Beads Mar-Apr 2017 / No 03
Diversely Connected www.beadsmag.co.za
Chic Ethnic 23
REASONS YOU ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL
why
worth of outď€ ts
women change their surnames after marriage
MAR/APR 2017
SA R29,00 (VAT incl.)
Plan a week's
in 5 minutes
e l e k m a S THE FACE OF DEDICATION
be the obvious choice
the Platinum
Branding Package
Logo Design | 100 Business cards | Electronic Letterhead | Electronic Invoice Electronic Quotation | 10 Business Profiles |Domain Registration 2 page website | 1 Pull-Up Banner @ R3500
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Mar/Apr 2017
CONTENT cover Plan a week's worth Of outts in 5 minutes Samkele Mkhize: The face of decication Chic Ethnic Fashion Reasons why women Change their surname After marriage 35 Reasons You Are Not as Successful 11 13 25 31
Founding Editor & Director of GX Marketing
Khanyi Mdluli Sthabile Mzimela Nix Photography Sibahle Mbhamali Fanie Gazu Production Bongani Nene
Content Producer: Fashion & Beauty: Photography: Advertising:
monthly features 6 4 4 45 44
Nqobile Nene
Editor’s Note KZN Highlights Contributors What’s Up KZN Subscription
business & nance 37 Now is the time for a pro-SME Budget 39 7 Import Export Business ideas and Opportunities for 2017 41 The psychology of spending
health & beauty 19 Political Hair 24 Afro-Hair Care 101
featured 07 If I could say it in words, there would be no reason to pain 10 uMkhumbane Groovy Blues 33 Can you talk
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Beads is owned and published by Gxabhashe Trading Enterprise cc t/a MAGAZINE
March/April - CONTRIBUTORS
Chris
Amanda
African Accessories
Fashion Designer
+2781 424 2092
@maya.amand
Chriskw125@gmail.com
Wayne Rust Photographer
@waynerustphotography
@amanda_may_dap
+27 82 773 6529
+27 82 375 9488
wr.photography@hotmail.com
info@amandamay.co.za
KZN Highlights......
Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development has conducted oversight visits to 12 co-operatives in KwaZulu-Natal to identify challenges and nd solutions. Many co-operatives established around the country have failed in the goal to provide employment and alleviate poverty.
THE KZN Music Imbizo will take place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium from Thursday, 31 August until Saturday, 2 September from 9am to 6pm on each day. The Imbizo is becoming an international platform with interest from all over Africa and Europe and there will be 50 stands available for SMMEs, corporates and government departments at the fast growing international music business conference and exhibition.
Parliament's Portfolio Committee says a lack of co-ordination between government departments has contributed to the failure of co-operatives. Ofcials from the Department of Small Business Development have given the assurance that they will work closely with coops to ensure their success.
The KZN Music Imbizo’s vision is to contribute to the creation of a highly organised, sustainable and successful music industry that can enhance the careers of musicians such as Qhawekazi.
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World Economic Forum will further boost KZN's investment and tourism. Besides the fact that hosting WEF Africa will inject more capital and boost economic activity, the complementary effect is that most of the attendees will eventually become the province's brand ambassadors, encouraging tourists and investment back to KwaZulu–Natal. Investment attraction and tourism promotion aside, the province of KwaZulu-Natal will be the best platform for plotting a new trajectory for global economic development.
Editor’s
Note
The more I work with Beads Magazine, the more I realize that our own fate is in our own hands with the help of the Higher Power – You decide on who your Higher Power is, mine is God. There is no excuse for not succeeding. If there are people out there who can come from unfortunate backgrounds and still become something great, it is proof that it can be done. Our cover lady Samke Mkhize is an inspiration, proof that hard-work and dedication produces results no matter where you are from. Nobody ever said it would be easy reaching for your goals, but then if it was, there would be no pride in achieving them. Let me tell you this, as soon as you decide to follow your dream, obstacles will pour on you. If there are no obstacles it might mean you are not dreaming big enough. If you get blocked left, right and centre, expect more blocking. You are going to feel like you are taking one step forward and 9 steps back. Ask any successful person, they will tell you its success tradition. These obstacles are what separate the great from the mediocre. To value something you need to work hard at it. You must feel it when your staff is tarnishing your brand because you worked hard at. Even the Bible, Psalm 23:4 says “though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil”. You are not the rst one to face rough times in your journey, even the great David, the beloved of God went through it. But my point is, don't give up, I know you have that dream and I know you know what it will be like when you nally reach your goal. In the same Psalm 23 it say “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”. The tougher the journey the joyous are the rewards. The darker the valley, the more food on your table. What you need to note is that “though I WALK through the valley”, don't sit in the valley. Keep pushing, try and try again. The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is successful people fail more, because they try more. Be great.
Nqobile Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
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“If
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I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint
Reality
A
AN EYE FOR ART
rt is not for me...! This is a normal reaction from most African children. Most of us just don’t understand why other people pay zillions of monies to acquire a certain piece. Art comes in different genres including music and poetry but the visual art is one most Black South Africans don’t get. But when other people can pay that much to get it, maybe there is something there....
3. Consider More Things As Art. Anything within the context of art is art. It might make you roll your eyes to think about a highly paid artist inging paint at a canvas like a toddler. But much as John Cage taught us the difference between noise and sound, seeing art that you disagree with can challenge your notions, or help you suss out your beliefs.
Angie Hartley, an expert artist and teacher says human beings have been making and beneting from art for longer than our recorded history. While contemporary art might seem exclusive or confusing, all viewers have to do is meet the artist halfway. Here are six easy steps to help you appreciate art.
4. Trust Your Instincts. Creativity is one of the many benets of human intelligence. Our ability to make art and think critically about it separate us from dolphins and monkeys. I don't care what you majored in, or how your gure drawings (or stick gures) always come out. Every human being has artistic ability. Trust in this.
1. Stop Trying to “Get It.” Art isn't a knock-knock joke, and squinting at an exhibit isn't going to elicit a punch line. Everyone — artists and viewers alike — will have a unique experience. As in the rest of life, there will be times when you can't relate to the artist, or even understand where they're coming from. Accept that, and move on. Don't write off art, an entire genre, or even a particular work just because it doesn't agree with you at the moment. As you go through life, your tastes will change. You've had adverse reactions to tequila and yoga, did you give up on those, too? 2. Don't Be Afraid To Like Something. The best way to see art is to see it alone. Don't be swayed by your peers or even your teachers. Remember that your unique experiences leading up to the moment you encounter a work of art will shape your appreciation of it, as will all the experiences that follow. Like what you like, even if you're not sure why, or can't put the reason to words.
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5. Make a Connection. Once you're comfortable with allowing yourself to feel something about art, take it to the next level. Try to go beyond considering whether art is cool or offensive, and nd a personal connection to the work. Even if you're relating art to something as simple as what you ate for breakfast, it's a step in the right direction. 6. Make Your Own Art. Assuming you have the aforementioned human intelligence, then you also have artistic ability. Anything that you consider to be art will be. Walk backward through a crosswalk. Take a photo. Instagram it. Experiment. Cook an amazing meal (bonus points if you don't look at a recipe). I guarantee you'll feel better about art after exercising your right to create.
Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
Durban Artists Represent KZN In PPC Imaginarium Awards Two Durban artists have been selected to go through to the nals of the 2016/2017 PPC Imaginarium Awards. In its third year, the competition provides opportunities for artists to be judged by an award-winning panel and win up to R100 000. Mhlonishwa Chiliza and Wonderboy Shangase were selected for the National competition. The PPC Imaginarium asked artists to create an original art piece using concrete as their primary medium. The judges selected two of Chiliza's works: Concretising Diversity and Preserving History through Concrete. Shangase's sculpture is titled The Living Dead. The announcement of the overall winner, category winners and runners-up will take place on 18 May 2017 in Johannesburg. The exhibition of nalists will tour to Durban and be on show in the KZNSA 26 October - 15 November 2017.
uMkhumbane
groovy blues by Mbusi Mzolo
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Featured
South Africa is a country with multiple cultures and stories, and thanks to Democracy, Black people's stories are no longer censored. The Sagiya Foundation with its partners made it possible for the UMkhumbane Jazz Ensemble (UJE) to share stories of their beloved home through music. We had a chat with Sagiya's CEO, who's also the band's drummer, Mr. Atlas Duma about the band's upcoming album, “Ezintabeni”, Jazz and history. The people of UMkhumbane endearingly called the area, Ezintabeni due to the “uneven landscapes” that housed informal settlements occupied by people of all races. The unication of races, and cultures made it possible for the members of the band to tap into a broad landscape of memories when creating their debut album. Mr. Duma is certain that every music lover will love UJE's album, because they are what, “Jazz is all about.” And they craft music that connects with inner spirits and supernatural powers. Every member of the 11-piece band had a hand in crafting at least one of the album's 13 compositions. UJE has more than a century of musical experience between them, the number of years of musical prowess goes up even further when you factor in the 13 featured musicians who held the band's hand in the creation process. UJE has been giving out great vibes and grooves for such a long time that playing has become more of a reex than a task. That has not stopped the band from seeking newer and inventive ways to bring their stories across, they have never stopped practicing, and they never will – that's what makes them special according to Mr. Duma. Music is much more than a sensory experience, it can be used to advance all types of ideologies, UJE's philosophy is centered on the conservation of, “African music culture and heritage”. The band is a glowing sign for resilience with regards to pursuing your dreams – just think about how long they've been playing without releasing an album. The album will be available for sale via traditional music outlets and on iTunes by the end of March, 2017.
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Sithembiso Ntuli - Tenor Sax
“UJE has been giving out great vibes and grooves for such a long time that playing has become more of a reex than a task”
Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
PLAN
A WEEK'S WORTH OF OUTFITS IN 5 MINUTES by Mbusi Mzolo
You hear the alarm, hit snooze, go back to closing your eyes – you're not really sleeping now. The alarm goes off again after ve minutes; you think about hitting snooze again, you don't. It's time to wake up. You take a shower, eat and then... “What am I going to wear?” That's one of the biggest questions a lot of people have to ask themselves every morning before work or school. Some people plan their outts days ahead, but most people decide on the day. People with uniforms are obviously excluded here. To save time and the money you spend on Grandpa because of the headache you get every time you think about what to wear. You can create your own uniform, with a couple of items you'll alternate. Fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld has a uniform. The key to having a simple, stylish wardrobe is the emphasis on t and quality of the fabric. Follow these simple steps to get it right.
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Feature
STEP 1: Spend some time on a Sunday afternoon or evening reviewing your calendar as well as the weather forecast for the week ahead in your city. STEP 2: Have a look through your wardrobe and make note of any items you’d like to get some wear out of or perhaps it’s something new that you want to try out. Note these down in the “Sunday review” column.
STEP 4: Make note of the additional layers and accessories you’ll add to each outt using descriptions that are quick and easy to recall. STEP 5: Do you have any events in the evenings to attend? Will they require a different outt to what you wore that day? If so, plan it out. STEP 6: Leave Saturday or Sunday free and decide on the day.
STEP 3: Day by day, select the core items you’re planning to wear. Try and mix it up where possible e.g. if you plan to wear a dress to work on Monday, go for pants and a top on Tuesday. If you work from home, allocate one of your days to a more dressy outt for something different. Tick the core items from the list and then make a note to describe that item e.g. oral blouse, grey Sussan pants. Whatever will help you remember what you intended to wear!
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Cover Story
face
the
of DEDICATION Samkele Mkhize is a true vision of what hard work and dedication looks like. This Isibaya Actress is multitalented and it seems we haven't seen anything yet. So brace yourself, she's taking off.
by Nqobile Nene photographs Wayne Rust make-up Sthabile Mzimela dressed by Amanda May
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t
Cover Story he arty Bat Centre – Durban – is a great t as a location for our Cover shoot. If you were to compare our cover lady to art, you would include words like aesthetic, classy and bold. Samkele Mkhize - “Samke” to her family, friends and colleagues. But to the rest of South Africa, she is Mabuyi, a simple, village girl with a passion for building the community on the Mzansi Magic's Isibaya. In person Samke is a bit different from the quiet, shy and tolerant Mabuyi. She is even lighter in completion than she in on screen. She has a huge, beautiful, captivating smile - I say this and I am an unconfused woman. She is easy to get along with, at make-up, she is chatting away with Sthabile Mzimela – our resident make-up artist – like they are old friends. There is denitely something likable and soft about her, as larger-than-life as she seems, there is something in her that makes one feel she is delicate and must be protected. There is something Samke and Mabuyi share though. They are both village girls.
Samke was raised by her religious grandparents because her mom was always working. She is the eldest of three, she had twin brothers but one passed on very young. She was born in Durban and was raised in a village called Madundube in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Her grandparents were actually priests. So as a child growing up in that kind of environment she acknowledges that there are things that she could never do because a lot more people were observing and there were some expectation from a chid raised by priests.
the woman she is “I am a village girl. I still carry a lot of values that my grandparents taught me. Those values helped me a lot in shaping the person that I am today. I believe that I am a good person. I did not grow up rich, I grew up in a family where the only income we had was my grandparent's sugar cane earnings and their pensions. I walked to school, I carried 10 cents for lunch – if I was lucky that day. My Gran keeps me grounded and assist me in not forgetting where I come from. I remember when I was in Grade 2 and didn't have a school uniform, my grandma cut out her skirt and sew my uniform, and when kids at school would tease me about how different my uniform looked, I would cry to her and she would always say remember the reason you are there is to learn. Now there are times when me and my grandmother talk about this and remind ourselves of the journey we have been on together and that always grounds me and reminds me how privileged I am to have come from a situation like that to where I am today.” “Among other things that ground me include my culture. As a Zulu girl that is lucky enough to be exposed to a variety of cultures, I feel that there is still an element of culture teachings that Zulu girls have. And I am happy that I have witnessed well to do gures who have taken international stages who are still coming back home to do “umemulo” which not only promotes our culture to the elite people of uMzansi but is also promoted internationally. The phrase “I'm a Zulu Girl” is very chic in all young cycles. Much as the Western culture dominates the industry my culture is one thing I would never compromise. I feel the role I could play in making sure that young girls feel they should not be ashamed of being who they are and try to blend to an extent that they are invisible would be to make Zulu culture sexy”
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Cover Story the journey “The journey to my present has been long but beautiful. I know for most it's a hard journey but for me it was beautiful. From the day I committed my life to this industry and the career that I have chosen, it's really been beautiful because I understood that when one dedicate themselves, anything is possible. I am fortunate in that all the decisions that I have made towards my career have been successful” She recalls that 5 years ago, before she was even interested in doing lm, a lady walked up to her, complemented her and asked if she has thought about being on TV. But at the time she was still happy with doing theatre. 3 years later she realised that she had exhausted theatre, she had learned all she could learn at the time and she wanted to grow, she needed a new challenge and TV would be it. Because she values dedication, she decided she was going to go to every audition there was. Some roles she turned down because sometimes the productions weren't great. For the brand that she wants to be and the vision of where she wants to be, it is understandable that she would be picky. Six months after her decision and her dedication she landed a role of Mabuyi on Isibaya. It took her only six months to be a recognised face of television. Strange enough – unlike most actors – Samke never thought she would ever act. “I actually thought I would be a singer because I can sing. But when I was introduced to the performing arts industry which includes dance and other types of art, the director who took me in – Edmund Mhlongo – said he thought I had potential. I'm not sure exactly what he saw because I was not the most amazing actor and I was young, but I guess as an experienced Director he saw something in me that could be developed through grooming. So he trained me for about a year and he cast me as a lead in one of his ground breaking musical that was called “Madam President” which was about South Africa having the rst female President. And that was before there was ever any talk about a female president. Up until this day there are people who saw that production and are still calling me “Madam President”
the industry pressures This industry is very colourful and can make or destroy ones personality. “Having a rural background, where values are important, this industry needs one to be strong not to lose themselves. The industry can be overwhelming, sometimes I cry and ask myself why was I not born in a certain way. I ask myself why won't you backstab, why won't you suck up because I see it a lot. But then I decide, I do not need all of that, all I need is to let my work speak for itself. I understand that unfortunately talent alone will not take me far in this industry, there are other things I need to learn but, in whatever I do I would never want to lose who I am. I do not plan on following the trend but I want to start it by being genuine. As much as there are people I admire here at home but I look up to international stars like Viola Davis, she is not concerned about her look, her work speaks for her when she is silent, she is a star in Hollywood putting in question the whole sex sells thing.”
