FROM THE PEN A twofold attitude of gratitude As many of my counterparts across the globe would recognise, putting together a monthly journal is no small mission. Without the support of dedicated supporters and contributors, and reviewers and readers, the hours of slogging over the right mix of content, proper syntax and correcting split infinitives,…
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…
FROM THE PEN Risky Business There are surely many who would argue that the one factor that triggered the current financial crisis we’re facing is greed. Toru Hashimoto, former chairman of Deutsche Securities, was recently quoted at an international Financial Crisis Advisory Group (FCAG) meeting as agreeing that greed, excess liquidity and poor risk management…
FROM THE PEN Exodus revisited… The new year has started with quite a resurgence of obligations, especially amongst our world leaders. US President Obama is committed to overhauling the management of the Troubled Asset Relief Programme, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (representing the European Union [EU] presidency) has been hard at work negotiating and managing…
FROM THE PEN SUPERSAICA Without a doubt, 2008 has been the most eventful year we’ve experienced in a long while. A global economic meltdown, Eskom load-shedding, peaceful elections in Zambia, a proposed government of national unity of sorts for Zimbabwe, a historical presidential recall in SA, an ANC split and the creation of a new…
Editorial corrections and changes to IFRSs The IASB has issued editorial corrections and changes to Improvements to IFRSs and Bound volume 2008 on 11 September 2008. Please click https://www.saica.co.za/DisplayContent.asp?ContentPageID=268 to access these editorial corrections and changes to IFRSs. Proposed amendments to the retrospective application of IFRSs The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has published for…
GENERATING ADDITIONAL ACCOUNTING SKILLS IN SOUTH AFRICA As the South African economy grows, the skills shortage poses a serious threat. There is a particular need and demand for skilled accounting staff in all sectors and in all sizes and types of organisation. To address the critical skills shortage of intermediate level accounting skills in both…
FROM THE PEN At the time of writing this editorial, Kgalema Motlanthe has just been announced as South Africa’s third President at a time that many considered the beginning of the end of the African National Congress (ANC) as we know it. For the past 14 years, the ANC has controlled the National Assembly with…
FROM THE PEN The Change Issue A few weeks ago I attended a presentation by JP Landman, a self-employed political and trend analyst, Harvard graduate, and author of the article “Is the bad mood justified?”. Landman introduced his presentation with a story about a South African hedge fund manager he knew, who had taken a…
FROM THE PEN The woman’s issue Believe it or not, the image on our cover this month has caused some consternation in our office. I’ve had to endure a barrage of opinions raging from the lucidly candid: “Are you mad?”, to the: “How can you portray such an old image of women?”; “Surely you don’t…