South Africa will harvest 15,969 million tonnes of maize this season, the biggest crop on record after improved weather conditions across the maize belt boosted yields, the government&#8217;s Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) said on Wednesday.
The estimate is up 2 percent compared to the CEC&#8217;s June forecast of 15.6 million tonnes. The previous record harvest of 14.656 million tonnes was set in 1981.
The CEC estimate came in just above a forecast by analysts and traders who pegged this year&#8217;s crop at 15.77 million tonnes.
The harvest will comprise 9.507 million tonnes of white maize, the regional staple used for human consumption, and 6.462 million tonnes of yellow, the bulk of which is used in animal feed, the CEC&#8217;s sixth production forecast of the season said.
The 2017 harvest will also be more than double the previous season, which was only 7.78 million tonnes following an El Nino-triggered drought that impacted yields, pushed up food prices and fuelled inflation.
The Johannesburg stock exchange&#8217;s white maize futures contract due in December has fallen 65 percent from its peak of 5,376 rand a tonne hit in January last year to close at 1,872 rand on Wednesday, helping to dampen inflation and food prices.
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Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; Editing by Ed Stoddard
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South Africa’s maize estimate up 2%

Nigerian stocks surged 3.4 percent on Wednesday to a 32-month high on improving sentiment after several mid-sized listed firms announced increases in half-year earnings, traders said.
The main share index rose for the third straight day, nearing the 37,000 point level last reached in November 2014.
Analysts said several medium-sized listed companies, which supply services to larger ones, have announced increases in half-year profits signalling that Nigeria&#8217;s economy was recovering.
Mid-sized drug maker Fidson, which gained 10 percent, on Tuesday said half-year pretax profit rose to 685.4 million naira, from 58.2 million naira.
Large cap stocks especially in the banking sector were yet to post results.
Governor Godwin Emefiele, speaking after the central bank&#8217;s policy meeting on Tuesday, said the economy was likely to emerge from a recession this year but that bold steps was needed to avoid a prolonged recovery.
Emefiele added that he was committed to deepening liquidity on the currency market, a lack of which had spooked foreign investors who fled the West African country at the start of an oil price rout in 2014.
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Stocks rose across the board on Wednesday with 30 companies advancing and 17 firms declining. The index of Nigeria&#8217;s top 10 banking shares rose 3.72 percent.
Other gainers incude Conoil up 10.2 percent and Oando 7 percent while Dangote Cement, which accounts for a third of total market capitalisation, gained 4.9 percent to lift the index.
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Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Keith Weir
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Nigeria stocks near three-year high

Nigeria&#8217;s upper house of parliament backed a series of constitutional amendments on Wednesday that could weaken the presidency and boost the legislature, the latest twist in a two-year power struggle between the two institutions.
The head of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who is pushing the changes, said they would help boost Nigeria&#8217;s development but a senior official in President Muhammadu Buhari&#8217;s government said they amounted to &#8220;a very unhealthy&#8221; power grab.
Saraki has been tipped as a possible eventual successor to the ailing Buhari, who has spent more time this year in Britain receiving treatment for an undisclosed medical problem than he has in Nigeria. Buhari, 74, is currently again in Britain.
&#8220;What we have done today definitely is to lay the foundation for a far-reaching reform of our political, economic and social development,&#8221; Saraki said after the Senate vote.
The amendments must still be approved by the lower house and two thirds of Nigeria&#8217;s 36 regional state parliaments and then be signed off by the president.
The measures include providing certain legal immunity to members of the legislature, reducing the president&#8217;s ability to withhold assent for a bill passed by parliament, and removing law-making powers from the executive.
The Senate also voted to impose time limits on key presidential decisions such as nominating ministers and proposing federal budgets, both of which have been much-delayed under Buhari.
A senior government official, who declined to be named because not authorized to speak to the media on the matter, criticized the Senate&#8217;s move.
&#8220;The executive sees this development as very unhealthy because laws should be made for the overall interest of the nation and not some people or an arm of government wanting to aggregate more powers to themselves,&#8221; the official said.
The lower chamber, the House of Representatives, is due to vote on the proposed amendments on Thursday.
Analysts noted the sensitive timing of the Senate move.
&#8220;The amendments do raise the profile of the Senate and their passage at this particular moment, with the president outside the country, although not law without his approval, will be interpreted by some in the political establishment as a bid by the Senate leadership to dilute the executive&#8217;s authority,&#8221; said Antony Goldman of Nigeria-focused PM Consulting.
Saraki, 54, hails from Buhari&#8217;s All Progressives Congress, but he assumed the Senate presidency in 2015 without the party&#8217;s support but with the backing of the opposition.
As Senate leader &#8211; constitutionally the third most powerful position in the country after the president and vice-president &#8211; he has proven a nimble political operator. Despite numerous accusations of misconduct and investigations, none have stuck to him.
Saraki has often been a thorn in the side of the presidency, with parliament repeatedly blocking presidential appointments to key positions.
Nigeria&#8217;s state budget both last year and this were only signed into law after many delays, often caused by battles between the parliament and the presidency over the allocation of federal funds to key projects.
Saraki has also criticized Buhari for allowing power to be concentrated among the president&#8217;s chief of staff and an inner circle at the presidential villa.
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Reporting by Paul Carsten; Additional reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram in Lagos and Camillus Eboh, Tife Owolabi and Felix Onuah in Abuja; Editing by Gareth Jones
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Nigerian Senate backs plans to reduce power of presidency

