CEO MAG SEP 2021 Volume 21 | Issue 3 by CEO Global Group

Honouring Africa's

st Anniversary Celebrating 21 Years of Excellence

Expand your Business Horizon

YEARS 2001 - 2021

Olympic Athletes

Vol 21 Issue 3

Expand your Business Horizons

REGULARS 06

EDITOR'S NOTE

LEADING EDGE

FOCUSING ON AFRICA - WITH MARK ANTHONY JONES /P31

NEWS 09

CEO GLOBAL: INITIATING HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS THROUGHOUT AFRICA

WOMEN LED PRODUCTION COMPANY EMPOWERS CHILDREN

GOZEM: SUPER APP TRANSFORMATION

TOP FINANCIAL ROLE AT BME FOR NADIA STATHAM

EXCLUSIVE 34

FOCUSING ON AFRICA

SOUTH AFRICA CAR OF THE YEAR 2021 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

EXCLUSIVE

SA COTY FINALISTS ANNOUNCED, ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW P/44

OPINION

A TALE OF TWO GS''S

TRADE IN AFRICA

Vishnu Singh shares his thoughts P/56

By Mark Anthony Jones /p15

st Anniversary Celebrating 21 Years of Excellence

Expand your Business Horizon

YEARS 2001 - 2021

No article or part of an article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher. The information provided and opinions expressed in this publication are provided in good faith but do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher or editor. All reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in the publication. However, neither the publisher not the editor can be held legally liable in any way for damages of any kind whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from any facts or information provided or omitted in these pages, or from any statements made in or withheld by this publication

WWW.CEOGLOBALGROUP.COM

Expand your Business Horizons

OPINION 15

TRADE IN AFRICA

PROTECTING YOUR WORKFORCE

DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN AFRICA

A TALE OF TWO GS'S

FEATURES 10

HONOURING AFRICA'S OLYMPIC ATHLETES

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY 15 SEPTEMBER

REVIEWS 51

THE HYUNDAI CRETA

A TALE OF BWM 2GS'S

THE MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE

Publisher: CEO Global Group Phone: +27828834901 www.ceoglobalgroup.com Chief Executive Annelize Wepener annelize@ceoglobalgroup.com Chief Operating Officer George Wepener george@ceoglobalgroup.com Director Finance & Corporate Services Carl Wepener carl@ceoglobalgroup.com Head of Production/Creative Manager Lynn Richards - Rubix Cube Digital lynn@rubixcubedigital.co.za Corporate Support Yvonne Finch yvonne@yvonnefinch.com

st Anniversary Celebrating 21 Years of Excellence

Expand your Business Horizon

YEARS 2001 - 2021

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st Anniversary Celebrating 21 Years of Excellence

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YEARS 2001 - 2021

WHERE SHOULD I commit my time and effort? EDITORSNOTE

eton s'rotid

Lately, I have been inundated with requests for web meetings,as well as a myriad of requests for assistance with projects and attendance at important launches. Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining, but I do not know how to juggle my time, as well as determine what is more important to give my attention to. Add to that, the many different global days and you really get the idea that this is going too far.

For September alone, there are nine different days, and each is deemed to be as important to the organisers as to the audience that rallies around these days. World Ozone Day, World Rivers Day, and several other conservation days are only deemed to be important by those who have seen far ahead of the problems and acknowledge what we will have to face if we do not do something about it.

For September alone, there are nine different days, and each is deemed to be as important to the organisers as to the audience that rallies around these days. I believe they are all important. Take for instance, Global Literacy Day. What a difference it would make if this day could be specifically applicable to third world countries - to equip people with literacy that enables them to participate in the global world as equals.

Another day is World Suicide Prevention Day that needs to be supported as so many people, especially in the western and eastern world, are not coping with the stress and commit suicide. Add to that, World First Aid Day and suddenly we see the need for it, especially in war-torn countries World Democracy Day should be something that all nations work towards, except for those that still believe in socialism or creating leaders for life. But even in democratic countries, there is so much corruption, power play and unethical practice, that in itself democracy is failing.

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For September alone there are nine different days and each is deemed to be as important to the organisers as to the audience that rallies around these days.

EDITORSNOTE

What about our health? There is World Alzheimer’s Day and add to that World Heart Day and World Contraception Day and your mind starts spinning out of control. Why? Because they are important and have serious consequences if ignored. We cannot put our heads in the sand like an ostrich and believe the problems will go away. I have a cousin who says to his staff when there is a problem, “Don’t tell me about the problem only, make it go away!” Easier said than done. I believe that the people I have met over the years, leaders, and experts in their respective fields, have done amazing jobs in all these areas. We, the people that can influence and make a difference, must take hands with those experts, and collectively make a huge difference in combating all our problems.

I know that due to topographical, language and other challenges it may not all be possible, as problems differ from one country to the next. Let those that are experts, lead the way. Support them with what you have and exclude the doom profits with their limited knowledge. They cannot solve anything. I, for one, am focusing on being positive, looking at, “Let’s make the problem go away”, rather than sitting and sulking and saying we are doomed. The question is, Are you in?

