Inaugural Nelson Mandela Bay Investor Seminar 2013

, 25th April 2013 - Edge Financial Group announces the first ever Nelson Mandela Bay Investor Seminar themed “An unbiased insight into onshore and offshore investment in South Africa.” 

Experts in financial planning, real estate, economics and tax advisory will be featured such as director at Investec Asset Management, Jeremy Gardiner as well as speakers from as far as Guernsey.

The NMB Investor Seminar, which is scheduled to take place on the 15th of May at the Boardwalk International Convention Centre, is said to become an annual event that the city can look forward to.

This year’s seminar is presented by Edge Financial Group and will be a one day event where over 160 guests will receive unbiased insight into onshore and offshore investment in South Africa from local and international speakers. 

The seminar will also have an informal “couch session” where delegates can asks the speakers questions and chat to them about their area of interest. Guest will be treated to a breakfast, luncheon and afternoon snacks during the course of the day.

The seminar has received a tremendous amount of support in its inaugural year with prestigious partners on board, most of which are new to the PE market and who are using this seminar to create inroads into PE. Partners of the NMB Investor Seminar include Investec, Sovereign Group, Old Mutual International, Rezco Asset Management and Catalyst Fund Managers, who will all have consultation areas at the seminar for one-on-one chats with the guests.

Edge Financial Group aims to grow the seminar into a two day event by next year which will focus on investments in South Africa, Africa and Global. 

“What is really exciting is that this is just the first event and I have already had several other investment companies expressing interest in attending,” said Edge Financial Group Managing Director, Edward Gutsche. 

“Prudential and their CEO John Kinsley, who is a leading SA economist and fund manager, have already pledged significant financial support for next year. We have also had several top CEO’s of private international brands pledging their financial support and promising to talk at next year’s event.”

With Nelson Mandela Bay being long known as the investment hotspot of South Africa, an annual investor seminar has been the city’s missing link. The NMB Investor Seminar presented by Edge Financial Group will fill this gap and will bring together financial minds from all over the country to the Friendly City.

Bus strike Port Elizabeth

The nationwide bus industry strike has not affected Intercape operations, the company said on Wednesday and was ferrying travellers at its Traduna Mall and Greenacres stations on 25 April.

SA Roadlink was also still selling tickets at its Port Elizabeth office and travelling.

"All Intercape's intercity routes are fully operational, without any disruption to the scheduled departures," the company said.

Its coach charter service was also operating as usual.

The SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) announced the strike last week.

Members are demanding an 18% wage increase, and allowances for housing, night-shift, and long-distance journeys.

Employers have offered a 6.5% wage increase and refused an 8% proposal by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration on Wednesday in an attempt to break the deadlock.

Satawu spokesperson Vincent Masoga said on Tuesday that workers needed a substantial increase to offset rising food and housing costs.

"Members don't have a problem to negotiate, but they cannot take anything less than a double-digit [increase]," he said.

Meanwhile Unitrans Bus group of Greyhound, Magic Bus, Mega Coach, and Citiliner as well as the Springbok Atlas Luxury Charters buses were some of the long distance bus companies affected.

Greyhound said on its Facebook page, “The Nationwide strike is affecting a few services. We can unfortunately not predict how services will be affected over the next few days. Should you have any enquiries, you may contact Customer Care on 011 611 8000 / 083 915 9000 or e-mail team.leader@greyhound.co.za. Please do not direct any equiries to Facebook - any customer care related enquiries must be referred to Customer Care. Thank you for your cooperation at this time.”

The national strike was initially called last Friday by the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) and included Johannesburg’s Gautrain and Putco buses – and Algoa Bus in Port Elizabeth.

Nelson Mandela Bay to Hold a Two Day Freedom Day Celebration

Nelson Mandela Bay will hold a two day event in celebration of the 19^th Freedom Day on Friday (26 April) and Saturday (27 April 2013) in Chatty and George Botha Community Halls.

Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Benson Fihla (right).

The first day event will be dedicated to youth and schools. A panel discussion among youth and school pupils from different areas will be held.

The intention of the event is to inculcate a culture of respect for Human Rights. It is also meant to raise awareness among the communities about their role they need to play in defending freedom and strengthening democracy.

The second day will be in a form of a rally. Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor, an accomplished freedom fighter and former Robben Island prisoner, Benson Fihla will make a key note address. Leaders of opposition parties represented in council will also deliver messages.

All the events are expected to start in time, members of the media and the residents are advised to be punctual.

Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Benson Fihla has called on the residents of the city to support all the events.

“As the community of Nelson Mandela Bay, we need to make sure that these events become a success as they represent one of the most important chapters in our history for freedom,” said Mayor Fihla.