Prof. Quinton Johnson | Nelson Mandela University
&nbsp;
A more than 365 year history of colonialism and apartheid have indelibly affected land, heritage and human rights in South Africa.
Among the vast array of discriminatory laws was the Land Act of 1913 that spatially segregated people through land dispossession. It amplified the vast canyon of inequality, further shattered the social fabric of communities and radically compromised economic development of the black majority.
It was only after the 1994 democratic elections that the vast majority of citizens could hope for constitutional restitution of their land.
Significant socio-economic advances have been made since 1994, but several challenges need to be overcome as indicated by recent trends. Much more needs to be done. This is particularly true when it comes to land distribution and restitution.
The 2013 state land audit report illustrates why. By 1994 about 87% of the land was owned by whites and only 13% by black people. By 2012 only 7.95 million hectares had been transferred to black owners through land reform. This represented only 7.5% of formerly white-owned land.
Land reform was discussed with understandable intensity during the recent National Policy Conference of the governing African National Congress. Debates centred on whether land should be expropriated without compensation.
It’s within this context that a National Forum was established for dialogues on land reform. The National Forum is made up of a network of organisations that includes three universities, the South African Human Rights Commission and Foundation for Human Rights.
The National Forum focused on whether it was possible to achieve effective land reform through Section 25 of the South African Constitution, which deals with property rights. The National Forum also examined the bureaucratic, legal and constitutional constraints that slow down land redistribution and restitution. It also explored the policy and legislative options necessary to address the complex challenges.
The National Forum concluded that South Africa’s constitution doesn’t stand in the way of land reform. However, it’s clear that political negligence has fuelled undue bureaucracy, mismanagement and corruption, which have severely hampered meaningful land reform. It reached consensus on a 10-point plan for constitutionally accelerated land reform. The hope is that it can help break the long-standing impasse over land, and move the country toward radically inclusive socio-economic growth.
<h2>Accelerating land reform</h2>
Aspects of the 10-point plan include:
<ol>
<li>A human rights approach to land redistribution, grounded in the effective implementation of Section 25 of the Constitution. This could still guarantee a life of dignity, equality and freedom for all citizens.</li>
<li>Existing land reform legislation is not effectively implemented. The Land Claims Commission and Land Claims Court, which were created through the Restitution of Land Rights Act (1994), have not been effective. Unnecessary bureaucratic bungling, significant corruption and limited expert skills have been exacerbated by cadre deployment. This is the practice of appointing party political loyalists to government positions irrespective of ability. In addition, these institutions have yet to be made more accessible and more representative.</li>
<li>The possibility of adopting further laws to accelerate land reform is not being used. This is the case even though Section 25(8) of the Constitution specifically indicates that it can be done.</li>
<li>The possibility of repealing existing legislation that’s inconsistent with or hampering land reform is not being pursued. This should be rectified.</li>
<li>There is a need for national legislation on expropriation. A bill is before Parliament – the Expropriation Bill – but it’s been introduced late and processed without urgency. The possibility of effecting appropriate amendments to the 1975 Expropriation Act should also be considered.</li>
<li>There should be improved communication and coordination between various government departments. Currently, the location of relevant land reform mandates and competencies are spread across several departments. These should be aligned to accelerate the pace of the process.</li>
<li>A draft bill on cultural and spiritual access to land must be developed to enable citizens’ access to cemeteries and related holy sites where their family members are buried.</li>
<li>The courts should pronounce on the meaning of “just and equitable” compensation in Section 25 of the Constitution, to provide for better definition and interpretation of this provision within the context of land reform.</li>
<li>Communal Property Associations, community and traditional leader tensions must be resolved through meaningful engagement. Communication channels must be open, all role-players included and all relevant information made available to every stakeholder. Furthermore, all affected parties must be able to influence the decisions taken. In addition, skills training for officials dealing with land restitution is necessary, whilst an updated land audit is required.</li>
<li>There is need for a Land and Economy Convention, similar to the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA). This was held to negotiate the country’s peaceful transition to democracy. A role for the new convention would be to address poverty, inequality and unemployment. The aim would be to restore citizens’ dignity, strengthen the economy and advance democracy.</li>
</ol>
The National Forum envisions the 10-point plan being effected within the context of the country’s National Development Plan’s Vision 2030. The plan was drawn up to provide a roadmap for the country to 2030. Its central aims are to reduce unemployment, poverty and inequality.
If land reform is realised, South Africa could present a more humane, just, peaceful, prosperous and democratic face to the world.

