Category Archives: Risk Management

– Pride and self-gain will be the end of us

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Considering the viciousness and divisiveness of our discourse today, we certainly do not exude the cooperative and increasing human development spirit that prevailed among ancient pioneers of deep thinking and knowledge such as that from Greek philosophy ranging from Thales, Stoics, and Skeptics, among others.

Those ancient philosophers and their scholars never subscribed to the “winner-takes-all” approach common nowadays. They were open to accept or build on the knowledge prior philosophers discovered. To them, it was never about self-gain primarily, but advancement of knowledge and human development.

We rarely see such interactions nowadays. If at all, the lines are drawn and people forced to be on polar sides of the debate, with no side willing to concede some aspects of truth from the other side to combine the best of both sides to develop better and useful knowledge.

Notwithstanding our divergent beliefs, but when considering even ancient authors of the canonical writings of the Old and New Testament Gospels, we can clearly see that those authors have demonstrated constructiveness in their knowledge and writings. None has ever criticized another author’s writings to advance theirs. We need not look further than topical discussions of today to realise that there is extreme divergence of views and hardening of hearts and attitudes towards those holding contrary views. Where did we lose it? By Nimroth Gwetsa, 30 September 2021. Continue reading →

– What is to be done?

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Bakhithi, ziyakhala manje! Awukho umsebenzi! According to the latest StatsSA report, our economy is stubbornly shedding jobs. Kunakele!

Covid-19 issues and lockdown are still with us, and politically, there is too much noise and disunity among people. One wonders what the impact of all these concerns is to the mental health of the population. This is no time for finger pointing but helping to find a solution and lending a hand. By Nimroth Gwetsa, 31 August 2021. Continue reading →

– Be Grateful

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In times like these, it is easy to lament at life for the hardship, setbacks, pain, and sufferings we are experiencing. Our anxiety is heightened, hope is almost lost, and despair is about to set in.

But even in such circumstances, we are alive and have many other things going well for us, yet those good things are not recognised, their value diminished, and much focus is on our inconveniences and lack.

Sometimes we need to appreciate what we have going well for us than our lack. To appreciate the true value of what we have, just imagine what the quality of your life would be if you had what you currently lack and lost all that you currently have and are probably assuming.

Many would rather wish they were dead than go through such life. James Ingram was right, “You never know what you got until it’s over” – Always You, 1993. By Nimroth Gwetsa, 31 July 2021. Continue reading →

– From retail shop assistant to successful business owner

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Remember this name: Mulalo Netswinganani, known fondly as Peace. Peace was an ordinary assistant to merchandisers at Builders Warehouse Fourways more than eleven (11) years ago. His primary role was assisting customers find electricity related products and explaining their application or usage. Unlike other assistants in the store, Peace was not trying to run away from customers by hiding but was eager to assist and advise whenever approached. He was then, though still is, exceptional.

In about 2003, Peace decided to focus on his passion of becoming an electrician and risked all by resigning and opening his company, Mulnet Projects, an electricity, CCTV, security and other residential and small business property installations, maintenance and compliance certification. I am delighted to have shown faith and support in him in his early years by appointing him electrician in my then renovated house. Today, Peace is highly in demand, does exceptionally well and has expanded his business to include off-grid solar power installation.

He remains professional, takes pride in his work and is still customer-centric just as he was as the shop floor assistant many years ago. Stories of people like Peace and the excellence displayed by small companies such as his Mulnet Projects are inspirational and worth publishing so others too could learn from them. By Nimroth Gwetsa, 30 June 2021. Continue reading →

– What is the cause of poor stock management by big businesses?

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Stock is money. Having large quantities for months of unsold stock on retail shop floors seems unwise. Equally so, having no stock available for days, of known fast moving or highly demanded goods, is unwise. Yet in many South African retail shops, it is unsurprising to find an oversupply or undersupply of goods in stores.

Does it mean retailers are forced to accept whatever the producer wants them to list, or is it the case of management at head office deciding on what the stores must list in spite of demand, or is it a lack of relevant technological solutions to provide intelligence information enabling managers to make informed decisions, or is it the case of poor usage of technology within the organisation? By Nimroth Gwetsa, 31 May 2021. Continue reading →

– Make technology your friend

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In my garage is a classic I bought seventeen years ago. For the past few years, it has been parked and not used regularly, but taken out once or so a week to maintain the health of the battery and other moving parts for lubrication and rust prevention. I know many will criticise the soundness of my financial management in keeping such a vehicle. We possibly have a “drug” of some sorts we obsess about, enabling us to be children again. Mine is the love I have for this modern classic.

