SPAR Chair Graham O’Connor has stepped aside after recent suggestions in the media that he is too close to the day-to-day functioning of the business to properly fulfil his role. “Mr Graham O’Connor ... believes that it is in the best interests of the company to step aside from his role as chairperson of the board in order to allow the board to focus on the current allegations facing the company,” SPAR says, referring to other governance questions reported upon here and elsewhere. He is succeeded for the moment by Andrew Waller, a lead independent director. A slightly different type of retailer, Spur is among the businesses concerned about a decline in December revenues along the KZN coast, where a sewage crisis has closed many beaches and threatens to put a real blight on the usually busy holiday season. About 18% of Spur’s 550 restaurants are in KZN. Next, Woolies is expanding its Dash online delivery service to more coastal locations, including Langebaan, Simon’s Town, Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Jeffreys Bay, Margate and Richards Bay, just in time for the hols. Finally, welcome to SA’s newest retailing power, the Circle K convenience brand from Canada, which has just opened its first store at the Puma Energy filling station opposite The Wilds Shopping Centre in Tshwane.
Comment: People want to do business in this beautiful country of ours. Let’s give them some better reasons to do so.