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Cape Town has just hosted the largest timed cycling event in the world. The Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour again has attracted more than 35 000 cyclist from around the world. In what has become an all too familiar pattern, the run-up to the event was marred by incidents of cyclists being killed or seriously injured while preparing for the race – at times with highly emotional attacks on motorists for allegedly showing complete disregard for the safety of cyclists. But are cyclists themselves completely blameless? And is the traffic infrastructure of South African cities suitable for the extensive presence of cyclists on our roads?

Research published in the “Harvard Business Review” this month says that Facebook fan pages are an effective marketing tool. Companies that use the fan page module to market themselves to customers can increase sales, word-of-mouth marketing and customer loyalty. The first-of-its-kind research from Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business surveyed customers of Dessert Gallery (DG), a popular United States-based café chain. Prior to the study, DG did not have a Facebook presence.

Globally, the strengthening of economies for the future in key areas such as jobs, competition and taxation must now replace crisis management, according to the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development in its latest “Going for Growth” report. Governments already have begun removing some of the emergency measures brought in to save the global economy from collapse. They must now ensure that the policies which remain – and new action in the months ahead – boost growth and living standards for the long term. The report also offers important perspectives on policy options for South Africa.

In a move that could boost the development of a market for green electricity, the City of Cape Town may launch a programme in the near future to promote such a market in the city by 'buying' electricity from the Darling Wind Farm. There may, however, still be some problem areas in this complicated system that often is referred to as “carbon trading”. There are also initiatives under way in other metropolitan areas in the country and other economic sectors.

On the back of the increasing availability of Internet bandwidth due to the expanding infrastructure of new telecommunications players such as Neotel and the new undersea Seacom cable between South Africa and Europe at the end of last year, Internet use in the country is on the up. But so are the opportunities for cybercriminals who prey on inexperienced entrants into the world of cyberspace.

Two judges of the Cape High Court recently warned that the disrespectful ignoring of court orders by state institutions could be construed as complete disrespect for jurisprudence associated with an “unfortunate country just to the north of us". But, while the image of the judiciary has been taking a pounding in recent weeks, in some instances it also echoes historical events of some three decades ago.

It is an astonishing feat – not on par with the remarkable anus mirabilis of 2007 when the Bulls and the Sharks featured in that dramatic Super 14 final – but it is  memorable nonetheless. We are talking about the Bulls and the Stormers occupying the two top spots in the Super 14 competition after the weekend of the fifth round of the competition.

Inefficiencies along Africa’s all-important road transport routes, with downtime at border crossings often accounting for more than 50% of journey duration, are one of the major root causes of health risks such as the spread of HIV/Aids and tuberculosis. A major private sector initiative, however, has been launched recently to help alleviate the negative impact of these health hazards on workers in the transport sector and the communities with whom they come into contact; while there remains much to be done by governments throughout the continent.

“Worth a read?” is not your ordinary book review; it is a meta-review. In other words, it provides an overview of the opinions contained in a variety of book reviews published in the media at large. This week’s meta-review is of “Linchpin”, written by Seth Godin and released in South Africa in March 2010.

In many towns across South Africa, municipal cash registers are empty; while in others, streets are filled with protesters and burning barricades – the signs of differing responses to the same problem: the collapse or failure of local government service delivery. Protests vary in form, but span all income, political and race divides; blaming sinister third-force activities will not wash this time.

South Africa is not the only country that has, in recent history, found it difficult, troublesome and at times extremely challenging to make a transition to a democratic dispensation. It was at the height of the Cold War, if not mistaken, when Britain’s Winston Churchill – a political colossus at the time – remarked that although democracy is not the perfect political system, it is still the best one he knows.  Does that truth still hold?