International cash transactions and transfers are complicated and dragging. Sending and receiving money from the United Kingdom to South Africa through MoneyGram or Western Union has a lot of procedures and takes a lot of time. Funds in internet financial services like Paypal and Bitpay and digital currencies like bitcoin are not yet easily usable in the real world in local merchants and stores. Local small business vendors have difficulty accepting credit and debit cards during transactions because of the lack of a simple system that makes that possible and become limited to cash-only transactions which limits the number of sales they make.

Well a start-up based is Pretoria has taken it upon itself to solve all these problems and make the world smaller, or more globalized. Riovic, Inc. provides a cloud-based banking infrastructure and a service that lets people send cheques/checks to each other globally online and convert these cheques/checks into real usable cash within seconds. The money sent comes from their credit/debit cards, paypal and bitpay and the cheque can be cashed online and at authorized Riovic™ finance facilities. They want to enable family members, friends and business partners to send and receive money globally in real-time without any hassle. The only information needed to send a cheque/check is the names and email addresses of the sender and the receiver. Every vendor with an email address will be able to receive payments from credit/debit cards, paypal and bitcoin improving and revolutionizing their business.

The company will provide a service called Riovic TranXact. TranXact facilitates financial transactions and transfers through a cheque/check generating system allowing recipients to receive money in real-time and the service is available globally. Users can save money on the company's cloud-based banking facility in their accounts which is linked to their Riovic bank card. These funds can be used in shops globally, online or can be withrawn at ATMs. The company also has an e-commerce platform which facilitates online sales for virtual goods (e.g. music, ebooks) through a search engine experience. This platform also has a directory for music labels and publishers. The company does not charge any royalties for items sold on the platform but returns all revenue back to labels and publishers.

This new company is determined to break traditions and change the way people transfer money in the world.

There is simply no better investment than property. Buying-to-let is perfect for an ordinary salary-earning South African for the following reasons:

• The loan pays for itself (rental from your tenant) possibly even earning you extra income should your rental cover more. • Your investment grows at the current property growth rate.

• Once the loan is paid off it becomes a constant monthly income.

• It’s a good tax write-off and you can reduce your bond repayment period.

Valid only until Saturday, 28 February 2015 get a R10 000 discount when you purchase a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment at Witfield Ridge. Only pay R489 000 for a large 62m2 apartment with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms or R569,000 for a large 70m2 apartment with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Get built-in braais on ground floor apartments with private patios and upstairs apartments with private balconies. Main bedrooms have en-suites. Excitingly 60% of your electricity comes from solar heating.

Witfield Ridge is a new 450 unit chic security village in the East Rand (Witfield, Boksburg) and is close to Germiston, Brakpan, Kempton Park and Benoni. It is four minutes from East Rand Mall and 10 minutes from OR Tambo International Airport. ERPM Golf Course is across the road and there is a filling station across the road from the entrance. Get easy access to the N12, M44, R 21, R 29 all within 8 minutes. Witfield Ridge is also close to community schools, a Police Station and healthcare facilities such as Delmore Hospital and Waverley Medicross.

Only R2 500 secures you this marvellous investment. Transfer fees included. 100% Home loans available. Get 13% yield on your investment. No need to worry about tenants, we find them for you. Don’t waste time; units are selling fast, only 60 units left from phase 1. Witfield Ridge – Now Everything Is Closer To Home. For more information visit: http://ow.ly/INb7q

Globalfundi has an exclusive marketing agreement to manage the sales, marketing and mortgages. Golden Homes (Edenvale/Kempton Park) has been appointed as the exclusive agents and partner Globalfundi. EYS Attorneys are the appointed legal team for all transactions.

Media Contact

Globalfundi
Chris Green
Office: +2712 341 2223
Mobile: +2773 797 1047
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

During the early 90’s when I managed various open-pit contract mines on behalf of one of the biggest contract mining companies, I recall that on more than a dozen of open-pit contracts carried out during my tenure, the mine plans issued by the Mining Company were impractical and unsuitable for implementation. Following discussions with several of our competitors at the time, I realized that the aforesaid was not an exception but rather the norm.

Notwithstanding, during 1996 I embarked upon an aggressive approach to address this skill shortage and established Tacmin, with the specific intention to grow a business which focused on closing the gap between technical and practical mining. Based upon observations made following 18 years of servicing mining clients on more than 50 multi-commodity open-pit mines across Africa, I can with regret report that the problem I came across in the early 90’s, very much appears to be still relevant today.