Op-Ed: A 10-point plan to accelerate orderly land reform in South Africa

Nigeria&#8217;s acting president will meet again with community leaders from the Niger Delta oil heartlands next week, his spokesman said on Tuesday, in a bid to shore up a fragile truce between militants and the government there.
With Africa&#8217;s biggest economy mired in recession, delegations including Acting President Yemi Osinbajo have held talks since late last year with leaders in the oil-producing states in the southeast.
But the local leaders have said the efforts to secure peace are empty promises, and a return to violence in the area would derail any broader recovery in the crude-dependent economy.
&#8220;Next week there is going to be a follow-up meeting between the acting president and the stakeholders of the Niger Delta,&#8221; said a spokesman for Osinbajo.
The government, including an inter-ministerial committee headed by the acting president, and Niger Delta stakeholders will also issue a report next week, he said.
Osinbajo was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to head the country while the leader remains in Britain on medical leave for an undisclosed ailment.
In the meeting next week, the government and representatives from the Delta will discuss key issues such as legalizing illicit refineries and turning them into so-called &#8220;modular refineries&#8221;, which the administration hopes to start from next month.
The contentious clean-up of the heavily polluted Ogoni region and plans to open a maritime university in October, which many community leaders have voiced support for, will also be discussed, said the spokesman.
Oil exports are now set to exceed 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in August, the highest in 17 months, from as little as just over 1 million bpd at certain points last year.
That is due to a steady decline in attacks on pipelines, providing a much-needed injection of cash into Nigerian government coffers.
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Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Paul Carsten; Editing by Hugh Lawson
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Nigerian acting president Osinbajo returns to oil heartlands

When Kato was called into his manager&#8217;s office, the Ugandan driver assumed he would be sent on an errand, not be ordered to take an HIV test and lose his job when it came back positive, leading him to sue his Chinese employer for unfair dismissal.
Kato, 45, is one of two HIV-positive workers who went to court in June to demand compensation from their former employer, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), in Uganda&#8217;s second high-profile AIDS discrimination case in two years.
&#8220;(My manager) said: &#8216;If you don&#8217;t go for this test, you&#8217;ll be fired&#8217;,&#8221; said Kato, a father of three who declined to give his full name for fear of stigma.
&#8220;We had to go along with it because we were afraid of losing our jobs,&#8221; he said, describing how half a dozen employees were ferried to a clinic in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, to have their blood tested.
Uganda&#8217;s high court will hear the case on Aug. 16, in which the two plaintiffs are asking for 400 million Uganda shillings ($110,000) in compensation, after efforts to reach an out-of-court settlement failed.
The day after his results came back in March 2016, Kato said, his manager asked him to sign a resignation letter.
CCCC, one of the world&#8217;s largest businesses with a focus on infrastructure projects, denied the allegations.
&#8220;No employee has ever been coerced to take a medical check-up,&#8221; it said in court documents.
&#8220;Medical check-ups undertaken by the plaintiffs, if at all, were not calculated to determine their employment, but for their own health benefit.&#8221;
A lawyer for CCCC, which has three major road contracts with Uganda&#8217;s government, and a spokesman for the Uganda National Roads Authority declined to comment as the case is in court.
CCCC&#8217;s administration manager in Uganda, Hao Yunfeng, said in emailed comments that the company offers staff free, voluntary HIV tests.
<h3 data-reactid="54">Privacy</h3>
The other plaintiff, a 27-year-old woman who asked to be identified as Alen, said she was fired after eight months cleaning at CCCC on a monthly salary of 300,000 Uganda shillings ($83).
&#8220;You&#8217;re not supposed to treat people like that,&#8221; said Alen, who has been unable to find another full-time job since she was fired and struggles to support her six-month-old baby.
&#8220;For them, it&#8217;s as if HIV is like flu.&#8221;
CCCC said in its court submissions that Alen stopped coming to work after being warned about her performance.
Both plaintiffs are also suing for infringement of the right to privacy, saying that the clinic shared their test results with their managers, not them.
Eight other employees said, in affidavits supporting Kato and Alen, that their managers also forced them to take HIV tests, which proved negative.
Some 1.5 million of Uganda&#8217;s 40 million people are HIV positive and stigma is rife, with parliament in 2014 criminalizing the intentional transmission of the disease.
Kato&#8217;s lawyer, Stephen Tumwesigye, said in emailed comments that the case highlights &#8220;glaring human rights violations that are perpetrated unabated&#8221; by Ugandan government contractors.
&#8220;We hope that in presenting this case before the court, many Ugandans will come out to report such violations,&#8221; he said.
A kitchen worker employed by China&#8217;s Sinohydro Corporation, which is building a dam on the River Nile, lost an HIV discrimination case in 2016 when the Ugandan court ruled that its decision to transfer her to another department was legal.

Ugandan employees take Chinese firm to court in HIV workplace battle

Emma Leith | Giant Leap
&nbsp;
South African offices are changing rapidly as the workplace continues to shift from a utilitarian place where you earn your money from 9 to 5 to a much more people friendly, welcoming space where we will spend more than 50% of our time during our working lives.  
 
Emma Leith, Interior Decorator at workplace specialists Giant Leap, shares her top 5 workplace trends in South Africa for 2017: 
 
1 The end of fixed workspace layouts
 
Creating multifunctional community space as well as a diverse selection of areas is becoming increasingly important in order to accommodate constantly changing needs; allowing people to have greater fluidity, mobility and flexibility in the workspace. 
 
