New dairy alternative launches in SA

Almond Breeze, a great tasting and all-natural alternative to milk made from almonds, gives the market a shake up this month as it launches in South Africa. With great health benefits, Almond Breeze is a low-calorie, lactose-free alternative to dairy and can be used in cereals, smoothies, coffee, in baking or simply enjoy a delicious glass on its own.

Available in two varieties, Original and Unsweetened, Almond Breeze is a great alternative for people looking to live a healthier lifestyle. It is also suitable for people with dairy allergies or those following a vegan diet. As almond milk contains no cholesterol, it is also recommended for people suffering from heart disease or high cholesterol and the unsweetened variety has a low glycaemic index (GI) with no added sugar, making it a suitable option for health conscious consumers.

“Almond Breeze has been the leading almond milk in the United States for over a decade, offering a high quality and healthy alternative to milk,” says Brendan Binder, Global Director of Almond Breeze. “Over the past few years we have successfully launched in a number of markets around the world and we are excited to launch in South Africa, addressing the increasing demand for an alternative to dairy in the country.”

Almond Breeze combines the superfood health benefits of almonds with a delicious taste. It is packed with calcium as well as vitamin D and E to support strong bones and healthy skin, making it easier to manage a healthy lifestyle. Almond Breeze is proudly produced and distributed locally by Good Hope International Beverages and is GMO free, with no additives, MSG or preservatives.

“People are definitely paying more attention to their health, and whatever the reason you are looking for an alternative to dairy, Almond Breeze promises great taste with great health benefits,” adds Binder.

Almond Breeze Original and Unsweetened are available in a 1L Tetra Pak and will retail in leading supermarkets around the country for a recommended selling price of R34,95.

Find out more about Almond Breeze on www.almondbreeze.co.za, @AlmondBreezeSA and facebook/AlmondBreezeSouthAfrica.

Khanyi Mbau finds happiness in four letter film

The film titled ‘Happiness is a Four-Letter Word’ and directed by Thabang Moleya, tells a story of glamorous housewife Zaza (Khanyi Mbau), perfectionist lawyer Nandi (Mmabatho Montsho) and trendy art gallery owner Princess (Renate Stuurman) who seem to be living the new South African dream: money, success, and loving partners.

The three friends juggle life’s surprising changes as they come to learn that “happiness doesn’t come with a manual.” The three will have to find out what truly makes each of them happy and then fight to get it in their unique way.

The film is being produced with part funding from the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and forms part of a slate of films that aim to develop key areas of black talent in the film industry. The NFVF programme has had great success with the release of Hard to Get, which garnered various awards.

At the helm of the production team are Hard to Get producers Junaid Ahmed and Helena Spring, and first time feature film producer Bongiwe Selane who says “I’m excited to be producing my first feature film with two formidable producers, whom I consider doyens in the industry.

I was a fan of Happiness is a Four-Letter Word when it was first published and immediately knew that it is the kind of story that lends itself to screen adaptation.” Junaid Ahmed adds “It’s important for us to grow black excellence in the film industry.

The fact that Happiness is a story about ambitious black women is an added and much-welcomed layer. Helena Spring added: “It’s wonderful for me to watch the great achievements in the South African film industry and to be part of showcasing black talent in full colour.”

While Busisiwe Ntilintili adapted the novel into a screenplay, Cynthia Nozizwe Jele, who is currently busy with her second novel, kept a strong hand on the adaptation and has been integral in the film production.

An excited and humble Nozizwe says, “I’m thrilled about the film. The novel received tremendous support and still gets attention. I’m also excited about the developing trend of local books being turned into films and television dramas. The content and depth of South African writers is relevant and of a high calibre. I wish the cast and production team all the best, and I can’t wait to see the final product.”

The director Thabang Moleya whose accolades include Vuka Awards, SAFTA Awards, and an Emmy Nomination leads a stellar cast including Mmabatho Montsho as Nandi, Khanyi Mbau as Zaza, and Renate Stuurman as Princess.

Happiness is a Four-Letter Word will elevate the state of South African cinema, and raise the volume on the stunted representation of black females in film both behind and in front of camera.

