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- David White - Labour Legislation in South Africa
LABOUR RELATIONS ACT (LRA ) This Act deals with the employment relationship. It gives rights to both parties and dictates how the employer and employer are to conduct themselves in the employment relationship, for example employees are entitled to associate freely with Trade Unions. The Act also sets limits to how trade unions are organized and how they conduct themselves. The Act deals with strikes and lockouts and the resolution of disputes through the CCMA. The Act also defines dismissals and sets out how a dismissal is to be effected in order to be both procedurally and substantively fair. BASIC CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT ACT (BCEA) This Act relates to the working conditions of employees by providing standard / basic conditions of employment. Some terms covered by the Act include leave, overtime, hours of work, etc. The terms of employment contained in the Act are very basic and employers cannot contract with employees on terms less advantageous than that contained in the BCEA, however, parties are free to contract on terms that are more favourable. EMPLOYMENT EQUITY ACT (EEA) The EEA regulates the treatment of all employees and its main function is to ensure that all employees are treated equally and that there is no discrimination in the workplace. A recent amendment to this Act includes the call for employees who are engaged in same / similar work to be remunerated at the same/similar level. SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ACT (SDA) The SDA was passed in order to help employees improve and develop skills in the workplace. There is currently a skills development levy (SDL) that is payable to the South African Revenue Services for skills development of employees. UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACT (UIA) The main purpose of the UIA is the regulation and administration of a fund (UIF) that collects contributions from employees and employers in order to assist the employees in periods of employment due to maternity, illness and unemployment. Source: DRG Outsourcing - David White, Youshi Naidoo & Nikita Pillay
- Asante Solutions 2022 Promo Video
WE ARE DIGITAL Strategists, Creatives, and Data-Organizers. We bring brands to life and keep them relevant. We use technology, data insights, and creativity to make their businesses thrive.
- James Arnott - A fundamental paradigm shift is required in Africa's conservation efforts
A fundamental paradigm shift is required in Africa’s wildlife poaching and wilderness landscape conservation efforts, from trying to resolve the symptoms to a fully focused global effort to address the cause.. FACT: Africa’s vast remaining wilderness areas and the flora and fauna that live on these landscapes are under severe threat. Whether these landscapes are proclaimed reserves or community land surrounding them, the issue remains the same, the rural communities that live on these landscapes have historically been commercially marginalized and as a result, wilderness landscape degeneration through subsistence farming, charcoal manufacture and poaching are the symptoms that continue to be the focus for conservation groups around the globe. Perhaps the key issue at stake here preventing this shift, is that it is far easier to focus fund raising and resource deployment efforts on anti-poaching with the emotive “save the rhino now” type narrative being the order of the day, then it is to engage at grass route level with these communities, fully understand their needs and aspirations, and then together, help plan and build a sustainable conservation economy on the only real asset they most often collectively have, which is the land itself. CWC Africa promulgates a Conservancy development model, which, once the wilderness landscapes have been identified, planned and established, become the foundation to then build what we term as sustainable community based Conservation Economies . A critical upfront success factor often neglected due to the inherent complexities, is that the planning and “rules of engagement” are jointly agreed with the communities and through a methodology of workshops and training, they are fully exposed to the benefits of sustainable land use best practices, which are synonymous with a Conservancy landscape definition and development model. Once this community engagement exercise is completed, CWC Africa Projects, with its select group of specialist accredited service providers and professionals, then helps identify and build conservation based business solutions, applying first world best practise business dynamics, from corporate governance and legal structures, to best practice tourism, farming and production, to optimal routes to market. Our flagship project, the Thaka Valley Communal Wild Conservancy(CWC), in Zululand, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, is no exception. Included in the Thaka Valley land use model and at the heartbeat of this proposed conservancy, is the community partnership project called the Loziba Wildlife Reserve, a planned big 5 game reserve which will be an ideal sanctuary for endangered species such as the black rhino. A number of community land claimed farms are to be included into the reserve(to be approx 30000ha in extent on completion), whilst the majority of the land claimed farms surrounding the reserve have been ear marked to make up the Thaka Valley Communal Wild Conservancy(CWC). THAKA VALLEY CWC MAP The Thaka Valley CWC/Loziba Wildlife Reserve project is a perfect demonstration of the need to work closely with resident rural communities in jointly finding solutions to their challenges. There are a significant number of land claimed community owned farms currently sitting derelict, having been over run with weeds and poor grazing and soil management is creating irreparable erosion. The wildlife has all but disappeared through subsistence dog hunting and the land owners are completely cash strapped, without a hope of being able to manage their land assets in any possible sustainable manner going forward. With funds raised through the CWC Africa Development Fund, our implementation and project management entity, CWC