2010 March

17 March 2010 – Just how connected is South Africa and Africa? And what are we doing with these online capabilities? Can we teach the world a thing or two about innovation? And what does a company need to do to tap into this opportunity? Attend Net Prophet 2010 to find out.

Net Prophet is back, with registration for the second annual event opening on Wednesday, 17 March 2010. This year the conference, hosted by the RAMP Foundation, has a strong focus on digital innovation in Africa, as well as building a globally competitive IT economy in South Africa.

This year’s Prophets, speaking at the event, include Erik Hersman (Ushahidi, AfriGadget, TED Fellow – AKA ‘White African’) talking about innovation and technology in Africa, Vinny Lingham (yola, Clicks2Customers) talking about building global technology start-ups, and Stuart Ntlathi from the Stuart Ntlathi Institute of Science and Technology explaining why it is so important to encourage previously disadvantaged South Africans to choose technology as a career path.

In addition, World Wide Worx’s Arthur Goldstuck will be a returning Prophet and share his latest online trends and stats with the Net Prophet attendees. Arthur will be releasing World Wide Worx’s latest connectivity statistics, with a close look at the mobile Internet – perhaps even bursting a few bubbles here. He will also chat about strategies needed to succeed in the mobile Internet space, and share some valuable lessons about how today’s youth are acquiring digital skills.

Net Prophet 2010 is a one-day conference based on free, open source knowledge sharing where Internet experts and successful entrepreneurs provide insights, data, sound business advice, and practical ways to turn knowledge into profits. One of last year’s Prophets, Mike Stopforth from Cerebra, described the 2009 event as “how conferences in SA should be run.” The event is definitely not just for geeks and should be attended by anyone wanting to tap into the power of the Internet to grow their business.

“The opportunities that the Internet provides in South Africa and Africa for businesses are simply too important to ignore,” said Tim Price, marketing manager for the RAMP Group. “This year’s event is a celebration of digital success in Africa, and also intends to empower delegates with the knowledge to go and create new success stories, and become our future Net Prophets.”

This year the conference is supported by Old Mutual as platinum sponsor, and will take place in the Old Mutual Business School, in Pinelands, Cape Town on 13 May 2010. The conference is free to attendee, but delegates must register on www.netprophet.org.za from Wednesday 17 March 2010.

“Free access to enabling knowledge is the true killer app. As platinum sponsor of Net Prophet 2010 we are proud to be associated with an event that makes it possible,” said Jack Kruger, head of digital at Old Mutual.

Included in the speaker line-up are:

Arthur Goldstuck – World Wide Worx

Erik Hersman – Ushahidi, AfriGadget, TED Fellow

Patrick Kayton – Bright Sparks & Cognician

Vinny Lingham – yola, Clicks2Customers, Lingham Capital

Stefan Magdalinski – moo.com & Mocality

Richard Mulholland – Missing Link & Thunk!

Stuart Ntlathi – Stuart Ntlathi Institute of Science and Technology

Adii Rockstar – WooThemes

Event details: Net Prophet 2010

Date: Thursday, 13 May 2010

Time: 8 am – 5 pm

Venue: Old Mutual Business School, Jan Smuts Drive, Pinelands, Cape Town

Booking details: Free to attend, but delegates must register at www.netprophet.org.za. Regrettably you will not be allowed access to the conference if you haven’t registered.

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Released on behalf of the RAMP Foundation by:

Vanessa Clark
Twokats Communications
Ph: +27 82 335 1117
Email: Vanessa.clark@twokats.com
Web: www.twokats.com

Twokats Communications is proud to be the PR sponsor for Net Prophet 2010

Stop wasting your time sifting through CVs – and get the candidates you want

8 March 2010 – According to the 2010 Grant Thornton International Business Report, lack of availability of a skilled workforce is South African business owners’ largest (34%) constraint to growth, for the fourth year in a row. Yet, employers have been trying to chase down these scarce skills using the same ineffective recruitment tactics for years.

The founders of JobCrystal, the only interactive talent management portal in South Africa, decided that there had to be a better, faster and cheaper way to recruit than the way they had always done it. When they couldn’t find one, they decided to invent it, and the outcome was JobCrystal.