ASUS expands its ultrabook range

ASUS has expanded its ultrabook range by adding the new ZenBook computer to the Mzansi line-up. The new ASUS ZenBook is available at Dion Wired for a recommended retail price of R11 999.

The thin, light and powerful ASUS ZenBook is just 12.3mm thick and weighs in at just 1.2kg.

The subtle wedge design and elegantly tapered smooth diamond-cut edges emphasise the sleek ultra-thin chassis. A full size ergonomic keyboard and a large responsive touchpad make engaging with the device an efficient and rewarding experience.

When it comes to visual display, the ZenBook features two 13.3 inch in-plane switching options for wide viewing angles, including a matte Full HD (1920×1080) that offers bright, crystal clear images, and an optional QHD+ (3200×1800) multi-touch display for an extremely sharp display.

Simply put, QHD+ offers four times the resolution of standard HD displays for an extraordinary pixel density of 275ppi for vivid and life-like images and video.

This latest crop of ZenBook Ultrabooks maintains the device’s reputation for exceptional sound, with its ASUS SonicMaster audio with ICEpower technology from Bang & Olufsen producing deep base, rich mid tones, and crystal-clear highs.

What’s more, the easy-to-use AudioWizard software has five pre-sets optimised for different audio sources for maximum listening pleasure.

Available in two colours – Obsidian Stone and Ceramic Alloy, the ZenBook has scooped design awards worldwide, including the 2014 Good Design Award from the Japan Institute of Design Promotion, the 2015 iF Design Award, and it was included on the 2014 Good Design Best 100 list.

ASUS’ signature spun-metal finish with its unique concentric circle design that echoes the spirit of Zen add even more to its understated beauty and harmonious blend of power and style.

The ZenBook UX305 is powered by the remarkably power-efficient Intel Core M processor, and combined with 8GB of RAM and an ultra-fast 256GB SSD, the notebook delivers impressive all round performance.

The SATA 6.0Gb/s SSSD is up to six times faster than a traditional hard disk drive tears through file-intensive productivity tasks with ease – while the device’s lithium-polymer batter and power-efficient components offer a stellar 10 hour battery life.

The advanced ASUS thermal management design removes the need for cooling fans, meaning that the Ultrabook is fast, cool (in the most literal sense), and completely silent.

This also means that the palm-rest area remains below body temperature for maximum comfort, which is brought to you by ASUS, through its ICECool technology.

Hisense produces and launches OLED TV in South Africa

Hisense has confirmed that its new OLED TV produced in South Africa will be officially launched this August in Cape Town.

The new Hisense OLED TV produces better picture quality and colour through ULED 2.0 technology. It will retail at R30 000.

Hisense’s ULED 2.0 technology offers high dynamic range with enhanced 3D dimming and peak brightness of 550 nits.

Furthermore, the company’s independently developed module technology enables its ULED televisions to offer better colour effects, added to a wider colour gamut (100% NTSC) and quantum dots technology that allows for richer and more vibrant picture clarity.

Another feature of Hisense’s ULED televisions worth bearing in mind is its ultra dimming technology.

The presence of hundreds of LED bulbs, which are then divided into 144 independent units, with each unit capable of being set to anywhere between 100% black and 100% white, enable these televisions to render more detail in its image.

Where ULED scores over OLED by a more significant margin is in energy consumption, requiring 200 W in comparison to OLED’s more power hungry 230 W. Additionally, Hisense’s ULED televisions also boast a much quicker response time of 3-4 milliseconds (half of LED’s 6-8 milliseconds).

Along with this, Hisense’s backlight scanner helps it eliminate picture flutter more efficiently, making for a clearer as well as a smoother viewing experience.

Montecasino to host the NBA Africa game viewing party

Montecasino will be hosting the NBA Africa Game 2015 live viewing party on 01 August. The fan zone will be presented by Ford.

Open to fans of all ages, the fan zone will feature spectator games on a half-court, music, prizes and more.  Commentary of NBA Africa Game 2015 will be presented live at the fan zone.