Africa Projects intends deploying its Communal Planning Unit(CPU) to workshop the Thaka Valley conservancy plans and future development. With these plans in place, the conservancy will then be formally proclaimed with identified and agreed to land uses, fully described in the Thaka Valley CWC Constitution and clearly zoned on a land use map. Land use opportunities are then packaged into a conservancy investor prospectus for private sector companies and investors to duly consider investing in and operating, in partnership with the community. Typical Conservancy land uses range from Game Reserves, Lodges and Camps, high value conservation agriculture and processing, game farming and so on. We do believe a key factor that makes us different at CWC Africa Projects is that of accountability and transparency with regards the conservancy development projects we embark on and ultimately where the CWC Africa Development Fund funding we manage to raise, is deployed. Our mission is to convert over 6million hectares of wilderness landscapes in Africa into Communal Wild Conservancies over the next decade and in doing so, help establish much needed vibrant and sustainable conservation economies. James Arnott CWC Africa Projects(Pty)Ltd - Project Director “WILDERNESS LANDSCAPE DEVELOPERS, PROJECT MANAGERS AND CONSERVATION ECONOMY FACILITATORS” Physical Address: 29 Maryvale Road,Westville,Durban, Kwazulu Natal, 3629 Web: www.cwcafricaprojects.com
- Lance Marshall - Mastering coaching and mentoring with BusinessFit
Decades of experience in industry and in business taught me many valuable lessons which I have incorporated into my coaching practice. Businesses and workplaces are evolving at an un-precedented rate, which leaves us with limited time to master the range of skills which we need to be successful. The marvel of the world right now is that we have almost unlimited access to specialists who we can lean on for support. People and businesses who are specialists, who can provide the support which allows businesses to focus on what matters most. This lies at the very heart of my relationship with BusinessFit. Professional Coaching and Mentoring are key components in the Quality Assurance business process, providing an objective framework for continuous improvement and business sustainability. Coaching and Mentoring are critical and complementary developmental tools for businesses, teams and individuals who intend to succeed. Successful outcomes are far more likely when we tap into the skills and expertise of specialists as we build successful and sustainable businesses. Coaching is designed to unlock the potential of how we think, how we act and how we react to situations and circumstances. Mastering our behaviours as leaders determines the rate of success. Applying coaching methodologies allows us to develop the well-being of staff, team members, and stakeholders, which is essential to support the development, growth, and sustainability of any business. Mentoring on the other hand is designed to analyse, understand, and develop systems and skills for the business, individuals, and teams and to close the gaps which are identified during the QA certification process. The BusinessFit Quality Assurance model includes elements of both coaching and mentoring which complement each other in a comprehensive client support system. Relationships matter : Succeeding in business is by no means a simple matter. Every role-player and every stakeholder in the business needs to be supported by coaches and mentors who are trained and experienced to bring perspective and context to the thinking process, unlocking the potential of people. Leadership is a personal journey which takes courage, determination, and skill. The sheer diversity of skills and capabilities which are needed for a business to succeed is daunting and can at times be overwhelming. One of the key components of successful leadership is finding out which behaviours and inputs add value to you and to your business and where behaviours and inputs might impede development. In a rapidly changing business environment, we need to continuously adapt our approach and to be agile, particularly in our relationships and interactions with others. Exploring how we think and how we act and what we need to change in order to develop, unlocks our personal and business potential. Building a healthy relationship with yourself and with stakeholders builds sustainable behaviours. This is where coaching has proven to be of enormous benefit across the full spectrum of team members from Intern to executive. Intentional development matters : Identifying the elements of the organisation which are critical success components to ensure that the organisation meets its development objectives. Having team members who are engaged and committed and who have a clear vision of the role that they play in supporting and developing the organisation, unifies the team to deliver on the goals and objectives of the business. Coaching and mentoring of team members brings both individual and team perspective and it drives intentional thinking and innovation. process. The coaching and mentoring process uncovers areas where skills may need to be supplemented or improved and where systems or methodologies may need to be adapted or upgraded. The relationship between the members of the team and the business mentor must be solid and based on trust and ethics. The mentor needs to have access to a broad range of support in facets of business, so that the gaps can be identified and addressed and that the business can focus on what matters most. BusinessFit provides this solid support infrastructure which underpins the work of the business mentor by providing a consistent, reliable Quality Assurance system supporting all functional and structural aspects of the business. Reaching business goals, milestones, commitments, and objectives with a solid business framework relies on ensuring healthy relationships, a healthy business environment, a healthy mindset, and the intention to be successful. Should you wish to learn more about coaching and mentoring in the BusinessFit model, please contact Lance Marshall ( lance@lanmar.co.za ) or Youshi Naidoo at BusinessFit ( youshi@businessfit.co.za ).
