The Cape Town Gin & Spirits Company’s latest offering brings rhino conservation to the fore with the release of Cape Town Black Rhino Gin.

With its brilliant olive-green colour and slightly sweeter taste, which it inherits from the local botanicals infused, the Cape Town Black Rhino Gin is now available at all leading liquor stores, as well as online. “Like the rhino, our new gin truly captures what it is to be South African in every sip,” says director, Jaco Boonzaaier, “an authentic nod to local heritage and a salute to all things African.”

To find a unique addition to their already successful range, Craig and Jaco, of the Cape Town Gin & Spirits Company, worked tirelessly until the perfect balance between the infusion of rhino bush and buchu was struck and the Cape Town Black Rhino Gin hit all the right notes. The pressure was there – they had a lot to express with this new gin.

The successful combination of two endangered species, the rhino and the rhino bush, is the underlying driving force behind this new varietal. The Black Rhino Gin supports the ongoing fight to save the rhino by donating a portion of proceeds from every bottle sold to the Boucher Legacy. The NPO has set out to protect not only the endangered rhino but also the pangolin and other dwindling species from extinction at the hands of humans with the hope of ending poaching for good across the country.

“It’s been called a war, a crisis of epic proportions, but what most accurately describes the mass slaughter of rhinos that we are witnessing is ‘genocide’,” says Craig van der Venter, founder and managing director of Cape Town Gin & Spirits Company. Only a century ago, more than half a million rhinos roamed the earth, but today, only less than 6% of that figure are alive. That’s why Cape Town Gin & Spirits Company has made its protection their mandate this year.

Since South Africa is home to most of the world’s rhino population it’s natural that this made us a target for poachers. Their methods are cruel, with speed prioritised over the animals’ lives. If rhinos are lucky, poachers will tranquilise them first before their horns are removed, leaving the creature behind defenseless and fighting for its life, but with hope of being rescued.

“If conservation is a war, then organisations like the Boucher Legacy are our foot soldiers,” “They are the first defense rhinos and other endangered wildlife have against stopping poaching for good, so we need to do everything in our power to support them,” says van der Venter.

But to say Cape Town Gin & Spirits Company is passionate about Cape Town, and South Africa at large, would be an understatement. It’s in the very name of the brand, after all. In fact, their varietals are even inspired by the city with their Pink Lady Gin named after the famous Cape Town landmark, the Mount Nelson Hotel, and their Rooibos Red Gin honouring our world-class South African brew from the Cedarberg region. But it has always gone beyond that when it comes to the values of the organisation.

“It’s so important for us to do what we can do to celebrate our beautiful country, as well as its diverse people,” explains van der Venter. “All the while continuing to preserve our heritage, honour our diversity, cultures and pay homage to South Africa as a whole. From the beginning, we aspired to create with heart, bottle with passion, and continue to hope that we can make some small contribution towards a legacy.”

Be sure to like and follow the Cape Town Gin & Spirits Company on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date on all their latest news and offerings and book your tasting at the new Cape Town Gin & Spirits Emporium at the V&A Waterfront on their website. 

-- ENDS --

Issued by:
Paul Reynell
Paddington Station PR
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
021 447 0564

On behalf of: 
Jaco Boonzaaier
Cape Town Spirits Co. (Pty) Ltd
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
072 402 2051 

About the Cape Town Gin:
The Cape Town Gin & Spirits Company (est. 2015) launched the super-premium Cape Town Gin brand as a truly South African gin. Distilled and bottled locally, our gins have a distinctly South African flavour and celebrate the vibrant diversity and inspiring creative energy of Cape Town. The award-winning range of Cape Town Classic Dry Gin, The Pink Lady Gin and Rooibos Red Gin have captivated the palates of South Africa

Six of Cape Town’s most charming teens proved their magical prowess and took home gold at the 2021 Western Cape Junior Magician Championships on Saturday 18 September 2021.

The Championships, hosted annually by the College of Magic, the Mother City’s only magical arts organisation, was presented in a new hybrid virtual and live event format at the College’s mysterious Victorian manor in Claremont and online via the Quicket platform. 

Eleven of the province’s teens went wand to wand at the Championships, with judges grading them on the visual impact and presentation of their acts, their technical and magical abilities and showmanship skills. In the end, six of these outstanding teens won top honours.

