This week saw
the launch of Tyme Bank., which will offer so-called branchless banking,
although there will be “kiosks” in certain chain stores and the tellers at
those stores will be able to handle simple transactions. There are a few
interesting aspects to this development, one of which is the doubtless correct
claim that this will be greatly appreciated by the rural communities who have
to travel long distances to reach a bricks and mortar bank. Another is that these
bankers must have satisfied themselves that there is plenty of money
(specifically cash) for which the owner now wants to move from the hidey-hole
under the mattress. It will be interesting to see if there is a decline in the
Reserve Bank’s record of notes and coins in circulation, which might even have
an impact on the crime world where suitcases of folding stuff are the preferred
unit of influence.
There’s an
intriguing spat taking place between two organisation that essentially do the
same thing. Both the Black Business Council and Business Unity SA see
themselves as the “voice of black business”. Presumably there are subscription
fees and other money sources at stake here. The presidents of each organisation
are accusing the other’s outfit of not being true to the race mantra that black
is good and white is bad. Naturally the Fourth Industrial Revolution and
Radical Economic Transformation have also been dragged into the squabble. The
sad thing is that out there, there are South Africans of every kind seeking to
make a living between suppliers and customers who struggling to withstand the
depredations of the state and its satraps. Post-budget detailed analyses have revealed
the terrifying extent of the tax burden, state interference and
misappropriation of public money. True economic freedom will happen only once
individuals realise that belonging to any organisation whether it be a bowling
club, a trade union of workers or a confederation of supposedly influential
leaders, is worthwhile only if the benefits match or exceed the costs of
membership. All too often it’s the founders and office bearers who win all the
prizes.
Only the good
folk who attended the Alleluia Ministries gathering to witness the
“resurrection” of an allegedly dead fellow from the confines of his coffin will
be able to say if they got value for their contribution to the collection plate.
The rest of us who watched, for free, the video of the spoof certainly enjoyed
it and the political cartoonists who equated the event to attempts to return
the ANC to life once again thanked their lucky stars for the material that
living in South Africa provides.
The complex
but vital task of allocating chunks of radio spectrum to satisfy the non-stop
growth in demand is one of the tasks handled by Independent Communications
Authority of South Africa. Because this is a resource freely provided by
physics but worth a great deal to the users, it is a task that needs to be done
extremely fairly and transparently by technocrats who understand the product,
and how it is used. But ICASA seems to
have few people like that on their staff. What they did have is a newly fired
chairman who has just been sentenced to 20 year for fraud, and so becomes among
the few so far caught and sentenced for misuse of public money. The twist is
that the crime was carried out in his previous job as acting CEO at the Land
Bank. You can’t make this up.
Neither can
you believe that our Vice-President is confident that the national shortage of
electricity is because demand has outstripped supply, and this is evidence of
satisfactory economic growth. Umm. No. The truth is that the supply is
shrinking and so therefore is everything else. There really is very little
growth happening sir.
The Blizbokke
are missing the key men who have defected from the Sevens format to the 15-man
game presumably because it pays better. Unfortunately, because the 7s tournament
is in Vegas this week end it will be difficult to stay awake. It’s very hot and
humid in Durban at present and the man at the end of the bar is certain it will
affect the Stormers who are here to take on the Sharks who are basking at the
top of the league table But Lions / Bulls at 2pm will be far easier. Discussion
at Cricket Society last night focussed on the woeful state of Proteas fielding.
Indeed.
James Greener
1st March 2019 (Beer Day in Iceland)
