On 25 November 2024, we received the devastating news of the passing of Imran Vanker and his beloved daughter, Sara, in a tragic motor vehicle accident. This loss is not only personal but also a significant one for South Africa, the global auditing profession and humanity as a whole. 9 Dec 2024 Read more Much of the focus throughout 2024 has been the May elections and their outcome. The lead-up to the election was highly anticipated, with many citizens anxious about what turned out to be one of the most contested elections since 1994. We then had to come to terms with a new system of leadership where power was shared among South Africa's political opponents, who had to find a way to 'get along'. 6 Dec 2024 Read more From humble beginnings, Black Friday has gained significant momentum and has become one of the shopping events of the season, marking the start of the festive season for many South Africans. 20 Nov 2024 Read more International Fraud Awareness Week is an annual global observance highlighting the scourge of fraud in society and the efforts that various sectors are implementing to address this growing challenge. This year, it will be held from 17 November to 24 November. 19 Nov 2024 Read more South Africa has faced two major cyber security breaches this year and has been the victim of ongoing cyber abuse over a significant period, which cost millions of rands in losses. 20 Sep 2024 Read more As South Africa continues to plot its new political discourse under the Government of National Unity, education has been identified as a critical focal area where key reforms will lead to future economic growth. 5 Sep 2024 Read more According to media reports there has been a significant increase in kidnappings in South Africa, where criminal syndicates have targeted South African entrepreneurs. The banking division of the National Financial Ombud Scheme (NFO) has received some complaints relating to kidnappings where consumers disclose their confidential banking information under duress. 14 Aug 2024 Read more Despite the fact that South Africa is going through a significant political transition, our democracy remains a shining beacon of hope on a continent where a democratic process is desperately needed in many countries. 13 Aug 2024 Read more The Ombudsman for Long-term Insurance (OLTI) and the Ombudsman for Short-term Insurance (OSTI) have published their last joint annual report for 2023, as they have now been incorporated into the National Financial Ombud Scheme South Africa (NFO). 1 Jul 2024 Read more On May 29, South Africa held one of the most pivotal elections in the country's democratic history. As politicians diligently work to find common ground and make the Government of National Unity function, there is a palpable concern about the future of some of the country's most crucial sectors. 26 Jun 2024 Read more What should we call a group of top visual artists? A "bevy", a block, a bond, or an ensemble? We believe the most fitting term is simply "the Clarens Arts Festival". Join us from 1 May to 5 May in Clarens, Free State, for this spectacular gathering. 2 May 2024 Read more International World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April. This year’s celebration comes at a time when many health systems worldwide are looking for ways to address capacity issues and funding for essential services. Mental health is becoming a growing focal point, with many asking if enough is being done to address the issue appropriately. 3 Apr 2024 Read more Higher education institutions worldwide are currently facing a critical period in their existence. They have to redefine their value proposition to a cohort of students who are not only digital natives but have grown up in an environment where the pace of technological change is quicker than ever before while trying to maintain the core values, principles, and practices that have served them well for centuries. 19 Mar 2024 Read more The nation's eyes and ears will be focused on Cape Town today as Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presents the 2024 National Budget. 22 Feb 2024 Read more With only a few weeks left in 2023, South Africans have endured another challenging year. It is anticipated that 2024 will be equally challenging; however, technological advances provide some hope for new opportunities. 8 Dec 2023 Read more The television entertainment sector in South Africa is undergoing a digital revolution, with streaming services such as Showmax, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ disrupting the traditional business model South Africans have used for many years. 24 Nov 2023 Read more Even though there is a continuous narrative that South African consumers are facing a tough economic environment, and that discretionary spending is under pressure, annual Black Friday sales are steadily increasing. 22 Nov 2023 Read more Plenty of literature has been written about the challenges facing the South African economy and the fact that there are no immediate solutions to fast-track economic growth. 9 Nov 2023 Read more World Teachers Day is celebrated on 5 October and pays homage to the teachers who have made a difference and continue to make a difference in the lives of many learners and communities. 3 Oct 2023 Read more In line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the movement from localised job markets to a global job market, technology is having a significant influence on the future world of work, with artificial intelligence taking centre stage when it comes to automating business processes. 14 Sep 2023 Read more The recently held Brics Summit caused waves in the West when Chinese President Xi Jinping encouraged summit participants to increase trade in their own currencies and to move away from the US dollar. 13 Sep 2023 Read more The South African tertiary education system is currently the subject of significant scrutiny, with the future value proposition offered by its tertiary education providers taking centre stage in many household debates and family discussions. 