ECONOMY

The BER consumer confidence index fell to -1 in the 3rd quarter. Gloomy prospects, I fear. I do not understand why people are investing in property other than that there may be a pent-up demand therefor.

Belt tightening: Those financing vehicle purchases report a belt tightening amongst banks. Usually, in tough economic times we see interest rates dropping, but this time around we are experiencing higher borrowing costs. Economists predict that this will lead to a slide against the dollar of as low as R11.60.

QE lite-Eurostyle: The European central bank will be buying packets of debts in order to shore up the Eurozone economy. If this fails, only QE remains to bolster the Eurozone economy.

BUSINESS

Melmoth in Zululand will be renamed to commemorate a local hero. The name has yet to be decided upon.

A wonderful article by Gordhan says of creativity that this is something we all possess. The creative process seems effortless but is the product of practice-many hours thereof and perpetual maintenance and stimulation. Being creative does not make one an artist The only recent exception to this is appears to be the gent who wrote the Lightning Sonata in one go after he was struck by lightning. Somehow I suspect that the lightning was the trigger rather than an injection of inspiration.

Teasas: Tax exempt savings accounts. (Now, if I was in Durban I might have been confused). The intent is to provide for a bank account which will be tax exempt up to R30K for anybody, irrespective of other savings.

Between 1994 and this year, the number of jobs in South Africa increased by more than 6 million. However, as a result of population growth, unemployment also rose by 2.6 million to 5.1 million. Only a quarter of the 6.2 million jobs created since 1994 were skilled with 45% being semiskilled positions. The number of skilled jobs more than doubled over 20 years and more skilled jobs were created than low

PROPERTY

An interesting development in the USA relates to a shift, by Americans, from an average of 23 2 m

PRACTICE

Unless appealed against, two High Court judgements will allow the three judicial (mis-) conduct cases to be heard by the JSC. High time; the incumbents should know better than us that no one is above the law.

The new CIPC website, which went live on September 16, is reportedly struggling to cope with the initial traffic volumes.

Our non-existent Registrar of Deeds in Pietermaritzburg has taken to implementing RCR 7/2007 in 68 (11) applications. We used to sign these under a power of attorney on behalf of banks which lost their bond titles. No more. A bank official or attorney has to sign this by way of resolution only.

Trusts: ITR12T. SARS has announced the introduction of a

CASES

Sale and delivery

The exact moment of delivery is a perennial problem in law. In this case gold coins were purchased and held by the seller for the purchaser in its vault. From there one of the seller

QUOTABLES

WEIRD & WONDERFUL

"For our government is not copied from those of our neighbours: we are an example to them rather than they to us. Our constitution is named a democracy, because it is in their hands not of the few but of the many. But our laws secure equal justice for all in private disputes and our public opinion will comes and honours talent in every branch of achievement, not for any sectional reason but on grounds of excellence alone. And as we give free play to all in our public life, so we carry the same spirit into our daily relations with one another. We have no black looks or angry words for our neighbour if he enjoys himself in his own way and we abstain from the little acts of churlishness which, though they leave no mark, yet cause annoyance to whoever notes them