World Ozone Day, World Rivers Day and a number of other conservation days are only deemed to be important by those who have seen far ahead of the problems we will have to face if we do not do something about it.

st Anniversary Celebrating 21 Years of Excellence

Expand your Business Horizon

YEARS 2001 - 2021

ceo 2021 l Vol 3

Submission & Nominations CEO Global 2021 Awards These awards are about YOU, your contribution, your influence and not about the organization you represent. Complete online at www.ceoglobalgroup.com

Please complete ALL questions in the Entry Form to speed up your route to the finalists

All this documentation needs to be submitted in order for an entry to be complete

st Anniversary Celebrating 21 Years of Excellence

Expand your Business Horizon

YEARS 2001 - 2021

NEWS

Global Group Initiating humanitarian projects throughout Africa CEO Global Group, through its CEO Global Group Foundation, is now initiating in its’ activities to establish humanitarian projects throughout the African Continent. Making this possible CEO Global Foundation is pleased to announce and confirm that Ms Lucy Akua Kyerede Quainoo has been appointed as its’ Patron for the specific Humanitarian Projects it intends to undertake now and in the coming years.

The CEO Global Foundation is honoured to have ladies of Ms Quainoo’s and Mrs Wepener’s integrity, passion and ethical standards as its Patron and Chief Executive. Working together, with a committed team of like minded professionals, the African Continent will benefit from the joint interventions that will be delivered respectfully and sustainably.

Mrs Annelize Wepener will be the Chief Executive and the CEO Global Foundation team will consist of experts in the different fields identified for projects. These projects expect to deliver consistent upliftment solutions to some of Africa’s endemic challenges that will result in positive growth for the entire African Continent. Ms Quainoo and Mrs Wepener have proven themselves over twenty years to be respected leaders who are committed to empowerment through all sectors of society – the youth to inspire more to choose an entrepreneurial path – the MSMEs to allow them greater access to being able to showcase the “Made in Africa” label – the Continents Leaders to encourage them to embrace the path of inclusivity. This will be realised by celebrating their successes through the CEO Global Pan African Awards for Most Influential Women in Business and Government and Titans Building Nations. The combined ambition, being supported through their fields of expertise, are straightforward and are uncompromisingly committed to ensuring the upliftment of women, youth and communities. Access to better education, backed by improved nutrition and housing, along with upgraded healthcare, will enable the Continent to enjoy broader access to the global economy through sound technological solutions.

Lucy Akua Kyerede Quainoo

CEO Global Group Foundation is supported internationally in its humanitarian projects and invites interested humanitarian investors to become part of the projects to better the lives of people on the African Continent and especially in training and mentoring to equip people to become self-sufficient and also become part of the positive economic development of their communities and the Continent.

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FEATURED

Honouring Africa's Olympic Athletes Words Jacqueline du Plessis

The 2020 Summer Olympics, was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 7 September 2013. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the event was postponed to 2021 in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the first such instance in the history of the Olympic Games (previous games had been cancelled but not rescheduled). However, the event retained the Tokyo 2020 name for marketing and branding purposes. It was largely held behind closed doors with no public spectators permitted due to the declaration of a state of emergency in the Greater Tokyo Area in response to the pandemic. The 2020 Games were the fourth Olympic Games to be held in Japan, following the Tokyo 1964 (Summer), Sapporo 1972 (Winter) and Nagano 1998 (Winter) games. Tokyo was the first city in Asia to hold the Summer Games twice. The 2020 Games were the second of three consecutive Olympics to be held in East Asia, following the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea and preceding the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. New events were introduced in existing sports for 2020, including 3x3 basketball, freestyle BMX and mixed gender team events in a number of existing sports, as well as the return of madison cycling for men and an introduction of the same event for women.

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New IOC policies also allowed the host organizing committee to add new sports to the Olympic program for just one Games. The disciplines added by the Japanese Olympic Committee were baseball and softball, karate, sport climbing, surfing and skateboarding, the last four of which made their Olympic debuts. The United States topped the medal count by both total golds (39) and total medals (113), with China finishing second by both respects (38 and 88). Host nation Japan finished third, setting a record for the most gold medals and total medals ever won by their delegation at an Olympic Games with 27 and 58. Great Britain finished fourth, with a total of 22 gold and 65 medals, becoming the first nation at the Summer Olympics to increase or equal their total medals won in the two Games subsequent to hosting them. The Russian delegation competing as the ROC finished fifth with 20 gold medals and third in the overall medal count, with 71 medals. Bermuda, the Philippines and Qatar won their first-ever Olympic gold medals. Burkina Faso, San Marino and Turkmenistan won their firstever Olympic medals.

FEATURED

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic In January 2020, concerns were raised about the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on athletes and visitors to the Olympic Games. Tokyo organizers insisted they were monitoring the spread of the disease to minimize its effects on preparations for the Olympics. The IOC stated that in 2020, their Japanese partners and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "made it very clear that Japan could not manage a postponement beyond next summer [2021] at the latest". Estimates by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Kyoto University predicted that states of emergency might be required during the Games. The reports published at the Ministry of Health experts' panel also showed new patients increasing to 10,000 if the Games were to allow spectators. Postponement to 2021 The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (TOCOG) released a statement on 2 March 2020, confirming that preparations for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics were "continuing as planned". On 23 March, both Canada and Australia indicated that they would withdraw from the Games if they were not postponed by a year. On the same day, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe stated he would support a proposed postponement, citing that ensuring athlete safety was "paramount," and veteran IOC member and former vice president Dick Pound said that he expected the Games to be postponed. The IOC and TOCOG released a joint statement on 24 March 2020, announcing that the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics would be rescheduled to a date "beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021". They stated that the Games could "stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times", and that the Olympic flame could become "the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present". For continuity and marketing purposes, it was agreed that the Games would still be branded as Tokyo 2020 despite the change in schedule.

