New B-BBEE codes present opportunity for growth and sustainability  

As corporate South Africa digests the impact of the new B-BBEE codes which come into play on 1 April 2015, a new debate is emerging. This is one of transformation versus job creation and is by no means an easy challenge to resolve. This is the view of Zain Patel, Operations Director: Domestic at Merchants, Southern Africa’s largest and oldest business process outsourcing (BPO) and customer experience specialist.  

Under the new codes, it will be more difficult for organisations to improve their ratings without taking the necessary steps towards transformation. In addition to that, according to the new mandate, wherever a government incentive is paid out, it will now become a requirement that the codes are taken into account. This will have a significant impact on the offshore industry as an organisation’s B-BBEE rating will have a direct impact on whether their clients qualify for the incentives.  

The need for transformation and job creation in South Africa is a reality that cannot be ignored. “As Merchants the approach we have chosen to take is that of transformation,” says Patel. “While we acknowledge that some people will be negatively affected by the required transformation, we do believe job creation will follow.”  

“Transformation is not just about process, but more so about the people affected by it,” he says. “It’s about driving change that has a positive long term and sustainable impact on lives, creating opportunities for more individuals to become economically active.”  

Patel believes this is an extremely complex issue that cuts across industries and which might be easier for some organisations to overcome than others. “As an established business in South Africa, we have a strong foundation in building an environment that allows people to grow through the ranks with our reputable skills development programmes. Through these programmes we are continuously fast-tracking the development of individuals to move them into leadership positions.”  

Merchants has also successfully partnered with Harambee, an organisation which sources, trains and places unemployed young people from disadvantaged backgrounds into first-time jobs. This partnership allows young people to acquire the skills they need to enter the workplace, while growing the local talent pool for the industry. “This goes a long way in bridging the gap between our unemployed youth and the needs of our organisation. If more organisations took this route we would see tremendous improvement in our country’s unemployment statistics and it is a responsibility that should be shared among corporates in South Africa.”  

According to Patel, those hardest hit will be the big international outsourcers, which is a challenge as the increase in outsource providers in the country has had a positive effect. “The increase in the number of outsource service providers not only lends more credibility to South Africa as an offshore destination of choice, but also increases the number of people marketing the country to potential investors and provides choice to those customers already considering South Africa,” he says. “All of these are great for job creation and developing a healthy, sustainable BPO sector. This is critical in enabling the industry to have a long term impact on the country’s economy and drive down unemployment.”  

“While we may not have all the answers just yet, we cannot afford to pitch transformation against job creation. We know that transformation is necessary, therefore it is up to the industry as a whole to find that middle ground that allows us to transform while still creating much needed jobs for the country,” Patel concludes.

Foscam would like to issue a warning as we go into the silly season.

Christmas is such a magical time of year... lots to be thankful for and wonderful parties to attend. Some of us are lucky enough to get away for a change of scenery. Those of us who stay at home may tend to have a more relaxed outlook on life. But please, beware, criminals are most likely to strike when given half the opportunity, when your guard is down or even better, when a home is empty.

Foscam, leaders in surveillance cameras supply households and companies alike with security cameras that send live footage directly to your cellphone or web browser.

Foscam IP cameras, or in lamans terms, ‘internet cameras’, simply require a wifi signal that they can pick up on where they are installed (either ADSL or by means of 3G), and a standard electric point. Once the camera is configured, download an app to your smartphone and no matter where you are in the world, you will be able to login and monitor your most prized assets.

So if you are going on holiday this December, or simply want to beef up your security, why not take a look at our website, www.foscam.co.za where you can purchase your security cameras online. We deliver countrywide and sell a wide range of indoor and outdoor security cameras to suit your needs.

Foscam South Africa
Tel: 011 4695165
www.foscam.co.za

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.

MAMMOTH BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE (BI) NAMES LAUREN SHANTALL (PTY) LTD AS ITS PREFERRED COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY FOR BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND BIG DATA CONFERENCE

Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd is proud to be managing the social media and communications for the two-day Mammoth BI Conference held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on November 17 – 18, 2014. The two-day conference and workshop will house some of the world’s foremost thought leaders in Business Intelligence, Big Data and Analytics.

The Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd stable of clients also include top local décor and lifestyle brands such Plascon, Inhouse Brand Architects, Willowlamp, Indigenus, GreenFin/MediFin and Probio. Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd provides an integrated communications offering, spanning social, digital and traditional marketing and perception management, also focusing on design and environmental clients.

Head of Business Intelligence at Saratoga, Mammoth BI Founder and Curator and self-proclaimed alchemist at TEDx Cape Town, Jason Haddock said, ‘The focus for the Mammoth BI Conference is to build a strong BI community in South Africa, dispel myths around conventional ideas on Big Data, create, and harvest a local community understanding in Business Intelligence’.

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY: Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd

17 and 18 November 2014 will be key days for not only South Africa’s Business Intelligence community, but for anyone who wants to learn how Big Data and Analytics can bring big business results. These are the dates set for Cape Town to host Mammoth BI (http://mammothbi.co.za), a dynamic 2-day conference themed ‘Big Data in Action’ that will see global thought leaders and local experts share their insights in an exciting new IT conferencing model!

The conference aims to myth-bust conventional ideas of Big Data and Analytics and to create an informed local community understanding the latest in Business Intelligence. Speakers include prominent local business leaders and global industry heavyweights including a trio of top PhD’s - Marc Smith (Chief Social Scientist at Connected Action Consulting Group in Silicon Valley), Eric Siegel (author of best-selling publication “Predictive Analytics”), and Data Warehousing Analyst Barry Devlin (author of the book “Business UnIntelligence”). They’ll be joining a significant line-up of handpicked heavyweights that sees Anthony Miller (CEO of Lightstone Group) and Dr Jasper Horrell (General Manager for Science Computing at the Square Kilometer Array, or SKA) sharing insights from their wealth of industry expertise. 

Jason Haddock, founder of Mammoth BI and a member of the TEDx Cape Town team, will ensure that this is no ordinary conference. Drawing from his experience with TEDx, he has implemented an unconventional, interactive approach to the event. Speakers will need to deliver key thoughts in no more than 20 minutes and workshops will be held throughout the conference. The workshops will facilitate networking and a practical understanding of Business Intelligence and Analytics. 

With tickets selling for only R700, the conference aims to appeal to not only IT specialists and general businesses but also to students. Education, collaboration and the desire to make the notion of Big Data accessible has been the organizer’s focus. What’s more Mammoth BI is giving away 100 free tickets to students as further evidence of its commitment to boosting education.

The conference is a must for anyone who wishes to know how to practically adopt Big Data, BI and Analytics to work towards their competitive advantage. Keynote presentations will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, with breakaway workshops to be held at other venues in the city, to be announced as part of the conference programme. Watch http://mammothbi.co.za for real-time updates on speakers and venues. And remember; don’t think big, think MAMMOTH!   Tickets are available online at MammothBI or through Quicket.

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: 17 & 18 November 2014 Main Programme

Venue:  Cape Town International Convention Centre Workshop

Venues: To be Announced as part of the conference programme

More info: http://mammothbi.co.za

[ENDS]

About Mammoth BI:

Mammoth BI - http://mammothbi.co.za - is a two-day ‘Big Data in Action’ Conference. The event, hosted in Cape Town on the 17th and 18th of November 2014, will bring global industry experts together with local leaders to share the latest in Business Intelligence.  

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY: Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd

Contact:
Leon Jamarie
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel: 021 685 1382

[SEPTEMBER 2014, Cape Town] Recent news reports revealed that according to Minister of Basic Education, Ms. Angie Motshekga’s response to parliamentary questions, over half a million learners are registered to write the Grade 12 final exams across South Africa this year.  

Whilst many look at this statistic with encouragement that such a large number of learners are seeing it through to Grade 12, other experts and opinion leaders are a little bit concerned because this is an indication of the volume of learners that will need to enter the job market in the coming year.  

The most recent youth unemployment statistics recorded South Africa’s youth unemployment at a staggering high of 36%. At the opening of the Youth Employment Conference in September, Deputy President, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned in a video-taped message that government is looking at employment tax incentives to encourage employers to employ first time employees - in other words school leavers and university graduates. This is one of the ways that government is looking at addressing the youth unemployment issue.  

