Charity Influencing Children's Lives Through Education

Pinelands resident Alison Smith packed her bags and headed to the United States in the year 2000 for what she thought would be a routine position at a summer camp. Her adventure abroad would soon turn into a passion for uplifting the impoverished communities of Cape Town for years to come.

Smith left her life abroad and came to Cape Town in 2005 where she founded Camp Sonshine Africa, a sister organisation to the Maryland charity she had grown to love.

Based in the impoverished community of Garden Village in Maitland, Smith’s charity aims to change Africa one child at a time through a daily after-school program for primary school aged children. The program also boasts a scholarship fund which supports disadvantaged children who cannot afford the school fees at government-run schools.

“My favourite part of what we do is our scholarship program,” Smith told SA Breaking News. “I was fortunate enough to be given a quality education, which at the time I did not realise how important this was, but now, looking back I appreciate it so much.”

“Without an education you are powerless in this world. With a good education, these children are able to break the cycle of unemployment and poverty in their lives and that of their families.”

The organisation also supports families by providing transport, helping with homework, food parcels, fixing up homes and assistance obtaining children’s birth certificates.

Smith said the scholarship programme has made a noticeable difference to the lives of the NPO’s beneficiaries.

“Next year, Chelsea, our very first scholarship kid will be in Matric at Pinelands High School. She will be the first one in her family to get a matric. That is very exciting!”

“Sade, one of our scholarship kids at Pinelands North Primary is in grade 7 and is a prefect at her school! Sade is being raised by her granny as her parents walked out on her when she was very young. She works incredibly hard and is extremely self-sufficient in all that she does,” Smith added.


Smith’s journey is not without its challenges. According to the social entrepreneur, the organisation’s beneficiaries are in desperate need of a place to call their own.

“We are now working out of one of the local churches in the community. They have a tiny wendy house on their grounds that they allow us to use during the week (sic),” she said.

“Unfortunately the size of this severely limits what we are able to do and the number of children who are able to be involved, especially during the winter months.”

Smith has launched a desperate plea for businesses, individuals or organisations that are in a position to assist the charity to do its work. Her hope is that her recent nomination for the Business Women’s Association’s Regional Business Achievers Award will launch her organisation to new heights.

“I saw a need and it was just something that I could not ignore. I believe that God has given me gifts and abilities to meet the needs of this community and I simply could not walk away from this. It is what I was created to do,” she said.

Transnet Strikes R3 Billion Deal With German Bank

State-owned freight logistics group Transnet has signed a R2.8 billion loan with Germany’s KfW Development Bank to fund part of its 1064 locomotive acquisition programme.

Transnet will use the proceeds of the loan to fund the acquisition of 240 electric locomotives it will build with Bombardier in its manufacturing facilities in Durban. These are part of Transnet’s record-breaking 1064 locomotives acquisition programme.

The agreement was signed by Siyabonga Gama, Transnet’s Acting Group Chief Executive and Dr Jan Martin Witte, KfW’s Head of Infrastructure in Southern Africa, at Transnet’s head office at the Carlton Centre, Johannesburg.

The agreement is evidence of Transnet’s focus on agility and innovation in raising the required funding to execute its seven-year rolling R336 billion infrastructure investment programme – the Market Demand Strategy.

The loan will mature in 15-years, with a five-year grace period in which Transnet will only be paying interest.

In line with the company’s currency risk mitigation policy, the agreement was negotiated in rand terms and therefore has no currency risk. Crucially, the cost of the loan is in line with the company’s average cost of debt.

Only a third of Transnet’s funding requirement for the Market Demand Strategy (MDS) is raised through the markets – the rest of the capital investment programme is funded through cash generated from operations.

German Ambassador to South Africa, Dr Horst Freitag, emphasised the solid trade relations between the two countries. South Africa is Germany’s largest trading partner in Africa.

Agreements like this are an affirmation of Transnet’s successful efforts in strengthening its financial position and confirm that the company is on the right track.