On 30 March 2020, the IOC and TOCOG announced that they had reached an agreement on the new dates for the 2020 Summer Olympics, which would begin with the opening ceremony on 23 July 2021 and end with the closing ceremony on 8 August 2021. The subsequent Winter Olympics in Beijing are scheduled to begin on 4 February 2022, less than six months later. Shortly before the postponement was confirmed, the IOC and Tokyo 2020 organizers formed a task force named "Here We Go" with the remit to address any issues arising from postponing the Games, such as sponsorship and accommodation. The organizers confirmed that all athletes who had already qualified for Tokyo 2020 would keep their qualification slots. Public opinion after the Games Before the Tokyo Olympics were held, many Japanese people were negative about holding the games, but at the end of the games they were positive. According to a public opinion poll conducted jointly by the Nippon News Network and the Yomiuri Shimbun targeting Japanese citizens at the end of the Olympics, 38% of respondents said that the Tokyo Olympics could have been held in a safe manner against COVID19, while 55% said that it was not. However, 64% answered that it was good that the Tokyo Olympic Games were held, and 28% answered that they wished it had not been held. 61% said they were glad the event was held without spectators, while 12% said it should have been held with spectators. As of July 29, journalist Masaki Kubota had analyzed that the change in the way the Japanese news media reported had a major impact on the Japanese people's perspective on the Olympics. He pointed out that many Japanese news media had insisted on canceling the Olympics, citing fears that COVID-19 would spread, but once Japanese athletes started winning many medals, they changed their reporting policy and began livening up the Olympics, which changed public opinion in Japan.

Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Summer_Ol ympics

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FEATURED

African Athletes, Our heroes Record Breakers Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA) Discipline: Swimming Event: Women's 100m Breaststroke, Women's 200m Breaststroke, Women's 4x 100m Medley Medals: Gold, Silver Records: OR: Women's 100m Breaststroke - Heat 5, WR: Women's 200m Breaststroke Final, OR: Women's 200m Breaststroke Final

Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) Discipline: Athletics Event: Women's 1500m Medals: Gold Records: OR Women's 1500m Final

Gold Medal Winners Feryal Abdelaziz (Egypt) Discipline: Karateka (Karate) Event: Women's +61 kg Medals: Gold Women's Kumite +61 kg

Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) Discipline: Athletics Event: Men's Marathon Medals: Gold Men's Marathon

Emmanuel Korir (Kenya) Discipline: Athletics Event: Men's 800m Medals: Gold Men's 800m Final

Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya) Discipline: Athletics Event: Women's Marathon Medals: Gold Women's Marathon

Soufiane El Bakkali (Morocco) Discipline: Athletics Event: Men's 3000m Steeplechase Medals: Gold Men's 3000m Steeplechase

Ahmed Hafnaoui (Tunisia) Discipline: Swimming Event: Men's 800m Freestyle Medals: Gold Men's 800m Freestyle

Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda) Discipline: Athletics Event: Men's 5000m, Men's 10 000m Medals: Gold, Men's 5000m (Gold)

Peruth Chemutai (Uganda) Discipline: Athletics Event: Women's 3000m Steeplechase Medals: Gold Women's 3000m Steeplechase

Selemon Barega (Uganda) Discipline: Athletics Event: Men's 5000m Medals: Gold, Men's 5000m

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New events were introduced in existing sports for 2020, including 3x3 basketball, freestyle BMX and mixed gender team events in a number of existing sports, as well as the return of madison cycling for men and an introduction of the same event for women.

FEATURED

Silver Medal Winners Ahmed Elgendy, Athletics: Modern Pentathlon. Egypt Lamecha Girma, Athletics: Men's 3000m Steeplechase. Ethiopia Brigid Kosgei, Athletics: Women's Marathon, Kenya Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich, Athletics, Men's 800m, Kenya Hellen Obiri, Athletics: Women's 5000m, Kenya Timothy Cheruiyot. Athletics: Mens 1500m, Kenya Christine Mboma, Athletics: Women's 200m, Namibia Blessing Oborududu, Wrestling: Women's Freestyle 68 kg. Nigeria Bianca Buitendag, Surfing: Women's Shortboard. RSA Tatjana Schoenmaker. Swimming: Women's 100m. RSA Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi, Taekwondo: Men's 58 kg. Tunisia Joshua Cheptegei, Athletics: Men's 10 000m. Uganda

