	standard bank unable to make ings forecast standard bank investment corp ltd sprj j chairman henri de villiers said he could not predict profits for the bank this year because of south africa s continuing political unrest de villiers also warned in the annual report that failing prompt and decisive political action south africa faces a future of violent deadlock between different racial and political groupings he said south africa s future economic prospects are clouded by political and social issues and in the absence of evidence that these are being positively addressed i am unable to offer an ings forecast for standard bank pct owned by standard chartered plc stch l london previously reported that net income rose by pct to mln rand the bank said its bad debt losses should begin to decline this year although it may take some time before they return to accepted industry norms the annual report showed that the bank s charge for bad and doubtful debts rose in to mln rand from mln rand in the prior year the bank said net income of its standard bank of south africa subsidiary declined pct in to mln rand in a difficult banking environment caused mainly by low credit demand reuter 
