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Catherine Clark, Owner and Founder of the Harvest Table Catherine Clark is the owner and founder of the Harvest Table, which is a family run business based in KwaZulu-Natal. The company provides health and nutritional products across South Africa. Catherine also educates clients on the importance of including these products in their daily lives. “My journey started twenty years ago when I realised that what I put into my body was what I got out,” she explained. “Together with diet, exercise, keeping stress at bay, laughing every day and having people in my life that I love and respect, keeps me healthy.” Catherine’s story began when she was in matric and started struggling with feeling really tired all the time to the extent that she could not complete a school day. “This was a really tough time for myself and my family as I was driven to do well at school. Despite numerous visits to doctors and specialists, no cause could be found. After been told that it was all in my mind, I started to research and looked for alternative treatments,” explained Catherine. Her research led to Dulcie Krige and the raw food diet in which she saw potential benefits. “After starting this eating programme, I improved daily. However, 18 months later towards the end of my 2nd year at university, I discovered an enlarged lymph node in my neck which led to the diagnosis of Hodgkins lymphoma.” Catherine believes that this diagnosis had been the cause of her tiredness and that the diet that she was following helped her to recover quickly. “After a course of radiation, I was completely cured but I was left with the effects on my thyroid and had intense muscle scarring. However, I believe that the lymphoma was a gift from God and allowed me to determine what was important in my life as well as to question what legacy I wanted to leave behind. I have explored and researched the topic of healthy food and now that I am married with two children wish to educate them as well.” Catherine discovered that many of the products that are beneficial to one’s health were not available in South Africa in the form that she required them which included no additives, preservatives or gluten. “We initially started making our own bone broth, which is an important part of many diets across the world. Then we discovered organic powered products and that is where our Harvest Table story began. We wanted to bring people along with us on this journey and the harvest table symbolises something that we can bring friends around and celebrate these ‘first fruits’. We have beautiful products that are whole and nutritional.” In reflecting on her role as a woman in business, Catherine says that women have unique challenges. “Women do have more roles and responsibilities – school pickups, swimming galas, ballet lessons and extra Afrikaans… However, I have not let being a woman hold me back in any way. I have learnt to accept that this is my journey and that I can play it out in the way I want to. I would like to go to bed at night knowing that I have served my business and community and done well by my children. That the Harvest Table is able to employ women fulltime is for Catherine a “beautiful expression of her story”. Through employing women, she believes that it is possible to shift their lives by providing a salary and educating them on the importance of health and wellness for their families benefit. However, says Catherine achieving a work life balance is probably her biggest challenge. She has had to undertake all the roles in the company from marketing to finance. “Every day I ask God for wisdom. I have also had to learn to say no along the way to strike a balance where necessary. I do ensure that I carve out time in my day for my children and we include them in everything that we do, including business decisions.” As an entrepreneur, Catherine says that she always has ideas running through her mind but needs to remain focused on ensuring that there is enough stock in the factory. “My number one priority is our customers and the daily feedback that I get from them is really important to me and keeps me motivated. We believe that our products can change people’s lives, we believe that diet is pivotal in terms of good health and wellness, which is the foundation of everything that we do.” Catherine commented that Covid-19 has led to despondence that has impacted the state of our mental and physical health. While we may not have much control over the things around us, the good news is that we can still take care of ourselves. Taking control of your life will not only improve your overall wellness, but will also give you a greater sense of hope for the future. “This pandemic has interrupted our ability to be the best version of ourselves, but we cannot allow uncertainty, anxiety and stress to consume us. We need to take charge of our lives by being more intentional about coping with our current reality and create a life to look forward to,” concluded Catherine. www.harvesttable.co.za