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Samke says she does not succumb to pressure, however she has found that being born in the farm and growing up KwaMashu there are things now she cannot do like taking a Taxi. “Its not because I’m embarrassed by being in a taxi but I don’t want to hear whispers that my break my spirit. As a sensitive person there are things that can just be too much. Instead of putting pressure on myself to have a great body, a great accent I chooses to admire all the people that has all of that but I won’t let myself be pressured to be copycat. If I works on looking good, it should not be because of pressure but because I wants to feel good and be happy. I know that when you look good you feel good. “If I did anything because of pressure, I would have lost weight in the two months of being on TV. I believe I could lose weight but I am happy with who and what I am, but should I decide to do something about how I look, it would be because it would make me feel good, be happier, to be healthy, to live longer and advance my craft and get more work. I’d be doing it for me.” “I don't believe out province is giving us in the performing industry enough support and opportunities. I feel that there may be facilities that people can go to learn, but that is all they are… facilities. There is no links that promise growth. Its unlike soccer where you know there are different levels from the ground up. There is no nancial support for young talent. I believe if we want to be recognise internationally support is needed and also for this industry not to be perceived as just for day dreamers. This industry must put food on tables. We have families that would not support their children in getting into this industry as it is industry perceived to have uncertainty and a short life span.”
the future Samke plans on being on the international screens with her favourite actors including Viola Davis, Kerry Washington and Denzel Washington. This is the reason she is working so hard to nurture her talent and skills. She wants to be ready that if she is given one second to showcase herself it should imprint on people who matter in the industry. Samke believes being a young black woman in South Africa today is a privilege, a privilege some do not know what to do with. Because she has been blessed with a lot including her voice, she believes she can pull off playing strong roles without a hiccup.
the love “I know I would love to have kids, but I am not too sure about marriage. I am an independent person and it may clash with the expectations of marriage. Maybe I have met someone that might change my mind about it but maybe we are not at that point of discussing it yet.
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POLITICAL
HAIR by Mbusi Mzolo photographs NixoGraphy
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Beauty Black, African hair can be political; how you choose to present you hair can be a way of expressing how you feel about issues. This can be subconscious or a premeditated move; in most cases it is planned. Black female hair is an even touchier subject, it is policed everywhere, from school to the workplace. Some people believe a woman's hair shows which side of the political fence she is on; others argue that hair has nothing to do with a person's beliefs on any level beyond the aesthetics. The arguments have however done little to change people's views on hair and hairstyles, the majority of us still associate dreadlocks with being 'woke', and weaves with 'self-hating-white person-wanna be/ un-African” – these ideas are increasingly being refuted by women who choose to exist outside societal norms. So that lady with dreadlocks maybe the most supercial person you've ever encountered. And those glamorous women with the 18-inch Peruvian weaves might be the ercest warriors of the Woke Army.
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Natural, pseudo-natural and shorter hairstyles have become the goto styles for a lot of Black women, their reasons vary from political to maintenance issues. As stated above some Black women use their hair to mark their stance on societal issues – the Pretoria Girls' High School hair protest comes to mind. Others choose to go natural because it's less expensive, a R2,600 weave/wig that you have to wash at a salon for around R450 every month or two is heavier on your pocket than a weekly haircut that can cost you anywhere between R60 to R220 depending on the salon's location. Other have left the weaves behind because of more mischievous reasons, like cheating – weaves and relaxed hair leave trails everywhere you go, and cheating becomes an even bigger challenge for all parties involved with a weave on. Other reasons for going natural are health related, the damage chemicals and implants do to your scalp and skin is sometimes irreversible. The damage ranges from receding hairlines (njibhabs) to skin cancer. Small companies and conglomerates alike have unsurprisingly latched on the nature vibes through the creation of products that specically concentrate on Black hair. Consumers have also created platforms where they share tips on how to take care of Black hair, sometimes using household items like balsamic vinegar, coconut oil, etc. A hairstyle can be whatever the person wearing it chooses it to be. 21
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Beauty
SEXY FADE Short hair can be a signature look for you. Amber Rose has been killing the game with her blonde buzz cut. Besides being super cheap to maintain, like Amber you can spice it up with some colour. So go on, cut in off.
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BRAIDS MOHAWK Mohawk is a hairstyle that can set you apart from the crowd easily. This type of hairstyle isn’t only a time-saving idea, but also a trendy one. Mohawks were often associated with the punks. Recently, it became one of the latest trends in hair styling in black and white women. There are endless options on how to style your mohawk.
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Beauty
Growing your curls:
Afro
Growing the perfect afro is all about maximum curls, of course. Therefore, you need to be prepared to grow your curly hair. There are different types of curly hair, so depending on your hair type, you will need to grow your curls to at least medium length. This may require some patience.
hair care 101:
Grooming: Even though it is important to grow those curls, you will also need to trim it correctly, as well as use your ngers to puff it out. If you are opting for an afro which is very ‘poofy’ and stands away from the head, then it is better to not use a comb. You need to make sure that your hair is the same length all around, so give it a good trim before you let it all grow. It is also not necessary to wash your hair too often as constant washing can cause afro hair to become dry and brittle. Keeping your afro moisturized: African hair is generally very prone to drying out and becoming brittle, so it is very important to keep those curly locks ultra moisturized! When growing and maintaining your afro, a good product to use is the Oil Sheen Comb Out Conditioner Spray. It will nourish and moisturize your afro hair, keeping it looking great. Wrap your head before bed: A useful tip when it comes to looking after that afro, is to wrap your hair with a silk scarf before you go to bed. This helps prevent tangles and damage to your afro hair whilst keeping in the moisture.
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Chic Ethnic Designer: Amanda May Photography: NixoGraphy Make-Up: Sthabile Mzimela Model: Nomveliso Gazu - 1KZN-TV
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Fashion
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Fashion
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Fashion
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Advert
5
Reasons Why Women
Change Their Surname
After Marriage
(And When They Shouldn't)
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by Vrushali J
Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
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Feature In the African Culture, when a woman get marries, changing their surname is inevitable. It has been like that since the ancestors. Even the country's feminists are not very loud about this one. Besides the fact that some women get marries solely to change their names, there are other reasons this practise is still strong. But why...
