Article by Liana Ahrens Teixeira - LPJ Financial Services Pty Ltd In the busy world of business, managing your time effectively can make a significant difference between success and stress. One key to mastering time management is understanding the distinction between urgent and important tasks. Understanding the Difference: Urgent vs. Important Urgent Tasks  are those that demand immediate attention. They often come with deadlines or crises that need quick resolution. While addressing these tasks is necessary, they can sometimes lead to a reactive rather than proactive approach. Important Tasks  contribute to your long-term goals, values, and overall success. They might not have immediate deadlines but are essential for achieving your broader objectives. Focusing on these tasks allows you to be proactive and strategic in your approach. Why Prioritize Important Tasks First? Prevention of Crises:  By concentrating on important tasks, you’re taking a proactive approach to potential challenges. Strategic planning, risk management, and goal setting fall into this category. By addressing these aspects before they become urgent issues, you reduce the likelihood of emergencies and last-minute stress. Long-Term Success:  Important tasks are often aligned with your overarching goals and vision. Prioritizing these tasks ensures that your efforts are directed towards building a solid foundation for future success. This approach allows you to make meaningful progress towards impactful outcomes that resonate with your long-term ambitions. Reduced Stress:  When you address important tasks first, you avoid the chaos and pressure of constant firefighting. Managing urgent tasks as they arise becomes more manageable when you’re well-prepared and have already focused on critical areas. This proactive strategy helps in maintaining a balanced and less stressful work environment. Improved Efficiency:  Tackling important tasks can lead to streamlined processes and enhanced productivity. By focusing on these activities, you often find that you can address issues more effectively, thereby reducing the number of urgent problems that surface. This results in a more efficient and productive work routine. Strategic Focus:  Important tasks are integral to achieving your strategic objectives. Prioritizing these ensures that your efforts are not just reacting to immediate concerns but are aligned with your long-term goals. This strategic focus enables you to drive progress and achieve significant milestones in your business journey. Putting It Into Practice To effectively manage your time and tasks, consider implementing the following strategies: Schedule Important Tasks:  Allocate dedicated time for important tasks in your calendar. This ensures that they receive the attention they deserve and helps in avoiding last-minute rushes. Set Clear Goals:  Define what’s important for your long-term success. Setting clear goals helps in prioritizing tasks that align with your vision and strategic objectives. Delegate or Minimize Urgent Tasks:  Evaluate which urgent tasks can be delegated or minimized. This frees up your time to focus on more strategic activities. Regular Reviews:  Periodically review your task list and adjust priorities as needed. This helps in staying aligned with your goals and ensures that important tasks are consistently addressed. In conclusion, balancing urgent and important tasks is essential for effective time management and strategic success. By prioritizing important tasks, you can prevent crises, reduce stress, improve efficiency, and maintain a strategic focus. Embrace this approach to enhance your productivity and drive meaningful progress in your business endeavours. Liana Ahrens Teixeira LPJ Financial Services Pty Ltd liana@lpj.co.za

We have only the best technicians for the job who are up to date with the fast-changing technologies of our world-leading brands. To this end, training is one of our highest priorities. It ensures that our 174 GLT technicians are completely au fait with each product model old and new. Training is both machine-specific and generic. Throughout the country, unique cut-away machines for “touch, feel and see training” along with special bays for “direct participation training” have been created in our Johannesburg branch. Our number one task is to minimise your downtime by providing you with cost effective service options which include: 24/7/364 full-service support availability Guaranteed 4-hour breakdown response time A fleet of fully equipped vehicles to handle breakdowns and perform routine maintenance on-site – available nationwide. FREE replacement vehicle provided should your machine not be repaired and working within 48-hours (for general wear-and-tear problems) Expert forklift technicians equipped with the latest technical expertise through extensive training More info, go to https://goscorlifttrucks.co.za/parts-services/

Register now for the TWIMS Lean Supply Chain Management Executive Short Course taking place from 21 - 23 AUG 2024 on the TWIMS campus. This course will dive into lean management practices and their application in manufacturing supply chains. Discover how leading manufacturers in South Africa optimize their supply chains for competitive advantage. Learn to drive innovation, enhance flexibility, reliability, quality, and reduce waste.  Secure your seat now - contact Thobeka Mthembu at  thobeka.mthembu@twimsafrica.com  or book online at https://twimsafrica.com/executive-short-courses/

