Higher education and training in South Africa in the post-Apartheid era has never been more volatile than it is currently, some two decades into democracy. Despite the many advances and achievements of higher education, the student protests of 2015 and 2016 have given expression to underlying fault-lines, including increasing student expectations and frustrations with regard to access and funding. This research was undertaken to document the underlying historical issues and models pertaining to funding within the higher education and training sector as well as the existing higher education and training taxation policies and incentives enacted in South Africa and selected international jurisdictions. This was done with a view to providing a framework for higher education and training tax policy formation in South Africa to assist in meeting its higher education and training “access and affordability” targets as set out in the National Plan on Higher Education and the Higher Education White Paper, while at the same time not hindering economic growth. A doctrinal research methodology was adopted in this study as it mainly analysed and interpreted legislation and policy documents and therefore the approach was qualitative in nature. An extensive literature survey was done in order to document the various internationally selected legislated higher education and training tax policies and incentives. The literature indicated that there are widespread funding perspectives and initiates, and that international tax policies enacted with the aim of ensuring that higher education and training is more accessible and affordable to the public, is stable and effective in certain jurisdictions. It is submitted that while a higher education dedicated tax may not be sufficiently effective in South Africa, a combination of broad-based tax incentives will help to promote the change to a more affordable and stable higher education funding system, whilst not preventing growth through sustainable development.

LL.M. (Commercial Law) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Magister Legum - LLM

[pt] Incluir o gerenciamento tributário no planejamento da cadeia de suprimentos é fundamental, especialmente no Brasil, onde cada estado pratica sua própria política tributária. Esta dissertação estuda a importância dos custos tributários ao decidir a localização dos centros de distribuição. Foi desenvolvido um modelo de Programação Linear Inteira Mista (PLIM) o qual inclui as oportunidades e restrições criadas pelas políticas tributárias brasileiras, juntamente com as restrições tradicionais em que os custos de implantação, operação e transporte estão incluídos. Especificamente, nos concentramos em sistemas de distribuição que operam em um ambiente interestadual e intermunicipal e onde o Imposto sobre Circulação de Mercadorias (ICMS) se aplica. O modelo de otimização minimiza os custos totais dados pela soma dos custos de distribuição entre fábrica - centros de distribuição - clientes, custos fixos e variáveis das instalações e créditos fiscais cumulativos não recuperados. Ou seja, o modelo considera e calcula para cada caso os custos ou créditos gerados em cada transação devido à aplicação do ICMS. O modelo gerado é por natureza não linear sendo apresentada uma forma de linearização do mesmo. O modelo foi aplicado a uma empresa brasileira que lida com bens não duráveis e atua em todo o país. A solução encontrada propôs a abertura de três novos centros de distribuição, além do já existente, correspondentes a um sistema de distribuição onde são utilizados todos os créditos tributários acumulados decorrentes de transações de ICMS. O valor da economia anual foi de 29 porcento do custo total do sistema de distribuição. / [en] Including tax management in supply chain planning is mandatory, especially in Brazil, where each state practices its own tax policy. This dissertation studies the importance of tax costs upon deciding the location of distribution centers. Was developed a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) that includes the restrictions and opportunities created by the Brazilian tax policies along with the traditional restrictions where deployment, operating and transportation costs are included. Specifically, we focus on distribution systems that operate within an interstate and inter-municipal environment and where a Goods Circulation Tax (ICMS) applies. The optimization model minimizes the total costs given by the sum of distribution costs between factory - distribution centers - clients, facility fixed and variable costs and non-recovered cumulative tax credits. Thus, the model considers and calculates for each case and transaction the costs or credits resulting from the application of ICMS. The presented model is by nature non-linear and a linearization form of the model is presented. The model was applied to a Brazilian company that deals with non-durable goods and operates in the whole country. The solution found proposed the opening of three new distribution centers, besides the existing one, corresponding to a distribution system where all cumulative tax credits deriving from ICMS transactions are used. The annual saving amount to 29 percent of the distribution system present costs.

This diploma thesis describes by a feasibility study the introduction of a new product, which has the name Green credits. This project responds to a flexible manner on a prospective and dynamically growing market for environmentally friendly and energy-saving solutions and its implementation may allow a particular financial institution to obtain the position of leader and new business in this market.