- B-Active – The ultimate swim, bike, run series
B-Active Sports is the name behind many popular sporting events across South Africa and this sports management company is a formidable player in the sports industry in South Africa. The company has been actively involved in almost every major public sporting event in South Africa, with an enviable list of premier sporting events across a wide range of sporting codes, where they manage sponsorship contracts and logistics for specific areas of the events. The company manages South Africa’s oldest triathlon series, TinMan, which turns 23 years old this year. In addition, this series has gone national, with brand new events taking place in Gauteng at the beautiful Buffelspoort Dam. So now the series has nine events nationally. With the first two events in the TinMan Series fast approaching, it’s time to start your training towards those new 2022 goals. The first event kicks off in Durban on the 20th of February at Suncoast Beach. The Durban TinMan Series is where it all started 23 years ago, with just 29 athletes on the beachfront. The second event in the series moves up to Buffelspoort Dam, in the highveld and kicks off the start of the Joburg TinMan Series. Buffelspoort Dam is known to have clear waters and flat roads, so this event is a must do race for the family. The series caters for any level of athlete, from a standalone 10km running race, to a mini triathlon and a longer sprint triathlon, culminating in the challenge events including a duathlon. The Mini Tri event is the perfect introduction to triathlon for girls and boys from 8yrs and up. It will give them a safe outdoor sporting experience, while building up their confidence and giving you an event that you can compete in side by side with your kids. Events you can enter: § 10km Run (12yrs up) § Mini Tri (200m Swim / 5km Cycle / 2.5km Run) 8yrs up § Sprint Tri (600m Swim / 20km Cycle / 5km Run) 16yrs up § Sprint RELAY TEAM (600m Swim / 20km Cycle (4 laps) / 5km Run) § Challenge Tri (1.2km Swim / 30km Cycle / 10km Run) 17yrs up § Challenge RELAY TEAM (1.2km Swim / 30km Cycle / 10km Run) § ■■ Challenge Duathlon (10km Run / 30km Cycle / 5km Run) 17yrs up Entries close on the Wednesday night prior to each event. These exciting TinMan triathlon series are sure to put the spark back into the multisport scene. So what are you waiting for, come join us at the first event in Durban on the 20th February! C: 087 012 5044 E: support@entryninja.com W: https://entry.bactive.com
- Marlene Powell – How in love are you with your business?