Meetings and communication are still essential. How are you reinventing the Durban ICC and your business? We are always trying to position ourselves as “Africa’s leading convention centre”. We have been investing heavily in our meetings’ technology over the last couple of years. So, we are really looking forward to being recognised as “Africa’s smartest convention centre”. We are now in a position where we are able to offer a whole range of virtual events from live streaming events to hybrid events, virtual events, video on demand, and to complete remote presentation events to our clients. What are ‘virtual’ and ‘hybrid’ events and how do they work? A hybrid event is your normal traditional face to face event, which takes place in a venue with a digital component such a live streaming component added in. We recognise that event organisers put a lot of time and effort in putting the event content together and selecting the speakers line up. By adding a digital component, which allows them to live stream that content at the same time, they really are able to maximise on all this hard work, monetise their event in new ways and reach a new audience. A virtual event is designed to be completely online, and all content is presented on an online format. The best part is that companies are taking advantage of this kind of event solution even during the lockdown by using the technology we offer and not having to wait until live events fully start up again. Some are even able to reach much larger audiences by taking their events online than they would have with a traditional live event and monetise them accordingly. How far along is the process of development for virtual and hybrid event solutions at the Durban ICC? We have been offering this solution for a while now. We did our first collaborative hybrid event with a client in September 2019, before anyone had heard the term Covid-19. This event was for a local association and was streamed nationally. Since that time, we have done many international events with simultaneous streams and both virtual and hybrid events. We feel that we are now in a good position to offer this in many different formats, both nationally and internationally. We feel that we have really earned our stripes in this space. What are the benefits for the virtual delegate? There many benefits. First and foremost, there is a massive cost saving, which includes the cost for a delegate to travel to a conference such as flights and accommodation costs. The belt tightening requirement that all companies have had to face in recent years is also significant. Whereas companies use to send ten people from a single company to a conference, they may now send only two people. Companies expect those two people to convey the conference content to the rest of the company on their return. With the hybrid and the virtual conference that content doesn’t have to be relayed. The guys who need to be consuming that content can get it first-hand, in real time in their boardrooms, or in the comfort and safety of their own homes. Companies are also only paying for one or two of those registrations depending on how the event organisers set up the conference proceedings. The delegates can still get the same interaction as in face to face events through real time chat options. They can be interacting with speakers through asking questions, making comments as well as getting their points heard. The delegates could also choose to view the content at a later time if it suits their schedule better, through the video-on-demand option after the event. They can also view selected sessions from the conference which pertain to their areas of interest. The delegates can also participate as sponsors. Companies can get their brands out in front of other conference delegates in the form of video sponsorships and through the use of screen logos for the duration of the event. Do you see this kind of conferencing become the new norm after COVID-19? I think that the digital components of events will be here to stay because of the advantages that they offer to event organisers, to the venues and to the whole conferencing industry. How soon will these services be on offer? We are happy to start working with virtual and hybrid conferencing requests immediately. Contact: Scott Langley T: +27 (0)31 360 1000 E: sales@icc.co.za

Help for entrepreneurially minded people The latest BusinessFit initiative is to help companies deal with the retrenchment of employees. During the South African national lockdown caused by the COVID-19 virus, many employers have struggled to keep their normal operations going. This has led to employers having to retrench employees; the effects of which are psychological, emotional, and financial. BusinessFit will work with employers and employees to help mitigate some of these effects where possible. This goal will be achieved by offering the possibility of setting up one's own business for entrepreneurially minded people. The BusinessFit team of experts will use their various skills and knowledge to assist these entrepreneurs to establish and to grow their own businesses. Companies are able to use social economic development funds, training budgets as well as enterprise development funds to finance BusinessFit's interventions. These are funds that each business would normally spend on similar types of initiatives to achieve their B-BBEE levels. For more information contact: Bruce Lennon bruce@stimelagroup.co.za David White David@drg.co.za

