Dear Members,

Well it’s here at last, if you are a soccer fan, ENJOY!

Awesome Soccer World Cup information and calendar. (it is worth a click)

http://www.marca.com/deporte/futbol/mundial/sudafrica-2010/calendario-english.html

Proposed Changes to the Numbering Plan
of Telephones

In order to bring the numbering plan regulations for telecommunications in line with the Electronics Communications Act, Act 36 of 2005, draft legislation has been drawn up by ICASA. There is a phased approach.

The regulations are planned to replace the geographic numbers beginning with”0” with “6”, higher band numbers begining with “0” with “9” as well as toll free numbers and lower band numbers e.g. 086.

For the government gazette notice click here:

There is also an explanatory gazette. click here: 

Tender News

National Government tenders click here

City of Cape Town tenders click  here

Transnet tenders click here

SARS tenders click here

General business tenders click here

SABC tenders click here

NERSA tenders click here

Treasury tenders click here

South Africa 2010 Soccer World Cup kicks off today.

Although there are no significant data releases scheduled in South Africa today, all eyes will be on the 4pm kick off of the 2010 Soccer World Cup at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg, with Mexico taking on the host nation.

SA manufacturing production growth jumps on base effects.

 South African manufacturing production rose 8.7% y/y in April after March’s revised 6.6% rise (previously: +6.3%). While the headline growth in production continues to look impressive, we note that the bulk of the rise continues to be driven by favourable base effects, where the sector contracted 21.7% y/y in April 2009.

We expect these base effects to begin dissipating from here, which in our view, should see a mild moderation in headline production growth in the near term. Indications from the business activity and new sales orders sub-components of PMI, which have been moderating in recent months, point to a softer growth trajectory for the sector in the second half of the year. Momentum, as measured by 3m/3m seasonally adjusted and annualised growth has also been slowing over the past three months and further supports this argument.

This is not to say that recovery in the sector has been tarnished (many of the key sub components of PMI remain in expansionary territory for instance), but rather indicates a likely normalisation in headline growth going forward.

This, in our view, should give a more accurate reflection of the current economic climate the sector faces, as seen in manufacturing business confidence levels which remain at a low 27 (a level of 50 indicates a neutral outlook) and the fact that production in level terms remains well off its historical highs.
Despite a somewhat slower growth trajectory and likely negative near-term production effects owing to South Africa’s recent transport strike and productivity losses during the Soccer World Cup, we remain relatively optimistic on the domestic manufacturing sector’s recovery in 2010. Our expectation for both global and domestic demand conditions to improve throughout the year, a generally more conducive economic environment to production and company inventory restocking processes, underpin this view.

Have a wonderful week end and travel safely.

Chamber Greetings,

Colleen Till