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South African Press Releases

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The South African mobile app that’s bigger than Facebook

(MyPR.co.za) By Filed Under: Technology Edit This Article

One of South Africa’s quietest tech success stories is a seven-person business that’s gone from startup to profitability in just four years – without ever marketing itself or taking a cent of outside financing. In the process, mobile social network 2go has come to dominate the Nigerian market, where it has over nine million active users – several million more than Facebook. The secret, says director Peter Lockhart, has been balancing a tight focus on what 2go’s users really want – a cheap, easy way to chat and socialise using their mobile phones – with the deep technical expertise needed to deliver that experience across thousands of different devices. “Building mobile technology for an African market is tough,” says Lockhart. “Data and SMS are expensive, and our users are price sensitive and savvy. That means we have to deliver an application that uses the absolute minimum of system resources and bandwidth. Our response has been to develop proprietary communications protocols and compression algorithms that minimise the app’s data usage.” The 2go team has also cracked the technical challenge of producing an app that works equally well on all of the myriad feature phones that still dominate the African market. “It’s much, much harder to develop for feature phones than for smartphones,” says Lockhart, “partly because there is such a variety of platforms and operating systems. You need deep technical knowledge. This technical knowledge also extends to our ability to scale the back-end in a very resource efficient manner.” The fact that 2go works well on many handsets has been critical to the viral spread of the app, says Lockhart, adding “feature phones aren’t going away any time soon. Projections from Informa indicate that non-smart phones will still comprise 85% of the African handset market in 2015.” 2go has resisted the tempation to bloat its app with added features, adds Lockhart. “Our users log in and out quickly, several times a day – they want …

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INTER-CITY BATTLE SETS THE SCENE FOR MALOOF MONEY CUP

(MyPR.co.za) By Filed Under: Sports Edit This Article

Kimberley in the Northern Cape is preparing for an epic skateboarding battle when ten teams from cities and towns across South Africa battle it out in the Maloof All-City Contest on Thursday, 27 September from 11h00 to 16h00, at the Maloof Skate Plaza. To date, teams from Kuruman, Kimberley, Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Jeffreys Bay and Johannesburg have entered the contest, which will see each team member compete in a head-to-head format on various sections and obstacles at the state-of-the-art state park. Top local skateboarders will be seen in action as the four-man teams compete for the total prize money of R14 000. According to Tim McFerran of Maloof Skateboarding, the All-City Contest is a new, unique and innovative twist to skateboarding and is being tried for the first time in Kimberley. “We have always wanted to do all-cities, team-oriented contest, where strategy and co-operation will play an important role. I believe that the growth of skateboarding and the vastly improved skills of the South Africans present a great opportunity to start it right here in South Africa. This will be a fun, yet competitive way to ascertain which city has the best skateboarders in South Africa. Some of our top pro skateboarders from the States will help judge the contest and I am sure we are going to see super-exciting skateboarding,” states McFerran. The Maloof All-City Contest will be a scene setter for the greatest skateboarding event in the world, the Maloof Money Cup skateboarding world championships, which will take place at the Maloof Skate Plaza in Kimberley from 28 – 30 September 2012. The who’s who of street and vert skateboarders will be descending on the province in an attempt to take the biggest prize purse in skateboarding history. The winning city will hold the Maloof All-City title until the next Maloof championship event in 2013. The Maloof Money Cup South Africa is presented by Kumba Iron Ore and is a joint initiative between the Northern …

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Skin Colour Biology focus at Standard Bank-PAST Keynote Lecture