Hosted by a 947 DJ, the event will also feature an NBA Fan Patrol that will provide entertainment, including acrobatic dunk performances.

The sold-out NBA Africa Game 2015 will feature a Team Africa vs. Team World format and will be played in support of Boys & Girls Clubs of South Africa, SOS Children’s Villages Association of South Africa and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.  The game will air live in the U.S. on ESPN at 9:00 a.m. ET and in Africa on SuperSport at 3:00 p.m. CAT.

Team Africa, comprised of players born in Africa. Team World, comprised of players from the rest of the world.

Tickets are available at itickets.co.za/events/347895.html.

Call For Nominations For Sanparks Environmental Journalist Awards

Entries for the South African National Parks (SANParks) Environmental journalists of the year are open. This according to SANParks: Head of Communications, Paul Daphne, who said the Environmental Media Contribution to Conservation award category of the Kudu Awards – is presented to conservation/environmental journalists/media entities that have been considered to have conducted their reporting in a socially responsible manner and have also given extensive and balanced reporting on conservation related matters.
According to Daphne the Environmental Media Contribution to Conservation Award category forms part of the annual SANParks Kudu Awards – designed to recognize external stakeholders for their contributions and efforts in making South African National Parks the custodian of choice for the national parks system in South Africa.

He said the event, now in its 10th year, has seen good interest from members of the public in the last few years and last year saw a massive contribution of R200 000 for the prizes from First National Bank (FNB) and Total SA. “This shows that there is a lot of passion for our parks from our patrons and all have a need to be recognised as the best in conservation of our biodiversity.”

We hereby invite all members of media institutions to submit their nominations for Environmental Journalist of the Year for the Kudu Award by 31 July 2015.

The awards winners will be announced at a gala function to be held in Gauteng later in the year. For more information go to http://www.sanparks.org/about/events/kudu_awards/default.php or contact Itshekeng Mokone on telephone (012) 426 5058 / e-mail: itshekeng.mokone@sanparks.org or Christinah Njotini on (012) 426 5020 / email: christinah.njotini@sanparks.org

Idols SA Is Back!

Following last season's massive success – with a record-breaking 24 million votes being cast – Idols SA returns to M-Net and Mzansi Magic this week Sunday at 17:00. This season all the episodes will be two hours long, and the producers hit the refresh button by adding a fourth member to the judging panel.  Flamboyant entertainer Somizi Mhlongo  joins Randall Abrahams, Unathi Msengana and Gareth Cliff in the search for South Africa's next singing sensation.

"By now, we all know what to expect from our esteemed judges:  Randall will be his nit-picking, brutally honest self; Gareth will fire off witty remarks; and Unathi is bound to shed some tears. So the big question now is how Somizi will perform his judging duties," says M-Net's Head of Publicity, Lani Lombard. "Prepare yourself for the highest level of energy, Somizi's trademark pizazz and all kinds of spontaneous moves. But he will also impress with his practical music knowledge and deep insight into the world of showbiz."

In the first episode we'll see how Somizi made his first appearance at the State Theatre in Pretoria, where the countrywide auditions for Idols SA Season 11 kicked off this year. While the two hour long show on M-Net  and Mzansi Magic  will feature some of the best – and worst – singers who eagerly awaited the judges' comments, all the auditions will once again be played on the Idols SA Extra channel, channel 199 on DStv, from the time the show's end credits roll.

Next week Sunday the auditions will move to the GrandWest Casino and World of Entertainment in Cape Town and the following two episodes will feature the good, bad – and ugly – at The Playhouse Theatre in Durban and Carnival City on the East Rand. The lucky few who receive a precious Golden Ticket will then face the music again at Idols SA's gruelling Theatre Week before the Top 16 will sing for the voting public.

Among the slate of performers in the first episode is a former drama student who entered the competition as his female alter-ego; the handsome son of a famous South African musician; a singer-songwriter who busks to make a living; a young man who supports his entire family; and a n ecstatic Idols fan who has a big crush on presenter ProVerb.

But can they sing? And, will they go home with a coveted Golden Ticket?

