As we see 2016 draw to an end, we are entering a new era of quiet, self-reflective luxury where inspiration is drawn from the natural world. Leaders in the décor, design and lifestyle industry, Decorex SA has encapsulated the 2017 trends in its theme ‘Make your space your living dream’, with the expos – being held in Durban, Cape Town and Joburg - creating a platform for this revitalised concept. Sian Cullingworth, Portfolio Director, explained: “The 2017 trends push us to take time out from the plugged-in world where the constant interaction with electronics surrounds us with a non-stop buzz of mental and physical interference. By disentangling ourselves from the live-wire environment, we will find solace in our dream living space, a space of nurturing fulfilment where textured furnishings, soothing hues and cosy nooks revitalise the soul and mind, rebooting us for the outside world.” Interior inspiration Drawing from the Danish ethos of ‘hygge’, the 2017 trend embraces a more centred, calm lifestyle where warmth and wellbeing are elevated within our own spaces, allowing us to achieve a continuous sense of comfort and happiness through a form of escapism. In an attempt to create this serene space, natural energy is harnessed through the notion of ‘biomimicry’. This movement emulates nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies within the human world as a way to seek sustainable solutions. Within the arena of interiors, this translates into natural colours, textures and patterns within the home COLOUR COMFORTS White on white Starting with a clean slate, this crisp look is powered by the desire to switch off, protecting ourselves from the barrage of noise that accompanies the outside world. An indicator of emotional wellbeing, white promotes this notion of replenishing seclusion that connects the 2017 trends. “This ethereal, almost intangible décor echoes an urge to discover the inaccessible while liberating ourselves from manmade conventions . . .
Could employee health problems endanger your staff and your business?
The importance of basic healthcare check-ups cannot be over estimated, particularly in the workplace, where unhealthy individuals may pose a risk to themselves and others, as well as a business’s bottom line. “Nowadays, most people are aware of the health risks that relatively common conditions such as diabetes, abnormal blood pressure, heart disease and associated medical problems pose for the affected individual,” says Lizette Bester, executive at employee risk management company, Agility Corporate. “Unfortunately, the dangers presented by a number of lifestyle diseases may have consequences for others, especially when the sufferer works in a high risk environment, operating potentially dangerous equipment or heavy machinery. Often such jobs are inherently stressful, which may exacerbate underlying health problems,” she adds. “We might not like to think about the potential practical implications of undiagnosed and untreated health conditions, but these things can and do happen. Consider the example of a driver operating a heavy vehicle in an industrial setting who loses consciousness due to low blood pressure, or suffers a heart attack while he or she is behind the wheel. “The first concern is, naturally, for the individual. In addition, this staff member’s sudden medical crisis may well cause them to lose control of the vehicle they are handling, thereby endangering their colleagues or others. “Apart from the human tragedy that can result from just one such incident, the employer may face expenses from irreparable damage to expensive equipment, production time lost, sick leave, and even recruitment costs. With a little foresight, however, these dire safety threats can be mitigated,” Bester asserts. These are among the reasons why adults should have routine health screenings, including blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol tests, at least once a year, or every six months for high-risk individuals. Blood pressure Blood pressure . . .
Five ways to become a Barloworld Change-maker
Barloworld has honoured the ‘change-makers’ across the company in a ceremony to celebrate the people at the core of the business and those that bring the company’s vision – to create a world of difference – to life. “Change-makers are people who not only understand their role in delivering Barloworld vision; but also serve and make a difference with their passion, ideas and determined actions,” said Clive Thomson, Barloworld Chief Executive. “They inspire others in the way they initiate change in their environment, tackle challenges, pioneer new and innovative thinking to turn a situation around – creating shared value for Barloworld’s stakeholders.” It’s no easy feat to be named a change-maker, amongst other criteria the top five are: Embrace innovation: Innovation is key in turning situations around, whether it’s introducing ground-breaking new innovations, or finding new ways of doing a job really well, innovation brings to bear the potential for sustainable returns to the business as it is about doing things differently, finding new solutions to challenges and delivering solutions that address changing internal and external customer needs. Contribute to business sustainability: Our vision calls for the balancing of social and economic outcomes, which includes not only delivering sustainable returns to our shareholders but also as a respected corporate citizen adopt sustainable business practices that mitigate our impact on the environment and finding new and innovative and environmentally friendly ways to achieve that; and obtaining license to operate through the positive role we play in our communities. For this reason one of the key values of the organisation is sustainability where every employee has a role to play. Go the extra mile: Be willing to go “above and beyond” the call of duty, such as, volunteering for additional duties, and looking for ways to perform a job more effectively; and going out of one’s comfort zone to deliver value . . .
