April 2009

FROM THE PEN Results and predictions In The Economist’s ‘The World in 2009’ issue, they make, as per the norm, a number of predictions are madethat have me quite intrigued. The Economist shares that there is a global shift of power emerging through the economic crisis the world is currently facing. Emerging economies such as…

STRAIGHT SHOOTING: Quality is the cornerstone

Here in this good journal I have emphasised the changes to the Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) qualification model ad nauseam over the past few months. I continue to emphasise that quality has been and will remain, the cornerstone of this profession. Those who claim a lowering of standards have yet to demonstrate to me a tangible…

TECHNICAL: ACCOUNTING

ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES FOR FINANCIAL ASSETS In December 2008 the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) published an exposure draft with proposals to require entities to provide additional disclosures on all investments in debt instruments, other than those classified in the fair value through profit or loss category with a 30 day comment period. Please take note…

SHARE REPURCHASES BY COMPANIES LISTED ON THE JSE

THE EFFECT ON MARKET CAPITALISATION The fact that South African companies have been allowed to repurchase their own shares as from 1 July 1999, has created new challenges for financial analysts as well as company accountants and auditors. For the financial analysts, it has introduced an additional complexity during the evaluation of company financial performance.…

SECTION 80A(c)(ii) OF THE INCOME TAX ACT:

Round-tripping between the draft version and the enacted version – part 1 In November 2006, section 103(1) of the Income Tax Act was abolished and replaced by a new Part IIA, containing sections 80A to 80L, which target impermissible tax avoidance arrangements. Section 80A(c)(ii) was introduced in the Revised Proposals on Tax Avoidance and Section…

DISPOSAL OF FOREIGN OPERATIONS

– IMPLICATIONS OF GAAP CHANGES The changes to the accounting treatment of business combinations, in particular the implications for the way goodwill is calculated and accounting for changes in shareholdings (business combinations achieved in stages, loss of control, etc.) arising from the revised IFRS3, Business Combinations and amended IAS27, Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements in…

ESTATE DUTY: PAYING LESS BY GIVING MORE

Mr John Frith, a chartered accountant from Port Alfred has raised an interesting issue with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). He pointed out that by making either the surviving spouse or a charitable institution the sole residuary heir of his estate a testator will end up paying 20% less estate duty. The…

PROPERTY PORTFOLIO

CRE portfolio management fundamentals #1 property is not a sunk cost As with other overhead charges, there is a belief, sometimes correct, that noth¬ing can be done to reduce property costs directly impacting profit and loss ac¬counts. Worse still, in many organisations, particularly the older traditional sectors with many owned assets, physical property is treated as…