South Africa has expressed its desire to be the gateway for investment into Africa. With its residence-based tax system which taxes the worldwide income of its tax residents, South African companies will be open to double taxation where the investee country claims jurisdiction to tax income generated from within its borders. In addition, other provisions in the South African tax legislation increase the possibility of double taxation by including the income of foreign subsidiaries. Two such examples are the definition of a tax resident, which includes foreign subsidiaries that are effectively managed by their holding companies in South Africa, and the anti-avoidance measures, such as the controlled foreign company provisions, which impute the income of a foreign subsidiary to the South African investment company. Many South African companies have chosen to route their investments in African countries through foreign subsidiaries. Besides having a more investor-friendly tax regime, these countries offer more favourable relief from double taxation, both unilaterally and by means of their network of tax treaties. South Africa has identified some of its shortcomings. It has introduced concessionary tax provisions for locally based headquarter companies that invest abroad. It recognises the high cost of doing business in Africa due to the fact that many African countries impose withholding taxes on several types of income even though they may not be from a local source. Therefore, South Africa is granting tax rebates for foreign withholding taxes paid on service fees charged to foreign entities despite the income being derived from a South African source. Both these measures reduce double taxation but, are they sufficient to encourage direct investment from South Africa into other African countries? This study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the South African double taxation relief provisions by using a case study of a South African company that has investments in several African countries. It compares the application of the double taxation relief provisions of South Africa, another African country and a non-African country to the case study. It analyses the outcomes and assesses the effectiveness of South Africa’s current legislation for unilateral tax relief and its tax treaties in minimising double taxation. Finally, it makes some recommendations on possible improvements to the legislation in order to achieve the stated goal of being the financial hub for investment into Africa AFRIKAANS : Suid Afrika het aangedui dat dit die poort vir belegging na Afrika wil wees. Die heffing van belasting op die wêreldwye inkomste van belastingpligtige inwoners stel Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye egter bloot aan dubbelbelasting indien die land waarin beleggings gemaak word ook aanspraak maak op die reg om inkomste wat in daardie land verdien is, te belas. Sekere bepalings in die Suid-Afrikaanse belastingwetgewing stel belastingbetalers verder bloot aan dubbelbelasting indien die inkomste van buitelandse filiale ook by die inkomste van inwoners ingesluit moet word. Twee sulke voorbeelde sluit die definisie van belastingpligtige inwoner ingevolge waarvan buitelandse filiale wat effektiewelik deur hulle houermaatskappy in Suid-Afrika bestuur word en sekere teenvermydingsmaatstawwe, soos byvoorbeeld die beheerde buitelandse maatskappy bepalings ingevolge waarvan die inkomste van ʼn buitelandse filiaal aan ʼn Suid-Afrikaanse beleggingsmaatskappy toegeskryf word, in. Daar is heelwat Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye wat verkies om hulle beleggings in Afrika deur middel van filiale wat in ander lande geregistreer is, te hou. Hierdie gekose lande het nie net gunstige belasting instellings bewinde nie maar bied ook meer voordelige verligting van dubbelbelasting, beide eensydig en deur middel van hulle netwerk van belastingooreenkomste, aan. Suid-Afrika het sy tekortkominge geidentifiseer. Voordelige belastingbepalings is geskep vir plaaslike hoofkantoor maatskappye wat beleggings in die buiteland hou. Erkenning is gegee aan die hoë koste om besigheid in Afrika te doen as gevolg van die feit dat menige Afrika-lande belasting op verskeie tipe inkomste weerhou selfs as die oorsprong van die inkomste nie vanuit daardie lande kom nie. Suid-Afrika is gewillig om belastingkortings vir die buitelandse belasting so weerhou toe te staan ten spyte daarvan dat die oorsprong van die inkomste in Suid-Afrika is. Beide die maatstawwe is gemik op tot die vermindering van dubbelbelasting, maar is dit voldoende om direkte beleggings vanaf Suid-Afrika in ander Afrika-lande aan te moedig? Die doelwit van hierdie studie is om te bepaal hoe effektief die Suid-Afrikaanse bepalings wat gemik is om dubbelbelasting te verhoed deur middel van ‘n gevallestudie van ʼn Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappy wat meervoudige beleggings in verskeie Afrika-lande het. Die studie vergelyk die toepassing van die vermindering van dubbelbelastingbepalings van Suid-Afrika, ʼn ander Afrika-land en ʼn nie-Afrika-land. Die resultate word geanaliseer en die effektiwiteit van die huidige wetgewing vir eensydige verligting van dubbelbelasting en die huidige belastingooreenkomste om dubbelbelasting te verminder, word beraam. Ten slotte, die studie beoog ook om aanbevelings wat dalk die wetgewing kan verbeter ten einde die gewensde doelwit om Suid Afrika die finansiële poort vir beleggings in Afrika te bereik, te maak. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Taxation / unrestricted

No description available.