1. TO SEAL THE PACKAGE: Think of a surname as a 'tag' to group together people. After marriage you and your spouse become partners in life. Wherever you go, people see you two as a package. Why should the package not have a common tag, a common label for the purpose of identication? So let's say, we have Miss Zama Mthethwa who gets married to Mr. Themela Mzobe. After marriage, isn't it just easier to tag them as Mr. and Mrs. Mzobe? Makes it easy for people to know they belong to one family. If they have children, they get tagged as the Mzobe kids and we know who the mother of the children is. Imagine if she used her maiden surname and the kids got lost in a mela. How would anyone be able to connect the kids to the mother just by looking at the name? Yes, so think of the surname as a tag for the family. So basically a name can be changes for identication purposes. Not to be confused with identity. 2. TO AVOID CONFUSION: Someone wants to invite you and your spouse for a party. What do they write? If the woman uses her maiden surname, should they write, "We request the pleasure of the company of Mr. Mzobe and Miss Mthethwa?" Who are these two? Are they related. At the party, how should people address the lady? Miss M? Ms.MS? Mrs. M? Or just simply Mthethwa? Why add to the confusion of life? Why make life more complicated than it already is? Mr. and Mrs. Mzobe are so simple to deal with. 3. TO MAKE PAPERWORK EASY: What name is our lady going to have on her passport? On her marriage certicate? On the birth certicate of her children? On the ration card? Joint Account? Credit card? Will? Property papers? While people will always call her Mrs. Mthethwa, her insistence on hanging on to her maiden surname is going to create more hassle in terms of paperwork. Why go through all this trouble every time you start a joint venture with your spouse? People will ask for your marriage certicate everywhere. People will make mistakes. Airline staff, for example, will get confused. Ms. Mthethwa may not get seats with the Mzobe kids and Mr. Mzobe. Phew! 4. YOUR NAME CHANGES, YOU DON'T: Women have a lot to contend with after getting married. A new home, a new additional family, a new husband. There are enough hurdles, enough obstacles to jump over. One has to choose one's battles. Why have a war over a surname? Is it our identity? No. It's just an identifying mark. Is it going to make you a different human or a changed personality? No. Is it going to take away the fact that you will always be your parents' daughter with all the values they gave you? No. Is it going to wipe away your past? No. Is it going to change your future? No. Is it going to lower your self esteem? No. Then why resist the labelling? Just because the label changes, the package doesn't. .
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5. YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FIND YOU: Yes, enough women don't want ex- boyfriends, ex-stalkers, exhusbands or just unpleasant people to nd them or know of their whereabouts. So just go with the ow and get yourself a new surname. Problem solved. For the African community this is not an easy option but there might be reasons why one would rather keep their maiden surname. Like.. Ÿ
Your husband has a funny surname: Yes, you love him but can't bear the thought of going through life with a surname that will make you cringe in embarrassment. Do not part with your maiden surname.
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Your name is a brand: You passed important exams, got degrees and lots of alphabets added to your maiden name. You've got research papers in your name. You want people to Google you and come up with prestigious search results that get you further up on the career ladder. I would say hang on to your maiden surname. Or maybe just keep your professional life separate from your personal life. So Dr [Ms.] Mthethwa for your patients and Mrs. Mzobe for your child's teacher.
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You want your old pals to know who you are: Especially on Facebook where you look for old classmates, people search for old ames and who knows who is looking for you. Maybe someone left you an inheritance and is looking for you in your maiden name. In that case, if it makes you happy, keep your old surname.
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If your husband insists on changing your rst name as well as your surname: Yes, plenty of husbands in this day and era do. Maybe it's time to have a good hard look at the man you intend to marry and think about what else he expects you to change besides just your name.
The best middle ground is to have a double-barreled surname. One that fuses your past with your present. Your bachelorette days with your married days. One that marries the two labels to get one long, impressive, tongue twister of a surname. But if you have long surnames, just think of how you will be introducing yourself to strangers. Every time you start off it will be like reciting the Mahabharata while the person in front of you sties a yawn. Will they remember your double-barreled surname? Will they remember to call you Mrs. Mthethwa - Mzobe next time? What about the poor kids? What about your daughter when she gets married? Will she be called Mrs. Mthethwa – Mzobe – Dlamini? For the sake of our future generations and yourself, please ladies, whatever you do, whatever your label, whatever your name tag, do not lose your identity. You are what you are. Don't let a name dene you. “The real act of marriage takes place in the heart, not in the ballroom or church or synagogue. It's a choice you make - not just on your wedding day, but over and over again - and that choice is reected in the way you treat your husband or wife,” - Barbara De Angelis
Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
Can You
TALK? by Mbusi Mzolo
There are more than a million ways to say hello. Writing methods have developed radically since the Egyptians and Sumerians etched along the Fertile Crescent. There was no other way for things to go but forward, technological advancements improved human communication. The tools have become more advanced; some languages have unfortunately been left behind in the evolution of human species. The telephone has gone through several incarnations; computers gave birth to the Internet and made it possible for the World Wide Web to exist, thank you Tim BernersLee. As human brains advance and experiment with technology, communication dynamics change. Time is perhaps the primary element when it comes to communication, no it's not emotion, how you feel about someone or something can change over time. Too much is going on in the world and people don't seem to have enough time to spend attending to voice calls. People don't make calls as often as they used to, this is an indisputable fact - I put my phone in it! Service providers have been pushing data deals over minutes for a while now; they understand that consumers are off the talking on the phone vibe. Data is Queen.
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Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
There's so much you can do with a respectable amount of data, you can even make calls if you have the right device. Call minutes restrict you to one thing. The phone market is divided into two hardware divisions; smartphones and feature phones. Feature phones are the phones we used before the geniuses made smartphones. And no, not everyone in the world has a smartphone, it may seem so because of the people you keep around you. As with everything in life there are levels to smartphones, fortunately for the people at the bottom of the wealth ladder manufacturers have been making decently-priced smartphones. You get what you pay for though, a Vodafone Smartkick will remain that until it dies.
Feature Emojis are the spiritual descendants of emoticons, or rather their eshier siblings. Emojis are more than smiley faces though — they range from faces to faeces. The word “emoji” stems from a Japanese word, “moji” which means 'picture' + 'letter', and the 'e' is presumably from the same place the 'e' in “e-commerce” and “email” is from.
The common thread between all cellphone owners, especially the younger ones, is the dislike of phone calls. This has prompted a surge in texting among the younger cellphone owners. To clarify, 'younger' in this context refers to people who have been texting since Mxit and the kids who were born in the smartphone era. Older people generally still love making calls, when they are not sending chain messages about God in the family Whatsapp group or 'Picmix-ing' photos of their grandchildren. Businesses and other institutions of prestige are also still into making traditional voice calls.
The introduction of emojis cut the time people spend composing texts more than omitting vowels ever did, this was wonderful news for the always-on-the-move generation. You can sum up an entire feeling in one emoji, the sincerity of said feeling is of no concern. Let's rejoice in the advancement of language and be merry. The creation of emojis can be traced back to a Japanese fellow by the name of Shigetaka Kurita in 1999. Mr. Kurita was an employee at a Japanese telecom company at the time - he wanted to create a faster way for Japanese teenagers to communicate over pagers. A pager is a communication device that predates cellphones. The initial plan did not envision the use of emojis beyond Japanese users, luckily for the whole world the new invention found a way to seep into devices across the globe.
One of the advantages of texts is that they don't require an immediate response, whereas a call requires you to engage with the other person/people right then. So many people are on team “Text Only”, and they take the rules of their club quite seriously. The consumers' preference of texting over traditional voice calls is why smartphones have QWERTY keyboards. I recently lost my smartphone and had to use a feature phone for a while, texting was such a horrible experience - it made me realise why feature phone owners always have airtime to make calls.
