors for South Africans to buy shares in it. Shares in SARB were previously closely held by a limited group of individuals. This decision to open up shareholding follows a 2016 North Gauteng High Court ruling directing some SARB shareholders and their associates to sell shares that were in excess of the statutory limit of 10 000 shares per person, together with their associates. The SARB functions in the public interest and is not driven by a profit motive. However, subject to there being sufficient resources to do so, SARB shareholders are paid a dividend of 10 cents per share, an amount which is stipulated in law, it notes. Members of the public who would like to take advantage of this opportunity to purchase shares in the SARB can visit www.resbank.co.za for more information. (IOL)

SUGAR TAX TO SWEETEN REVENUE EFFORTS

There were several potential tax revenue windfalls that could increase the 2017-18 budget revenue estimate by more than ZAR1 billion, Treasury officials said in Parliament on Thursday. This would mitigate to a small extent any undercollection by the South African Revenue Service. The proposed tax on sugary beverages was not factored into the revenue estimate of ZAR1.4 trillion for the year; neither were the proceeds of the Special Voluntary Disclosure Programme, which allows taxpayers with undeclared assets here and abroad to declare them without being penalised. Also not included in the tax revenue estimate are the proceeds of a new measure that took effect at the beginning of March to tax as a donation the interest-free loans made to trusts. (BDLive)

MORE HEADWINDS FOR GUPTAS

The Bank of Baroda is set to close the Gupta family’s bank accounts by the end of March following pressure from its parent company in India. Between February and September 2016, First National Bank, Absa, Standard Bank and Nedbank closed the bank accounts of the Gupta family and their companies. The Bank of China followed suit. The family are viewed as “politically exposed”. It is understood that the Bank of Baroda is contractually obliged by its parent company to close the family’s accounts by the end of March. (BDLive)

SASSA PINS HOPES ON LAST-DITCH TALKS

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) still insists that extending Cash Paymaster Services’ (CPS’) invalid contract is the only way to ensure social grants are paid on April 1. The Constitutional Court invalidated the contract in 2014, but allowed it to run its course after Sassa told the court it could not find compliant bidders to take over the contract. In November 2015, Sassa told the court the agency would take over grants payments. Sassa spokesman Kgomoco Diseko confirmed to Business Day on Thursday, that the agency had entered into negotiations, which started on Wednesday, with Net1 CEO Serge Belamant for a contract extension. Net1 is CPS’s parent company. Diseko said the negotiations with Belamant were ongoing. (BDLive)

PREMIER TOASTS NEW LISTING

Premier Food and Fishing has become the first company to list on the JSE this year, making its debut under the share code PFF  with a opening share price of ZAR4.90. The company listed on the Farming, Fishing and Plantations sector of the JSE’s main board. The company, a subsidiary of African Empowerment Equity Investments (AEEI), said a private placement ahead of its initial public offering was oversubscribed four times, following a successful two-week road show in anticipation of resuming trading on the JSE next week. (IOL)

GM TO TRADE BADGES IN EAST AFRICA

General Motors plans to sell its majority ownership stake in General Motors East Africa to its Japanese partner Isuzu Motors as the US carmaker continues to streamline by exiting non-core operations. Isuzu will acquire GM's 57.7% stake in the unit in Kenya, which produces trucks under the Isuzu brand and sells imported Chevrolet-brand vehicles. More than 90% of the vehicles sold are Isuzu brand models. The Kenyan vehicle market is tiny, with total sales of about 30,000 vehicles a year. GM is also in talks to sell its European operations to French automaker Peugeot SA, and has shuttered or scaled back operations in Russia, Australia, Indonesia and Thailand. (Reuters)

BANKERS EYE ETHIOPIA’S RISE

Lenders are lining up to establish a presence in Ethiopia, one of Africa’s fastest-growing and most under-banked economies. Now they need the government to let them open their doors. Over the past two years, Standard Bank Group, Africa’s biggest lender by assets, and KCB Group, Kenya’s largest lender, have joined the likes of Citigroup, Commerzbank and Ecobank Transnational in setting up representative offices in sub-Saharan Africa’s second-most populous country. The lenders are hoping the government will eventually start granting licences for fully fledged branches. The prize is a US$62 billion (about ZAR818 billion) economy of 105 million people that has grown faster than any other in sub-Saharan Africa over the past decade and may expand 7.5% this year, according to IMF data. Only 22% of adults in Ethiopia have access to a bank account, compared with 70% in SA and a sub-Saharan African average of 34%, according to World Bank statistics. (Bloomberg)

EUROZONE INFLATION GATHERS PACE

Eurozone inflation accelerated to the fastest pace since January 2013, providing fresh arguments to those calling for an exit from the  European Central Bank’s (ECB) monetary stimulus programme. Consumer prices rose 2% in February from a year earlier, the European Union’s (EU) statistics agency in Luxembourg said yesterday. That matched the median estimate of 47 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. The rate was 1.8% in January. Rising oil prices have been pushing up inflation across the eurozone, including in  Germany, its largest economy, Spain and Italy. Meanwhile, the eurozone’s core inflation, which strips out volatile elements such as energy was unchanged for the third consecutive month in February at 0.9%. (Fin24)

OTHER NEWS, NOTICES AND APPEALS

DAMON BEARD AT HOWICK HOSPICE LADIES NIGHT TONIGHT
Howick Hospice will be hosting a Ladies Night, featuring Damon Beard’s Man International this evening at Fern Hill Hotel. Doors will open at 7 pm with the show starting at 7.30 pm. Tickets are ZAR250 and VIP, ZAR300 and include a glass of bubbly and an indulgent treat. Bookings are essential, either by contacting Angela on (033) 330 5257 or at fundraiser@howickhospice.org.za.

Managing human resources is much more important than the time-consuming admin associated with it. 

However busy we are, the human element is critical to our success. And, yes, it’s employees' emotions we need – their creativity, their commitment, their enthusiasm – to ensure they think differently, behave differently and produce great work. Unfortunately, the positive emotions come with negative ones that make us fearful of change and unwilling to take risks. Learning to engage the whole person in the service of the organisation is what makes good leaders great.

Join Ian Webster to discuss these and other people-management issues at the next Simply Communicate workshop - 
HR: You’re On Your Own at the Chamber, Thursday, 16 March 2017 (08h30 – 12h30)

To book email ian@simplycommunicate.co.za


For more people-management articles visit the Simply Communicate blog.

TELEPHONE RECEPTION TRAINING

TRAINER:  Ann-Rose Oldham – Maritzburg Business College
08:00 – 13:00, Chamber House, Royal Showgrounds. COST: (includes vat) Members: R630 p/p, R600 p/p for 3/more, R550 p/p for 5/more. Non-members: R730 p/p, R700 p/p for 3/more, R650 p/p for 5/more  
OVERVIEW
•    The initial identification.
•    Motivation, attitude, voice, good listening skills, and assertiveness.
•    Transfers – screening.
•    Outgoing calls.
•    Calls of complaint and difficult calls.
•    Reception duties.
•    Visitors – security.
•    Dress. 
•    Ergonomics.
•    Resolving office issues.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Personnel who are in contact with clients.
Please bring a pen and paper for taking notes.