Johannesburg, March, 20, 2020 - Ahead of the United Nations’ International Day of Forests on 21 March, Forestry South Africa research and protection director Dr Ronald Heath talks about how the commercial forestry industry is leading the way in conserving and rehabilitating areas of high biodiversity value. He also challenges people to think differently about plantations. Oribi. Southern Ground Hornbill. Southern Banded Snake Eagle. Cape Batis. Spotted Eagle Owl. Karkloof Blue Butterfly. Hewitt’s Ghost Frog. Pepper Bark Tree. Cycads. These are some of the species that have found a home within the South African commercial forestry landscape. Local forestry landscapes are a tapestry of commercial timber compartments – or crops – interwoven with tracts of natural vegetation, which enhance and conserve biodiversity in these grasslands, wetlands and indigenous forests ecosystems. Approximately 1.5 million hectares of forestry-owned land (1.2 million hectares of timber plantation and 300,000 hectares of conservation area) stretch from Limpopo and Mpumalanga to KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern and Western Cape. The country boasts the highest forest certification rate in the world, with some 80% of South Africa’s forestry landscape certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), ensuring that land is managed and timber is produced in line with global environmental and social sustainability standards. From big birds to blue butterflies Through various research projects, ranging from public bird surveys to camera trap studies, our sector has identified more than 30 mammal species, 502 bird species and countless reptile, amphibian and insect species that call forestry-owned land home. This includes a number of rare, endangered and Red List species. One of these is the “Thunder Bird” or Southern Ground Hornbill. The patchwork nature of forestry with the mixture of insect-rich grasslands and tall trees for nesting lends itself as the ideal habitat for these …
The fourth annual Lekkerland Carnival is back!
Mark your calendars and save the date because your favourite carnival is back! King Price Insurance is excited to announce that the fourth annual Lekkerland Carnival will be taking place on the weekend of 27-28 March 2020 in Dullstroom. As always, Lekkerland Carnival promises to be the ultimate #lekkerrr with a super line-up that includes The Parlotones, Francois van Coke, Refentse, Bad Peter, Sutherland and more. Our MC’s will be the oh-so-funny Bennie Fourie and Bouwer Bosch. The event is family-friendly with a kids’ zone and entertainment by the BDI Street Performance Troupe including jugglers and stilt-walkers. There will also be a variety of stalls, carnival food and a bar. The quaint little town of Dullstroom in Mpumalanga, with its interesting shops, galleries, eateries, and stunning mountain trails and scenery, will again be the host of this unique carnival. An easy 2.5-hour drive from both Johannesburg and Pretoria makes the Lekkerland Carnival in Dullstroom the perfect end-of-quarter mini-break… So book your accommodation, get your tickets and make a #lekkerrr weekend of it. The carnival main event will be held on the Dullstroom Village Green on Saturday 28 March, from 10am till 10pm but don’t forget about the abundance of activities in town, including wine tastings, a MTB ride, live comedy, an official after party and additional shows at selected restaurants and venues on the Friday and Sunday. King Price Insurance is more than just a visionary company that’s changing the way insurance is done. They’re also a tight knit, fun-loving family. Like any family they have values, and one of these is ‘fun with a little madness’… And Lekkerland Carnival is a perfect expression of this. The entertainment line-up is as ‘out there’ as their kingdom – it’ll be worth your while to get to Dullstroom on the weekend of 27-28 March 2020 and check out the craziness for yourself! Visit lekkerland.co.za for updates and to book your accommodation. But don’t miss …
Travel treasure troves in the trees
Let Forestry South Africa’s recreational map help you plan your breaks in 2020 - by Dr Ronald Heath, Forestry South Africa Johannesburg, November, 27, 2019 - We’ve all driven past them on the way to Durban, and the Kruger National Park. Tall towers of brown and green, swaying in the wind as they mesmerise us with the timber tunnels they create. South Africa is home to 1.2 million hectares of sustainably managed commercial timber plantations. As the source of a number of everyday products, these plantations are also home to the unexpected. You will be surprised how many things are made from wood and the South African commercial forestry industry farms the trees to provide the raw material. These trees add value to our economy by providing timber for construction, for the production of pulp, paper, packaging and tissue, for cellulose products such as sponges, viscose fabric and the ever-versatile microcryrstalline cellulose*. The industry also provides employment and