Cape Town get ready: ‘There is never a bad time to buy property…there are only bad investors who don't know how to take advantage of the opportunity.’

With pivotal elections on the horizon and a daily news stream fraught with negative economic sentiment, it is no surprise that South Africans are tiptoeing around potential investments and adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach.

Yet with recent claims from the City of Cape Town that homes in Cape Town have increased in value by 34% in the past three years, there is undoubtedly no time like the present for would-be property investors.

Wealth Alliance, an organisation that empowers individuals to change their perspective on traditional wealth creation, offer property investment seminars, masterclasses and mentorship programs. These programs will now be available in the Cape Town area, starting with ongoing free seminars* for anyone interested in the key to building wealth through property, regardless of industry experience.

These programs are carefully designed to assist entrants in the property sector, and therefore cover key aspects of the property market:

• Areas in South Africa where you’re likely to find the best property deals, and which finance strategies will help you finance your investment;
• Best Cape Town neighbourhoods to invest in as well as informal settlements ripe for investment
• Various investment strategies including back-to-back deals, capital flips and how to invest in property without any of your own capital
• Different types of properties to invest in, from residential to Airbnb and commercial
• Building your network, finding and financing property deals

According to property specialist and Wealth Alliance co-founder, Sylvia Koketso Milosevic, ‘there is never a bad time to buy property…there are only bad investors who don't know how to take advantage of the opportunity.’

As an entrepreneur who has boldly entered the property market and reaped the rewards, Sylvia now actively shares her learnings and provides people with practical tips and advice.  Drawing inspiration from Napoleon Hill’s legendary bestseller, ‘Think and Grow Rich’, she runs a series of dynamic property investment seminars and training sessions. The seminars apply the 13 classic principles of ‘Think and Grow Rich’ to the local property market, and demonstrates how new investors can successfully negotiate the property sector.  

“While it is certainly a difficult economic environment for investors right now, we believe that with the right tools and knowledge, South Africans can benefit from the current downward trajectory in property prices - and turn their financial goals into reality,” she says. “We teach our students that by applying the right strategy, regardless of the market conditions, they can achieve outstanding returns.”

According to Milosevic, “investors should combine strategies that will have you making money from day one, so it doesn’t matter if the market declines, you are still making money every single month, down the line, until there is an upswing again.”

Moreover, declining house prices are not necessarily so negative - as it allows first-time homebuyers to enter the housing market at cheaper prices. They can then benefit from the uptick when it comes. Notably, the recent budget speech highlighted some positive socio-economic investments on the horizon which speak to a brighter future ahead for savvy investors.

Regardless of the current political status quo, however, it is critical that potential investors arm themselves with the knowledge and know-how to turn property into smart investments – despite difficult macroeconomic conditions. “We are thrilled to be able to share our knowledge and experience with potential investors in and around Cape Town, and to unlock the infinite opportunities that lie within the local property sector,” says Milosevic.

Wealth Alliance seminars are now available in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Polokwane and Venda, with new markets to be launched soon. To find out more about Wealth Alliance and to book for a complimentary Think and Grow Rich property seminars visit http://www.wealthalliance.com and http://www.thinkandgrowrich.co.za/ 

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Gutter Science is a Cape Town based seamless aluminium guttering company based in the industrial side of Bellville, Cape Town, in Stikland. The company is owner-managed by Johan Brand who works with his highly skilled team in manufacturing and installing high-quality seamless aluminium gutters and downpipes.

Johan and his team have vast knowledge of the seamless aluminium guttering trade, having worked in the industry for many years before joining together to start Gutter Science in 2015. Johan saw the need for a guttering company that provided better customer service and project management and decided the best way to meet this need would be to start a company that has that as its core mission.

Seamless aluminium gutters have a certain aesthetic appeal to them but, they also increase the value of your home or residential building and carry a lifetime durability span. Gutter Science offers all its clients a 15-year guarantee against rust, corrosion and fading and a 2-year workmanship guarantee. Johan and his team have standardised on the industry standard, making use of 0.6mm and 0.8mm thick aluminium material. The seamless gutters are made in two sizes: 125x85mm, which is generally used in small to medium-sized residential buildings and 150x125mm, used in larger residential and commercial buildings.

