ECONOMIC REVIEW

An interesting development is that Britain, Germany, France and Italy have defied US pressure and will become members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). This is a China

BUSINESS REVIEW

Vienna, has, again, been ranked as the best quality-of-life city in the world.

Amcu, since its rise to prominence during the Marikana debacle, has become a noted player in the mining industry when it comes to wage negotiations, if only because of its perceived readiness to go to war. It has criticised steps by the government, which seek to limit prolonged and damaging strikes. One hopes that its views do not prevail.
Speaking of developments in the labour market: the traditional practice of recognising only unions who have a large representation amongst the workers of a company has been challenged. In this case Limusa has taken on Toyota in the CCMA in respect of a recognition agreement that only unions who can prove that they have a minimum of thirty percent representation of total staff, will be recognised. One understands the practicality of such an arrangement

PROPERTY REVIEW

The South African listed property counter on the JSE boasts with a total return of over 26% for last year. The question is whether this can be repeated this year. It is reported that the sector has thus far delivered a total return of 13.4% for the year to March 6. It appears that those controlling these stocks increasingly look overseas to hedge their Rands as our market has become mature and offers little in the way of growth and investment opportunities.

As regards property stocks, It is interesting to note that, with the move towards residential property stocks, interest in the residential market has burgeoned. Especially as regards affordable rental housing, it is said that there is such a vast market that investing therein is, in fact, less a risky than commercial property. Granted, housing portfolios are more management intensive than commercial portfolios.
An interesting aside that I came across was that listed property investment trusts have to a certain extent been engaged in

PRACTICE REVIEW

The state of our criminal law investigation has been highlighted in a case in which a Durban doctor has now appeared 90 times for the adjournment of his trial. He was arrested in 2002 on 78,000 fraud charges. Factually it appears that our system does not properly cater for such complex cases and one wonders why the prosecution simply does not take 20 or 30 cases and be done. Another example of this situation is the Porritt prosecution which has similarly stalled for years

An interesting debate was opened up in the SCA/SANRAL case in which the availability of court documentation to the public has been challenged. Rule 62(7) is said to create a default position where only interested parties have access to court documentation. This is said to be unconstitutional and access thereto is required for public information purposes. Time will tell.

Bail, to my understanding, should be granted to everyone unless the suspect is a flight risk or there is a potential for meddling with evidence etc. Incarceration, pending trial, should not be a punishment. Yet this is exactly what our NPA is advocating in the trial of the truck driver involved in the death of Minister Chabane: it has vowed that it would oppose bail. Why? One can only assume that vengeance, coupled with a misunderstanding of the law, is the motive.

On the subject of incarceration: the committee on Judicial and Correctional Services is reported to be making a decision on incarceration for those who default on maintenance obligations. Those who oppose incarceration, say that jail time would result in

CASES

More on prescription

Where a contract does not specify a date for repayment and does not contain any provision for the giving of written notice before such claim, that claim prescribes 3 years after the loan takes place.
Be Bruyn [2015] ZAWCHC 20

Compound or simple interest?

The words

QUOTABLES

Civilization is not inherited; it has to be learned and earned by each generation anew; if the transmission should be interrupted for one century, civilization would die, and we should be savages again.
- Will Durant, "The Lessons of History"

WEIRD & WONDERFUL

France is attempting to guide French Muslims towards a more moderate

LIGHTEN UP

Feminist literature? You mean cook books?

When impertinent to reporters ask if I