At the turn of the century Waterkloof Glen Extension 2 was a typical leafy middle-class Pretoria East suburb with a local veterinarian and a few more than 100, mostly medium-sized, properties. Few people back then could have visualised the suburb emerging as a R10-billion bustling mixed-use development. Menlyn Maine, the largest project of its kind being undertaken within the greater Pretoria region in Tshwane Municipality, is being developed on the back of this once sleepy suburb and is now a hive of building activity and the headquarters of a growing number of leading South African corporates and businesses. “From what was once the heart of middle-class suburbia a judiciously designed, groundbreaking 315 000sqm mini-city, which effectively combines office, commercial, residential and entertainment spaces is fast emerging,” points out Retha Schutte, Pam Golding Properties’ regional executive for Pretoria. “Indeed, development within the greater Menlyn region has become so rapid that it is increasingly being referred to as ‘Pretoria’s Sandton’.” In 2006, however, the Menlyn Maine development project appeared as if it was going to disintegrate before it had even effectively begun. The initiative was becoming particularly mired in the affairs of a number of the individual members of the community, many of whom quite understandably did not wish to sell their homes, or had high expectations of what their properties were worth now that the land been earmarked for development. In a third attempt to get the multi-billion rand project off the ground, the developers approached Schutte and Pam Golding Properties for assistance with overcoming the stumbling block of bringing together, or, to put it in words of the real estate industry, ‘assembling’, all of the necessary land for a massive project that had been years in the making. “The developers asked me whether I thought Pam Golding Properties could successfully transact the purchase all of the necessary …
Samsung Electronics Delivers Air Conditioning that’s Effective in Summer and Winter
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa– Samsung Electronics South Africa has vast experience in the development of air conditioning and has long been committed to creating cooling solutions that are both powerful and convenient, thereby ensuring optimum comfort for users. However, what many consumers are unaware of is the fact that Samsung air conditioners are equally effective at warming up a room and they can perform more efficiently than the average heater. Although South Africa is renowned for its long, warm summers, when the winter hits, the cold can really affect internal living spaces. The traditional method of dealing with the cold is to utilise a bar or fan heater, but these products tend to work best as personal heating appliances and are less effective when attempting to warm an entire room. Michael McKechnie, Director of Digital Appliances Group at Samsung Electronics SA, points out that Samsung’s air conditioners may have a reputation for being cooling appliances, but they are just as good when it comes to heating a room. “You simply cannot obtain the same amount of comfort or efficiency in heating from another source, as these appliances are designed to control the entire room’s temperature. Moreover, an air conditioner allows you to maintain your desired room temperature more effectively too,” says McKechnie. “Consumers may be concerned that an air conditioner will use more power, but even this is not necessarily the case. Our products have a built in inverter that sets the appliance to idle once the room reaches optimal temperature, switching on again only if the temperature drops below this level. A heater, on the other hand, is likely to remain on throughout the day in order to keep a room warm, so it clearly draws a lot of electricity.” He adds that another, intangible benefit of using an air conditioner for heat is that by more consistently controlling the temperature of the room, you are less likely to get ill from constant changes in …
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Cycle4Cansa Classic returns to traditional route
A strategic decision to switch the dates of the road and mountain bike races at the Bestmed Cycle4Cansa Classic, which is hosted by Sun City in late August, has cleared the way for the feature road race to return to its original route. The 103km event, which made its debut in 1998, was forced to make use of an alternative course over the past three years to combat the increase in traffic - particularly heavy mining trucks - on the R551 from Thabazimbi. Darren Herbst of ASG Events said this has seen the size of the field remain largely static in recent years and he was confident that the new "reversed" programme would provide the impetus for further growth. The 25 and 50km mountain bike races, which are in their 10th year, will now take place on the opening day on August 20 with the road events, including the shorter 70km, on the Sunday when there is less traffic. Herbst, the route director, said he was delighted with the changes to the weekend's festival of cycling. "It will add immense value and we feel the race now has a realistic chance of drawing a field of up to 8 000 riders as in the past." Herbst also placed much importance on the mountain bike offering. "This element has grown steadily over the years and we're very pleased with that." He felt the Saturday slot would entice a lot more mountain bikers from the Gauteng area to make the trip to Sun City. Although the main race on the road was now about six kilometres shorter than last year, it would provide a similar test, said Herbst. "The difficulty is about the same, but the slightly shorter distance will make a difference." He said the event had a reputation as a flat and fast race and that its dynamics were perfect for cyclists who were easing into the second half of the season after winter. A further incentive, said Herbst, was that the Cycle4Cansa Classic is an official seeding event for the Cape Town Cycle Tour. Besides the main events, there are two children's races - …