(MyPR.co.za) By Filed Under: Public Issues Edit This Article

The 8th Standard Bank-PAST Keynote Lecture will be presented by Prof Nina Jablonski, who will discuss Skin: Its Biology in Black and White at the Soweto Theatre on 19 September 2012, at 18:30. Universally recognised as the most important independent source of support for origin sciences research and education in Africa, the Palaeontological Scientific Trust (PAST) has been promoting and preserving southern Africa’s rich fossil heritage since its inception in 1994. Whilst retaining this core focus; PAST’s newest initiative, Scatterli ngs of Africa, is an ambitious effort to expand the organisation’s mission across Africa; through its seven successful programs which integrate education, research, and public outreach activities in the origin sciences. The annual Keynote Lecture has formed an integral part of the Standard Bank’s longstanding support of PAST and has become a much-anticipated calendar event in Johannesburg. In line with PAST’s Scatterlings of Africa pan-African development campaign, and its drive to utilise the origin sciences to underscore the scientific evidence that we all share an African origin, this year’s lecture will address the origin and function of skin colour. Skin colour is a biological characteristic loaded with cultural meaning. Skin pigmentation itself is a biological adaptation that regulates the penetration of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) into the skin. It is an evolutionary compromise between the conflicting demands of protection of the skin against UVR and of production of vitamin D by UVR. This compromise represents one of the best examples of evolution by natural selection acting on the human body. In the history of the genus Homo and of our species, Homo sapiens, skin pigmentation has been a highly changeable characteristic. Similar skin tones have evolved independently numerous times in response to similar environmental conditions. Skin colour is thus an entirely inappropriate characteristic for grouping people according to …

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Strategies for Success in China Outlined in New Quintiles-sponsored Report by Economist Intelligence Unit

(MyPR.co.za) By Filed Under: General Business Edit This Article

Local Presence and Proactive Regulatory Approaches Needed A new Economist Intelligence Unit report sponsored by Quintiles concludes that “China is a complex market that can yield pro?ts to those companies that jump in with both feet, adapt to the realities of doing business in China, and actively protect their interests in this dynamic business environment.” The report, titled Emerging China is the third of four in the Quintiles-sponsored series, Reinventing biopharma: Strategies for an evolving marketplace.* Findings are based on surveys of life sciences executives. In the latest report, more than half (56%) said that maximizing opportunities in China was one of their company’s top priorities. The report’s key findings include: China is projected to be the world’s second largest biopharma market as early as 2016, behind only the United States; A local presence in China has translated into success for biopharma companies: 61% of respondents with operations in China had sales that met or exceeded moderate-to-high expectations in the last three years, compared to just 36% for those with no such operations; Low income levels among Chinese households (60% of China’s 403 million households had an annual income over $5,000 in 2011) and patchy market data can create unique challenges for biopharma who are more used to operating in developed markets; Proactively adapting to the regulatory environment can save time and money; companies often find that obtaining approval for new medications can take five years longer in China than in other markets, and innovative strategies are required. “The projected growth rate in China of 19% year-on-year between 2009 and 2016 is due mostly to rising incomes and an ageing population, providing an opportunity that the industry cannot afford to miss,” said Paul Kielstra, Ph.D., Author, EIU. “The new report’s findings echo our own experience in China – it’s essential to ‘understand local, think local and be local,’” said …

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SPAR EC helps extraordinary charity

(MyPR.co.za) By Filed Under: Consumer Products Edit This Article

SPAR shoppers nationwide recently celebrated the extraordinary women in their lives by purchasing limited edition Women’s Day badges in aid of charity. The proceeds from the Eastern Cape campaign were donated to Living Waters Ministries in East London, which offers various services for vulnerable members of society, including safehouses for abused women and children. The charity’s chief executive officer Melanie Gobel (left) accepted the big cheque for R50 000 from SPAR EC retail operations manager Lungisa Jongi at the LWM premises on Wednesday. See more photos on www.facebook.com/sparinaction. More Info: http://www.fullstopcom.com Author: Coetzee Gouws from Full Stop Communications. Originally distributed by MyPR.co.za. No of Images Uploaded: One To gain access to One image/s please Like, Tweet or +1 this article: [l2g] Images: Photo: Craig Muller Photographer: [/l2g] …

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Subaru drives into Berg & Bush again

