Now Bafana Bafana Need Clive Barker

By THANDISIZWE MGUDLWA



The South African Football Association (SAFA) must now re-hire Clive Barker to coach Bafana Bafana.

This is no time for SAFA to try things out if Bafana Bafana are to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. 

Having failed to qualify for AFCON 2017, Bafana Bafana now need the best person that has ever coached them. And that person is Clive Barker.

After a successful spell as the head coach of the SA's senior soccer men's team since early 1994 till his stepped in December 1997, a few months before defending his 1996 African Nations Cup glory on home-soil, Barker unceremoniously axed after the teams early exist in the Confederations Cup held in Saudi Arabia.

Bafana Bafana had qualified to play in the inter-continental tournament due to them being African Champions in 1996.

If Barker had stay on after his exist in December 1997, he would have been the first coach to coach Bafana Bafana to the 1998 Soccer Wold Cup in France. Barker had qualified South Africa to the world's greatest show.

But what is now clear is that Bafana Bafana are far away from being #No 1 in Africa and #No 16 world, which they had achieved under Barker coaching.

Also in 1996, under Barker, FIFA bestowed Bafana Bafana with an international award as the most improved team, a Best Mover of the Year.

All the other coaches have not achieved anything close to what Barker achieved.

Barker was a professional footballer in the 1960s, playing for Durban City and Durban United having made his debut at the age of 17. He had a trial with Leicester City, but a serious knee injury quickly ended his career.

"The Dog", as he is nicknamed, became a manager in the 1970s, coaching numerous clubs in South Africa, including Durban City, Manning Rangers,AmaZulu (Zulu Royals) and Santos Cape Town. In the 1980s he won championships with various teams.

During his club career he won two league championships and two league cups. He was one of the first white managers in the South African league.

In 2013, Barker took Wits University to forth spot of South Africa's highest league the PSL. He has won numerous awrds/honours and other many accolades.

Today, Bafana Bafana are 23 years old and are ranked around  #No 17 in Africa and 72 in the world. Clearly Barker was the best thing to have happened to Bafana Bafana and probably to South African soccer generally.

SAFA must do South Africa a huge favor return Barker to coach Bafana Bafana.

Shakes Mashaba gain be given another portfolio within the technical stuff.

However, if Clive Barker had to come back he would need to be given the right to choose his assistance coach and technical support. 

Small Business FRIDAY

Dear South Africans, This Friday, the 02 September is Small Business Friday - a movement brought to you by the National Small Business Chamber (NSBC) and Nedbank as title sponsor. Help us to mobilise the nation to support South Africa's most meaningful movement that has a direct impact on alleviating unemployment and driving job creation through small business. The most active NSBC Member driving social media for Small Business Friday will win a R50K NSBC Digital Marketing Package: All you need to do is commit to the three simple tasks below: Pledge Your Support Visit www.smallbusinessfriday.co.za and pledge your support. Social Media Posts Encourage your social media followers to support #SmallBizFriday in a unique post in these last few days leading up to SmallBusiness Friday. Social Media Shares Retweet, Share or Comment on Small Business Friday posts on our social media channels (Facebook / Twitter / Instagram) leading up to and especially on Small Business Friday. The official Hashtag: #SmallBizFriday Our Social media channels: Facebook: Facebook.com/SmallBizFriday Twitter: @SmallBizFriday Instagram: @SmallBizFriday We hope that Small Business Friday makes a difference to your business in the road ahead. We look forward to your support. Kind regards
	Mike Anderson National Small Business Chamber [t] 0861 SA NSBC (72 6722) [f] 086 650 7681 [e] info@nsbc.org.za [w] www.nsbc.org.za [tw] twitter.com/mysmallbiz [fb] facebook.com/smallbizchamber

Vukani

Petrini urges residents to support local businesses

NEWS / 25 August 2016, 02:00am

PHIRI CAWE

Carlo Petrini addressing the community in Khayelitsha.

The visit by Italian food revolutionary, Carlo Petrini, to Khayelitsha, on Tuesday August 16, raised a number of concerns about where our food comes from, but also inspired a sense of hope to those in attendance.

The Slow Food movement promotes eating locally produced food and supporting your area’s farmers.

Mr Petrini, who is also the president and founder of Slow Food, told food activists at The Barn at the Look Out Hill that, “a man who does not take care of the environment is a stupid man, be proud of your culture, eat South African foods”.

He advised aspirant and community farmers to live a healthy life style and to ignore those who criticised them.

The outspoken farmer said he was annoyed by what he called the “criminal food system”, which paid farmers little and distributors of food a lot of money. “It is unfair,” he said. Mr Petrini urged the continent to promote community farmers and encouraged the farmers and food activists to open up school gardens. He said that would help generate interest among young people.

