M.Com. (Economics) / The objective of this study, as stated in the hypothesis, was to study the role played by the South African long-term insurance industry in the market for loanable funds. The collectivization of personal savings by the long-term insurance industry and the growth of the industry since the Second World War are factors of great importance for economic growth in South Africa. The high priority given to employment, the specific characteristics of the country's natural resources, the infrastructural requirements and the socio-economic policy of the country make it essential to give every incentive to capital formation and to use such capital as may be available in the most economic manner ...

M. Tech. Organisational Leadership / The objective of this research is to assess the perceptions held by the medical aid schemes and the general public on the National Health Insurance (NHI). It also identifies areas that need attention to improve service delivery through the National Health Insurance model.

Assignment (MAcc )--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Existing long-term insurance financial reporting practices are heavily based on regulatory foundations. Although the reporting requirements of the long-term insurance industry are unique, there is currently no comprehensive, up to date Financial Reporting Standard in South Africa for long-term insurers. The demand for increased disclosure in the financial statements of long-term insurers increases the importance of the basic accounting principles for these companies as embodied in the Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements, namely comparability, relevance, accuracy and understandability of financial reporting. The SAICA Long-Term Insurance Interest Group discussed the withdrawal of AC121 Disclosure in the Financial Statements of Long-Term Insurers and the replacement thereof by way of other guidance. Ultimately the Accounting Practices Committee has firmly stated that it will not tolerate the ongoing implementation of AC121 because it contradicted a number of other accounting statements and indeed overrode those statements. With this in mind and taking into account the program of harmonising South African accounting standards with International Accounting Standards, it insisted that AC121 be withdrawn and replaced by guidance notes only. The current lack of authoritative South African guidance on financial reporting by long-term insurers results in the potential compromise of the basic qualitative characteristics of comparability and relevance in their financial statements, as certain disclosures are voluntary rather than required. The aim of the research was to assess the impact of the lack of authoritative South African financial reporting guidance relating to South African long-term insurers on the basic financial statement characteristic of comparability. A literature study was undertaken and a checklist for disclosure in the long-term insurance industry was drawn up. The objective was to highlight areas of noncomparable disclosure for which financial reporting standards should be created in order to provide guidance on financial reporting by South African long-term insurers and, where possible, to suggest guidance. Financial statements of selected South African long-term insurers were reviewed and "measured" against the checklist in order to make an assessment of comparability. Currently the disclosure of industry-specific items differs significantly amongst long-term insurance companies in South Africa. The comparability test (on information disclosed in the 2002 annual reports of the selected companies) and the research done on industry-specific items identified by this test indicated the extent of this non-comparability within the South African long-term insurance industry. In view of the recent withdrawal of AC121 and the results of the comparability test, there is reason to believe that each long-term insurer in South Africa discloses what it believes is right and what it believes the industry is required to disclose. This results in significant non-comparability between the financial statements of South African long-term insurers. The author recommends that a long-term insurance industry accounting statement in the AC500 series should be issuéd, which should provide the appropriate guidance not only to preparers of financial statements, but also to other users of financial statements in the long-term insurance industry, until such time as the international accounting project relating to long-term insurers is complete. Some work will be required to update and/or amend a "new AC121" for the AC500 series. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige praktyk vir finansiële verslagdoening van langtermynversekeraars berus grotendeels op 'n regulatoriese grondslag. Hoewel die vereistes vir verslagdoening van die langtermynversekeringsbedryf eiesoortig is, bestaan daar tans in Suid-Afrika geen omvattende hedendaagse Finansiële Verslagdoeningstandaard vir langtermynversekeraars nie. Die vraag na groter openbaarmaking in die finansiële state van langtermynversekeraars verhoog die belangrikheid van basiese rekeningkundige beginsels vir hierdie maatskappye soos vervat in die Raamwerk vir die Voorbereiding en Aanbieding van Finansiële State, naamlik vergelykbaarheid, relevansie, akkuraatheid en verstaanbaarheid van finansiële verslagdoening. SAIGR se Langtermynversekering Belangegroep het die onttrekking van RE121 Openbaarmaking in die Finansiële State van Langtermynversekeraars en die vervanging daarvan deur middel van ander riglyne bespreek. Uiteindelik het die Komitee vir Rekeningkundige Praktyk nadruklik bepaal dat dit nie die voortgesette implementering van RE121 verder kan onderskryf nie, omdat dit teenstrydig is met 'n aantal ander rekeningkundige standpunte en in werklikheid daardie standpunte ter syde stel. Met dien verstande en met inagneming van die harmoniseringsprogram om Suid-Afrikaanse rekeningkundige standaarde in harmonie met Internasionale Rekeningkundige Standaarde te bring, is daarop aangedring dat RE121 onttrek en slegs deur rigtinggewende riglyne vervang word. Die heersende gebrek aan gesaghebbende Suid-Afrikaanse riglyne oor finansiële verslagdoening deur langtermynversekeraars lei tot die potensiële kompromie van die basiese kwalitatiewe eienskappe van vergelykbaarheid en relevansie in hul finansiële state, aangesien sekere openbaarmaking vrywillig eerder as verplig is. Die doel van die navorsing was In bepaling van die impak wat die gebrek aan gesaghebbende riglyne vir Suid-Afrikaanse finansiële verslagdoening met betrekking tot Suid-Afrikaanse langtermynversekeraars op die basiese kenmerk van vergelykbaarheid van die finansiële state het. In Literatuurstudie is onderneem en In toetsstaat vir openbaarmaking in die langtermynversekeringsbedryf is opgestel. Die doelwit was om die soeklig te laat val op terreine waar openbaarmaking nie vergelykbaar is nie, waarvoor standaarde vir finansiële verslagdoening geskep moet word ten einde riglyne te verskaf oor finansiële verslagdoening deur Suid-Afrikaanse langtermynversekeraars en om waar moontlik, voorstelle hiervoor aan die hand te doen. In Oorsig van finansiële state van geselekteerde Suid-Afrikaanse langtermynversekeraars is onderneem en aan die toetsstaat "gemeet" ten einde die vergelykbaarheid te beoordeel. Teenswoordig verskil die openbaarmaking van bedryfspesifieke items aansienlik tussen langtermynversekeringsmaatskappye in Suid-Afrika. Die vergelykbaarheidstoets (volgens inligting wat in die 2002-jaarverslae van die geselekteerde maatskappye verstrek word) en die navorsing wat gedoen is oor bedryfspesifieke items wat deur hierdie toets geïdentifiseer is, toon die omvang van hierdie nievergelykbaarheid binne die Suid-Afrikaanse langtermynversekeringsbedryf. In die lig van die onlangse onttrekking van RE121 en die resultate van die vergelykbaarheidstoets, is daar rede om te glo dat elke langtermynversekeraar in Suid-Afrika opbenbaar wat volgens sy oortuigings reg is en wat hy glo van die bedryf verlang word om te openbaar. Dit lei tot beduidende nie vergelykbaarheid tussen die finansiële state van Suid-Afrikaanse langtermynversekeraars. Die skrywer beveel aan dat 'n rekeningkundige standpunt vir die langtermynversekeringsbedryf in die RE500-reeks uitgereik word, wat die toepaslike riglyne behoort te voorsien nie net aan diegene wat finansiële state voorberei nie, maar ook aan ander gebruikers van finansiële state in die langtermynversekeringsbedryf, tot tyd en wyl die internasionale rekeningkunde projek met betrekking tot langtermynversekeraars afgehandel is. 'n Sekere mate van werk sal nodig wees ten einde 'n "nuwe RE121" vir die RE500 reeks by te werk of dit te wysig.