“This trend can be seen in the form of modular furniture, work benches and sit-stand desks. Communal areas are becoming an important part of the workplace where people can get together for an informal meeting, to simply enjoy a cup of coffee alone or with a college or to collaborate across teams,” said Leith. 
 
2 The Modern Office: A Home Away From Home
 
The office fit out is becoming increasingly geared towards creating a more lived in and homey feel. 
 
“It’s a home away from home type of scenario” Leith noted.  “This is created by providing cosy, welcoming lounges, communal canteens, and comfy break out areas.”
 
Leith noted that this ultimately provides for a better working environment allowing for greater employee satisfaction. This trend interlinks with point one above as people now have the option to work in more relaxed, comfortable environments. 
 
“Residential furniture is another element that is being used more and more to create that warm, never-want-to-leave-the-office feeling,” Leith added. 
 
3 Private Areas
 
The growing trend towards the open plan office generates the need for private pods/ areas, as the open plan concept does not always provide for the best working environment. 
 
“Private pods are needed whether it be to have a quiet phone call, meeting or place to work with no distractions.  Therefore a combination of spaces is essential in the modern workplace, “ said Leith. 
 
Private areas can be innovatively designed telephone booths, sound proof quiet rooms and sound proof space dividers. Increasingly, various new “pods” are being installed in the workplace in South Africa. 
 
“Secluded pods allow office workers to meditate, smash things or scream and will be commonplace in two years time,”  Leith noted. 
 
4 Themed Meeting Rooms To Portray Company Identity
 
Themed meeting rooms are becoming important areas for companies to portray their identity, values and what they do. 
 
This may be in the form of wallpaper, graphics, furniture, lighting, or colour. 
 
This allows for each meeting room to take on a certain personality, ultimately making them more interesting and inviting spaces to be in, as well as emphasising the firm’s identity.
 
5       Play space 
 
Not just for trendy companies like Google any more or start ups burning through cash. 
 
“Games such as pool and Ping-Pong are also being brought into the communal areas which allow colleagues to interact with other on a more relaxed level as well as help them to relax.
 
“This trend is growing in South Africa is an effective way to break the office stress cycle and rest the brain, “ Leith concluded.

The top 5 SA workplace trends in 2017

Acacia Mining&#8217;s shares fell for a sixth straight session on Tuesday, a day after the gold miner was hit with a tax bill of more than $190 billion by the Tanzanian government.
Shares in the London-listed miner closed 8.5 percent lower at 169 pence, having had more than two-thirds wiped of their value since a ban on the export of gold and copper concentrates was imposed in Tanzania on March 3.
Acacia, the biggest gold miner in Tanzania, received a notice from Tanzania on Monday for $190 billion unpaid taxes dating back over 10 years.
Acacia said it did not believe it owed the money and reiterated that it had fully declared all revenues.
The Tanzanian revenue authority has not immediately responded to Reuters&#8217; requests to comment.
The London-listed company, majority owned by Canada&#8217;s Barrick Gold, is caught up in sweeping changes to Tanzania&#8217;s mining industry spearheaded by President John Magufuli who believes the country is not getting its fair share of profits from the sector.
The tax bill is four times the GDP of Tanzania and is 32 times larger than Acacia&#8217;s revenue from the two of its mines over the last ten years, according to World Bank data and research from BMO Capital Markets.
&#8220;$190 billion is simply an absurdly high number- it will not be paid,&#8221; Jefferies analyst Alan Spence said.
&#8220;Even if a resolution is found you can&#8217;t have same amount of confidence in Tanzania that this won’t happen to another company again.&#8221;
Magufuli last week threatened to shut all gold mines in Tanzania if mining companies delayed talks to resolve the dispute over billions of dollars in back taxes the government says they owe.
&#8220;These claims are hard to fathom when compared with the total revenue from these mines of $9.4 billion since inception and Tanzania&#8217;s GDP of $46 billion,&#8221; Barclays said in a note.
The government and Barrick have agreed to start talks about the ban on concentrate exports.
Reporting by Zandi Shabalala in Johahannesburg, Additional reporting by Fumbuka Ng&#8217;wanakilala in Dar es Salaam. Editing by Jane Merriman

Tanzania tax row knocks Acacia Mining shares

South Africa&#8217;s Chamber of Mines has lodged an urgent court application to prevent the mines minister from suspending the issuance of new mining and prospecting rights, the industry body said on Tuesday.
&#8220;The industry has no option but to proceed with court action to ensure that the minister acts within the law,&#8221; the chamber said in a statement. It said the case will be heard on Aug 4.
Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane said last week he intended to suspend the granting of applications for prospecting and mining rights pending a court case to review a new charter that increased the required level of ownership of mining firms by black people.
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Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by James Macharia
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SA Chamber of Mines to challenge mining rights freeze

