CHAPTER 3: REPRESENTATION OF DATA
3.2 REMOTE ENVIRONMENT
appointments of safety representatives and safety officers required by the Occupational, Health and Safety Act of 1993. Interviews with the directors and managers have indicated a total ignorance of incentives offered by government to small to medium enterprises. Documentary analysis on the firm's finances has shown AMS has conformed to the legal requirements of the South African Revenue Services. The company has made regular payments for tax, regional services council, compensation commissioner, skills development levy and unemployment insurance fund. The company has also performed well in developing employment contracts which adhere to the South African labour laws.
Figure 3.1 indicates that in order for companies to be eligible to tender for contracts from government, parastatals and big businesses, firms such as AMS need to score 65%
or above on the BEE scorecard.
Figure 3.1: The BEE Scorecard
Areas % Weighting How this is measured
Equity 20% Black-Empowerment 25.1 %, Black Owned 50.1 % Ownership based on the share of economic benefits of black
ownership
Management 10% Ranging from 10% to 51 %. Refers to black people in executive management or executive board members
Employment 10% Compliance with employment equity legislation, an Equity equitable spread of staff at all levels of the
organisation. (85%-racial, 54%-female, and 4%
disability)
Skills 20% Compliance with Skills Development Legislation.
Development Investment in the development of black staff, especially professional, technical and management staff. This must be skills development for
transformation.
Preferential 20% At least 20% of the company's total procurement Procurement must be spent on black - owned companies.
Enterprise 10% How much does the company invest in the
Development establishment and growth of black enterprises? This can be money, skills, equipment, and access to markets. It is measured on black owned organizations as a percentage of total assets.
Social 10% Any number of initiatives to create jobs that Development improves skills and employs women, disabled or
youth or empowers the community. It can include rural investment, good employee benefit programs, support to suppliers, and community deVelopment.
Total 100%
Source: SETA, Newsletter (2005:8)
3.2.2 Economic
According to Alec Erwin, the Public Enterprise Minister of South Africa, government has planned investments for the rehabilitation of Camden, Grootvlei and Komati power stations, and also the construction of two peaking gas fired power stations to handle short term loads (Boyle, 2005). Eskom will also make unspecified investments into the Pebble Bed Molecular Reactor nuclear power programme (Boyle, 2005). Government is also looking to manage its shift in economic policy from privatisation towards state driven growth. "A key role that we see for state enterprises is to be drivers of growth and development, working closely with the private sector", according to Mr. Alec Erwin (in Boyle, 2005). Government estimates a total of R165 billion for the five year investment targets of the major state owned utilities (Boyle, 2005). Eskom, the South African utility company has underestimated the demand for electricity in the past and now is forced to expand its electricity generation capacity. In March 2005 the net generation of electricity was 4% higher than previous year, which amounted to 318 billion kilowatthours (internet 10). Eskom has less than 4% spare generating capacity during peak loads and is urgently required to boost the existing 35000 megawatt generating capacity of its national network (Boyle, 2005)
South Africa's excellent fiscal and monetary policy have created a very stable economy and the country's GDP is expected to grow at a rate of 4.3% in the year 2005 to 2006 and also grow at an average of 4.2% over the next three years (internet 11; Davies, 2005). South Africa ranks as a middle income country, but the income disparities are among the widest in the world (internet 12). The official unemployment rate is greater than 25%, though unofficial estimates go as high as 40% (internet 12). The government is focusing on creating jobs, improving the overall standard of living, and increasing exports (internet 12). According to Woodroffe (internet 12) South Africa ranks as one of the most unequal societies in the world. The measure for income inequality is the Gini Coefficient, and ranges between zero and one and when multiplied by a factor of one hundred, it ranges between zero and one hundred (internet 12). The Gini Coefficients of countries around 30 indicates an equal society, whilst coefficients at 55 indicate high inequality (internet 12) . The Gini coefficient of South Africa currently stands at 65, whilst the world's Gini coefficient is 66 (internet 12). High Gini Coefficients are
directly linked to political instability, and they create incentives for crime, labour market entrance barriers, and reduce economic growth (intemet 12). The Economist Intelligence unit expects the average inflation for 2006-2007 to be within the target range of 3% to 6% due to the sound fiscal and monetary policies adopted by the South African government (intemet 13; Davies, 2005). The interest rate for borrowing money from the South African bank is currently at 10.5% (Davies, 2005).