(MyPR.co.za) By Filed Under: Sports Edit This Article

Vehicle sponsor Subaru Pietermaritzburg has bolstered its ongoing investment into mountain biking in KwaZulu-Natal by reaffirming its commitment to the FedGroup Berg & Bush, organisers announced this week. The partnership with the off-road event will see various models, such as the Subaru Forester, Outback and new XV, put to the test on challenging terrain that includes mountain passes, district roads, cattle and game tracks, and purpose-built cycling routes. According to organiser Gary Green, much of the route would be inaccessible without the support of the long-standing sponsor. “The vehicles are as good off-road as they are on normal roads and that’s why we chose them,” said Green. Participants in the three-day Descent will depart from the Sterkfontein Dam in the Free State on October 26 before plummeting down the escarpment into KZN and finishing at Winterton in the Central Drakensberg. The newly-introduced Great Trek follows the same route from October 30, while the original event, which stretches over two days, rounds out proceedings from November 3. Green said the vehicles would also be used to ferry riders in the three-day events back to their own cars from the finish venue at Winterton Country Club. “For us, the safety of our riders is paramount and the Subarus’ road-holding ability is an important factor.” In addition, Subaru Pietermaritzburg owner Howard Christie said his dealership would transport riders to the summit of Spioenkop Mountain for sundowner tours of this historic battlefield. “Because we know mountain bikers enjoy a little speed, we’ll also have the new Subaru BRZ sports car on display at the event.” Christie said FedGroup Berg & Bush participants would also be entitled to a special discount on the purchase of a new Subaru before the end of the year. The dealership also sponsors vehicles for off-road races such as the Old Mutual joBerg2c, Imana Wild Ride and sani2c, presented by BoE. Although the …

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MXF Workshop: Consumer trends that are changing the world

(MyPR.co.za) By Filed Under: Media Edit This Article

With the mobilization of technology and the ever-changing social media sphere it pays to stay on top of the latest trends and innovations, which is why the Marketers Executive Forum is hosting a workshop where you can hear of some of the most cutting edge marketing and consumer trends from around the world that will give you loads of applicable ideas for the brands that you work on. The workshop will be hosted by Neil Hart, Chairman of the Boomtown Board of Directors and with his extensive knowledge and experience you will be sure to walk away informed, educated and charged with fresh ideas. Participant outcomes include understanding the new consumer environment, learning about innovative ideas that apply to your brand, gaining a global perspective to marketing and being informed of key trends that drive growth in the marketplace. The MXF Workshop takes place on Thursday, 20 September, from 8-11am, at Boomtown. The cost is R450 incl. vat. Seats are limited so book now to avoid disappointment. To book your seat, please follow the link: https://www.mxforum.co.za/registration-form/ For more information contact Gabi at 041 364 0180 or email xtalks@mxforum.co.za, or visit www.mxforum.co.za More Info: https://www.mxforum.co.za Author: Gabriela Vleeschouwer from Boomtown. Originally distributed by MyPR.co.za. No of Images Uploaded: One To gain access to One image/s please Like, Tweet or +1 this article: [l2g] Images: [/l2g] …

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Vodacom 4U Rage Festival

(MyPR.co.za) By Filed Under: Entertainment Edit This Article

Press Release September 2012 Rage Festival: Artists For the first time ever, 4U Rage Festival is bringing an international flavour to the festivities. Not one, but four top international DJs will be hitting the KZN coast as part of the fun this summer. The smoking hot blonde duo that forms Nervo, will be joined by their Tomorrowland anthem (The way we see the world) creating partners, Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike. Saturday 1st of December Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike is headlining a fantastic event at the Wavehouse in Umhlanga with local stars Goldfish, Pascal & Pearce and new girl Toya Delazy as supporting acts. Just two days later, Nervo will headline the Stimorol ‘Alien Abduction’ party at the DLI Hall. DJs Kent, Euphonik and Royal K will be the local acts to play along side one of the hottest names in electronic music. Another announcement causing great excitement is the date announcement of the Durban leg of the Steve Aoki SA brought to you by Olmeca Tequila. The event takes place on the 7th of December at the Wavehouse which VIP Platinum passport holders gain free entry into as part of their passport benefits. As expected from the 4U Rage Festival, there is a plethora of top local artists performing ensuring each and every night of the 2-week festival is a magical experience with jam-packed venues. In addition to the international artists and the supporting acts mentioned above, the likes of the ever popular Roger Goode, Kent, Euphonik and DJ Fresh from 5FM and South Africa’s biggest Hip Hop sensations SPHEctacula and DJ Dimplez will be mixing beats. Live music remains a highly anticipated feature of 4U Rage Festival and local stars Goldfish, GoodLuck, Toya Delazy and Pascal and Pearce are prepped to set the dance floors alight. 4U Rage Festival brings the best talent from around the country, look out for Cape Town based Nick Supply, Haezer, Niskerone and P.H. Fat. Johannesburg provides the festival with Kyle Worde, Dunn, Mojo, Peter Booth, …

