scholarly journals Helping South Africans achieve a better income in retirement: a critical evaluation of the impact of treasury proposals

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-202
Author(s):  
Jesse A. De Beer
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Financial Regulation ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Partial Solution ◽  
Retirement Income ◽  
Policy Proposal ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Retirement income security is an issue relevant to the majority of South Africans, many of whom are financially inexperienced and illiterate. South Africa has a sophisticated retirement industry offering a very wide range of choice of annuity products, but these are often not designed to optimise choices by rather unsophisticated investors. This article provides an overview of issues in the South African income withdrawal market, as well as policy remedies proposed by National Treasury to deal with these issues. The aim of this paper is to provide a critical analysis of these policy proposals, using a behaviourally informed framework to financial regulation (Barr, Mullainathan & Shafir, 2008). It recognises that policy remedies need to take into account the realities of how people make retirement income decisions, and how the institutional environment impacts on this. The results of the research suggest that the main policy proposal – simplifying the retirement income withdrawal landscape through the use of default options – is only a partial solution to the problem of unsophisticated consumers who must make several challenging decisions. The research contributes to the literature by providing a more complete, integrated view of the factors that shape retirement income withdrawal decisions and offers practitioners several insights into appropriate reform of the retirement income market.

The Relevance of Personal Domain Satisfaction for the Quality of Life in South Africa

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 69-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Møller
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
South African ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Personal Domain ◽  
The Impact

South African psychologists have identified the improvement of quality of life as a major goal of the 1980s. This paper reviews the impact of satisfaction with personal aspects of life on perceived well-being. The results of an exploratory study of South African quality of life conducted among 5 587 individuals of all population groups are discussed. Findings confirm the salience of the personal domain and the positive influence of personal satisfactions on subjective well-being. However, results of regression analyses suggest that the relative contribution of satisfactions in the personal domain is too low to play a major role in improving the quality of life of all South Africans in the longer term.

scholarly journals The impact of social media on recruitment: Are you LinkedIn?

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja Koch ◽  
Charlene Gerber ◽  
Jeremias J. De Klerk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Media ◽  
South African ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Recruitment Process ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Social Media Tools ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Impact

Orientation: With many organisations vying for the same talent, it is important to ensure that the correct methods are utilised in identifying and attracting the best talent to an organisation.Research purpose: This research investigates the impact of social media on the recruitment process in South Africa.Motivation for the study: As the competition for qualified talent increases, organisations need to understand where to focus their resources to attract the best talent possible. The use of social media is growing daily and its use in the recruitment process seems to have grown exponentially.Research design, approach and method: The sample comprised 12 recruiters, spanning a wide range of industries in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and a thematic analysis was utilised to identify themes and subthemes.Main findings: Despite still utilising some traditional methods of recruiting, South African recruiters follow their international counterparts, with LinkedIn being central to their respective recruitment processes. The use of Twitter and Facebook for recruitment was found to be substantially lower in South Africa than elsewhere. Without following a focused approach, the volume of work that emanates from using social media may overwhelm a recruiter.Practical and managerial implications: Recruiters cannot execute effective recruitment without applying social media tools such as LinkedIn. However, training in the optimal use of social media is essential.Contribution: This study indicates that LinkedIn has a major impact on recruitment in South Africa, but that social media is not a panacea for recruitment issues.

Do migrants lives matter? A comparison of causes of death between African migrants from SADC countries and South Africans in the post-Apartheid era (2002-2015)