You'll find out if you watch Idols SA in HD on M-Net, channel 101 on DStv or on Mzansi Magic, channel 161 on DStv on Sundays at 17:00, from Sunday, 12 July. Or tune into the Idols Extra channel, channel 199 on DStv.

For the latest information on Idols SA visit the official Idols X website at www.mnet.co.za/idolssa,  follow Idols SA on Twitter @IdolsSA or like the official Idols Facebook page at “Idols South Africa”.

How To Minimize The Impact Of Losing Your Home

For most people, owning a home is seen as a major achievement; it may represent years of hard work and sacrifice. There is no doubt that property ownership forms part of a solid investment portfolio and it is for all these reasons that losing a home can be devastating, not only financially, but emotionally too.

Every property that is repossessed is already one property to many.  However many home owners end up in a situation where they can no longer keep their mortgage payments due to their financial position.  It is advisable that prior to purchasing a home, one conducts research and constructs a budget that caters for unforeseen expenses that may place the repayment ability at risk.

Many property owners who cannot meet their bond repayments make the common mistake of not contacting their banks, and sometimes choose to ignore telephone calls, letters and emails. Steven Barker, Head of Home Loans at Standard Bank, says, “If you know that you are not able to make the payments, you should immediately contact your bank.

“It is in the bank’s interest to assist you to find a solution that is acceptable to both parties. No bank wants to repossess a home; if it is at all possible they will try to accommodate a financially stressed homeowner, as long as there is a viable solution and obligations are met. Many consumers tend to believe that if their house is repossessed, their financial worries will be over. However, there are some major risks associated with this course of action.”

When your home is repossessed, the bank is forced to cancel the home loan agreement and institute legal action against you. Once a judgement is obtained through the courts, the property is attached by the sheriff and sold at an auction as a ‘sale in execution’.

Standard Bank does not seek to make profits out of a sale in execution,” says Mr Barker. They credit the ex-owner if there is a surplus from the sale, after deducting costs. If the proceeds of the sale are not sufficient to cover the outstanding loan balance, then the client still has an obligation to repay that outstanding amount to the bank.”

Tips to prevent repossession

Examine your budget carefully and cut debt levels
Sometimes giving your budget a makeover can free up enough cash to keep your payments on track. This process will require you to make changes to your lifestyle; limit eating out, cell phone use and suspend subscriptions. Remind yourself that the cutbacks are short-term and that keeping your home is of utmost importance.

Sell the property before you fall into arrears
Waiting in the hope that your luck will turn could make matters worse. If you don’t want to sell your home, you may need to sell something else. Look around your house and see what assets you can sell to boost your funds.

3.       Ask the bank to extend your mortgage payback period to 30 years

This will give you more cash in hand, but you will pay more interest. You could always change the mortgage repayment period back to 20 years once your situation has improved.

Speak to your accountant or financial advisor
They may be able to give you financial advice on how to use investments to tide you over. While not ideal, cashing in an investment may be a viable solution. Financial advisors have experience with individuals in financial stress and may be able to suggest some feasible solutions.

“Remember, the bank will do everything in their ability to assist you to keep your home,” says Mr Barker. “The key to an amicable solution is regular and open communication.”

Get Shopping Online, Sports And News For Free

Last month, Cell C announced it had partnered with Facebook’s Internet.org to launch the free service for South African customers on the mobile network at the beginning of this month, bringing with it free access to Facebook and a host of other content.

So, how exactly does internet.org work and what are its benefits? Read on and we’ll take you through it.

Internet.org is free for all Cell C contract customers, while those on prepaid must keep their line active by recharging at least once every 30 days to keep accessing the service.

Before getting into all the details, an important factor we picked up when we first tried internet.org out is that it’s won’t work when connected to WiFi, even if you are a Cell C customer. Upon further testing, we saw that if you switch to your mobile connection, visit the site on your browser (it should definitely let you in by now) and switch back to WiFi, you should be able to carry on from there.

On the internet.org home page, you’ll see a list of all the free services available. We’ve summarised description of what you can do on them:

Facebook


The main service that’s punted on Internet.org is Facebook. Here you can post and view and status updates, comments, see their News Feed, timeline and profiles of other users and use Facebook Messenger for text chat. Standard data rates will apply for all other Facebook-related activities such as posting and viewing videos and voice calling on Messenger.