The programme of events is as follows:

19th Anniversary Freedom Day Celebrations Leaner's Panel discussions

   Date: Friday, 26 April 2013

   Time: 10:00 - 12:30

   Venue: Chatty Community Centre

19th Anniversary Freedom Day Walk against violent crimes and abuse of women and children

   Date: Saturday, 27 April 2013

   Time: 7:30

   Venue: Start - Stepping Stone (We Care Community Centre), procession to go through  

   France valley and KwaNoxolo to George Botha Indoor Sport Centre.

 19th Anniversary Freedom Day Main Celebrations

   Date: Saturday, 27 April 2013

   Time: 10:00 - 15:00 

   Venue: George Botha Indoor Sport Centre.

Port Elizabeth’s Boomtown Ad agency in line for international award

Port Elizabeth advertising agency, Boomtown Strategic Brand Agency, has been short-listed for a prestigious international award. The Nelson Mandela Bay agency was selected among thousands of companies from London, New York and Sydney for the 2013 CLIO awards.

Founder Neil Hart and Wayne Harrison. Picture: Ivor Markman.

The awards are presented annually to reward innovation and creative excellence in advertising, design and communication.

The shortlist was announced on Monday.

Boomtown was selected for its advert titled The World’s First Stethoscope Radio Ad, which it did for Africa Health Placements, a non-governmental organisation that places doctors in public healthcare facilities across Africa.

The agency’s creative group head, Tim Jones, said: “This is huge for our industry and for the Eastern Cape.”

The advert was a multimedia idea to encourage newly qualified foreign doctors to work in Africa.

Jones said when the company pitched the idea to Africa Health Placements; they were “over the moon”.

It involved sending a box by direct mail to US and European medical graduates, requiring them to place their stethoscope on the box. This triggers a pressure sensor that activates an audio clip.

The audio clip, he said, was a heartbeat, which turned into a drum beat.

“We came up with the idea while we were researching. We wanted something that would stand out and appeal to the doctors.”

He said he was hoping for a positive response to the 200 boxes containing the adverts they had sent to London, Europe and Germany.

If Boomtown wins, it will be for the second time. Last year, they won a CLIO Healthcare silver award.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony in New York on May 15.

-       Nomahlubi Jordaan

Port Elizabeth Interruption to Electricity Supply: Greenbushes / Seaview

In a notice posted on the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality website on Monday, 22 Apr 2013, residents of Greenbushes and Seaview should expect electricity power interruptions.

“Residents are kindly requested to note that the electricity supply to the Greenbushes and Seaview areas will be interrupted between the hours of 08:h00 – 17:00 on THURSDAY, 25 APRIL 2013 (alternatively, Friday, 26 April 2013, if the weather does not permit) due to the upgrade, refurbishment and maintenance of equipment on the GBS Overhead Line.

Areas bounded by: Cows Corner, Louisa Road, Goedemoedsfontein, Hilltops, The Island, Chinchilla Farm, Seaview Pump Station, Seaview, Clarendon Marine, Seaview West, Beachview, Maitland Mouth Resort and Kini Bay.

Affected Line Codes: GBS, CCR, SHT, SCF and SPL

As there is no guarantee that supply will be off throughout the whole period stated, installations in all premises must still be regarded as being live during these hours.

To stay abreast with developments in the municipality via social media like us on Facebook (Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality) and follow us on twitter @NMBmunicipality.

Ends

South Africa bus strike continues: Commuters face difficulties

No end in sight to the nationwide bus strike that left many commuters stranded last week.

SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) members went on strike on Friday over wage disputes.

They have since confirmed the strikes will continue today.

Labour is demanding a wage increase of 18%, while the employer is offering 2.5%.

Satawu spokesman Vincent Masoga told the media that no conclusion had been reached in the wage talks so far.

He confirmed that the Commission of Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) had put a proposal on the table, but could not give further details.

“We are still consulting our members on that proposed offer, as well as on the way forward,” Masoga said.

Thousands of commuters in Port Elizabeth’s townships were also left to cram onto taxis on Monday when the city’s Algoa buses did not pitch up - confirming that the company would not be operating.

“We had to stand in queues for more than an hour again this morning for taxis,” said a colleague, “Don’t know if we are going to travel like this for the coming weeks.”

Nelson Mandela Bay Youth to combat water leaks

The Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) handed over plumbing tools to 83 young people to assist the municipality in stopping water leaks across the City.

The 83 youths are part of a programme driven by the municipality Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) office. The progamme was designed to give skills for self-sustainability, create jobs for young people and help the municipality to curb a challenge of water leaks.