JobCrystal changes the way companies recruit by putting employers directly in touch with a 60,000-strong pool of top tier candidates. It then gives them the in-depth analytical tools to quickly identify the most appropriate candidate for the position and their organisation. A scientific combination of some clever analytics and a sophisticated referral network is used to match candidates and employers. In addition, candidates are matched to the company’s culture as well as on skills and experience, further improving the hiring success rate.

Because companies can talk directly to candidates themselves via JobCrystal, it bypasses the lengthy, costly and inefficient process involving recruitment agencies. Once logged into JobCrystal, it takes as little as five minutes to be put in touch with suitable candidates.

“I am sure many companies would agree that traditional recruitment is seldom more than a crude game of snap, with employers wasting their time and money interviewing inappropriate candidates unsuitable for the organisation and position. What’s more, they probably had to wait a number of weeks to get their hands on the CVs in the first place,” said Kevin Laithwaite, Managing Director of JobCrystal.

“We remove the fuzziness in the recruitment process by making the filtering and matching process scientific. Our aim is to deliver employers 10 exceptionally strong candidates, three of whom they interview, and one of whom they hire, in the shortest possible length of time. We’re so confident the system works, that we offer a six-month money back guarantee!”

JobCrystal focusses on candidates looking to earn R150,000 per year and more. It charges a flat fee per successful placement, with no upfront charges. Companies including Allan Gray, Protea Hotels, Santam and Foschini are using JobCrystal to source candidates.

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About JobCrystal

JobCrystal turns traditional hiring on its head by placing employers directly in touch with a pool of passive jobseekers. The online service is highly automated and cleverly matches candidates with employers, making using the interactive talent management portal faster, cheaper and more effective than any other way of recruiting. Founded by Kevin Laithwaite and Karl Westvig and launched in August 2009, JobCrystal is already being used by companies including Allan Gray, Santam, Foschini and Protea Hotels.

For more information please visit: www.jobcrystal.co.za (for jobseekers) or www.jobcrystal.co.za/talent (for employers)

Released on behalf of JobCrystal by:

Vanessa Clark
Twokats Communications
Ph: +27 82 335 1117
Email: Vanessa.clark@twokats.com
Web: www.twokats.com

8 March 2010 – TEAMtalk media, the leading digital sports content producer in South Africa and BSkyB subsidiary, has kicked off 2010 with a set of social investments in two projects close to the company’s heart: sport and media.

The media company has renewed its sponsorship of the Helderberg Cricket Development Centre, which introduces underprivileged children in the Somerset West area to cricket. It has also continued its support for the University of Cape Town’s Media School, a media training and community development programme.

The Helderberg Cricket Development Centre (HCDC)

The HCDC has basically introduced the game of cricket to underprivileged learners in the Helderberg area and in three short years has seen some astonishing results. Founded by Craig Melvill and Matthew Knott, the organisation provides learners with professional cricket lessons after school, including transport to the training area, cricket paraphernalia and refreshments.

Originally working with Umnqophiso Primary School and Somerset West Methodist Primary School, the HCDC has included Kanyolwethu High School in the programme this year to allow learners who have left primary school to continue with the coaching programme. Since inception, the initiative has seen some of its beneficiaries win places in local and regional cricket sides.

TEAMtalk media’s continued sponsorship in 2010 has allowed the HCDC to extend the programme to high school learners.

“Cricket never existed in the Lwandle area, and last year Umnqophiso played their first ever match. A few of the boys have improved to the extent that they play for the local club’s (Somerset West CC) respective A sides,’ said HCDC’s Craig Melvill. “Without TEAMtalk media’s ongoing support, we wouldn’t have achieved these amazing results so quickly.”

The Media School

The Media School, run under the auspices of NPO Ubunye, was started by UCT’s Varsity Newspaper in 2005 and is staffed by volunteer students from the university. The school runs after-school journalism courses in three disadvantaged Philippi schools to give learners the chance to gain skills to enter the job market, as well as support personal development. It also aims to uplift communities through encouraging an awareness of the world around them.

According to the director, Jacqui Watson, the project has developed into more than journalism and media training though. “We began as a project hosting workshops, but now we are a sustained community outreach programme which runs throughout the year,” said Watson.

The Media School runs weekly workshops at the nominated schools and the sponsorship from TEAMtalk media will be used to cover the printing costs for a school newspaper that was launched in August last year. In addition to the workshops, The Media School also arranges internships and excursions to local media companies where learners can gain additional experience and further their interest in the media.