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How medical schemes can better serve the needs of members
South Africa has many strengths, but customer service is not generally regarded as among our stronger suits. South Africa’s largest closed medical scheme is challenging this negative national stereotype, as it breaks new ground to bring great service to its members. “Whether in restaurants, retail or the healthcare industry, there are a number of factors contributing to this less-than-favourable scenario, including lack of competition, customer apathy, lack of response to complaints and arrogance on the part of many service providers, explains Bella Mfenyana, GEMS executive of contracts and operations. “Government Employees Medical Scheme recognises that in order to improve our own track record, as well as the way South African customer service is regarded internationally, change is needed at every level of society. “Over the last year, GEMS has had a long hard look in the mirror and taken to heart some of the constructive criticism members have shared with us. Whether it has stemmed from dissatisfaction with the level of service received from our call centre, or difficulties in processing claims, we have taken cognisance of the fact that we had room for improvement.” According to Mfenyana, South African healthcare consumers have become increasingly cynical of endless service promises, and tend to disregard these until they see demonstrable action. Consumers are becoming more selective, they no longer remain loyal to service providers if service is not forthcoming. “The healthcare industry should be leading the groundswell toward better, more customer-centric service in order to ensure that the needs of medical scheme members are anticipated and exceeded at every opportunity,” she asserts. When the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) first opened its doors for business in 2006, few expected it to be the success that it turned out to be. “With the aid of a rigorous tender process and watertight contractual agreements, we have contracted …
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Good Fellas covered to drive First Car Rental customers home
July 2016 - First Car Rental's partnership with Good Fellas means its customers are covered by Good Fellas' and can use their services wherever they may be. This is just one way that First Car Rental is putting the fun back into car hire. Good Fellas' chauffeurs are permitted to drive First Car Rental vehicles without prior notification. Good Fellas is a nationwide chauffeur service that provides renters with a responsible and hassle-free alternative to driving under the influence. Good Fellas' chauffeurs meet drivers wherever they are and drive them safely home in their own vehicles so that both renter and vehicle make it home, or back to their hotel, safely, in all of South Africa's major cities - Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Nelspruit, Durban, Bloemfontein, East London, Port Elizabeth, George and Cape Town. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/firstcarrental CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. …
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Ring the Bell
Some of us don't like to subscribe to an email list, go to the trouble of setting up RSS feeds, monitoring Twitter or Facebook, constantly manually refreshing a web site page BUT still want the latest news fed to us. Now MyPR offers you another solution to get the latest articles AS they are published - remember these press releases are yours to republish and expand upon for free! Using Push Technology you will receive a gentle reminder (pop up) in your web browser as soon as new articles are published. Look for the OneSignal bell in the bottom right hand corner of the MyPR page and click on it. …
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Samsung Debuts ‘The Chant’ Film
Celebrating Stories of Defying Barriers Ahead of the Olympic Games JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – July 13, 2016 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, has released ‘The Chant’, its latest film, which features South Sudanese athlete, Margret Rumat Rumar Hassan. The 400-metre runner hopes to compete under her own nation’s flag during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as South Sudan will be sending a team to the event for the first time ever. “‘The Chant’ is a continuation of Samsung’s support of the Olympics’ pioneering spirit, highlighting perseverance and the will to get back up again against the odds, which is ultimately what leads to meaningful progress,” explains Michelle Potgieter, Director: Corporate Marketing & Communications at Samsung South Africa. “Through ‘The Chant’, Samsung introduces the world to yet another powerful story of defying barriers. The film conveys how the Olympic Games inspire harmony and celebrate the progress of the human race, generating cultural, personal and technological connections.” ‘The Chant’ opens with Margret in the locker room where she puts in Samsung Gear IconX cord-free ear-buds, paired with her Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. As Margret walks from the locker room to the stadium, viewers are transported to a village in South Sudan where the entire nation is chanting her name to cheer her on and celebrate her journey. As Margret enters the stadium, the chanting disappears, but she remains strong and confident. Through this film, Samsung celebrates not only the individual progress of Margret, but also the development of South Sudan as this nation will participate in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for the very first time. ‘The Chant’ ends with an inspiring message showcasing Samsung’s commitment to the Olympic Games as the “Proud Sponsor of Those who Defy Barriers”. Earlier this year, Samsung released a short documentary film, ‘A …
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It’s all about the reward – Cashbag relaunches with bigger savings
