Best blogs 2013: Fixing South Africa’s financial education

Can you educate people to do sensible things with their money? Or is good financial management, like common sense, probably something you are born with?  Prolific Biznews.com blogger Alexx Zarr reckons there’s more to equipping people with the skills to make smart personal financial decisions than putting together a financial education curriculum. Addressing basic literacy … Read more

Another day, another taxi through a red light, another 53 SA road deaths

This morning we experienced an excellent example of the thing bugging Alexx Zarr so much he just had to write about it. Coming home from a celebratory breakfast, we were stationary in the left-only lane at a red traffic light. A taxi full of passengers came around us from the straight-only lane to turn left. … Read more

Fallout over Uganda anti-gay bill grows; Museveni asked to use veto

The Uganda anti-gay bill has caused the kind of international uproar few of its insular politicians can have expected. Apart from the resistance in expected quarters, there has also been strong condemnation from the White House, the United Nations and even businessmen like Richard Branson who has called on peers to boycott the country. This … Read more

Bernard

Best blogs 2013: mining hot-shot Bernard Swanepoel takes swipe at executive bonuses

Obscene bonuses and salaries continued to dominate the headlines in 2013. In South Africa, the stark gap between mining workers and company bosses remained in the spotlight after labour disputes got ugly and lives were lost in 2012. Although there’s much anger and astonishment everywhere about how the rich continue to get ever richer on the … Read more

How to destroy your life in 140 characters – the Justine Sacco saga

By Caitlin Hogg Last Friday, the 20th December, a social media storm erupted globally, completely unbeknownst to the initiator in what has become another cautionary tale for social network users to watch their words. Justine Sacco, now-former corporate communications director for New York based internet company, InterActiveCorp (IAC – parent company of CollegeHumor.com, OkCupid.com, vimeo.com, … Read more

Priceless: With Nelson Mandela in Qunu for his first New SA Christmas

This year, the great Nelson Mandela died. His death has seen an outpouring of reminiscences and recollections among those who were lucky enough to spend time with our country’s first democratic president. We are all, in effect, trying to reconfigure the world without him. But Christmas was always a special time for Mandela. He treasured … Read more

Best blogs 2013: Mandy Collins explains why good grammar is good for your business

There’s only one sin worse than not being on social media these days – and that is to engage badly through these modern communications channels. Journalist Mandy Collins reckons there’s much room for improvement out there among South Africa’s professional social media practitioners. Mandy is a social media expert, particularly on Twitter (@CollinsMandy). She’s nice … Read more