There are many worthy causes trying to help vulnerable South Africans in this time of national crisis. Supporting these initiatives is of course absolutely the right thing to do, and the only note of caution to be sounded before you make a donation is this - if you are approached by an organisation claiming to be a genuine NPO (Non-Profit Organisation) or PBO (Public Benefit Organisation), undertake some due diligence before committing to anything.

We show you how to check that anyone soliciting donations is on the level, we discuss the question of tax-deductibility (with a special mention of The Solidarity Fund’s enhanced PBO status), and we share some thoughts on creating a formal “giving policy”.

As we wend our weary way through the pandemic and the lockdown’s economic fallout, let’s not lose sight of the fact that eventually we will inevitably return to some form of “normal”. As the wry Internet joke has it “This too will pass. It may pass like a kidney stone, but it will pass.”

We can all of us – businesses, investors, individuals planning our futures - profit from understanding how there will be both winners and losers emerging from this period of fundamental disruption. We analyse the evolving trends that are driving and will continue to drive this process, with examples of those sectors expected to end up as big winners, and of those predicted to be big losers.

It didn’t take the online fraudsters long to realise that the coronavirus lockdown has opened up a whole new avenue of opportunity for them. 

Malware, phishing and ransomware attacks are surging, and schemes offering some form of financial relief are particularly evident. All forms of online communication including emails, SMSes and Social Media posts should be treated with caution.

We share tips on how to protect yourself and your business in these dangerous times, with news on some of the more common scams going around and a link to the latest examples identified by SARS.