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-468
Author(s):  
Lorena Núñez Carrasco ◽  
Abha Jaiswal ◽  
Jairo Arrow ◽  
Michel Kasongo Muteba ◽  
Bidhan Aryal
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
South African ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Causes Of Death ◽  
Content Type ◽  
South Africans ◽  
African Migrants ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Migrants historically and currently form an integral part of South Africa. Their importance and contribution to the country’s economy and development are undeniable. Yet, life for African migrants in South Africa is becoming increasingly difficult. An analysis of migrants mortality until now has not been conducted. The purpose of this paper is to compare the trends of the cause of death among South African Citizens (RSA) and African migrants from countries that form part of the South African Development Community (SADC), that make up nearly 70% of the migrants in the country. Design/methodology/approach Using Stats SA data of all registered deaths in South Africa (2002-2015), this paper compares all causes of death (COD) between RSA and SADC migrants. This paper studies the patterns in COD among these population groups for the years 2002 to 2015 in deaths due to infectious diseases and unnatural causes. Logistic regression was used to quantify the odds of dying due to infectious disease and unnatural causes for each population group. This paper included a calculation of the odds of dying due to assault, as a sub-group within unnatural deaths. Findings A total of 7,611,129 deaths were recorded for the local South African population and 88,114 for SADC migrants for the period under study (2002–2015). The burden of mortality for both infectious diseases and unnatural causes was higher for SADC migrants as compared to RSA. SADC migrants were 1.22 times more likely to die from infectious diseases than RSA (P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.12, 1.23). Similarly, SADC migrants were 2.7 times more likely to die from unnatural causes than South Africans (P < 0.001, 95% CI (2.17, 2.23). The odds of dying from assault was the same as that of unnatural causes. Also, it was found that women were more likely to die from infectious diseases (OR = 1.11, P < 0.001, 95% CI (1.11, 1.11) compared to men, regardless of nationality. Research limitations/implications The bias resulting from migrants who return home to die due to illness, described in the literature as the salmon bias, is present in this paper. This paper, therefore, concludes death due to infectious diseases could be higher among migrants. Practical implications The heightened mortality among SADC migrants can be related to the impact of social determinants of health such as living and working conditions and barriers to access to health care. Moreover, the higher probability of death due to unnatural causes such as assaults constitute a proxy to estimate the impact of xenophobic violence observed in the country over the past decade. Policy interventions should focus on migrant health-care systems. Also, programmes to mitigate and curb xenophobic sentiments should be carried out to address the growing disparity of preventable unnatural causes of death. Originality/value This study offers the first quantification of mortality due to infectious diseases and unnatural causes among RSA and SADC migrants.

scholarly journals An Investigation into the Effectiveness of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in South African Schools

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-38
Author(s):  
Tinuade Adekunbi Ojo ◽  
Refentse Mathabathe
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Private Schools ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Policy Statement ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Assessment Policy ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
The Impact

The paper presents the findings from current research on the impact that the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) curriculum subjects have on two South African Schools in Gauteng province in South Africa. The aim is to present the impact of the CAPs subjects in the school. The study did a critical evaluation of each subject to elaborate on the importance and challenges in implementing the subjects and using a qualitative research method to collect data on a group of teachers and students on their opinion on the impact of CAPs subjects. The findings suggest that even though the curriculum is effective, it needs to be improved to close the gap between public and private schools. Private schools are currently benefiting the most from the subjects and how the curriculum is structured.

scholarly journals The impact of legislative changes in the tobacco industry on South Africans: Clearing the air

2003 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 399-418
Author(s):  
Leon De W. Fourie ◽  
Johan De Jager
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Smoking Behaviour ◽  
National Government ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Legislative Changes ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this article is to gain insight in the South African tobacco industry, its influence on the community and the role of anti-tobacco campaigns. This is done by conducting an empirical investigation of the attitudes and behaviour of smokers and non-smokers regarding the national government campaigns against tobacco products. Consequently, it will contribute in determining the efficiency of the anti-tobacco campaigns as well as the effect of the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act, 1999 (Act 12 of 1999) on smokers and non-smokers. It is postulated that by applying the principles of marketing (demarketing and remarketing) it could contribute significantly in influencing smoking behaviour amongst South Africans.

scholarly journals The Christian church’s role in the escalating mob justice system in our black townships – An African pastoral view

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elijah Baloyi
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Police Force ◽  
Christian Church ◽  
South Africans ◽  
African Black ◽  
Violent Acts ◽  
The Impact

Among the crimes in the South African black townships, mob justice has become a growing concern. Some questions that need to be asked are: Is our police force doing enough to protect the ordinary citizens of this country? If the situation continues, will all suspects be killed in the same manner or will there be a solution to change the situation? What is the impact of mob justice on the families of the victims and the witnesses of the brutal acts? How long are we going to live as a traumatised nation as a result of these violent acts? Is there any hope that our nation will ever have the peace it deserves in the context of democracy? This article intends to investigate the impact of the mob justice system and find out what the role of the Christian church should be in the midst of this escalating violence. This study aims to unveil the negative impact of mob justice on the lives of many township South Africans and giving pastoral-biblical suggestions of the church’s role in the elimination of this kind of brutality.

Luna's Neuropsychological Investigation — Adaptations for Use with White English-Speaking South African Adults

1980 ◽  
Vol 10 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 107-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.D. Watts ◽  
S.G. Tollman
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Psychological Processes ◽  
The West ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World ◽  
Neuropsychological Investigation ◽  
Neuropsychological Assessments ◽  
English Speaking

Traditionally, South Africa has followed the West in using quantitative psychometric procedures for Neuropsychological Assessments. Procedures developed in other parts of the world, however, may yield further valuable information. Luria's Neuropsychological Investigation (LNI) (originating in Russia) provides a qualitative assessment of psychological processes which have been pathologically disturbed as a result of brain damage. It is therefore a descriptive profile which investigates a wide range of behaviour. In this research project, the suitability of using the LNI for White, English-speaking South Africans was investigated and minor modifications to the procedure are suggested.

The Obama Administration and the U.S. Financial Crisis

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 1850190
Author(s):  
Scheherazade S. Rehman
Keyword(s):  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Financial Regulation ◽  
Regulatory Reform ◽  
White Paper ◽  
Financial Supervision ◽  
Obama Administration ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Financial Regulatory ◽  
The U.S

There has been tremendous pressure on the Obama Administration to justify the actions taken with regards to the U.S. financial crisis which has managed to eliminate, overnight, over a quarter of the middle class wealth and leave one in six adults without a job or underemployed, while generating a bailout debt that was unimaginable in scale and scope only five years ago. In response to this public pressure, in mid-June 2009, the Obama Administration issued a white paper titled “Financial Regulatory Reform - A New Foundation: Rebuilding Financial Supervision and Regulation" (published by the U.S. Department of Treasury) covering a wide range of areas of financial regulation that proposed a new architecture for financial supervision. Although the White Paper touches upon many of the Administration's promised responses to the crisis with regards to new financial regulations and supervisory changes, it has been criticized as being too narrow in the scope and breath needed to manage the sheer size and scale of the impact of the U.S. financial crisis. This paper focuses on ten concerns and issues of note with the Obama Administration's actions and responses to date with regards to the U.S. financial/banking crisis and its 2009 White Paper on “Financial Regulatory Reform." They are as follows: (1) No Discussion and Minimal Attempt by the Administration to Relay Their Understanding of and Global Transmission of This Financial Crisis, (2) Proposed Financial Oversight Council, (3) Increased Powers for the Federal Reserve, (4) Most Recommendations Do Not Follow the Trend Toward Supervision Consolidation, (5) Macroeconomic vs. Microeconomic Supervision, (6) Government in the Financial Markets and Industry, (7) No Significant International Standard Setting or Coordination to Date, (8) Issue of Too Big to Fail Still at Large, (9) Obama Administration's PR Debacle, and (10) Something to Show after Spending $1.4 Trillion Plus.

Economic Sanctions against South Africa

1987 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles M. Becker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
High Technology ◽  
Economic Sanctions ◽  
Capital Gains ◽  
South Africans ◽  
South African Gold ◽  
The Impact

In this paper, I shall dispute the widely held belief that all effective sanctions would greatly hurt poor South African blacks. Rather, it is likely that bans on exports of high technology to South Africa and imports of South African gold and diamonds would cause labor-intensive sectors to expand, thereby limiting the impact of a general recession on unskilled nonwhites. Still, several types of sanctions, such as those on oil, would have a severe impact on poor nonwhites. In addition, forced divestment would result in windfall capital gains for white South Africans; such gains would not be realized, however, if the ban were on new investments only. Finally, I shall discuss the need for infrastructural aid to help South Africa's neighbors weather the storm. Judicious aid to these countries is also important in inducing both Western and South Africanowned investments away from South Africa.

scholarly journals The impact of xenophobia-Afrophobia on the informal economy in Durban CBD, South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Tshishonga
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Informal Economy ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
African Countries ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Economic Survival ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City ◽  
Formal And Informal Sectors

The renewed incidents of xenophobia, which engulfed South Africa, dented this country’s image, continentally and internationally. These occurrences invoke an unresolved question, thus: Can xenophobic attacks be attributed to tighter or discriminatory immigration policies or are people caught in quandary for socio-economic survival? Similarly to the pogroms in Poland against Jews, xenophobia left fatal scars, not only amongst Africans and non- Africans, and has affected the informal economy negatively. This article explores the impact of xenophobia on the operations of the informal economy on which the poor depend for socio-economic survival. For the most part of April-May 2015, the streets of Durban were deserted because of the xenophobic attacks on non-South African businesses, particularly those owned by Africans from different parts of the continent. Fear was planted in the city of Durban, which in turn led to the decline in economic activity, both formal and informal sectors, with the later bearing the most brunt. The city was turned into a battle field whereby Afro-hatred was perpetuated with the intention of causing bodily harm and making deportation threats. Nationals from other African countries, mainly Nigerians, Somalis, Malawians, Zimbabweans, Mozambicans, Ethiopians and Congolese were accused of taking jobs meant for locals and suffocating their businesses as well as taking their women. In fear of their lives, non-South Africans were forced to close their businesses and to go into hiding. This article argues that the impact of xenophobia is a double-edged sword and has far- reaching implications for both South Africans and non-South Africans as the local city dwellers depend on the services provided by informal businesses. The article uses both primary and secondary data. The empirical data was extracted mainly from the street traders and hawkers eking a living in the informal sector.

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