Pollution and greenhouse gas emissions have fallen considerably as governments across the world try to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Quarantine, the closure of international borders, and a reduced need for transport, have drastically altered energy demand patterns, providing a picture of what a world with reduced air pollution might look like. In April 2020, daily global carbon emissions fell by 17% compared with average levels last year. Emissions of this level were last observed 14 years ago. A reduction in ground surface transport accounted for 43% of this figure, with emissions from industry and power generation also accounting for 43%. Interestingly, although the aviation industry has been most impacted by the global lockdown, it only accounts for 3% of global emissions. Unfortunately, with the return of economic activity, the reduction is unlikely to last. While unprecedented, its contribution to combatting global warming has been relatively small. In South Africa, daily CO2 emissions plunged by 22.4%. However, with the relaxation of lockdown levels, this is set to be the maximum decrease. Data collected in 2017 shows that the country is the world’s 14th largest emitter of fossilfuel CO2 emissions and the largest emitter on the African continent. The country’s domestic economy is powered by coal, which accounts for approximately more than 80% of emissions. It is of the utmost importance that South Africa changes to lower emissions fuel for the sake of the environment and its sustainability. Compressed Natural and Methane Rich Gas boast lower emissions than coal, diesel, HFO, paraffin and LPG. Not only do they thereby benefit the environment, they save significant costs on fuel storage/transportation and reduce the costs associated with the newly promulgated Carbon Tax for fuel combustion. SLG, which is the country’s largest supplier of compressed natural gas, also facilitates technical feasibility studies, regulatory licenses, risk assessments, installations, commissioning and post-installation technical and safety training as value added services. Reference Source: Living - Earth Day 2020: Startling photos show pollution before and after the coronavirus lockdown. - By Hannah Sparks T: +27 (0)31 812 0555 E: info@slgas.co.za W: www.slgas.co.za

The announcement by President Ramaphosa to move to Alert Level 2 of the COVID-19 risk adjusted strategy as from Tuesday, 18 August 2020 marked a significant leap and milestone for the tourism sector. Whether you’re seeking adventure, romance, luxury or safari, KZN is ready for you. In celebration of Women’s Month, Tourism KwaZulu-Natal presents some of the leading women in the province’s hospitality, travel and tourism industry. A POSITIVE OUTLOOK Despite challenges she faces as a small travel services and tour operator, Durban-based Mbali Msomi who owns and manages Leisure Holidays will not give up. She said she faced opposition from companies and organisations who are not willing to use her company as a supplier because she is still small - she has only one employee - and has not been in existence for a long time. “Accreditation and becoming a member of various industry bodies becomes difficult where there is a minimum turnover requirement. I am still struggling to overcome procurement hurdles. “However, I am not ready to throw in the towel. Being a wanderlust myself, I feel the need to help and assist other travellers in finding their dream holidays. “Leisure Holidays is all about inspiring individuals to leave their comfort zone and explore new places and new cultures whilst having lots of fun and adventures,” said Msomi, a mother of four. She is full of praise for Tourism KwaZulu-Natal for the opportunities provided for SMMEs such as Leisure Holidays to exhibit their services at trade shows such as Africa’s Travel Indaba and the East Coast Travel & Adventure Show. Msomi said she loved travelling and exploring new places and this is what inspired her to open her own travel agency. “The idea is to encourage South Africans to explore amazing South Africa and enjoy the scenery in their own back yard. “Our services to locals include girls’ weekend away, boys’ sports weekend, family bonding holidays and couples’ retreats. “It is about appreciating the relationships with one another and enjoying the scenery with family and friends.” She hopes to grow her business into a fully-fledged destination management company. Meanwhile she has urged developing SMMEs in the tourism industry to be patient and realise that it takes time to develop a brand and a business that is recognisable. FOLLOWING HER DREAMS Nokuthula Hazel Bond, the owner of Liapolis Accommodation & Leisure, is thankful to Tourism KZN for the opportunities she has had to participate in the Tourism Indaba for three consecutive years. This exhibition allowed her to expand her tourism industry networks and marketing opportunities. Bond who was born and raised in KwaMashu township, north of Durban, qualified with a Bachelor of Social Science degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She explored many avenues and realised she wanted financial freedom and to leave a legacy for her three children to inherit. Liapolis Accommodation & Leisure was then established, a three-star graded establishment providing