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How to compare investment fees (Photo Archive)

How to compare investment fees

It’s a matter of deciphering the acronyms, but the crouton in the financial alphabet soup is the EAC

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. (Sumaya Hisham/Reuters)

The finance minister details a plan to ‘rebuild the ancient ruins’

​It’s not often that Bible verses and Dickens are quoted in the same speech, especially when the speech is to outline the medium-term budget

People in Giyani, Limpopo, must find water where they can. Under former minister Nomvula Mokonyane, a water project to supply 55 villages was stopped because of corruption. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Mboweni targets water crisis

The finance minister has vowed to tackle rampant corruption and municipal dysfunction

High fees erode your investments (Photo Archive)

High fees erode your investments

New middlemen mean today’s investors are paying more fees than previous generations

Poor man’s hero: Musician-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi is arrested by police during a demonstration in July in Kampala against a new tax on social media use. (Isaac Kasamani/AFP)

Online tax hurts the poor

Shutting down mobile and internet services is costing several African countries millions of dollars

Most active fund managers underperform and the fees charged for passive funds are lower.

Fees can reduce retirement savings

Small differences in fund management fees can be an investment killer in the long term

The solution isn’t always about developing cutting-edge technology. Sometimes it’s about using existing technology in clever ways

Africa is fertile ground for fintech

With so many unbanked citizens and alternative approaches to money, there’s plenty of room for innovation

Paul O’Flaherty

Eskom rewards bosses for fine job

The lights are going out but the power utility defends its generous pay to its executives.

The effect of the platinum mining strike last year was not as severe as expected.

Political risk claims lower in 2014

State insurer Sasria saw an increase in profit last year despite platinum workers downing tools for five months.

Level-headed: A shared past and values bind Nicole Fritz and Priti Patel.

Litigation centre comes of age

Nicole Fritz and Priti Patel’s young institution has recently scored major victories in protecting the rights of people in Southern Africa

Fail-safe: Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene. The treasury is eager to ­promote savings. Photo: David Harrison

Investors barred from savings party

Hedge funds are being excluded from the treasury’s plan for a tax-free savings account.

Bean There 44 Stanley SnapScan.

Bank on the future of phones

The potential of mobile-linked banking transactions is huge – but they must be cheap.

Concern about the spike of unsecured lending in South Africa has resulted in calls for heightened regulation.

African Bank will beat ‘junk’ rap

Analysts say the company’s biggest shareholders cannot afford to let it fail.

Amazon has not paid federal tax in the United States for the past two years. Governments are trying to claw back this lost revenue. (Reuters)

Chasing the e-tail a costly investment

Online shopping is increasing rapidly in South Africa, but financiers need deep pockets.

The percentage of households in South Africa that received at least one grant increased from 30% in 2003 to 45.5% in 2013.

Social grants beneficiaries more than doubled in 10 years

A Stats SA survey has shown that social grants assist 30.2% of South Africans, with 45.5% of households receiving at least one grant.

South Africa’s platinum belt is currently deadlocked in a strike which

Could Ramatlhodi’s exit relate to his ‘soft’ Amcu approach?

Ngoako Ramatlhodi’s softer stance towards Amcu, in comparison to other government officials, could be the reason for his hasty exit from wage talks.

Trust me: Julius Malema’s party affiliates are raising funds to pay off his tax debts.

Tax laws shield Zuma, Malema

How debt-saddled leaders are escaping public scrutiny of their liabilities to the taxman.

The largest annual growth in December was recorded in new vehicle sales, up 30.7%,
StatsSA said. Photo: Supplied

Uber: The app that takes you for a ride

The company behind the car-summoning Uber is expanding its global reach.

Eskom: Switch off now or we’ll load shed

Eskom: Switch off now or we’ll load shed

Eskom has released two warnings within hours: switch off non-essential appliances or face load shedding; and prepare for another rate hike.

Jacob Zuma promised voters he would consider a national minimum wage if he served a second term as the country’s president.

Electoral razzle-dazzle fails to frazzle market

Elections may be the political event of the year, but as far as financial analysts are concerned it’s a snooze-worthy affair on the economic calendar.