“We are delighted to continue to support both these worthy causes,” said Barrie Jarrett. “Giving back something to two areas that everyone at TEAMtalk media is obviously passionate about – sport and media – means we are all very proud of our involvement with HCDC and The Media School.”

TEAMtalk Media will also continue its support of the Salvation Army and the Emasithandane Children’s Project in 2010.

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ABOUT TEAMtalk media

One of South Africa’s leading digital content producers, TEAMtalk media creates sports content for radio, print, online, TV and mobile – providing quality content for the Sky network of sports sites, which reaches 25 million unique readers, as well as its media syndication partners.

Its network includes: Sky Sports, Sporting Life, Sport365, Football365, Golf365, Cricket365, Extreme 365, Oddschecker, Planet Rugby, Planet F1, and football365.co.za. Additional offerings are: Sky News, Sky News Radio, Sky Text.

f365.co.za, the mobile version of popular local football site football365.co.za was selected as a finalist in the mobile publishing category for the 2009 Bookmark Awards, which rewards online excellence.

The company consists of four main business units: editorial, mobile, an award-winning customer support service, and ad campaign management. TEAMtalk Media’s South African editorial team – which works in tandem with the UK team – is comprised of seasoned sports journalists who are leaders in their respective fields.

The mobile division of TEAMtalk Media generates cutting edge sports graphics, ring tones, animations and a host of additional bespoke mobile entertainment content, for use by the internal network of sites as well as for syndication.

TEAMtalk Media is a proud division of British Sky Broadcasting.

For more information visit: www.teamtalkmedia.co.za

Issued by TWOKATS COMMUNICATIONS on behalf of TEAMtalk media

For more info:

Contact: Vanessa Clark
Tel: 082 335 1117
Email: vanessa.clark@twokats.com

25 February 2010 — Less than a year after a 31.3% price hike, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) yesterday approved an additional 24.8% rise, with further increases in the pipeline: 25.8% in 2011 and 25.9% in 2012. According to Rennie Property, South Africa’s leading specialist commercial property management company, this will have a significant impact on the tenants of commercial property and as a result, the owners as well.

So it is now more important than ever before for owners, property managers and tenants to work together to reduce electrical expenditure. Ironically, with an upswing in the economy, increased activity is helping to drive electrical use this year.

Although Nersa did not simultaneously introduce the controversial energy conservation scheme penalties for large electrical users, it is expected that this may still be launched later this year.

We are still waiting for the details of the price rise, and just how commercial property will be affected. However it seems likely, that similar to last year, commercial property and larger residential users will contribute through higher rates towards subsidies for low-income domestic users.

Unsurprisingly, electricity continues to be the largest operational cost for commercial property, according to the August 2009 South African Property Owner’s Association (SAPOA) report. Expenditure on electricity rose to more than 27% of total opex, from 22.6% in December 2008.

Henry Truter, director at Rennie Property, said: “If the 2009 price hikes were a wake-up call to the property industry, these latest price hikes are a startling reminder that power consumption needs to be high on property owners’, managers’ and tenants’ agendas.

“The expected increases over the next few years means the cost per square meter for electricity in a commercial building can go up to R 30 or more.

“Last year we advised stakeholders on how to set up an energy management plan for their buildings, and this year we will continue to work with owners and tenants to help them reduce power consumption, within the scope of their individual situations.”

South Africa’s power utility, Eskom, requested the price hike in order to fund a R 385 billion capital expansion plan over the next five years.

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Notes to editors:

Some of the advice Rennie Property will be giving stakeholders includes:

· The three pillars on which energy conservation rests are:

1. Human attitude: the highest savings are achieved when everyone works together.

2. Update: retrofit old equipment with new energy efficient products.

3. Technology: use new technology such as building management and other control products to achieve maximum savings.

Rennie Property

Rennie Property, known as South Africa’s top-performing specialist commercial property management company, offers property management, broking and consulting services. It was established in 1997, and for the past 13 years has looked after some of South Africa’s most prestigious buildings including Melrose Arch in Johannesburg, and the ABSA Centre in Cape Town. Its present portfolio of properties under management is valued at over R6 billion.

For more information please visit: www.rennieproperty.co.za

Released on behalf of Rennie Property by:

Vanessa Clark
Twokats Communications
Ph: +27 82 335 1117
Email: vanessa.clark@twokats.com