Sadly enough, software companies have constantly attempted to address the problem and in my opinion have succeeded to develop more advanced mine engineering and planning software; to the extent that the industry is now reliant upon “software engineers” to solve problems, while the gap between practical and technical continues to widen. In general, the inefficiencies due to this skill shortage was up until now something that could have been absorbed, however in the current economic climate, mining companies continue to contend with price volatility, geopolitical turmoil, rising costs, declining grades and a general lack of access to financing.

In light of the many ongoing challenges, several industry leaders have urged mining executives to sharpen their focus in order to achieve sustainable productivity improvements and embrace new forms of innovation. While many have turned to uncovering hidden costs and restructuring their supply chain, one of the main areas of focus has been flagged as mine planning, with the aim to create effective mine plans and track daily adherence to production volumes. But how do we overcome this with the lack of skills among miners and lack of accepting responsibility by the mining contractor?

Sometime in the mid 2000’s, I recall sitting in a boardroom of one of the mining companies, owner of at least 5 open-pit mines across Africa at the time, attending presentations by mining experts backed by some of the most advanced software on the market, who presented the most lucrative budget forecasts for the medium term. Our involvement was to audit and test the proposed schedules and plans and regrettably we had to point out that the equipment employed at the time did not have the capability to achieve the production levels which were reported. Aforesaid was further enforced by the CEO then, who stated that he has for years seen everything working on paper, but not on the ground.

Since Tacmin has from inception focused on bridging the gap and making their mine plans, schedules and forecasts happen on the ground (and continue to do so), our customers have without fail always benefited while conformance to our mine plans have consistently remained above 90%. Regrettably, we experienced in most instances that mine plans and schedules compiled by others had to be re-engineered by ourselves prior to implementation. People often ask what is the main contributor to Tacmin’s success in this regard, and I always reply that we apply first principles, take responsibility for implementation and religiously track progress against the design, plan and schedule.

Whilst several mining companies may have already experienced that throwing money at the mine plan has not solved the problem, all is not lost for mine owners. Open-pit mining companies can start to regain control of their operations by ensuring that appropriate monitoring is in place. One does not have to sit and wonder, or experience unsatisfactorily results while not being able to establish what is the true cause to non-conformance. After all, as James Harrington put it “Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement. If you can’t measure something, you can’t understand it. If you can’t understand it, you can’t control it. If you can’t control it, you can’t improve it.” In fact, an increasing number of mining companies, similar to many other industries, are starting to recognize the benefits of aerial monitoring and its ability to provide quick and comprehensive data and visual observation of an entire mine inclusive of its operations.

In light of the increasing demand for Tacmin’s services, the company has since 2013 re-geared itself to rapidly respond to the needs for faster turnaround of open-pit mines and as a result is now better placed than before to assist customers through an unique blend of services that enable them to:

Monitor mining operations: By establishing and making results transparent to all by means of advanced turnkey aerial and mapping solutions, thereby providing clients with ongoing monthly updates of the as- built situation through aerial surveys for an objective comparison of the mining progress and mine plan conformance, bench-marked against reported schedules and costs.

Conduct audits of all technical and production related matters: Assess the practicality of mine plans and schedules as well as the effectiveness of manpower, equipment and resource capability to comply with the anticipated schedule, and plan and present with the aid of aerial collected data, deviations from the mine plan.

Work in close collaboration with mines personnel: Implementing and rolling-out the mine plan and budget while periodically tracking and monitoring progress against the mine plan becomes the ultimate key to success and sustainable improvement. Having a plan but not implementing it, is as good as not having a plan at all. Mine companies need to ensure that on-site personnel and contractors are properly aligned with the plan and able to carry it through. This can be particularly challenging in some instances given the hostility in mining contractor relationships. In such cases, most companies elect to appoint a Client’s representative or independent party who can take up the responsibility of ensuring a smooth implementation.

Tacmin Madini has a considerable track record of appointments as the Client’s Representative / Engineer in numerous mine optimisation and contractor management assignments. In the aforementioned role, Tacmin assumes the responsibility for various functions such as verification, compilation, approval and management of data, contract agreements, engineering designs, mine plan conformance, progress tracking, measurement, certification, budgets and cost.\

Website: www.tacmingroup.com

Aneesa Razack of FNB talks about the importance of not spending that 13th cheque this holiday season. Here is how a Savings or an Investment Account can save you from starting off the New Year on a bad foot.

Johannesburg, South Africa – You've worked hard and with the festive season around the corner, it’s almost time to enjoy the results of your hard work, especially if you are looking forward to a very welcomed bonus or thirteenth cheque.  Before you spend your bonus on holidays, meals out and fun-in-the-sun activities, it is important to take stock and consider your financial situation to prevent starting the New Year off on a bad note.