Somerset West’s Sebastien van den Hoogen (17) charmed his way into winning the Stage Magic Champion trophy with a graceful performance featuring elegant dove and silk  production effects. With an impressive bag of tricks up his sleeve,Sebastien also clinched the Close-Up Magic runner-up title. 

The teen is ecstatic about his double achievement:

“I’m over-the-moon excited! I practiced for months leading up to the competition and I am just so thrilled that all of my hard work paid off. I hope winning this title will open more doors for me in the world of magic and I am so keen on developing new acts.”

Century City’s Sahil Samlal (18) successfully defended his Close-Up Magician title for the second year running. 

In a surprise magical twist, the runner-up Stage Magic Champion title was awarded to both Lilitha Frans (17) from Phillipi and Tristan Grant (18) from Diep River.

Lilitha, a grade 11 learner with aspirations of becoming an actor someday, is quite vocal about the benefits of studying magic and competing:

“Studying magic at the College of Magic has been life-changing for me and to be able to take what I’ve learnt there and perform it in an award-winning act has been a dream come true. Winning this award  has inspired me to enter more magic competitions and I cannot wait to show everyone what I’ve got!”

Future engineer Tristan is happy that the judges and audience enjoyed his winning act:

“I have started to see magic not just as a sequence of moves, but rather a way to tell a story, and a way to make people have fun.It gives me great joy to know that the Champs spectators were blown away by my story!”

Tying for the Supreme Up-and-Coming Junior Magician Trophy are Deyna Viret (17) from Yzerfontein and Riyago Maartens (17) from Durbanville .The Supreme Trophy is awarded to a performer for their successful performance skills and great potential.

As one of only three female competitors at the Champs this year, Deyna is thrilled to be awarded this wonderful accolade:

“There is no better thrill than getting the audience as excited as you are! I hope to show future female magicians that anything can be achieved if you set your heart and mind on a goal – and put in the time to practice. You only do your best when you’re having fun – and performing magic is great fun!”

Maartens,who has produced and performed in two of his own shows for the public, credits the College of Magic for his astonishing accomplishment and instilling the confidence he needed to win:

“The College of Magic has given me my passion and it was my entry into the performing arts. It has and will continue to give me an extra edge against other performers in competitions like the Championships, with the uniqueness and wonder that magic presents. My life is more wondrous and exciting with the College of Magic in it!”

Come and watch your magic champs dazzle live at the upcoming Children’s Magic Festival this October:

These teen magic champs will next be seen sharing the wonder of magic with Capetonian families at the 2021 Children’s Magic Festival, to be held at the College of Magic in Claremont, from 14 to 18 December 2021. With a spectacular cast of magicians, jugglers, clowns and more, a week of safe, magical hijinks awaits!  

For more info and programme updates, please visit www.collegeofmagic.com or follow them on Facebook.

Leading power platform to focus on preparation for COP26

The organisers of Enlit Africa have confirmed that Eskom Group Chief Executive André de Ruyter will once again be part of the opening session of the event on Tuesday morning, 26 October. The leading platform and discussion forum for the power and energy sector on the continent will specifically focus on how the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), taking place in November, could provide the launchpad for Africa’s energy transition.

Formerly known as African Utility Week, Enlit Africa is unpacking what the continent needs to concentrate on to decarbonise the power sector. Running from 26–28 October, Enlit Africa will provide practical solutions to prepare the continent for a NetZero reality. The programme looks at various ways to achieve this; from LNG as a transitional energy source, municipal energy independence, e-mobility, and how Africa is preparing for, and what it is expecting from, the COP26 summit.

During the Mr de Ruyter’s keynote appearance at a previous edition of the event, he shared Eskom’s long-term strategy, discussed the utility’s plans for decommissioning existing coal stations and repurposing the infrastructure, as well as moving into renewable energy. During the keynote session in October this year, the Eskom GCE will give more insight into Eskom’s COP26 journey and the anticipated outcomes.

