Seminars & functions
Member
BCCI Companies Act Seminar a Major Success
The Benoni Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) in partnership with CIPRO and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) hosted a dynamic seminar for the public on Wednesday at the Lake Conference Centre.
The event was very well attended by members of BCCI, interested members of the public and other business chambers from as far as Randburg and Midrand.
The main objective of the chamber was to provide information to the public and to allow people the opportunity to ask the experts questions about the new Companies Act,” said Bajith Panday, organiser of the event.
The main speakers on the bill were Advocate Rory Voler Head of Legal Services at DTI and Dr Mkhuseli Vimba Head of Education and Capacity Building at the CIPRO. In essence the following important information was conveyed:
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The New Companies Act will come into operation on the 1 October 2010.
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No new Closed Corporations will be registered after the 1 October 2010.
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Existing companies registered under the 1973 Companies Act will continue in existence.
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If you currently have a CC, a simple process of conversion into a PTY will take place after the implementation date.
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According to the new Companies Act there are only two types of companies recognised:
Profit Companies and Not for Profit Companies (NPC).
The new Companies Act contains an easy and fairly seamless process for converting a close corporation to a company. Currently the process of registering a company is fraught with challenges in that up to 14 different documents have to be completed and the services of a legal advisor has to be utilised. The new process will assist with public with the articles of association thus making it simpler and cheaper to register a company.
When the regulations are released later next month, we will have an idea of what the audit requirements would be. We were assured that companies need not worry about audit requirements as the intention of the Companies Act was to simply reporting not to make it more expensive.
If you would like to join our mailing list send an email to info@benonicci.co.za and copy it to bajith.panday@eduskillsrainbow.co.za. You can also call our office on 011 421 9599 to join our mailing list.
Please watch this space for our next seminar on the Consumer Protection Act to be held in June.
Press Release
South African Consumers are the Most Protected in the World
The Benoni Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry hosted a very successful seminar on the Consumer Protection Act last week. The keynote speaker was Aubrey Mathope an attorney working as Deputy Director of Compliance in the DTI.
The CPA aims to protect all consumers; the focus in many instances is on "vulnerable" consumers, being the previously disadvantaged, uneducated, and illiterate, among others. The rights and responsibilities of consumers were discussed in detail as well as the role of the National Consumer Commission which will adjudicate on matters of unfair business practice against consumers. Ms Pat Tilley head of the local Consumer Association heralded the seminar as major step in the right direction and congratulated the DTI and the BCCI on their efforts to inform and educate consumers on their rights and responsibilities.
The good news for consumers is that they will be protected from those late night calls hoping to sell you a new cellphone contract or insurance policy. Stricter measures are to be put in place to ensure the consumer’s right to privacy.
The BCCI’s event organiser Bajith Panday commented:’ The BCCI realises that our members are as much consumers as the people who buy from our members. We therefore felt it was important to bring businesses as well as the public together in this seminar to engage with the new CPA and understand its implications together.’
Bajith Panday 011 849 9599 bajith.panday@eduskillsrainbow.co.za
070-675-NPO
PBO 930032227
P O Box 1281
Benoni
1500
74 Cranbourne Ave
Benoni
1501
Telephone 011 421 9599
FAX 011 421 8627
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