Latest news with #BusinessTech
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa: Business Talk Season 13
Business Talk Season 13 with Michael Avery is the best podcast to get the latest insights into the South African business sector. Season 13 of Business Talk is coming soon, giving you the insights you need to stay attuned to the pulse of South African business. This new season of the country's premier business podcast will be hosted by popular media personality Michael Avery. Avery will interview an impressive selection of South Africa's top business experts and leaders, who will cover topics like AI, retail, business software, and much more. Thanks to its quality of guests, excellent host, and informative discussions, Business Talk Season 13 will be essential viewing for anyone interested in the South African business sector and economy. Watch Season 13 Business Talk season 13 will be available on YouTube, Facebook, Spotify, and the dedicated Business Talk website. To get your executives featured on Business Talk Season 13, contact the BusinessTech marketing team.
Mail & Guardian
5 days ago
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Public higher education institutions must shape up to serve national interests
Images & caps Public universities and colleges need to become more efficient and producee graduates that are more employable. Winning nations around the world such as the US, the Netherlands, South Korea and the Nordic countries have highly productive higher education institutions that strive to serve their national interests. Therefore, it was timeous to read BusinessTech . Roodt's thought-provoking, critical, yet pertinent, article drew a distinction between thriving private higher education institutions and failing public (state-funded) universities in South Africa. He made the provocative suggestion that the number of public universities should be reduced and that the government should allocate more funds to private institutions which, by implication, appear to be more productive. He argues that many public institutions are poorly run, prone to mismanagement, and are out of touch with market realities, hence contributing to the rising number of unemployed graduates. While Roodt's comments shouldn't be generalised across all South African public institutions they shouldn't be dismissed either, because they raise critical questions about the value that universities, public and private, bring to serving national interests. Consider the high cost of the public higher education sector. According to the treasury's Budget Overview (21 May 2025), the total cost for learning and culture is R505.6 billion. This includes R332 billion on basic education, R55 billion on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and R48 billion on university transfers. With many of the public institutions running huge deficits because of high operational costs, compounded by financial mismanagement, unjustifiably high salaries of senior executives, and the constant controversies at NSFAS, Roodt's comments deserve urgent reflection. Access to higher education is a sensitive issue based on South Africa's turbulent and divisive political history when many were denied access to education. But access to universities should be prioritised for learners with the academic aptitude to pursue the study paths suited to their capabilities. Further, these career paths must be aligned with the job market. It's fine to argue that universities teach critical thinking and develop higher cognitive abilities, but these mean nothing if not underpinned by how to use critical thinking to solve problems. After all, ponder the words of Washington Post columnist Thomas Friedman who wrote, 'The world doesn't care about what you know. The world only cares about what you can do with what you know and it doesn't care about how you learnt it.' Friedman, cuts to the chase of what teaching and learning are about. Access should be enhanced but students should be directed to institutions best suited to their chances of success. There should also be greater scrutiny on how public institutions manage their resources, productivity and relations with broader society for the following reasons: the high cost burden on the public purse and how effectively it serves the needs of society through employability. From both perspectives, the picture is disappointing. Many of the public institutions run high budget deficits due to poor financial management. And Statistics South Africa's Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the last quarter of 2024 showed grim youth employment levels. Youths aged 15 to 24 and 25 to 34 years continue to have the highest unemployment rates at 59.6% and 39.4%, respectively. Even though the graduate unemployment rate decreased by 1.1 percentage points from 9.8% in the third quarter of 2024 to 8.7% in the fourth, these are still unacceptably high numbers of unemployed graduates. There's no doubt that public higher education institutions are contested spaces, complex and highly politicised. But as institutions supported by the public purse there needs to be high levels of accountability with strict performance management metrics in place. It can be argued that one of the core reasons for failing institutions is the prevailing 'ivory tower' mentality. Many public institutions are too insular and inward looking, with little engagement with market trends and the world of work. Academics in most cases operate in isolation from 'real world' dynamics largely because of the 'publish or perish' demands which pursue research for publications to secure status, funding and professional career advancement. The entire value chain in higher education, academic institutions and research bodies adheres to this practice which measures academic success through quantitative research output metrics such as publication count, journal effectiveness and number of citations. These metrics influence recruitment, promotion, as well as access to funding, forcing academics to churn out research without consideration for its value-adding impact on society. In this Youth Month, where our most critical resource, our youth, face a future of hopelessness because of high unemployment, a moribund economy, high levels of crime, increasing climate threats and global uncertainty, there's an urgent need for reflection and inclusive conversations. Education practitioners should create opportunities for wider consultations on the failings and successes and how these can be remediated and built upon to convert a national resource into a strategic national asset. But to achieve the full value of our higher education, hard decisions need to be made. The higher education sector needs in place the right heads, hearts and hands. A case in point is the recent debacle over the Minister of Higher Education and Training Nobuhle Nkabane's irregular appointment of Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) board chairpersons. When this type of thinking cascades down the line of command to higher institutions, it becomes a recipe for disaster. In his article, Roodt places emphasis on the need 'to shift in South Africa and start to produce the skills we really need'. One should add that this shift should be systemic, starting with recruitment and appointments. Senior executive positions often prioritise scholarly achievements rather than evidence-based managerial skills such as managing budgets, motivating staff, stewarding relationships and planning strategic future-focused endeavours. In addition, most academics have never worked in private, corporate or industrial enterprises because the path to employability is based on attaining a postgraduate qualification. Few even have a robust grasp of epistemology, andragogy or didactic fundamentals. And with many learners coming from a struggling secondary schooling sector, the focus should be on dynamic teaching that empowers students to learn independently and be less dependent on rote learning. This should also be supported by academic content that promotes entrepreneurial thinking, innovation and that aligns with market trends and job opportunities. It was Albert Einstein, not only a brilliant physicist but also an astute social commentator, who defined education as, 'what remains, once we have forgotten everything we learned at school'. Einstein understood the essence of education; education that is transformative, that transcends rote and book learning; education that fully lives up its Latin roots, 'educare' which means 'to nourish' . It is these values that are required to create a better and a more sustainable South Africa. Rudi Kimmie (PhD) is an independent education consultant. He writes in his personal capacity.