Other confirmed industry experts appearing in the Enlit Africa sessions are:

• Meike Wetsch, programme manager, Coega Development Corporation, South Africa
• Dhevan Govender, senior commercial & business manager, eThekwini Municipality, South Africa
• Adrian Strydom, executive director, SA Oil and Gas Alliance
• Frederic Verdol, senior energy expert: energy & extractives, World Bank
• Vally Padayachee, special advisor, Association of Municipal Electricity Utilities
• Jessica Stephens, CEO, AMDA, Kenya
• Roland Nkwain Ngam, programme manager: climate justice and socio-ecological transformation, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, South Africa
• Patrick K. Tonui, head of policy and regional strategy, GOGLA, The Netherlands

Enlit Africa session highlights will include:

• Keynote session: How COP26 could provide the launchpad for Africa’s energy transition.
• To LNG or not: Is that the question?
• Municipal Energy Resilience in South Africa - assisting local government to take advantage of new energy regulations, including purchasing energy directly from IPPs.
• E-mobility: Creating a regulatory and policy environment to encourage EV uptake.
• Prepayment as a precursor to enhanced energy and financial efficiency.
• Digital equity: Ensuring that digital advances are equitable and just.
• Energy storage: Generation, transmission or distribution asset?
• Finance, investment and strategy: Is there an oversupply of funding and an undersupply of projects?
• ROUNDTABLE: Heading to COP26: Has the COVID-19 crises derailed the climate finance agenda?
• Waste not, want not: re-use, recycle and reclaim your wastewater.
• Water security 2.0: Looking Durban’s experience in addressing monumental water challenges.

Gathering the industry
Formerly known around the continent as African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, Enlit Africa has been connecting the utility industry on the continent for more than two decades and in the next edition will also bring back its popular water track. October’s digital edition is a precursor in the lead-up to the hybrid event in Cape Town in June next year.

In tune with this year’s theme, leading power and event media partner ESI Africa will highlight the leaders and projects nominated to the African Power & Energy Elites annual publication. During the Enlit Africa digital event in October, the finalists who will  appear in the 2022 edition of the Elites publication will be announced.

Enlit Africa’s successful transition to digital
The fast-growing attendee numbers and feedback from participants and partners fully support the remarkable and successful transition that the organisers of the event have made from live events to providing a digital forum for the industry to connect via live, online events on the Enlit Africa-Connect platform.The June edition of the event, the third in the last 18 months, attracted more than 5,000 registered attendees, representing more than 70 countries and featuring 50 speakers.All the previous Enlit Africa sessions remain available on demand on the event platform.

For access, register on the Enlit Africa-Connect platform by clicking here.

Industry support
Eskom, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and the City of Cape Town have been official hosting partners of the event for many years and 2021 is no exception.

ESI Africa, the continent’s leading news provider for power and energy news, is the official host publication.

Enlit Africa is organised by Clarion Events Africa, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the infrastructure, energy and mining sectors. Other well-known events include Nigeria Mining Week, Africa Mining Forum and DRC Mining Week.

Enlit Africa dates and venues:
Digital Event: 26–28 October 2021
Next live, in-person conference and exhibition: 7–9 June 2022
Venue: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa
Website: www.enlit-africa.com

The annual open weekends of the Stellenberg Gardens in Cape Town have gone virtual and currently everyone can enjoy these spectacular grounds from the comfort and safety of their homes and contribute to a great cause at the same time.

Since 2015, the Stellenberg Gardens, the home of Andrew and Sandy Ovenstone, have held Open Weekends in aid of St Joseph’s Home for Chronically Ill Children, a paediatric care facility giving children with life threatening illness a second chance at childhood.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have not been able to share the beauty of their gardens to raise funds for St Joseph’s Home. Like many charities, COVID-19 has negatively impacted the operations at St Joseph’s who rely on donations to provide free 24-hour specialised and general nursing care and rehabilitation to those who need it most.

Magical garden and history
St Joseph’s is very excited and grateful that a beautiful video has been made of the Stellenberg Gardens to enable anyone to visit by way of a virtual garden tour! It can be viewed on the GivenGain fundraising platform where donations can easily be made in aid of St Joseph’s. Thanks to donations from the many virtual visitors to the gardens, more than R80 000 has been raised for St Joseph’s to date.