I f you, as a business owner, want to reignite the passion in your business and learn to LOVE what you do whilst building a commercial profitable business that works without YOU then invest time to read on! With February being the month of love would you say that you love your business the same way you did when you first started? Are you able to say that your business loves you in return by fulfilling all aspects of your life i.e.: Wheel of Life* · Job Satisfaction/Career · Money · Fun and Recreation · Friends · Family · Romance · Personal Growth · Spiritual · Health · Physical Environment Rate yourself in each of these very important areas of your life and then see how strong your relationship really is between you and your business. If you had to look at your relationship with your business as a marriage, are you both giving 100% to fulfil the above? If the answer is no, have you decided to ‘have an affair’ and start other businesses on the sideline because your primary business is not performing as it should i.e. giving you the time and money to enjoy the finer things in life (Quality of Life) or are you ready to throw in the towel? February is not just about love in your personal life but should be about growing and improving the love/relationship that you and your business have. Owning a business is the same commitment as being married. It won’t work if you aren’t willing to work on it and make the changes that need to be made. If you are ready to make this relationship work, then let’s start by taking the following actions: Allow yourself to DREAM what your ideal life would be like. What will your life look like in each of the above areas*? ? How will it feel to be living that lifestyle, what do you see yourself doing and, how would it sound to have all of those aspects in your life giving you joy and fulfilment? Give yourself permission to dream like a child and create a life that you would be totally elated with. Now that you have had time to THINK IT, it’s time to INK IT. Write down the #1 ACTION you need to take in each aspect of your life that describes and captures what your ideal lifestyle would be. Be SMART when setting your #1 Goals. Let’s design your life because if you don’t someone else will. What does my ideal life look like? Firstly, at a personal level (which may involve some aspects of career or business): If I were to pretend that I worked towards creating my ideal day what does my ideal day look like? What am I driving? Who is greeting me? How am I feeling? What is different? What is the same? What do I have to?: · STOP doing · START doing · CONTINUE doing · Do MORE/LESS of Now that you have your ideal ‘day in the life of YOU’ in writing and, now you are not sure how to ensure it will actually happen then make contact with me on https://linkshare.co.za/marlenepowell or 083 479 4471 because “Your Success IS My Business!”
- Sanelisiwe Gantsho – The modern business agenda
Creating shared value, ESG integration and cognitive diversity The concept of ‘creating shared value’ according to Michael Porter at the World Economic Forum in 2012, is rethinking capitalist systems in relation to society by way of addressing global economic challenges. This includes health and the environment in a win-win scenario that benefits commercial efforts undertaken by businesses and the societies that the commercial activities operate in. A simple model for illustration is a triangle that has interchangeable apexes, labelled environmental, social and governance factors with shared value at the centre of the modern agenda for sustainable activity. Shared value is a competitive advantage of the SACC UK in how we approach trade, community upliftment and investment into and out of South Africa. A Chamber that has a local heart and a global mindset Authentic and heart felt business opportunities that uplift South Africans far and near is the shared passion in each engagement and business opportunity embarked on by the Chamber in each of the geographical chapters. In particular, revitalising the South African economy while it emerges from the pandemic is critical. We view ourselves as a vibrant facilitator and connector – a diverse body much like a gentle yet efficiently mobile octopus – in bringing together like-minded people, co creating solutions, levers of influential networks, associates, members, chambers, institutes and governments that explores vast and achievable opportunities for the greater good. The passionate board, executive committee and various management committees join the dots in connecting the needs and solutions to deliver trade outcomes. Positioned for win-win outcomes and the sustainability for the SACC UK for years to come. The set-up of the SACC UK has been ratified by the SA Government and the SA High Commissioner in London. We also are proudly supported by the SA Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). With value add connections across the globe and the geographical chapters growing in South Africa, prospective members can tap into a readily available database, a wealth of knowledge and fine professionals who are qualified and passionate. In making 2022 the year of opening doors while in the process of emerging from a pandemic, growing connections across all areas of business and social responsibility is key in collectively building towards a future that matters for South Africa in how it contributes to the global economy. For more information www.southafricanchamber.co.uk
- Cindy Norcott – Win a copy of “How Does She Do It”
