As a Director or Shareholder, it’s important that you are familiar with the changes that the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI), National Credit Act, Companies Act, 2008 and King III has on your business. Get to grips with what is required of you as a director in your business. The International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW) in partnership with the Department of Trade & Industry (the dti) invite you to attend their Empowerment seminar that will educate and inform you about how to comply with these regulations.  Delegates will receive a Certificate of Attendance from the dti and BPW confirming their participation of the event.

The seminar will take place in Johannesburg from 1-3 October from 09h30 to 17h00. Attendance at the seminar will cost R12 000 for the 3 days excluding VAT, transport and accommodation.  Please note that cancellation fees will be incurred once you have confirmed your booking.   

In keeping with its core aims, and due to popular demand, BPW has garnered the support of top legal experts to assist you in gaining valuable insight into a rapidly changing branch of corporate law. Both men and women are encouraged to attend.  

BPW is an international businesswomen’s organisation founded 81 years ago in Geneva, Switzerland. BPW is recognised as the largest and most influential international network of business and professional women, with affiliates in 100+ countries on five continents. We have over 500 000 members internationally which include women leaders, entrepreneurs, business owners, executives, professionals and young career women.  BPW has had Consultative Status with the United Nations through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1947 and participatory status with the Council of Europe and works in partnership with the Commonwealth Business Council.  BPW South Africa has partnered with the dti in South Africa.  

BPW has the ambition to make the equal participation of women and men in power and decision-making roles a reality through capacity- and confidence-building. Through hosting this seminar together with the dti, BPW is leading the way by enriching the knowledge base of directors and stakeholders when it comes to taking responsibility in a corporate setting.

For more information on topics or to make your booking
visit: http://www.bpw-jhbsa.co.za/index.php/events/30-future-events/98-business-training-courses
or

Contact:
Toni Gomes
Tel: (011) 794-4991
Cell: 083 212 9134
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.bpw-jhbsa.co.za

So, he asked you the big question and you said ‘I do’!

Now it’s time for the planning! You’ve searched the internet, spent hours on Pinterest and poured over bridal magazines looking for inspiration, now it’s time to visit The Wedding Expo® to meet the experts who will turn your dreams into reality!

The who's who of the wedding industry will showcase everything a bride needs for her special day, and more! As a bride-to-be, you will be able to plan your day down to the finest detail at The Wedding Expo®.   

Be blown away by everything from sensational table décor and breathe-taking wedding gowns, to elegant jewellery and picture-perfect honeymoon destinations. Speak to some of South Africa’s top wedding planners, photographers and caterers and get expert advice on financial and legal matters. With 300 premier exhibitors, it’s easy to see why The Wedding Expo® is the South African Bride’s favourite bridal event! The Wedding Expo® is the best place for you and your fiancé to meet the wedding industry, be inspired by the perfect bridal look on the daily fashion show, enter competitions and plan your special day. So, put us in your diary so that you don’t miss out on the one place that you will be able to get all your planning done.  

Event details:

Date: 6 and 7 September 2014

Venue: Coca-Cola dome, Northgate, Johannesburg

Cost: R120.00 per person

Fashion shows: 1h00, 12h00 and 14h00, 1500 daily

Competition draws: 12h30 and 15h30 daily

Funama Wedding Exhibition heading for Polokwane. 

The 2nd Annual Funama Wedding Exhibition will take place on Saturday, 26th July 2014 at the Jack Botes Hall in Polokwane Limpopo.  The prestigious exhibition is a show of fresh wedding ideas all under one roof saving visitors hours of time spent travelling and searching for wedding suppliers. The exhibitors promise a display of the best wedding products and services available.

“The expo includes wedding gowns, groom suits, cakes, cosmetics, accessories, catering, beauticians, florists, photographers and many other wedding related services.  Future brides, grooms and families looking for wedding service providers are in for a fun filled day with loads of ideas that will help turn any fairy tale dream wedding into a reality. Legend Lodges, Hotels & Resorts, our main prize sponsor is giving couples a chance to win a wedding venue of their choice in Limpopo valued at R20 000.  Other exhibitors are offering happy memorable prizes that include wedding gowns, groom suits, cakes, cosmetics and many more. The expo is a great platform for small business owners to market and promote their services” says Masetha Serakoana, CEO of Funama Productions.