In addition to the manufacture and installation of seamless aluminium gutters and downpipes, Johan and his team also strip and remove old asbestos, PVC and cast iron gutters and downpipes, fascia preparation, sanding, repairing and painting and the cleaning and servicing of aluminium gutters whether installed by them or not. 

Johan and his team offer great customer service and excellent project management to ensure that your installation is done in the most professional manner possible. If you have just bought a new house or you're tired of looking at the ghastly PVC or cast-iron guttering you have now, contact Johan for a quote.

Current and former SA hockey greats will be making their way to Stellenbosch these school holidays to provide high-level performance training and mentorship to the Western Cape’s passionate hockey fraternity as part of the Investec Hockey Academy on Friday, 8 and Saturday, 9 July at Bloemhof Hoër Meisieskool.

Travelling to various provinces throughout the year, each time with a new set of coaches, the Investec Hockey Academy provides school-going players and hockey coaches with an opportunity to work on their skills and strategies, stay up-to-date with the latest techniques and learn what it takes to succeed while working closely with international players, coaches and experts involved in the game.

Those attending the July courses can look forward to meeting and learning from the greats of the game. The star-studded, passionate line-up of coaches participating in the Stellenbosch course are national players Wade Paton, Lloyd Norris-Jones and Shelley Russell; national player and Cape Town-local Quanita Bobbs; as well as national coaches Kurt Serfontein (SA women’s assistant coach) and Lindsey Wright (SA under-21 women’s coach).

Important behind the scenes training is also offered by the academy’s experts Ruan Fourie (former Lions and Sharks physiotherapist), Lauren Penny (former national hockey player and psychologist) and Grant van Gelden (vision training expert) who will be providing the young players with a better understanding of all the game’s elements.

National player and general manager of the academy, Shelley Russell, is the driving force behind making sure that the academy’s goals are achieved through her love for the game.

“We try to give young, aspiring hockey stars a glimpse, and start the process, of what is required to fine-tune their skills and abilities. The Investec Hockey Academy is a platform where these passionate hockey players can learn and improve their skills by being exposed to top-level coaching personnel. We hope to create an environment where young players can grow their games,” says Russell.

The academy offers courses for players at all levels; a Fundamental Players’ course (aged 8 to 11), an Intermediate Players’ course (aged 12 to 15), an Advanced Players’ course (aged 16 to 18) and a Coaches course (all levels).

National player and Strandfontein-local, Quanita Bobbs, acknowledges that it is not easy to find the right opportunities to get trained and noticed. She believes that when initiatives like the Investec Hockey Academy arrive, players and coaches should make the most of the experience.

“The academy offers the full hockey experience; it provides the opportunity for the academy-goers to expand their hockey ability but also gives them the necessary information to make them a complete player and coach,” says Bobbs.

The Investec Hockey Academy provides SA hockey players a chance to give back to the sport and pass on their expertise with the hopes of sustaining the future of the sport they love.

“I would love to see the natural-born talent, in abundance in this country, be directed in the correct way so that we can grow the sport nationally and, subsequently, improve our international standing,” said an enthusiastic Russell.

The academy believes in encouraging the youth to play sport and welcomes hockey player, on all levels, to enrol in their courses.

 “I feel that it is important to be out there, taking part in outdoor exercise, from a health and general well-being perspective.

There are so many life lessons to be learned from the discipline of sport, especially fitting into a team dynamic. If we can instil love for sport within the youth, that would be first prize,” says Russell.

“Sport is good for a child's overall development; not only keeping them healthy, but also teaching key life skills such as teamwork, self-discipline, goal setting and how to deal with disappointment or setbacks,” says Bobbs.

The Investec Hockey Academy’s next course will take place on 8 and 9 July at Bloemhof Hoër Meisieskool in Stellenbosch. For more information or to book contact Bernadine on 031 940 5565 or visit www.investechockeyacademy.com

The third annual Attractions Africa conference, the continent’s premier attractions management event, heads to the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Cape Town – Upper Eastside from Wednesday 8 to Thursday 9 June, 2016.  