The origins of the Stellenberg estate date back to the seventeenth century and Sandy Ovenstone and her dedicated team of gardeners have created a magical garden in harmony with the historical homestead that is unique in South Africa.

There are 16 distinct areas in the gardens, namely the Garden Entrance, the White Garden, the Parterre Garden, the Vegetable Garden, the Garden of Paradise, the Herb Garden, the Shady Walkway, the main lawns and façade, the Wild Garden and reservoir walk, the Stream Garden, Lower-Stream Garden, the Lime Tree Walk, the Garden of Reflection, the Vine Walk allée, the Walled Garden and the Pool Garden.

Join them for a leisurely and inspiring stroll through these magnificent gardens by viewing the virtual tour here: https://www.givengain.com/cc/stellenberg-gardens-virtual-tour2021/

The video can also be viewed via the Stellenberg Gardens website at: www.stellenberggardens.co.za by clicking on “Virtual Tour” and there is a donate button that links to the GivenGain fundraising page. All funds raised are carefully monitored and faithfully distributed. Click here to read an interview with the Ovenstones.

St Joseph’s Home for Chronically Ill Children
Up to 500 children a year are looked after by St Joseph’s Home. A well-loved institution in Cape Town, it has provided intermediate, facility-based care for children with chronic or life-limiting conditions for the last 85 years.

Located in Montana, Cape Town, and established in 1935 by the Pallottine Missionary Sisters, this beacon in paediatric care in Southern Africa has provided expert and hands-on nursing and rehabilitation for over 23 000 orphaned and vulnerable children.

If you are interested in supporting this and other projects for St Joseph’s, there is more information here: https://stjosephshome.org.za/donate/

Contact:
Christa Robijn
Resource development manager, St Joseph’s Home for Chronically Ill Children
Tel. +27 21 934 0352
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Industry’s finest to discuss practical realities of Africa’s transition to NetZero

“It’s about moving from theory to implementation, it’s time to get stuck in and become practical as the African continent transitions towards NetZero by 2050, and COP26 in November is a very important pitstop in that journey,” says Claire Volkwyn, programme director for Enlit Africa, the leading power and energy platform and discussion forum, returning from 26 to 28 October.

Formerly known around the continent as African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, Enlit Africa has been connecting the utility industry on the continent for more than two decades and in the next edition will also bring back its popular water track. October’s digital edition is a precursor in the lead-up to the hybrid event in Cape Town in June next year.

Volkwyn adds: “There was such a great response to our theme of ‘The 5Ds* of the energy transition’ during our event in June, focusing on what the continent needs to concentrate on to decarbonise the power sector. In October we move into the practical implementation of solutions to prepare the continent for a NetZero reality, including looking at LNG as a transitional energy source, municipal energy independence, E-mobility, and what Africa is bringing to and expecting from the COP26 summit.”

*decarbonisation, decentralisation, democratisation, digitalisation and deregulation

“It takes strong leadership and innovative projects to take an idea from theory to implementation,” says Nicolette Pombo-van Zyl, editor of ESI Africa and African Power & Energy Elites journals. She explains: “It is only through the resilience of successful leaders and projects that Africa can deliver on its net-zero ambitions. In tune with this year’s theme, ESI Africa will highlight the leaders and projects nominated to the African Power & Energy Elites annual publication. During the Enlit Africa digital event in October, we will announce the finalists who will appear in the 2022 edition of the Elites publication.”

Enlit Africa session highlights will include:

• Keynote session: How COP26 could provide the launchpad for Africa’s energy transition.
• To LNG or not: Is that the question?
• Municipal Energy Resilience in South Africa - assisting local government to take advantage of new energy regulations, including purchasing energy directly from IPPs.
• E-mobility: Creating a regulatory and policy environment to encourage EV uptake.
• Prepayment as a precursor to enhanced energy and financial efficiency.
• Digital equity: Ensuring that digital advances are equitable and just.
• Energy storage: Generation, transmission or distribution asset?
• Finance, investment and strategy: Is there an oversupply of funding and an undersupply of projects?
• EGovernment: Africa is in a prime position to utilise eGovernment services.
• ROUNDTABLE: Heading to COP26: Has the COVID-19 crises derailed the climate finance agenda?
• Waste not, want not: re-use, recycle and reclaim your wastewater.
• Water security 2.0: Looking Durban’s experience in addressing monumental water challenges.