It doesn’t look as sophisticated as the Facebook app, but you shouldn’t have any hassles with navigating it.

Information Channels

Bing, Cell C, wikiHow and Wikipedia


You can use the Bing search engine to look up information and images. Visit the Cell C mobisite, look up a bunch of “how tos” on wikiHow and browse the Wikipedia online encyclopaedia.

Education Channels

BeSmart, LoveWords, FunDza, Scholars4Dev, Wattpad, WorldReader and D-Siders


BeSmart helps with tips, quizzes, games and information on a number of topics from job interviews, history, news, English grammar maths and science.

LoveWors is for all the wordsmiths who enjoy reading and writing poetry and short stories and polishing their English skills through quizzes and tests.

FunDza contains themed stories, essays and poems written by ordinary young people on the portal. If you fancy yourself a future author, you can also submit your own stories to be published on FunDza.

Scholars4Dev helps South African youth find scholarships to study at certain tertiary institutions abroad.

Wattpad and WorldReader are other story and book reading apps you can use to read stories upcoming authors. You can also save a book for offline reading and comment and rate it once you’re done.

D-Siders is a life orientation-esque daily mobile soapie design to teach youth about pressings social issues. Users can also discuss some of the topics addressed in each episode.

Women Channels

Intel She Will Connect, Girl Effect, iLearn


Intel She Will Connect educates girls and women about how they can get connected to and use the internet and what the benefits of being connected are.

Girl Effect is a movement aimed at reaching out to girls in Africa and offering them life tips and advice and giving them a platform to share about their life stories, struggles and triumphs.

iLearn is a financial education platform that seeks to teach women about handling their money, starting their own company and offers inspirational stories from other women who have become successful entrepreneurs.

Health Channels

Health24, BabyCentre and MAMA, HIV360 and Facts for Life


Health24 is 24.com’s general health information portal where you can read up on the latest health news.

BabyCentre and MAMA – which was developed in South Africa – helps expectant mothers and moms with a baby from 0 to 12 months learn all they need to know about pregnancy, taking care of yourself and your baby and a baby’s milestones. Moms can also connect with each other and exchange advice and tips.

HIV360 teaches users all about HIV or AIDS, how to prevent either one and how to live positively with it.

Facts for Life helps mothers  take care of their unborn baby, newborn, infant or toddlers by provding them with health information on a range of illnesses common among children.

Marketplace

Gumtree and OLX


Get access to two of South Africa’s biggest online classifieds where you can buy or sell anything from electronics, cars, appliances and property for rent or sale.

News Channels

BBC News, News24 and SuperSport


Read up on international, continental and local news stories from the BBC, News24 and Supersport.

Finance and jobs Channels

Careers24, SmartBusiness and Money Matters

Careers24 allows you to browse available job posts and upload your CV to apply for them.

For those who prefer being their own boss, SmartBusiness will give you information and advice on how to go about doing so, while Money Matters will teach consumers how to budget and handle their money well.

- Htxt

Walk Of Stars To Be Launched In Rosebank

A walk of fame styled installation is set to launch in Rosebank CBD. The attraction will mimic the iconic ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame’, and pay tribute to South African greats in various disciplines.

The Walk’s home, approved by the Lower Rosebank Management District, is a permanent honour dedicated to former president Nelson Mandela and other South African and African greats.

Spots on ‘The Walk’ will be awarded to those who have excelled in radio, music, sport, film, television, performing arts and more.

Those honoured on ‘The Walk’ will be individuals “who have rendered unparalleled service to their fellow citizens by enduring and making selfless contributions to charitable causes and by their altruistic deeds achieved exalted recognition,” according to a statement released by the NGO.

According to “The Walk of Stars” Executive Producer, Phineas Tichana, “the Walk is set to be a huge resource for Rosebank and mega marketing tool for Johannesburg to promote tangible heritage as an open air museum, enhance the business, cultural, and civic well-being of South African and African achievement. More so, it directly speaks to the ‘We are Africa’ campaign at this time. It’s the best thing set to ever happen in the Rosebank precinct.”

