A small group of excited Cape Town based massage therapists recently attended a 2 day intensive Dynamic Cupping Therapy Massage Workshop held at the Sport Science Institute in Newlands. The workshop was conducted by USA Massage Hall of Fame inductee, Anita Shannon, often, endearingly referred to as the"MotherCupper" by thousands of students whom have had the privilege to work with and study her contemporary methods of a nearly 3000 year old alternative medicine tradition, cupping therapy, still prolific throughout the Middle East and Asia.

Anita Shannon is the recently appointed Director of Advanced Education and Training for MIRA Dynamics International, Director of Advanced Continuing Education (ACE), an NCBTMB Continuing Education provider established in 2001, she has presented countless workshops on ACE Massage Cupping™ and MediCupping™ at international locations since developing these brands of bodywork in 2002. Anita has published six articles on this subject in Massage Today, Massage Magazine and Les Nouvelles Esthetiques, along with publishing five educational videos, and is currently writing a book on VacuTherapies™.

With her vast knowledge and experience and her first visit to South Africa, Anita added much needed professional perspectives and years of accumulated wisdom to professionals in the sport, physio, massage therapy, alternative medicine, Chinese medicine and natural beauty industries. Anita said, "I am duly impressed by the professional caliber of the South Africans who attended and look forward to returning later this year. I understand that cupping therapy is relatively new here and I love teaching this wonderful, and quite frankly, necessary healing massage technique that would compliment any therapists practice."

"Dynamic Cupping Therapy is a holistic healing method based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, developed and researched by Anita along with MIRA Dynamics International and offers a natural alternative for relief, cure and solution to every day health and beauty problems." said Derrick Z. Venter, CEO of MIRA. "Essentially, I am hoping to see this exciting practice instituted by practitioners in the sport therapy, massage therapy, physio and health and beauty industries in SA.

"MDI is continuously developing, researching and disseminating best practices, new discoveries and educational materials and we are keen to collaborate with professionals and doctors respectively, we aim to have Dynamic Cupping Therapy accepted as an accredited educational program here in South Africa." Mr. Venter added.

"We would love to have a South African based Educator/Trainer on the MIRA team. He or she would receive extensive training from Anita and we invite interested and qualified people to contact us via our website or Facebook page". said Derrick Z. Venter.

MIRA SA is the distributor of MIRA Dynamics Professional Cupping Therapy Tools and complimentary products in South Africa and welcome inquiries from interested retail and wholesale partners. 

NOTES FOR EDITOR
Anita is available for telephonic interviews and appearances.
Derrick is available for interviews and appearances.
Both can be contacted via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 021 433 1759

​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.  

Ergoform – a South African designer and producer of a full range of evolutionary office furniture – is the latest addition to the client portfolio of Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd.  

With showrooms in Cape Town and Johannesburg and fully equipped manufacturing premises in the Western Cape, Ergoform is an award-winning enterprise and one the most progressive manufacturers of office furniture in the country. Its success is due to owners Leon and Alice Roodt’s ability to anticipate changing corporate requirements and meet these needs with manufacturing excellence.    

The times are indeed a changin’, and so is the modern office. Workspaces are becoming increasingly flexible as communication tools become more and more mobile. Gone are the days where our desks are nailed to the ground - today is all about adaptability.    

Understanding the needs of the modern professional, Ergoform’s range of corporate furniture is not only mobile and easy to rearrange, but beautifully designed to blend into an ‘office-from-home’ setup too!    

Ergoform has a policy of continuously increasing its green manufacturing practices. The process starts with the design of new products, reducing material volume and eliminating materials that are harmful or potentially dangerous to humans. In addition, materials are sourced from certified and sustainable suppliers.  

Ergoform’s forward thinking, environmentally conscious approach makes it an excellent fit with Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd’s existing list of clientele, which includes interior design firm Inhouse Brand Architects, lighting design company Willowlamp, green and probiotic product producer Probio, and The Better Living Challenge.  

Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd is excited to welcome Ergoform on board, and looks forward to enriching the brand, developing new relationships and exposing Ergoform’s excellent products to a broader market.     