“Africa has to decide how it feeds itself. We have to respect food culture of all the countries. In every country there is a culture. Diversity is strength,” he said.

With complaints about land shortages, Mr Petrini said it was a problem everywhere.

He said land grabbing was also a problem in his country. But he encouraged people to value land which they could use for farming.

“It is a long road for change, but keep your feet on the ground. Land grabbing is a disaster. But food is around you,” he said.

Mr Petrini called on everyone, including governments, to respect farmers.

His work was appreciated by organisations at the event who promised to create 10 000 gardens on the continent.

Khayelitsha’s own food activist and a member of Slow Food Youth Network, Xolisa Bangani was equally impressed. He praised Mr Petrini for his courage to take on the governments. He said since the establishment of slow food gardens, there has been a change in young people’s mindsets about farming. “There have been opportunities in farming. Young people in particular are starting to realise the importance of gardens and a healthy lifestyle. We are grateful to this man,” he said.

SOURCE; Vukani newspaper

Co-ordinator of Mr Petrini’s visit, Loubie Rusch, from Making Kos, who is on a mission to explore indigenous foods, said she was amazed by the man’s ability to address all sorts of people.

Ms Rusch said she was excited that Mr Petrini was able to bring people from different backgrounds and cultures under one roof.

“There was a mix bag of people, but he managed to address them and reached out to all of them. There were farmers, academics, youth networks and ordinary people but he touched them all. He was amazing,” she said.

Ms Rusch said the different networks that attended the event were working in the right direction of trying to change our food system.

She said many food activists were doing their own things in their own little space, but it was about time they come together.

Like Mr Petrini, she encouraged people to eat their own local and cultural foods, but in a modern way. “So many of us are disconnected with our culture. He encouraged us not to leave our Gogo’s recipes. I concur with that but we need to do them in a modern way,” she said.

Small Business FRIDAY

Be part of South Africa's biggest small business day of the year! Small Business FRIDAY 2 September 2016 is Small Business Friday a one-day high action drive to get South Africans  to support small businesses.  Why support small businesses? It's convenient as they're in your local community They offer that personal touch  They often offer unique products / services  You’ll be making a positive impact on the economy   Your purchase has a positive impact on the business  owner, the employees, their families and the community  You can help small businesses grow, employ more, reduce unemployment and nurture the country’s entrepreneurial spirit by spreading the word about #SmallBizFriday!  Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Follow on Instagram

www.smallbizfriday.co.za

FMCG NEWS

Fawu's fight in AB InBev's takeover of SABMiller pays off

16 AUG 2016 | SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT |  PDF    BY: ANN CROTTY

Workers at South African Breweries (SAB) who own shares through the Zenzele scheme are to get an average advance payment of about R32,000 when the deal with Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) goes through, following a hard-fought battle by the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu).

Picture: Bloomberg/Waldo Swiegers

The deal was struck on Friday, after Fawu had threatened to strike over the issue. The union had complained that while 1,700 SAB managers would receive a $1.9bn early payout on their share options, workers had to wait until the Zenzele scheme matured in 2020.

SAB initially offered an immediate payout of about R16,000, which would have been an interest-bearing loan against the value of the shares when they vest. SAB had wanted to charge Zenzele members interest on the prepayment equivalent to 85% of the prime rate.

The improved offer, which is largely attributable to Fawu’s determination, doubles the amount proposed originally by SAB and removes the requirement that recipients pay interest on what is essentially a prepayment of dividends.

Fawu general secretary Katishi Masemola said the revised terms fell considerably short of his union’s demands and were far less generous than the payouts enjoyed by management, but he was pleased industrial action was off the table.

"The matter was before the (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration) and industrial action was looming," he said.

Masemola said that although the SAB employees were relatively well paid, they had debts they were keen to pay off. "This debt burden weakened their resolve to fight."

Masemola’s determination to ensure that the Zenzele scheme was included in discussions about AB InBev’s acquisition of SABMiller and that employees should benefit as much as management has won the union support among white-collar workers at SAB who face an uncertain future under the new owners.

"The merger conditions have guaranteed manning levels at the company, but it’s unclear what will happen to the quality of jobs. White-collar workers are joining us now, not in droves, but in surprising numbers," Masemola said.

AB InBev said in a statement that it was pleased to have reached agreement with Fawu on enhancements to the Zenzele scheme.

When the megabrew merger is completed, Zenzele participants will receive a total R1.5bn, up from the original R750m.

"We have also confirmed that we will guarantee that Zenzele participants will benefit from the premium implied by the revised cash price of £45 per share being offered to SABMiller shareholders," AB InBev said.