The vision of SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation which was formed in 2011 is to cultivate and promote the entrepreneurial spirit in all South African teenagers, whilst still at school. One of the richest teens in the world with a net worth of over U$30 million is 18 year old Nick D'Aloisio a self-made millionaire. He invented an app and sold it to Yahoo, a move which catapulted him into business. There are others like Nick across the world who with their enquiring minds have the ability to come up with innovative ideas that could be life-changing for individuals and business alike.  

Under the leadership of Lydia Zingoni, the SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation has been running a number of workshops, seminars and competitions with high schoolers to encourage entrepreneurial thinking and nurture their ideas. The newest initiative that will launch on 28 October 2014 at Bishops Diocesan College in Rondebosch is the launch of the High School Entrepreneur Societies. The underpinning body for all these societies will be the Association of South African High School Entrepreneur Societies, a Teen Entrepreneur Foundation initiative. The vision is to grow entrepreneurs and business leaders at all high schools in South Africa through planting entrepreneur clubs and societies in each high school in the country.  

There are 27 000 high schools across South Africa.  If each high school across the country embraces this vision, it means that 27 000 entrepreneurial hotspots can be formed across the country. Each entrepreneurial society will be encouraged to come up with business concepts that improve their communities. As such, the ripple effect is that through encouraging entrepreneurial teens to explore their ideas at a young age, a generation of employers will graduate from school and each community around the school will benefit from the impact of the business activities of these societies.    

“Whilst this is a lofty vision, it is something we feel is desperately needed and can be achieved,” said Lydia Zingoni, Founder & Director of The SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation.  “The staggering youth unemployment statistics are a stark reminder that we need to implement programmes that will make youth employable when they leave school and possibly even make them employers from a young age already,” she continued.  

The launch event is open to parents, teachers, business & political leaders and learners who are interested to join forces with SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation and play an active part in supporting South African youth to playing an active role in the economy. There is no cost to attend but bookings are essential as space is limited.   For more information about the launch or to book your seat please contact Nadia Snyders on 021 447 6183 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We are thrilled to announce that both the public and private sectors appear to recognize the value of board diversity as BPW SA has been approached in the last month alone, to assist with eleven board vacancies for women on our Register.  Women and men have different interests and perspectives in important areas, and boards are starting to see the importance of utilising these varying experiences to tackle the tremendous challenges. 

BPW SA and the Department of Trade & Industry (the dti) want boards of directors to widen the search for talent by looking beyond the traditional pool of executives and bring new potential to light.  It is for this reason that we have joined forces to provide a Women on Boards programme to create a Register of female leaders in South Africa who are excellently trained and, as a result, are highly sought after by Boards.  After all, why on earth would you voluntarily exclude half the smart people?

Our first group of 19 senior women, all thoroughly trained through our 9-month Women on Boards director development programme and certified by the dti, are now available on our register of Board Potential Women Directors and we urge companies to contact us for potential female directors.

Seven of our graduates are in line for board interviews , many have been interviewed by the media – both radio and magazines – and all will be profiled in the KZN Chamber of Commerce Power Book (2015). As an ongoing service to the graduates, BPW SA continues to raise their profile in an effort to access suitable board placements.  We have proven that board diversity is not a supply problem, but rather a demand problem.

BPW SA is proud to announce that we have incorporated an international module into the Women on Boards programme.  Business acumen - incorporating business finance and strategy - a must in today’s complex landscape. Business acumen is a keen understanding of what it takes for an organization to make money.  It combines financial literacy – the ability to interpret numbers on financial statements – with business literacy – recognizing how strategies and decisions impact these numbers.  Call it a sophisticated business simulation. Call it an exercise in experiential learning. Or call it a board game. Whatever you label it, the simple fact is that the training is fun and will gives participants a true competitive edge.

A recent Women on Board graduate, Tebogo Maziya, who holds a Masters degree in Science, a postgraduate diploma in finance and a B Comm degree says the nine-month journey has been fulfilling. “I learnt there’s a risk and that that risk is manageable. So it’s important for the board to be transparent and accountable and for a board member to be aware of decisions made because they will be held accountable.”  Another graduate, Amantha Maharaj, a BSc electrical engineering graduate with an MBA, who works a top management level at an engineering consultancy says of the programme: “It teaches one to know how a board is structured, what to do, and questions one needs to ask when sitting on a board. It also teaches business risk and how one should view business from a higher level. It was certainly value for money.”

