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Load shedding has become an unfortunate reality for many South African homeowners in recent years. The rolling blackouts can cause disruptions to daily life, impacting everything from work and school to basic household tasks. Fortunately, solar panels offer an affordable and effective solution to combat load shedding and reduce your reliance on the national power grid.

Solar panels are a renewable energy source that harnesses the power of the sun to generate electricity. By installing solar panels on your home, you can generate your own electricity, reducing your reliance on the national power grid and potentially eliminating the need for load shedding altogether. Solar panels for sale offer an affordable and effective solution for homeowners looking to reduce their energy costs and environmental impact. With a wide range of options available on the market, it is important to consider factors such as efficiency, durability, and warranty when choosing solar panels that will provide the best return on your investment.

One of the biggest advantages of solar panels is their affordability. While the upfront costs of installation may seem daunting, solar panels can save you money in the long run by reducing your electricity bill and potentially eliminating the need for load shedding altogether. Plus, many South African municipalities offer incentives and rebates for homeowners who install solar panels, making them an even more attractive option.

In addition to cost savings, solar panels offer a range of environmental benefits. By generating your own electricity, you are reducing your reliance on fossil fuels, which are a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Solar panels also require very little maintenance, meaning they have a minimal impact on the environment throughout their lifespan.

Finally, solar panels offer a level of energy independence that is especially important in a country where load shedding has become all too common. By generating your own electricity, you can ensure that your home has power even during times of load shedding or other disruptions to the national power grid.

In conclusion, solar panels offer an affordable and effective solution to combat load shedding and reduce your reliance on the national power grid in South Africa. By taking advantage of the incentives and rebates offered by many municipalities, homeowners can enjoy significant cost savings while also reducing their impact on the environment. With the added benefit of energy independence, solar panels are a smart investment for any South African homeowner looking to say goodbye to load shedding once and for all. You can visit online stores like Geewiz if you want to buy solar panels in South Africa.

This article was first published at https://topclickblogs.co.za/say-goodbye-to-load-shedding-with-solar-panels/

Good day,

For any successful business, managers and leaders need to first discover what makes each person unique (in our colleagues, friends and authority figures) and then celebrate and honour it. One of the biggest inhibitors when it comes to bringing out the best in our people, and our teams, and for them to perform at their best, is not embracing and working with their uniqueness, whilst steering them towards becoming an engaged and empowered team, where they can achieve their personal goals.

Leadership is not a position, it is influence and the 21st Century Management Development Program explores the elements that will make you a person of positive influence, thereby an impactful leader for your team, your organisation, and your own life. To find out more about this program and how and your readers can join, follow this link: https://www.21century.co.za/remuneration-training-2/management-development-programme/

06 MARCH 2023

Leaders and Managers see beyond the things that are and see the way they could be

Llewellyn Driver shares his views

“Have you ever felt like leading and managing people is like herding cats (a line of dialogue in Monty Python's The Life of Brian)?

“Many of us have felt like that sometimes, and sayings like this provides a very clear image of the level of difficulty that is involved. As anyone who has owned by a kitty can vouch, it is pretty much impossible to get little fluffy to do something that it doesn't want to do.

“Imagine you could understand and lead the behaviors, and hearts of your people, steering them towards becoming an engaged and empowered team; where they can achieve their personal goals as well as the organisation’s strategies and, business and human resource objectives.

“We all have paradigms or mental maps that impact the way that we interpret, and experience day-to-day life. These maps can be divided into two categories: the way that things are (realities) and the way that things should be (values).

“Leaders and managers are pivotal to the success of their people and in turn the organisation. Therefore, it makes sense to start here; and any endeavor undertaken that involves people; requires equipped, as well as self-managed and empowered leaders and managers.

“In the words of Marcus Buckingham “great leaders rally people to a better future”. Leaders are preoccupied with the future and carry a vivid image of what that future could be, and this image drives them as they rally others towards this better future or vision that they see - a vision that sees beyond the present is one of the foundations of leadership, whereby we increasingly open our eyes to see beyond the things that are and see the way they could be.

“He goes on to state that, a manager’s unique contribution is to make other people more productive, whereby the manager’s team is convinced that he or she was deeply preoccupied with the challenge of making them as successful as possible.

“In understanding the analogy of the human “cat” here we need to realize that, a lot like a happy cat purring, successful and happy people create successful, happy and high-performing teams, and organizations. However, a cat purring may not always indicate happiness. Some cats purr to express fear, stress or when they are hungry. Just like cats express how they feel through purring, we as human beings also express feelings differently.