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY: Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd Contact: Tarn de Villiers 060 671 6091 Website: www.laurenshantall.com

Syntech is pleased to announce that they are now “EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTORS” for SPEEDLINK® in South Africa

Jöllenbeck GmbH, founded in 1974 is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of office & entertainment peripherals. Since its formation, Jöllenbeck has positioned itself very successfully in the PC, video gaming console and handheld accessories market. The product portfolio of its own brand SPEEDLINK® includes sound systems, headsets, mice, mousepads, keyboards, gamepads, joysticks and various other accessories. SPEEDLINK® products impress with their novel technology combined with design excellence and outstanding functionality. Through SPEEDLINK®, Jöllenbeck is represented in over 40 countries worldwide.

“We are really delighted to have Syntech, one of South Africa’s leading distributors, on board as a partner, and look forward to working with them. Through this exciting partnership, we are glad that our end customers can enjoy SPEEDLINK®  products in South Africa just as easily as in the rest of the world,” says CEO Tim Jöllenbeck.

7 Good reasons why this is such exciting news:

Syntech has established themselves as one of the leading Distributors in South Africa committed to adding value to the market and empowering its resellers.

Syntech works closely with their key-resellers to deliver added value and support to clients and provide the best available range of products

Syntech provides exceptional marketing support including free web content, POS material and digital banner design for customers.

The exclusive “Syntech Warranty” and technical support structure offers end users and resellers peace of mind and after sales service.

Syntech now delivers a premium turnkey component solution which incorporates industry leading brands like Asus, Crucial, Seasonic, Raidmax, Patriot and OCZ

Syntech’s revolutionary approach to distribution enables them to deliver thousands of products throughout Southern Africa daily

Most importantly - Stock availability, Syntech’s procurement and logistics team help ensure that their resellers have consistent access to the stock that they actually want.    

SPEEDLINK® is one of the leading brands in computer and video game accessories in Europe. Their products combine new technology with excellent design and outstanding functionality.

They have enjoyed continuous growth since its founding in 1998. Today, the company′s products can be found in over 30 countries in Europe. The fact that they have sold over 10 million sound systems and over 15 million game controllers impressively demonstrate their superior market presence.

Their commitment to product development is based on innovation and an eye for the trends of tomorrow. The fast pace of the market demands great vigilance and a high degree of flexibility. Constant supervision of development work and production as well as the company′s representation in the market guarantees excellent product quality and forms the basis for continuing success. "We have years of experience in the area of keyboards and mice. We've now put our experience to use in the area of gaming and are really proud to present an end-to-end line-up", explains PR Manager Steffen Soltau. "Even for those on a slightly tighter budget, SPEEDLINK® makes it possible for customers to get hold of really high-quality gaming kit. And it all has a consistent look."

SPEEDLINK® carries the following Product Ranges:

NOTEBOOK ACCESSORIES: Presenters, Keyboards, Cables & Adapters, Power Supplies, Notebook Bags, Mice, Speakers, Fans, Webcams, Special Accessories, Mouse Pads, Headphones & Microphones, Media Readers & Writers, Cleaning

PC ACCESSORIES: Mice, Presenter, Headphones & Microphones, Webcams, Storage, Mouse Pads, Speakers, Cables & Adapters, Cleaning, Special Accessories, Keyboards, Sound Cards, Power Supplies, Graphics Tablets  

GAMING ACCESSORIES: PC Gaming, Mice, Keyboards, Gamepads, Joysticks, Racing Wheels, Headphones & Microphones, Speakers, Microsoft®, Xbox® , Nintendo®, Wii™, Sony®, PlayStation® 

SOUND: Speakers, Home, Mobile, Equipment, Cables and Adapters, Sound Cards, Headsets, Corded, Wireless, Microphones

TABLET ACCESSORIES: Power, Hard shells, Input, Cables & Adapters, Screen protectors, Audio, Headsets & Headphones, Speakers, Cables & Adapters, Accessories, Cases & Skins, Holders & Stands, Care   

Syntech Overview: Syntech 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 these complete solutions with several focused products that cater for individual reseller requirements. Our solid relationships with our suppliers ensure that we deliver products which have been developed in accordance with market demands. Our distribution orientated business model and advanced logistics system ensures that all of our clients can expect cost effective solutions 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

Syntech appointed as official distributor for TOTOLINK Networking products.

TOTOLINK, Korea’s leading provider of wireless and networking solutions is now available in South Africa. The range of networking equipment designed to deliver the latest technology at competitive price points includes Wireless routers, Wireless USB adapters, Wireless PCI-E Adapter and Switches.