Coastal road in great shape to handle festive season traffic
Port Elizabeth, 4 December 2016. South Africa’s N2 freeway which connects Cape Town with the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast along the eastern seaboard is in great shape to handle higher traffic volumes during the coming festive season. Mbulelo Peterson, regional manager for SANRAL’s Southern Region (Eastern Cape province), says road users will be able to travel the entire distance without encountering road works or having to wait for construction activities. An exception is the N2 southbound between Durban and Port St Johns just before the Adams Road interchange. It will be down to one lane until 15 December. Also, work on the N2 northbound toward Empangeni from Durban will continue over the holiday period and there will be some delays. The southbound carriageway will not be affected. In King William’s Town there will be some lane reductions, again only until 15 December. “As a result, our engineers have rated the condition of the stretch between Cape Town and Durban as fair to good barring any unforeseen major traffic incidents or weather conditions,” says Peterson. The road consists of a single carriageway with climbing lanes for most of the road. Drivers are urged to look out for stray animals on the roadside and pedestrian activity especially near the Swartklip Interchange, Trunk Road Two, Grabouw, Swellendam, Riversdale, George, Knysna, and Plettenberg Bay. Motorists are urged not to stop along the highway to buy fruit or vegetables. The addition of the automated pay system on the toll road section north of Durban will further ease congestion and improve commuter safety on this stretch of freeway. Traffic volumes are expected to pick up in the second week of December and very high number of vehicles will be on the road prior to the public holidays and at identified sections of the road. The areas that are closely monitored by SANRAL include the sections between Grabouw and Caledon in the Southern Cape; from East London to Mthatha and near . . .
Exciting news for script writers!
The Performing Arts network of Southern Africa (PANSA) is pleased to announce the return of the Festival of Reading of New Writing – the scriptwriting competition for new, emerging or experienced writers. The 2017 competition was made possible by a grant of R1.8 million from the National Lotteries Commission (NLC). The competition is open to all South African based writers. The work must be an original script for stage, not previously produced in any shape or form. The competition rules can be downloaded from www.pansa.org.za/competition To assist writers to develop and hone their craft, PANSA will arrange and run scriptwriting workshops prior to the submission cut-off date for the competition. If you are interested in attending one of the workshops, planned for mid-January 2017, please apply in writing before 24 December 2016. Workshop application forms are available from: www.pansa.org.za/competition The submission deadline for finished scripts is the 31 January 2017. Successful regional candidates will be announced at the end of February 2017. The reading of the plays of the shortlisted writers will take place over one weekend in four regions. The best script from each regional competition will go forward to the National final. Prizes and Awards Regional competitions National competition Best writer R20 000 Best writer R20 000 Runner up R10 000 Subsidy for full production of winning script R75 000 Honourable mention R5 000 PANSA is a national network of performing arts practitioners, technical/stage workers, designers, administrators, educators, organisations, institutions and service providers. The organisation was established in June 2001 to unite the industry and work towards the collective interests of the performing arts community. As a member-driven organisation, we aim to build a growing and supportive audience for an inclusive and united Performing Arts industry . . .
