Readers’Views

Molefe took Transnet project from exciting to sad

I attended the launch of Transnet’s market demand strategy, led by Brian Molefe, as a representative of a supplier.

Molefe’s presentation on the day was impressive. The project was exciting as it would have a significantly positive impact on the local railways manufacturing industry.

The requirements for localisation were challenging, and I recall attending a number of the original equipment manufacturer’s supplier development sessions where they needed supplies from local vendors to satisfy their localisation targets.

At the time, I remarked to my principal that at last Transnet was in good hands under Molefe and that this project was to be very strategic for the country’s economic growth.

How wrong I was. It was terribly disappointing to discover during the early years of the market demand strategy project that lip service was being paid by Transnet to the localisation requirements.

The products we manufactured locally were being imported — now we know it was to provide a cover to loot and launder state funds. So sad.

May justice prevail. — erasmuslj58, on TimesLIVE

Shared passcodes a fanciful idea

The article “Raids take ‘competitive, highly contested’ insurance industry by surprise” (August 28) refers.

In a perfect world, the price of products sold by competing companies would end up being the same. Inefficiency is the reason some products are more expensive but, ultimately, they will either learn to get cheaper or die.

I know the South African life insurance industry is fiercely competitive and premium bases are kept secret.

This idea of passcodes shared between insurers to access pricing models is so fanciful it sounds like coming from a Trump world of alternative reality. — Richard Bryant, on BusinessLIVE

Let the buyer beware

Dhoines (Readers’ Views, August 28) writes a blistering attack on “dishonest” manufacturers who use names for meat dishes in vegan foods. He/she has him/herself to blame by admitting the product was bought “in a hurry”. I have noticed clear indications of plant origin on packaging. In law there is the caveat: “Let the buyer beware.”

Is the public aware that before the invention of refrigeration spices were being sought from the East to mask the taste of rotten meat? — by e-mail