They are an attestation of the attractiveness, commercial viability and bankability of Transnet and its projects from reputable international investors.

In March 2014, Transnet awarded a contract for the building of 1064 diesel and electric locomotives to four global original equipment manufacturers.

The company awarded CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive and Bombardier Transportation contracts to build 599 electric locomotives and; General Electric Technologies and CNR Rolling Stock to build 465 diesel locomotives.

All the locomotives except 70 will be built at Transnet Engineering’s plants in Koedoespoort, Pretoria and Durban.

Two weeks ago, Transnet concluded a R30 billion loan facility agreement with China Development Bank (CDB) for funding 232 diesel and 359 electric locomotives it is building with China North Rail and China South Rail, respectively.

The locomotive build programme is critical for the implementation of the Market Demand Strategy and is intended to modernise the fleet in a drive to improve reliability and customer satisfaction.

- SAnews.gov.za

Year Of Millionaires

Yet again, a Hollywoodbets customer strikes it rich and wins a million! On Friday 19 June, a customer who does not wish to be identified, played SA Powa Numbas at Hollywoodbets Pretoria and won R1 140 000 for his R6 stake! Originally from Bloemfontein, the father of five, who is working in Pretoria said ‘’I am still dreaming - it’s unbelievable!’’.

He recounted that he had a dream the night before where he had won the lottery. He played the numbers that surfaced and won! ‘’I still can’t believe that I am now a millionaire, I feel like I am going to wake up and find out that this was all still the dream’’.

He plans to pay off his debts, buy a van and invest in his children’s education. He also wants to take his family on a well-deserved holiday. The lucky winner, who hasn’t told his wife yet, plans to return home this weekend to surprise her with the news and spoil her!

“Our third millionaire this year, that’s fantastic!” was the opening comment from Hollywood spokesman, Dermot O’Connell. “Hollywood is proud to change another family’s life with a magnificent win. We congratulate the man and urge him to invest his winnings wisely”

Be Financially Prepared For A Job Loss

They say change is good but somehow it is not as easy as many would think. Yes it may be good but there are checks and balances you can put in place to minimise the impact.

Head of Customer Financial Solutions, Personal Banking at Standard Bank, Nitesh Patel said the most important element of preparing for a job loss is being fully aware of the reality of your situation.

“Circumstances such as these can be identified well in advance – signs include the company going through tough times, or you having lost interest in your work or a personality clash with someone in authority. Whatever the cause, being a few steps ahead will make the event less challenging and can even turn it into an opportunity.”

Below are three circumstances that needs to checked and balanced:

Prevention is always better than cure, so the first thing you need to do if you think you may be at risk is to cut all unnecessary expenses and build up an emergency fund. Consider putting this in place even if your job is not under threat. Having three to six months’ income in the bank provides a safety net and gives you peace of mind, decreasing the natural anxiety you may feel when searching for a new job.

Organise your personal finances down to the last minute detail. If you feel you will be unable to fulfil financial commitments such as your bond, car loan or credit card payments, negotiate new terms with your creditors. It is better to be upfront and agree to pay a reduced amount than to fall behind with your payments.

Do not rush into any major financial decisions; you will need to be conservative as finding another suitable position can take up to six months. Revise your budget in accordance with your changed circumstances. Work out how much it will cost to maintain your home and scale down your lifestyle. Decide on the expenses you are willing to cut and make sure that the family are on the same page. Everyone will have to work together until things are more settled.

“Talking to a financial planner or your bank consultant will give you some clarity and they can help you put investment and savings contributions on hold until you recover. Now is not the time to cut important risk products, but you could look at getting more cost-effective solutions in the short-term.