The young people who hail from all the areas of  the Nelson Mandela Bay have undergone plumbing training through the municipality Water Services Sub-directorate, private plumbing companies and East Cape Training Centre. The Nelson Mandela Bay formed an agreement with the private plumbing companies who won contracts with the municipality to absorb the youth, train them and use them within the water leaks project.

At the completion of the training late last year, they were handed over with certificates that qualified them as plumbers. Currently they are still working under different companies that are doing work for the municipality.

They will use the tools to work within the companies they have been seconded to. On completion of their contracts with the companies, if they are not absorbed, they will use the tools to sustain themselves by creating their own plumbing cooperatives and businesses.

An excited beneficiary, Thanduxolo Vuyi from Joe Slovo West said he was in loss of words on how grateful he was about the change the municipality has done to his life. “To me it was never about money when I joined the project. I wanted skills that I can use to sustain myself and my family. Now I do not only have skills, I have also been given tools that I can use,” said Vuyi.

Vuyi said he hoped the project can grow bigger and cover other skills that are required by industry, where other young people can benefit. “We need more of these programmes, young people want to work and even create job for others, what they need is support,” he added.

Another beneficiary, Anela Mbanga from Despatch said he will ‘never suffer again’ with the skills he has acquired. “It is up to me to make something of myself. The foundation has been made, I have not been given a fish, I have been taught how to fish and further more given a fishing rod,” said Mbanga.

Nelson Mandela Bay Infrastructure and Engineering Portfolio Chairman Andile Mfunda who leads the programme was equally excited about the tools handover. “We are not only giving tools to people, we have trained them to be able to use them in assisting the municipality to save water,” said Councillor Mfunda. He said: “The challenge we have of water being wasted through water leaks will soon be a thing of the past. This is a mutually beneficial partnership between the municipality, private sector and our communities,” he added. 

Spec-Savers IRONMAN South Africa 2013

Cast your mind back almost one year and all the talk was about the torrid conditions creating one of the toughest but most memorable IRONMAN events ever experienced on the African continent and for many, anywhere in the world. 

This year, in stark contrast, Nelson Mandela Bay blessed athletes with near perfect conditions while spectators were enjoyed some scintillating racing as Switzerland’s Ronnie Schildknecht took it home in the men’s PRO field and USA’s Jessie Donavan came up trumps for the ladies.

Schildknecht makes victory look effortless

Spain’s Jon Unanue showed what he can do in the water, putting in a solid performance giving him only a slight advantage heading into T1 with a swim split of 00:49:16. He was closely followed by the Netherlands’ Bas Diederen 00:49:26 and Austria’s Berger Dominik 00:49:28. The much-lauded Faris Al-Sultan (GER) stayed up close to the leading bunch with eventual winner Schildknecht and South African favourite, James Cunnama a little way back.

Unanue took his slim lead onto the bike but didn’t have much to work with being trailed so closely by the pack consisting of Dominik, Diederen as well as Al-Sultan. Al-Sultan showed just why he is one of the household names of IRONMAN, making his way up the field until eventually taking the lead before the 40km mark. 

The experienced German looked good for his lead amassing two minutes over the chasers, Unanue, Mike Aigroz (SUI), Diederen and Dominik. Heading onto the second loop Al-Sultan held his lead while some movement took place amongst the chasers with Schildknecht and Cunnama moving up the positions into second and third respectively by the 75km mark. Aigroz dropped down a few positions to fourth.

Schildknecht steadily whittled down Al-Sultan’s fragile lead and eventually made the move into first place nearing the 100km mark. Shortly after going onto the third loop, towards the 130km mark, Al-Sultan withdrew from the race. He experienced technical problems on the bike on his second loop and pressed on until Schildknecht passed him. The Swiss pushed his lead amassing an 11-minute gap between himself and James Cunnama who moved into second place 20km before T2.

Schildknecht was first into T2 and started the run with a substantial lead. Cunnama entered T2 with a large group of athletes consisting of Aigroz, Diederen, Georg Swoboda (AUT), François Chabaud (FRA) and Hervé Faure (FRA), which meant that after the T2 exit he exited in seventh place. Viennot, Diederen, Aigroz, Kent Horner (RSA), and Cunnama made up the trailing pack going onto the run.

After 8km on the run, Cunnama pulled out of the race leaving the Diederen and Viennot to make up time against the efficient Schildknecht. His lead proved to be too much in the end and the 8-time IRONMAN Switzerland winner added the Spec-Savers IRONMAN South Africa title to his name in fine style winning in a time of 08:11:23, some 8 minutes ahead of the second placed Viennot who repeated his 2012 feat this year in 08:19:50. Bas Diederen made up third spot in a time of 08:20:08.