Enlit Africa’s successful transition to digital |
The fast-growing attendee numbers and feedback from participants and partners fully support the remarkable and successful transition that the organisers of the event have made from live events to providing a digital forum for the industry to connect via live, online events on the Enlit Africa Connect platform.

The June edition of the event, the third in the last 18 months, attracted more than 5,000 registered attendees, representing more than 70 countries and featuring 50 speakers.

Some of the feedback includes:

“I would like to thank the Clarion Events team for the professional and creative execution of the Enlit Africa sessions. The technological advancement from the last digital event they hosted to this one is evident and it is comforting to witness the agile nature in which they worked with us.”
- Gugu Masina, Brand Manager, Conlog

“The African Utility Week has always been a direct way of reaching out to the entire African market for PRIME Alliance. With a single trip over 3 to 4 days, PRIME has been able to follow African priorities and interact with stakeholders in the African continent. With Enlit Africa’s new hybrid model, PRIME’s reach is further extended by joining more targeted sessions and intimate circles.”
- Pilar Julián Arrieta, Strategic Consulting, ianusGroup

“Thank you to the Enlit team for hosting us at the Enlit Africa Digital event for 2021. From the planning, guiding us and execution of our campaign, making sure that we are creating awareness of our brand, albeit in these trying times; we were thoroughly impressed. We can’t wait for the next one.”
- Nonkululeko Mdhalose, Marketing Manager, Vexila

All the previous Enlit Africa sessions remain available on demand on the event platform. For access, register on the Enlit Africa-Connect platform by clicking here.

Industry support
Eskom, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and the City of Cape Town have been official hosting partners of the event for many years and 2021 is no exception.

ESI Africa, the continent’s leading news provider for power and energy news, is the official host publication.

Enlit Africa is organised by Clarion Events Africa, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the infrastructure, energy and mining sectors. Other well-known events include Nigeria Mining Week, Africa Mining Forum and DRC Mining Week.

Enlit Africa dates and venues:
Digital Event: 26–28 October 2021
Next live, in-person conference and exhibition: 7–9 June 2022
Venue: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: www.enlit-africa.com

Media contact:
Annemarie Roodbol
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In Fly Cape Town Paraglidings case, an immaculate feature is the outstanding tandem paragliding Cape Town experience that it offers.

It would be safe to say that no other paragliding firm comes anywhere close to the kind of experience which Fly Cape Town Paragliding is able to offer to patrons, that too on an absolutely consistent basis. Feel free to peruse our reviews on Tripadvisor.

At the heart of this brilliant facet in Fly Cape Town Paraglidings case is the very high quality of pilots that it has. They have all undergone rigorous training over a number of years and only then arrived at a stage where they are able to fly tandem with patrons with ease.

This high quality is something which is not merely confirmed by word of mouth but actually ratified by the South African Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association that duly licenses us (a mandatory requirement as per the Civil Aviation Act anyway). Therefore, with regard to the quality and reliability of pilots that we have onboard, you can be reassured beyond the slightest hint of doubt.

Further, you also need to look at the outstanding vantage points which we have chosen for our paragliding Cape Town sessions. Typically, we take off from Signal Hill or Lions Head, both of which are remarkable locations that offer an exhilarating view of the entire Table Bay shore and indeed the whole of Cape Town city. No other experience offer the kind of views which we are able to ensure on our paragliding sessions. After all, here you are remarkably close to the land area, to at least be able to discern from above the view below, while still having the same experience of wafting through the air as you would were you to fly by yourself.

A final note also needs to be made about the paragliding equipment that we deploy here at Fly Cape Town Paragliding. Strictly following industry norms, we use only the very best paragliding equipment available, not only as per local South African standards but internationally whereby you are assured of safety and security which is second to none on a global scale.All of these factors together have put us at a pedestal where we are clearly a force to reckon with as far as tandem paragliding in South Africa as a whole and Cape Town in particular is concerned  so why not come down and experience firsthand the enthralling experience that tandem paragliding with us has to offer?

A property developer is helping South Africans earning under R22 000 a month access an “underutilised” government housing subsidy to assist those wishing to become first-time homeowners. 