Delegates of the conference will be treated to a two day programme, comprising international speakers sharing trends, benchmarks and best practise, as well as local examples of excellence, cases studies and white papers presented by local attraction managers.  

This year’s thrilling presentations include a case-study of the Homo Naledi discovery by Michael Worsnip of Maropeng a’Afrika Leisure; a talk by the Cape Town Cycle Tour’s David Bellairs about the marketing, communication and reputation management needed for the world’s largest cycle tour; a look into community participation in Attractions building by the rising star Siphiwe Ngwenya of the Maboneng Art Experience and more.  

An educational opportunity for attraction managers as well as a platform for information sharing and the recognition of common challenge, Attractions Africa is a collaborative effort between some of the continent’s top attractions including Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, Two Oceans Aquarium, SAB World of Beer and Cape Point.

  Now in its third year, the Attractions Africa conference has become a highlight of the tourism calendar:

  “A conference of this magnitude brings together leaders and their peers within in the attractions management industry and provides invaluable learnings for those on the frontline of providing amazing visitor experiences at their establishments. Whether you are a museum, an art gallery, a hotel, a mega event, a restaurant or a theme park, we want you to join us for this must-attend educational event, “says Sabine Lehmann, Attractions Africa chair.  

Join us at the Attractions Africa conference:  

Registration for Attractions Africa 2016 Conference is OPEN. A discount rate for early registration is offered and will run until Friday 13 May 2016, so be sure to get in there fast and book your spot. Register online with a credit card or request an invoice.   To register and for more information about the Attractions Africa conference, please visit www.attractionsafrica.co.za or call +27 (0)21 683 2934.

Cape Town, South Africa – On Saturday, 7 May 2016, the Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) and Spur will handover almost 4 000 rugby jerseys to schools signed under the union’s rugby structure. The event will take place at the Bellville Technical High School.  

This mini rugby day, billed as one of the biggest events at school level in Western Province Rugby, will also be attended by DHL Stormers stars Nizaam Carr, Jean Kleyn, Leolin Zas, Wilco Louw, Brandon Thomson, Jean-Luc du Plessis, EW Viljoen, David Ribbans and Kurt Coleman. These young rugby stalwarts will mingle with the children and parents and will be available for signature sessions and photo opportunities during the day.    

The union will welcome 318 teams from 93 different schools with matches set to start at 08:00 and conclude by 14:00.  

Over the last few years this event has grown significantly and has seen the start of many successful careers of rugby players that have gone on to wear the famous blue and white DHL Western Province hoops. “Spur Steak Ranches is proud to present our future rugby champions with the platform to enjoy sports and hone their skills through the enjoyable game of mini rugby”, said Khakhi Diala, Brand Activation Manager of the Spur Group. Spur is the majority sponsor of the mini rugby day.  

“We are very thankful to Spur for supporting this worthy initiative to introduce young people to rugby and grow the game. Spur has been our partner in this day since 2009, so we value their support and look forward to another successful Mini Rugby Day”, said Thelo Wakefield, President of the Western Rugby Football Union. This event is part of WPRFU’s effort to make the game of rugby accessible to all young South Africans living in the region.  

Entry fees: R10 per adult and R10 per vehicle, with children under 12 allowed in for free. The above mentioned DHL Stormers players will be available for a signature and photo session from 10:00 to 11:00. 

Western Province Rugby Football Union For more information about the Western Province Rugby Football Union, feel free to visit their website (http://wprugby.com/).    

Spur For more information about Spur, feel free to visit their website (http://www.spur.co.za/).

​In partnership with Power Construction, the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government Habitat for Humanity is calling on all active citizens to come together and join them in their Desmond Tutu International Build Week in Pelican Park from the 2 – 6 March.  Responding and putting into action the request in the words of their patron Archbishop Desmond Tutu “Do your little bit of good where you are - it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world’.  

Teams from as far afield as the USA and Ireland will be joining the build event together with 18 of  ​Habitat's International Board of Directors from across the 70 countries in which Habitat operates as they have chosen Cape Town as their venue for their Board meeting this year.   Funding provided by the event helps provide valuable funding for Habitat’s Social Facilitation Programme as part of Habitat’s community development work in the Pelican Park project.     