Bronze Medal Winners Babaloki Thebe, Athletics: Men's 4x 400m Relay. Botswana Bayapo Ndori, Athletics: Men's 4x 400m Relay. Botswana Isaac Makwala, Athletics: Men's 4x 400m Relay. Botswana Zibane Ngozi, Athletics: Men's 4x 400m Relay. Botswana Fabrice Zango, Athletics: Men's Triple Jump. Burkina Faso Ruth Gbagbi, Taekwondo: Women's -67kg. Cote d'Ivoire Giana Farouk. Kumite: Women's 61kg. Egypt Hedaya Malak, Taekwondo: Women's Event. Egypt Seif Eissa, Taekwondo: Men's +80kg. Egypt Gudaf Tsegay, Athletics: Women's 5000m. Ethiopia Letsenbet Gidey, Athletics: Women's 10 000m. Ethiopia Samuel Takyi, Boxing: Men's Feather (52-57 kg). Ghana Benjamin Kigen, Athletics: Men's 3000m Steeplechase. Kenya Hyvin Kiyeng, Athletics: Women's 3000m Steeplechase. Kenya Ese Brume, Athletics: Women's Long Jump. Nigeria Jacob Kiplimo, Athletics: Men's 10 000m. Uganda

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OPINION

Trade in Africa Words by Mark-Anthony Jones

Rich countries want to strike trade deals in Africa: But the wrong approach could hinder the continent’s own integration. “WE WILL BE the guinea pig,” said Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya’s president, before trade talks with America opened last year. A deal would make Kenya only the second African country after Morocco to sign a free trade agreement with the United States. Officials in the Trump administration called the proposed deal “a model” for future ones. But such bilateral talks jar with Africa’s push for regional integration and with President Joe Biden’s emphasis on multilateralism. Negotiations are now on hold while America works out what to do next. The pause reflects a sense of drift in Africa’s trade relations with the West, as both America and Europe rethink how they do business with the continent. In the past they granted concessions, such as lower tariffs on African exports, without requiring African countries to reciprocate. Now they are increasingly looking to negotiate two-way agreements which will open up Africanmarkets, too. The old approach was paternalistic and gave Africans little say. But the new one, handled badly, could put Africa’s own integration at risk.

Since 2000 American policy has been built around the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which grants duty-free access to thousands of products exported from around 40 eligible countries. It was a law passed by Congress, not a treaty negotiated between governments, so African countries have no control over the eligibility criteria. That creates friction. Rwanda, for example, was partially suspended in 2018 because its ban on imported second-hand clothes, intended to boost local production, irked the American firms that export them. Now African countries must wait anxiously to see if Congress will extend AGOA beyond its current expiry date in 2025. The uncertainty makes business “too unpredictable”, sighs a Ugandan technocrat. Kenya’s push for a fully-fledged trade deal with America is an attempt to seize the initiative. It also draws on the promise of AGOA itself, which was always envisaged as a stepping stone towards negotiated pacts. Source https://lnkd.in/eccETHj4

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NEWS

Women-led production company in Kenya empowers children through animated 'Super Sema' series, with help from Lupita Nyong'o Super Sema features all the tropes typical of a superhero story—a greedy villain, a futuristic setting, and a do-good warrior who saves the day. But there are a few key differences: The hero is a 10-year-old girl from a village in Africa, and to defeat the robot villain and his minions, she taps into courage and empathy—not superhuman strength—as well as her understanding of science, technology, and the arts. The series is the creation of Kukua Education Ltd., a startup in Nairobi that aims to build the first media franchise based on an African animated superhero. On YouTube, the 20 episodes plus extras featuring dance instruction, science experiments, and craft-making have garnered 15 million views—“massive, for a new channel,” says Kukua’s founder and chief executive officer, Lucrezia Bisignani. The company expects to close a second round of venture capital financing in July and is working on Season 2, due to start in December.

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Words Jacqueline du Plessis

Kukua, which means “to grow” in Swahili, says its combination of fun and learning can yield an online and offline franchise that appeals to children anywhere. Riding a global wave of interest in Afro-futuristic stories triggered by Disney’s Black Panther, the all-female team of executives has big plans for Sema: toys, costumes, comic books, virtualand augmented-reality learning experiences, and perhaps even a Semaland theme park. “We want to be the Mickey Mouse of Africa, but with a strong learning component,” says Vanessa Ford, Kukua’s chief operating officer and executive producer. Hits such as Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians, and Coco have shown Hollywood that stories featuring diverse characters set outside the U.S. or Europe are bankable, triggering a slew of African animated series. Mama K’s Team 4 by Triggerfish Animation Studios in Cape Town, about four teenage girls fighting evil in a futuristic Lusaka, is scheduled to premier next year on Netflix. Walt Disney Co. has at least three such shows in the works, including Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, a sci-fi fantasy to stream on Disney+ next year.

NEWS

And YouTube Originals, which is backing Super Sema, will release Supa Strikas: Rookie Season, a series about a fictional pan-African soccer team. “The Africa market is so vibrant right now,” says Nadine Zylstra, who oversees family programming at YouTube Originals. “Hearing these pitches from young African talent, there is definitely the feeling that this is the generation that can use these digital tools to share their voice with the world.” Black Panther was released just as Kukua was developing Super Sema and seeking financing in 2018, and its success convinced investors of the Kenyan series’ international appeal, helping the company raise $2.5 million. Then, as media giants sought to boost the diversity of their storytelling in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, Kukua landed its distribution agreement with YouTube. “There was a whole global awakening and new buzz around diverse properties,” Ford says. Lupita Nyong’o, the Kenyan-Mexican actor who played Nakia in Black Panther, owns a stake in the company, serves as executive producer of Super Sema, and has brought her star power to the series by providing the voice of the tree that is Sema’s mother figure. The five-minute episodes weave in Kenyan cultural references such as mandazi—a traditional snack of fried dough—and Swahili sayings like Polepole ndio mwendo (“Slowly, slowly wins the day”). In one episode, the robot villain cuts down the forest to build a castle. Sema thwarts him with a drone and a special substance to replant the trees and trap him, showing off her critical thinking and grit while highlighting for young viewers the dangers of deforestation. Kukua is incorporated in London, but most of its 11 employees are in Nairobi, where it did the voicing, music, and sound work for the first season of Super Sema. At the company’s offices in a townhouse complex in western Nairobi, the walls are plastered with framed Super Sema stills, storyboards, and photographs of notable women of color such as Kamala Harris and Oprah Winfrey.