The government’s Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP) helps qualifying first-time buyers caught in the “gap” sector -- those who historically earned too little to buy property – with financial support. 

Property expert Toni Enderli, said FLISP subsidies, combined with the lowest interest rates in 50 years, transfer duty relief and higher home loan rate approvals, mean many families who rent may now be able to buy into the affordable housing bracket for the first time. 

Responding to reports of bureaucratic challenges in accessing FLISP subsidies, Enderli says International Housing Solutions (IHS) -- developers of the entry-level, innovative and eco-friendly, gated community, Ihlathi, in Parklands, Cape Town -- has appointed dedicated FLISP agents to help. 

“Many who qualify are not accessing FLISP funding due to various challenges. Our FLISP team is helping them buy their first home in Ihlathi by taking away the administrative pain,” said Enderli. 

Realtor of Excellence’s development sales director, Wayne Lawson, said: “Low interest rates, no transfer duty or fees, higher loan rate approvals, attractive entry-level offerings and FLISP subsidies offer unprecedented opportunities to prospective home buyers.

“Monthly repayments for one-bedroom units (priced from R699 999) at Ihlathi are under R5 500 per month, compared to R7 500 a month to rent a similar space.” Two-bedroomed units start from R779 999 and three-bedroom units from R1 249 999, he added.

IHS’s SA MD, Rob Wesselo, said Ihlathi is Green Building council-certified, includes solar geysers, fibre-ready internet, and 24-hr security monitoring. “In addition to affordability, you’re buying into a safe, secure and ideally located community on a green belt. This value is unprecedented,” he added.

To see if you qualify, call Ihlathi’s FLISP specialist, Ayeshia on 082-871-6799 or visit http://ihlathiparklands.co.za/, or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

• For sales, call Samantha 064-684-5507 or Bronwyn 082-770-0463 or Jason 079-625-5057 or Liezl 066-347-1686.
• For media queries, contact Bianca on 064-658-2799 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Craig on 083-463-1827.

Bellville has a new business recycling champion. Congratulations to OK Foods Oakdale who rose to the challenge and committed to recycling as much of their business waste as possible, taking the 2021 crown as the Bellville Business Recycling Champion. In all, their efforts have diverted 1 224 bags of waste from landfill. Their championship status comes out of the Bellville Business Recycling Challenge, hosted by the Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP), Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District and social development partners, MES. Runners up in the challenge are The Butcher Shoppe, who recycled 310 bags, and Marshall Betting, who recycled 256 bags.  

Waste collectors Mark le Roux and Cheswon Booyson, recycled the most waste on behalf of businesses in Bellville, removing the waste to buy-back centres. They both earned a trophy to show their achievement as Most Dedicated Waste Collector throughout the challenge.  

In all, the 75 participating Bellville businesses recycled over 9 438 kgs of waste in 2 636 bags. Paper and cardboard are most frequently recycled – 78% percent of the total collected. 

GTP CEO, Warren Hewitt said: “While this is an immense achievement that must be applauded, these statistics offer an insight into how much waste is generated each month. Through this and other projects, such as our Zero Waste Schools project, the GTP is driving a zero-waste mindset in Bellville. Landfills are at capacity and waste is the next environmental crisis on our doorsteps. It’s up to everyone to reconsider how much waste they generate. But more importantly, it’s critical to change behaviours around creating waste at all.”  

William Koopman, Receiving Manager at OK Oakdale said: “This is a fantastic project. We saw our participation as a great opportunity to create jobs. We will definitely take part again.”  

Cheswon Booysen, who lives in a shelter near Paint City in Bellville, is one of the winning trolley operators. He said: “This project helps to build self-esteem, even if you don’t have much in the way of material things. It helps to earn money and get off the street. It’s not easy, but the work makes me feel good. I definitely want to go further and to encourage more businesses to sign up. Anyone is welcome.”  

Booysen’s trolley partner, Mark le Roux, who resides at The Haven shelter in Bellville, said: “The project has helped me to save some money, and I also enjoy the fact that I can contribute to cleaning up the environment.”  