Included in the long list of inaugural inductees are Ladysmith Black Mambazo, TV Host and former Miss South Africa, Rolene Strauss.

Also on the list is Francois Pienaar, a retired South African rugby union player and key political figures like Andrew Mlangeni, Ahmed Kathrada, and George Bizos.

SABC African EduWeek Winners Announced

Educational and corporate technology solutions, Edit Microsystems, was named the best ICT in education supplier of year at the inaugural SABC Education African EduWeek awards held last night at the Gallagher Convention Centre.

The awards showcased the most innovative projects, organisations, companies, teachers and professionals in education who have been responsible for pioneering new frontiers, inspiring others and for achieving growth in education in Africa.

“We are incredibly surprised but absolutely thrilled with this award,” said Pieter Labuschagne, MD of Edit Microsystems. “We consistently thrive to be innovative and creative. This award goes to show that we have been recognised for our continued efforts.”

Here’s a list of the rest of the winners:

Supplier of the Year 2015, Basic Education: One On One Community Based Programmes, South Africa
Supplier of the Year 2015, Higher Education: TSiBA Education NPC, South Africa
Supplier of the Year 2015, Early Childhood Development: Clamber Club, South Africa
Supplier of the Year 2015, Special Needs: Sensory Solutions, South Africa
Supplier of the Year 2015, Innovation Product Award: The Reach Trust, Department of Basic Education and UNICEF
Stars in Education Award: Lesiba Kwenaite, Teacher, Pirwana Secondary School, Limpopo
NGO of the Year 2015: Knysna Education Trust, South Africa
Future Stars Award: Mapule Mofokeng, Student, CTI Randburg Campus.
Environment Award 2015: Collect-a-Can, South Africa
Community project of the Year: SpellAfrica Initiative, Nigeria
SABC Education African EduWeek wraps up today.

10 Point Reform Plan For Unemployment Crisis

The SA Institute of Race Relations (IRR) published a 10-point plan on Wednesday to tackle South Africa’s mounting unemployment crisis.

The IRR said that South Africa’s very high unemployment, which had risen from 3.67 million in 1994 to 8.74 million this year, necessitated a series of radical steps.

“Job security for some has been achieved at the price of unemployment for others who might have benefited from a more adaptable and flexible regulatory environment,” the IRR said in a statement.

“Joblessness on the scale currently prevalent in South Africa represents a colossal loss in economic output.”

The IRR added that its proposals were designed to “curtail violence, replace coercion with democracy, lower barriers to market entry, and remove obstacles to the engagement of workers”.

Unskilled people without education or capital had nothing to sell but their labour and all the artificial restrictions – such as minimum wages – preventing them from exploiting their only asset should be removed, in the IRR’s view.

Dr Anthea Jeffery, head of policy research at the IRR, explained ten labour market reform points of the suggested IRR plan to Fin24:

End strike-related violence

Very often strikes go on longer than they otherwise would have, explained Jeffery. This is due to intimidation or an incitement to violence or even attacks on non-strikers as important factors.

“Yet we are not aware of any successful prosecutions in this regard,” said Jeffery. “We, therefore, want those responsible for attacks or incitements to be prosecuted privately with help civil society if government does not.”

The IRR also wants to see that as soon as a strike turns violent, it loses its protected status so that workers can be dismissed.

“That would be a very important incentive to trade unions to make sure strikes are not marred by violence. We believe unions should be held liable. It would just make it that much easier to bring civil action against unions,” said Jeffery.

Require secret pre-strike ballots

This proposal was recently dropped from proposed labour relations legislation, according to Jeffery.

“We know there is intimidation, so let’s make sure from the start and before a strike begins that there is real support for it. Let a two-third majority enable a strike to enjoy protected status,” said Jeffery.

Protect property during strikes and pickets

The IRR wants unions to ensure what they do does not result in damage to property.

“We argue that there is a Constitutional Court judgment which provides for unions to be sued for damage during a strike. It should not only be compensatory, but also punitive in order to create an incentive for unions to make sure that when they call a strike it does not lead to violence,” she explained.