For more information about our Women on Boards Programme, please visit our website at www.bpw-jhbsa.co.za or contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (011) 794-4991.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Aldes Business Brokers, the largest business brokerage in South Africa with more than forty franchises around the country, has held their annual conference in March to honor their most successful franchisees. Aldes Atlantic, a Cape Town based Aldes franchise, has walked away with the top franchisee honors for the second year running.

“We've had another great year in 2013” said Andrew Hubbard, the franchise principal. “When it comes to the sale of a business, we make extensive use of the internet to drive our marketing and it has really worked well for us.” Spending heavily on Google Ad words, Aldes Atlantic is in a league of their own when it comes to marketing businesses for sale on the internet.

Aldes Atlantic has developed a proprietary web-based software system to handle the thousands of inquiries they receive during the year. This enables them to match buyers and sellers in a well-structured way with no-one falling through the cracks of forgotten tasks. Their software caters for automated email responses with matched links to various businesses for sale.

Recently Aldes Atlantic employed the services of digital marketing specialists’ puzhr.com to increase their generic search results. Having experienced the power of Google through their Ad words campaign, the next milestone is to drive even more buyers and sellers to their website via generic search results. “We are really happy engaging with puzhr.com as they fully understand the place of digital marketing in the sales process. They are a top class digital marketing agency who has taken time to understand the intricacies business brokers deal with daily.

” Having recently moved to new upmarket offices in Century City, Aldes Atlantic is poised for another good year in 2014. “We believe that credit constraints will ease in 2014 making it easier for buyers to fund purchases and to grow acquired businesses. This in turn will drive employment growth, something very necessary for South Africa.

” To find out how Aldes Atlantic can help you buy or sell a business visit their website at www.aldesatlantic.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.

Woman of today have realized that getting their period every month is, well I guess, just the way life goes. In 1996, Instead, Inc. pioneered a new alternative to tampons and pads with the development and release of its innovative Softcup.

Now in 2014, Maybe MOM is proud to announce that they have made this product tagged ‘The Next Generation of Period Protection' available to the South African market. Maybe MOM Instead Softcup gives you 12-hour wear time, comfort and convenience during your period allowing ladies to live life without interruptions.

Softcup is a flexible cup that is worn internally, around your cervix. It collects, rather than absorbs menstrual flow. It's hypo-allergenic, latex-free and completely safe when used as directed. Softcup has gained popularity for its many advantages over traditional methods of feminine protection including greater safety, longer wear-time, and clean sex during “that time of the month. Softcup can be worn during any activity including sports, swimming and sleeping.  Use one reusable Softcup for up to three cycles, which makes it Easy on the Earth and Easy on the wallet retailing in stores for only R49.99.

More than 200 million Softcups have been sold since the product’s introduction in America in 1996, and there has never been a reported incidence of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). In extensive laboratory testing Softcup did not promote the growth of the bacteria that causes TSS. Softcup does not change the body’s natural environment nor does it alter the body’s pH levels, natural bacteria levels or absorb the body’s moisture. “It allows me to use the softcup until the last day of my period, even when my flow may be little to none, it’s comfortable and does not cause dryness or irritation” says Amanda, owner of Maybe MOM South Africa.

“Because the Softcup was uniquely designed for the modern-day woman, it has grown tremendously and developed staying power in the American market, proving an excellent alternative to tampons and pads,” said Joseph Pike, CEO of Instead. Women have embraced the concept of the Softcup because of the greater flexibility and control it gives them over their lives.  In fact, when the Softcup is not offered somewhere, women seek it out rather than buy the alternatives.

The Softcup is an FDA-approved, reusable menstrual product made from a non-absorbent, non irritating polymeric material that has been used for over 20 years in health care products such as catheters and baby bottle nipples and contains no latex. It has undergone extensive toxicology, bio-compatibility and microbiological tests as well as human clinical testing, and contains no drying chemicals or fibers. 

12-Hour Period Protection, Instead Softcup is a proven advancement in period protection. Try it and you'll see how it fits into your busy life.  

For more information and to purchase contact (Wholesale enquiries welcome)  Facebook: www.facebook/maybe mom.com / Website:  www.aeadistribution.co.za /Your nearest Checkers and Checkers Hyper stores as well as Medi Rite Pharmacy’s    For Interviews: Amanda or Elie Kouaiky /Tel:   +2783 2928292 / +2782 8881816 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.