Businesswoman and philanthropist, Cindy Norcott, has recently launched her second book titled: “How does she do it”. This book follows on the success of her first book, titled, ‘How To Be Unstoppable,’ which reached best-seller status. Norcott’s latest book is a behind the scenes look at the world of a female entrepreneur trying to balance work, life, family and everything in between. She opens up about being successful but not perfect and how this is totally okay. “I wrote this book because I have been speaking on the topics for many years now and I decided I would like to consolidate my ideas into one book. My main motivation for this book is that I believe that women in business are incredibly hard on themselves. We are always searching for that elusive balance and we often live under the belief that others have it all together. I wanted to demystify these thoughts and flatten the playing fields. Nobody has got it all together and often behind the scenes is messy and very imperfect and that is okay. I want to see women stopping being so hard on themselves,” she explained. Norcott, has been an entrepreneur since the age of 23. She then married, became a mother, a certified business coach, and an international motivational speaker hurtling on to win more awards than she can remember. She said wanting to do more and give back, she founded The Robin Hood Foundation in 2005, which has helped thousands of people in KwaZulu-Natal and has somehow made it look easy. Praise for How Does She Do It? “This is the ultimate “how to” book with advice on how to run a successful business, have successful relationships and other invaluable snippets on a multitude of topics. It is all here! Cindy tells it how it is, and by being vulnerable, she allows the reader to resonate with all the ups and downs of life. You will read it over and over - on your bad days to get advice and on your good days so that you know how to celebrate!” Margaret Hirsch. “It is one thing to motivate people with stories of success, and it is another exposing the messy stuff. In this book, Cindy shares her insight in her candid, sincere and inspiring way.” Jane Linley-Thomas Radio Personality. “How Does She do it?” If anyone is qualified to write a book like this, it is my long-time friend and multi-award winning businesswoman, Cindy Norcott! A must-read for women wanting to reach their goals while maintaining a balanced life.” Gail Kirby CEO Galeforce Marketing. Cindy Norcott is giving away five copies of her new book to Business Sense readers. If you would like a copy, please email gayle@mweb.co.za with your name and contact details. These names will go into a lucky draw. For more information visit, www.cindynorcott.co.za
- Sibongile Dimbaza – Business Chambers challenge municipal electricity tariff methodology
The Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber (PMCB) together with the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber (NMBBC) have jointly filed papers to legally challenge the National Energy Regulator’s (Nersa) municipal tariff methodology which is used to determine and approve electricity tariffs charged by municipalities. The methodology is based on guidelines and benchmarking rather than on the cost of supply which is being stipulated in the legislation. This methodology is thus an enabler for municipalities to implement excessive tariffs and then to utilise this to fund escalating electricity losses which are the result of their own inefficiencies, among which includes the lack of maintenance of infrastructure as well as rampant cable theft. This has resulted in tariff differentials between distributors in South Africa being as high as 60%, creating unacceptable regional distortions in electricity costs across the country. The two Business Chambers have participated in year-long consultations on this issue where Nersa has confirmed that they will not review their methodologies without a legal challenge. “We have therefore determined that we have no other option but to embark upon a legal challenge to halt the implementation of unlawfully high tariffs, which will result in industry paying for inherent inefficiencies in the system,” says Melanie Veness, CEO of the PMCB Chamber. “Our challenge seeks for the methodology for municipal customers to be based on the efficient cost of distributing electricity, excluding markups which are not permitted for municipal customers. “We believe that the guideline and benchmarking methodology is inconsistent with electricity legislation and therefore unlawful, and as such licensees should only be permitted to recover efficiently incurred cost of supply plus a reasonable margin.” “We are very concerned about the current dysfunctionality of the external operating environment and the associated unacceptable escalating costs of doing business and in particular the sustainability of electricity supply,” says Denise van Huyssteen, CEO of the NMBBC. “The continued unlawfulness of the municipal electricity tariffs could lead to uncontrollable escalations from current tariff levels. Furthermore, business is under tremendous pressure in relation to electricity pricing as Eskom is applying for increases exceeding 20%. In such an environment, continued excessive mark-ups from municipalities will exacerbate pressure on municipal consumers and in particular on businesses who are dependent on electricity for the continuity of their operations. This is clearly an unsustainable situation for businesses who are reeling from the economic repercussions of the pandemic and the July civil unrest.” Veness points out that electricity income accounts for a substantial portion of the total revenue of municipalities. “The reality is that electricity income is not spent exclusively on electricity and is utilised to cross-subsidise other municipal functions. If tariffs are approved without the efficiency of the costs being interrogated, there is no real incentive for municipalities to spend electricity income on infrastructure or to address theft, waste, fraud and corruption in the electricity system.” “The private sector is simply expected to carry the cost of these losses and inefficiencies. With Eskom’s tariffs having increased by around 180% in real terms over the last 15 years, municipal tariffs have to be limited to efficiently incurred costs. Our joint action on behalf of our members will hopefully achieve this. We trust we can co-operate with our municipalities and come up with solutions which will enable growth and development.” Van Huyssteen emphasises that should a positive outcome be achieved, that this would ultimately benefit all South African businesses and consumers. She says that the electricity challenge is being funded by member businesses of the two Business Chambers. “We urge other businesses to stand together with us and to join our legal challenge so that we can prevent exorbitant and unfair electricity increases being imposed and impacting the sustainability of business operations.”