“What, feelings in the workplace? What should we do with them? Yes, and Daniel Goleman suggests that we can navigate these emotions, emotive behaviours in the workplace successfully, by building the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, for managing emotions within ourselves and in our relationships.

“As managers and leaders, it is also important to first discover what makes each person unique (in our colleagues, friends and authority figures), and then celebrate and honour it. One of the biggest inhibitors when it comes to bringing out the best in our people, our teams, and for them to perform at their best, is not embracing and working with their uniqueness.

“Continuing with our cat analogy, not only are cats agile and able to change direction on a whim, a cats mood and behaviour can be especially hard to read. Just like cats, change in organisations is the norm and change management is necessary. But we do not just manage change, most importantly, we manage and lead our people who are integral in the organizational change we experience.

“Leadership is not a position, it is influence and the 21st Century program explores the elements that will make you a person of positive influence, thereby an impactful leader for your team, your organisation and your own life.

“Unlike cats (with their nine lives), as humans we only get one. Leaders and managers let’s make it count, for us and our people!”

“Every passing moment in our lives we can make a positive difference in the lives of others. Irrespective of where we are and regardless of our status, achievement or position.” - Ken Blanchard

Written by:

Llewellyn Driver, PGDip – Management Practice, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Chris Blair, B.Sc. Chem. Eng., MBA – Leadership & Sustainability, CEO of 21st Century, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About 21st Century:

21st Century, a level 2 BBBEE company, is one of the largest Remuneration, Reward, HR, Organisation Development and Change Management consultancies in Africa, specialising in sustainable business solutions, with a team of more than 60 skilled specialists, servicing over 1700 clients – including non-profit organisations, unlisted companies, government, parastatals and over two-thirds of the companies listed on the JSE. 21st Century offers bespoke business and strategy planning services, operating model and organisational design, creative reward practice modelling, change, stakeholder and culture management, training courses and comprehensive human capital and talent plans. These are all underpinned by our analytic and survey capability tailored to the African environment. 21st Century continues to offer solutions via a combination of virtual channels and on-site presence. 

21st Century has expanded its services to offer a full turnkey sustainable business and remuneration service. Beyond remuneration and reward consulting, 21st Century offers local analytics for business advantage; remuneration and HR training; change management services; talent and people solutions; and end-to-end organisational design and development.

21st Century is the Africa representative for the GECN group of companies, specialists in global executive remuneration and governance.

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 Issued By: The Lime Envelope
On Behalf Of: 21st Century
For Media Information: Bronwyn Levy
Telephone: 076 078 1723
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Bronwyn Levy
Account Manager
Cell: 076 078 1723 | 082 925 2535
www.thelime.co.za

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The development of little hands and minds is always a priority for parents. ‘Bloks’ is a great way of promoting their development. We have a great article to share with you about the 9-Way Building ‘Bloks’ Help Children Develop.

Every child needs to have access to building ‘bloks’. Blocks not only stimulates a child’s interests and help them express themselves, but also have a range of benefits. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, blocks boost aspects of learning including: 

Self-esteem: Children discover that they have their own idea as they explore various risks when playing with blocks. This gives them a scene of achievement as they experiment by creating something unique and new. 

Imagination: Blocks allow children to develop worlds of their own making and take journeys of their own design. It encourages creative freedoms and equips them with the tools to bring it to life. 

Personal, Social & Emotional Development: Children learn to co-construct and negotiate as they play with blocks. By taking turns, sharing materials and working together, they form new bonds and friendships. This kind of play encourages self-reliance, develops a sense of self and increases their attention span. 

Creativity: As children combine and re-combine the various loose parts in various ways their creativity can be stimulated even further by the addition of small characters or objects as they play. 

Self-expression: Playtime is the optimal time for self expression in children. This is used as a tool by child psychologists and therapists, as it is form of communication that doesn’t need the use of language in order to communicate. 

Problem-solving: Problem-solving and reasoning skills are developed by playing with blocks. This either happens as a natural occurrence where children learn what works and what doesn’t, or as a deliberate action, where they continue to develop a situation while they play.

Maths: Blocks are the best tools for kids to use when practicing their counting skills. They can not only compare shapes and sizes, but also create patterns The shapes, sizes and colours help children identify the number of items they have, identify the size of their creation, estimate the dimensions, and evaluate symmetry.

Literacy & communication: Children find different opportunities to communicate as they play and this encourages the development of new vocabulary. This is then unlocked further by engaging with parents, and friends as they use the blocks as a prop when telling or creating their stories.

Physical Development: Children are physically stimulated by blocks, strengthening their fingers, hands and arms as they play. This also develops hand-eye coordination, encourages spatial awareness

The best blocks to get are MEGA Bloks. Available from retailers nation-wide, Mega Bloks Big Building Bag (Classic) (60 pieces) offers hours of building and stacking for limitless fun with the award-winning First Builders Big Building Bag by Mega Bloks. These bright primary-coloured blocks encourage hands-on exploration and open-ended play. When playtime is over, conveniently pack and store the blocks in our new eco-friendly, PVC-free packaging. Ideal for ages one and up.

Features:

• 60 First Builders blocks for hours of play
• A classic primary colour scheme
• Eco-friendly, PVC-free packaging with strap for storage and portability
• Compatible with other Mega Bloks First Builders products for continuing fun

• Businesses are increasingly witnessing the impact of protest movements and civil unrest on their operations, a trend that is forecast to grow
• A new report by Allianz identifies five factors likely to power ongoing incidences of political violence activity around the world
• Strikes, riots, and civil commotion racked up $12bn of losses for businesses and institutions from just six major incidents in recent years. Insurance claims from South African riots in July 2021 cost  $1.9bn.
• Businesses should view the current climate as a catalyst for evaluating best practices and policies around preparing office locations and employees for the impact of potential civil unrest.

Johannesburg – February 28, 2023. Anger over growing social inequality and the cost-of-living, foundering faith in governments and institutions and increasingly polarized politics, together with a rise in activism and environmental concerns, are the main factors expected to fuel ongoing incidences of strikes, riots and civil commotion (SRCC) around the world, according to a new report from insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS). The heightened SRCC risk environment means businesses need to remain vigilant about the different threats such activity can pose. In addition to buildings or assets suffering costly material damage, operations can be severely disrupted, resulting in significant loss of income.

“Incidences of strikes, riots and civil commotion have not only increased in recent years, they are also becoming more intense and catastrophic. These types of events are making our era one of uncertainty,” says Srdjan Todorovic, Head of Political Violence and Hostile Environment Solutions at AGCS. “We have seen multibillion-dollar loss events in the US, Chile, and Colombia. The threat is changing, and although many of the reasons for it are universal – whether economic, political, or environmental – it can play out differently in different regions, with various levels of violence and disruption. Operational and security management within organizations should view the current climate as a catalyst for evaluating best practices and policies around preparing locations and employees for potential civil unrest and building resilience.”

Civil unrest risks rose in over 50% of countries between Q2 and Q3 2022 alone, according to the Verisk Maplecroft Civil Unrest Index - out of 198 countries, 101 saw an increase in risk. Since 2017, more than 400 significant anti-government protests have erupted worldwide. It is unsurprising then that ‘political risks and violence’ ranks as a top 10 peril in the Allianz Risk Barometer in 2023.  In Africa and the Middle East, political risks and violence fell two places to sixth but it is still in the top three risks in Burundi, Madagascar, and Nigeria. It remains fourth in South Africa and eighth in Cameroon. While the Ukraine war is a major factor in this ranking, the results also show that the impact of SRCC activity ranks as a political violence risk of top concern with a combined score of almost 70%. Unrest is now spreading more quickly and widely thanks in part to the galvanizing effect of social media. This means multiple locations can be impacted, potentially resulting in multiple losses for companies. Such events are also lasting for longer - almost a quarter of the 400 significant anti-governments protests since 2017 were in excess of three months – helping to ensure financial costs are mounting. Reported damages from just six civil unrest events around the world between 2018 and 2023 resulted in at least $12bn in economic/insured losses. Insurance claims from South African riots in July 2021 cost  $1.9bn.

Five risk drivers of civil unrest

In the report AGCS’ political violence team highlight the five main factors they expect to power further SRCC activity in 2023 and beyond:

The ongoing cost-of-living crisis: Although inflation is now thought to have peaked in many countries the after-effects continue to take their toll. Just over half of the protests globally in 2022 were triggered by economic issues, and public confidence in the financial future is shaky.  Half the countries surveyed in the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer showed a year-over-year double-digit decline in the belief that their families will be better off in five years’ time. Further protest activity is likely and although mostly peaceful, it can turn violent.

Distrust of governments and institutions: Governments thought to be corrupt or perceived to have been in power for too long can bring people out on to the streets. Economic grievances about food, fuel, pay, or pensions can expand from issues-led demonstrations to wider anti-government movements. In 2022 and early 2023 protests ignited over the rights of women and minorities in Iran, fuel prices in Kazakhstan, economic failures in Sri Lanka, abortion rights in the US, and Covid restrictions in China. Europe continues to be hit by multiple strikes over pay and working conditions. Political instability in Peru, Brazil and Argentina has also resulted in widespread and violent protest.

Increasing polarization: Political divisions are stoking tensions around the world undermining social cohesion and escalating conflict. Polarized opinions can become particularly entrenched on social media and in some countries such polarization is turning violent. Recent years have seen a big shift to the left and the right in many countries with few liberal democracies maintaining a sense of balance where political parties compete for the center ground.

A rise in activism: In recent years, movements that have been significantly galvanized by social media include the ­global Occupy movement against economic inequality, the Black Lives Matter protests highlighting racial inequality, the #MeToo movement against sexual abuse and harassment, and the Stop the Steal campaign, which falsely claimed electoral fraud in the election of US president Joe Biden.

“Where politics are polarized, people can feel a greater sense that their personal values are under attack and will take to the streets to defend them,” says Todorovic. “Riots can erupt as a result around a single flashpoint, such as a heavy-handed response by authorities that is deemed unjust.” These can then escalate across a wider area, with larger numbers of people involved, to become civil commotion. If this spills over into violence and opportunism, businesses can be vulnerable to property damage and looting.

Climate and environmental concerns: Where governments are seen to row back on climate-change progress, such as fracking or reopening coalmines as a solution to reliance on Russian gas, there could be unrest. Businesses that are deemed to profit excessively from fossil fuels while many people struggle could also be targeted. “Environmental protestors made colorful headlines in 2022 – such as activists pouring soup on a Van Gogh painting or gluing themselves to roads – and will continue to do so in 2023,” says Etienne Cheret, a Regional Practice Group Leader, Crisis Management at AGCS. “Climate change demonstrations tend not to be violent, but they can be disruptive, particularly if they affect transport infrastructure. We expect this kind of activity to continue, if not escalate, in the coming year.”

Implement, test and update continuity plans

Specific incidences of civil unrest can be difficult to predict because they often start with a specific trigger such as a change in government, a piece of new legislation or a sudden price rise. For example, violent unrest in the relatively stable West African nation of Senegal in 2021 was sparked by the arrest of an opposition politician on rape and insurrection charges.  “One of the regions that we are most watchful of at the moment is North Africa. It is highly dependent on wheat imported from Ukraine and Russia and is exposed to price shocks in food and energy. We’ve seen a democratic backslide in Tunisia, which is significant, as it was the cradle of the Arab Spring and widely believed to be the region’s success story in terms of democratic transition,” says Srdjan.

However, there are a number of things businesses can do to minimize disruption. Allianz Risk Consulting has developed a list of technical recommendations for companies, such as implementing, and then regularly testing and updating, a business continuity plan. Specialist insurance can help protect companies against damages resulting from political violence, as well as any interruption to the business. Policies can cover civil war, SRCC, terrorism and war.

Download Outlook: Strikes, riots and civil commotion – a test of business resilience

 For further information please contact:

About Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) is a leading global corporate insurance carrier and a key business unit of Allianz Group. We provide risk consultancy, Property-Casualty insurance solutions and alternative risk transfer for a wide spectrum of commercial, corporate and specialty risks across nine dedicated lines of business and six regional hubs.

Our customers are as diverse as business can be, ranging from Fortune Global 500 companies to small businesses. Among them are not only the world’s largest consumer brands, financial institutions, tech companies and the global aviation and shipping industry, but also floating wind farms or Hollywood film productions. They all look to AGCS for smart solutions to, and global programs for, their largest and most complex risks in a dynamic, multinational business environment and trust us to deliver an outstanding claims experience.

Worldwide, AGCS operates with its own teams in more than 30 countries and through the Allianz Group network and partners in over 200 countries and territories, employing around 4,250 people. As one of the largest Property-Casualty units of Allianz Group, we are backed by strong and stable financial ratings. In 2021, AGCS generated a total of €9.5 billion gross premium globally.

For more information please visit our website www.agcs.allianz.com

MathsGee, an online question and answer platform, has announced the launch of GaussTheBot, a GPT-3 based automatic question answering bot that provides users with instant answers to their questions. The platform aims to improve user experience with the integration of advanced AI technology.

Given the rise of generative AI models like ChatGPT and Bard, MathsGee realized the need to enhance its value proposition to users with a seamless experience. GaussTheBot is helping MathsGee deliver immediate answers to questions, which was previously not possible due to the reliance on volunteer experts to provide answers.

To ensure the accuracy and integrity of the answers and the platform as a whole, MathsGee has taken a "human in the loop" approach. Users must first accept an answer before it is posted on the platform and can flag bad answers or vote them down. Once flagged or voted down, human experts intervene and correct the facts. This approach helps to ensure that human expertise remains at the center of the question answering process.

With GaussTheBot, MathsGee aims to harness the wisdom of the crowd buoyed by artificial intelligence. The platform provides users with a wide range of features and benefits, including:

• Instant answers from GaussTheBot
• Expert-verified answers
• Ability to vote on questions and answers
• Option to tip their favorite community members
• Access to human expert live video sessions (paid/free)
• Opportunity to earn points through participation
• Ability to start a fundraiser

"We believe in the superiority of wisdom of the crowd, and with GaussTheBot, we are bringing this concept to life," said Edzai Zvobwo, founder of MathsGee. "Our goal is to provide users with the best possible experience, and with the integration of AI technology, we are able to deliver instant answers and expert-verified content."

For more information about MathsGee and GaussTheBot, visit https://mathsgee.com.

As the 2022 Independent Examination Board (IEB) matriculants celebrate the release of their final results, Brainline’s matric class has illustrated the advantages of online learning by achieving a phenomenal 82.4% pass rate overall with 62.96% of these candidates achieving university exemption.

The group further achieved an impressive 127 A’s and 278 B’s, which Brainline attributes to the benefits of online learning combined with the sheer tenacity of its learners.

“This year’s results send a clear and powerful message that online learning offers a number of advantages as an alternative to the traditional brick-and-mortar school. Online learning provides an ideal model to learners who, for various reasons, want or need the flexibility and sense of self-reliance that this learning model allows. This cohort has, like their predecessors, achieved exceptional marks and earned their nationally recognised and accredited matric certificates,” notes Coleen Cronje, CEO of Brainline.

Founded in 1987, Brainline is the first online education provider to be recognised by the IEB. Today it provides an online learning platform to thousands of diverse learners in a wide range of subjects, including a few that are less common in online learning such as music, drama, equine studies and consumer studies.

“As Brainline, we can provide structure through a curriculum, classes, and online resources, but our learners’ many successes are accredited to their tenacity and dedication. The Brainline matric cohort has proven that they were up to the challenge, and that they have the internal motivation and drive to become the leaders that our country so desperately needs,” states Cronje.

“To all matric learners who may not have passed or done as well as you would have wanted, we would like to encourage and remind you that there are many ways to still achieve your desired results. Investigate the option of supplementary examinations later in the year or consider redoing a subject with Brainline to improve your marks.

“Having a matric certificate will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life, so whether you choose to swap subjects to something better suited to your individual aptitude or persevere with the subjects you originally attempted, it’s important to take this opportunity and make a success of it.”

Benefits of online learning for learners

The onset of the digital age has created a wealth of opportunities for South African learners to enrich and complete their schooling, providing learners with greater freedom and support than ever before, notes Cronje.

“Online learning teaches learners independence and self-discipline. Additionally, they become accustomed to studying in a digital environment and holding themselves accountable for studies and deadlines.” 

Brainline is open to any learner, irrespective of their geographic or demographic status. There are also no entrance exams or other prerequisites other than having access to a computer and internet connection and having passed previous grades.

Omni channel communications, as predicted for the past few years, has seen rapid uptake, with businesses using websites and social media channels alongside email and audio

As businesses continue evolving to meet changing customer behaviour, the uptake and investment in cloud unified communications platforms and tools will continue to soar. Businesses are increasingly realising that they must meet customers at a time and digital channel of their choosing, which leads to increased adoption of fully fledged Omni Channel solutions (https://bit.ly/3IRq9hI). This adoption augments two core strategies in most businesses, firstly in enhancing a customer intimacy strategy and extending the lifetime value of a customer and secondly in operational efficiency which enables greater automation and integration with underlying systems.

Microsoft Teams has bedded down as a de facto internal communications tool and video conferencing as the external leg but are well behind with phone deployments. According to BMI research, only one in 25 South African Teams users make use of the phone system. This is mostly due to a higher cost than alternatives as well as a lower feature set.

Trends that gained the most momentum in 2022

• There was an increased reliance and need to invest in cloud security. This trend will not slow down, as high-profile breaches make cloud security one of the most important considerations for all businesses.
• CRM platforms have evolved into fully fledged ERP solutions, with two of the most obvious examples being Salesforce and Zoho. This means that cloud-native systems such as these are going head-to-head with legacy ERP systems such as SAP and Oracle. The main driver of this is that reliance on legacy becomes a handbrake on organisations in that their time to change is too slow for the ever-evolving environment.
• Omni channel communications, as predicted for the past few years, has seen rapid uptake, with businesses using websites and social media channels alongside email and audio (https://bit.ly/3WemQUN)
• What started as remote working during the pandemic has shifted into “work from anywhere”. A Steelcase survey found that 87% of employees around the world prefer to work from home for one day a week. Businesses need to plan with this in mind.
• While automation has long been touted as the biggest trend, it has seen somewhat lacklustre uptake. This is not through any disinterest or a lack of desire, but has everything to do with the underlying infrastructure and systems it relies on not being ready to support automation fully.

Looking ahead - trends for 2023

• Voice-activated shopping to change the game
  Voice-activated shopping has enjoyed huge global growth. Last year, it was expected that its value would increase from $5-billion to a staggering $19,4-billion by next year. Any business that is planning an ecommerce strategy and overlooking this will clearly be missing out on a massive opportunity. Remember, customers want to engage when and where they choose, and voice-activated shopping means they can search for, and buy, products while on the move or performing another task.
  
  Retailers that have kiosks or showrooms in retail centres may well look at installing voice-activated systems for walk-in customers so they don’t have to wait to be helped by a person, or interact with touchscreens in the aftermath of Covid-19. For the ever-digital savvy shopper, this is an appealing channel.
  
  
• Social buying to reach younger shoppers
  This trend has been building momentum and is expected to speed up rapidly in the coming year. This is where shoppers can buy through a brand’s own website or through social platforms themselves. Live stream shopping is an interesting trend that is gaining momentum around the world and businesses should consider spending more time investigating and including social buying in their ecommerce strategies.
  
  
• Demand for asynchronous communication to surge
  Demand for Asynchronous communication will continue to increase. If we cast our minds back to when we only had email as a means of text communication with customers, it was acceptable to reply the following day. The text generation has ended this. Today, the first five minutes are crucial. If you fail to respond within those golden five minutes, there is a 90% drop-off of engagement. This need to strike while the iron is hot has opened the window for asynchronous communication systems with the ability to respond almost immediately.
  
  
• Silos to fall faster
  As noted for 2022, the move of cloud-native CRM systems into fully-fledged ERP solutions is changing the landscape. This may not be the case for some industries, such as manufacturing, but definitely is the case in businesses relying on customer engagement. The cloud-native solutions will replace traditional legacy ERP systems at an increasing pace.
  
  
• Security security security
  As noted for 2022, 2023 is no different in that cloud security will continue to be one of the biggest priorities for businesses (https://bit.ly/3WfX0Qd). Cyber criminals and high-profile breaches will keep all providers on their toes to improve and invest in security solutions. Equally, compliance will continue to attract attention due to the large amount of data being harvested. As it stands, there are clear regulations protecting consumers on some channels but not on others.
  
  The regulation will continue to play catch up.

• A rush to omni channel to meet changing buying behaviours
  Omni channel platforms are going to become more sought after as businesses race to keep up with their ever-evolving customers. Omni channel solutions aren’t just for selling, but are crucial in information gathering in the lead-up to the buying decision. This necessitates the seamless integration of email, chat, voice, social media, and more. 2023 will see increased reliance on integrated systems that can interoperate with other cloud solutions.
  
  
• Increased engagement via website
  As this new era of communications comes fully into effect, the future uses of API integrations are becoming more clear. Many businesses are embedding pivotal unified communication features in their websites (https://bit.ly/3XbOV05) and applications. API integrations to unified communications will become more sophisticated throughout 2023 and beyond, and will expand as time progresses.
  
  
• Rise of the machines? Not yet
  Both the process and automation layers of robot process automation (RPA) will become more integrated with other technologies as end-users and RPA vendors look to build on the basic capabilities of RPA software. The concept of the digital assistant will continue evolving, whether in the form of virtual assistance or actual physical assistants, as seen in restaurants in Japan and other areas, for example. The key here, as mentioned previously, is that this technology relies heavily on the underlying systems.

Machine learning and AI-powered technology has given chatbots greater power than ever before. Currently, it is estimated that chatbots could handle up to 69% of chats from start to finish, but if businesses want to exploit this then they need to ensure that their underlying operation support systems and business support systems can support machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities. The poor use/deployment of chatbots remains an obstacle to full scale adoption.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Telviva.

About Telviva

Telviva is a market leader in cloud-based communications for business. Seamlessly integrating voice, video and chat in one intelligent platform (https://bit.ly/3w1n2w1), Telviva enables you to have better quality conversations with customers, suppliers and staff.

The benefits of moving your business communications to the cloud are infinite; Immediate cost savings, flexibility and greater control are primary advantages. But being in the cloud also enables your workforce to work remotely on any device with significantly enhanced efficiency and productivity. And it’s all down to the fact that they can synchronise all business communications channels on Telviva’s all-in-one intelligent platform.

Contact us if we can help you have better quality conversations - www.Telviva.co.za

SOURCE: Telviva

The appeal of South Africa’s Western Cape coastline and, in more recent years, that of the KZN North Coast, has shown the massive potential such seaside locations offer investors. But while these areas have become flooded in demand, the KZN Mid-South Coast is emerging as a top contender in terms of real estate investment potential.

“The KZN Mid-South Coast has been overlooked when it comes to real estate development for far too long, and we are starting to see a massive rise in interest, particularly in the wake of the pandemic,” commented Barto van der Merwe, MD of Renishaw Coastal Precinct. “There are so many advantages to investing in this area and the launch of the 1 300-ha Renishaw Coastal Precinct has come at just the right time for investors looking to get their foot in the door on the KZN Mid-South Coast.”

Renishaw Coastal Precinct is one of the country’s largest and most awaited developments, set to ignite massive growth along the KZN Mid-South Coast. This mixed-use development will include residential, retail, educational, healthcare and light industrial/commercial zones. It’s also a great indicator of the investment potential on the KZN Mid-South Coast for a number of reasons.

1. Value for money

The KZN Mid-South Coast offers affordable investment opportunities, especially when compared with real estate on the North Coast. As Van der Merwe explains, house prices in Renishaw Hills – a mature lifestyle village forming the first development within Renishaw Coastal Precinct – have experienced a 50% escalation in just five  years. The massive rise in property value means that investors are well-advised to consider moving fast while prices remain so competitive.

2. Self-reliant and secure

The entire Renishaw Coastal Precinct is set to be completely self-reliant, secure and sustainable, offering residents everything from secure water provision and sanitation, to fibre optics, healthcare and education. Sustainability is at the core of the development, both in terms of construction and coexistence with the natural world. Considering the energy grid uncertainty and climate change impact, a high level of self-reliance is a massive drawcard for investors.

3. Accessibility

Location is everything and the KZN Mid-South Coast has just that. It’s situated just 40 minutes from Durban off the N2, providing direct access via the national road to King Shaka International Airport. The relaunch of Margate Airport has enhanced the area’s accessibility, with direct flight access from Johannesburg. The economic and administrative hub, Port Shepstone, is located nearby for those requiring business headquarters. The region also has access to private healthcare facilities, retail facilities and schools.

4. Quality of life

Quality of life is central to the KZN Mid-South Coast, an area renowned for its laidback, nature-based lifestyle. The region boasts several seaside attractions with Scottburgh Beach ideal for swimming, surfing and sunbathing. The area is also home to two of the world’s top dive sites located nearby at Aliwal Shoal and further south, Protea Banks, with an abundance of nature reserves. Renishaw Coastal Precinct itself consists of 13 million square metres of land of which around 10 million square metres will be converted into conservation areas, reintroducing the lush indigenous coastal forest and grassland that once dominated the area. Wetlands, estuaries, coastal grasslands, rivers and forests will form part of this precinct. This is a safe, tranquil environment for working and living.

5. Heritage

The precinct is home to the Heritage Village, consisting of 35 houses originally built for farm employees. There is great potential to upgrade these homes and build additional units within this historical village. There are also allowances for retail activities in the old Renishaw Mill area, overflowing with charm and potential for artisanal bakeries, coffee shops, restaurants, farm stalls, and even an events venue. Other notable buildings with potential include the old Crookes Chapel, located within the Heritage Village, and the Old Mill building, both of which could be converted into a premier wedding venue.

Renishaw Coastal Precinct is set to unlock the massive economic potential of the KZN Mid-South Coast. Investors looking to get in early can visit www.renishaw.co.za or call Barto van der Merwe on 087 135 5555.

Our entire team at Meerkat are incredibly grateful to have been named as one of the top five large debt counselling practices in South Africa. The 2022 Debt Review Awards is a prestigious industry awards program with more than 1700 Debt Counsellors and over 8300 registered credit providers.

About Meerkat

Meerkat was founded in 2016 by David O’Brien. The Meerkat team aim to help our clients reduce their reliance on debt, and instead focus on building up resilience for financial emergencies. Each one of our solutions are simple, cost-effective, and tailor-made, which enables Meerkat to meet the needs of any individual, no matter what their financial situation may be. With each of our solutions, we aim to help our clients generate savings they can use in times of need. This positive savings balance will help to reduce dependence on debt and help to free up additional finances for our clients to begin investing in themselves and working towards their financial goals.