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2012 Avis South African Derby

(MyPR.co.za) By Filed Under: Sports Edit This Article

Press release 10th September 2012 For Immediate Release The 2012 Avis South African Derby, driven by VW – “In Black and White”! It’s just days away from the equestrian fraternity’s most anticipated event, the 2012 Avis South African Derby. More than 13 000 spectators will pack the grand stands and the various marquees at Kyalami Equestrian Park in Johannesburg to watch the much anticipated showdown between the top equestrian riders in South Africa. The theme for this years Sunday event is “In Black and White” and organisers are expecting attendees to the Sunday finals to really take heed of the theme and express themselves. Avis and VW are providing a free shuttle service from the parking areas to ensure that the patron’s finest is not exposed to excessive amounts of walking and that guests arrive at the main arena looking their best. The 2012 Avis South African Derby will be held from 3rd to 7th October at Kyalami Equestrian Park. The equestrian festival spans a full 5 days. Entrance from Wednesday to Friday is free and guests can enjoy the nailbiting action of all the preliminary rounds and qualifiers. The event really comes to life from Saturday as families and friends descend on the grounds to take in the food, wine, entertainment and sport with Sunday remaining the pinnacle. Saturday highlights: Childrens play and entertainment area featuring face painting, mechanical bull, jumping castles, clown shows and more Food village with 15 different flavours and varieties of food and from around the world set on a lovely deck under tents and umbrellas Shopping village with over 20 retail stores showcasing a wide variety of fashions and jewellery Exclusive GHS members area with private grand stand and cocktail lounge Large general access beer tent serving a variety of local beers to help quench the thirst Mini Show Jumping Derby (1.3m) and other top equestrian disciplines Sunday highlights - All of the highlights mentioned in Saturday …

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SPAR women pamper kids on ladies’ day

(MyPR.co.za) By Filed Under: General Business Edit This Article

SPAR Eastern Cape’s female employees used their annual internal ladies’ day not to pamper themselves but to give back to the community by spending the day at two underprivileged crèches in Nelson Mandela Bay on Friday. The 95 women divided themselves between the Lilitha Crèche in Veeplaas and the Sonwabile Educare Centre in New Brighton, where they entertained the children, cooked them a meal and left behind a variety of educational materials and toys. Speaking at the New Brighton event, SPAR EC human resources officer Uonella Ntsebeza said it was very important for the company to assist organisations in the communities in which it operated. “As women we are caregivers, so for us this just fits naturally. I think this is typical of women – to do something for other people.” Ntsebeza said a lot of work had gone into planning the day, with every employee involved in coming up with ideas for themes and activities. The 110 children at the New Brighton crèche were treated to facepainting, a jumping castle and mini-Olympics, as well as a visit from Trolley Man, before enjoying hamburgers and party packs in the colourfully draped school hall. “At the end of the day, they received back sacks with colouring books, crayons, lunch tins, juice bottles and other items to contribute towards their education.” According to her, the little ones were mostly raised in single-parent families or by their grandmothers, who relied on the child support grant as their sole source of income. “We just wanted to make it a really fun day for the kids. The reward we got from seeing them smiling and happy was just priceless.” Sonwabile Educare Centre principal Zoliswa Nkwalase said she felt very blessed by the supermarket giant’s involvement and looked forward to an ongoing partnership. “Going forward, we’re hoping to assist the school in any way that we can,” said Ntsebeza. SPAR EC creditors manager Zelda le Roux said she and her fellow employees had been …

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