In terms of the new deal, Zenzele participants will receive a R32 dividend for every participation right they hold. The R32 is equivalent to the previous five years’ dividends. The prepayment will be deducted from the final payout when the scheme matures in 2020.

Each blue-collar worker has an average of 1,000 participation rights.

SAB employees hold 40% of the Zenzele participation rights equivalent to 18.5-million shares in unlisted SAB. In terms of the original plan, the SAB shares were to be converted into SABMiller shares in 2020.

AB InBev has committed to converting the Zenzele participation rights into cash at a minimum value of £45, the price paid to SABMiller shareholders. Zenzele participants will also benefit from any accretion in SAB value up to 2020.

SAB employees account for just 9,146 of the Zenzele scheme participants. Liquor store owners and taverners, who account for another 30,000 plus, will also benefit from the deal agreed with SAB.

Although the Zenzele discussion was withdrawn from consideration before the Competition Tribunal, the merging parties are required to implement a new black economic empowerment scheme when the Zenzele scheme matures.

Source: Business Day

MARKETS & INVESTMENT NEWS

South Africans urged to support Small Business Friday movement

26 AUG 2015 | SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT |  PDF    

South Africans are encouraged to support small businesses through the new Shop Small Business and Small Business Friday movement, an initiative by the National Small Business Chamber (NSBC) with Nedbank as the title sponsor.

The movement aims to encourage and inspire South Africans to make a big impact by supporting small businesses all year round, elevating on Fridays, and peaking on Small Business Friday - falling on the first Friday of spring each year.

The movement, now in its fourth year, is expanding and ramping up efforts in 2015 with a brand new call to Shop Small Business ahead of Small Business Friday on 4 September. "This is the day when the 365 day, 24/7 Shop Small Business movement peaks," explains Mike Anderson, CEO and founder of the NSBC. 

"It's a one-day high action drive to get even more South Africans to support, visit and spend at a small business. You can't buy happiness, but you can buy from a small business and that's almost the same. When you shop at small businesses, you impact the owner, the employees, their families, the community, and South Africa as a whole."

Pivotal role

Small businesses play a pivotal role in the socio-economic development of our country. "Not only do they currently contribute to over 35% of the country's GDP, but according to the Small Enterprise Development Agency they also employ over half the number of people who work in the private sector," says Tracy Afonso, head of Small Business Banking at Nedbank. 

"Therefore, it is in this spirit that Nedbank, as a bank for small businesses has supported Small Business Friday since its inception in 2012."
By getting involved in the Shop Small Business and Small Business Friday movement, South Africans will be able to lend their much needed support to small businesses so they can grow, employ more, reduce unemployment, and nurture the country's entrepreneurial spirit. 

"Friday, 4 September marks Small Business Friday, but it's about so much more than just one day. Through Shop Small Business we're aiming to bring about permanent change so small businesses can thrive all year round with the backing of all South Africans," says Anderson.

For more, go to www.smallbusinessfriday.co.za

HIGHER EDUCATION NEWS

Free fee system 'will not help poor'

15 AUG 2016 | SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT |  PDF    BY: SIPHO MABENA AND ERNEST MABUZA

Advocates of free tertiary education must think again if they believe this will benefit the poor.

© Oleksandr Mudretsov – 123RF.com

The Centre for Higher Education and Training made this argument Thursday, 11 August 2016, at the commission probing the feasibility of free university tuition.

Director Nico Cloete said the problem was that poor people did not qualify for higher education in large numbers.

"It is the middle class which go to the university," Cloete said, adding that the challenge for the government was to improve basic education. Cloete said of the one million children who started Grade 1 only 100,000 would enter university, and 53,000 of those would only graduate after six years.

"We have an expanding undergraduate system but low graduation rates," he said.

According to Cloete, poor students must be better selected, and when admitted better supported, not only financially and academically, but also socially.

"The implication is that the poor are in a revolving door; admitted to higher education but don't graduate, which leaves them with debt and some clearly angry," he said.

Cloete said there should be reputable post-matric alternatives such as technical vocational education, training colleges and apprenticeships so that university was not the only way out of poverty. He said the pressure on universities would destabilise the whole education system.

"If higher education is totally free, South Africa will have an exacerbated problem: students linger in universities and do not complete their studies," he said. University of Pretoria vice-chancellor Cheryl de la Rey agreed, saying the number of students from poor backgrounds who qualified for university was below 10,000.

About 75,000 who qualified for university were from affluent families, she said. A sliding-scale fee model in which tuition fees were based on household income should be considered, she added.

"Tuition fees should thus be seen as contributing a proportionate share of the effort to provide higher education and not designed to exclude anyone from participating in higher education."

Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge