CASE STUDY. While the general consensus was that the financial system had changed pursuant to 2008, as well as emerging stronger for all the changes that were made, the critical question remained – had it changed enough to prevent the events of 2007/8 repeating themselves?

CASE STUDY. The South African government saw the national minimum wage (NMW) as a positive intervention that would address income inequality in the country and help to overcome poverty.

CASE STUDY. It was December 2009, just over a year since Remgro Limited (Remgro) had completed the distribution of its indirect shareholding in British American Tobacco plc (BAT): 90% of its shares had gone to its shareholders, while the balance of 10% went to a new investment vehicle listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, called Reinet Investments.

CASE STUDY. In August 2009, Eran Brill, director of The Phone Shop (Pty) Ltd, a consumer electronic goods retailer, was about to renegotiate the lease on his Sandton City store.

CASE STUDY. In August 2006, the lease on The Phone Shop – a business that the Brill family had run for the past 18 years – was up for renewal.

CASE STUDY. It was October 2007, and a perfect early summer’s day in Cape Town. In his small loft office, Michael Meltzer, founder of Zacron Industries CC[1] trading as Polecat, which manufactured and marketed a patented clasp and claw device used in shopfitting as well as many other applications, was deep in thought.

CASE STUDY. It was October 2007 and social entrepreneur Reverend Spiwo Xapile sat in his immaculate office at the J L Zwane centre, located on the corner of NY2 and NY7 in Gugulethu (Cape Town).