Uganda&#8217;s new-found oil reserves may account for as much as 4 percent of its economy annually in coming years if managed well, the International Monetary Fund&#8217;s country chief says.
IMF Mission Chief for Uganda Axel Schimmelpfennig writes in a blog post that the country also needs some strategic infrastructure investment and better debt management.
Uganda&#8217;s economy has taken a hit over the past decade &#8212; particularly on a per capita basis &#8212; but is recovering.
According to IMF figures, growth was around 4.7 percent in 2016, currently above average for Africa. That was up from just 2.6 percent in 2011, but still well off its 10.4 percent high as the global financial crisis broke.
The IMF projects gross domestic product will grow at 5.7 percent in 2018, but Schimmelpfennig sees greater growth beyond.
&#8220;Drought in the Horn of Africa, regional conflict, and slow credit growth have contributed to (the decline), with per capita growth falling to half a percent from an average of 5 percent for the past 20 years,&#8221; he said in his blog post.
Per capita GDP &#8212; a closer measure of ordinary Ugandan&#8217;s conditions &#8212; has plunged in the past few years along with weakness in key exports such as tea, coffee and some minerals.
The shilling, Uganda&#8217;s currency, has also weakened, in particular during the run up to the February 2016 presidential election.
But with oil, all this could change.
&#8220;In our estimates the revenues could range on an annual basis from about half a percent GDP initially to about 4 percent at peak production, he says. &#8220;The challenge that many oil producers face is to manage this well.&#8221;
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Uganda discovered commercial hydrocarbon deposits in the Albertine rift basin that straddles its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2006. It estimates the deposits hold around 6.5 billion barrels of oil as well as commercial deposits of natural gas.
Production is due to start in 2020, after a number of years delay. An export pipeline is being developed and work is at the early stages of field development.
Schimmelpfennig said that if the government starts production as planned it could &#8220;reap the benefits&#8221; for almost 30 years.
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Reporting by Jeremy Gaunt, additional reporting by Elias Biryabarema in Kampala, editing by Larry King
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New oil reserves to account for 4% of Ugandan economy

Kenyan opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga on Monday fielded questions alone on stage after his rival, President Uhuru Kenyatta, failed to show up for a debate between the two.
Odinga, who is the flagbearer for the National Super Alliance coalition, said his top priorities if elected in the Aug. 8 general election would be to lower food prices and rent and tackle youth unemployment.
&#8220;First is the issue of putting food on the table, reducing the cost of living for the people. This is our priority number one. We address the issues of flour, so that we can lower the prices of maize flour, sugar,&#8221; he said.
He said to lower rent he would enforce the existing rent restrictions act. &#8220;This law is meant to protect the poor from exploitation by the landlords,&#8221; Odinga said.
The office of Kenyatta, who is running for a second and final five-year term in office, gave no explanation for his absence.
On Sunday, he answered questions online and pledged to create 6.5 million jobs in the next five years if elected, adding that his administration would continue to invest in infrastructure, education and training, small businesses and a high-tech economy, a statement from his office said.
Kenyans are also due to choose on Aug. 8 legislators and local representatives for the first time since 2013, when the elections passed peacefully after the opposition challenged the results in court.
The presidential television debate is the second ever held in the country after a similar one in 2013.
A separate debate was held earlier in the evening among three other candidates and three more who did not show up.
The debate organizers said the earlier debate was for candidates who polled 5 percent or less in two national opinion polls.
According to polling firm IPSOS, Kenyatta and Odinga are likely to take about 90 percent of the vote, while none of the six independent presidential candidates is polling above 1 percent.
Opinion polls show the gap between Odinga and Kenyatta has closed.
Kenyatta&#8217;s Jubilee Party has also promised to provide free, quality primary healthcare for all Kenyans; free secondary education; affordable housing and connect every citizen to the electricity grid by 2020.
The opposition coalition National Super Alliance manifesto also promises to reform the public sector, set up a universal health service fund and tackle corruption.
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Reporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Cynthia Osterman
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Kenyan president fails to show up for election debate

Software AG said on Tuesday it is mounting an internal probe after a media report alleged it had paid kickbacks as part of a wide-ranging South Africa government bribery scheme that has also ensnared fellow German software maker SAP.
“Software AG is not aware of any non-compliant business practices in its South Africa operations,&#8221; a company spokesman told Reuters, but added: &#8220;Based on current media speculations, the company has started an internal review.&#8221;
The spokesman said Software AG cannot make further comment until its review has been completed.
The report, published jointly on Tuesday by the Amabhungane and the Daily Maverick&#8217;s Scorpio investigative reporting teams, alleges Software AG entered into an apparent kickback deal with a politically connected South Africa family to win contracts.
It said Software AG agreed to pay an intermediary company linked to the Gupta family, who are close allies of President Jacob Zuma, in order to win deals with state-controlled companies or agencies or private firms
Earlier this month, SAP named a new executive team in South Africa after it put four senior managers on leave, pending its investigations into allegations that it was involved in making kickbacks to win government contracts.
(1 euro = 15.1280 rand)
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Reporting By Eric Auchard; Editing by Maria Sheahan
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Germany’s Software AG starts probe into state capture reports

