The State spent R33,7 billion on consultants in the past financial year, prompting Parliament's public accounts watchdog to warn of the emergence of a "parallel state." Where did the money go? On counting cushions, training in positive discipline and duties that public servants are supposed to perform themselves.

Recent changes to the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Codes of Good Practice pose a major challenge to the way South African companies must conduct business. Jako Liebenberg explains how.

In Part 2 of our interview with Robyn Zimmerman, a consumer lawyer based in Cape Town, we look at what legal ammunition consumers can bring to their defence in cases where their homes are under threat of repossession, and we look at the fascinating case of Samsodien versus First National Bank. 

South Africa recently annulled bi-lateral trade agreements with several European countries, causing disquiet among our trading partners. The new Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill, which is yet to come before the public for comment, is supposed to create a level trading field. But in the hands of the communists at our Trade ministry, anything is possible.

South Africa's courts have traditionally weighed in on the side of the banks when it comes to home repossession, even though the loans have been securitised and are now under new ownership. But the tide is turning against the banks, says consumer lawyer, Robyn Zimmerman.

A Cape Town couple have laid charges of fraud with the police against First National Bank, its parent FirstRand, and a subsidiary company Ikhaya, for trying to repossess their home in contravention of the law.

Dr Anthea Jeffery, head of special projects at the SA Institute for Race Relations, argues that South Africa's constitutional guarantees are being eroded by the ruling party, and new threats have appeared on the horizon.
 

Pepe Escobar argues that the de-Americanisation of the world has begun, accelerated by the current "shut-down" of the US government and the shifting of financial risks overseas. China is no longer prepared to keep a low profile, and the days of US hegemony are fast drawing to a close.

Despite the recent Supreme Court of Appeal victory for government over its plans to introduce e-tolls, the matter seems likely to go before the Constitutional Court. If this fails, mass civil disobedience will sink this ship, writes Ciaran Ryan 

As Trade and Industry minister Rob Davies unveils the new-look Codes of Good Practice aimed at accelerting black economic empowerment (BEE), Mark Barnes argues that a complete overhaul of the system is required.  

South Africa's black middle class has more than doubled over the last eight years, growing from 1.7 million South Africans in 2004 to an estimated 4.2 million in 2012, due in large measure to tranaformation measures introduced by the government, said President Jacob Zuma at the recent B-BBEE Summit in Midrand.

South Africa's unemployment rate is either 25% or 40% depending on your definition. The problem is, the number crunchers do not count those who are too apathetic to look for work, so the figure could be much higher, or the informal sector is much bigger than anyone would have us believe. 

Walter Williams says white progressives' attempts to help black people by way of quotas and special favours is only creating dependency on handouts, and we all know how that ends. 

Anthea Jeffery, head of special research at the SA Institute of Race Relations, argues that the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Bill will impose a raft of unrealistic expectations on an already embattled mining industry in South Africa.

The Democratic Alliance says the Employment Tax Incentive Bill, which introduces a youth wage subsidy, misses the mark by watering down the benefits originally suggested three years ago.

The business sector is up in arms over the almost complete disregard for its objections to the Employment Equity Amendment Bill, paving the way for a possible challenge in the Constitutional Court.

Lobby group Afriforum has won a landmark case in South Africa against the Zimbabwean government, winning compensation for Zimbabwean farmers dispossessed during the infamous land seizures. This opens the door to further legal action, says Afriforum.

The draft Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Amendment Bill of 2013 vests the minister with sweeping and arbitrary powers, and will drive away investment, says the SA Institute of Race Relations. 

The DA has tried to get the police in the Western Cape to round up the ANC Youth League "poo chuckers" who have vowed to make the province ungovernable. The police have been derelict in dealing with what is clearly a criminal - not a political - matter.   

The government has swept aside objections from the banking industry and decided to force credit bureaus to remove adverse credit information on 1,6 million South Africans - many of them public servants - who have been blacklisted but have paid off their debts. The move has been labelled a "vote catching" exercise ahead of next year's elections.

There is a war going on between sunshine and authentic investigative journalism, says Anton Harber. Carrying the flag for the ruling party are the new ANN7 channel, The New Age Newspaper, and now Independent Newspapers, following its acquisition by Sekunjalo.