To end the day off visitors will be treated to an evening event with renowned motivational speakers giving inspired advice on relationships and marriage, a wine tasting experience and entertainment by Nia Pearl.   Funama Productions is a media and communications company that specialises in exhibition production services focusing on projects that promote and empower small businesses.   Entrance to the Funama Wedding Exhibition for visitors is R50.00 per person, doors open at 9am.

For further information, please contact:
Masetha Serakoana
E-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Telephone 086 111 1471
www.funama.co.za 

Joining the theme of the 2014 International Mandela Day, “Living the Legacy”, the Spur Foundation has embarked on a countrywide initiative, “Spur Salutes You” to honour the commendable leaders in the communities they support.

“As these women are the backbone and leaders of the community and often the ones whose efforts go unnoticed, we have decided that it is time to recognise them, like we are able to recognise Nelson Mandela’s leadership, love, forgiveness and work to change the world for the better,” says Chairperson of the Spur Foundation and Chief Financial Officer of Spur Corporation Limited, Ronel van Dijk.

The Foundation was born out of the desire to uplift and improve the lives of South African families, with a special emphasis on nourishing and nurturing children, and aims to put smiles on the faces of those who need it most – the children of South Africa. Without leaders like the ones the Spur Foundation is saluting, Spur will not have been able to achieve the remarkable success in changing lives that it has.

Generous Spur franchisees have joined hands with the Spur Foundation to contribute towards the identified needs of selected charities in the major provinces. This includes basic needs like bedding, mattresses, baby milk, repainting, curtains, slippers, cutlery and crockery, toys, basic furniture and food.

The leaders and servers that will be recognised through various media channels, like the Spur website and social media are:

Gauteng

The Gauteng leaders, all based in Alexandra, form part of the ASHA (African Self Help Association) Trust. The Spur Foundation will be recognising:

Alice Komane – Happy Hours Day Care
Dineo Phala – Mante Day Care
Emily Mahlobo – Owethu Day Care
Faith Ballintulo – Pure Day Care
Fikile Nkambule – Sunshine Day Care
Itumeleng Khumalo – Phila Day Care
Lindiwe Moakale – Enjabulweni Day Care
Nthabiseng Mabaso – Arethabeng Day Care
Smangele Malinga – Siyakhula Day Care
Zanele Mothupi – Dreamers Day Care

Western Cape
Victoria Mangqwengqwe – Umnqophiso Pre-Primary School, Lwandle, Strand, Cape Town
Maria Solomons – Solomon’s Haven, Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town

Eastern Cape
Karen Hermanus - Inn Safe Hands, Port Elizabeth

KwaZulu-Natal
Thina Hlophe – Durban Children’s Home 

The Spur Foundation was founded on Mandela Day in 2012, with an initial R670 000 donation from the Spur Group. This resonates with the ‘67 minute’ theme of Mandela Day and also recognised the founding of the Spur Family in 1967.

“We have recognised leaders who operate with little money, restricted resources and limited manpower, but who make a real difference and personify our Foundation’s slogan Nourish, Nurture, Now! ,” Van Dijk adds.

This International Mandela Day initiative of the Spur Foundation forms part of the Foundation’s support of various initiatives throughout the year. For more information on the Foundation and their beneficiaries, go to www.spurfoundation.co.za.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

NAME:          Ronel van Dijk, Chairperson of the Spur Foundation and Chief Financial Officer of Spur Corporation Limited
TEL:             021-555 5100
E-MAIL:       This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
WEBSITE:    http://www.spurfoundation.co.za
TWITTER:    @SpurRestaurant #SpurSalutesYou
FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/SpurSteakRanches

With the current recession and reportedly South Africa in billion’s rand of debt including major corporations and banks feeling the pinch it has left our economy in bad state of financial affairs, which business owners and government aren’t willing to admit. The solution XTI Recoveries a debt collection firm with a unique approach to debt collection believes that businesses and government need to use debt collection as a means of recovering debt.

