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Bills
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The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Amendment Bill, 2011, was gazetted as Notice 893 of Government Gazette No. 34845 on 9 December 2011, inviting public comment within a 60-day period.
ABC Members are requested to submit comments to the ABC Office by 16 January 2012 so that a consolidated ABC position can be developed and submitted to The dti.
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ABC hosts Workshop on Land Reform Green Paper
The Agricultural Business Chamber (ABC) hosted a most successful Workshop on Tuesday, 27 September 2011 to develop agribusiness’ position on the Green Paper on Land Reform. Participants identified and discussed the major deficiencies in the Green Paper from an agribusiness perspective. For more information please click here»
Nkwinti unveils new land reform plan
31 August 2011
Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti officially released the long-awaited green paper on land reform on Wednesday and announced the establishment of a Land Management Commission. Please click here to download a copy of the green paper»
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The Minister of Energy published for comment the draft Regulations regarding the Mandatory Blending of Biofuels with Petrol and Diesel, in the Government Gazette, No. 34610 of 16 September 2011. Comments must be submitted not later than 18 November 2011. Please click here to download more information.
Please click here to download Government Gazette
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In two cases brought before the Labour Court by the Services SETA and additional applicants, the two respective judges this past week ruled strongly against Minister Nzimande’s one-sided and unilateral restructuring of the Services SETA’s. To peruse articles on the judgements, please click here (Judge rules Nzimande) and here (Judge rules SEta allegations unfounded). This obviously holds implications for agribusinesses as they pay skills levies to AgriSETA, which has similarly been subject to constitutional and board restructuring. A meeting has been scheduled with Minister Nzimande to address the issues of SETA governance in the broader context, also in terms of AgriSETA. The ABC urgently requires member comments on the following:
1. Constitution of AgriSETA board, including jurisdiction of Minister
2. Utilisation of funds accumulated by AgriSETA's
3. Decrease in percentage of levies that can be clawed back
4. Opinions on methodology for developing skills, short-term courses and use of training colleges
5. Performance of AgriSETA's
6. Who should be strategic driver of AgriSETA programmes, business or government?
Comments must please reach Dr John Purchase at ABC by Friday, 20 May 2011.
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The Department of Labour (DoL) gazetted four highly contentious Labour Law Amendment Bills on the 17th of December 2010 for public comment. The ABC submitted extensive comment, assisted by Kaap Agri and Labour Law Practitioners, as did certain of its members. BUSA has, after consultation with its members, also submitted extensive comment. Download BUSA's submission»
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The Department of Labour published a set of proposed amendments on 17 December 2010. These amendments have serious impact on businesses. Businesses have until 17 February 2011 to comment thereon to the Department of Labour. Click the relevant links below to download documents relating to the current Labour Law Amendments.
Relevant documents regarding the Labour Amendment Bill published in the Government Gazette:
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ABC submission: Comment on the Co-operatives Amendment Bills, as per Government Gazette Notice 33 of 2011
A number of ABC members conduct their business in a co-operative business form, with the result that the new Co-operative Amendment Bill potentially could have a major impact on their operations and viability. After a consultation process with workshops and completing a comprehensive NEDLAC review, the Co-operative Amendment Bill, together with the Co-operative Development Strategy, was published in January 2011for a 60 day comment period. The ABC has been closely involved in both the Workshop and NEDLAC processes and most of the agribusinesses’ concerns raised were adequately addressed by the drafters of the Bill. However, one or two issues did remain unresolved and have been addressed in the ABC’s submission to The dti. To access and peruse the ABC’s submission, please click here»
Publication of Co-operatives Amendment Bill for public comment
Notice 33 of 2011 on the Co-operative Amendment Bill has been published in the Government Gazette of 21 January 2011, calling for public comment within a 60 day period from publication. Many members within the ABC conduct their business within a co-operative business form and they are urgently requested to submit comments both directly to The dti, as well as to the ABC, so that a consolidated response from the ABC can be submitted as well. Due date for comments to ABC is 1 March 2011. Please click here for Co-operatives Amendment Bill.
Publication of the Integrated Strategy on the Development and Promotion of Co-operatives for public comment
Notice 34 of 2011 on the Integrated Strategy on the Development and Promotion of Co-operatives has been published in the Government Gazette of 21 January 2011, calling for public comment within a 60 day period. Many members within the ABC conduct their business within a co-operative business form and they are urgently requested to submit comments both directly to The dti, as well as to the ABC, so that a consolidated response from the ABC can be submitted as well. Due date for comments to ABC is 1 March 2011. Please click here for Integrated Strategy on the Development and Promotion of Co-operatives.
NEDLAC Report on Co-operatives Amendment Bill
TheTrade and Industry Chamber and the Development Chamber of NEDLAC agreed to consider the Cooperatives Amendment Bill in line with the Growth and Development Summit (GDS) Agreement of 2003. After a difficult process, NEDLAC’s Final Report on the Co-operatives Amendment Bill has been submitted to government. Please click here to peruse document.
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Download explanatory summary of Bill published in Government Gazette No. 33500 of 3 September 2010.
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The final NEDLAC Report on the Cooperative Strategy 2009 has been published. This must not be confused with the Cooperative Amendment Bill that is also in the finalization process.
Please click here to download the NEDLAC Report on the Cooperative Strategy 2009
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Throughout South Africa nearly a million people have lost their jobs. Hundreds of thousands of families have been affected by retrenchments.
Businesses and households are struggling to adjust to declining incomes and precarious levels of debt. South Africa is beginning to emerge from its first recession in 17 years, though the levels of recovery are likely to be very slow and uneven, with job creation lagging the return to growth and many households continuing to face hardships. However, healthy public finances and partnership with other sectors in the World have enabled the government to reduce the impact of the crisis".
Money has been appropriated for 2010/11 budget and the responsibility now lies with the various government departments and agencies to spend it effectively, efficiently and economically. The President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma, in his State of the Nation Address, outlined clear priority areas where government needs to focus on for the next five years . However, the greatest challenge is to make sure that these priorities are aligned with the budget.
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