To keep the content topical and educational, the team holds brainstorming sessions with child behavioral experts, parents, teachers, and environmentalists. “The episodes are informed by values that people would like to see in their own children,” says Clara Njeru, Kukua’s chief product officer. Although Bisignani is White and was raised in Rome, she traveled widely in Africa when she was young as her parents sought to instill a global mindset in their children. She has since visited most countries on the continent and has long been captivated by its energy and entrepreneurial culture. After graduating from university, she realized media and mobile technology could help narrow the educational gap between Europe and Africa and dispel what she says is the flawed view of the region as impoverished, diseased, and corrupt. “It’s this thriving continent with 1.2 billion people, with a billion new kids being born over the next 30 years,” she says. “It’s incredible, and it’s never portrayed.” Representation on screen Njeru has been "technovating" her way through glass ceilings since she was young. "My mom is a teacher, and I grew up in a family that really encouraged curiosity," she said. As a child in Kenya, Njeru did not have a computer at home -- but in high school, her proficiency in math gave her access to the school's computers. She then studied computer science at university, where she said she felt a heightened pressure to do well as a woman studying STEM.

“We want to be the Mickey Mouse of Africa, but with a strong learning component.”

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NEWS

She believes she succeeded because of her upbringing. "I had role models," Njeru said. "I think being brought up by my mother and my grandmother, who are very strong women, that really influenced who I've become."

"When I was young, there was almost no animated content that was relatable to me," said Njeru. "We know now there's a big advantage for children to see themselves represented."

In 2016, she joined the team at Kukua to bring strong female role models to the screen. Kukua is an "edu-tainment" production company based in Nairobi. The team, led by women, breaks barriers in an industry that remains disproportionately male and white. The show itself also challenges gender stereotypes that are common in children's television.

For season two, Njeru hopes that Sema will continue to show children that they can be and do anything. "There's very few role models who are Black and who are in science or technology, engineering, arts and math and there's also very few who are African," said Njeru. "(At) Kukua, we believe that if you can see it, you can be it."

Sources:https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/24/africa/supersema-clara-njeru-kukua-kenya-spc-intl/index.html; https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-0624/super-sema-marks-african-animated-tv-shows-on-netflixnflx-disney-dis

Clara Njeru (second from left) and the team at Kukua pictured with executive director Lupita Nyong'o (center).

Njeru, head of production at Kukua, in front of Kukua's wall of inspirational women. ceo 2021 l Vol 3

CEO Global

2021 Awards

Submission

Nominations

These awards are about YOU, your contribution, your influence and not about the organization you represent.

Complete online at www.ceoglobalgroup.com

Please complete ALL questions in the Entry Form to speed up your route to the finalists

All this documentation needs to be submitted in order for an entry to be complete.

st Anniversary Celebrating 21 Years of Excellence

Expand your Business Horizon

YEARS 2001 - 2021

OPINION

Protecting Your Workforce By J2 CEO John Mc Loughlin The workforce is any organisation's greatest asset but also its biggest risk. It has never been more important to protect employees from exploitation by external attackers whilst also limiting the risk that they pose as trusted insiders. The erosion of the cyber-perimeter and accelerated shift to virtual workforce models necessitate a new approach that baselines activities and behaviors and protects employees by highlighting anomalies. More importantly, employees have the right to know that personal activities and behaviors that don't directly increase organisational risk, cause cultural conflict, or limit successful operations remain private and anonymous. Monitoring the workforce to identify nonproductive employees is counterproductive and creates a culture of mistrust. The focus must shift to learning from the workforce - observing employees' interactions with data, systems, and machines - and using that intelligence to improve performance.

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Workforce Cyber Intelligence is a new approach to enterprise data collection and analysis that focuses on understanding how, when, why, where and for how long employees and third parties interact with data, machines, applications, and their peers as they perform their job responsibilities to create a safer, smarter and more secure enterprise. Protect your data and respect your workforce. Workforce Cyber Intelligence is designed for today’s modern, distributed workforce model. It provides complete visibility into user and account activity – keeping all data anonymous to protect privacy, and only shining a light on abnormal or inefficient behaviors that indicate risks and areas for operational improvement. By collecting and analysing employee and third-party interactions with data, machines and applications, Workforce Cyber Intelligence supports a wide range of use cases. Firstly, it supports employee wellness by identifying employees at risk of burn-out.

OPINION

More about J2 (www.j2.co.za) The solution offers remote worker security, protecting WFH employees beyond corporate firewalls or network proxies. Workforce Cyber Intelligence also informs conversations about individual performance, professional development, and growth strategies.