Ongama Mtimka | Nelson Mandela University
&nbsp;
The South African Communist Party (SACP) resolved at its recent 14th Congress to contest future elections in the country independent of the African National Congress (ANC), its dominant alliance partner.
If implemented, the resolution would fundamentally change the governing tripartite alliance that’s been in place for more than 60 years. It was formed during the struggle for liberation and has governed South Africa since 1994. The other member of the alliance is the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).
Between the mid 1940s and 1950s, South African communists differed with their international counterparts in their interpretation of the role of class struggle in liberation politics. Despite fears that nationalism would invariably deliver a political settlement with little change in the material living conditions of the working class, the party tactically aligned itself with the Congress Movement, led by the ANC. It regarded the South African situation as “unique” and therefore requiring “more creativity in how the party sought to advance the class struggle”.
Relations within the alliance are now at an all time low. Ahead of the latest congress, the increasingly strained relations between the SACP and President Jacob Zuma, who is also president of the ANC, and thus the leader of the alliance, had reached an unprecedented low point.
This came amid growing claims alleging that Zuma is the kingpin behind the capture of the state by private business interests. The party has called for the president’s resignation and barred him from speaking at its congress. Zuma had earlier been subjected to similar treatment by Cosatu.
Oddly, the SACP says it will remain within the alliance despite its stated aim to contest elections, effectively in opposition to the ANC. Yet, the mere act of it contesting elections may be construed as a split in practical terms.
But, the party has been here before.
<h2>A decade of indecision</h2>
Relations among the alliance partners have been strained throughout the democratic period because of the policies of the ANC in power, with Thabo Mbeki’s administration from 1999 to 2008 associated with “neoliberalism” or “the class project of 1996”. In turn, Mbeki was critical of what he called divisive “ultra-leftists” in the alliance when closing the 51st ANC conference at Stellenbosch in 2002, increasing fears of a possible split.
Consequently, the leftist SACP first resolved to contest state power independently at its 12th Congress in 2007. But then the party deferred the final decision to implement the resolution to its central committee, the highest decision making body between congresses.
The central committee was mandated to either lobby for a “reconfigured alliance” with greater leftist influence and control, or to decide on contesting elections independently. The idea of a reconfigured alliance won the day, with the SACP then pinning its hopes on an expected victory by leftists in the ANC. Zuma, its preferred supposedly leftist candidate for the position of ANC president, went on to defeat Mbeki in December 2007.
<div id="attachment_222404" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-222404" class="size-medium wp-image-222404" src="http://cnbc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Mbeki_WEF_Flickr-300x201.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="201" />Former South African President Thabo Mbeki. Photo | Eric Miller / World Economic Forum 2008 Africa Summit, Cape Town
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The party “reaffirmed” the decision to contest state power at its 13th congress in 2012. But, once again, it failed to empower its central committee to implement the decision. It only mandated it to table “a report” to “enable fuller discussion” in December that year.
Again at the 2017 congress, the party has resolved to contest elections but qualified the resolution by asking its central committee to conduct further analysis and engage its stakeholders on the best way to achieve this.
In essence, the SACP has been tiptoeing about the idea of contesting state power at its three conferences over the past 10 years.
The resolution from the 14th Congress, therefore, could have shown a bolder commitment by the SACP to contesting state power. But once again, decisive action has effectively been postponed by failing to instruct the central committee explicitly to implement it.
When pressed to clarify the tentative nature of the party’s resolution, SACP General Secretary, Blade Nzimande, confirmed that more discussions were to follow before a final decision could be made. This deferring of a final decision to another structure makes the resolution exactly the same as those of the past two conferences.
<h2>Clinging onto the ANC’s coattails</h2>
Despite successive disappointments, the party still appears to be hoping for an outcome that will favour it in the ANC succession race. Nzimande has denied this. This time, their key man is ANC presidential hopeful and deputy president of the country Cyril Ramaphosa.
This reliance on ANC succession politics may see the SACP fail to contest elections in 2019 once again. But the failure to stop relying on developments in the ANC and start implementing a now ten-year old resolution to contest elections will be more spectacular this time round. That’s because at the rate the governing party is losing support, there might no longer be a dominant ANC in South African electoral politics.
That the ANC is leaking votes presents the SACP with its best ever chance to strengthen its hand within the alliance. It’s a golden opportunity to end the ANC’s abusive tendency to act unilaterally, regardless of the SACP’s position on key issues.
The SACP might have more direct and observable value from real electoral support, which can be translated into seats in municipal councils, provincial legislatures and in parliament.
<h2>One more alternative to the ANC?</h2>
There has not been a practical and scientific way to determine what the SACP brings to the ANC in terms of electoral support. The picture was complicated by the fact that SACP members are also often members of the ANC. The party could not take for granted that its close to 220 000 members would vote for it if it left the alliance.
But with the ANC in its current crisis, the SACP might present a close enough alternative for supporters who are fed up with the governing party and who don’t have an alternative party to vote for.
But it will never know unless it breaks the perpetual indecisiveness.