CashBag, the cash back rewards program for online shopping, recently underwent a tune up. The site in addition to having a new look, now boasts more cash saving deals, more offers from local and international partners and more cash back in the consumers pocket. In July, CashBag launched its CashBag Cash Back Button - A toolbar button that simplifies the process of activating rewards when shopping online. The plugin notifies the shopper each time they visit a CashBag partner website and shows them how much they can save by activating the reward. The CashBag Button also allows shoppers to compare cash back deals right on their Google search results page. Signing up to CashBag is free and opens up a world of money-saving potential. Every time a shopper makes an online purchase through CashBag, CashBag pays a portion of the checkout total back to the consumer in cash. “We’re trying to make it as easy as possible to earn money while you shop online, as well as ensure that consumers don’t miss out on any cash back rewards. The CashBag Button notifies you that a cash back reward is available at that particular site, they click on “activate” and continue shopping. It’s that simple, no forms to fill out or points to accumulate,” states CashBag GM, Kirsty Henderson. The company launched in 2012 with the purpose of offering cash back to it’s members for shopping online; the more they shopped the more they’d earn. While the goal hasn’t changed, the consumer has as well as the playing field. Although reward programs are not a particularly new phenomenon they are becoming increasingly popular. According to The 2016 Truth Loyalty Whitepaper there are over 100 loyalty programs in South Africa with accelerated activity in the last 3-5 years. Banks, insurance providers and many large retailers offer a variety of loyalty and rewards programs; cash back rewards, points, incentives, coupons and discounts. CashBag is not encouraging consumers to add to their daily …
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RhODIS Rhino DNA database puts poachers in the cross-hair
The Onderstepoort Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL) at the University of Pretoria has developed a ground-breaking technique to collect and catalogue DNA from rhinos and rhino horn which could lead to more convictions of poachers and reduce rhino poaching in Southern Africa.Known as RhODIS, Rhino DNA Index System, the database stores the DNA, the unique genetic ‘fingerprint’ of every sampled rhino or horn. The database enables investigators to link poachers to crime scenes, to rhino which has been harmed or confiscated horn, with other evidence. “The RhODIS is similar to the human DNA database used by police and the American Combined DNA Indexing System (CODIS),” advises project manager Dr Cindy Harper. “We take a tiny amount of DNA, less than 20mg of horn is needed, and this could be used as evidence in court. To date we have compiled more than 200 forensic reports based on our data, and had six successful high-profile convictions.”As one example, the RhODIS database helped identify the origin of confiscated horn from a Vietnamese trafficker less than six weeks after the rhinoceros was poached in the Kruger National Park. RhODIS, currently holds the DNA of more than 20,000 rhinos in Africa and it’s rapidly growing. SAPS investigators, prosecutors, Green Scorpions, veterinarians and wildlife officials have been trained on the collection of DNA to ensure correct collection. “The collection and handling of samples for forensic investigation needs to be done meticulously in order to comply with chain-of–custody requirements,” comments Harper.Government and international backingDr Cindy Harper and her team began their work in 2009, and in 2012 the South African government passed a legislation stating that all captured rhinos and horns should be sampled and sent to VGL for inclusion in the database.Through Dr Cindy Harper’s advocacy work in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Africa Rhino Program, RhODIS is gaining international recognition. The system and …
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Property buying golden principles
The simple truth is that not all property purchases are equal. While one property investment could become the cornerstone to wealth creation, another could lead to financial ruin. What is the difference between the two? According to Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, in order to ensure success and make the most out of their property purchase, buyers need to be well-informed, savvy and make the correct buying decisions from the start. He notes that decisions made during the purchasing process will have a massive bearing on the potential return on the buyer’s investment. Goslett says that merely purchasing a home at fair market value doesn’t guarantee that the buyer will see healthy returns over the long term. He points out that there are certain golden principles for any property acquisition that buyers would be wise to follow: Research and ask questions Before making any decisions a buyer needs to establish whether they are purchasing the property as a home to live in or merely for investment purposes, as this will change the way the buyer approaches the purchase. “If the home is bought with the intention of being the buyer’s primary residence, the decision making process will be far more emotionally guided. The buyer will look at aspects of the property and the surrounding area that appeal to them personally. However, if the property is for investment purposes it will be more important to research what will appeal to possible tenants in the area and who the tenants might be,” advises Goslett. He notes that while a buyer will be able to find a great deal of information online regarding the area, the estate or complex, nothing can replace checking out the location in person. “Take the time to drive around the area and walk the streets. Consider what the traffic is like and who your potential neighbours could be, as well as the facilities and amenities in the area. A real estate professional with working experience …