Limit the scope of protected strikes and pickets

Jeffery explained that the Labour Relations Act protects secondary strikes, while the IRR is of the view that protection should only apply between workers and their employer.

If, for example, there is a strike at a particular company, workers from another company should not be allowed to picket.

“We say only those workers at that particular work place should be allowed to go on a strike and only at that company’s premises,” said Jeffery.

The IRR would also like to see an end to protection for so-called general socio-economic strikes.

“Strikes in SA have reached levels much higher than rest of world, so we want to take away this right to socio economic strikes. It makes our labour market much more off-putting to investors and prevents more jobs from being created,” she said.

End the closed shop and make unions collect their own subscriptions

The IRR would like to see and end to companies deducting union membership fees from wages.

“Rather let unions persuade people to pay their subscriptions and make it directly payable to unions. This would improve the accountability of unions to their members,” said Jeffery.

Furthermore, under the Labour Relations Act a union is allowed to demand that all those employed at a certain company must belong to it and that a non-union member can’t get a job.

“Employers should be able to employ regardless if someone is a union member,” said Jeffery.

Stop extending bargaining council agreements to non-parties

Under the LRA it is possible for employers and unions to enter into a Bargaining Council agreement which not only applies to those organisations, but to all in that industry. It favours big employers at the expense of smaller ones and make them uncompetitive, explained Jeffery.

Give people back their right to work

“In essence, people who are poorly skilled and lack capital really can only exploit their ability to work, but in many cases they cannot because of bargaining council agreements,” said Jeffery.

This makes it difficult for companies to take on more staff, for instance, workers who would otherwise have no work at all.

“Not only Bargaining Council wage agreements, but also minimum wages impact job creation as it makes it impossible for people who would like to work to get a job at all. Our wages are often too high, especially at entry level, for inexperienced workers who are not productive,” said Jeffery.

“We must get out of that situation if we want to stop locking people out of the labour market.”

Allow dismissals and retrenchments to be governed by employment contracts

The LRA is very onerous regarding dismissals, said Jeffery.

The CCMA had 667 cases every working day in 2013, for instance and it makes it very time consuming for managers.

“Especially for small firms where we have to look for job creation we say remove these restrictions. We say let employers and employees agree about notice and put it in the contract,” said Jeffery.

“It is always risky to employ people, to know if there will be future demand due to economic changes and if a person will be able to do the work.”

SA has 26% unemployment and in Brazil it is 6%. In Jeffery’s view it is because it is there easier to fire someone, but then also easier to hire someone.

Remove new restrictions on temporary labour

Jeffery said temporary employment has been growing in SA because of various restrictions.

“There is often a need for more flexibility and changing conditions, yet, our laws are not allowing it,” she said.

“Our current laws harm rather than help the youth and new entrants to labour market. We say those restrictions should go and Government should welcome private placement agencies, as they help with employment.”

Stop fighting the private sector

Jeffery said there seems often to be hostility to the private sector in the ranks of senior ministers, especially those in the Communist Party with ideological hostility to free market.

“We see increasing regulatory constraints on businesses. We need to end that hostility if we were to see the private sector thrive and offer more jobs to millions of unemployed,” she said.

The IRR has presented its proposal to a number of Government departments and wants to show why it is important not just to keep on going the current way.

“We need to look at change. Our wages are too high, our dismissal costs are too high and we need to start acting on this recognition,” she said.

Fin24

What To Consider When Applying For A Loan

Few people can get through life without the need to access credit. Used wisely, it can build your wealth and enhance your lifestyle. The process of applying for a loan is relatively easy, but you have to ensure that you have all the elements in place to qualify.



“When you apply for a loan, the bank assesses your credit worthiness by doing a number of checks,” says Theunis Kruger, Head of Unsecured Lending at Standard Bank. “The bank doesn’t only look at how much you earn; your spending habits and behaviour have a big impact on your credit profile, too.”



When looking at a customer’s ability to repay, banks don’t only look at your nett take home pay, they also consider your expenses, employment, and your ability to repay the loan, taking into account the repayments on other debt you might have as well as your living expenses.