“We conducted a lot of research and product testing before deciding to partner with TOTOLINK.  The brand fills a gap in our product that many resellers had been asking for, we confident that TOTOLINK will empower our customers to deliver even more value to their clients.” Says Ryan Martyn, co-founder of Syntech.

TOTOLINK Networking products are aimed at solving the network requirements of small office and home users. Their simple interface and robust product design make the equipment easy to set up for almost every user. Syntech started stocking the range in January and has reported high demand and favourable customer reviews.

Networking equipment has started advancing and embracing new technology, this is important because it plays such an integral part of today’s digital lifestyle. TOTOLINK’s range includes high speed Wi-Fi Routers that support the latest range of mobile devices including tablets and smartphones. Another Innovative product from TOTOLINK is the power line adapter kit, which makes use of existing electrical circuits to create a local network by simply plugging the adapters into a standard wall socket.  

Syntech Overview:
Syntech 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 these complete solutions with several focused products that cater for individual reseller requirements.

Our solid relationships with our suppliers ensure that we deliver products which have been developed in accordance with market demands. Our distribution orientated business model and advanced logistics system ensures that all of our clients can expect cost effective solutions 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

Johannesburg, South Africa ( January 27, 2015) - Women with severely, matted and tangled hair can breathe a sigh of relief, following Hair Detangler School’s revelation of a new product they have been using to effectively treat hairs of this nature.

Hair Detangler School SA offers professional detangling service, unique to Africa, for those who want to get rid of tangles and mats in their hair without cutting their mane. 

The Take Down Remover cream is and American product and the only one that the professional’s at Hair Detangler School SA  use.  They do not use conditioner, glycerin, or water based products-as it makes severely matted/tangled hair worse.

Apart from effectively treating tangled, matted hair, the Take Down Remover Cream can be used in the detangling of dreadlocks, braids, sew-in weaves, twists and extensions.  It is also excellent option for the removal of bonding glue and keratin heat fusion bonds.

Senior Detangle Tech Trainers at Hair Detangler School SA state that "Most hairdressers just want to cut very matted tangled hair. They do not know about the Take Down Remover or the techniques needed to successfully detangle. Furthermore, they just can't be bothered with devoting a day or two days to detangling hair." Also they emphasize that "We do, however, train hairdressers who want to learn." 

To get hair professionally detangled or for expert training in detangling tangled matted hair visit, http://www.hairdetanglerschoolsa.com                                                                                                                       

Contact:

Nomsa Beauty Ltd
Tel: (+27) 0791275325
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cape Town based StateoftheART, an innovator in the online art world, has been showcasing and selling affordable contemporary art by emerging artists since 2010. This month they launched their new website to support the keen interest in South African art, bringing their works to a global  audience with easy access via the web.

The recent boom in the online art trade, currently valued at around R28bn is forecast to more than double by 2018. At least 71% of art collectors have now purchased artwork online according to the 2014 Hiscox Online Trade Report , with that number expected to rise. StateoftheART founder Jennifer Reynolds says "We want to offer our visitors the personal touch and intimacy of a gallery setting, without the limited selection associated with a physical space. More than half of our customers use a mobile device to browse our online art gallery, perhaps because there is something particularly satisfying about viewing art on a tablet as the tactile experience of holding the device feels almost the same as picking up a painting to look at it more closely."

The great advantage of StateoftheART is that it affords visitors to the site the opportunity to discover and buy affordable fine art that would not otherwise be easily found.  The slick and easy to use website allows visitors to browse and buy high quality art in the comfort of their own home, making contemporary art even more accessible. Works can be bought directly from the website and delivered anywhere in the world. The site offers a 7 day money-back guarantee. To discover the world of StateoftheART, please visit www.stateoftheart-gallery.com

About

StateoftheART is South Africa's premier online gallery where you will discover an exclusive selection of carefully curated art by top emerging artists. Our virtual platform is complemented by the brick-and-mortar StateoftheART gallery in Cape Town; an intimate space in which we regularly host exhibitions and where art lovers can view a dynamic selection of works by our represented artists.

For images, information and interviews with Jennifer Reynolds, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Santa's Story, a theatre fundraiser for street children in need of trauma therapy Santa's Story, Aviva Pelham's beautiful and uplifting one-woman musical revue about her mother, Santa Erder, is coming to Theatre on the Bay in February 2015.