accommodation, meals, shuttle service and a venue for small private functions. She manages six employees. “Having funds readily available, access to markets and now the Covid-19 pandemic have been challenges in my business. However, it was all made possible with exploring and learning new trends in the tourism market, educating myself about improving customer experience and new staff development and training sessions,” said Bond. She said women are often portrayed as inferior and incapable, especially when it comes to business. She believes in continuing to only focus on giving of her best daily to build a successful business. “I advise women to have a good solid support structure, to understand what motivates you at work and to have a passion for the work you do. “You must identify your target market and focus on your needs and expectations. Join industry organisations such as the National Accommodation Association of South Africa (NAA) and your local Community Tourism Organisation (CTO) as they will keep you updated on legislative changes and on other important information.” The married mother enjoys her time hiking, taking long walks, reading and is passionate about training and developing people. Bond plans to handover the management responsibility to one of her staff members while she focuses on establishing a training academy in the near future. UNIQUE RURAL-TOWNSHIP TOURISM EXPERIENCES Bitten by the travel bug since childhood, Nomcebo Langa had the rare privilege of experiencing a variety of cultures locally and at tourist attractions around the world. Born and raised in a family-oriented home in Hammarsdale, she was taught to have respectable norms and values which kept her focused to pursue having her own business in the future. While burning the midnight oil and raising her only daughter as a single parent, Langa qualified with a Masters’ degree in Taxation from the North West University. Langa said: “I later exposed myself to business models and customer behaviour for six years at Ernst and Young, one of the largest professional services networks in the world and thereafter during 18 months with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Johannesburg.” Her numerous visits to international destinations convinced her that she must get involved in the tourism industry. Thus, she opened her own tourism business called 1000 Thrills in Hillcrest, which develops and packages unique rural-townshiptourism experiences. She said the lack of transformation in tourism in South Africa allowed her business to showcase authentic tourism and township experiences and offer a unique lifestyle to domestic and international tourists. She said the nature of tourism business was previously a male-dominated business. “I had to put on my big girl pants and work extremely hard to be the brand ambassador of my own company.” Developing a new business has been a challenge for Langa but through consultation with other successful tourism entrepreneurs, strong business ethics and sound business policies, she has managed to keep her business active even on quiet days. “New strategic business models aligned with new market segmentations and new ways of doing business had to be implemented during the lockdown. “SMMEs are advised to measure customer services and success of their business through customer retention and loyalty, customer satisfaction improvement and brand awareness,” she said. She praises Tourism KZN for showcasing her company’s products and services at Tourism Indaba, World Travel Market Africa and tourism expos in the Netherlands, Russia, China, United Kingdom and Kenya. The significant 76 percent of 1000 Thrills employees are women. She advises women that research and education is the key elements in striving to have your own business. Attending business tourism seminars and conferences expands your knowledge in order to build your business. Develop smart ways to involve customers through professional tourism packages and new ideas. Langa’s continuous determination and strong ethical business skills pushed 1000 Thrills to succeed especially after the announcement of level 2 lockdown which saw an influx and demand from tourists’ bookings for the next several weeks to come. www.zulu.org.za

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry has relocated to the Durban Country Club which was effective 3 August 2020. The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry is now based at the iconic and world-class sporting and leisure facilities of the Durban Country Club, located at 101 Isaiah Ntshangase Road in Stamford Hill, Durban. “There is a tremendous sense of a new chapter of history being written. This partnership between our two iconic entities marks a mutual commitment to contributing to our City’s drive for inclusive economic participation for all businesses. The Durban Country Club is conveniently located on highly accessible traffic routes and welcomes the broader eThekwini business community and all who co-labour with us to grow our City’s economy,” said Nigel Ward, President of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Durban Country Club has been a member of the Durban Chamber for 34 years, and this move echoes and reinforces the Chamber’s commitment to building strong partnerships and