In cooperation with a consumer credit company based in Stockholm, this bachelor thesis investigates if the customer profitability in the consumer credit market can be predicted with multiple linear regression. Data collected before the initial credit was accepted and data connected to the account activity of the customers' first nine months are analyzed. Further, it is examined if the findings could be useful in a profitability analysis and as a reduction of adverse selection. The findings show that a number of covariates express promising correlations with the costumer profitability. However, the prediction error is high and not efficient in individual cases. Further, some reduction in adverse selection, due to a decrease in asymmetric information between the customers and the company, can be identified, but further research is encouraged. Finally, potential improvements are discussed, especially concerning the choice of regression algorithm. / I samarbete med ett konsumentkreditbolag baserat i Stockholm undersöker detta kandidatexamensarbete om kundlönsamhet inom marknaden för konsumentkrediter kan förutsägas med hjälp av multipel linjär regression. Data består av information som insamlades innan den initiala kreditförfrågningen accepterades, och av kontoaktivitet under kundens nio första månader. Vidare undersöks om resultatet kan användas i en lönsamhetsanalys och som en metod för att minska snedvridet urval.  Resultatet visar att ett antal kovariat uttrycker en lovande korrelation med kundlönsamheten. Dessvärre är felen från förutsägelserna stora och därför ineffektiva gällande estimering av individuella kunder. Fortsättningsvis kan det identifieras viss reduktion av snedvridet urval som en följd av minskad informationsasymmetri mellan kunderna och företaget, men vidare undersökning uppmuntras. Avslutningsvis diskuteras ett antal förbättringsmöjligheter, framför allt gällande val av regressionsalgoritm.

This study explored the implementation of the recognition of prior learning (RPL) at Unisa by investigating the strengths and weaknesses of the RPL methodology, instruments and processes when taking students through the RPL process. The successes and challenges experienced by the RPL academic advisors and the academic assessors were determined and guidelines provided for the effective implementation of RPL at Unisa. The empirical research design was exploratory within a qualitative framework employing participant observation, focus group interviewing, individual interviewing and the distribution of questionnaires that consisted of open-ended questions. The research sample comprised 26 purposefully selected participants. With regard to the research findings, the challenges include a lack of administrative support, a lack of support from top management and the academic staff, and a lack of communication between management and the RPL department. The strength of the RPL department lay in its well-documented process manual. / Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Plus de soixante-quinze ans après la création des Règles et usances uniformes relatives aux crédits documentaires par la Chambre de commerce internationale, pouvons-nous parler d'un véritable succès international de la lettre de crédit commerciale à titre d'instrument de paiement fiable et sécuritaire ? Nonobstant sa triple finalité et l'application formaliste de ses principes d'incessibilité, de stricte conformité et de double autonomie qui ont su, au cours des années, répondre aux besoins résultant de l'évolution du commerce international, il nous semble utopique de parler d'un tel succès. Mais pourquoi ? Confrontées aux réglementations nationales ainsi qu'aux pratiques nationalistes et protectionnistes des états qui ont pourtant adhéré aux Règles et usances relatives aux crédits documentaires, la malléabilité de ces règles semble avoir dénaturé la lettre de crédit commerciale de ses principaux attributs. À cet égard, nous pouvons nous demander si la lettre de crédit commerciale est une facilité de crédit désuète ou incomprise ? La présente thèse est le fruit de maintes réflexions sur les problèmes liés à l'application et l'interprétation de la lettre de crédit commerciale à titre d'instrument international et plus particulièrement sur les lacunes des Règles et usances uniformes relatives aux crédits documentaires. / More than seventy-five years after the creation of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits by the International Chamber of Commerce, can we talk about a true international success of the commercial letter of credit as a reliable and secured instrument of payment? Notwithstanding its triple functions and the formalistic application of its principles of non-assignability, of strict compliance and of dual autonomy, which have answered the needs resulting from the evolution of international commerce, it seems unrealistic to talk about such success. But why? Confronted with the national regulations as well as nationalist and protectionist practices of the states which have nevertheless ratified the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, the malleability of those rules seems to have been misrepresented of the principal attributes of the commercial letter of credit. ln that respect, we can ask ourselves if the commercial letter of credit is an outdated or misunderstood credit facility? The present thesis is the fruit of many reflections on the problems linked with the application and the interpretation of the commercial letter of credit as an international instrument of payment and more particularly, on the gaps of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits.