Cape Town, South Africa: Today WeSit, an online babysitting company connecting parents to professionally vetted babysitters, announced that they have signed up 1000 babysitters to service parents in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The company is growing at breakneck pace, having only begun operations in March of this year. Of the rapid growth in operations, WeSit CEO and cofounder Nqobile Msibi said “Reaching 1000 babysitters is a noteworthy milestone and we think the market for our service is only really starting to take shape.

Everyone on the team is excited about it and we’re happy to finally be able to service multiple cities. Personally vetting each and every applicant to our platform is how I know we’re delivering the highest quality of service to busy parents.”

About WeSit: WeSit is an online on-demand babysitting startup based in Cape Town, South Africa. Operating since March of 2019 and now available in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria.

By Michelle Moss*

Obsolescence. It happened to VCRs. It also happens to executives, even high flyers; especially the tunnel-vision variety that obsess about the job on hand. Obsolescence no longer takes decades. It can happen at pace as technologies change and businesses react to new legislation, heightened competition and more demanding customers. Forward-thinking executives increasingly realise they have to be fit for purpose today and in five years’ time. Obsolescence is a career risk and like any risk can be managed by putting proper mitigation strategies in place.

Talent search and management companies – so-called corporate head-hunters –  face increasing calls from individuals for a heads-up on changing competency requirements.

Often, the request comes from the mid-life CEO, the high achiever who took a leadership role aged 45 and is determined to be in place (or to have moved on to bigger and better things) by the time he or she is 55. Competency-focused future-spotting is driven by the desire to mitigate the risk of a stalled career. However, parameters widen almost immediately.

Reference to relevant literature like the World Economic Forum’s ‘Future of Jobs Report 2018’ and the work of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy indicate that personal competencies are inextricably linked to the corporate future. The business or industry vision invariably shapes the personal quest for continuing relevance by individual executives. A global player like Riverwaves (a world leader in bespoke competency-based HR solutions) is close to these developments.

Alexandra Pascu, Riverwaves’ GM - Middle East and Africa, notes: “Customised competency models drive business strategy while delivering benefits across the board - at individual, HR department and organisational levels.” According to studies on the statistical validation of competency models**, the tangible return on investment includes a 63% reduction in staff turnover through increased employee satisfaction (attributable to greater clarity on performance expectations), a 19% improvement in employee performance and a 12.5% rise in sales and profits (a by-product of competency-based training).

Adoption of a bespoke competency model enables organisational vision and values to be translated into employee behaviour.  According to Pascu, the corporate embrace of competency modelling has been accompanied by a global increase in demand for in-house competency training for line managers and talent professionals.

So, we see shared focus on future-ready skills by both the organisation and its people (including those in the C-suite).  Individuals looking to avoid personal obsolescence increasingly find themselves working in a de facto partnership with organisations that are just as eager to stay current and relevant. The result doesn’t have to lead to a total immersion in new technologies. We may find ourselves working alongside robots and co-bots while dealing with digitisation and artificial intelligence, but very human attributes will make us special and keep us on top.

The World Economic Forum believes workforces will become even more diverse (multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-generational with greater female representation). Orchestrating the input of ‘gig’ workers, freelancers, short-term project teams and consultants will be vital as structures become more flexible.  Such scenarios help explain a quick competency to-do list suggested by MIT’s Erik Brynjolfssons. He advises us to put our focus on:  Creativity Emotional intelligence (interpersonal skills, teamwork and leadership) Passion for our work Apparently, love never goes out of style. Not even love for what you do.

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*Michelle Moss is a Director at Signium Africa (previously Talent Africa), a leading South African-based executive search and talent management company servicing sub-Saharan Africa. www.signium.co.za **Meta-analysis study reported in “The economic value of emotional intelligence competencies and EIC-based HR programmes”, Lyle Spencer.  In Cherniss, C. and Goleman, D. eds.The Emotionally Intelligent Workplace:  How to Select for, Measure, and Improve Emotional Intelligence in Individuals, Groups and Organisations.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass/Wiley 2001.Spencer, Lyle, “Competency Model Statistical Validation and Business Case Development.”www.inscopecorp.com/resources-papers-statistics.aspx, 2004.

Website: www.signium.co.za
Tel: +27 11 771 4800

BigFive Summit is coming to Cape Town from 13–15 May 2019, featuring headline talks and workshops that will challenge thinking, stimulate ideas and offer practical advice for those with the common goal of bringing to market digital solutions for SMEs throughout Africa & The Middle East.

BigFive Summit is the ideal networking and knowledge-sharing hub for media and technology companies, digital agencies, influential thought leaders, as well as disruptive startups and entrepreneurs across the Africa/Middle East (AME) digital tech ecosystem. The Summit’s agenda and content is constructed around the cornerstone pillars that support the local digital commerce ecosystem — Search, Social, Mobile, Location, and Payments.  

BigFive Summit is open to anyone seeking to play an active role in advancing SME participation via digital marketing, productivity improvement, transactional ecommerce, and back-office efficiency.

The event will highlight the enormous opportunities and challenges associated with bringing to market digital media and cloud-based business efficiency solutions for local merchants.

“In recent years, as a direct consequence of the explosive growth in smartphone adoption, literally millions of African & Middle Eastern consumers are experiencing the online world for the first time,” comments Thabo Seopa, Co-Founder and Chairman of BigFive Digital. “We created BigFive Digital to serve and support the growing community of media, mobile, technology and software companies who are providing the infrastructure that allows local SMEs to participate in this digital revolution.”

BigFive Summit ultimately sets out to promote and sustain the local commerce ecosystem by sharing best-practice and knowledge across topics of mutual interest, for the purpose of fostering mutually beneficial partnerships and business development opportunities. Attendance at BigFive Summit will provide delegates with ample opportunities for networking and business development.

“It is very much our intention to provide a platform for market-leading African & Middle Eastern media, marketing and technology vendors to learn, share and collaborate with their regional and global peers,” says Paul Plant, BigFive Digital’s Director of Operations. “We seek to build a multi-national community of like-minded companies who share our passion and objectives for helping local business owners to benefit from the digital economy.”

BigFive Summit will take place at Workshop 17 at the V&A Waterfront, in Cape Town from 13-15 May 2019.

For more information and to register as a delegate, visit www.bigfivedigital.org/summit

For speaking opportunities, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Or to exhibit or sponsor at BigFive Summit, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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For more information on BigFive Digital or this press release, please contact: Mika Stanvliet | +27 (0) 81 534 6237 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

In four years, footwear and handbag brand, Julz, has grown from an idea to a multi-million Rand business with 200 stockists across South Africa. And now its founder, Julie Oates, is taking the brand to the UK’s largest fashion trade event, Moda.

Before launching Julz, Julie’s entrepreneurial experience includes owning Pixel Shoes, a popular footwear store in Port Elizabeth. And it was from her experience working with footwear wholesalers, listening to the needs and wants of her customers and her passion for business that Julz was born.  

A high-end brand, Julz features shoes and handbags in each season’s collection, using only the best quality leather, with the latest designs featuring ostrich leather and feathers. Talking about the brand’s success, Julie says: “Attention to detail, high quality materials, investment in research and development to ensure our shoes are stylish and comfy, and running a lean operation has really contributed to the success of Julz. I want to mimic the success we’ve had in South Africa in Europe, and Moda is the best place to start.” 

Experiencing steady growth, the tipping point came when a chain of 19 stores started stocking Julz with future growth expected to come from overseas retail opportunities. “We’re still a young business, but our growth has been rapid but steady, in our first year we grew by 200% in terms of turnover,” remarks Julie.

 From August 5th through to the 7th, the high-end fashion brand will be in front of 9,000 fashion buyers from across Europe at Moda, and Julie will be able to network with other industry decision makers and show the fashion world what South African brands have to offer. “We’re the only South African brand at Moda 2018 out of the 1,200 exhibitors,” beams Julie. 

Small Business Awards launched on 24 April 2018

Hyde Park, Sandton – June 4, 2018 – A couple of weeks back, Smartcom had some rather thrilling news to share. They launched the Small Business Awards – an exciting opportunity where Smartcom will be giving small business owners and entrepreneurs a chance to showcase their business, and stand a chance to win a coveted title and exceptional prizes.

Promoting budding entrepreneurs has always been something that Smartcom has supported, but they want to delve deeper into this complex, but exciting venture. And so the Small Business Awards were born.

Smartcom collaborated with a vast range of established and successful companies, like BlackBerry, Nippy Print, The Social Media Company, From Me, and more. After careful deliberation with the various companies, they announced the competition, and prizes of up to R50 000!

To make this a fair fight, three categories were introduced – The Smartcom Small Business of the Year, The Smartcom Informal Business of the Year, and The Smartcom Youth Entrepreneur of the Year – each focussing on a specific group of entrepreneurs and businesses.

To enter, you will be required to complete the relevant application form, and upload photos that will showcase your business, team, products and/or services. Entries for all categories in the Smartcom Small Business Awards officially open on Monday, 23 April 2018, and entries will close on 30 June 2018.

Small businesses are the backbone of their communities and a driving force of the South Africa economy as a whole. Smartcom believed that initiatives like the Small Business Awards will encourage small business owners in this vitally important endeavour. By kick-starting this initiative, Smartcom is giving you a head start in the cutthroat business world we have come to know. Don’t waste time – be part of the movement and let us help you and your business be a force to reckon with.

If you are an entrepreneur keen to enter, please visit this link:

https://www.smartcom.co.za/smartcom-launches-smartcom-small-business-awards/ 

Condriac Digital Communications, a leading black-owned Digital and PR agency, has experienced tremendous growth in the first half of 2017 by acquiring new clients, doubling their workforce and have no intention of slowing down.

Tshepo Mphela joins the PR team as an Account Director, with 12 years of experience under his belt. This AAA graduate brings with him a wealth of experience in creative strategy and content creation to the agency. Having worked extensively at major PR agencies on clients such as Telkom, Shell, HP and MiWay, Tshepo’s extensive knowledge of the Public Relations industry makes him a dynamic and formidable publicist.

Public Relations Account Manager Candice Marescia, a College Campus IIE graduate, has a passion for events, media relations and brand management. Having worked on accounts such as Kellogg’s, General Electric, Eskom and Flight Centre, Candice brings a broad understanding of B2B and consumer brands to Condriac.

Karabelo Matlotlo also joins the PR team as an Account Executive. Karabelo studied Public Relations and Communications at the University of Johannesburg. Her career began at PR Expert, where she discovered her love for PR. She looks forward to advancing herself in the field of PR and welcomes the new opportunities ahead of her.

Thabo Ramosime joins the design team as a Graphic Designer. He earned his degree at the Vaal University of Technology and has worked on brands such as Castle Lite, Renault, Edgars, Jet Mobile and CNA. As a new team member who is passionate about design and illustration, Thabo aspires to take Condriac’s design and visual aesthetics to the next level.

Lauren Crooks joins the Condriac team as a Copywriter. Lauren is a psychology graduate and qualified life coach with a passion for words, people and all things digital. She has worked on a diverse array of retail brands and thrives on creating dynamic, engaging brand identities and developing strategic, creative solutions for clients.

Finally, Dwayne Nienaber joins Condriac as a Digital Account Executive. Dwayne earned a Diploma in Blogging and Content Marketing from Shaw Academy and is Google Adwords certified. He worked in the telecommunications industry for 4 years, but made the switch to Digital because of it’s fast-paced, exciting and ever-changing nature.Dwayne’s strengths lie in his strong work ethic and problem-solving and analytical nature.

“We have an ambition to become a leading agency in South Africa, and in order to do this, we hire people based on their great attitude, a particular skill set and sometimes a plain old gut feeling. We believe that our latest hires demonstrate all of this and will be instrumental in reaching our ultimate goal”, says CEO of Condriac, Keshia Patchiappen.

Leading IT distributor Syntech – which celebrates its 15th year in business – has signed a deal for new offices in Johannesburg as part of its expansion programme which was outlined in 2011.

Established in 2002, Syntech has continued to source and introduce the world’s leading products, catering for several industries and operating in multiple vertical markets. With the particular focus placed on providing value added service and support to mass retail, niche retail, online retail, Value-added channel resellers, managed service providers, security and surveillance as well as Apple resellers.Syntech has developed a reputation for introducing and building excellent brands in South Africa and developing the market through an innovative approach to business.

In 2011, CEO Craig Nowitz quoted: “We are expecting to grow our revenue, and are in the process of embarking on an expansion programme that will see us expand and diversify our product range and market focus, as well as moving into larger premises during the first quarter of 2012.”Not only did Syntech move into new premises in Cape Town, but opened new offices in Johannesburg, Midrand in September 2014. The expansion into Gauteng was in keeping with sustaining Syntech’s significant growth over the past four years and was a necessary step.

Two years down the road and the Johannesburg office is now relocating to a larger building – including larger warehouse facilities.Syntech will invest more as it grows, says Nowitz. “Our new Midrand facility will enable us to provide 8X more local stockholding and will be supported with an expanding fleet of delivery vehicles.” Syntech’s headcount in Gauteng has doubled since inception and is expected to grow by a further 20 people in the next 18 months. “Marketing support and reseller focussed initiatives remain a key part of our growth strategy and we look forward to building even closer relationships with our partners, enabling them to deliver more,” Says Nowitz.

The new office and warehouse, located at 28 Tsessebe Crescent, Corporate Park South, Randjes Park in Midrand, started operating on 1 March 2017 and Syntech Resellers have been invited to a roof wetting party on the 16th March.“We are really excited about the growing number of reseller partners that we work with as well as the availability of our products through more channels,” says Ryan Martyn, Sales and Marketing Director of Syntech. “Our online platform continues to evolve and has been allocated several hundred thousand rands to our annual online budget for ongoing development,” Martyn says. “We have several new exciting tools that we are busy with and will continue to refine our online user experience through feedback from our resellers.” We have tried to understand the markets that our resellers work in and build solution categories that help them to add more value to their customers, with the improved user experience for mobile access.

Syntech’s resellers can expect to see some exciting changes going live before Easter 2017.Our Focus remains on supporting our reseller relationships and empowering them to deliver more value to their customers. We remain focused on selected brands and it appears that our customers recognise our unique value offering. In the recent Channelwise Awards, Syntech ranked significantly higher than any of its competitors in all areas relating to customer experience.Results from the Channelwise survey found that Syntech was the clear market leader in the following categories according to resellers: In the recent Channelwise Awards, voted for by resellers, Syntech won all four service categories:Ease of doing businessStockholding, logistics and deliveryCredit AvailabilityChannel programme

Syntech OverviewSyntech was established in 2002. Our product ranges are sourced from a variety of international manufacturers. We distribute a number of top brands and distribute an extensive range of computer related products throughout sub-Saharan Africa.Our objective is to create solutions. We have developed our product range by offering complete solutions with several focused products that cater for individual reseller requirements. Our long-standing relationships with our suppliers ensure that we provide products which have been developed in accordance with market demands. Our distribution-orientated business structure and advanced logistics system ensure that all our clients can expect and be assured of cost-effective solutions being delivered on time.

For further information, please visit www.syntech.co.za  or contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  +27 21 514 5300  

The Hirsch's Group, who recently opened their eighteenth branch in South Africa – in Carnival, Brakpan - have announced that the company has seen double-digit growth over the last twelve months despite the economic climate in South Africa.

Commenting on the growth, CEO of the company, Allan Hirsch, said that they saw huge opportunities in the country and would continue to WALK THEIR TALK.

Website: www.hirschs.co.za

(Image: NEW BRAKPAN BRANCH - RICHARD AND ALLAN HIRSCH. (AGENT ROSS KRUGER), MARGARET HIRSCH, KUMAREN MOODLEY, PAUL BROWN, PAUL LOCKWOOD AND NORMAN BRASSEL)

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1... Pitch and Polish!" 

For the past six years, these sounds have reverberated in community halls across South Africa, as entrepreneurs have presented their business ideas to audiences and expert judges. What began, in Nelspruit in 2010 with an audience of forty people – as a small idea to assist entrepreneurs to hone their business pitches – has grown into a national programme which, in 2015, saw 1680 audience members attend eight workshops and competitions from Cape Town to Klerskdorp.

Now in its seventh year, the ENGEN Pitch & Polish programme has become so successful that Engen Petroleum Ltd. is sponsoring it for a fifth year, with Nedbank coming on board as a major sponsor for 2016. “Seven is a magic number,” says Unathi Njokweni-Magida Engen’s Group Transformation Manager, “and so we are expecting big things from the ENGEN Pitch & Polish programme this year.”For Njokweni-Magida, Engen’s motto ‘with us you are number one’ dovetails beautifully with Pitch & Polish’s purpose. “The programme aims to find the number one unsung entrepreneur in South Africa. This is the person who, in Stage 1 of the competition, has a business idea that we think will succeed. The question is whether the entrepreneur has what it takes to learn the lessons offered by the workshops, and polish their pitch to such a point that success is inevitable,” says Njokweni-Magida.

Nhlakanipho Shange was one such entrepreneur. Armed with a dream, he entered ENGEN Pitch & Polish in Wentworth, in KwaZulu-Natal, in 2013. Although Shange did not win the competition, he attributes his success to the experience he gained as he proceeded from the first to the semi-final round of the competition. “At ENGEN Pitch & Polish I learned that preparation is the key to success,” says Shange. “As an entrepreneur, you never know when someone will ask you: ‘What does your business do?’ If you are unable to answer this question clearly, in less than 3 minutes, you will not be able to access the resources to grow your business,” he states with the self-assurance of an entrepreneur who has integrated the lessons he learned at the workshop. The competition gave Shange the confidence to transform his idea into a fully-fledged business. AD.IT Solutions is fast becoming a pioneer in disruptive digital media technology in South Africa.  And it all began when Shange dared to enter a competition! This year, AD.IT Solution will be providing advertising services for Pitch & Polish. The competition, which started as his teacher, has now become his client. “I understand now that entrepreneurship is a journey, not a destination,’” says Shange.

From ‘Dragon’s Den’ to ‘The Apprentice’, we have become accustomed to watching entrepreneurs pitching their ideas. Pitch & Polish is different in that it uniquely combines training, audience participation and a competition to ensure as wide a reach as possible. Because it is not possible for everyone to participate in the actual competition, every Pitch & Polish Day begins with a workshop in which the entire audience is provided with knowledge and skills to equip them to translate their ideas into businesses, or to take their existing businesses to greater heights. The workshop, based on the best-selling book, ‘Lose the Business Plan’ by Allon Raiz, CEO of Raizcorp, teaches entrepreneurs that starting a business is not about funding. Rather, it is about having a product or service for which people are willing to pay.“Without a paying customer,” says Raiz, “you don’t have a business. Yet, from workshop to workshop, when asked who their target market is, the standard answer given by entrepreneurs is: ‘Everyone’. Pitch & Polish forces entrepreneurs to question deeply and to find answers to the key questions: ‘What do you sell?’ and ‘Who’s buying?’ If you cannot answer these two questions, you do not have a business,” says Raiz. Raiz continues, “Pitch & Polish provides a safe environment for entrepreneurs to learn the lessons – before they have to face the dragons!”Nedbank, one of the sponsors of Pitch & Polish, continues to support SMEs as well as aspirant entrepreneurs through practical solutions. ‘Through our ongoing engagement with small and medium enterprises, we understand the enormous responsibility business owners face in starting up and running their businesses. The Pitch & Polish workshops are a perfect platform to empower businesses with simple tools aimed at refining their ideas and building their confidence for the journey ahead. This is another way we continue to make the things that really matter for businesses happen,’ says Tracy Afonso: Head of Strategy, Small Business and Professional Banking at Nedbank.

Every one of the 1680 people who attended ENGEN Pitch & Polish workshops last year learned something, both about themselves and about business. “If each participant implements one of the lessons in their business, or passes on the lesson to another, the ripple effect of Pitch & Polish on the economy is enormous,” says Raiz.

For a list of this year’s workshops, and to experience the magic of Pitch & Polish for yourself, visit www.pitchandpolish.com.

Plans also unveiled for 147-room hotel in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 

JOHANNESBURG, August 15, 2014….. In another major step forward in its ongoing African expansion initiative, the City Lodge Hotel Group through its wholly owned Kenyan subsidiary, Fairview Hotel Limited, has reached an agreement to develop a 170-room City Lodge Hotel within the upmarket Two Rivers mixed use development that is currently under construction in Nairobi, Kenya.

The group, which already owns the Fairview Hotel and the Country Lodge (to be rebranded to Town Lodge) in Nairobi, has acquired the land for the new hotel on a 99-year long term lease basis and will design, develop, fund and operate the 170-key City Lodge branded hotel. The total cost is expected to be US$23 million. Construction of the hotel is expected to begin in January 2015 with completion scheduled for October 2016. The Two Rivers Mall is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in October 2015. The Two Rivers Mall, when complete, will be the largest mall in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa).

Situated in Nairobi’s diplomatic blue zone, the Two Rivers development is the brainchild of Centum, which is East Africa’s largest investment company and is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. Spread across 40 hectares of prime land adjacent to the upmarket residential suburbs of Runda and Rosslyn Estate, it is being designed to become East Africa’s premier destination to meet, do business, live and shop within a master planned urban lifestyle environment.

The Two Rivers development will, once fully developed, comprise 850,000 square metres of office, residential, retail, hotel and entertainment facilities. The building of the City Lodge Hotel will create employment during the construction phase and a number of permanent positions for staff members when the hotel opens to the public.

“We are very excited about this new hotel as it signifies the confidence that we have in expanding our presence in Kenya and East Africa to meet the accommodation needs of business and leisure travellers. This will be the first time that we are developing a green-field hotel in the region, also illustrating our optimism about the prospects for the Two Rivers development and the high profile status and draw-card potential it will have in Nairobi and further afield,” said Clifford Ross, chief executive of the City Lodge Hotel Group.

“Our international business development team has been examining growth opportunities in East Africa for the past couple of years and we believe that this investment will act as a catalyst for other hotel developments we are considering in the region.” Commenting on behalf of Centum, CEO James Mworia said:  “Centum is proud and excited to welcome the City Lodge Hotel Group to its Two Rivers Development. It is notable that this will be the first City Lodge branded hotel outside Southern Africa, and this marks a great achievement not only for Centum but for Nairobi and Kenya.”  Mworia added that the entry of the City Lodge Hotel Group into the Two Rivers Development is further testament to the ability of Centum to attract international investors into the region. He noted that the vision of the Two Rivers development was for it to be a world class destination and attract leading global retail brands. To this end, in addition to City Lodge Hotel Group, Centum had attracted Carrefour, the 4th largest retail chain in the world, to be an anchor tenant in the Two Rivers Mall.

Negotiations are at advanced stages with other international retailers who have expressed an interest in building their presence in this region with the Two Rivers development being their entry point. Centum seeks to be Africa's foremost investment channel providing investors with access to a portfolio of otherwise inaccessible, quality and diversified investments in Financial Services,  Real Estate, FMCG,  Agriculture,  Energy,  Healthcare,  Education and ICT sectors.  As at March 31, 2014, Centum had KES 30 Billion (US$ 340 million) of its own assets under management and KES 120 Billion (US$ 1.36 billion) of third party assets under management.

Meanwhile, the City Lodge Hotel Group has also reached a land-lease agreement in the Ilala Municipal District of Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, on which it plans to develop, at its own cost, a 147-room City Lodge Hotel. This development, which is subject to the issue of regulatory permits and approvals, is expected to cost around $22 million, with ground-breaking anticipated to take place in the first quarter of 2015.     

The City Lodge Hotel Group acquired a 50% stake in the Fairview Hotel and the Country Lodge in 2012 and in May this year gained full ownership of the two Nairobi hotels as a springboard for further expansion across the East African region. The group’s other non-South African hotel is Town Lodge Gaborone in Botswana which was developed from scratch and opened in early 2013. With 51 hotels in South Africa across the Courtyard Hotel, City Lodge Hotel, Town Lodge and Road Lodge brands, and three hotels in Kenya and Botswana, the group is expanding its footprint into selected parts of East and Southern Africa. It is currently investigating opportunities in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, Mauritius and South Africa.