The Prestigious Award

The Debt Review Awards recognise excellence in the debt review industry by all role players and individuals. The Debt Review Awards are conducted through an online peer review system. This process allows the entire industry to voice their observations as to which firms had performed well throughout the year. The data is collected, and the top companies from each category are selected before a winner is decided.

There are six categories in total that are being awarded, and of the thousands of eligible nominees, only the top five are selected to win the award in their respective category potentially. Here are the six categories in the 2022 Debt Review Awards:

• Payment Distribution Agents
• Boutique Debt Counsellor Practice
• Small Debt Counsellor Practice
• Medium Debt Counsellor Practice
• Large Debt Counsellor Practice
• National Debt Counsellor Practice

The fact that we were nominated in the top five is a tremendous honour. At Meerkat, our team continues to strive towards excellence and to provide our clients with the best possible results.

We want to thank our clients for supporting us during our journey and helping us achieve such an incredibly prestigious award.

Load-shedding is here to stay, according to those in the know, and water outages or shortages due to poorly maintained infrastructure and climate change are likely to increase in frequency.

Providing tenants with solutions for energy and water issues is not a requirement of landlords. However, doing so is sure to attract them and will go a long way to retaining the good ones. In fact, demand is likely to increase with so many people working from home at least some of the time.

There are various advantages besides secured supply. For the tenant, an inverter supplied by the landlord will mean lower data costs and less wear and tear on costly electrical equipment like computers. Solar panels and grey-water systems will reduce their utility costs.

Such installations will also increase the value of your property and, if you live in Cape Town, could even make you some money. The City’s Demand Response Programme aims to, among other things, pay cash for excess electricity fed back into the grid. Initially, this is aimed at commercial and industrial customers, but it will be expanded to residents in time.

What tenants want

Most tenants are looking for cost-effective water and power solutions. They want to be able to save money on their monthly utility bills, and many tenants are also interested in eco-friendly water and power solutions.

Tenants also want water and power solutions that are easy to use. They don't want to have to worry about complex maintenance or installation procedures. Instead, they want solutions that are simple and straightforward.

Finally, tenants want water and power solutions that are reliable. They don't want to have to worry about their power going out or their water shutting off. They want to know that their landlords have invested in quality solutions that will provide them with the peace of mind they need.

If you keep these things in mind, you'll be able to choose the best water and power solutions for your tenants. By doing so, you'll be able to keep them happy and happy tenants save landlords money.

Inverters

Inverters are devices that convert direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC). This means that you can use them to provide power for your home or business, even when the grid is down. There are many benefits to using inverters, and they can be a great way to save money on your energy bill. Here are some of the benefits of using inverters:

They are more efficient than traditional generators because they only use the electricity that is necessary to power a few essential devices and appliances. They are also quieter than traditional generators, so you will not have to worry about noise pollution and annoying the neighbours. They do not produce harmful emissions either. Inverters are fairly easy to install, and you can do it yourself if you are handy, and if you buy lithium-ion batteries, they have a long lifespan, too.

Solar

The cost of solar can be a bit daunting. But there are creative ways to finance your investment, whether it’s through leasing, power purchase agreements, or renewable energy loans, which most of our banks offer.

With solar leasing, you essentially rent the solar panels from the solar company. This can be a great option if you don’t have the up-front cash to invest in solar or if you don’t want to deal with the maintenance of the panels. The solar company will usually take care of that for you. You can also rent to own.

The other option is to go for a solar loan. This is becoming an increasingly popular option, as it’s a way to finance your solar panels with little to no money down. You can get renewable energy loans from all major banks in South Africa.

It is important to do your research to make sure you have the correct system installed. A cheap installation will not add value to a property.

Rain-water tanks

With water shortages expected to become more common in the coming years, finding alternative water sources will become increasingly important. One option is to install a rainwater tank.

There are many benefits to using rainwater, including the fact that it is free and does not require energy to pump or treat like water from other sources. Rainwater is also a renewable resource, making it more environmentally friendly than other options.

Installing a rainwater tank can also increase the value of your property in dry areas. This is because rainwater tanks are seen as a desirable amenity, especially where water shortages are likely to occur. They can also help to reduce your water bills, as well as your carbon footprint.

If you are thinking of installing a rainwater tank, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you will need to ensure that your tank is properly sized for your needs. You will also need to ensure that it is installed correctly to avoid leaks. Finally, you will need to consider how you will maintain your tank and keep the water clean.

With a bit of planning, installing a rainwater tank can be a great way to save money and help the environment. It can also add value to your property.

The rainwater can then be used for garden irrigation. A good greywater system and a borehole are also excellent ways to reduce reliance on the municipal grid.

For more information on Just Property, please visit www.just.property or call (087) 583 3333.