Op-Ed: South Africa’s communists need to cut the ANC umbilical cord. Or perish

Boitumelo Mothoagae | Liberty
Do you feel uncomfortable when you hear the terms, ‘investment portfolio’, ‘inflation’ and ‘insurance’? Are you filled with doubt and intimidation at the thought of signing a new investment contract?
Fortunately, you are not alone. Statistics show that 50% of credit active consumers have a negative financial status &#8211; they are failing to meet their financial responsibilities to creditors. Amongst the major contributing factors to this is poor understanding of financial basics.
According to a survey of 1000 financially active South Africans conducted by research company Columinate, 47% said they have a fair understanding of their personal finances, 67% spend only one to two hours per week on their finances. Only 32% set financial goals for themselves, and 55% do not even bother to track what they spend their money on.
Boitumelo Mothoagae – Financial Adviser at Liberty, says National Savings Month presents us with a great opportunity to check in on our financial knowledge as a country. “The on-going stats that reflect that we are not a nation that saves a lot shouldn’t deter South African’s from seeking knowledge about finances. More times than not, it is the jargon that can stop people from saving.”
Mothoagae adds, “when you understand your financial needs you are in a better position to make informed decisions and have a better chance at attaining financial freedom.”
Connecting with an accredited Financial Adviser also allows you an opportunity to ask the right questions, understand the meaning behind the jargon, and essentially demystify some of the myths that may be stopping one from saving.”
Mothoagae also gives five simple steps to improve your financial literacy: 
Step 1: Take a closer look at your bank statements 
Print out three months of your bank statements and look at your spending habits. Highlight any transactions that you are unsure of. Once you have done this, call the bank and ask them what the transactions are for. This will give you a better understanding of the fees you’re paying and help you identify circumstances where you are paying too much towards your creditors.
Step 2: Listen to financial news and read investment papers
You’ll discover an exciting world of financial knowledge. If at first you don’t understand the terms and complex jargon in the news, don’t be despondent. Instead, make a concerted effort to find the answers to your questions.
Step 3: Make a list of financial terms you don’t understand 
In your research, make a list of all the complex terms and words you can’t understand. Once you have this list, use the technology at your disposal to find the meaning of the words. The internet is a great resource that can help you discover the answers you are looking for.
Step 4: Speak to a financial adviser 
At Liberty, we encourage all our financial advisers to debunk the mysteries of financial jargon for our clients. So use this opportunity to get the information you require first hand. If at first you don’t understand, keep asking the financial adviser to explain your products and services in more detail. This will help you know exactly what you need, to make better financial decisions.
Step 5: Put what you’ve learnt into action 
There’s no point in learning all the financial terms if you don’t put your knowledge into action. Your knowledge around budgeting, saving, investing and insurance will continue to grow and evolve. Tackle one financial task at a time so that you can maintain full control of your learning process.
“Financial literacy is not something you gain in a split second; it takes time to understand the important elements. Financial Institutions need to make it a priority to improve financial literacy not only for youth but for all consumers,” concludes Mothoagae.

Is scary finance jargon keeping you from saving?

Britain&#8217;s anti-fraud regulator has opened an investigation into suspected corruption in Australian-British miner Rio Tinto Plc&#8217;s business conduct in the Republic of Guinea, the agency said.
In a statement on Monday, the Serious Fraud announced the probe into the company, one of the world&#8217;s largest metals and mining corporations, its employees and others associated with it.
In November Rio Tinto said it had become aware of emails that referred to unexplained payments of $10.5 million in connection with the Simandou iron ore project in the West African nation.
&#8220;Rio Tinto will fully co-operate with the Serious Fraud Office and any other relevant authorities, as it has done since it self-reported in November 2016,&#8221; the company said in a statement on Monday.
Guinea&#8217;s Mines Minister Abdoulaye Magassouba said by telephone that he &#8220;would not comment on a judicial matter, especially at this stage.&#8221;
&#8220;We are continuing the work of developing the Simandou project,&#8221; he added.
U.S.-listed shares in Rio Tinto were unchanged at $43.90 in after-hours trading after closing 0.5 percent lower.
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Reporting by Huw Jones; Additional reporting by Saliou Samb in Conakry; editing by Alexander Smith and Richard Chang
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UK fraud regulator says probing Rio Tinto’s Guinea operations

Shell&#8217;s Nigerian subsidiary has shut its 180,000 barrel-per-day Trans Niger pipeline in Nigeria due to a leak, the company said in a statement on Monday, effectively shutting in exports of Bonny Light crude oil.
    The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) said it shut the pipeline on July 21 after a leak at B-Dere, Ogoniland. The company said it did not yet know the cause of the leak.
Shell declared force majeure on Bonny Light exports earlier this month after the closure of the Nembe Creek Trunk Line by operator Aiteo, the only other export avenue, but until last week loadings continued via the Trans Niger Pipeline.
August exports of Bonny Light had originally been planned at more than 200,000 bpd.
SPDC said efforts are ongoing for a joint investigation visit to determine the cause of the leak and repair of the pipeline.
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Reporting by Libby George in London; Editing by James Dalgleish
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Shell shuts Trans Niger pipeline due to leak