Through their Social Facilitation Programme in partnership with the communities and galvanising the support of active citizens and other stakeholder partners, communities are empowered to take ownership of their communities through leadership, skills development and self-belief to become the champions of their own developments and their communities.  

“Our five-year goal through our community development process is to meaningfully transform the lives of at least 100, 000 fellow South Africans living in communities across South Africa.  Help us achieve this by joining our team build event, helping to build homes, communities and hope” said Adrienne Burke, Habitat’s Marketing Manager.  If you or your company are interested in getting involved contact Habitat’s Head Office on 021 657 5640.    

Editors notes

Founded in 1996, Habitat for Humanity South Africa is the national organisation of Habitat for Humanity International and part of Habitat’s Europe, Middle East and African region. Habitat South Africa is entirely self-funded and works in partnership with all stakeholders to serve the poor and marginalised in our country. Based on the firm belief that decent shelter provides the greatest opportunity for families to break the cycle of poverty, Habitat works with all people to give a hand up in building homes, communities and hope.    

This press release has been distributed on behalf of our client, Habitat for Humanity South Africa.  

SOUTH AFRICA – Jan, 2015 – After much anticipation LiveBids Auctions has been launched in South Africa. LiveBids offers a unique online buying and selling platform that incorporates different aspects of various social media.

This means that a choice of interests, following friend’s, search hundreds of products while buying items for a fraction of the cost and selling them to make real profits.

LiveBids aims to help buyers and sellers fully connect in trade with seamless transactions. It is an online marketplace that is simple, interactive and social. It allows users to experience a real-time marketplace, buy products lower than the market value and socially follow buyers and sellers.

Two formats are used, namely online auctions and pay-per-bid. The first of these is the traditional online auction model, where items are sold to the highest bidder. The second is a pay-per-bid model, where would-be buyers purchase credits to bid on items. These credits go to the seller, which is how it is possible to purchase big-ticket items for nominal amounts.

The founders of LiveBids, Rory Vollmer and Paul Hoft, explain that “the idea was to create an online marketplace that was simple, interactive and social, helping buyers and sellers connect and trade. The marketplace is completely people driven”.

Visit www.livebids.co.za to empower yourself by becoming an online buyer and seller today!

For further information regarding LiveBids Auctions, or to schedule an interview, please contact: 

Contact Rory Vollmer,

Co-Founder and Head of Marketing

Phone: +27 (0) 21 300 8446
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.livebids.co.za

Season of beautiful beach runs kicks off on Cape West Coast

CleanC the NPO behind the Cape Town Beach Clean Up held its first Beautiful Beach Run on Sunday 28th September at Silwerstroomstrand,  40km North of Cape Town on the West Coast.

In near perfect conditions, on a stunning spring day100 avid trail runners and outdoor lovers joined CleanC to run the 2.5km, 5km and 12km routes along the spectacular west coast coastline in a race that was literally  one of the most beautiful in the world.  An excellent turnout saw experienced athletes join less experienced athletes and families enjoy a fun day. “For good reason, we named the run “The most beautiful beach run in the world”” says Greg Player, founder of CleanC and the Cape Town Beach Clean Up “Not only is the scenery naturally outstanding, but it ties in with our Beautiful Future projects that include our Run to Lead campaign”

Run to Lead is a CleanC initiative requiring 21 runners to sponsor a group young development runners to complete the 2 Oceans Half Marathon in 2015. It is one of the Clean C/Cape Town Beach cleanups Mandela Year projects it serves to be a community building and upliftment project using running as a way to connect and build relationships  with someone by going on runs together and enjoying the outdoors together. “The initiative gives people the opportunity to do something they would normally never have had the opportunity to do and make a difference to themselves, their community and their country.” explains Player.

The race raised R3000 for CleanC and was the first of a season of Trail and Beach Runs the organization has planned. “Not only do we wish to create fun fundraising events” continues Player “but we also want to showcase the outstanding beaches around Cape Town in a unique way, playing our part in sustaining and promoting tourism”

The 12km race was won by Siviwe Komani, a young runner from Joe Slovo Park on the Run to Lead project who beat vastly more experienced runners in the field with an excellent time of 1hr 2minutes for 12km. “I feel good running” said Komani “I am really grateful to be on the Run to Lead project”, the smile on his face and the 5 other young runners from Joe Slovo Park summed up the event.