After a recent survey XTI Recoveries has found speaking to accountants and ex directors how businesses are dealing with losses and the shocking response? They either write off debts or hand over matters to attorneys which take months to recover adding on thousands of rand’s to have the debt recovered which is leading to liquidations and insolvency indicators of unpaid debt. The number of voluntary business liquidations increased by 71 % in 2014‚ while compulsory liquidations increased by 20 % over this period. This left XTI Recoveries puzzled why, would a business that currently has debt, create more debt, and the answer?

Business owners aren’t educated about the benefits of debt collectors nor do they trust them with their “bad books”.In the USA the leading economy President Obama has included in legislation the grave need and financial benefits of debt collectors towards the economy. “U.S. debt collection agencies were estimated to directly create $495 million of federal tax, $289 million of state tax and $221 million of local tax, for a combined tax impact of more than $1 billion.”XTI Recoveries believe that their unique business model and approach to debt collection is the future to minimize debts for the economy.

South Africans especially SME’s and start ups need to be educated about the benefits of debt collection. As SME’s and start ups are crucial future economic contributors to the economy. SME’s currently contribute 70% towards job creation, XTI recoveries feels strongly about assisting SME’s in minimising debt. 

For queries contact XTI Recoveries on:
Notes for editor Christi will be available for interview or any further queries upon scheduling

Contact details:
Christi Du-Plooy (owner)
Tel: 011 794 9877
Mobile 082 073 0594
Email 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.

They are in South African companies and industries right now, although they may not be part of traditional networks and are unlikely to be present at the higher levels of management in the same numbers as men.  It is for this reason that BPW SA and the Department of Trade & Industry (the dti) have partnered in an unrivalled “Women on Boards” director development programme to create a pool of female leaders in SA who are excellently trained and are therefore highly sought after by Boards.  

Most people today have no knowledge about the makeup of corporate boards, even in the companies they work for. These people would be surprised to learn how little diversity of thought and experience exists in the corporate boardrooms and executive suites of South African businesses. Why should you care about board composition? Boards of directors make decisions that can impact you, your community, and the country.  That’s why it’s important that membership on corporate boards be representative of a company's constituents.

Boards of directors choose CEOs. They make decisions about executive compensation, whether to buy, sell, or merge with other companies, where corporate offices close and relocate, and how much priority a company gives to issues other than profits, such as social responsibility.  

Our Women on Boards programme will give you the expertise and exposure needed to be part of the right networks.  It is an eight-part program — strategically placed over the course of 8 months, due to the complexity of the material — equips women with the knowledge and tools needed to elevate themselves to the C-suite and beyond.  In a supportive and highly interactive atmosphere, an impressive roster of top government and corporate experts will guide skilled female executives through a rigorous program of intensive classroom instruction, case studies and simulations. Every element of the program is focused on strengthening and broadening the leadership talents of the participants and delivering positive results for their companies and organizations.  They will improve their understanding of the responsibilities of board membership and develop the skills and strategic insight needed to become a more effective director.     They will improve their understanding of board governance while heightening their financial literacy and increasing their understanding of relevant legislation.  Amongst others, specialist training is also provided by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) with regard to corporate governance and understanding of JSE terminology and the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) (London) who will impart their expertise on personal and reputational risk.  The dti will convey their expectations of board members and corporate experts will present, and execute simulations, on media and presentation skills to enhance leadership effectiveness. The programme is certified by the dti.  

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

Business & Professional Women (BPW SA), and the Department of Trade & Industry (the dti) are hosting a business breakfast on 7th August 2014 to launch a unique 3-day Women’s Empowerment Programme in South Africa to provide registered SME’s with the legislative knowledge required to effectively run their business within the parameters of South African law.  

The breakfast is hosted by DDG Mr Mojalefa Mohoto and DDG Mrs Pumla Ncapayi from the DTI and BPW South Africa as well as senior representatives from the JSE and UN-Women and the Commonwealth Business Council.  Various international Ambassadors and High Commissioners will host tables at the event.  A sponsorship fund will be launched at the breakfast for qualifying enterprises.  