“Apart from the fact that it’s just a good idea to put aside some of your bonus in an emergency fund to prepare for unforeseen events such as your car or home repairs, or to cover things like school fees and new school uniforms at the start of the year, there are a couple of excellent additional reasons to save a portion of your bonus,” says Aneesa Razack, Head of Strategic Growth at FNB Investment Products.

The South African government wants to help South Africans kick-start a savings routine and is set to launch a tax-free savings incentive in March next year.  “Consider setting aside some of your bonus now and be ready to take full advantage of these benefits when this is launched,” says Razack.

All signs indicate that there will most likely be another interest rate hike in 2015. “While this is going to hurt those of us that have debt, the positive side is you also stand to earn more interest on your savings,” says Razack  

Save now, not later

Decide up front how much of your bonus you want to save and set it aside in a savings account now, before the festive season starts.  “If it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind, and you won’t be tempted to splurge because your bank balance looks so healthy,” explains Razack.

In fact, this is a great tip to apply all year round. Pay yourself first by setting up a direct debit into a savings account at the start of the month. “Say you decide to start your savings habit by giving up your morning coffee on the way to work. That could be around R400 a month. Transfer the money at the beginning of the month before you’ve had a chance to spend it,” continues Razack.    

Choose the right savings account for yourself

Generally you have various options to choose from, such as the amount saved, length of time you save for, and amount of notice you need to give to access your money. These factors can influence the amount of interest you earn and the penalties you will pay if you need access sooner than anticipated.

“Think about why you are saving, what your personal banking habits are and choose accordingly. For instance, if you know you’ll need some money soon, you can still set it aside in a short-term savings account, earning interest, so that you don’t spend it. Or, if you are sure you won’t need the money for some months or even years, forfeit immediate access to it in return for a higher interest rate,” says Razack  

Get rewarded

Make sure your bank’s rewards programme thanks you, for opening a Savings or Investment Account. The benefit of your bank rewarding you, allows you to make your bonus go even further. 

“If you open an FNB Savings or Investment Account, you will increase your reward level points and earn more eBucks. This means you could use your eBucks to purchase discounted gifts this festive season instead of your hard-earned bonus,” notes Razack.

Think about encouraging your friends and family to do the same by giving the gift of actually saving this festive season. “By sharing the savings love, you’ll be doing your bit to encourage a savings culture, and ensure that your friends and family avoid the anxiety and panic of being caught short of cash in the New Year,” concludes Razack.  

For more information contact:

Christine Burrows – Corporate Communications Manager Tel: 087 312 8632, Mobile: 078 355 9390, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

About Company

FNB offers a diverse set of financial products and services including transactional and deposit taking, card acquiring, credit facilities and FNB distribution channels. FNB is structured into clearly demarcated segments. This enables focused business units to develop specialised, innovative technologies and products to meet specific needs. An owner-manager culture directs decision-making in the numerous business units. Autonomy and accountability underscore FNB’s entrepreneurial culture.

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

Interroll SA, partnering with company SICK Automation, for the largest e-tailer, Kalahari.com, recently commissioned a fully automated tote and parcel handling system for the picking, packing and sorting of goods.

The conveyor system manages the in-bound receiving of goods, the put-away and then onto order processing, to finally be automatically sorted to different destinations for the delivery process to follow. "By having such an integrated system, Kalahari.com has been able to meet the increasing demand with ease, build for the future capacity and have complete visibility through the entire processes", says Annes Schreuder, Supply Chain Director.

Hilton Campbell, Managing Director for Interroll SA comments, "Partnering with South Africa's largest eCommerce company and to be part of the build for the growing industry has been a fantastic experience. There were a number of parties involved to satisfy the complete integrated solution, from getting the go-ahead in November last year to having the system in complete operation in middle of August was a fantastic achievement by all parties."

Come to the eCommerce Africa Confex and visit Interroll's stand as they elaborate on conveyor automation in response to the courier express and parcel industries. You will also have the opportunity to receive specialist advice from teams of experts sent by payment solution providers, PayPal with FNB and PayFast, as well as logistics companies, eSolutions by DPD Laser and RAM, to name a few.

The eCommerce Africa Confex takes place on the 3-4 February 2015 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. For more information visit http://www.ecommerce-africa.com or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Aldes Atlantic will be hosting a seminar “The secrets to selling a business successfully”. This seminar will introduce you to the how to of selling your business for sale.