- Durban Chamber doing business with Pakistan
The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC in partnership with the Pakistan Embassy presents the opportunity to travel to Pakistan for FREE to attend a business trade delegation. Requirements: 1. A company must be in the Engineering and/or Healthcare Sector ■■ Construction material ■■ Surgical instruments ■■ Sports goods ■■ Musical instruments ■■ Automotive / Autoparts ■■ Cosmetics ■■ Pharmaceutical ■■ Electrical Fan/Home Appliances ■■ Furniture & mattresses ■■ Rubber & its implements ■■ Handicrafts ■■ Plastic & its implements ■■ Stationary & Paperboard ■■ Cookware & Cutlery ■■ Mobile devices ■■ Chemicals ■■ Safety equipment ■■ Gems & Jewellery ■■ Packaging ■■ Agriculture machinery & its implements ■■ Electrical machinery including pumps, motors, transformers, generators ■■ Marble & Minerals 2. Be willing to pay a RETURN flight ticket which will be reimbursed to you once you arrive in Pakistan. 3. Have a visa and passport ready for travelling 4. Be fully vaccinated to travel 5. Be available to exhibit the company service/product in Pakistan 6. Have a turnover of one million US Dollars per annum (negotiable). 7. Submit a company profile and recent financial statement for screening. 8. Must be within sectors specified on the link. Date: Friday, 25 February 2022 – Sunday, 27 February 2022 Click to Register: https://ehcs.tdap.gov.pk/ Once registered, kindly email your: 1. Application 2. Company profile and, 3. Financial statement To Dumile Khubone, ( khuboned@durbanchamber.co.za ) or call 031 335 1000. NB: Only nine (9) companies will be selected to participate. The Pakistan Embassy reserves the right to select eligible participants. #InBusinessForABetterWorld
- Tony Clarke - New property practitioners act commences
As of 1 February 2022, the new Property Practitioners Act (PPA) will officially commence. According to Tony Clarke, Chairman of the Real Estate Business Owners of South Africa (REBOSA), this is a welcome step in the right direction for an industry previously plagued by unclear and often poorly implemented legislation. Disclosure One of the most important new consumer protections is the now-compulsory inclusion of a comprehensive property defects disclosure document for both property sales and rentals. “At REBOSA, we’ve been encouraging this for several years now,” says Clarke, “but under the PPA it will be officially illegal to accept a mandate from a seller or a landlord without receiving a comprehensive disclosure document first. This document must be signed by all parties and attached to the sale or lease agreement. It’s a valuable reinforcement of our ethical responsibility to ensure open and honest property transactions.” Certification The PPA also requires any business earning a commission or brokerage from the sale or lease of a property to hold a valid Fidelity Fund Certificate (FFC), and tax clearance and BBE certificates as well. To reduce the administrative burden, however, new FFCs will be valid for a period of three years instead of one. Fees have also been standardised across all professional levels. Only Candidate Property Practitioners will pay a different, reduced fee for the first two years of their candidacy, after which the standard fees will apply. “We’re particularly pleased with the fact that FFCs are also no longer linked to a specific employment position,” says Clarke. “Certificates will now remain valid if an agent progresses to principal, for example, or changes employers.” Trust Accounts Clarke says the changes to trust account requirements will provide welcome administrative and financial relief to many property practitioners. “Previously, all property practitioners needed to have a trust account, regardless of whether or not they handled trust monies,” he says. “Those accounts, idle or not, accrued bank fees and forced businesses to undergo a full – and expensive – annual audit. “Now, property practitioners only need a trust account if they actually handle trust monies,” he continues. “If you use a dedicated third-party payment processing agent or intermediary with their own compliant trust account, there is no need for you to have a trust account of your own. That means your business accounts can go through a far simpler and more affordable annual review. Clarke adds that it is very important to note that an exemption application is a prerequisite to not having your own trust account.” Training The new regulations also promise smoother and more affordable property practitioner training. “Under the PP Act, prospective agents can study and sit their Professional Designation Examination (PDE) before joining an agency,” says Clarke. “No more year-long internships or expensive NQF4 exams. If you’ve