Another important aspect of credit approval is your credit profile. There are a number of credit bureaus in South Africa that keep records of your credit profile and develop your credit score. Banks, insurance companies, retailers, estate agents and employers subscribe to their services. They not only request information on clients, but also provide information on your credit behaviour, meaning that every loan or credit agreement you have is monitored. If you pay your bills regularly, you will have a good credit profile. If you miss or are late with payments, this will reflect negatively.



It is advisable to review the accuracy of your credit report before you apply for credit. You are entitled to one free report from the credit bureaus each year.



“If you have an adverse report for unpaid debts, or if it is inaccurate, it’s important that you resolve any issues and have the report updated as soon as possible,” says Mr Kruger.  “If you have a judgement where the creditor has gone to court and issued a court order, a specialist attorney can assist you to get the judgement revoked. Once you know your credit profile is accurate, you can apply for a loan, just make sure to double check that all the information you give the bank is correct, or you could run into financial difficulties in the future, specifically if you took out a loan you could not afford.



The final step to securing a loan is proving that you have all the relevant documents to back up your claims. Your bank needs to understand what you own, what you owe as well as what you earn and spend. They will ask you for the following, depending on the type of loan you apply for:



1.      Most recent payslip

2.      Three months’ bank statement if you are not a customer of the bank or financial institution

3.      Identity document

4.      Proof of residence



Mr Kruger suggests the following tips to build a good credit record and keep the payments affordable:



If you have accounts that are paid but still open, close them. The bank will see them as a line of credit.
Examine the purpose of the loan carefully. Using a loan for studying is a good reason as it would improve your future earnings potential.  Similarly using a loan to fund home improvements will increase the value of the house.  Using a loan to pay for groceries however, is not a good idea as the debt repayment will last long after the groceries have been consumed.
Always pay bills on time. Even late payments are recorded at the credit bureau.
Make sure your details are up to date at the bureau.
Protect yourself against identity fraud. Get a copy of your report each year to ensure that someone is not using your details to get credit.


If you are declined for a loan, ask the consultant why.  This will enable you to identify what you need to change to qualify for credit in future.



“Banks have to comply with the National Credit Regulator (NCR) rules of responsible lending; if you get a loan that you can’t afford to repay, it may result in you being over-indebted. If you manage your debt responsibly, you will always have access to credit when you need it the most,” concludes Mr Kruger.

Knorr And J'Something Set To Heat Up Kitchen

Knorr, along with the new ‘celebrity chef’ on the block, J’Something, is teaming up with some of SA’s supermoms and celebrities to look at some of the common situations that women are faced with in the kitchen on a day to day basis.



Balancing busy lives including work, children and other responsibilities means solving that age-old question on a daily basis- what’s for dinner?



Knorr and J’Something are here to answer this question with a weekly show, Knorr whatsfordinner? with J’Something launching on Saturday, July 11th at 7pm on SABC3.



Knorr is continually striving to make simple home-cooking an integral part of every South African family. Now, Knorr, J’Something and a range of top South African celebrities will bring these simple and delicious recipes to busy Moms (and Dads!) across South Africa with a weekly TV show – Knorr whatsfordinner? with J’Something.



The show will play host to a number of SA celebs including Sophie Ndaba who will join J’Something to kick off the series, and Leanne Dlamini to name a few.



Whatsfordinner? is South Africa’s biggest brand on Facebook – with a whopping 9,595,000 likes, over 700,000 from South Africa alone, and with over 1.5million views on the www.whatsfordinner.co.za  – visiting these sites has become a daily routine for thousands of people across the country.



With simple, nutritious and inspiring recipes, what’s for dinner is no longer a difficult question to answer. Knorr, The smart way to great taste every day!



If you’re always wondering what to make for dinner, then tune into SABC3 for Knorr whatsfordinner? with J’Something every Saturday at 7pm and let J’Something answer your question.



For updates on the Knorr whatsfordinner? with J’Something TV progamme  www.facebook.com/whatsfordinner or www.whatsfordinner.co.za