To avoid having ownership headaches, I have honoured all its annual service maintenance requirements through the dealership of the original-equipment manufacturer (OEM). The move has thus far increased my confidence to have it as an option for any trip I wish to undertake, whether around the corner or over long distance. That my family shares in my confidence is another matter, suffice it to say when the OEM dealership presents me with a bill, I feel like swearing at people in the building, including the state of our governance in the country.

These people are not playing. They do not hesitate to present you with a bill equivalent to a budget of PPEs for a small village of migrant workers! But that is not the main reason for my telling you this story. By Nimroth Gwetsa, 30 March 2021. Continue reading →

– Nothing lasts forever

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I strongly believe human beings are not designed to live in suffering. Mere loss brings unbearable discomfort to our lives. Just to see how we were not designed to endure suffering forever, just look at the amplified noise made when we suffer temporary losses as compared to praises and appreciation given to the bliss enjoyed for even much longer.

A brief mishap can easily feel like a lifelong disaster, while a lifelong good life may not even be felt but taken for granted and expected to occur by default.

If the biblical account of life is true, I’d argue trouble free life was before the fall of man. Thereafter, things went Topsy-curvy, and only life difficulties can bring development and advancement to our lives. Meaning, trouble, and suffering are generally default settings of life and goodness only obtained by grace and in other cases, earned. By Nimroth Gwetsa, 28 February 2021. Continue reading →

– Longer Support Hours are imperative for Basic Service Provision

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Notwithstanding the digital divide prevalent in our country, for many, voice and data connectivity are necessities of life along water and electricity far more important to some extent than food. I do not know about you, but I know many others like me easily losing appetite even, when having to face power, water and connectivity outages with no access to backup services.

What is more frustrating is having those outages occurring closer to or outside normal office hours, say from four in the afternoon on weekdays or twelve on a Saturday or any other time on Sunday. The frustration is owing to many service providers limiting their (onsite) support to office hours on weekdays mainly.

If ever you did not know you had comorbidities, wait until you have deadlines to meet and these outages occur outside those “normal” office hours, then assess your health afterwards. Living in South Africa means investing, not only in these primary services, but having backups too for all your needs to avoid having burst arteries. With these “basic” services already so expensive for many, who would have sufficient resources to invest even in backup solutions? By Nimroth Gwetsa, 31 January 2021. Continue reading →

– The Risk of Fear

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The COVID-19 era has redefined the way of life and I doubt we will revert to the way of life before the occurrence of the pandemic just as life changed after 911 and is reported to have also done after world wars. We need to accept that the life of mask wearing, sanitisation and social distancing will remain with us for years.

Though many are apathetic still to threats of getting infected as seen from their continued overcrowding interactions without taking prescribed precautions, I would not want to trivialise potential destructiveness of COVID-19.

Apart from President Trump, I am yet to hear from anyone who has been infected by the virus and felt its impact dismissing it as another variant of flu, yet many critics with no prior COVID-19 infection easily make such claims. By Nimroth Gwetsa, 29 December 2020. Continue reading →

– #Digitise

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On 26 November 2020, several media houses published a story of Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) having frozen R111m from the bank account of one Thabo Simbini, a businessman from Hammanskraal, for his alleged fraudulent claims from the scheme designed to provide financial relief to employers and employees adversely impacted by covid-19.

Simbini is alleged to have claimed for more than six thousand employees from the Temporary Employer/ Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) when he was the only employee in his business, Impossible Services (Pty) Ltd. We take comfort in the knowledge that AFU’s action shows Simbini will be held accountable for his deeds, but such fraudulent submissions should not have initially succeeded.

We know government is inefficient, but basic reference checks could have flagged the claim as fraudulent even when using antiquated technological solutions. Lesson for us all, even small businesses, is to never relent in keeping records even if on a simple spreadsheet. Of all man-made innovations, spreadsheets should count among the best things since sliced bread. By Nimroth Gwetsa, 30 November 2020. Continue reading →