This week’s UNDICTATED focuses on a very special man, the late Bill Lynch. A humble, undramatic, focused person, he was made in the mould of great business leaders immortalized in Jim Collins’ classic Good To Great. Lynch would make any list of SA’s top five entrepreneurs of the modern era. Indeed, he is the only … Read more
 I never bought into the claim that South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment legislations needed to enrich a few previously disadvantaged individuals to serve as “role models” to the many. That’s a pathetic argument when judged against the potential benefit of a broadly based, education-focused approach. But companies went ahead anyway, and today a relative handful … Read more
For years I thought The Don was an opportunity waiting to happen. Nine hotels based in fantastic locations – two in the Sandton CBD, another in Illovo, one more in Rosebank – could, surely, generate a multiple of the modest market cap. Sadly, the value trap was never unlocked. As you’ll read from the transcript … Read more
It’s well known in Johannesburg that the smartest kids have a straight choice between joining Discovery, the locally-based financial services group, or Glencore, the global resources giant run by Joburger Ivan Glasenberg. Both groups put a premium on intellect and an ability to embrace complexity. But while Glencore is already established in its field as … Read more
I can’t remember when last I published a Media Statement in full. But it’s not often you get one that cost more than R1m per word. Or that the company whose executive chairman is the central character becomes the JSE’s biggest mover on the day, jumping 27% in value. This is no ordinary release. It … Read more
“Paul is a real estate novelist…” sang Billy Joel in his classic Piano Man, the perfect description for those who turn wrecks into renovator’s dreams; broom cupboards into cosy. But at R60m for a penthouse, you might expect more than a line opening with “Refrigerated walk-in wine room, 4 palatial bedrooms with the wooden floor … Read more
By Alec Hogg There are nights you’ll always remember, like our crash landing at OR Tambo. Then there are nights to cherish. Saturday at Gold Reef City’s The Lyric was one of those. Thanks to my good friend, music-obsessed Charles Smith, a shameful omission was righted. It’s taken me 32 years to get to a … Read more
December 1, 2005
For two decades I’ve had the pleasure of working with leading technical analysts and gold commentators Nick Goodwin (pictured left) and Issy Bacher. Both have retained their reputations because of consistency – being right more often than wrong.
Warren E Buffett sure knows how to toss a cat among the pigeons. True to form, in August the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway wrote an op-ed headlined “Stop coddling the super rich” for America’s leading newspaper, The New York Times. It was a full frontal attack on a tax system that favours the wealthy.Buffett’s well-argued and entirely logical proposals have become the rallying call for “wealth tax” agitators around the world.Including here in Sunny South Africa.
With a hectic work and social schedule since getting back to Johannesburg, scraping away time for a night at the movies is a challenge. Seems when we do want to visit the big screen, there never seems to be anything available at a convenient time. Thank heavens for Box Office. Like yesterday afternoon when our lazy Sunday afternoon became a special one. Courtesy of Meryl Streep’s brilliant portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.