The rst batch of emojis were nothing to marvel at aesthetically, they were rather bland 12x12 pixel images of stuff - such a rudimentary make-up was due to the pager's unsophisticated software. Mr. Kurita put in a lot of work in creating the rst 176 emojis. The evolution of emojis was hastened by Google and Apple when the entities entered the Japanese market - they had to have emojis to compete with local companies. The involvement of Western organisations meant they would now dictate the trajectory of emojis - the West likes controlling stuff.
Texting gives the 'texter' and 'textee' - highly interchangeable roles - a sense of control. You decide when you reply to a text depending on how you feel about the message and the sender. If you don't really care for the sender you have the option of replying after 3 days and making up a story about your hand muscle spasms. You can even choose not to reply and shred the sender's heart and kill their spirit. Getting a reply within a reasonable time frame initiates a conversation, and everybody goes to sleep happy. Responses are the coveted prizes in the texting Olympics.
The globalisation of emojis hit a wall due to the conict between the Android operating system and iOS - the systems did not recognise emojis if they were coming from a competitor device. That's where American technology NPO, Unicode Consortium came in - the organisation specialises in making symbols typed into devices legible on all devices irrespective of the manufacturer. You can look up the organisation's other projects on, www.unicode.org. Unicode's rst project in the emoji eld featured 722 emojis in 2012. 250 emojis were added on the universal chart in 2014. There's more progress being made in the emoji business.
Texting has been through a lot, mate. We should all acknowledge the role letters and punctuation marks have played in the evolution of communication in the modern era. They have endured the harshest conditions imaginable to man, from teens pissing all over formal word structure by omitting vowels in virtually every word, to highly dodgy abbreviations. It's nt tht lng ago whn ppl usd 2 snd msgs wrtn lyk dis. Apparently some people still do that, I wouldn't know. There's more to texting than letters though. Firstly there were emoticons, these things :-) Then emojis. Emoticons have been around for a long time, way before your friend became “~~~DarkChocolate~~~” on Mxit. Scott E. Fahlman, a computer scientist at Carnegie Mellon University invented the rst emoticon in 1982. The reason behind his creation was the need to mark posts that weren't for academic use on the Internet message boards he was a part of in the early days of computers - said posts would have:-) at the end to indicate that whomever posted was making a joke. The history of the other emoticons is unfortunately not documented and can't be put against anybody's name.
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A lot of entities - companies and creative individuals have invested in emojis. It can be a highly lucrative business, Kim Kardashian can attest to that, having made “a mil in a minute” and going on to make more millions with her Kimoji batch of 500 emojis. Kimoji topped App store charts upon release; Wharelock Industries collaborated with the icon to create Kimoji. There is OJU, a free emoji pack that was created by a Mauritian company - what set the pack apart at the time was its use of black faces and other pro-Black elements, the rst pack to do so, and the emoji pack was launched on Android in 2015. The emoji industry has grown phenomenally since Mr. Kurita's invention in the 90s; you can choose how to express yourself without words by downloading a pack that you connect with on your device's application store, they range from free to paid options.
Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
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Reasons You Are Not as Successful as You Should Be By John Rampton 1. You're Lazy This is the rst and the most common reason that someone is not successful, according to author Jim Kukral. He adds, "Every single successful person works their butts off to get where they are. It's ok to be lazy if you want to. Just admit it. But don't whine about not being rich and successful, okay?” 2. You Keep Asking "Why Not Me?" Speaking of complaining, stop wasting your time asking why other people are successful and you're not. In most cases it wasn't because they have inherited wealth or won the lottery. Every person in this world has either gone through - is going through now - or will get their chance for struggles. Everyone get to take their turn at hardship. Maybe it's your turn. Instead of complaining, make a positive change that will help you pull out of your slump and nd success. 3. You Get Stuck in Your Head You'll notice that there's a common theme with successful people. They act on their dreams. Instead of only dreaming and overanalyzing everything that could go wrong, they start on the dream - they start laying the groundwork. As NHL legend Wayne Gretzky once said,"You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take." Make your shot. 4. You're Spending Too Much Time on Social Media Did you know that the average person checks their Facebook, Twitter, or other social accounts a whopping 17 times a day? I know engaging your customers and inuencers is important, but you don't need to spend every free moment on social media. I have found that the best schedule for social is news and articles in the morning and make these quick reads, and make a quick personal and family social connection in the evening when things from the day calm down a little. Determine the amount of time you will spend on each of these times and stick to it.
It's just one of those days where nothing seems to be going right. And, to be honest, it's a pretty crappy feeling. Sometimes there are certain situations or challenges that are completely out of your control (such as the power going out on your block) that can prevent you from being as successful as you otherwise might be. But, there's also the possibility that you're holding yourself back because of one of the following twentyve reasons.
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5. You Never Finish What Your Start Plenty of wise men have said, "Starting is easy, nishing is hard." While it is important to know when to throw in the towel, you have to be patient and willing to see a project through. Remember, success never happens overnight, and anything that is really worth doing takes time and effort. 6. You Don't Think a Business Whether you're a freelance writer or owner of an eCommerce site that sells basketball shoes, you'll never be successful if you believe that you're not actually a business. If you're relying on this income, then it's a real business and you need to start treating it like you would any other 9-to-5 job.
Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
8. You Feel Entitled You're not owed anything. If you want something badly, you're going to have to go out there and earn it. Believing you are entitled slows you down and causes you to be waiting to see if something great will happen for you. Make it happen. 9. You Obsess Over Things That Aren't Important I'm not saying that you shouldn't have any other hobbies or interests outside of work, but when you're more concerned about whether or not Beyonce's 'Lemonade' will be available to stream on iTunes, as opposed to following up with a lead that has the potential to make some cash, then that's a problem. 10. You Stay in Your Comfort Zone Your comfort zone is a place where you feel safe and assured. While that comfort zone is needed from time-to-time, staying in your comfort zone ultimately leads to stagnation and sometimes it can lead to fear. You'll never be able to grow and develop if you stay in one place. 11. You're Not As Productive As You Could Be Just because you're working 8 or more hours a day doesn't mean that you're actually productive. Between distractions, breaks, and spending too much time on one task, you may actually only be working a couple hours a day. Invest in time management and time tracking tools to discover how productive your days really are so that you can make the appropriate changes. 12. You Focus Too Much on Money If you start a business just because you think it will make you a billionaire, then you're doing wrong. The most successful entrepreneurs and business owners aren't xated on money. They are focused on a making a great product rst. There is a saying that says if you nd what you really love to do, you will never work a day in your life. 13. You're Not Passionate If you're not loving what you do, you'll put 50% effort when you should be putting 100%. Without passion, you won't stay inspired and motivated - especially when times get tough. 14. You're a Negative Thinker If you're a negative thinker, or just a pessimist, then you're going to put-up roadblocks to success - before you even try. In other words, you're setting yourself up for failure.