The Silwerstroomstrand event will take place again in late September 2015 with 500 entries being made available; a number of other trail and beach runs, including some in townships will be open for entry on www.cleanc.co.za in mid-November.    

For further information on these events or for interviews with please contact Greg Player This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 082 873 1962 or Matthew Newnham This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 078 327 1493

The second development phase at Somerset Lakes, a 42-hectare residential estate in Somerset West, will be released to the market in mid September. The first phase sold out rapidly, with 114 sales being recorded within just six weeks of the launch. Construction of the first phase is well under way and occupation is expected to take place in mid 2015.

The new phase, Waterford Green, comprises 48 freestanding double-storey houses, selling from R1,3 million including VAT, no transfer duty. These two and three bedroom homes offer spacious, contemporary, open-plan living areas and private gardens. All homes include at least two bathrooms, one being en suite, and the three-bedroom design offers a garage and an optional guest toilet.

According to Dave Harris, Sales and Marketing Manager of Somerset Lakes, the new product has been specifically designed to help meet the growing demand for affordable, quality housing in the popular Somerset West area.

“We’ve been inundated with requests from buyers looking for houses,” Harris said. “People want freestanding homes with gardens, views and security, in close proximity to the centre of Somerset West, and that’s exactly what our latest product at Somerset Lakes has to offer.”

Designed by Schabort Associates Architects, the new development phase is located alongside the six-hectare lake that gives the estate its name.

“This unique feature is a huge attraction,” Harris commented. “It’s ideal for swimming, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and fishing, and home to a rich variety of water birds. A magnificent community clubhouse on the shores of the lake, The Summer Club, will enhance the appeal of this fantastic recreational asset, providing residents with play areas, boat sheds, a sandy white beach, and a swimming pool and deck area with stunning views of False Bay and the Hottentots Holland mountains.”

The developers, Omwieco (Pty) Ltd, a consortium of highly experienced development professionals backed by financial giant Investec, have devoted no less than 40% of the estate’s total area to green, open space for the recreation of residents. This includes the lakes and other water features, a mature forest of stone pine trees, landscaped parks and gardens, and kilometres of walking trails and mountain biking tracks.

An indigenous fynbos nursery has been established on the estate, which was recently awarded the prized 2014 SALI Gold Award for landscape design by the South African Landscapers Institute.“No expense has been spared to implement the most technically advanced security system at Somerset Lakes,” said Harris. "These measures include electrified perimeter fencing with 70 high-definition surveillance cameras, which are monitored around the clock from the hi-tech guardhouse, 24-hour guarding and patrols, and an on-site rapid response team. Other advanced features include biometric fingerprint access control."

All homes in the estate will be hardwired with fibre-optic cabling for superfast internet access, DStv and VOIP telephone connectivity, which will allow free telephone calls within the estate.

A Curro Castle School is being constructed on the estate and is due to open its doors in 2015.

Convenient access to the Somerset West village has been provided by the developers through the R16 million construction of Reunion Drive, which links the main entrance of Somerset Lakes to Sir Lowry’s Pass Village Road under a specially constructed railway bridge. Just a few hundred metres from this entrance, an upmarket new shopping centre is now under construction, where Checkers, Woolworths Foods and Clicks will be the anchor tenants.The Vergelegen Mediclinic and the Somerset West CBD are less than two kilometres away, while popular Somerset Mall shopping centre is just 3,5 kilometres from the estate.

“When you consider the amazing lifestyle advantages Somerset Lakes offers, the security, the convenience of the surrounding amenities, and the incredible natural beauty of the estate, I have no doubt our second phase will sell as fast as the first one,” said Harris.“I strongly advise anyone interested to register online for an invitation to a pre-launch sales opportunity, ahead of our public launch in mid September, to avoid disappointment.”

For further information visit www.somersetlakes.co.za or phone 021 202 2200.

{pp}POSITIVE NEWS
(From the desk of the CEO Marcel Deacon)

Yes, you read correctly. There has been so much gloom & doom talk lately in newspapers, TV, radio, etc. and it's coming from all angles, not just bank officials.