Ray Smuts IT'S NOT only farmers who are feeling the squeeze but business in general, as total liquidations for the first seven months of the year are up by almost 16% over the corresponding period last year. Stats SA reports that the 15,7% year-on-year increase in the number of liquidations - 1 976 to 2 288 - between January and July was due to a 39,1% increase in voluntary liquidations. As regards companies and close corporations, voluntary liquidations increased by 52,2% to 675 during the same period, partially counteracted by a decrease of 19,9% in compulsory liquidations. Insolvencies were down by 37,4% (to 1 448) for the first six months of the year while insolvencies for the month of June alone decreased by 48,2%.