The challenge, which ran from 1 March to 21 June, encouraged businesses to sign up to the award-winning Bellville Trolley & Recycling project. The project matches informal waste collectors with local businesses to collect recyclable waste and return it to a local buy-back centre, rather than letting it languish in landfills – which are at capacity in Cape Town. The waste collectors are able to earn a small income from their efforts, helping them to build a more dignified life. The waste collectors are required to go through a skills development and life skills training course in order to qualify for the programme. Once they graduate from the programme, the waste collectors are allocated a trolley and matched with local businesses.  

Between them, Mark, Cheswon and their six other fellow trolley operators were able to earn R8 116.70 in stipends from the buy-back centres. The challenge is now closed, but businesses can still sign up to the programme. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register.

Longstanding energy platform gathers all role players to discuss, debate and do deals

Gwede Mantashe, South Africa's Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, and Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, Chairman of the Board of Eskom, will be among the high-profile keynote speakers at Enlit Africa, formerly African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, taking place from 8-10 June.

Enlit Africa will kickstart its return on Tuesday, 8 June at 10h00 with a visionary discussion on the “5Ds of the energy transition”, namely: decarbonisation, decentralisation, democratisation, digitalisation and deregulation. The opening session will feature local and global experts unpacking how the evolution of the power and energy sector globally will also affect local supply and opportunities, focusing on technology, policy and funding.

More exciting speakers and moderators on the programme include:

• Mary Warlick, Deputy Executive Director, International Energy Agency, France
• Sabine Dall'Omo, CEO, Siemens, South Africa
• Ashish Khanna, Practice Manager: West and Central Africa, World Bank, USA
• Dr Albert Butare, a former Minister of State for Infrastructure in the Republic of Rwanda and currently the CEO of Africa Energy Services Group Ltd
• Gillian-Alexandre Huart, CEO, ENGIE Energy Access, Belgium
• Hendrik Malan, CEO - Africa, Frost & Sullivan, South Africa
• Dr Jarrad Wright, Principal Researcher, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa
• Mandy Rambharos, GM: Just Energy Transition Office, Eskom, South Africa
• Ashish Kumar, Head of Innovation, Shell Foundation, United Kingdom
• Tobi Busari, Team Lead: Embedded Generation and Renewable Energy, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Nigeria
• Roland Ngam, Programme Manager, Climate Justice & Socio-Ecological Transformation, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, South Africa
• Kadri Nassiep, Executive Director (Energy), City of Cape Town

The view the full programme and to register to attend, click here. All content will also be available on demand following the live broadcasts.

Industry support

Eskom, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and the City of Cape Town have been official hosting partners of the event for many years and 2021 is no different. Global and local top technology and services suppliers to the industry, including Siemens, Landis + Gyr, Brady Corp, Oracle, IFS, G3-PLC, GE, Toshiba, Power Africa and Conlog are returning as sponsors at Enlit Africa.

Other industry supporters are Prime Alliance, WESGRO, City of Cape Town, Ntiyiso Consulting and many more.

ESI Africa, the continent’s leading news provider for power and energy news, is the official host publication while the Enel Foundation is back as the knowledge partner.

Same inspiration, different look

Enlit Africa, taking place from 8 to 10 June, is the new brand for the Cape-town based African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa conference and exhibition, which for more than 20 years has been the flagship power and energy show for the continent’s energy sector. The event had two very successful, interactive digital editions last year and rebranded in November 2020.

Enlit Africa is organised by Clarion Events Africa, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the infrastructure, energy and mining sectors. Other well-known events include Nigeria Mining Week, Africa Mining Forum and DRC Mining Week.

Enlit Africa dates and venues:
Digital Event: 8 - 10 June 2021

Next live, in-person conference and exhibition: 7 – 9 June 2022
Venue: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa
Website: www.enlit-africa.com

Media contact:
Annemarie Roodbol
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Can Africa carve out a role for itself in the burgeoning hydrogen market? How do cities climate proof their energy sectors and water systems? Where will the funding come from for the 5Ds of the energy transition?

These are just some of the pertinent questions and topics up for discussion during the upcoming Enlit Africa, taking place from 8 to 10 June, featuring live sessions with the sector’s leading minds. The online platform will be opened with a welcome address by South Africa’s mineral and energy resources minister, Gwede Mantashe.