Aldes Atlantic has brought in a panel of experts consisting of Aldes Atlantic business brokers, Business Accounting Networking (BAN), IPROTECT and Business Partners. Each of these organizations are experts in their fields and will cover relevant topics pertaining to selling a business successfully.

Aldes Business Brokers will provide insight into business broking and covers topics of “Doing the sale yourself or hiring a professional”, “What to expect from your business broker”, “Important factors for buying and Factors that affect the value of your business for sale, does your expectation pass the reality check”.

An expert in valuating your business, BAN will cover topics on “How much is your business worth” and “improving your financial health to make the sale of your business more predictable”.

When selling your business, there are legal implications involved in this. Aldes Atlantic has IPROTECT to present on “minimizing tax on the sale of your business” and will your contract of sale save you or sink you”.

Business Partners has been an expert in funding future ventures and presents on “Funding of new acquisitions to improve future selling and what your buyers’ funders will expect from your financials.

The seminar is open to all interested in buying or selling a business and takes place the 11th November 2014.

Visit www.aldesatlantic.co.za for more details on this seminar and how to book your seat.

20/10/2014 – Johannesburg, with over 150 Women SMME’s in attendance, the Inaugural Women in Transport Forum became the highlight of the Gauteng Transport Month Campaign.  

Invigorating discussion with between the private sector, MMC Christine Walters and MEC Dr. Ismail Valdi definitely spoke to the women and encouraged them to employ “think differently” mindset to the sector in order to offer innovation and participation for more women participants in the transport & logistics industry.  

The insightful forum offered over 150 women awareness into how to become more visible in the Transport sector and offered them a better knowledge of the investor cycle and mindset of investors when embarking on funding women transport owned businesses. MMC Christine Walters opened the forum giving her message of thanks to the women and encouraged more women to move past the common barriers and align themselves with orgnaisations that can facilitate and fast track the interaction of women in the sector.  

MEC Dr. Ismail Valdi deliberated a keynote on the road map for Transport in 2015 and urged more women to think big in tackling issues in the Transport Sector. MEC Dr. Valdi and MMC Christine Walters presented the winners of the Women in Transport Forum awards of acknowledgement.   The City of Johannesburg and the Gauteng Department of Road sand Transport awarded 5 women the award of acknowledgement. The awards were a token of appreciation for the role the women are playing in community upliftment through job creation while being able to transform the industry through their respective organization.     As we unpack and address the issues facing women in the transport sector, the Women in Transport Forum aims to engage more women in the sector that looks to create sustainability women in transport while drive the economic agenda.  

For additional information, please contact Yasmine Kazadi at 011 027 5842 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About Mercatique Consulting  

Mercatique Consulting is a 100% Black Owned B-BBEE Level 1 Communications Firm, focusing on providing primarily the finest Marketing, Media, Publicity, Events, Communications and Project Management Solutions for Small, Medium, Micro and Large organizations, both locally and internationally with a global reach and an exciting service offering, delivering innovative ideas across the continent and the globe.   We are dedicated, creative thinkers, which bring this association to life, offering clients a one stop offering, extending a message to a wider audience.   As a service company, our people are our most important asset and it is their contributions which drive the ongoing success of our organisation. www.mercatiqueconsulting.co.za

The transport sector has been highlighted by the government as a key contributor to South Africa's competitiveness in global markets and government has unveiled plans to tremendously increase its spend on improving the country's roads, railways and ports. As part of the solution it’s important to promote collaboration and coalition building among women entrepreneurs as a way to develop women in the industry as well as to advocate policy actions that support this.

As transport month draws closer, Mercatique Consulting in association with Women Economic Forum will be hosting The Women in Transport Forum, a one day medium where ideas and views on creating opportunities and addressing skills gap for woman in Transport sector will be addressed.

“Wits Centre for Entrepreneurship (CfE) has partnered with Mercatique Consulting on this event. CfE welcomes this opportunity and looks forward to its full development and successful implementation.” Chimene Chetty, Director, Wits Centre for Entrepreneurship

The Women in Transport Forum is a platform for all leading organizations and government to discuss possible implementation strategies and provide solutions to the challenges currently faced by women in the sector. If you’d like to RSVP or find out about the forum, Please contact Calvin Ncube on 011 027 5842 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Forum Details:

Date: Thursday 16 October 2014
Time: 08:00 - 17:00
Venue: Donald Gordon Auditorium, 2 St. David’s Place, Parktown, Gauteng

Contact Person

Calvin Ncube
Tel: 011 027 5842
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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.