Evolution of technology Can you believe that it is almost 70 years ago that Thomas Watson (IBM Chairman, 1943) said he thinks that there’s a world market for maybe five computers? And boy – was he wrong. By the end of 2011 there were more than 2,267 billion Internet users worldwide, and these numbers leap…
It’s all about accountability For months now Government’s apparent unwillingness to accept responsibility for its actions – or lack thereof – has been questioned and debated. The spotlight is squarely on its apparent inability to deliver on fundamental citizen rights such as passable education and basic services such as water electricity and health. Auditor-General Terence…
Real transformation is happening If you were a woman reading this magazine 50 years ago, the odds were good that your husband provided the money to buy it. You probably voted for the same political party he did and if you had the misfortune to contract breast cancer, he may have been asked to sign…
Going for gold What does it take to be the best? Malcolm Gladwell says that it takes 10 000 hours of practice (combined with being in the right place at the right time). Some say hard work and luck. For an Olympic athlete to win gold requires more than hours of practice and good fortune.…
Taking the lead When Nazir Alli resigned as the CEO of Sanral, critics questioned his ability to lead, although acknowledging his undoubted management record. He was known to be dictatorial and even aggressive sometimes and that angered many. Wayne Duvenage, chairman of the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance said that Alli’s leadership style was detrimental…
Are we fit for purpose We start a new bi-monthly column this month, penned by political analyst, Eusebius McKaiser, and in this month’s column he poignantly asks if our state is fit for purpose. Does the state have adequate tools and skills to successfully implement its policies? We have posed this question many times before…
Budgets, transformation, poverty In an open letter to the Minister of Finance, following this years budget speech, an independent civic entrepreneur and sustainable systems researcher based in the Theewaterskloof municipality of the Western Cape Province, urged Pravin Gordhan to consider: 1) moving local economic development (LED) infrastructure; building it onto the top of the public…
The devil is in the details and not in the clouds In an interview with the SABC just a short while after his State of the Nation Address (SONA), this past month, President Zuma was asked what his expectations were of the country’s social partners – if there was something that he was specifically asking…
Beyond the call Shareholder value and the effective management of the stakeholder relationship are key to any business. While we already know that most businesses and organisations follow a far more integrated approach to this activity, just how integrated and how ready are we to adapt quickly to a constantly changing environment? These are two…
One hundred years… This issue marks the beginning of what is certainly a watershed period for the Accountancy SA journal. 100 years of publishing information that matters to the CA(SA). It started as a four page information brochure for a small group of members, and has over the years evolved into an integral part of…