Editorial Note:

As Dr Worrall says below, 2014 is going to be a heavy political and economic year for Africa. But to ease our clients into this year, we thought it appropriate to devote this first brief of the year to a tribute to Jacques Kallis – an exemplary African. But also see at the end an attractive investment opportunity and how Omega can help you.

May 2014 be a good year to us all!

Stacey Farao, Managing Editor

2014 will be an important year for Africa. International organisations like the World Bank, IMF and international investment bankers are generally bullish about most of Africa. They expect the steady growth of the last 18 months to continue this year; and 2014 is important for South Africa in that it is an election year which will determine who will run the government and with what economic focus in the hope that the country improves on its somewhat lacklustre performance over the past year.

But for the moment let's set aside the issues of 2014 to savour and celebrate a delightful event in the last few days of 2013 - the retirement from test cricket of Jacques Kallis. In doing so, we request the patience of many of our international clients (probably the majority) who know of cricket, and may know that South Africa is one of the cricket-playing nations of the world,  but who are unlikely to understand the significance of Jacques Kallis. It is also good that they know what most of their South African business associates were doing on 29 December 2013 - they were in front of their television sets watching Jacques Kallis in immaculate style score a series-winning century in Durban!

There is something really very special, almost magical, about Jacques Kallis' retirement from test cricket. We come back to this presently. However, just for the record (and I'm grateful to my old friend David Williams of the Financial Mail for this) Kallis made more test runs (13,289) than anyone except the legendary Sachin Tendulkar (who retired a couple of months ago) and Ricky Ponting.  But in other respects his record is better than theirs. His average (55, 37) is higher than those of any of the other 10 batsmen who scored more than 10,000 test runs, except the Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara. His magnificent batting record means, as David Williams puts it, "that Kallis' place among the greatest in the cricket hall of fame cannot be disputed."

But what uniquely distinguishes Kallis from others and probably makes him the best all-round player ever, is his bowling and his fielding. According to the records he bowled more than 20,000 balls in tests with only 19 men in history having delivered more, as well as another 10,000 balls in one-day internationals. And he has taken 199 catches in tests.

Adding to the depths of sentiment with Kallis’ retirement among South Africans is the universal expression of respect, appreciation and admiration felt and experienced in the entire cricket world. The London Mail refers to him as "retiring in a blaze of glory". The Times of India declared him "the greatest all-rounder". SBS News of Australia described his retirement – “the greatest all-rounder in history and as a blessing for Australia", given South Africa's forthcoming tour to that country! And the ICC in its announcement of his retirement spoke of him "having a magnificent career."

Getting back now to explaining the point we began with - trying to understand the extraordinary feeling South Africans have about his retirement - the mixture of pleasure, pride and appreciation involves the psycho-dynamics of sport, sporting heroes and their nations. Kallis represents for South Africans and South Africa something special – a beacon of excellence. And what created this was not simply his remarkable skills with bat and ball and what he achieved in terms of world records. But how he did it. Solid, sometimes dour with emotions tucked away, reliable, generally uncontroversial, helpful to others, immaculate, stylish, elegant and inspirational. Simply brilliant. A Beacon of Excellence.