Not just for the Living Room How OLED 4k Television is Finding its Niche in the Workplace
Johannesburg, 30 November 2016 - We live in a world of TV and movie lovers, not to mention one that is ruled by the relentless march of technology. Techies and gadget-geeks who are in pursuit of the best possible home viewing experience may fantasise about having a spectacular OLED TV (like LG’s popular E6 model) hanging on their living room walls, but how often do we consider their potential for use in the workplace? So why would you buy an OLED 4K TV for work instead of home? It’s a question of content. While 4K content is slowly becoming more and more widespread and accessible, many still consider it to be very early days to be investing in 4K television. At work, however, it’s a different story. Hooking up an LG OLED 4K TV to your office computers is a different ball game altogether. Whichever operating system you use, whether Windows, Mac, Linux, or Chrome OS, it is already able to output at higher resolutions than the 1080p we’re all used to. Channelling this output through a 4K TV screen enables you to increase your display resolution instantly (up to 3840 X 2160), provided your computer’s graphics card can support such settings. The improvement in sharpness and quality will be immediately apparent, and since we tend to sit much closer to screens at work than at home, the improvement in pixel density will be all the more noticeable. In addition, LG’s unique OLED technology enhances the experience even further with its extraordinary contrast, vivid colours and true blacks, already being enjoyed by millions of our customers around the world. This is great news for everybody working in visually focused fields, such as photography, filmmaking, videography, graphic or industrial design, fine art and many others – and many of the apps that these professionals use are ready and waiting to be boosted with a 4K display. For example, Adobe Photoshop makes incredible use of 4K displays, with an interface that can scale up or down, and functions that allow the . . .
LG’s brand strength and market leadership ensure the ‘premium’ route forward
LG solidifies its strategic focus in offering high-end consumer electronics with the introduction of its latest V series smartphone LG Electronics (LG) continues to strategically strengthen its offerings and leadership role in the premium segment across various business divisions including its mobile communication business. The company’s ongoing focus brings to market the most innovative technologies and elegant designs catered to discerning user values and lifestyles in the premium market category. “By leveraging the best of LG’s incredible technology and design innovation, the LG premium brand offering will further open up new opportunities for high-end appliances and consumer electronics. Within the mobile communication division, we strive to take a lead in the premium smartphone market with our two-track strategy of simultaneously backing both the mid-tier and the premium series,” said Kevin Cha, President of LG Electronics Middle East and Africa. With LG’s handset shipment volume growth increasing and with it being the fastest growing in the Middle East and Africa region (Source: Strategy analytics report), LG’s strategic focus will be to further ensure latest line-ups in premium consumer electronics. LG aims to continue to explore new product ideas that can add a new paradigm for an extended smartphone experience. The company aims to concentrate on offering differentiated user values and new, playful and premium smartphone experiences. The recent global introduction of the V20 illustrates LG’s strategic focus on providing consumers with high-end products within the smartphone segment that prioritizes user needs and lifestyles.Premium mobile devices require the best in today’s innovations and technologies, and LG has ensured its V20 is bar none. Following the latest trend in the premium smartphone market, the V20 has enhanced durability with its aluminum back cover that withstands external shocks without bending or distorting, and with its Si-PC . . .
Inverter Air Conditioning: Cool the Room Not the Environment
Air conditioners are a necessity at this time of year, but many are understandably concerned with the prospect of increased energy bills and a negative environmental impact. LG explains why inverter technology is the future of air conditioning – keeping you cool while using far less energy doing it. During the hot summer months, air conditioning can quickly transform a room from a blistering, unbearable sweatbox into a cool, refreshing oasis away from the heat. But with electricity bills on the rise and global warming constantly on our minds, many consider running an air conditioner all day irresponsible. The good news is that modern air conditioners are far more energy efficient than you might imagine. They use less energy than a number of home appliances, ranking around the middle of the pack for efficiency. And now, thanks to an innovative new technology, air conditioners are more energy efficient than ever. Inverter technology, found in LG’s latest residential air-conditioners, are up to 70% more energy efficient than traditional air conditioners. That’s thanks to a variable speed compressor that is able to reduce its speed as the air approaches the desired temperature. This allows it to maintain the right temperature without the need for turning on and off. That’s the trick, because traditional air conditioners constantly turn on and off in order to regulate temperature. Doing so, as well as having to speedup to maximum capacity to re-cool the room after being off for a period of time, uses noticeably more power than inverter technology. Not only are inverter air conditioners, such as LG’s ARTCOOL unit more energy efficient, they’re also quieter, allowing for a peaceful sleep or quiet study session. They’re also far quicker at reducing a room’s temperature, ultimately saving money by reducing temperature spikes. Air conditioners are expensive, long-term investments, so it makes sense to do research beforehand. And as everyone becomes . . .
