A short week, with all eyes on Heritage Day on Thursday and what is going to happen — and what there is to do. We have a few ideas at the bottom of this post.
In the Cape, meanwhile, the weather remains distinctly unspringlike, with overcast days still the order of the day, although we have had some welcome sunshine.
It was particularly sad to see South African motorsport lose two competitors in separate tragedies during the past week.
Marcel Angel died following an incident at Killarney International Raceway, while Robert Wolk was shot and killed in Ekurhuleni.
There has also been some interesting reporting from Europe, which I mention below.
But first, the business story.
Municipalities: business is watching
With the local government elections approaching in November, business will be watching what happens to South Africa’s municipalities, particularly Johannesburg.
The city has become a major problem for business and residents alike, and organised business has already been involved in attempts to help turn it around. The scale of the task is enormous, given the city’s financial, governance and service-delivery problems.
The ANC’s local government manifesto proposes what it calls “re-municipalisation” — bringing a range of outsourced services back into municipal hands. These include cleaning, security, waste collection, meter reading and water tankering.
The argument is not simply about public versus private services. It is about what works, what it costs and where ratepayers’ money goes.
A concern that has been raised is that bringing more services back under municipal control could also create more opportunities for tenderpreneurship — giving political interests another way of getting their fingers into the pie through municipal contracts.
The ANC says its objective is to rebuild municipal capacity and improve service delivery. The opposing argument is that municipalities should use private providers where they can deliver services more efficiently and cost-effectively.
For businesses and ratepayers, the practical question is the same: will the service work, and what will it cost?
Markets
The JSE All Share Index was around 113,000 points on Monday morning after ending the previous week lower.
The Nasdaq Composite had closed at about 26,523, the FTSE 100 at roughly 10,659 and Germany’s DAX at about 25,304.
The rand was trading at approximately R16.25 to the US dollar.
Oil remains a concern, with Brent crude around the $100-a-barrel level.
Diesel and October
September’s diesel prices are already high: about R29.11 a litre inland and R28.24 on the coast for 0.05% sulphur diesel, and R30.05 inland and R28.79 on the coast for 0.005% diesel.
The October picture could be worse. Preliminary calculations have pointed towards another substantial increase, although the final adjustment will depend on international petroleum prices, the rand and the fuel-price formula during the remainder of the month.
Two motorsport deaths
South African motorsport lost two competitors in separate tragedies within days of each other.
Marcel Angel, 62, died following an incident during the National Extreme Festival at Killarney International Raceway on Saturday, 19 September. Angel, owner of Cape Town-based Autohaus Angel, was competing in the Extreme SuperCars category. The remainder of the event was cancelled as a mark of respect.
Robert Wolk, 41, was shot and killed in Esther Park, Ekurhuleni, on Wednesday. Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing.
Two unrelated tragedies, but a grim week for South African motorsport.
A glance at Europe
Two headlines caught my attention this week.
Der Spiegel has been reporting on the strength of Germany’s AfD, while Le Monde has also been following the party and its position in Berlin.
It is another development worth watching as political parties across Europe face pressure from voters and changing political loyalties.
For those interested in the detail, Der Spiegel and Le Monde are worth reading.
Heritage Day
There is plenty happening around the country for Heritage Day and the long weekend. The Citizen has compiled a useful guide to events in Gauteng (link below), while Cape Town and Durban have their own programmes.
Cape Town
Among the Cape Town events worth noting are:
• Zeitz MOCAA: Free entry on Heritage Day, Thursday, 24 September, with tours, workshops, live performances and food.
• Taste of Mzansi Heritage Experience: Guga S’thebe Arts & Culture Centre in Langa on 24 September, with indigenous food, music, dance and storytelling.
• Full Tilt: Zip Zap Circus and School of Rock at the Homecoming Centre in District Six from 23 to 26 September.
• Kirstenbosch: A Heritage Day celebration featuring a heritage feast, live entertainment, marimba, gumboot dancing, storytelling and children’s activities.
• South African Astronomical Observatory: A free guided Heritage Day tour on 24 September, including the historic Observatory buildings and, weather permitting, a sungazing experience. Booking is essential.
Durban
Durban also has a full Heritage Day programme, including a Heritage Day concert at the Durban Botanic Gardens, a Heritage Get-Together at The Pier on South Beach and a family-oriented programme at Westown Square.
Gauteng
For Gauteng, The Citizen has a useful roundup covering everything from the GoWest! festival and markets to museums, heritage tours, food and Comic Con Africa.
As always, check times, ticket prices and availability with organisers before setting out.