supports communities, especially in rural areas. Sustainably managed commercial trees (along with the products made from them) are renewable. Saplings are planted in the place of mature harvested trees – contrary to images and myths that harvested trees equate to deforestation. Add in timber’s carbon storage capacity of nearly one tonne of carbon per cubic metre of wood, even after harvesting and processing, and you have an industry that delivers in more ways than you can imagine. Around 30% of forestry-owned land is not managed for timber production and is set aside for biodiversity conservation ... vast swaths of grassland, riverine habitats, wetlands and indigenous forests. Together with plantations, these areas present countless recreational options. Fun in the forests Our Forestry Explained recreational map highlights various activities and attractions found on forestry-owned land that is open to the public. It showcases the eco-activities offered by forestry companies and …
Pulse Indicates Potential Upswing for SA Small Business
JOHANNESBURG -- OCTOBER, 2019 -- While business sentiment in South Africa has been depressed for the year to date, an increase in the Yoco Small Business Pulse Score for the third quarter of 2019 reflects not only the resilience of small business, but also an ability to adapt faster than their larger counterparts. Through a quarterly analysis of factors influencing small businesses, including data from more than 50 000 Yoco merchants, the Pulse closely monitors the health of this sector in the country. A quarterly Pulse Score, a rating from -100 to 100, with 0 being neutral, provides an overall measure of small business sentiment. The Pulse Score for Q3 2019 was 28, a two-point increase from the year’s second quarter. This correlates with Yoco stats that show a 13.13% increase in average card transaction volume per merchant relative to the same time last year. Up from an 8.14% increase last quarter. “When we launched the Yoco Small Business Pulse Score a year ago, we wanted to provide deep insight into the unique perspectives, outlooks, and challenges faced by this sector. Other surveys typically focus on larger organisations, which face different challenges and are differently impacted than those closer to the ground. With small businesses being the lifeblood of the economy, it is important to understand their vision for growth, and the factors challenging that growth,” says Matt Brownell, head of brand marketing at Yoco. The country’s other business confidence surveys have charted an ongoing downward trend over the past several months. In contrast, the Yoco Small Business Pulse reveals the start of what is hoped to be an upward curve, indicating that small businesses are showing some signs of improvement after a turbulent 12 months. The marginal increase does not imply an end to current challenges. Instead, the ability of small businesses to pivot more quickly than slow-moving corporations could mean they are finding increasingly innovative ways to …
Luxury rehab: is it worth the money you pay?
Luxury rehab centres started popping up in the 1980s and yes, for a long time they were the domain of the rich and famous. If you were fabulously wealthy or enjoyed celebrity status, you could slip away discretely and spend time recuperating at a high-heel rehab centre. If you weren’t, you more than likely found yourself subjected to a punishing regime at a facility that favoured a bootcamp approach to treating addiction. The no-frills approach where inpatients find themselves making their own beds, peeling potatoes and washing dishes has its roots in the 12-step programme that advocates the need to humble an addict; to cultivate resilience and gratitude in a physically-demanding or uncomfortable environment to get them to acknowledge their addiction and make them take responsibility for it. The hard-core bootcamp approach works for some but certainly not for the majority, if you take a look at the historically low success rates of complete recovery. It perpetuates the notion that addiction is a ‘punishable’ offence and fuels the stigma associated with seeking treatment for alcohol and drug addiction. It certainly does nothing for the men and women who already battle with low self-esteem and chronic self-depreciation. Why luxury rehab is growing in popularity Luxury rehab emerged to meet the demand for more privacy and comfort but today the resort-like addiction treatment centers like White River Manor have a far more serious role to play. This is because there has been a striking shift from ‘punishment’ to compassion when it comes to understanding and treating addiction. And don’t be mislead into thinking compassion is a weaker approach. The true meaning of compassion means “to suffer together”. It’s defined as the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering. It’s not the same as empathy or altruism, though the concepts are related. If you pick out the dominant emotion “feel …
View Tanks Contributing to The World’s First Bank For Water