relationships with local businesses in the pursuit of growing an inclusive economy in eThekwini. “We are proud to have our historic entities co-exist in the same locality, which will enable us both to leverage our years of extensive experience serving the Durban community and providing an exceptional and conducive networking environment. We look forward to welcoming the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry to our property and working together to serve our respective members. As a member of the Durban Chamber, we strive to operate by the ethos of being In Business for a Better World,” said Kamlesh Ranchhod, Chairman of the Durban Country Club. A few benefits of the relocation to the historic and prestigious Durban Country Club are the convenient location, sufficient parking, and easy accessibility for those using public transportation. The Durban Chamber’s main telephone contact number will remain as +27 (0)31 335 1000 W: www.durbanchamber.co.za

Dr Mthobisi Clyde Zondi is the Executive Chairman of the SanDock Austral Group, which is the holding company for SanDock Austral Aerospace, SanDock Austral Shipyards, SanDock Austral Defence Engineering Systems and Torpedo South Africa. With a history spanning almost 50 years, the group is the largest 100% black owned defence entity in South Africa, both in terms of revenue and facilities owned. SanDock Austral has an exceptional reputation for developing and delivering integrated solutions for commercial and defence engineering/mechanical projects. Dr Zondi’s more than 20 years of industry and public sector experience has well prepared him to be at the helm of the group. He started his career as a Junior Mechanical Engineer for a nylon spinning company in Cape Town. A stint as an Engineering Manager at a pharmaceutical company in Epping Industrial, Cape Town then followed. After completing two masters’ degrees, he spent four years with Transnet in various positions, including Chief Operations Manager in Richards Bay Terminals, and National Capacity Planning Manager in the Transnet Port Operations container business. Dr Zondi then worked as an Executive Manager for PetroSA, responsible for offshore support logistics operations. This position was followed by 12 years working as senior official in the National Department of Defence in South Africa. He joined the Department of Defence as Head of Defence Supply Chain Integration, responsible for supply chain process design, logistics repositioning and material governance within the Department. He was later appointed chief defence material responsible for armaments acquisition, industry support, research and development, technology management and oversight of the procurement agency. Dr Zondi commented that one of the highlights of his career has been in policy development, which once implemented has impacted an entire industry. Developing Strategy Currently, Dr Zondi’s primary role is to develop strategy for the SanDock Austral Group and direct the group according to its vision, which well resonates with him. He says, “We want to build the most valuable group in the African continent. One of the important aspects is the alignment of shareholder vision in terms of how we intend to take the group forward. What makes us unique in the space that we operate in, is that we are looking at collaboration and cooperation with several role players.” The SanDock Austral Group seeks to provide a platform where South African companies can showcase their combined complementary capabilities through packaging integrated defence solutions that appeal to international markets. “One of the challenges in the defence and security industry is that the local budget has declined in the last five years. The survival of defence and security companies does not lie in local spending. If you are going to compete in exports you need to make sure that you can put competitive products out there. We are introducing a business model to South African companies wherein they can collaborate in order to provide integrated products that can compete in the international space.” “We are able to put together a package to provide an integrated solution by plugging in various companies’ products and services that can be marketed for export. In our business we cover all three phases of war – prevention, equitable engagement and we look at post war rehabilitation programmes such as demining. Our technologies are very advanced given the heritage of technology development in South Africa,” explains Dr Zondi. “We are therefore continuously engaging defence companies and organisations of all sizes, locally and globally, on potential cooperation and/or collaboration. The partnership model involves co-investment in the region, technology transfer, localised product support and indigenisation of customised product systems.” SanDock Austral Defence Engineering Systems SanDock Austral’s defence capabilities cover remote control weapons stations, low-cost active protection systems, missiles, systems engineering, assembly and maintenance of torpedoes, radars and subsystems and radar testing. Broad engineering and fabrication solutions are also offered. SanDock Austral manufactures precision mechanical components for weapon systems at a factory in Springs, east of