Western Cape

The Cape Craft + Design Institute (CCDI) officially opened its spacious, integrated new premises at an open day this week (Thursday 14 August). Its headquarters are now based at 37 Barrack Street, not far from its previous location at 75 Harrington Street, in the East City design district of Cape Town. All the organisation’s programmes and activities (including the Product Support Space, an assisted DIY computer-aided design-manufacturing environment) are now housed in a huge 2000m² area. Designers, craft producers and creative entrepreneurs joined CCDI staff and guest of honour Alan Winde, the Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities, to view the numerous facilities and check out the wide range of services. “The Western Cape is home to a wealth of talented innovators,” said Minister Winde. “Testament to this is that Cape Town was named the World Design Capital for 2014, and one of the world’s most innovative cities by a leading international publication. Our design industry’s contribution to GDP is R13 billion.” “The CCDI has grown organically and incrementally since we first set up in 2001 with two people in a small Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) office with one computer and a desk,” said CCDI Executive Director Erica Elk. “We grew into two offices at CPUT, then took up two floors at 75 Harrington Street, then a third. In 2010 we opened the Creative Enterprise Training Unit. Now we are looking forward to greater synergy across our programmes.” Launch of new Seed Fund As part of the official opening of the new CCDI space, a new Design Innovation Seed Fund (DISF) was launched as part of the proceedings. The DISF is supported with seed funding from the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT). The new fund is set to give innovation in the Western Cape a welcome boost, with the announcement today (Thursday 14 August) that designers, inventors, entrepreneurs and product …

This July, the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, which is situated in Cape Town, was able to begin the much needed project of upgrading and extending their parents’ accommodation section, thanks to the donations of the RE/MAX Foundation and other key sponsors. According to research by the hospital, evidence has shown that the recovery of ill children is greatly improved when parents are present during their hospitalisation. For this reason the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital follows a family friendly approach towards the care of sick children, allowing parents and caregivers access to their children 24-hours a day. Through donations from RE/MAX Broker/Owners, founder donors, sales associates and the other members of the RE/MAX network, the RE/MAX Foundation was able donate R100 000 towards the R5.5million project, which will double the facility’s capacity from 60 beds to 120. Sandy Smith, RE/MAX Foundation Manager, says: “Situated on the grounds of the hospital, the parents’ accommodation facility affords parents the opportunity to be close to their children during their hospital stay. Many of the patients are referred to the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital from other parts of the country as it is the only dedicated specialist paediatric hospital serving the children of Southern Africa. It is a national asset and handles the worst cases of disease and chronic illness in children under the age of 12 years old,” she says. “Many of the children that arrive at the hospital are from poor communities and their parents are unable to pay for accommodation in the area or the commute to and from the hospital to be with their children on a daily basis.” The hospital has seen an increase in the number patients over the past few years, which led to the need to increase the capacity of the out-dated accommodation which has not been renovated since it was built in 2001. The current facility is an 18-room, prefabricated structure that was …

Due to the highly diverse nature of Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs and the vast variety of properties and amenities that are on offer in the region, buyers from all walks of life are attracted to property investments in the area. This is according to Graham Gavin, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Premier, which operates in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs. Gavin points out that that one particularly big draw card to the Southern Suburbs is the extremely good schools and universities. “The Southern Suburbs are primarily residential, offering property investors a wide selection of property options from which to choose,” he says. “The area has everything from older-style homes and cottage-style semis in areas such as Mowbray, Claremont and Wynberg, to the more luxurious and larger homes in Constantia, Bishopscourt and Newlands. Most homes in the Southern Suburbs are in demand because of the excellent facilities in these areas. The Southern Suburbs are situated close to the Cape Town CBD and allow residents easy access to the freeways and shopping centres. Many investors are also attracted here because of the up-market feel and the area’s natural beauty.” One of the most unique investment opportunities in the Southern Suburbs at the moment, according to Gavin, is The Citadel - a seven-storey apartment block comprising 91 units. “The building, nominated in 2010 for the SAPOA award for Innovative Excellence in Property Development, is designed as a seven-storey high atrium which allows an abundance of natural light and a feeling of space, as well as making the most of the magnificent views.” Anne Gombart, Sales Associate at RE/MAX Premier who is marketing this unique development says that this property is a rare find compared to the surrounding properties in the area because it is new, modern and incredibly well designed for modern needs and living. “You won’t find another apartment block quite like it in the Southern Suburbs/ Constantiaberg area that offers so much to its …

The popularity of secure estate living has seen much growth around the country over the past few years, with the area of Kuils River no exception. In fact, says Charles Louw, Broker/Manager of RE/MAX Property Associates, whose office operates in Kuils River and the surrounding areas, current demand for properties in secure lifestyle estates in the region is vastly outstripping what is available on the market. “With this type of home in extremely high demand, developers are struggling to keep up with the number of buyers in the market wanting homes in security developments and many of the properties are selling off plan before ground has been broken. Security is a major influence when it comes to purchasing decisions for many homebuyers, which is a driving factor behind the popularity of lifestyle estates,” says Louw. “Many buyers are opting to live in closed communities such as gated complexes and secure estates due to the lifestyle benefits, sense of community and security that they provide.” Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, says over the past decade the number of residential estates and lifestyle developments has increased significantly because close community living has become a sought-after way of life. “The increase in demand for these kinds of properties as a good investment option is reflected in the fact that homes within estates or developments continue to offer buyers a good return on investment. Aside from the obvious physical aspects of living in a secure community such as a perimeter fence and access-controlled entrances, there are also many other benefits and advantages.” According to Louw, often homeowners choose to live in gated estates due to the sense of community that they experience and a feeling of belonging from sharing a common interest. This is due to the fact that a large number of these developments are based on that common interest, such as the case of a residential wildlife estate or golfing estate. “Regardless …

Cape Town craft and design entrepreneurs are stringing up awards like beads on a necklace - Jaqueline Burge of Rarity Handbags has won Entrepreneur of the Year at the Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa (BWASA) Western Cape Regional Achiever Awards. In addition, jewellery designer and manufacturer Katherine-Mary Pichulik has been selected as Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. These accolades follow Cape Craft & Design Institute (CCDI) Executive Director Erica Elk’s 2013 award for Social Entrepreneur of the Year. The criteria for the prestigious awards are that the nominated business must be profitably run, woman-owned and have been trading for over five years. Nominations are judged by a panel of six experts, and the process is moderated and audited. Rarity handbags are made in Cape Town from responsibly-sourced leather and exported across the globe. The company has its own designer and pattern maker and has undertaken manufacturing in-house since 2001. “Our philosophy is establishing niche markets for well-designed, quality products, made in African game, ostrich and Nguni leather,” said Burge. “A strong belief in independent thought and innovation are the foundations of our success and growth. Our clients can expect excellent service with products delivered on time and to specification. Distinctive combinations of leathers and the contemporary interpretation of materials set us apart from our competitors.” Rarity has close links with the CCDI (set up in 2001 to support the economic sustainability of the Western Cape craft and design sector) as it’s one of 20 enterprises selected for a five-year export promotion programme. This is being run by the CCDI and the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI), an agency of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition, with the support of the CCDI (which coordinates and manages export marketing opportunities sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry), …