Planning Topics
Rich people have always used their equity portfolios to tap into cheap loans and avoid large tax bills. It has also been used in complicated corporate finance deals, so portfolio-based lending is nothing new, but the pandemic's market rally and low interest rates turbocharged borrowing among the…
This Heritage Month, a flame was kindled in the heart of Cape Town. A flame that not only sizzled with the sumptuous aroma of a traditional South African braai but one that ignited the spirit of unity, camaraderie, and empowerment. Leading this initiative was none other than inDrive, which blended…
Mental illness cases are often difficult to assess, and insurers may sometimes be too hasty in deciding on their validity. A recent determination by the Ombudsman for Long-term Insurance found that an insurer incorrectly declined a disability claim for mental illness because it failed to take a…
There are so many things wrong with South Africa, how does one decide what needs fixing first? Energy supply, water supply, transport Infrastructure, municipal service delivery, education … the list goes on and on.At or near the top of my list would be health care. On the public side, services have…
Potholes - a common sign that a road is deteriorating – are widespread throughout South Africa. According to the South African Roads Federation (SARF), South Africa is home to 25 million potholes, 10 million more than there were five years ago.Recently, Dialdirect noted a 15% increase in pothole-…
Capital Wallet's triumph in securing the esteemed "Best Crypto Solution for Payments" award at UF AWARDS Global 2023 resonates powerfully with the company’s unwavering commitment to revolutionising the way people engage with cryptocurrencies in the global payments landscape.In the swiftly evolving…
The greylisting of South Africa by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was announced on February 24 this year, two days after the 2023 Budget Speech. Though expected and, according to government and financial practitioners, “priced-in”, it nonetheless affirmed the continued deterioration in the…
We sometimes hear people say their retirement savings will last for as long as they live – if they’re lucky. While it’s true you can’t predict how long you’ll live, and you can’t predict how investment markets will perform, there are ways to minimise the role of luck in your retirement planning.One…
The escalating costs of healthcare are challenging the traditional employer-sponsored medical scheme membership model. For many, the long-running hyperinflationary increases in the costs of comprehensive medical scheme membership, with its expensive Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMB) model, places…
What is the future of the investment industry in South Africa? Will the industry consolidate in the face of tough economic times and shrinking savings, and if so, how will this consolidation pan out?These questions were put to the CEOs of three of South Africa’s biggest investment houses – Hendrik…
With a firm belief that everyone could use a little kindness right now, SPAR is leveraging the power of social media to create a wave of positivity with #SpreadSmiles - a unique initiative aimed at promoting goodwill to support vital causes and positive community changes.SPAR Inland is stepping up…
EARLIER this week, Daily Maverick reporter, Lerato Mutsila, who was covering the Extinction Rebellion protest, was assaulted by Standard Bank’s security, who also unlawfully removed photos and videos from her mobile phone. This is just another in a growing list of such incidents that have the…
According to Deloitte’s South African Investment Management Outlook 2023, which compares South Africa’s savings rate with other countries, the country’s saving habits are far below average. This makes it more critical to drive awareness about savings amongst South Africans.Research indicates that…
Middle-aged South Africans – aged roughly between 40 and 60 years – show lower levels of confidence in their finances than their older and younger counterparts, pointing to the heavier financial burdens this generation faces.This is one of the findings of a new study by Sanlam, the 2023 Sanlam…
Indebted-consumers will have to endure elevated cost of borrowing for a bit longer as the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) maintained its hawkish monetary policy stance on sticky inflation concerns.SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago yesterday said that the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had…
What is the future of the investment industry in South Africa? Will the industry consolidate in the face of tough economic times and shrinking savings, and if so, how will this consolidation pan out?These questions were put to the CEOs of three of South Africa’s biggest investment houses – Hendrik…
By Brett LadouceThe current economic environment is putting a lot of pressure on the cash flow of employers. The electricity crisis, the high inflation rate and the low economic growth rate are forcing companies to cut costs by reducing staff numbers through a retrenchment process.When your…
Women’s month has come and gone, but their financial deposition has not. According to the latest Experian Consumer Default Index (CDIx) for the second quarter, South African women account for half of the total amount of consumers on the credit bureau. This means that in terms of being credit-active…
The South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to keep interest rates in the country unchanged for the second consecutive time on Thursday. SARB Governor Lesetja Kganyago announced that the repurchase rate (repo rate) will be left unchanged, at 8.25%, which means that…
Konrad Szałkiewicz, Herbalife Country Director Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia & South Africa discusses the need for organisations to encourage collaboration and innovation for their growth.The Herbalife business began with one man and a new idea – to give people something they wanted but in a…