Johannesburg. The group also has partnerships with numerous local companies in the fields of radar and electronic warfare, amongst others. SanDock Austral Shipyards On the marine side, shipbuilding and repair capabilities are offered through SanDock Austral Shipyards, formerly Southern African Shipyards (SAS). This is the largest shipyard in southern Africa and has built both naval and commercial vessels. The group offers the construction of small to mid-range steel and aluminium vessels and marine structures, repairs to all sizes of vessels and marine structures and construction and maintenance services to the offshore oil and gas industry. SanDock Austral Shipyards has made major leaps and bounds towards employing the concept of the collaborative economy in the execution of its shipbuilding and ship repair projects. The recently awarded multi-billion rand contract to build a Hydrographic Survey Vessel (HSV) for the South African Navy represents one of the most complex projects to be undertaken in the African continent in recent years. SanDock Austral Shipyards was judged the worthy winner of the world-class and soughtafter tender, which will further establish the company as a shipbuilder of note. Dr Zondi added, “A very exciting project that we are looking at currently is in how we can increase sea-based trade on the African continent. There is poor port infrastucture in several African coastal countries but there are inland waterways that are quite expansive. There are also huge rivers going through several countries that are landlocked, which is an opportunity for continental trade. We are looking at designing and manufacturing barges that can be used in these rivers and waterways, to move a range of cargo between these countries and to make sure that there is connectivity between both coastal and locked countries.” SanDock Austral Aerospace The group’s aerospace capabilities cover an electronic warfare jamming pod, electronic countermeasures, maritime surveillance aircraft and aircraft maintenance. Airport security is another capability offered, including personnel recruitment and training, airline and airport security audits, and airport security planning, design, and upgrades. “On the aerospace side we are currently in advanced talks with several entities that have maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities which we believe can benefit from a consolidation and rationalisation of their expertise so that we can get work from South African and regional aviation operators. If government comes on board this could be a breakthrough in the technical support side of the aviation business,” explained Dr Zondi. The greater good “SanDock Austral is very community and socially orientated – we always say that we are in business for the greater good.” One of the group subsidiaries has a 30% shareholding by military veterans. “We saw it prudent to bring them in as people who understand the defence and security environment as shareholders and directors at a subsidiary level. On a social level we deliver wheelchairs to military veterans if required.” SanDock Austral is also involved in community-oriented programme such as building schools and libraries. The group has a large in-service training and apprenticeship programme. This allows new graduates and artisans to gain work experience that enables them to have their qualifications recognised. “We make sure that we do not turn anyone who requires in-service training away.” “We really believe that with partnerships and collaborations this country has immense potential and we are here to make sure that it is realised,” concluded Dr Zondi. www.sda.co.za

It all seems wonderful when the orders flow in and business growth has finally become a reality until your accountant mentions that the business is running short of funds to pay salaries and suppliers. The business is cash strapped. Does this sound familiar? Cash flow planning is critical for sustainability at all times. When a business is growing, it is even more critically necessary. Start with doing a projected income statement for the next six months. Sales numbers to drive the income statement forecast is a key variable. Know your real costs to operate. Ensure that the business is delivering profit at gross profit and net profit levels. Making a profit does not imply cash in the bank at the end of each month. Use the projected monthly income statement results, payment terms with suppliers and terms of credit given to customers to drive the cash flow forecast. This will highlight when cash problems will be surfacing. Make a plan for the cash shortfall months well before it arrives. Whether you are a one man show or a large business, always have a credit policy. Be clear on the terms you can afford to give customers and do proper credit checks before you onboard new customers or extend more credit to your customers. Late payment from customers is usually the unforeseen show stopper affecting cash flow. Having a credit policy is not dependent on the size of your business. It is a non-negotiable for sustainability. For some businesses, it just takes one big customer to not pay on time to shut the business down. Manage working capital (stock, debtors and creditor balances) smartly to ensure that funds are not unnecessarily stuck in assets costing you money and cash flow problems. In conclusion, cash forecasting and cash management is an overall team effort within a business. Sound business policies, maintaining good accounting records, forecasting as well as good relations with your bankers and suppliers are the essentials to help you get through your cash flow challenges. info@fdvedanta.co.za www.fdvedanta.co.za