3.2.3 Social
The South African government has identified the small to medium enterprises as the drivers for poverty alleviation and job creation (Ladzanil, 2003). This is fast becoming a social responsibility for all large firms to procure services from previously disadvantaged small to medium enterprises (SETA Newsletter, 2005). Research has shown the world's economy is fast becoming a knowledge economy with technology being the major drivers (Kotze', 2003). The knowledge economy requires highly skilled employees. South Africa has a problem due to a high percentage of the workforce being unskilled and unemployed (Human Research Council, 2003). The skills development strategy adopted by the government has become a major social responsibility for firms.
Gender Equity and the employment of disabled people are some of the social activities occurring within South Africa to promote workforce diversity (SET A Newsletter, 2005). According to Eskom's procurement policy, black women owned organizations and black economic empowered firms are given preference over other companies as this helps to contribute to an equitable transformation of the South African business environment.
The Aids epidemic is becoming a social issue due to the alarming rates of infections among South Africans (Human Research council, 2003).
Figure 3.2: Projected changes in the size of the labour force, 2000-2015
2000 14.5
2005 15.8 15.1 -4.0
2010 17.2 15.1 -12
2015 18.7 14.8 -21
Sources: Human Research Council, (2003:191).
The Aids epidemic will drastically reduce the labour force in the year 2015 by 21 %.
Figure 3.3: Projected Life expectancy at Birth, 1999-2010
Life Expectancy: Female 54 years Life Expectancy: Male 50 years Life
(ASSA2000)
Expectancy 55 years
Source: Human Research Council, (2003:191).
43 years 43 years 46 years
37 years 38 years 41 years
Figure 3.3 indicates the projected decline in life expectancy among South African male and females, and also an indication by the Actuarial Society of South Africa life expectancy. These drops in life expectancy are alarming and will contribute to the reduction in productive lifespan.
3.2.4 Technological
Research has shown that one of the most important factors that make small to medium enterprises effective, competitive and productive in South Africa is the use of
technology (Sunday Times, 2005). AMS makes use of the internet to make payments to the receiver of revenue for tax, regional services, salaries and compensation commissioner. The company also makes use of a software based time keeping system to track employee absenteeism, quick books financial system management system to ensure the accuracy of transactions, and a Microsoft Excel based transport management system.
According to ARC Advisory group survey, "Trends in Asset Maintenance and Management", an integrated condition monitoring system can increase equipment productivity by 30%, increase workforce efficiency by 20%, increase equipment life by 10%, reduce defects by 10%, reduce downtime by 20%, reduce inventory costs by 25%, and reduce unplanned breakdowns by 25%. Maintenance technologies are now moving at a faster rate where software development firms such as Rockwell Automation (Entek Erd) and Pragma are some of the many process control company's that are producing software to analyse equipment performance (internet 7). This software will be able to predict equipment failure before they occur to reduce downtime, increase the reliability and life cycle of plant and machinery. The fast rate of technological developments is having a greater affect on specialised services companies. The maintenance function is becoming more integrative with the use of technologies. Software packages such as the Rockwell Automation Odyssey can perform multiple tasks, such as condition monitoring, and can perform analysis and integration with ERP systems such as SAP, and can also be integrated with SCADA packages, plant equipment, and maintenance systems (internet 6). All of these developments help to provide a more effective solution to functions such as maintenance. The Japanese have made improvements to maintenance techniques by utilising operators to perform maintenance tasks which is known as total plant maintenance (Stevenson, 2002)
3.2.5 Environmental
Interviews with the entire organisational members have revealed a lack of knowledge with respect to the environmental laws. Documentary analysis has indicated that AMS must adhere to the procedural requirements of disposing chemically hazardous wastes
such as lubricating oil, grease and consumables used in cleaning the lubricating oils (Eskom Tender documents, 2005). The company has been unable to develop and implement a hazardous waste management system. Most of the power stations are ISO 1400 1 compliant and require the contractors working at the power stations to adhere to these regulations. Some power stations have indicated immediate termination of contracts due to non - conformance to the Environmental Conservation Act of 1989 (Eskom tender documents, 2005).
3.2.6 Global Segment
According to the South African government, there are approximately 90 companies that want to build and operate new power generation capacity in South Africa (Jackson, 2005). This is the first time that government will allow private international companies to build and operate power stations in South Africa, thus breaking Eskom's monopoly (Jackson, 2005). The two new gas fired power stations that are fired by kerosene will be built in the Eastern Cape and K wa-Zulu Natal. Governement has indicated that these independent power producers will have to have 33% equity participation of black economic empowered companies (Jackson, 2005).