Workforce Cyber Intelligence optimises asset and license utilization, it reveals why employees are using enterprise assets to help IT and procurement teams understand what’s working and what’s not. Furthermore, it protects the organisation from insider threats by identifying patterns of behaviour and preventing threats before they become realised risks. The solution offers remote worker security, protecting WFH employees beyond corporate firewalls or network proxies. Workforce Cyber Intelligence also informs conversations about individual performance, professional development, and growth strategies. Other benefits include measuring team performance for informed financial and operational planning and data loss prevention by understanding malicious intent long before traditional DLP measures are triggered. It also provides PoPIA and GDPR compliance by anonymising data to satisfy legislative requirements. With Workforce Cyber Intelligence, organisations can reduce legal liability by identifying the personal online activities that put the enterprise at risk – while still protecting employee privacy. One can now monitor employees without violating trust or privacy.

J2 is a security focused African technology business founded in 2006 to address the need for effective cybersecurity, governance, risk and compliance solutions in Africa. The continued rise of cybercrime, identity theft and confidential data leakage drives the requirement for J2’s managed security service offerings, not only for competitive advantage, but as an absolute business necessity. The company offers managed cyber security services for every business. We ensure that you have greater visibility to identify risky behaviour and enhance the capability to respond to prevent losses. J2 delivers essential tools that empower organisations to take control of their technology spend. The company's hand-picked solutions provide complete visibility over its customers' environment, while reducing risk and lowering costs. J2 has provided services and solutions to renowned enterprise corporations with sites running in South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Australia, UK and Malta.

On behalf of: Company: J2 Contact: John Mc Loughlin Designation: CEO Tel: (021) 461-1223 Email: john@j2.co.za

J2 CEO John Mc Loughlin

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NEWS

How Gozem transitioned from a motorcycle-hailing platform into a Super app in two years Sometime in 2018, Ifeanyi Ndiomewese, a Techpoint Africa Reporter at the time, was returning to Nigeria from Ghana. Having made a few stops at Lome, Togo and Cotonou, Benin, he couldn’t help but notice how difficult it was to get ride-hailing services. Putting down his thoughts in this piece, he explained that while Uber and Taxify had a large share of Africa’s ride-hailing space, more than 60 ride-hailing services existed across 21 countries on the continent as of 2017. “The big question then is why are any of these not happening at a massive scale at Francophone West African countries?” he asked. However, somewhere in Togo, two soon-to-be co-founders were making plans to change that. Gozem: Modelled after Grab and Gojek In 2016, Emeka Ajene, a Nigerian-born American, and Raphael Dana, a French-Swiss serial entrepreneur, met in Togo. At the time, Ajene had just finished roles at Konga and Uber in Lagos, Nigeria. Dana, having spent time in Singapore, Asia, was exploring West African markets and looking to build something in the region.

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After a bit of research, the pair found that some African markets were in the same state Southeast Asian markets were in a decade ago. First, they recognised that both regions’ transportation sectors were chaotic and unorganised. They also have a high proportion of motorcycle taxis working mostly informally and largely inefficiently with drivers spending as much as two-thirds of their active time waiting to get customers every day. In Southeast Asia, Dana was directly exposed to successful ride-hailing business models of two Asian Asian tech companies, Gojek and Grab, that launched in 2009 and 2012 respectively. Eight years later, Grab now offers multiple consumer services across various verticals such as hotel booking service, on-demand video platform, ticket purchasing, food ordering, grocery shopping, besides offering financial services. Thus, witnessing the huge successes of Grab and Gojek by first leveraging ride-hailing solutions to develop super-apps, Ajene and Dana knew rolling out theirs would give them the first-mover advantage and in the long run, lead to their goal of building a super app.

NEWS

Ajene adds that over 500,000 users have downloaded the Gozem application since launch. And in the first quarter of 2020, they completed a record 500,000 rides, up from 350,000 in the final three months of 2019. Before the startup came onto the scene in 2018, a higher proportion of the traditional rider base didn’t own or regularly use smartphones. So, coming into the market the way it did, Gozem is trying to change the way these riders and drivers go about their business. Similarly, as stated, the startup has helped change the waiting time of rides for them. Raphael Dana (Co-founder, Gozem) Rather than spend many hours or the whole day waiting for a customer, Gozem connects “We connected over shared interests and focused on them in minutes or a few hours. replicating the super-app model starting with mobility and ride-hailing. So we launched Gozem with a focus Despite trying to make their jobs easier, on West and Central Africa. Ajene states that this can be overwhelming for This was to introduce efficiencies into the personal transport sectors in these markets, and also to replicate the success of Gojek and Grab here in Africa,” Ajene says to Techpoint Africa. Using motorcycle-hailing as an entry point

some drivers.

“To deal with this, we invest heavily in continuous training to assist drivers, who have various levels of education, literacy, and techsavviness, to master this transition. We’re seeing great results with some drivers earning After raising $900k in early 2018, Ajene and Dana as much as 3 times more than what they used launched Gozem as a motorcycle-hailing startup in to before they fully grasped the platform.” November. While taking commissions from rides, Like other major cities in sub-Saharan Africa the 40, Gozem’s business model, which centres 000 motorcycle taxis in Lome, the capital of Togo, around training and onboarding these represented a high-potential market for Gozem. And motorcycle riders, hasn’t come cheap. according to Ajene, it made sense for the company to start there. Gozem has raised over $3 million in its two years of operation and most of these investors In its first month, Gozem onboarded 100 drivers, are high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). registered 8,000 customers and completed 1,500 Similarly, the startup is preparing a Series A rides. Fast forward to 2019, the startup expanded to round in the coming months. Benin while adding tricycles (tuk-tuks) and taxis to its list of services. But as the two-year-old startup is focused on growth and onboarding more riders, Ajene Now, Gozem is currently operational across 7 cities says profitability is one metric at the back of in the two countries. It has also partnered with over his mind. 4,000 riders and drivers — who are called Champions — to move people in either motorcycle taxis, tuktuks, basic taxis, or Uber-style air-conditioned cars.