“If you had company benefits, you will get cash back from a pension or provident plan and perhaps a retrenchment package. What you do with this money will have a big impact on your future wealth, especially if you have been working at the company for more than five years,” says Mr Patel.
-Standard Bank

Common Traits Of Successful People

I must admit that I am intrigued by successful people. By successful, I refer to people who are effective, impactful, who work hard and make things happen. I love listening to them and I absolutely love reading about where they are at and what their next life and/or business venture is. After all, if you are to achieve something, it is best to look to those who have gone before you.



One of the most important things to do if we want to achieve success is pay attention to our daily habits. John Maxwell, author, speaker and pastor says, ‘what you do today can either make or break you’. What bothers me a lot though, is that so many of us want to be successful without making the much-needed changes for that success to happen. We still do the same old things every day and expect a different turnout. It’s crazy, right?



If we want to achieve success, we need to adopt the following common traits of successful people so we can later benefit from our hard work.



Successful people are clear about their vision and purpose, and are committed to the fulfilment thereof.
Successful people strategise and set SMART Goals. Their goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.
They are disciplined. Entrepreneur Magazine gives a good example of a daily habit when it comes to self-discipline. The magazine wrote “…early birds know greeting the day early is the key to success, which is why morning people tend to be so successful.”
Successful people work hard and are consistent in what they do.
They reinvent themselves whenever necessary to continue getting the desired results.
Successful people ask questions from the right people
My favourite one is that successful people are savvy opportunity seekers
Successful people have the courage to take the road less travelled where necessary and they enjoy the journey, not just the end result.
Lastly, successful people are creators, not just consumers.


I love Proverbs 24: 33-34 says, ‘a little slumber, a little sleep, a little folding of the hands and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man…’ There’s only one way to ensure we don’t share a bed with poverty. Adopt these common traits found among the successful and you’ll be well on your way.



Francine Mashabela

Founder: Uniquely U Personal Development & Career Management Services/ Careers Advisor/ Radio presenter at Impact radio 103 fm.

Twitter: @ FranMashabela, Email: francine.mashabela@gmail.com

Facebook Page: Uniquely U Personal Development and Career Management Services,

Blog: careeronpoint.wordpress.com

UJ's Solar Car Is Driving From Jo'burg To Windhoek

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) Energy Movement’s solar powered electric car, Ilanga II,  is currently on a mammoth fact-finding journey from South Africa to Botswana.

Over a planned 4 160 km drive, the car’s team aims to test the vehicle’s long-distance capabilities and to raise awareness about green technology in a series of lectures along the route.

UJ’s Ilanga II is also the university’s chosen mode of transport in the annual Sasol Solar Challenge, where teams from around the world race on sun power throughout South Africa. In last year’s race, UJ came in fifth.

The solar car has travelled from Johannesburg to Kimberley, Upington, and through Keetmanshoop towards Windhoek in Namibia, where it will stop today to deliver one of the public lectures.

From there, it will go to Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Buitepos, and some smaller Namibian towns. Once its business in Namibia has been wrapped up, it will make its way to Kang in Botswana, and finally stopping in Gaborone on 27th June.

“The UJ Energy Movement programme was established in 2010 to help promote skills development, energy conservation and sustainability through technology innovation,” said UJ Energy Movement Programme Manager, Nickey Janse van Rensburg. “We are really excited to be taking Ilanga II on its longest trip yet and introducing the programme to our neighbours across Africa.”
-Htxt

Telkom Cuts Pre Paid Data

Telkom has just announced a major reduction of its data bundles that makes accessing the internet while you’re on the go a bit easier on your pocket.

From today, Telkom’s prepaid data bundle rate has been slashed down more than 50 per cent from R1 per MB to 29c per MB.

Telkom Mobile and All Network bundles have also merged to create a single batch of prepaid offering more affordable bundles with better country-wide coverage that allows you to roam outside the Telkom network on MTN.

Below are details of all the old and new data prices:


According to Telkom, unlike most data bundles which expire 30 days after the day of purchase, these will be valid until the end of the next calendar month.