Donavan leaves it late but finishes strong

Great Britain’s Jodie Swallow was the headline act in a dominant display in her debut full IRONMAN race but USA’s Jessie Donavan stole the headlines to take her first Spec-Savers IRONMAN South Africa title.

Swallow, known for being a powerful athlete who takes charge from the outset, did exactly that, gaining an early advantage on the swim with a time of 00:49:55. Czech athlete but local favourite, Lucie Reed made her way up into second place on the swim exiting the water in second place in 00:52:16, while Donavan was some way back with a swim time of 01:07:10.

Swallow took full advantage of the good conditions getting into a good rhythm on the bike leg which she maintained, increasing her lead. In the early exchanges on the bike, Swallow’s nearest rivals were Reed and Dede Griesbauer (USA) who battled to stay in touch with the former IRONMAN 70.3 world champion. 

After the 120km mark Swallow held a lead of 8 minutes and looked strong. She completed her third loop and headed into transition going onto the run with a massive 18 minute lead, a seemingly comfortable one. She was in the top 20 overall at the time.

The only movement on the bike took place behind Swallow as Reed was overtaken by the 2011 runner-up, Simone Braendli although the chasing ladies were close throughout and headed into T2 with not much between them.

Swallow’s lead seemed insurmountable and her rhythm on the bike suggested that she’d have no trouble with the run, but like others before her, the Spec-Savers IRONMAN South Africa run proved to be the deciding factor. The three-time IRONMAN 70.3 South Africa winner started to struggle heading toward the back end of the run, still with a considerable lead. Braendli meanwhile could not hold onto her second place on the run as Reed and Donavan and moved ahead into the podium positions. 

The American Donavan took advantage and with less than 10km to go started to cut into Swallows lead to eventually beat her to the post in a time of 09:10:57 and winning with a lead of 6 minutes and a run split of 03:09:11. In her first full distance IRONMAN event, Swallow finished second in 09:16:59 and 2009 winner, Lucie Reed made up third place with a time of 09:27:06.

Provisional Results:

Top 10 Males

1. Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI) 08:11:23
2. Cyril Viennot (FRA) 08:19:50
3. Bas Diederen (NED) 08:20:08
4. Horst Reichel (GER) 08:22:33
5. François Chabaud (FRA) 08:29:29
6. Hervé Faure (FRA) 08:34:19
7. Berger Dominik (AUT) 08:43:52
8. Kent Horner (RSA) 08:44:31
9. Karol Dzalaj (SVK) 08:45:41
10. Michael Davidson (RSA) 08:47:39

Top 5 Females

1. Jessie Donavan (USA) 09:10:57
2. Jodie Ann Swallow (GBR) 09:16:59
3. Lucie Reed (CZE) 09:27:06
4. Simone Braendli (SUI) 09:32:23
5. Dianne McEwan (RSA) 09:12:55

Pritt Iron Kids: the pre-show for Spec-Savers IRONMAN South Africa 2013

The sheer excitement and exhilaration from the parents and participants at the 2013 Pritt IRONKIDS South Africa at the McArthur Pool and Leisure Centre in the early afternoon of Saturday 13 April was heartfelt and fun-filled by many of the spectators.

The first wave race started at 12:00 for kids with special needs. The concept of this race is all-inclusive, making the little ones feel as heroic as their IRONMAN heroes. As part of the Spec-Savers IRONMAN South Africa, everyone is a winner; all participants receive a T-shirt, medal and a goodie bag from Pritt IRONKIDS SA.

The length of the swim and run was determined by the entrant’s age. Kids between the ages of 6-9 years swam a distance of 60m, followed by a 1.2km run, while the 10-13 years age group took part in a 100m long swim and a 2km run.

Jeff Behr said, “I’m excited for my son - this is great not just for PE, but getting them [kids] to be fit at a young age.” Jeff’s son, six year-old Jarryd Behr from St Marks said he that he was excited about the race and was mostly looking forward to the swim.

The kids in the first wave start were assisted by the friendly Pritt IRONKIDS volunteers. Jenna Hiscock from Elsen Academy took part in the first wave. Jenna had a knee-cartilage surgery on 28 March this year. Dad, Reben Hiscock said, “She started complaining about a sore knee. When the doctor scanned it, surgery was recommended.” Even that didn’t put-down Jenna’s enthusiasm in taking part in the aquathlon. “I am very excited and looking forward to the run,” said eight year-old Jenna Hiscock who raced the 1.2km run on her crutches.

Sadly, all good things do come to an end and Johan Coetzee wasn’t happy about that. “It was too short, I want to do it seven times over,” said the very confident 6 year-old. Anna Huang, 13, a volunteer from Pearson High School said, “It’s exciting and fun to see the kids running and feeling proud.”