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Work on a becoming a positive thinker by surrounding yourself with positive people and becoming more aware of your surroundings. Be aware of the self-talk conversations you have with yourself. Notice if your main conversations with others are ones where you dump all of your grievances on them. If that is the balance of your conversations - change it. 15. You Haven't Established Goals You plan nothing. You believe that someway everything you are hoping that will happen will magically appear in-front of you. It doesn't work like that. Set goals and go for it. If you are not a big planner and not a big list maker - great. Start with being a small planner and a small list maker. One goal and one thing on the list at a time is ne. 16. You Don't Know Who You Are Sun Tzu wrote in 'The Art of War,' "Know yourself and you will win all battles." This means that you need to know what you're good at, what skills you can bring to the table, you have a set of values, and you establish specic goals in your life. Knowing who you are will guide you to success. What are your likes and dislikes? Start noticing. 17. You Give Up Too Easily We all have those moments when we can just throw everything out the window. In fact, that feeling may last day or weeks. The thing is, success doesn't come easy. It's a part of the journey. Just because things aren't going your way right now doesn't mean that you should give-up on your hopes and dreams. Baby steps. 18. You Think You Can Do Everything On Your Own There's a myth that successful businesses were built by just one individual. That couldn't be further from the truth. Jobs, Gates, and Zuckerberg all had assistance from Wozniak, Allen, and Saverin. Think of it this way, you could be a talented construction worker, but how far could you get when building your own house? No matter your talent or experience, you'll still need to bring in others, such as a plumber or electrician, to help you complete construction. Even a friend along the way will help you. Begin setting up a support system for yourself if you don't have one. 19. You Haven't Managed Your Money Properly Not managing money properly is one of the main reasons that a small business fails.
Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
Inspiration Even in your personal life, however, this can be an issue. If you're spending too much money in contrast to what you're bringing, then how can you expect to pay your bills and set money aside for emergencies or retirement? Set a budget and stick to it. If need be, get in touch with a nancial adviser. Many cities have nancial help for free, teaching you how to take care of money. Adult education classes are also held on this subject for a smaller fee. The very rst step is to add up exactly what your set bills are and have that gure in your mind all the time. Instead of eating out, go home and have a can of soup once in a while. 20. You're a Perfectionist That doesn't mean that you should slack and deliver sub-par work. It means that no one is perfect and instead of wasting your time trying to perfect, just keep working on getting things done, such as accomplishing your goals. One foot in front of the other, on a daily and consistent basis helps. Timing yourself and doing your best work and then you're nished works pretty well, too. 21. You Think Too Small Don't focus only on your short-term future. Have big enough dreams that will take you years ahead into the future. What have you always wanted to do. If you have always wanted to play the violin and you are 45 years old, you probably better get started. 22. You Aren't Constantly Learning Successful individuals are always looking for ways to enhance their lives by learning new information or skills. Whether it's reading a book or participating in a webinar, don't pass up any opportunities that can help you grow as a person. One of the best ways I have found to keep learning is to be interested in things that others are doing. Everyone is an expert at something. You can get a great mini-class from that expert. This can build great friendships, too. Sometimes you have to set aside a fear. 23. You Don't Know When to Let Go I mentioned earlier that you shouldn't give up too early. But, you also need to be aware of when it's time to let go. As Lolly Daskal says on Inc.com, "Moving on doesn't mean forgetting; it just means you have learned your lessons here and now, and it's time to embrace new challenges."
NOW is the time for a
pro-SME Budget
Any measure that can boost the local economy beyond the projected 1.1% growth is at the top of the 2017 National Budget Speech wish-list for South Africa’s vital small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. Coupled with the hope that there is no further political turmoil, the ideal scenario for existing and aspirational SME owners would be long-term stability within the economic cluster. This is according to Ben Bierman, Managing Director of Business Partners Limited (BUSINESS/PARTNERS), the leading local risk nancier to SMEs, who says that with the promise of overall business growth that the year holds, the time to enhance specic support measures for South Africa’s small businesses in the budget is now. “Provided South Africa can maintain a stable political environment this year, the Budget Speech is bound to contain some growth opportunities for entrepreneurs. And given the outlook for growth that can be achieved this year, South Africa’s entrepreneurs should be a major focus area for the government,” says Bierman. Pro-SME initiatives that BUSINESS/PARTNERS would like to see in the 2017 National Budget Speech include:
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1. Increased tax relief and tax breaks for small businesses: Even though Finance Minister Gordhan is expected to raise taxes in order to balance the Budget, a strong pro-growth argument can be made to strengthen the main tax incentive for owner-managed businesses with a turnover of less than R20m. Known as tax relief for Small Business Corporations, the measure allows small businesses to pay a lower tax rate than the standard 28% Companies Tax on their rst R550 000 of taxable income. Business owners would also like to see the R20m turnover cut-off increased, as well as the size of the incentive itself. At the same time the Turnover Tax incentive can be strengthened by increasing the qualifying threshold of R1m turnover, and by lowering the tax rate that qualifying micro businesses pay on their turnover even further. 2. Growth enhancing VAT exemptions: One of the heaviest compliance burdens on small businesses is the requirement that VAT must be paid on an invoice basis. Having to pay VAT over to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) for money that has not yet been received can be an enormous, sometimes fatal, drain on the cash ow of many small businesses, as some procurers are notorious for not paying invoices timeously.
Dedicated funds for technical assistance and nance to SMEs is one sure way to boost these growth sectors. Another is to further ease regulations that threaten to stie the industries, where possible – for example the strict visa requirements that were recently imposed on tourists to South Africa. Bierman concludes: “The necessary tweaks and incentives aimed at SMEs within the budget can also work to provide the needed stimulus to grow the economy, however, the impact of these schemes are only really effective when they are made at scale and changes at scale is what we are hoping for.”
TRADE DEPARTMENT PARTS WITH MILLIONS OF RAND TO HELP BBC by Linda Ensor Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies discloses the state has funded the Black Business Council to the tune of R7m
In the nineties, small businesses below a certain size were allowed to pay VAT only when they received payment, but this was scrapped after syndicates used the exemption to create false VAT claims against SARS. Restoring the exemption, coupled with the necessary policing measures, could do more for the cash ow of small businesses than any number of tax incentives.
The Department of Trade and Industry has funded the Black Business Council (BBC) to the tune of R7m over the past three years and more than that over the past six years.Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies made this disclosure in a written reply to a parliamentary question by DA MP Werner Horn on Wednesday.
The time is also ripe to increase the R1m-turnover threshold for VAT registration, which has remained the same for many years. While SMEs are generally responsible corporate citizens, paying VAT is not only a cash-ow burden, but also requires intensive paperwork and time, which growing businesses should be able to do without – for as long as possible.
The minister stressed that the money was appropriated in the department's budget and was paid "to strengthen and promote advocacy and the roll-out of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Amendment Act and, in particular, the black industrialist programme". Davies said the department had not made any payments to the Progressive Professionals Forum or to the Decolonisation Foundation.
3. Further relief of red tape impacting SME growth: Apart from the VAT suggestions, South Africa’s entrepreneurs will welcome more measures in the Budget that will decrease the administrative compliance burden for SMEs. Despite the calls for austerity, investing in process improvements and administrative efciency is a long term benet, although the chances are that they will be limited as austerity continues to bite.
Davies said in an interview that the department had over the years assisted several business organisations to establish themselves. It was about capacity building. The funding for the BBC started when it was still a small organisation trying to get off the ground. The minister pointed out that the BBC was a signicant voice and the money transferred to it was not a large sum.
4. Funding for SME support: Funding for the programmes of the Department of Small Business Development, the Small Enterprise Development Agency, the Small Enterprise Finance Agency and the Industrial Development Corporation can be increased, provided these departments have a coordinated and effective strategy targeting meaningful changes to the SME ecosystem to improve business formation and growth.
Trade and Industry director-general Lionel October stressed that the department provided similar types of funding to other business and industry organisations and regarded this as a vital part of its work. October said the funding for the BBC had lasted about six years with about R1.2m being granted each year.
5. Commitment to working more closely with the private sector: Without costing anything, Treasury can enhance the impact of existing funds aimed at developing and supporting entrepreneurs through closer cooperation with private-sector players. BUSINESS/PARTNERS has identied three sectors in which support for entrepreneurs is likely to yield the most return in the form of jobs and economic growth: tourism, private education and information technology and communications (ICT).