In addition to the new data bundle prices, the following four new and bigger bundles have also been added:

3GB – R 199
10GB – R 499
20GB (valid for 6 months) – R 899
50GB ( valid for one year) – R 1 799
The introduction of these new bundles means the 2GB + 1GB, 25GB + 25GB as well as the 60GB + 60GB all fall away.

Mercedes Benz Bokeh Festival Heats Up Jozi

Following a successful show in Cape Town, Mercedes-Benz Bokeh Fashion Film Festival took place in Jozi recently for a spectacular night.

Invited guests braved the onset of winter and freezing temperatures to dress in their fashionable best and join celebrities, VIP’s, local and international film-makers for a sensory interactive brand experience.

Each guest was chauffer driven in the latest Mercedes-Benz models and entered an Oscar style red carpet flanked by a host of local and international media jostling for the perfect shot and interview opportunity.

The venue was transformed into a light and sound extravaganza with winning films from the Mercedes-Benz Bokeh Fashion Film Festival presented on large format UHD Hisense screens.

Aidan Whytock, winner of The Mercedes-Benz Award along with the US$ 10 000 prize money, thanked founder Adrian Lazarus and Mercedes-Benz for their commitment and support.

Whytock further mentioned that the competition had allowed him to showcase his winning film internationally, opening doors and opportunities for himself and other entrants.

Castle Lager Rally Behind The Springboks

As the Springboks take on the world on foreign soil, Castle Lager will be going all out to give our boys ‘Home Ground Advantage’ by rallying support from every corner of the country.

Castle Lager, proud sponsor of the Springboks, will bolster the #HomeGroundAdvantage  campaign by giving fans the opportunity to get their faces on the back of a Springbok’s jersey in the biggest rugby tournament of them all.

The Springboks will need all the support they can muster as they launch their assault in England where they will be looking to become the first nation to raise the world’s greatest prize for a third time.

Castle Lager is giving Superfans and their two mates the opportunity to get their faces on the back of the official Springbok jersey.

Their selfies will form a collage making up the number on the official jersey to be worn on match day. This will not only reassure the players that support is not far away but also show the opposition that the Boks have a whole nation behind them.

The winners will not only be on the Boks back but all three will receive a replica of the player's jersey featuring their own images.

In essence Castle Lager will be giving away 1100 spots and the same amount of unique and personalised jerseys ahead of the big event.  Thanks to Castle Lager you can back the Boks in an extraordinary manner and have the jersey to prove it!

Superfans can give our boys Home Ground Advantage and go into battle with the Boks by visiting www.castlelager.co.za to enter now!  The competition closes on August 10.

All fans need to do is go to the Superfan Zone to register, upload a photo and enter the details of their two mates.  Winners will be announced weekly.

While we all rally behind the Boks, Superfans get to reward their mates for always having their backs.

As a special gift to one of Castle Lager’s long standing friends, we have given Schalk Burger, a man who has always placed a high value on friendships made both on and off the field, the opportunity to choose two mates to have a spot on his number should he be selected to take on the best at rugby’s greatest tournament.  To see what they had to say about the campaign, and to find out who Schalk chose to be on the back of his jersey and why – click here http://youtu.be/bwHcHBIWbqI

It all comes together with a CASTLE!

Pursue Excellence

There is a huuuuge difference between success and excellence! For the most part success is based on comparison. One person is successful because they have done more than others.





Excellence, on the other hand, is based on how you express the gifting God has deposited into your life to the fullness of their capacity. This is according to the capacity anointing available by God’s grace.


To maintain success you have to keep looking back at those coming behind and try to outdo them at all cost. Excellence is maintained by focusing on your calling, developing your gift, and expressing it by faith.


That is why scriptures say Abel gave a more excellent gift to God, not a more successful gift. And it continues to say God had respect for his gift. God respects excellence, not just success (Hebrews  11:4, Genesis 4:4). Pursue excellence.



Evangelist Kagiso Malepe

Facebook: Kagiso Malepe

Life Changing Ministries, Dipompong