30 Aug 2023 Read more Four university students, one of whom was Mark Zuckerberg, changed the world of communication in 2004 when they launched Facebook. The platform quickly grew into the largest social media network in the world with close to three billion users as of 2021 - half of which access their account on a daily basis. 30 Aug 2023 Read more Government passed the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act on 13 June 2023 and has since received plenty of opinions from various sources on how the ambitious public healthcare system should be run once it is fully implemented. 10 Aug 2023 Read more Since the dawn of the fourth industrial revolution in 2015, digitalisation has grown to be one of the most powerful platforms for companies to do business. You are effectively losing business if you do not have an attractive and informative website. 25 Jul 2023 Read more Every society is built around the rule of law and adherence to that law. However, the custodians of the law (police and lawmakers) can't be present in every instance where there is a breach of legal and ethical behaviour. Citizens must be equally invested in being law-abiding citizens and exposing instances where questionable behaviour occurs. 17 Jul 2023 Read more Generative AI, and technology's increased role in our daily lives, have been important narratives influencing societal development for the past ten years. However, it has been the events of the past three years, which have been shaped by a global health pandemic, that has increased the importance of this narrative. The education sector was hit hard by Covid and is now feeling the impact of accelerated digitalisation. 14 Jun 2023 Read more Many companies around the world are facing an operating environment where profits are under pressure, and the need to focus on an increased return on investment become vital to the company's future survival. To address this effectively, many companies are looking to improve their focus on skills development which will address these challenges rapidly and appropriately. 8 Jun 2023 Read more The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of the South African healthcare system at a time when global health crises exert a greater level of influence on the pressures felt by these systems. 7 Jun 2023 Read more South Africa's unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2023 was 32,9%. This places South Africa among the highest in the world and puts the gravity of the unemployment crisis into sharp perspective. 2 Jun 2023 Read more The South African business environment is currently facing significant disruption. Not only is inflation a significant problem, companies also need to contend with load shedding and the impact that it is having on their business. 25 May 2023 Read more Throughout history, South Africa has been home to some of the African continent's most prominent and innovative entrepreneurs. 24 May 2023 Read more With the lifting of the dark clouds of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ombudsman for long-term insurance (OLTI) and the ombudsman for short-term insurance (OSTI) are looking ahead and planning with optimism. 24 May 2023 Read more Although banks appear to be making greater efforts to resolve some types of consumer disputes internally, banking fraud related to current accounts and internet banking remains high on the list of complaints to the Ombud for Banking Services South Africa (OBS). Two other categories of complaints, while still relatively low but on the Ombud's radar, are delays in finalising deceased estates and the collection of debt that has prescribed, or expired. Meanwhile, the OBS managed to recover more than R30m for consumers last year, about R10m more than in 2021. 17 May 2023 Read more As we approach the second half of the year, the excitement starts to build up at tertiary institutions as they prepare for their mid-year graduation ceremonies. 12 May 2023 Read more Traditionally, South Africa has been a popular country among fraudsters looking for every opportunity to try and find their next victim. Statistics from the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) point out that there was a 600% increase in incidents reported by their members in 2022 when compared to 2018. 10 May 2023 Read more Tertiary education providers throughout the world are faced with the challenge of assessing the quality of the education solutions that they provide in a post-Covid environment. 20 Feb 2023 Read more Global education has faced significant disruption over the past three years with a majority of students and learners forced to transition from in class to distance learning. In this paradigm, many learners were expected to manage their workload for the first time while coming to terms with challenges such as time management, self-guidance and the lack of a teacher or guidance councillor to help them manage their emotional wellbeing which is a challenge that is often overlooked in distance learning. 8 Feb 2023 Read more The way in which we work, and the future of work, is facing significant disruption that is being shaped by technology and the innovative growth of artificial intelligence. 19 Jan 2023 Read more Since the democratisation of South Africa in 1994, significant strides have been made to address the South African education system so that it addressed the legacy challenges that it faced from Apartheid. 18 Jan 2023 Read more The Consumer Protection Act (68 of 2008) was launched in 2008 and provides South Africans with key protections against the ambiguous wording and vague language traditionally associated with some contracts and professional literature. With many of these documents leaving South Africans in a vulnerable position where they were forced to stay ignorant in spite of their real commitments. 18 Jan 2023 Read more When asked about recognisable companies, many of us would naturally gravitate to massive global brands such as Apple and Microsoft or brands that have become popular through movies and television such as Walmart, Tiffany's and Harrods. Locally, brands such as Anglo American and African Rainbow Minerals come to mind. Not only are these brands significant in that they receive a lot of media attention, but they are also significant because they are major economic drivers of the countries that they are located in. Mining has been the cornerstone of the South African economy since 1800s and the tech boom in the US saw the significant rise of Apple and Microsoft who are now major employers. 