Thanks to Aviva's generous support, opening night, Tuesday, 3 February 2015,  is a theatre fundraiser. The money raised will be used to put (at least) 14 Cape Town street children through a drama therapy programme with Zakheni Arts Therapy Foundation. Your R200 ticket includes a welcome drink, the 75 minute show and heaps of gratitude from the fundraising team! For bookings, please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 081 243 4771

Please see the attached flyer for more information on the show that has toured Germany, Finland and will soon be seen in New York.

Mobile devices are more than mere communication tools today. Globally, smartphones and tablets are now contributing to roughly 25% of the user traffic on eCommerce and travel websites. Sales through smartphones and tablets contribute to around 15% of the total online sales. With the rapid adoption of smart phones and tablets across the globe, these numbers can only go north.

Online sales through mobile devices as a percentage of the total online sales globally Challenges in Mobile Web Marketing Mobile marketing is relatively new and advertisers face several challenges to run an effective mobile marketing campaign. Some of them are:
• Advertiser's and Publisher's mobile presence is fragmented between mobile web and mobile apps.
• Identification of a user across mobile web and mobile app and messaging across these two channels.
• Identification of users across multiple devices (such as mobile, desktop) and messaging across channels.
• Patchy support to cookie and other tracking mechanisms on mobile browsers and apps.

How does it work:

1. While the user is on the advertiser mobile website, products like Vizury MobiConvert, records anonymous user behaviour such as products viewed, duration of visit, drop off page etc.

2. This user behaviour data is then used to create and display customised ads for the mobile user across mobile internet.

3. However, unlike desktop, mobile uses a different technology for banners- HTML5, the one that works across mobile devices.

The need to go mobile is more imminent today more than ever. Mobile has taken centre stage in your users' purchase cycle and it's time to go mobile! More on 'Shades of Mobile Retargeting' coming soon.

Learn more about Vizury MobiConvert and other products by Vizury at their stand at the eCommerce Africa Confex. This exciting 2-day conference and exhibition takes place on the 3rd-4th February 2015 at the Cape Town International Centre.

Register as a delegate or find out more about sponsor and exhibitor opportunities by contacting Kirsten Pow Chong on 021 180 4700 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Kinetic is pleased to announce the latest additions to our speaker line up for the eCommerce Africa Confex. With just over 2 months to go, the agenda is jam-packed with the best that Africa's eCommerce industry has to offer as they address current topics and share valuable insight into establishing a successful eCommerce business.

Mike Cotterell, Head of Online for Pick n Pay, and Peter Allerstorfer, Founding Partner of Silvertree Capital, will be sitting on a panel that will discuss the trends for delivery of online orders. They will be joined by Business Development Executive of DPD Laser, Hilton Eachus, and Justin Drennan, CEO of wantitall.co.za, to elaborate on the importance of good infrastructure and the transnational cooperation of all companies involved to meet customer needs.

Want to know what the best consumer and business brands are doing to drive a greater user experience? The following eCommerce professionals have all reserved their seats for the panel discussion that will answer this very question:

• Lee Zuk, General Manager, justplay.co.za
• Gysbert Kappers, Co-Founder, Wyzetalk
• Clinton Arnot, Head of Online Distribution, Protea Hotels
• Amanda Cromhout, Founder and CEO, Truth
• Stephan Ekbergh, CEO, Travelstart
• Bryan Porter, eCommerce Manager, Comair

The 2-day conference sessions will wrap up with Mohammed Parker, Deputy Director: IT Strategy, eCommerce and Governance from Western Cape Government, and Andrew Dean, Managing Director of Calleo. They will discuss the security and regulation of data collection as well as online sales in Africa. Joining them will be Alastair Tempest, COO of Direct Marketing Association of South Africa (DMASA), and Craig Shapiro, Partner at WCIS Attorneys.

Africa's premier eCommerce conference and exhibition is taking place on the 3rd-4th February 2015 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and seats are filling up quickly. To avoid disappointment, register to become a delegate or find out more about sponsor and exhibitor opportunities by contacting Kirsten Pow Chong on 021 180 4700 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

www.ecommerce-africa.com For all the latest updates, follow us on Twitter: @eCommerceConfex and @KineticEventsSA or like our Facebook page: eCommerce Africa Confex