passed your PDE, you can literally start selling property in less than six months – under supervision – provided you complete a further six practical course modules.” Businesses are now also allowed to develop and run their own CPD training for a dramatically reduced CPD fee. “Course content must be approved by the Authority, but this approval can’t be unreasonably withheld,” says Clarke. This should make issues like delayed course content a thing of the past, supporting agents in honing their skills rather than acting as a professional roadblock.” Transformation Better support for agents is at the heart of changes to the Transformation Fund, too. It will be run by an independent body appointed by the PPRA. Clarke is hopeful that this will finally see the fund fulfil its potential as a force for positive industry change. Equal Opportunity The practice of charging real estate agents “Accreditation Fees” in return for exclusive rights to property transactions within a development has been abolished. “Sellers and landlords within estates will no longer be limited to their development’s approved agents,” says Clarke. “This gives all businesses – large and small – a fair chance to win mandates based on the quality of their service instead of the size of their bank account.” Developers will also no longer be able to sell their own properties without registering as a property practitioner, providing more opportunity for real estate agencies to provide this service. Industry Consultation “Overall, we’re very pleased with the direction the PPA is taking our industry’s regulations,” says Clarke. “It’s also good to know that the PPRA has been formally mandated to consult with the property practitioners it governs and I formally invite the new PPRA’s board, to regularly do so, especially during the transitional phase, which will see some challenges and interpretational issues arising and that the way the PPRA is going to apply these new regulations is going to be critical to achieving the results that the PP Act wishes to achieve. For more information, www.rebosa.co.za
- Rebuilding the lives of Isipingo’s market hawkers
The Rebuilding for Hope and Prosperity Initiative (REHOP), which comprises the Minara Chamber of Commerce and six other Muslim NGOs in coalition, have worked jointly with the eThekwini Municipality to rebuild the lives of Isipingo’s market hawkers, who for decades have worked cheek-by-jowl providing an invaluable and affordable service to the local community. A section of the iconic Isipingo market, central to the very fabric and history of the area south of Durban was destroyed in the 2021 lootings that devastated parts of the province. Spokesperson for the group, Shabir Chohan, said that micro-businesses were marginal profit enterprises that provided a basic income, and that without these enterprises, the owners and their families would face bleak prospects for the future. Chohan added that the reestablishment of a section of the vibrant Isipingo market would allow the REHOP Initiative to upskill and empower the traders as well. Ebrahim Patel, director of the Minara Chamber of Commerce said that the traders – who had no other source of income – were not only breadwinners, but small business owners who made a vital contribution to the local economy. REHOP has entered the third phase of rebuilding the Isipingo Fresh Produce Market, with a training and development intervention that will see a cohort of 15 selected traders move their enterprises forward to the next level. The Micro Enterprise Development Programme (MEDP) commenced on Tuesday, 18 January 2022. Professor Shahida Cassim, retired professor of Entrepreneurship at the Graduate School of Business at the University of KwaZulu-Natal will be coordinating and leading a six-month programme for 15 traders. “We have conceptualised a developmental intervention for 15 selected informal traders and a maintenance programme for the 38 more beneficiaries,” she said, adding that they had used a diagnostic to identify those with aspiration and a readiness to learn. “The traders, many of them women, will be empowered with skills that will enhance their entrepreneurial self-efficacy and their operational effectiveness. Expert facilitators have been identified and will work under my supervision during the six-month programme.” We have conceptualised a comprehensive multidimensional intervention with three components over the long term: § The Micro Enterprise Development Programme (MEDP) § The Maintenance Programme (MP) and § The Micro Loan Programme. This coordinated initiative will ensure that we rebuild and launch these microenterprises to the next level thereby contributing to a more inclusive and just economy. https://youtu.be/HpqDZa5L2AM












