ECONOMIC MARGINS

The individuals entrusted with the management of any company have numerous responsibilities, including providing returns to their capital shareholders and the monitoring and control of performance across divisions, and across the company as a whole. Management thus requires performance measures that allow for the assessment of performance across the company, and which at the same…

TECHNICAL: Accounting

GAAP MONITORING PANEL FEEDBACK The GAAP Monitoring Panel (GMP) is a joint initiative between the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and the JSE Limited (JSE). It was created in 2002 as an oversight body to enhance compliance with accounting standards. A total of six companies listed on the JSE were referred to the…

NLRD: TRACKS INFORMATION FOR HR DEVELOPMENT IN SA

SAQA’s National Learners’ Records Database (NLRD), the first such system in the world, holds the key to tracking crucial information for human resource development in South Africa. It is the NLRD that underpins the publication of important information and research tools, such as SAQA’s second edition of “Trends in Public Higher Education in South Africa,”…

SPECIAL REPORT – THUTHUKA

TRANSFORMING THE AUDITING PROFESSION The phrase, “I want to be an auditor when I grow up” has probably never been uttered in a primary school anywhere in the world. Unlike the medical and legal professions, there are no TV shows set in auditing firms. But the auditing profession is undeniably crucial, protecting, as it does,…

NEW GENERATION: CHANGE FATIGUE

“Back in the 70s and 80s things never changed as much, it was like the world stayed the same for longer, you know!” These are the words of a man sixty three years old in corporate South Africa. We were discussing the constant change in his work environment, after the company he worked for was…

WIK EN WEEG: DIE EKONOMIE KALF

Om te kalf is vir ‘n koei om geboorte te gee. Maar daar is ‘n ander tipe, alledaagse ‘kalf’. Dit is wanneer dinge ineenstort, en dis die een wat ek in gedagte het! Ons ekonomie kalf momenteel. Net nageboorte waar jy kyk, en nie ‘n mooi aangesig nie. Dit het tog so onskuldig begin. Huishoudelike…

GOOD NEWS

INTERNATIONAL TRADE WITH SOUTH AFRICA The return of South Africa to the international community after the 1994 elections revolutionised the country’s position in the international trade arena. Less than two decades ago the South African economy was characterised by apartheid legislation and international sanctions. This resulted in a closed economy, marked by high tariffs, subsidies…

DEATH AND TAXES: A COMEDY OF ERRORS

Readers may be forgiven if they believe that the title of this article refers to Eskom. It does not, although Eskom’s proposed savage increases in the price of electricity may well prove to be a catalyst in persuading the Minister of Finance to revise some of his tax policies. Policies which were admirable ten years…

SAICA’s NTC AND ITS WORK

SAICA’s National Tax Committee and its work The committee operates to support the overall objectives of The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). PURPOSE The purpose of the committee is to be the most influential committee on decisions made by stakeholders on South African tax matters, particularly in respect of decisions made by the…

FORENSIC DUE DILIGENCE

South Africa has recently seen a significant increase in mergers and acquisitions. Despite global market tumult and poor conditions in debt markets, transactional activity is continuing, where market players see the opportunity to get good deals done, and to restructure their entities to respond to the fast evolving environment. As the cost of funds for…