Johannesburg, 11 October 2019: While water is fast becoming Africa’s most important currency, View Tanks is playing a significant role in contributing to the success in agriculture, business, industry and mining of African countries as well as to keep communities running. In a world where water will determine who thrives and who doesn’t, who you bank with will make all the difference. View Tanks was founded in 1983 by then founder, now Executive Chairman, Mannie Ramos Senior. During this time, few people had ever heard of the term ‘climate change’, much less knew what its consequences would mean to the normal running of businesses and communities. But Mannie identified that many communities lacked access to adequate water supplies and that many others faced future water shortages without urgent planning. With uncanny foresight, Mannie Senior anticipated the increased frequency of water scarcity and, more importantly, the need to be able to supply clean water to Africa’s businesses and communities via to enable them to successfully operate even in times of a water shortage. More than 35 years later when drought and changes in rainfall pattern have become more and more commonplace, View Tanks has emerged as the definitive leader in the design, manufacture and installation of innovative water storage tanks Their expertise, on-the-ground experience and exceptional service has taken View Tanks far beyond Southern Africa to more than 35 countries. The View Tanks brand is well-known and trusted throughout Africa and beyond. As the leader in providing innovative water storage solutions in Southern Africa for over 35 years, View Tanks has become known as a ‘water bank’, providing an economical, convenient and stable supply of water to protect every community in Africa from the risk. Our ‘water banks’ act like a ‘savings account’ so that businesses and communities have the water they need to keep running, even in times of water scarcity. That’s why …
Connecting People to Therapists and Mental Health Services
Cape Town, October, 2019 - In a bid to improve access to mental health services throughout South Africa (and beyond), TherapyRoute.com has announced opening its online - free to list - mental health service directory to all qualified mental professionals and service providers including non-profits, community clinics, and private practices. TherapyRoute believes that opening their platform, to both private and non-profit services, is an example of how private and community organisations can collaborate to achieve mutual aims more efficiently. For example, equipping the public to locate and access mental health services and professionals like psychologists, registered counsellors, and social workers. Just this year (2019), TherapyRoute served hundreds of thousands of page views (USA, UK, ZA, and AU) and linked thousands of visitors to mental health professionals and services providers. Registering on the platform improves access to services by placing links to these services in front of the people seeking them. It also allows registered organisations and professionals to access tools that they can use to grow their profiles into informative websites and publish high-quality mental-health-related content. Mindful that barriers to access can extend beyond availability and affordability; TherapyRoute includes socially relevant filters (e.g. Black, LGBT+, Armenian speaking, etc.) that help visitors find the best fit mental health professionals for them. The platform also caters for people who are unsure of what to search for by automatically displaying nearby services. According to Enzo Sinisi (founder) "one challenge to improving access is that providers focus on delivery and sometimes lack the resources to ensure that their services, and often even their contact details, are accurately presented online". TherapyRoute recently led a project that saw 1000 hours donated to collecting, verifying, and adding well over 100 low-fee and no-fee South African …
Golden business opportunities despite the economic climate in SA
Despite our current challenging economic situation, the present moment is full of opportunity for buying a business and thriving. If you've been thinking of owning your own business you probably have already looked around for a business for sale, but are unsure about where to invest your hard-earned cash, consider that some of the smaller or medium-sized businesses are affordable, easier to manage and good value for money in an ever-shifting economy. Increased domestic demand in the second quarter allowed the South African economy to bounce back a bit. Further good news is that international ratings agency Moody’s hinted at a “low likelihood” that they will downgrade South Africa’s credit rating to junk status in their November review. In addition, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) announced it will keep the repurchase rate unchanged at 6.50%, after having cut rates by 25 basis points previously, adding more stability. In his latest economic talk, President