Organisations of all sizes in South Africa need to develop and apply sound governance, risk and compliance principles and institute high ethical values. Failure to do so will have devastating consequences for the organisation, including penalties.   For SMEs, the biggest challenge is a lack of understanding around the difficulties associated with becoming compliant.   Understanding the ever-changing regulations makes the difference between a small business thriving – growing the economy and creating jobs – or closing its doors, and thus closing the door on job creation.  

Simply put, you need to know your laws. Know your rights and obligations. In this way you mitigate risk to yourself, your business, your employees and your customers. If done well, it helps to improve business performance and ensure financial success.   If you would like to be part of this Women’s Empowerment Programme, we invite you to join us at this Business Breakfast – tickets are R500 per person or R5000 per table of 10.   

For more information, or to attend the Business Breakfast,
please visit our website at http://www.bpw-jhbsa.co.za/index.php/events/30-future-events/98-business-training-courses.
Website: www.bpw-jhbsa.co.za

In association with Rexel Office Products South Africa, the Association for Office Professionals of South Africa’s search for South Africa’s supreme office professional is now underway.

The winner will be recognised for their achievement with the title of the best office professional in South Africa and a host of prizes including a R15 000 cash prize, courtesy of Rexel Office Products South Africa and a place at Office SA, South Africa’s most innovative conference for office professionals ( sponsored by Siyanqoba Private FET College).

The OPSA/Rexel SA National Office Professional of the Year Award is South Africa’s longest running and most prestigious award for administrative professionals in South Africa. Now its 32nd year, it offers a unique opportunity to acknowledge office professionals who show a high level of initiative, a commitment to developing the profession and mentoring others and a strong understanding of the way in which business works.

“Rexel Office Products has been the proud sponsor of the OPSA SA National Office Professional of the Year Award for the last six years. The Office Professional of the Year Awards programme serves to acknowledge and reward skill and competence in the office environment. High capacity  PA’s and Office Managers play an important part in the overall success of any organization. We further recognise and respect the role that these individuals play as decision makers in the procurement of office supplies. It is therefore our aim to ensure that they are kept informed and have access to the latest stationery and office products, which are designed to help them increase productivity with minimum effort,” says Bill Bayley, Managing Director of Rexel Office Products South Africa.

Judging combines a peer review panel in the early rounds made up of previous winners of the competition, judging by a panel of experts and voting by OPSA members. The winner will be announced on Secretaries Day which takes place on 3 September 2014. Office professionals can enter themselves or be nominated by their boss or a colleague. 

The application form is available for download on the OPSA website (www.ops.org.za).  All applications and nominations need to be received by 15 July.   For further information visit: www.opsa.org.za or call the Award Convener Samantha Brown on (012) 993 0881 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On 11 May 2014, from 12h00, Hotel Izulu, situated in Ballito KZN, will host an exquisite Mother’s Day buffet lunch for guests to enjoy with their Moms. The Executive Chef will create a 3 course signature buffet menu for just R220.00 per person.

For starters guests can enjoy smoked salmon and rocket salad with lemon dressing, prawn and cucumber sushi, carrot and orange soup, chicken and black olive paté and aubergine, pepper and bacon parcels.  

Mains will include confit duck open lasagne, beef sirloin and wild mushroom skewers, Thai green chicken curry, sage roasted pumpkin, buttered seasonal vegetables, cous-cous with hazelnuts, thyme baby potatoes and roasted tomato sauce.   Indulge in a selection of sweet desserts including passion fruit crème brûlée, fresh fruit Pavlova with vanilla cream and dark chocolate mousse.  

At the award-winning Impilo Spa, be pampered with a 30 minute back massage, pedicure and facial for only R850.00. This special package is valid until the end of May.  

Reservations Essential:  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. or 032 946 3444

{pp}Braids, Hair Extensions and Dreadlocks have become the latest trend in hair styling and growing in popularity. Improper removal of these hair styles have increased hair loss and hair thinning, according to Take Down Products Africa Ltd.