Rob Kelso, a proud Durban boy, shares his journey from schooling to becoming the CEO of SA Home Loans. His career path involved studying in Durban, qualifying as a chartered accountant, and specialising in financial services. He highlights the impact and purpose of SA Home Loans in providing homeownership to South Africans. Reflecting on his accomplishments, Rob mentions the growth of SA Home Loans into a prominent player in the housing market. He emphasises the importance of authenticity in leadership and navigating challenges, such as the global financial crisis. Rob finds inspiration in his family, faith, and the positive impact SA Home Loans has on clients and communities. Looking ahead, he envisions KwaZulu-Natal as a thriving business hub and advocates for maximising the province's potential. His guiding principles include authenticity and seeking the best in others, fostering a positive outlook. Rob's motto revolves around being true to oneself and recognising the inherent positivity in people and surroundings. KZN Top Business Leaders powered by

Prasheen Maharaj: Leading Southern Africa's Largest Shipyard with Conscious Capitalism and Ethical Leadership. Prasheen Maharaj, CEO of Sandock Austral Shipyards and President of various organisations, shares his journey from a disadvantaged background to success. He emphasises a conscious capitalist approach, focusing on the greater good for the country and employees. His proudest accomplishment is owning the largest shipyard in southern Africa. Facing challenges like the state capture, he stood firm on ethical grounds. Maharaj inspires his team with a philosophy of perseverance and selflessness, drawing inspiration from Warren Buffett's steady business growth. His vision includes collaborative efforts to uplift KZN's economy. His motto: "In the end, everything is OK. If it's not OK, it's not the end." KZN Top Business Leaders powered by

SA Home Loans, the largest non-bank mortgage provider in the local market, predicts a year of a slow recovery for the property market in 2024, rather than a bounce back, with a cautious return of consumer confidence. SA Home Loans (SAHL) CEO, Rob Kelso, says the interest rate cycle has been the dominant factor with the most significant cumulative tightening cycle in more than a decade and the most rapid rise in interest rates in more than two decades. “This has resulted in strained affordability for new buyers and strained affordability for existing borrowers, with rising arrears on credit portfolios across the industry. “In 2023, we saw a sharp fall in property and mortgage transactions, which were down in the region of 25% year on year, with the most strain evident in the heart of the market – those segments under R3 million. This is despite an environment where the credit supply side or bank appetite remained robust,” he adds. That said, he says this is a normal cyclical slowdown tied to interest rates, which will turn when interest rates stabilise and come down again. Against this backdrop, SAHL celebrates 25 years as the pre-eminent mortgage specialists in the country. When the business was launched in February 1999, interest rates were at an all-time high of 23.5% and South Africans were decidedly cash strapped. SAHL introduced a dramatically discounted rate at the time, offering consumers a compelling alternative to bank offerings, and giving a greater number of South Africans access to home finance. Two years down the line, competitors started to take SAHL seriously, reducing their rates significantly and thereby creating a more competitive environment to the benefit of all consumers. To achieve this, SAHL introduced an alternative funding method to the usual funding secured by banks from retail and wholesale deposits. Instead, it pioneered a funding model that bypassed the banks and linked borrowers directly to the capital markets to fund their mortgages, known as "securitisation”, and has since firmly established itself as the leading securitisation issuer in the South African capital markets. Today, SA Home Loans has financed homes for more than 300 000 South Africans to date, providing access to R170 billion in lending. It has raised more than R90 billion from the South African capital markets to make this possible – successfully connecting the country’s savings and pension funds to provide home finance to South Africans. It has also provided significant financial relief to homeowners impacted by pandemics, floods, weather and other life events through its home related insurance offerings and helped change lives through various outreach and enterprise development initiatives. Kelso says that over these 25 years SAHL has lived through all possible economic cycles, from interest rates rising and falling and property market booms and busts, to the global financial crisis and a pandemic. “This has provided us with deep insight into the market and validated our faith in the resilience of the property market over time, allowing us to consistently meet the needs of consumers no matter the stage in the cycle.” Despite the elections, load shedding and geopolitical factors, the economic signals for 2024 (and even more so 2025) are increasingly positive. “Notably, the consumer price index (CPI) has moderated, and interest rates have likely peaked, and the consensus is for a round of steady, moderate rate cuts from mid-year,” notes Kelso. This will provide relief for consumers, with improved affordability and increasing confidence to access credit. Kelso says going forward, lender appetite is likely to remain robust, providing a strong base for market recovery. “We are seeing the traditional bank lenders active and competitive in the market, as well as new entrants to the home loan market, in line with the emergence of new banks and the diversification of existing banks. Their presence is likely to continue to grow in prominence moving forward. “We have a front row seat to some of this evolving landscape as the chosen ‘home loan delivery partner of choice’ for select exciting brands with large and loyal customer bases. These partnerships are testament to the deep expertise and capabilities we have built and can now offer to these partners and their clients. “At SA Home Loans, we are poised to contribute positively to the industry’s recovery.  We are also set to help more South Africans achieve their home ownership goals and to avoid jumping through impossible hoops to do so,” concludes Kelso. Credit: Crown Publications - 28 February 2024