Hydrogen

“Countries such as South Africa and Kenya already have the infrastructure in place which can be leveraged to take advantage of green hydrogen both for production and export,” says Hendrik Malan, partner and Africa CEO at Frost & Sullivan Africa and moderator of the upcoming session on: The role of Africa in the global hydrogen-generation market.

“Hydrogen, specifically green and blue,” he explains, “has the potential to considerably accelerate sub-Saharan Africa’s electrification rate. Furthermore, through export of this green resources, local economies can be strengthened, driving job creation, and establishing countries as key suppliers ahead of the rest of the world.”

According to Malan, while hydrogen is still in the R&D and early implementation phase, governments already need to put the respective legislation and regulations in place to enable fast implementation.

Climate change

Climate change and its effect on the future of the energy sector is a critical theme that forms a thread throughout the Enlit Africa programme. From the opening session’s panel that will focus on the 5Ds of the energy transition – namely decarbonisation, decentralisation, democratisation, digitalisation and deregulation – to how African governments are currently devising their own climate change policies.

“We all know that the global community has decided to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees. The consequences of an overshoot are too catastrophic to contemplate and so we need to invest more in adaptation strategies,” says Dr Roland Nkwain Ngam, programme manager for climate justice and socio-ecological transformation at the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

Ngam, who is speaking in the Climate finance - adaptation and mitigation session, adds: “Coal power is killing us and we need to force polluters to pay their fair share for adaptation activities.”

Enlit Africa will also feature an exclusive interview with City of Cape Town executive director Kadri Nassiep on how the City of Cape Town is addressing climate change.

More exciting speakers and moderators on the programme include:

• Ashish Khanna, Practice Manager: West and Central Africa, World Bank, USA
• Sabine Dall'Omo, CEO, Siemens, South Africa
• Dr Albert Butare, a former Minister of State for Infrastructure in the Republic of Rwanda and currently the CEO of Africa Energy Services Group Ltd
• Gillian-Alexandre Huart, CEO, ENGIE Energy Access, Belgium
• Dr Jarrad Wright, Principal Researcher, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa
• Mandy Rambharos, GM: Just Energy Transition Office, Eskom, South Africa
• Ashish Kumar, Head of Innovation, Shell Foundation, United Kingdom
• Tobi Busari, Team Lead: Embedded Generation and Renewable Energy, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Nigeria

Further session highlights at Enlit Africa:

• The realities of incorporating small scale embedded generation (SSEG) into a local distribution grid
• The business case for a circular economy
• Training: Fundamentals of PV systems with energy storage
• Managing revenue losses – Nigeria’s turnaround in collections despite a challenging economic environment
• How solar PV is changing the commercial and industrial energy landscape
• Bringing renewables onto the grid: G-PST Consortium presentation
• Case study: Preparing for how mini grids meet the national grid
• How gas can enable the decarbonisation of the power sector in sub-Saharan Africa
• Interview: The first solar IPP in Burundi

All content will also be available on demand following the live broadcasts.

Same inspiration, different look

Enlit Africa, taking place from 8 to 10 June, is the new brand for the Cape-town based African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa conference and exhibition, which for more than 20 years has been the flagship power and energy show for the continent’s energy sector. The event had two very successful, interactive digital editions last year and rebranded in November 2020. 

Industry support

Eskom, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and the City of Cape Town have been official hosting partners of the event for many years and 2021 is no different.

Global and local top technology and services suppliers to the industry, including Siemens, IFS, SAS, G3-PLC, GE, Toshiba and Conlog are returning as sponsors at Enlit Africa. Other industry supporters are Prime Alliance, WESGRO, City of Cape Town, and Ntiyiso Consulting and many more.

ESI Africa, the continent’s leading news provider for power and energy news, is the official host publication while the Enel Foundation is back as the knowledge partner.

Enlit Africa is organised by Clarion Events Africa, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the infrastructure, energy and mining sectors. Other well-known events include Nigeria Mining Week, Africa Mining Forum and DRC Mining Week.

Enlit Africa dates and venues:
Digital Event: 8 - 10 June 2021
Next live, in-person conference and exhibition: 7 – 9 June 2022
Venue: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: www.enlit-africa.com

Media contact:
Annemarie Roodbol
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