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NEWS

“Gozem is not profitable yet. But like any business, we plan to achieve profitability and we have a clear strategy for doing so within a certain timetable.” The francophone super app It is almost a consensus that the super app model was pioneered by two Chinese multinational conglomerates. Alibaba’s Alipay and Tencent’s WeChat. Smaller companies like Grab and Gojek have followed suit. Consequently, they have gained large market shares while spearheading the model in their respective countries. Grab, for instance, has 10 ondemand ride-hailing services and a dozen other services on its platform. And in 2018, the six-year-old startup, at the time, generated a revenue of more than US$1 billion. This is Gozem’s play for francophone Africa despite it being a smaller market. Last year as Gozem expanded in other cities in Benin and Togo, plans were announced to launch its digital wallet and delivery services in 2020.

As Gozem connects consumers with the products and services they need, they also bring drivers/riders and merchants more business and access to a large user base. Akin to how it charges for rides, Gozem takes a commission when consumers and merchants successfully transact. Going forward, Ajene says the startup has a clear roadmap for expansion. Both, in terms of geography and products and services. For the former, Cameroon and Gabon are the next markets. In preparation, Gozem has more than 6,000 riders and drivers across the two countries on its waiting list. After these two come the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire. But in terms of products and services, Ajene says the company is listening to its users and will continue to leverage its base of drivers to sign up merchants in various verticals, expand its delivery and eCommerce offering, launch a food delivery vertical, and a full-service in-app wallet.

In May, one plan was completed as the startup partnered with Moov Benin to give Gozem’s users access to the telco’s mobile money product, Moov Money. Two months later, it launched eCommerce delivery services in Lome and Cotonou. This allows users in those countries to order items from the Gozem app and have them delivered. Taking it one service at a time, Gozem is making the swift transition from being a motorcycle-hailing platform to a super app. It now offers online groceries and cooking gas delivery among other items. In the long-run, Ajene expects Gozem to have a full suite of additional digital services like grocery delivery, food delivery, delivery of parcels and other items, a digital wallet, and related financial/payment services.

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Emeka Ajene (Co-founder and managing director, Gozem) Sources:https://techpoint.africa/2020/09/23/franco phone-gozem-super-app-feature/; https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/21/tech/gozemsuper-app-spc-intl/index.html

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15 September International Day of Democracy

Words Jacqueline du Plessis

The International Day of Democracy is celebrated worldwide on 15 September each year and is an opportunity to review the state of democracy around the world. It was established through a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly in 2007, encouraging governments to strengthen and consolidate democracy. Democracy is as much a process as a goal, and only with the full participation of and support by the international community, national governing bodies, civil society and individuals, can the ideal of democracy be made into a reality to be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere. The values of freedom, respect for human rights and the principle of holding periodic and genuine elections by universal suffrage are essential elements of democracy. In turn, democracy provides the natural environment for the protection and effective realization of human rights. COVID-19: A Spotlight on Democracy The unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has resulted in major social, political and legal challenges globally. As states around the world adopt emergency measures to address the crisis, it is critical that they continue to uphold the rule of law, protect and respect international standards and basic principles of legality, and the right to access justice, remedies and due process.

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UN Secretary General António Guterres has urged governments to be transparent, responsive and accountable in their COVID-19 response and ensure that any emergency measures are legal, proportionate, necessary and nondiscriminatory. “The best response is one that responds proportionately to immediate threats while protecting human rights and the rule of law,” he said. The Secretary-General's policy brief says states must respect and protect, among other rights, freedom of expression and of the press, freedom of information, freedom of association and of assembly. Concerns in many countries in the context of COVID-19 include:

The unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has resulted in major social, political and legal challenges globally.

FEATURED

Measures to control the flow of information and crackdown on freedom of expression and press freedom against an existing background of shrinking civic space. Arrest, detention, prosecution or persecution of political opponents, journalists, doctors and healthcare workers, activists and others for allegedly spreading “fake news”. Aggressive cyber-policing and increased online surveillance. Postponement of elections is raising serious constitutional issues in some cases and may lead to rising tensions. The crisis raises the question how best to counter harmful speech while protecting freedom of expression. Sweeping efforts to eliminate misinformation or disinformation can result in purposeful or unintentional censorship, which undermines trust. The most effective response is accurate, clear and evidence-based information from sources people trust. Around the world civil society organizations have answered the UN's call to action to address and counteract the wide range of ways the Covid-19 crisis may impair democracy and increase authoritarianism, by: developing media literacy and digital safety, more critical than ever as activism is forced online, so as to address the risk of suppression, interference and closing of civic space; fighting misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, which have mushroomed in the crisis; training journalists remotely to report on the impact of the pandemic with in-depth, factchecked coverage, while staying safe on the front line; empowering women against gender-based violence, which has surged amid Covid-19 lockdowns, quarantines, and social and economic pressures;

