LAST WEEK'S TOP STORIES ON FTW ONLINE

It is becoming
more difficult to do
business in South
Africa
South Africa has dropped
in 10 of the 11 criteria
measured in the annual
World Bank Ease of Doing
Business survey, ranking
it 74th in the world for
2017 compared to 72nd in
2016.
Government moves
to establish SA Exim
Bank
Government is in the
process of converting the
Export Credit Insurance
Council (ECIC) into an
Export Import Bank
(Exim Bank) to ensure
that exporters and
export councils have
the necessary financial
resources they need to
grow.
Two major drugs
busts
South African Revenue
Service (Sars) customs
officials have intercepted
illicit narcotics shipments
worth millions of rands at
two ports of entry.
Bulker sinks cargo
ship
The 30 000-tonne
deadweight (dwt) bulk
carrier, Xinzhou 18,
collided with a Chinesef
lagged, but as yet
unnamed, cargo vessel
on Saturday, October 22,
sinking the smaller ship
– which was carrying a
2 700t cargo of sand.
Nuclear energy
deadlines divulged
Cabinet has approved
power utility Eskom’s
Integrated Resource Plan
which makes provision for
an additional 9 600 MW
of nuclear energy by 2030.
Budget wrap –
Government to
spend R300 billion
on transport and
logistics
Major infrastructure
programmes planned
for the next three years
include over R334
billion in transport and
logistics projects, finance
minister Pravin Gordhan
announced in his medium
term budget speech
delivered in parliament on
October 26.
Logistics newcomer
in Export Award
finals
The final of the Service
Provider Category at the
recent Durban Chamber of
Commerce and Industryhosted
Exporter of Year
2016 ceremony was a true
David and Goliath battle.