ins an unlisted company. (ADVFN, 2008)
The condition of the South African Banking Industry (The depository intermediary sector)
The South African government historically tightly controls South Africa banks. As a result, they are prohibited by South African law from participating in many forms of international banking. This has the current benefit of including prohibition of the investment of significant proportions of their assets in non-South African investment. Regardless of its original intent, this South African government policy has protected the South African Banking community from having any significant exposure to so-called "toxic assets" in the current economic and financial crisis. The combination of government regulation and inherent conservatism has produced banks with few credit problems and low leverage factors. This is a strong positive element.
Obviously, such a policy on the part of the government also has negative impacts on the banking community. The inability of the nations banks to participate fully in the in
...