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"We needed a strong black business lobby group that would help us to empower businesses, create entrepreneurs and help formulate the black industrialist programme," he said. The BBC also helped the department in identifying potential candidates for the black industrialist programme and black entrepreneurs for its trade missions abroad which previously had been white dominated. October said that the Department of Trade and Industry contracted with the council to deliver such things. The department had also worked on projects with the Black Management Forum, sectoral councils and black professional associations.
Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
All over the globe, import and export is rampant. There are countries that just cannot do without import and export. This is because no nation can survive totally on its own without interaction with other countries. There is always a need to relate and engage in exchange of goods, it can either be in terms of raw materials, semi-nished good or nished goods. This important gap can be monetized by you in a form of movement of goods from where it is in abundance and above the demand to a nation where there is a high demand for such products. International trade is one of the hot industries of the 21st century.
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Import Export Business ideas and Opportunities for 2017
But it's not a new endeavor. The history can be traced to the great caravans of the biblical age with their cargoes of silks and spices, even further back to prehistoric man trading shells and salt with distant tribes. Trade exists because one group or country has a supply of some commodity or merchandise that is in demand by another. And as the world becomes more and more technologically advanced, as we shift in subtle and not so subtle ways toward one-world modes of thought, international trade becomes more and more rewarding, both in terms of prot and personal satisfaction. If you think that starting an export and import business is what you want to do, then you may want to consider starting an import export business. Here are some business ideas that you can begin to act on. You can cash in on international trade with any of the under listed business ideas;
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Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
Business Do you want to start an import and export business from home? If YES, here are 7 viable small import export business ideas and opportunities you can start in 2017
ONLINE IMPORTATION You must have heard about Alibaba.com, Aliexpress.com, DHgate.com, IPmart.com and several other online based marketplaces. All these websites listed above deal with online trading as they ship to other part of the world. You make your order and payment online while they ship your product to your provided address. You are also to pay for the cost of shipping. The internet has brought down the walls which used to restrict access to manufacturers located thousands of kilometers away. Improvements in transportation and logistics now make it possible for small businesses with little capital to import smaller amounts of stock at low shipping costs. The beauty of this business is that with little start-up capital and access to the internet you can start earning a good income. Ÿ
IMPORT/EXPORT BROKERAGE An import-export agent or broker, also known as a trade agent or customs broker, is an individual or a company that sends and receives goods to and from different countries. Import-export agents or brokers work with both importers and exporters by helping them prepare necessary documents for exporting or importing their products. They also help their clients establish connections in foreign companies. So, they work on both ends of import-export deals that of the origin and that of the destination. To become an import-export broker, you must understand the basic jargon of import-export law, currency transactions, trade policies, and everything else that goes into making protable import-export deals. Ÿ
Ÿ PRODUCT SOURCING AGENT As a product sourcing agent you can conveniently plug into the export value chain. What a good way to build up a successful exportation business from nothing and have fun doing it? Not only does it require little nancial investment to start you don't need previous experience in the eld to get started, but you should have a good head for organizing and paying constant attention to little details. As a product sourcing agent, you will need to make contact with exporters. You can register with some trade portals where you will have access to their chosen commodities, specications and contacts details. You can also send a mail to them and inform them that you can meet their requirement. As a product sourcing agent, you will deal majorly with farmers. You will need to go to their farms and deal with them directly and you might need to transport the commodity to the city. You can also deal with the local buying agents and the commodity merchant.
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CLEARING AND FORWARDING BUSINESS If you have the logistic and business management skills, as well as an entrepreneurial spirit, you may just be t to learn how to start a freight brokerage business. As a freight brokerage company, it is your duty to act as a mediator between shippers and client companies who need their services and facilities. Their tasks also involve clearing your goods from the ports, paying up your duties and taxes, transporting your consignment to your desired destination, etc. Sometimes, freight brokers are referred to as clearing and forwarding agents. There's much money to be made as a clearing and forwarding agent. The sweetest part is that this business can be done anywhere, in any country; as long as international trade still exists and your country is a partaker, you are in business. Ÿ
Ÿ MANUFACTURERS REPRESENTATIVE If you are specialized in a certain industry, you can very well go to an oversea manufacturer and ask to represent them in the countries of your choice. A representative has the edge because you are the expert in the industry or a certain market. For example, if you are an expert in the wooden furniture business and you have been selling in the western US region, you have the great opportunity of going to a Chinese furniture maker and asking to be a representative of their western US region. Most of the manufacturers love people like you because you are their free labor (no base, only commission) to help them get into the market. It's a win-win situation for both you and the manufacturer. Ÿ ONLINE EXPORT/IMPORT DIRECTORY Publishing a biannual import/export opportunities directory in printed and electronic format has the potential to make you rich, as millions of budding entrepreneurs worldwide are constantly on the lookout for income and business opportunities. Simply create an import/export directory that features information about worldwide manufacturers, wholesalers and agents that are seeking to expand their product lines into foreign countries and new markets, or individuals or companies that are seeking to import particular products into their regions. Charging a fee to be listed in the directory, as well as selling the directories to people who are seeking this type of valuable and potentially protable information and contact sources would earn revenue for the business. Ÿ AGRO-PRODUCTS EXPORTATION Africa and many developing economies are blessed with a lot of food and natural resources; and most of these natural resources are raw materials needed for the production of some nished products. Every day, tons of raw materials and food products leave the shores to countries such as India, Vietnam, China, USA, UK, Brazil, etc; yet, the demand is never met. You can become an exporter by simply registering with the appropriate government agency and decide on the specic product you wish to export. Examples of products highly in demand are Chili pepper, Kola nuts, Bitter Kola, Cassava akes (Garri), Cocoa, Groundnut, Yam our, Cashew nuts, etc.
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Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
Finance
The Psychology of
Spending and How to Avoid Pressure to Spend By Emily Holland
M
any of us would agree we enjoy spending money on things that bring us pleasure. From dinners at a nice restaurant to luxurious vacations, there's no shortage of material items and activities we derive enjoyment from. Although our individual preferences may differ as well as the amount of money in our bank account, the reasoning behind our spending remains relatively similar. There's nothing wrong with spending money—but problems can arise when we spend money we don't have or overspend excessively.
Why We Spend A fundamental reason we enjoy spending money is that it allots us feelings of being in control. According to a study in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, consumers typically shop while feeling sad, an emotion strongly linked to feelings of lack of control. Researchers found that making purchases—also known as retail therapy—not only reduced feelings of sadness but also restored a sense of personal control.
The holidays can be a challenge in terms of spending. We feel pressure to buy gifts for our loved ones while simultaneously being bombarded by advertisements encouraging us to treat ourselves. By gaining an understanding of why we open our wallets in the rst place, we can nd ways to avoid the pressures of overspending, and have a less expensive and more enjoyable holiday season.
In the study, shoppers who opted not to make a purchase, essentially making a passive choice, did not experience a reduction in feelings of sadness or anger. The reduction of sadness in shoppers was associated solely by increased feelings of control. Evidence did not support other explanations as to why shoppers experienced less sadness, such as buying serves as a distraction or making purchases brings upon pleasure.
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ther research indicates that a bad mood can in fact wreak havoc on your bank account. A negative mood can convince us we are deserving of retail therapy to help cheer us up, and is associated with decreased control over behaviour and greater impulsivity, according to a study published in Psychology and Marketing. In other words, if we shop while in a bad mood, we're likely to spend more money on items we hadn't planned to purchase. Moreover, individuals in a bad mood are more likely to spend money on material items rather than experiences because the former offers instant gratication, allowing us to feel better faster.