We are almost at the final stage before we conclude the production of this historical publication. So, if you've been sitting on the fence, now is the time to dive in. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of the KZN Top Business 25-year celebration. The KZN Top Business Leaders' publication is a hardcover coffee table book stitched and glued in a good old-fashioned way - an absolute keepsake. The KZN Leaders' Portfolio will be launched in October  at the IBV Privé, Umhlanga.  QUERIES: If you have any queries or would like to nominate someone to participate, please contact: Angela Alderton Cell: +27 (0)66 206 5654 Email: angela@kznleaders.co.za

KZN Top Business is proud to be publishing a Leaders’ Portfolio in 2024.   Much material has been researched and written about the topic of being a good leader. As has been said by Tony Robbins, “The importance of leadership lies in the ability to get things done. Leadership allows you to communicate a clear vision and then unite your team around that vision. Companies with great leaders are creative, innovative and agile. They also have positive company cultures with a sense of purpose and passion.”   More now than ever our province of KwaZulu-Natal needs inspirational people around us to face the many challenges we have. And we really need people to be focused on the right things for the right reasons.   Through the KZN Top Business Leaders’ Portfolio we are proud to recognise some of the outstanding individuals in the province who do have the ability to inspire and who are making things happen for the good of their business entities and further afield.   Some of the leaders who are participating include: ■ Ashley Bell, Bell Equipment ■ Michael Keats, Goscor ■ Pat Moodley, Industrial Development Corporation ■ Aurelia Alberts, Innovate Durban ■ Jay Patel, Royal Tyres ■ Rob Kelso, SA Homeloans ■ Isaac Mbatha, Sky Tents ■ Lubin Ozoux, Sumitomo Rubber South Africa ■ Jonathan Naidoo, SmartXchange ■ Pat Symcox, RE/MAX Coast and Country ■ Jennifer Reddy, Morar Incorporated ■ Shamla Pather, Shamla Pather Attorneys ■ Frikkie Brooks, Brooks Facilitation Services   The Top Business team is interviewing each leader online and delving a little into their lives, purpose and achievements. The participants are also being asked to share some of the insights that they have gained on their journeys, which is invaluable knowledge to those following in their paths.   An edited version of these interviews can be found online. www.youtube.com/c/KZNTopBusiness   The content of the interview will be used to create a written profile which will be featured in an old-fashioned hard-covered coffee table book. This book will be an absolute classic with historical value; a must have publication.   The KZN Leaders Portfolio will be launched in September at the IBV Privé, Umhlanga.   QUERIES: If you have any queries or would like to nominate someone to participate, please contact: Angela Alderton Cell: +27 (0)66 206 5654 Email: angela@kznleaders.co.za   Grant Adlam Cell: +27 (0)83 262 9529 Email: grantadlam01@gmail.com Website: www.kzntopbusiness.com

This award is for businesses earning more than R100 million turn over per annum, and that bank with Standard Bank. The finalists are: ·        Sumitomo Rubber South Africa ·        Natal Joint Municipal Pension Fund ·        Royal Tyres   Sumitomo Rubber South Africa Sumitomo Rubber South Africa is proudly rooted in KwaZulu-Natal with its head office in Durban and a manufacturing facility in Ladysmith. Its strong local market presence is attributed to the Dunlop brand and heritage as the first tyre manufacturer in South Africa, with a history of manufacturing in KZN. Natal Joint Municipal Pension Fund (NJMPF) NJMPF provides retirement services to 55 municipalities in 10 municipal districts in KZN. The Fund has more than 22,000 active members and more than 9000 pensioners. Members’ interests are protected by the supply of high-quality retirement services that guarantee their financial stability.   Royal Tyres Royal Tyres, one of KZN’s leading tyre specialists and South Africa’s oldest tyre dealer, celebrates its 85th anniversary in 2024. They are the fastest growing significant tyre company in the country, while maintaining their core values and commitment to excellence.