Ramaphosa announced priority reforms to improve the ease of doing business and reducing the cost of compliance. These new laws will reduce the abuse of dominance and high concentration that keeps small and emerging companies out of the economy. Given that entrepreneurs and small businesses are currently being tasked with the responsibility of reviving the economy and creating millions of new jobs, the government is focusing on improving the entrepreneurial ecosystem, ensuring an enabling environment for businesses to grow and thrive in South Africa. Small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) not only provide an attractive opportunity for the country’s economic growth but they also contribute 60-80% of the projected GDP increase, and generate a large percentage of the new jobs in our country. Statistics provided by Stats SA show that a significant contribution SMMEs have been made by SMMEs across all industries – Business services, Trade, Community and …
Launch Of Internationally Known BebedeParis Baby Online Store In South Africa
Pretoria, October 8 2019: To create the best user experience and satisfy every need of our customers in South Africa, BebedeParis now has an online baby store. You can take your time to have a proper look at all baby products and especially the baby shower gifts in our catalogue and more than that – you don’t have to stand in line when wanting to pay. Everything you need is accessible from one place and can be viewed any time of day in our online baby store. Here at BebedeParis, we strive to bring exclusive new baby products and services to the market. The items in our hampers and baskets are top quality and gift sets are timeless. Our bellboys looking neat and professional in their uniforms adds a touch of class that will surely make the delivery of the baby gifts even more memorable. Customer satisfaction, exceeding their expectations and providing value for money are on our list of top priorities. Shopping for newborn or baby shower gifts and products in South Africa has never been this easy. Every gift you could possibly think of is listed in the product range of our online baby store. Along with exclusive luxury, we also have very creative presents. There are countless wonderful options. At BebedeParis you are sure to find the perfect baby shower gifts and products for your expecting friend, family member or colleague in no time. No matter how big or small, your baby shower gifts will be appreciated and remembered. Newborn baby clothes are of the most common baby shower gifts, and with good reason. Any new mom or dad want only the best for their baby. Being able to dress a baby in comfortable clothes that won’t irritate their skin is a necessity. This is why we only sell 100% cotton babygrows in our online baby store which are breathable and soft on delicate baby skin. The brilliant baby gift ideas are endless. A nappy cake in the shape of a motorbike, along with lots of other items, including a bottle and teddy bear, is just one of our unique …
Latest news on claiming from the RAF in 2019
An update on the amendments to the Road Accident Fund in South Africa. At the time of drafting this article, the RAF is in the final process of amending the general damages pay-outs to road accident victims. This means that victims of road accidents will no longer get a pay-out for general damages. General damages are paid to people for what is known as ‘pain and suffering’ and can include trauma. Below is very brief summary of the RAF changes in near future. The proposed changes: Road Accident Benefit Scheme Bill In 2005 general damages claims were limited to serious pain and suffering only. Now the RAF plans to drop these pay-outs altogether. The RAF also plans to setup a standard medical tariff for medical costs and adjusting its pay-outs to be made on a monthly basis, instead of a lump sum. A draft bill called RABS for Road Accident Benefit Scheme will change the process of Road accident fund claims substantially. The reasons behind the draft bill includes the rise in fraudulent claims which has hurt the RAF, and the fact that it has a R215bn liability. RABS seeks to lower costs of legal cases against the RAF significantly. While this bill has been touted as a shift in approach from the RAF as insurance fund to a social-security benefit system, mismanagement cannot be ignored and the RAF should be under more scrutiny. A well-meaning amendment bill which benefits lower-income people more than higher-income people is not a bad thing, but the RAF should be held more accountable with stricter people management, systems, checks and balances to manage an entity that has such an important mandate. This is not a political article so let’s get on with how you claim from the RAF in 2019, until the new bill is ratified by Parliament. What does this mean for any claim you may have against the RAF? You will need to join the queue of existing Road accident fund claims to be paid out; expect a wait as RAF claims can take up to seven years to settle. …