The South African
6 days ago
- Business
- The South African
The SA city that foreigners spent over R1 billion buying property in
International property buyers have already poured over R1 billion into Cape Town's real estate market so far in 2025, proving that the city is more attractive than ever to foreigners wishing to invest. According to BusinessTech and Seeff Property Group, sales to international buyers hit R600 million in February and R700 million in April this year, bringing the year-to-date figure to well over R1 billion. Data also showed that overall property sales in Cape Town reached nearly R2.5 billion in the first five months of 2025 – the highest level seen in the past five years. And it seems foreigners are interested in purchasing property in particular areas in the city. Ross Levin, licensee for Seeff Atlantic Seaboard, noted that foreign buying has been especially strong in the Atlantic Seaboard and City Bowl, which together accounted for around 67% of all international transactions. In April alone, overseas buyers spent R530 million on properties in the Atlantic Seaboard. 'We've seen sales across just about all suburbs, with Camps Bay and Bantry Bay commanding the highest values, and Sea Point and the CBD leading in transaction volumes,' Levin said. Data also indicated that foreigners from over 40 countries have invested in Cape Town this year. These included buyers from Germany, the UK, Netherlands, Switzerland, and other European nations. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
12-06-2025
- Business
- The South African
The quiet Western Cape towns South Africans are semigrating to
If you were wondering where South Africans are semigrating to in 2025, it seems the Western Cape's smaller, country towns are becoming quite popular. According to BusinessTech and property experts from Seeff Property Group, country towns across the Western Cape are experiencing a surge in demand for property as more South Africans wish to opt out of busy city life. This semigration trend was seen, in particular, amongst remote workers, retirees, and families looking for quieter and safer lifestyles. Some of the most popular Western Cape country towns include Barrydale, Bonnievale, Ladismith, Swellendam, Pearly Beach, Riversdale, Gansbaai, Still Bay and Struisbaai. BusinessTech also reported data that showed that over 8 000 property transactions worth nearly R9.5 billion occurred across the Cape countryside last year, with an estimated 90% of these sales coming in under R1.5 million per transaction. 'We're seeing strong interest from all over the country, with nearly 60% of buyers from Gauteng,' Anet Rossouw from Seeff noted, as per BusinessTech . Another 10 percent are from the other South African provinces, with the rest of the buyers being from the Western Cape itself, looking for second homes or future retirement homes. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- The South African
3 pieces of GOOD news for the South African taxi industry
There have been three major developments in the South African taxi industry in recent weeks. Firstly, government announced it will scrap nearly 2 000 illegal/unroadworthy minibus taxis. Likewise, there is a directive to convert approximately 400 vehicles to alternative fuels, too. This progress in the South African taxi industry is all part of a 'Taxi Recapitalisation Plan' that was presented in parliament last month (Tuesday 20 May 2025). As such, government's broader mandate is to finally modernise the industry through various projects. In time, these vital industry reforms will translate into savings for the end user. Image: File Like them or loathe them, the South African taxi industry is the lifeblood of the country's economy. More than two thirds (66%) of the nation relies on public transport to get to and from work each day. As such, another piece of good news is that the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) won't raise fares this month. When the Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana hiked the General Fuel Levy (GFL) for the first time in three years, it was widely anticipated that taxi fares would increase in June 2025. This would add yet more financial pressure to the country's poor. Effective from this month, the GFL increased by 16c per litre and 15c per litre for petrol and diesel respectively. As a result, the total cost of GFL is R4.01 per litre for petrol and R3.85 per litre for diesel. That taxi fares are unmoved is a remarkable turn of events when you remember that the Carbon Levy increased by 3c per litre back in April, too. We're not there yet, but cleaner, greener and safer, is what the future of the South African taxi industry is all about. Image: File Furthermore, new Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) conversions will lower the cost of fuel for taxis by as much 35%, reports BusinessTech . The department says LPG is the most viable alternative fuel because of the ease of conversion for minibus taxis. Better still, LPG runs cleaner, providing a longer engine lifespan and less maintenance. The option of dual systems is also viable for long-range commutes. At last count, the department says only seven taxis have converted as part of the LPG pilot project. It hopes to install 400 conversion kits. Finally, stakeholders in the South African taxi industry are once again encouraged to take advantage of the Taxi Recapitalisation Projects (TRP). Government says voluntarily surrendered unroadworthy minibus taxis will be scrapped free of charge. And owners/operators will gain access to an allowance which they can recapitalise on a new taxi. The department believes there are as many as 2 350 illegal/unroadworthy taxis still operating in South Africa. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