As a sought after speaker, Cindy often hosts her own motivational and training events and she talks at conferences, award ceremonies and business events. Give Cindy a call: (031) 265 2000 Direct Email: cindy@proappoint.co.za Suite 6 The Viewz, 11 The Boulevard, Westway Park

The biggest mistake most people make when planning to buy a new vehicle is failing to budget for all the relevant costs Gone are the days of casually walking into a dealership to look at a vehicle you might be interested in purchasing as a new vehicle for yourself, or family. While new stringent measures are put into place all over the world in the auto industry and all sectors, most people can no longer afford the cars they perhaps wanted to buy before Covid-19. Despite job losses, investments and savings have dropped significantly and the prospect of wanting to purchase a vehicle sometime this year has now fallen away entirely for many consumers. The next few months are still pretty uncertain for most of us as lower lockdown levels are still in the distant future. However, some might urgently need a vehicle and not have the finances for it at this moment. Perhaps your current vehicle needs major repairs, or it's been stolen, or your lift club now needs to work from home so you need a temporary solution. I came across a company that offers short-term solutions to allow the option of driving a new vehicle, without all the permanent costs that go with it, and there seems to be no other business like it locally. It empowers the buyer to be mobile, and gives them the option to control their financial circumstances. The biggest mistake most people make when planning to buy a new vehicle is to budget for all-inclusive costs such as monthly insurance payments, fuel, tyres, and maintenance for extended periods when having to pay off your vehicle.  With  WhyBuyCars  you can lease a car for few months, with all the maintenance and insurance costs that go with it, much like you would rent a vehicle for a day or week. So same concept, and similar terms and conditions, just at an extended period. And there's no hassle of having a vehicle registered and licensed, interest rates, or taking out insurance.  This could also be the way the motoring industry could be headed in the future, especially since car rental companies are facing a severe dilemma with the Covid-19 situation impacting the economy. Owais Suleman, Woodford Group CEO explained to Wheels24 just what the  WhyBuyCars  is about, and how it works: "Even before the lockdown, the majority of South Africans face a few bleak realities when it comes to vehicle purchase and use. Access to finance is the very first barrier. Even if an individual has the deposit and means – which many don't – to secure finance, there are many regulatory hurdles to overcome.  "Some people may be blacklisted or under debt review, while others may have foreign passports. Rejection of application for finance can be as high as 40%. Once finance is secured, South Africans are then locked into an interest-based, long-term commitment with a depreciating asset that they may not be sure they'll utilize for an extended period.  "Insurance and maintenance then add to the burgeoning cost of owning and using a vehicle. Going this route, it skips ahead to the use of the vehicle, with the realization that, regardless of the situation, South Africans still need to get around and – in the absence of a reliable, robust public transport system – simply have to have a car to use daily.  "We, therefore, offer a short-term lease of just three months or six months with a flat rate that includes insurance, maintenance, and taxes. Having a car becomes accessible and more importantly, flexible in a fragile economy where people are uncertain of their future. "The offering serves as a form of assistance and help to those who need it during a trying period." There are currently three depots based at Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban airports, and you can choose either a manual or auto Renault Kwid, a Toyota Corolla Quest, a BMW 3 Series 320i, or a Nissan NP300. It's as easy as going online, apply and await approval, and you can pick up your vehicle of choice all in the same day. Costs might seem pricey at first glance, but once you do all the math, it adds up, and makes sense as an immediate solution to get behind the wheel in a matter of hours. The better way to have a car No deposit. No credit rating required. Pick up today. GET STARTED As featured on Wheels24

Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) has completed the second phase of the R2.5 million Sokhulu Heritage Site, which will include a specially dedicated area to house the remains of royal elders excavated during RBM’s initial mining operations in Sokhulu. The remains have been respectfully preserved off site until the company and the Traditional Leaders could find a new home for them. The heritage site, which will boast an administration block, market stalls for traders and traditional Zulu huts, will also display an array of traditional artefacts that will form part of the exhibition aimed at attracting tourists. “Preserving the heritage of the communities in which we operate is a fundamental part of the way we do business but we understand that it is way more than that,” says Werner Duvenhage, Managing Director, Richards Bay Minerals. “It speaks to the hearts and minds of the people that we interact with daily. Recognition of, and respect for, a community’s cultural heritage is fundamental to building an enduring relationship with them, and this is what Heritage Month is all about.” Cultural heritage management (CHM) is the formal process through which Rio Tinto’s businesses – including RBM - account for the importance of cultural heritage features and values in their planning of business activities. RBM is required to manage cultural heritage in consultation with its host communities and to take reasonable and practical measures to prevent harm to cultural heritage features, which could include the co-management of heritage facilities and providing cultural awareness training. As RBM finalises the Sokhulu Heritage Site, the intention is to hand the facility over to the Sokhulu Traditional Council early next year to be used to drive tourism development in the local community. The Amafa Cultural Council will be invited to provide guidance on how to manage a heritage site. According to Inkosi Yesizwe SakwaSokhulu, Ubab’ Mthiyane; “The importance of the Heritage Centre is that it will serve as a monument to preserve the culture and heritage of the people of Sokhulu. It is also vital to ensure that we undertake a marketing drive to attract tourists with whom we will share our culture.” Inkosi Mthiyane added that the centre should be used to assist young people acquire skills and to provide a platform for subsistence farmers in the areas to sell their produce. It is critical that the centre is managed properly to ensure that we preserve this gift for generations to come, he emphasized. This is not the first cultural preservation project undertaken by the local mining company. The Mananga Heritage Site was opened in KwaMbonambi a few years ago with similar intentions and the company aims to revive discussions with the Mbonambi Traditional Council on robust marketing strategy to revitalise the important heritage site as a prime tourist attraction in the area. In previous years, RBM has supported annual cultural events in its host communities, but because of Covid-19 lockdowns, this will not be these events will not be happening in 2020. “Caring for employees in the workplace is at the heart of how we operate,” adds Duvenhage. “It makes sense then that this should extend to understanding and preserving their heritage, culture and traditions. Knowing the places, objects and practices that are important to our communities and stakeholders, and understanding why they are valued, is a critical part of our cultural heritage management strategy.” For media queries: Contact: Zanele Zungu Manager, Communications 035 901 3448 Issued by - Rio Matlhaku Aprio Strategic Communications On behalf of Richards Bay Minerals

Do any of the following apply to your finance department? Unplanned leave by your head of finance cannot be taken due to no backup plan in place Ongoing overtime being worked by the head of finance You ask for financial reports and never get them on time When you eventually get the financial reports, it is just numbers rather than information. Whether or not you realise it, the above are signs of the perfect "storm" of inaccurate results and possible fraud within your finance department. The storm could be brewing or well underway. As businesses grow in turnover, many business owners find it very challenging moving from having a bookkeeper as the head of finance to an experienced financial manager as the head of finance. The common theme in these businesses is that most of these business owners have fallen prey to having the majority of their financial affairs in the hands of one person. This situation is despite their business having grown and being able to afford a more sustainable financial team. Business owners generally enquire from their head of finance if more resources are needed. In fact, they continue to ask this question over and over again as they endure more and more of the signs mentioned above. That is equivalent to asking a person drowning in a pool whether or not they need your help. Of course, they need help. Asking a rhetorical question is just a waste of time. Once you see the signs, take action. Engage the services of a financial governance expert to give you insight into what the best way forward would be for your finance team to support the business with accurate meaningful information timeously, with proper backup plans in place, and internal controls. Maintaining a sound financial department requires ongoing effort. As the business changes, so too must the resourcing and internal controls within the finance department. So, make this part of your business culture and reap the pleasant rewards of peace of mind.  info@fdvedanta.co.za www.fdvedanta.co.za