SA Taxi secures R300-million to fund Zebra Cabs owner-driver scheme
SA Taxi today announced that it has secured R300-million in funding from Futuregrowth Asset Management, which will be used to provide financing to the company's Zebra Cabs owner-driver scheme. SA Taxi, South Africa’s largest financier of minibus taxis, acquired Zebra Cabs metered taxis in 2015 as the certified developmental credit provider sought to expand its business activities into relevant adjacent markets. Mark Herskovits, SA Taxi Capital Markets Director, explains that after 10 years in the minibus taxi industry, the company has been looking for opportunities to leverage its unique business model and underlying operational efficiencies, and determined that the point-to-point metered taxi industry offered the ideal synergies to scale effectively. “We have developed a business model tailored to the unique characteristics of an industry often perceived as higher risk,” explains Herskovits, who elaborates that SA Taxi considers credit extension to owner-drivers, or operators, as a small business loan rather than a personal loan. “This differentiates us from the vanilla financing options offered through banks, which focus mainly on the creditworthiness of the individual. This often precludes these previously disadvantaged individuals from accessing the finance needed to build a profitable small business.” And with key similarities between the factors driving the need for finance in the mini bus and metered taxi industries, SA Taxi believes this is a natural extension of the business and therefore an ideal area for growth. “These two sectors don't compete directly which makes it an ideal bolt-on business,” says Herskovits. SA Taxi will now leverage the company's vertically integrated and successful minibus taxi business model to revive the floundering metered taxi cab industry. “In South Africa, the industry is a characterised by an old, poorly maintained fleet of vehicles and a lack of trust and transparency in pricing. We therefore feel that there . . .
Knox to race Rocky Mountain Bikes in 2017
South Africa’s leading marathon mountain bike racer, Max Knox, will race on Rocky Mountain bikes in 2017. The 29-year-old Knox won both the South African marathon championship and the Ashburton Investment National Marathon Series in 2016 and has set his sights on an expanded racing programme in 2017. Rocky Mountain is a Canadian-based international bicycle brand, which has been producing premium performance mountain bikes since 1981. It has achieved international success in various forms of mountain bike racing over the past 35 years, including overall victory in the inaugural Absa Cape Epic in 2004. Knox will be racing on the Rocky Mountain Element 999RSL, the brand’s flagship marathon/XC model, which has recently been refined with more stable (and adjustable) geometry, more efficient suspension and the accommodation of two bottles inside the main frame, making it what Rocky Mountain believes is the ideal marathon or stage race bike. “Max has shown this year that he’s really matured into a classy, consistent marathon racer. He’s reaching an age where he is likely to develop even further as an endurance athlete and we are pleased to have him competing on a Rocky Mountain Element,” said Hylton English, Rocky Mountain brand manager. “I’ve been racing full time for over a decade and have confirmed in the past two years that marathons and stage races are indeed my greatest strength. After one of my most successful years, I am looking forward to expanding on that into 2017. I’ve done a few weeks of riding on the 2016 Rocky Mountain Element 990RSL already and am thrilled with the bike,” said Knox. “I’m looking forward to the arrival of the new Element 999RSL in January and am excited to be racing on one of the world’s premier mountain bike brands. My 2017 season will be slightly different to 2016, but will still be focussed around marathons and stage races, mostly in South Africa,” added Knox. Knox will also be supported by Helly Hansen casual wear, . . .
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