Trevor Gosling | Lulalend
A common challenge for small business owners is ensuring adequate cash flow. Increasing costs of supplies, inventory or business operations can often outpace the money coming into the business. Without smart cash flow management, business owners can quickly land in hot water. But, says Trevor Gosling, CEO of online small business lender Lulalend, there are some key principles that business owners can follow to ensure the lifeblood of their business – cash flow – is not placed in undue peril. “Business owners need to keep an eye trained on budgets, overheads, suppliers and day-to-day expenses. Luckily, there are some tried and tested cash flow management tips to ensure there’s not too much month for your money.”
Gosling recommends that business owners consider the following:
#1 &#8211; Find ways of bringing in new business and retain existing customers
The first step is to make sure you’re marketing your business to the right people in the right way. You might need to rethink your marketing plan or start marketing if that hasn’t been on your agenda. Maybe it’s worthwhile to run some specials or promotions to draw in more customers.
Secondly, don’t forget about existing customers. Take advantage of your well-earned relationships, and turn them into brand advocates who keep coming back. Their experience at every touch point will influence whether they turn into repeat customers.
#2 &#8211; Build strong relationships with trustworthy suppliers
Building a solid relationship with suppliers will put you in a better position to negotiate with them – this means they are more likely to offer you discounts and special deals. For example, because you’ve built a good relationship and the supplier knows you are a trustworthy client there may be opportunities for more flexibility in extending your credit. Instead of having just two weeks to pay a supplier you could push for four weeks. And because the supplier knows you’re good for it, they might be willing to accommodate.
#3 &#8211; Assess where you can save in the day-to-day running of the business
We spend a big chunk of our lives at the office, so it’s understandable that we want to make it a comfortable environment for ourselves and our employees. But are you spending more on luxuries then you need to? Do you really need that fancy espresso machine or trendy office furniture? Consider what are needs and what are wants.
This can even apply to the software that you need for business operations. Determine whether a subscription-based offering is reasonable and includes the features you need. For example, Xero offers its online accounting software for as little as R140 per month which integrates with your bank, enables you to send invoices, and lets you reconcile bank statements easily.
#4 &#8211; Go green
There are a couple of ways you can save money by being an environmentally conscious business. Why not go paperless, whether this is for emails, invoices, or bookkeeping? With the current water shortage in South Africa, encourage your employees to use water conservatively and fix any leaking taps as soon as you become aware of them. You may think these small changes do not make a big difference in your bottom line, but consider this: Brian Wilkinson, CEO of Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), says a green building on average saves 25% in electricity. These energy efficient solutions may also help you qualify for tax incentives, which work on the basis of quantifiable energy that you save expressed as kilowatt-hours (kWh). For each kWh that you save, you could get up to R0.45 tax relief.
#5 &#8211; Use your office space wisely
Office space can be very pricey – especially if you want a prime spot that’s accessible to a large customer base. Make sure that the space you rent is suitable for a small business and that subleasing doesn’t go against your own lease agreement. A shared workspace will also save you a substantial amount on utilities. For example, The Bureaux Flexible Work Habitats offer a desk space for R1,850 per month and it includes necessities like electricity, water, and Wi-Fi connection.
#6 &#8211; Invoice customers as quickly as possible
As a business, you want your clients to pay you as soon as possible. To get paid quickly, be sure to invoice them immediately after the service/product has been provided. For services such as those offered by electricians, plumbers and other similar trades, you could consider offering discounts as an incentive for paying early. While giving a discount may tighten margins slightly, it will also manage to free up cash flow in your business.
#7 &#8211; Be proactive
Don’t wait until your business is experiencing a cash flow slump. Make sure that you have documented a plan and a cost-reduction strategy in place so that you’re prepared when the leaner months arrive. Every business is bound to experience a bump in the road, but the true mark of a successful business is having a strategy in place to manage cash flow.
Short term business funding is also a viable option to help your business if you are experiencing a dip in cash flow. Access to funding can help you purchase more stock or inventory to increase sales and bring in more business, and could ensure that you are paying the loan off quickly and not getting yourself into a debt cycle. At Lulalend we help SMEs get quick, easy access to business funding so that they can see success and not digress. With business funding of up to R500 000 and flexible repayment plans, you can turn things around for your business and remain in the cash flow positive.

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Op-Ed: South Africa’s communists need to cut the ANC umbilical cord. Or perish

Is scary finance jargon keeping you from saving?

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Shell shuts Trans Niger pipeline due to leak

How to keep your SME cash-flow positive

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News

South Africa’s maize estimate up 2%

Nigeria stocks near three-year high

Nigerian Senate backs plans to reduce power of presidency

Op-Ed: A 10-point plan to accelerate orderly land reform in South Africa

Nigerian acting president Osinbajo returns to oil heartlands

Ugandan employees take Chinese firm to court in HIV workplace battle

The top 5 SA workplace trends in 2017

Tanzania tax row knocks Acacia Mining shares

SA Chamber of Mines to challenge mining rights freeze

New oil reserves to account for 4% of Ugandan economy

Kenyan president fails to show up for election debate

Germany’s Software AG starts probe into state capture reports

Op-Ed: South Africa’s communists need to cut the ANC umbilical cord. Or perish

Is scary finance jargon keeping you from saving?

UK fraud regulator says probing Rio Tinto’s Guinea operations

Shell shuts Trans Niger pipeline due to leak

How to keep your SME cash-flow positive

News Tips

Advertise With Us

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