Att: The Editor – Business Report (brletters@inl.co.za and ellis.mnyandu@inl.co.za)
YOUR EDITION MONDAY 9^TH NOVEMBER 2015

A small in brief report unfortunately speaks of a far greater problem.

Recently on a trip to Durban (the Banana Republic) I purchased some bananas at an informal food stall and was told that the bananas were brought in from Mozambique.  I was initially shocked to hear this but on analysing the issue it became clear to me that it was far cheaper to grow bananas in Mozambique and to transport them through to Durban for sale.  In essence labour has become too expensive as the labour regulations have become to onerous.  It is important for people to be able to join trade unions and to exercise their rights but the government has intervened in the labour sect to the detriment of not only the employers but the employees.  This in turn has led to many farmers to cut down on production and to invest elsewhere.

Michael Bagraim