Thesis (M.Com (Economics and Economic history))--Rhodes University, 2006. / A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Commerce (Financial markets).

Thesis (MTech (Public Management)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2011 / In South Africa’s two-tiered health system, some enjoy health care based on ability to pay and others utilize services in an under-funded sector. The rift in the two, public and private sectors, primarily exists because income categories either curb or allow the necessary contributions. This thesis reports on the various contributing mechanisms, through which health care can be ensured universally, without causing impoverishment. The framework or criteria selected for this study includes feasibility, equity, efficiency and sustainability of a contributing mechanism. Furthermore, the contributing mechanisms – tax-funded, NHI, voluntary health insurance and out-ofpocket – are resident within four health care models namely, Beveridge, Bismarck, NHI and Out-of-pocket. These models are discussed as well as relevant country examples are provided. In the pursuit of answering whether the NHI scheme is suitable for South Africa, the study shows that government or tax-funding and NHI provides the contributing mechanisms that are applicable to the South African situation within the context of different challenges. It is recommended that, in the government’s discussions about health care reform, prepayment, universalism and health care expenditure, amongst others, be considered.

M.Com. (Business Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Comm. (Investment Management) / Property investments have always been a major attraction to the private individual and the institutional investor. Pension funds were slow to venture into this market but in South Africa there was increasing activity in the property market by pension funds over the last eight to ten years. The main reason for this development can be attributed to the fact that inflation in South Africa caused salaries and wages to increase substantially and increased salaries and wages resulted in increased contributions to pension funds. Pension Fund Administrators were, and they still are, faced with ever-increasing cash flows which must be invested to meet long term commitments. Venturing into the property market, left pension funds at what could be termed the mercy of developers and Estate Agents. Standardisation of presentation of investment details and commonly used evaluation methods and procedures are lacking. Proper knowledge of legal and contractual requirements are being obtained from legal advisers, but the pension fund movement is not yet self supporting in any of these fields. This study is an effort to identify the legal aspects, contractual requirements, methods of property development and minimum requirements for evaluation purposes. Inherent in the requirements are those aspects worthy of special reference in relation to the decision making process. It may be said that property investment by the private individual is not different from that of the pension fund. This statement is, however, only partly true. The requirements for the decision making process depends on the objectives of the investor. The pension fund, for example, has a long term view and sustained growth in cash flow as well as capital appreciation of the investment over the long term is a major determinant.

M.A. (Public Management and Governance) / The study deals with the nature and problems of the proposed National Health Insurance system in South Africa in order to develop a management and governance model to promote universal healthcare in South Africa. The general aim of the study is, therefore, to analyse the concepts and policy initiatives related to the resolution on the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme being passed at the ANC’s 52nd National Conference in Polokwane in 2009. Calls for a NHI together with relevant legislation and programmes, have consistently formed an integral part of Government’s national effort to build a united national health system in which the public health sector plays a dominant role as provider of first choice. The proposed NHI is a state-mandated and state-administered health insurance scheme that provides universal and comprehensive cover to all South Africans in spite of their financial status. In essence therefore, the vision of the NHI system is to be inclusive of the unemployed and the indigent who will also be afforded the opportunity to receive healthcare which is on par with everyone else’s and not based on what they can or cannot afford. This enquiry is premised on the variables that have influenced the development of South Africa’s healthcare system, the implementation challenges of the proposed NHI, according to the National Health Insurance Policy Paper of 2011, and the lessons that South Africa can derive from the implementation of the national health insurance schemes of Brazil and Ghana. The dissertation concludes that there are certain challenges in the current NHI debate in terms of the lack of technical details on the proposed NHI system, a lack of transparency in terms of the process, as well as problems related to the exclusion of the main stakeholders in the public and private health sector.

LL.D. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Com. (Business Management) / The success of National Health Insurance (NHI) according to literature depends on a number of factors; this includes awareness and knowledge of the benefit of the policy by the public, and the increase and equitable utilisation of the healthcare facilities once the policy is promulgated into a law. The aim of this study is to provide insight into what the effect of government communication and public debate has been on creating awareness and building knowledge on the NHI subject amongst university students, and to establish the attitude and readiness status of students to utilize the NHI platform to access healthcare service. A cross-sectional, descriptive, empirical survey was conducted amongst a sample of one hundred and thirteen (n=113) students at the University of Johannesburg to address the research questions. The survey used self-administered questionnaires to gather primary quantitative data. This study deployed rigorous statistical analysis that included both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses methods. Findings from this study revealed that the majority of the students are aware of NHI; albeit possess a low level of functional knowledge on the subject. The majority of the students prospectively show less preference to use NHI to access health compared to using medical aids, and this is more apparent amongst the male students. From this study, undergraduates show more preference to use NHI over medical aids to access healthcare than postgraduate students. This insight about university students will inform policy makers and businesses on how to develop communication and engagement strategies geared at achieving success on NHI development and healthcare access. The study acknowledges the limitations of a small sample size, and the influence of the respondents’ family socio-economic standing on their attitude to NHI as a healthcare access platform.