Another reason we spend money pertains to our innate competitive nature. “Keeping up with the Joneses,” an idiom that describes the need to measure nancial success to that of our peers, becomes an issue when we spend money we don't have so we can feel that we measure up. If a neighbor purchases a newer, nicer car than our own, we may feel compelled to buy a car as nice, if not nicer. This competition can drive us straight into debt if we simply compare “things” rather than nancial situations. Perhaps the neighbor was able to afford a new car because they just received a hefty promotion. By examining the outside picture only, we're setting expectations for ourselves that lead to unnecessary stress and added nancial pressures. These behaviors are common year-round but are perhaps most prevalent during the winter holidays, a time of year that makes up 20 percent of total annual retail sales. In 2013, people celebrating a winter holiday spent on averageR7300 on gifts, decorations, food, and more, according to statistics from the National Retail Federation (NRF). In 2014, holiday sales increased 4.1 percent and the NFR predicts they will increase 3.7 percent this year—a signicant leap from the 2.5 percent average the country has seen throughout the past 10 years.
How to Avoid Pressure to Spend Fortunately, there are ways to avoid overspending, even amid the chaos of the holiday season. Add these tactics to your holiday shopping strategy. Ÿ Check In With Yourself If you feel a sudden need to drive to the mall to purchase that expensive item you've had your eye on, ask yourself, “Why?” Why do you feel compelled to spend money in that particular moment? More than likely, the urgency has more to do with a difcult situation you're facing rather than the actual item itself. Call a friend to talk things out, journal, or go for a walk in nature to better help you think things through rather than burying it under unnecessary material items.
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Ÿ Scan Your Social Circle Do your friends handle money well themselves? Do they convince you to spend money you know you don't have? The company you surround yourself with can impact our money spending tendencies. This isn't to say you should drop these people from your life but rather be mindful of their tendencies. Meet them for a cup of coffee instead of going on a shopping spree Ÿ .Always Have a Shopping List Prepare a list prior to shopping. Whether you're purchasing Christmas presents or buying groceries, having the items you need written down will provide you with clarity and order while you're shopping. Reward yourself for sticking to your list and you'll be more likely to commit to it: buy a cup of coffee while shopping or plan a fun activity for when you return home. Ÿ Keep Your Wallet Light Avoid carrying credit or debit cards when going out, and instead stick with cash. Bring with you only what you think you will need. If you're going out to dinner but don't want to spend much, leave the R200 bills at home. Ÿ Limit Temptation Think about what you struggle with most nancially. Do you spend too much money at the mall? Eating out? Vacations? Make a list of where your money is going and take necessary steps to avoid temptations. For example, if you spend too much money on dining out on the weekends, stock your cupboard with groceries on Friday so you'll be more likely to stay in and cook. Ÿ Relinquish the Desire to Keep Up Give up the need to keep up with your neighbors, coworkers, and friends. Everyone's nancial situation is different and it's dependent upon a variety of factors, least of all being one's self worth. Comparison leads to debt and dissatisfaction with what you already have. Appreciate what you currently have by practicing gratitude. Write down three things you're grateful for daily and remind yourself of them throughout the day. Ÿ Be Accountable and Ask for Help Hold yourself accountable by maintaining a healthy mindset, which will better equip you to stick to your money goals. A healthy mindset can be maintained through meditation, exercise, and performing activities you enjoy. Also, hold yourself accountable by planning ahead. Prepare before walking out the door so you won't become overwhelmed and feel pressure to spend. Don't be afraid to ask a friend or family member—anyone in your life who is committed and reliable—to hold you accountable as well. Express your nancial goals to them and ask for their encouragement to help you stay on track.
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#WhatsHappeningKZN Siso Nene and Friends
uMgungundlovu In His Presence
6th Annual Uvukile Gospel Festival
Venue: Imbizo Hall, Empangeni, Fri 31 Mar 17 8:00 PM
Venue: Olympia Hall, Royal Showgrounds, PMB Fri 07 Apr 17 5:00 PM
Venue: Ugu Sport And Leisure Centre, Port Shepstone Sun 16 Apr 17 4:00 PM
The multi awards winning comedian Siso Nene will host a show at Empangeni Imbizo Hall, where he will feature the hottest comedy lineup.
uMgungundlovu In His Presence Gospel Festival that takes place annually, brings in its 7th edition. Bringing you the greatest in live Gospel music with some of the most wellknown names in South Africa. This will be a concert in aid of peace, community building, praise and worship. A family affair for likeminded individuals.
Annual Gospel festival that brings artists from all over South Africa to perform for a Gospel loving audience.
Ethekwini Motor Festival
The Gwara Nation
F Ink Party
Venue: Moses Mabhida Stadium - Durban Sat 01 Apr 17 10:00 AM
Venue: Kwandengezi Sports Field Sat 15 Apr 17 12:00 PM
Venue: Virgina Airport, Hangar 8, Durban Sat 01 Apr 17 1:00 PM
Ethekwini Motor Festival is an outdoor motorsports event that has a bevy of activities namely: Diftkhana (at the built up track) Sound Off, Show n Shine, Taxi Fashion Show and Motorbike Concourse at the balcony. The activities happen simultaneously over 2 days.
Its a music concert that consists of national artists from house DJs, Hip Hop and Kwaito. Promoting local culture and tourism.
F Ink Party in collaboration with your Redds Carnival presents the most anticipated Album Launch in SA #BadHair by Mabala Noise`s very ownsuper star NASTY C. Durban, stand up! Bringing you the party that is on everyone`s lips. The ofcial re-starter for the season is back, bigger, slicker and sexier than ever! Good vibes, great performances, hot people, 1 rocking night.
All White Easter Picnic
Tumi or Not Tumi
Dr Tumi-The 10 Cities Grand Tour
Venue: Magabheni Sports Ground Sat 01 Apr 17 10:00 AM
Venue: Blackrock Casiso - Newcastle Sat 25 Mar 17 7:30 PM
Venue: Rhema Durban, Durban North Sat 08 Apr 17 6:30 PM
3rd annual All White Easter picnic is a social gathering for all the people of Durban especially the South Coast. The past two has seen an all-time growth in the event and this year we are moving to a bigger venue, Magabheni Sports Ground situated in the heart of the township, denitely a safe and fun environment don`t miss out,
Tumi Morake is set to kick off her national and African tour of her Tumi or not Tumi show. The show follows her journey as she tries to nd herself in the schizophrenia of motherhood, wifehood and South African-Hood amidst being the Queen of Comedy.
Dr Tumi`s Music concert. Love&Grace meets Heart of a King. Two shows in one night.
Kasi Comedy Show
A Tribute To Mama Africa
Move! Stokvel Event In KZN
Venue: Pine Town Civic Hall Fri 31 Mar 17 8:00 PM
Venue: Rhumbelow Theatre, D B N Fri 28 Apr 17 8:00 PM
Venue: Mount Edgecombe Conference Centre Sat 25 Mar 17 8:30 AM
The Kasi Comedy Show is set to be one of the best comedy shows to ever come to Pinetown. The aim of the show is not only to entertain, but to give up-and-coming comedians an opportunity to showcase their talents. The line-up features the likes of Kedibone Mulaudzi and Justice Kubheka. This is going to be a fun evening of laughter and entertainment. You don`t want to miss it.
Thulile Zama brings a Tribute to Mama Africa. One well-loved African vocalist honouring another. Miriam Makeba`s career inuenced Thulile Zama to such extend that she found it tting to do a tribute in the honour of Mama Africa.
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Mar-Apr ‘17 www.beadsmag.co.za
MOVE! Stokvel events have become synonymous with a place for unwinding and knowledge for many women in South Africa. Be a part of the upcoming event to be held in Durban, where women will gather for a day of entertainment, expert advise and a meet-andgreet session with Move! editor, Nonzwakazi Cekete.