News Polytec to build plant in South Africa
JUST BRIEFLY
POLYTEC Group of Germany, a manufacturer of a range of plastic and composite automotive components, including engine and interior parts, is to build a new plant at the East London Industrial Development Zone. According to a statement by the company, the project is to meet a ‘major order for the production of complete vehicle underbody covers and other automotive components for a large volume model of a German manufacturer’. The agreed eight-year delivery period will commence with the start of production in 2021. The planned investment volume of €10-million is foreseen primarily for production machinery and installations. Four different plastics production technologies from the fields of composite materials and injection moulding will be employed at the new location. www.polytec-group.com
Salary survey in USA could be interesting in SA too THE United States’ Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE), which has 22 500 members in 84 countries, conducts an annual salary survey where members complete an electronic questionnaire. Individual responses are kept confidential and participants receive the results and summary of the survey for free. At least you will know whether the salaries at your organisation are in line with the general industry, although one presumes that individuals who are over-compensated would be less likely to want to be involved. A similar survey should prove illuminating here at the southern tip of Africa, or what?
BEWARE: this could happen to you IT’S happened again: that lovely little accounts girl in your finance department, one of your favourite employees – if not THE favourite – has got away with a large sum of money. This is something I hear of all too frequently, even if it’s probably the last thing any employer wants to talk about. Some of the bosses we’ve got to know well have, however, advised us of this phenomena. Our analysis: the only way to avoid this is to have a serious lockdown system. So, if you’re not sure, get advice, now.
REDISA’s vindication & why it matters to you Judgment scathing against the misuse and abuse of ex parte provisional liquidation applications
By Dr Chris Crozier by association her Department REDISA was set up in 2012 and DG, Nosipho Ngcaba, ran a to manage the national waste persistent campaign to destroy tyre problem and to carry out a REDISA and take over its assets, programme that by 2017 employed based on misrepresentation, over 3000 people in collection, selective reporting, contradictions transport, depots and processing and lack of comprehension, and plants. It appeared to be working, highly questionable actions deployed yet in June 2017 the then Minister against the companies. The Cape of Environmental Affairs, the late Town High Court also did not escape Edna Molewa, brought ex parte censure for its handling of REDISA applications against REDISA and KT’s applications to dismiss the and Kusaga Taka (the company provisional liquidation orders. Indeed, appointed by REDISA to manage there was even an indication (paras the operational aspects of the 48 and 49 of the judgment) that the programme) for their provisional Court had some concern that those liquidation. Ex parte* applications are responsible for preparing the late carried out without the responding Minister Molewa’s affidavits party (REDISA and Kusaga might not have had Taka in this case) being due regard for the “The SCA given an opportunity onus laid on the to oppose the judgment in this appellants to act application, and case is clearly a ringing fairly towards indeed without vindication for the the respondents them even being directors of the when ex parte notified. companies involved, and applications are An we can be pleased brought. extraordinary The SCA aspect of this that an injustice judgment in this case was that both has been righted.” case is clearly a companies were ringing vindication solvent. for the directors of the The allegations against companies involved, and we the two companies were can be pleased that an injustice has voluminous, amounting to more been righted. There is, however, a than 1000 pages, and consisted of bigger picture. myriad allegations, untested hearsay The actions of the late Minister and suspicions: a veritable litany Molewa and her Department have of supposed wrongdoing. All, as caused the near collapse of a confirmed after 20 months of court national network established to battles culminating in a hearing in the deal with South Africa’s waste tyre Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on problem. It has wiped out hundreds 1 and 2 November 2018, unfounded. of millions of rand in investment Finally, on 24 January 2019, the SCA in systems and infrastructure, delivered its judgment. The judgment and destroyed the livelihoods of (a 4-1 opinion, with one dissenting thousands of people. It took nearly judgment) was voluminous and two years of litigation, and tens of scathing in its criticism of the conduct million of rand in legal costs, to right of the late Minister Molewa. the wrong. If the directors of the It is clear from the judgment found companies had not had the ability to >> that the late Minister Molewa, and 8 FEB / MARCH 2019