19 Dec 2022 Read more Over the past 10 years, South Africa has been dealing with an economic and growing unemployment crisis that has placed the country in a dire situation. 19 Dec 2022 Read more Over the years, social media has become such a significant part of our lives that 56% of the world's population has a social media presence of some description. 16 Nov 2022 Read more Like many countries around the world, South Africa has adopted the concept of Black Friday, with the annual sale being one of the highlights of the year from a retail perspective. 16 Nov 2022 Read more Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world - Nelson Mandela 8 Nov 2022 Read more Over the past two years, global healthcare systems have faced significant disruption and strain due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During this time, the skills and dedication of nurses and doctors - as frontline workers - have been highlighted. 3 Nov 2022 Read more With the festive season fast approaching, South Africa has been slowly aligning itself with the rest of the world in heralding the start of the festive season shopping spree with its Black Friday shopping event. 26 Oct 2022 Read more South Africans are known for our love of food. We are a nation of eaters, often using mouth-watering dishes as a love language that we share with those closest to our hearts. 21 Jan 2022 Read more We are currently living in a world that is being driven by technology. It is very rare to find any aspect of our daily lives that is not impacted by technology. 7 Oct 2021 Read more Today, Ceres Fruit Juices announced the introduction of an initiative aimed at reducing plastic waste and has invited Craig Foster, award winning producer of the documentary: My Octopus Teacher, to participate in a roundtable highlighting the impact of plastic waste on the marine environment. 22 Sep 2021 Read more As many parts of the world deal with the third wave of Covid-19 infections, there are growing concerns that South Africa may face harsher lockdown measures in the future as the country ramps up its vaccine roll-out programme. 19 May 2021 Read more While the Covid-19 pandemic caused disruption in the handling of insurance complaints, the offices of the Short-term and Long-term Insurance Ombudsman managed to perform in accordance with their mandates. 18 May 2021 Read more It is no longer strange to hear from business that 2020 was an exceptional year. For some, it was exceptionally bad and led to unbelievable hardships. For others, it turned into an exceptionally busy year. The Ombudsman for Banking Services (OBS), Reana Steyn, points out that the OBS had a busy year. 14 May 2021 Read more The world is currently experiencing one of the worst health pandemics since the Spanish Flu in 1918. Not only has this had an impact on the health infrastructure of many countries, but it has resulted in economic turbulence in many markets with the looming potential of a global economic downturn if recovery efforts are not speedily implemented. 25 Nov 2020 Read more The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them. - Ernest Hemingway
We are living in a world that is in a constant state of disruption. In this world, trust becomes a vital component of any relationship. 24 Nov 2020 Read more As South Africa looks forward to returning to a sense of normality after spending months trying to come to terms with Covid-19 and our new normal, we all feel a desperate need for healing and human connection. It is a time where we need leaders to take a stand and bring the country together focusing us on a common purpose. 12 Nov 2020 Read more For 50 years, Albany Bakeries has been a staple in South African homes bringing smiles to lunch boxes, comfort to pregnancy cravings, sustenance to those late-night snacks, peace-of-mind to wives, mothers and grandmothers, and joy to the heart of every South African. 20 Aug 2020 Read more Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the world. 25 Jun 2020 Read more As South Africa moves ahead to becoming a major player in the gig economy, a lot of challenges need to be addressed when it comes to the telecommunications industry that will enable this vision and put the country on the global map 14 Apr 2020 Read more Mobax has recently signed a key partnership agreement with Radwin to roll out Radwin's comprehensive portfolio of Point-to-Multipoint and Point-to-Point wireless broadband solutions to its extensive base of telecommunication network operators and corporate clients. 30 Mar 2020 Read more Ceres, the innovative fruit-juice brand will launch new packaging in March 2020 to meet the changing demands of the South African consumer lifestyle. 9 Mar 2020 Read more Albany has launched tamperproof packaging to ensure consumers get peace of mind when making their bread purchase. 21 Nov 2019 Read more To celebrate South Africa's rich history of art and food this Heritage Month, Albany Bakeries will print a young South African artist's winning design on the packaging of millions of loaves of its Albany Superior White and Albany Superior Brown bread during September. 6 Sep 2019 Read more Tweens. "They're a generation of digital natives who have never known a world without the internet or social media." This is how Aaron Paquette writing in the The Marketing Insider October 2018, describes them. 21 May 2019 Read more World Food Day commemorates the launch of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The day aims to raise awareness about food scarcity and hunger with events that are held in over 150 countries around the world. 17 Oct 2018 Read more Three of South Africa's most-loved icons and brands will come together for Heritage Day celebrations in a unique and inspiring concept that links art and food in South African heritage. 19 Sep 2018 Read more |
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