Surprising stats

[Marq]

I received a call this morning on my cell phone from Exact Mobile offering me a vodacom contract with a deal worse that the one I have with them already. The 'operator' (besides being rude and nasty) had no idea that she was phoning a vodacom number whose owner already had a contract.

How many of you out there have more than one contract with the same supplier for your private life? I am sure there are some who try to split their lives up between girlfriends and wifes but personally I think whoever is running exact mobiles marketing arm should be fired for wasting their money on useless call centre operations and the faxes that come through in droves.

Now you know how vodacom can have so many subscribers. They must be counting potential call centre operations as well.

According to Vodacoms ceo last year - well in a fin24 report anyway - there are 48million sim cards out there. Vodacom say they have 26mill of those = 54%. The market penetration is roughly 70% with another two years good growth still left....mmmmm..... so the total market estimation is about 68million sims.

Lets see there are supposed to be round about 50 million citizens. Say half (choose a number) are too young, too old or too rural or too poor to own anything. Say 10% have two phones for office and personnel use. Thats 27 million - lets say 30 million citizens that have phones - does this mean there are currently 18million refugees, exiles, tourists, unaccounted for people in the land? Where is the balance that vodacom say are still out there waiting to hear from them.

In may 2004 Vodacom had 10m subscribers and the total base was estimated to be 30mil - check it out. So in five years according to vodacom the market has increase by 18mil (60% growth) Total potential market by 126% and their percentage market share has grown from 30% to 54%. Woah....some poll this could be:- So..er Mr vodacom, what reasons do think there are for the huge population growth in the country:-

• Somebody's not checking the borders.
• Somebody is smoking their socks.
• Census just got it wrong.
• Nobody is using a condom anymore.

Choose one or all - we are going to manipulate the stats anyway.

[Loman]

Thats 27 million - lets say 30 million citizens that have phones - does this mean there are currently 18million refugees, exiles, tourists, unaccounted for people in the land? Where is the balance that vodacom say are still out there waiting to hear from them.

The only thing it could be is three year old's getting cellphones within the next two years.

[Dave A]

2 million South African adults have personally been a victim of violent crime in the country in the past year. Only 60% of these cases were reported to the police. (AMPS 2008B RA)

More shocking than a surprise, perhaps.

[Marq]

Is the obvious question not....how do they know only 60% was reported?

[Dave A]

Sample surveys surely?

[Marq]

If they were not reported how do we know who to survey?

If we survey say 100 people in Westbury - you would get 100% to the question as to whether you have been a victim and 100% no report to the police.

So then you extrapolate these results in the same way they got the 2 million number and the answer for this survey is that 0 people in the country have been a victim of violent crime.

[Dave A]

That's why these survey companies get the big bucks

[Dave A]

The argument against a social state?

26% of urban South Africans agree with the statement: 'I see no reason to work if I can get a government grant' (Future Fact 2008)

How about you make more money?

[Marq]

Just to put this stat in perspective....

In 2008/09, total spending on grants will increase toR69 billion, which is 10% of total governmentspending. This makes South Africa one of theworld's biggest spenders on social grants

- 2008 the peoples budget

According to that article - 12 million South Africans enjoy the social grant.....mmmm.......46 million people in the country - 12 million on grants = 26% - fancy that hey - check the magic of numbers.

Amounts of Grants as At 01 April 2009
Grant Type 1 April 2009
Old Age grant R 1010.00
Disability grant R 1010.00
War veterans' grant R 1030.00
Child support grant R 240.00
Foster care grant R 680.00
Care-dependency grant R 1010.00

69 brazilian by 12 bar = average R480 per month
Somehow looking at the above grants - I dont really see an average of R480 - which makes one question the 69 brazillian. The 26% is A OK as per the above calc so the total payout must more than we are being told about?

[Dave A]

...Or the bulk is made up of child support and foster-care grants, which is entirely possible.

Add the government payroll bill which apparently keeps about 34% of the working population afloat + the padded prices on contracts for pals and it's no wonder there's a problem funding other stuff.

[Dave A]

73% of South African adults agree or strongly agree with the statement ‘Job security is more important than job satisfaction’. (AMPS 2008)

I don't think this is healthy.

[Marq]

I don't think it is healthy either, but I do believe it's a true reflection on our society. The sheeple just attend work day in and day out, without much of a thought pattern beside what to do after work and even then theres not much brain wave beyond the pub or tv.

I wonder to what extent 'job security' is just maintaining and keeping ones job in relation to obtaining or retaining high monetary income. What I am saying is if they could earn more money would they have more job satisfaction?

[daveob]

I don't think this is healthy.

Well Dave, that depends on which side you are looking from.

There are many reasons to make sure you keep your job security, even if you really don't like what you're doing or even really care about what you produce or who you work for.

For example :
To bend a quote by a real famous forum master :

Job security = easy access to :

-- banking facilities ( unsecured ), no matter if I'm behind on debts instalments.

-- Free support for my spouse, girlfriend, a horde of kids, a house in the suburbs, company car, cellphone (which will be used for 80% personal calls) and my retirement one day.

-- Free education ( and time off this krap job while being educated -- I will get sozzled every day on your account, so please don't expect me to learn anything ).

-- All mistakes paid for without penalty to my monthly income.

-- Don't have to work hard at keeping customers or finding new ones - the boss does that himself.

-- Promotion by age 30 and able to consider retirement by 40-45.

-- And if I don't deliver and the boss don't pay enough, I am really expected to trash the place - it's my duty.


So, you see, what reason would I have for wanting to leave this job - it's security gives me everything I need from it.

Now if you don't mind, I'll call in sick tomorrow and stay home, get depressed about my life, kick the dog and kill the bottle.

ps.. will be back the next day but doubt I will be very productive.

[Dave A]

The median daily parking rate for Sandton is $10.02 (Cape Town $9.02, Durban $3.76). In the City of London a day's parking will cost $68.07, and in Delhi $1.75. (Colliers International)

A pity the parking rate for Manhattan isn't in there. I recall seeing rates of $20 an hour in the theatre district.

[daveob]

Cheap Parking

Immediately made me think of this one :

A man walks into a New York City bank and says he wants to borrow $2,000 for three weeks. The loan officer asks him what kind of collateral he has. The man says "I''ve got a Rolls Royce -- keep it until the loan is paid off -- here are the keys." The loan officer promptly has the car driven into the bank''s underground parking for safe keeping, and gives the man $2,000.

Three weeks later the man comes into the bank, pays back the $2,000 loan, plus $10 interest, and regains possession of the Rolls Royce. The loan officer asks him, "Sir, if I may ask, why would a man who drives a Rolls Royce need to borrow two thousand dollars?"

The man answers, "I had to go to Europe for three weeks, and where else could I store a Rolls Royce for that long for ten dollars?"