This award is for businesses earning less than R100 million turn over per annum, and that bank with Standard Bank. The finalists are: Black City Records Steelco Construction for Africa   Steelco Founded in 2010, Steelco is an established supplier of steel based in Pietermaritzburg. Their commitment to service excellence has made them a trusted choice for structural steel companies, general engineering, the construction sector, and the agricultural community.   Black City Records (BCR) BRC is an independent recording label based in the vibrant heart of Durban. BCR is dedicated to delivering world-class thoughtfully crafted music that resonates with both local and international audiences.   Construction for Africa Construction for Africa is a civil and general specialist in the building industry. Since their inception in 2012, they have built world class facilities and created strong relationships with their clients, employees and service providers.

The winning project will reflect the importance of teamwork and effective inter-agency collaboration.   The finalists are: •       Tidy Towns Shelley Beach to Margate •       Do More Foundation •       Phakamani Empowerment •       Gagasi FM   Tidy Towns Shelley Beach to Margate Tidy Towns is a community-driven initiative supported by volunteers, security companies, Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, the local SA Police and business. Participants restore public spaces to clean and safe environments, while creating opportunities to improve the livelihood of the cleaning teams.   Do More Foundation The Do More Foundation founded by RCL Foods is an independent non-profit organisation with a vision to ‘create better tomorrows for the young children of South Africa’ through partnerships. Their programmes supporters join in together to provide nutrition, early learning resources, and parenting programmes.   Phakamani Empowerment Phakamani Empowerment, formed in 2011, is a seasoned agency specialising in transformative initiatives, including social behaviour change communication, self-esteem campaigns, demand generation, marketing, and skills development training.   Gagasi FM Gagasi FM is dedicated to teamwork, effective inter-agency collaboration, and community upliftment. Its flagship event and CSI projects not only showcase the station’s ability to work seamlessly but also highlight their commitment to making a positive impact in KZN.

KwaZulu-Natal is home to a large number of brands that have been home-grown and driven from within the province. Many of these companies have long histories and they continue to expand their footprints today.   Each year, the Standard Bank KZN Top Brand award is much coveted and honours many of the most loved brands in the province.   The Top Brand accolade is awarded solely by public vote and is contested over several weeks. The interest in this category is especially reflected in the huge range of brands that are selected and in the thousands of votes cast.   The voting also reflects the efforts these businesses put into their branding and marketing.   All the brands have won the support of their employees, clients, family and friends and the votes received are a testament to these accomplishments.   The 2024 top 20 brands are: 1. Mi7 National Group 2. Beekman Group 3. SA Home Loans 4. Hollywoodbets 5. East Coast Radio 6. Grindrod 7. Bluff Meat Supply 8. Hirsch`s 9. Gift Of The Givers 10. Sibaya Community Trust 11. Tyson Properties 12. Icebolethu Group 13. Royal Tyres 14. Gagasi FM 15. Tafta 16. Bata 17. Sky Tents 18. RE/MAX Coast and Country 19. Cafe Monroe 20. Morar Incorporated   ABOUT MI7 NATIONAL GROUP With an illustrious heritage spanning decades, Mi7 National Group stands as a paragon in South Africa’s security sector. Melding state-of-the-art technology with human expertise, their footprint extends from Pietermaritzburg’s headquarters to branches in Secunda, Newcastle, Pretoria, and Cape Town.   From site guarding, VIP protection, and event security to advanced services such as K9 units, surveillance, and emergency medical aid –Mi7’s tailored solutions are as diverse as their clientele, encompassing blue-chip giants, emerging businesses, and family-run ventures across sectors like retail, mining, and government.   As Mi7 National Group, are brand, image and values conscious, their team of PSIRA accredited professionals are seamlessly integrated into the daily routine of the organisations they are serving and protecting.   By incorporating their public service model with digital innovations in surveillance technology, the concept of a city-wide surveillance net was developed.   Mi7 is not just about security; they are about community. Their ethos is reflected in their drive to meet sustainability, diversity and inclusion goals, corporate responsibility, and other social infrastructure advances.   They are proud of their efforts in these areas, not only because they become a benchmark of possibilities and help them lead the industry, but because by striving to achieve them, they become better people.   From their inception, they have evolved not only as a security provider but as a trusted partner, committed to safeguarding futures. Through these efforts, Mi7 National Group was voted KZN’s Top Brand in the Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards in 2023 and 2024.