The crisis raises the question how best to counter harmful speech while protecting freedom of expression. helping to highlight the challenges of inequality and weak service delivery made worse by the crisis, with specific focus on the needs and rights of women, youth, minorities and other marginalized populations, so as to help hold governments to account. Democracy as a destination will always be a challenge. In an active democracy, women are on an equal footing with men both, in the public and private spheres; and citizens live free from any discrimination that may arise from race, religion, gender, sexual choice or any other attribute. However, in several countries, some of these democratic assumptions are being questioned with increasing force. How to understand the current situation? What is the way forward? On International Democracy Day, we share the views and reflections of Dr Max Hernández, renowned Latin American intellectual and psychoanalyst, member of the Peruvian Consultative Committee of the National Agreement (a set of measures approved by the main political parties of Peru in 2002 to strengthen the governance of the country).

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Doctor Hernández, How to understand the role of democracy in the world today? I think we have to know that democracy is still a project under construction, and it has never suffered so many attacks as today. It is an unfinished journey and, at the same time, it is the victim of its own success, because when something is successful you reach a point when you need to transform it.

How so? A ‘citizen’, by definition, is someone whose rights exist without consideration of sex, ethnicity, education, economic status, etc. But no individual exists outside these parameters. What was an abstraction, without which democracy could not have built the notion of citizen, acquires today very unique characteristics.

To transform it how? Democracy has to adapt in various ways. It did happen first in Europe. In that sense, England and France have been pioneers, but let's not forget that other countries have had a very recent ascription in other parts of the world, and the authoritarian temptation continues to be around. The problem that you point out translates into a reemergence of populism and extremely conservative and intolerant forces that weaken a system that is based on opposite values. Would this not indicate a failure? I have the impression that we need to clarify some aspects. I believe that in politics some form of populism has always existed. One cannot imagine a Winston Churchill talking about "blood, sweat and tears," if he did not appeal to feelings that produced a sense of unity, which seemed to erase the boundaries between minorities, and that seemed to sweep through any class distinction. The problem today is a type of authoritarianism that is alien to that type of populism. It is an authoritarianism that exalts the presumed virtues of the strong man, the firm hand, and unfortunately they have a heinous appeal. It is the renunciation of one's own responsibility as a citizen. 70 years ago, the United Nations System arose from an armed conflagration that was the product of intolerance and extreme ideologies. What triggers exist today in the West that have put human rights under attack as never before? This can be seen more clearly in Latin America, but you can also think of Europe. It is the emergence of the individual and the mass.

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Today, increasingly we tend to believe in the rights of men as citizens, but also as an indigenous Awajun, as a linguistic minority, or as a sexual orientation. This is very important, because we believe that democracy has to welcome minorities who were discriminated against until recently, but this hurts the gregarious will that requires a common denominator And these attacks to the system, is it the same as saying that democracy is sick? No, I would not say that. I do believe that democracy is brutally besieged, but the siege should make large institutions, such as UNESCO, take the time to think about what redesigns are necessary for democracy to continue this journey still unfinished. In Latin America there seems to be a perception that this system is limited to voting every five or six years, but existing data indicates that it remains a deeply unequal region, which does not respond to the needs of the majority of its citizens. Do you agree? The big question is how much inequality can democracy endure? And the second is how do we end these immense chasms of inequality that make people feel that democracy does not provide for their needs and become indignant with it and political elites. ? Because economic inequality creates the feeling of inequality of all kinds.

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Greater equality is the only answer? What I mean by this is that we should not stop at the ideals. We have to learn to respect ourselves, to tolerate ourselves, to understand each other, and to obtain benefits from these differences that initially scare us. It is clear that one way to measure a healthy democracy is in its ability to include minorities, granting them rights and opportunities. How else can a democratic society be measured? By its tolerance to conflict. I believe that disagreements can lead to conflict and then, sometimes, to violence. If one is able to tolerate it and know that conflict is an essential part of life, we will find ways to tolerate it more and more. A democracy that is capable of withstanding these social conflicts without falling into abusive dictatorial solutions is a good democratic society. Education and self-awareness of citizen’s rights are essential to strengthen participatory and inclusive democracies. Do you think that despite the problems mentioned above countries are moving in that direction? What is happening with the gender approach in schools and the distortion of the 'gender ideology' that wants to reverse some important advances in education in terms of human rights, is a worrying symptom. The former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, was recently asked how to improve the rule of law, and whether it can be able to protect us against tyranny. His reply was "the first five centuries are the most difficult, they take time". And today, with a system that seems to live in real time all the time, we have developed a terrifying rush to achieve things now. Sometimes we talk about these issues only as an obligation of the State, but there is also a responsibility of the individual. What elements have you thought of important to share in the upbringing of your children, for instance?

I have always tried to teach them that freedom and responsibility are not incompatible, and that one cannot exist without the other. I believe that what is essential in a human being is freedom, the sensation of it. The feeling that you, in front of the other, can continue to think differently if you wish so, without fear of any kind of censorship. I have tried to communicate this to my children and grandchildren. All of them, I believe, are great defenders of their own rights and those of others. Second, it is important to eradicate any racist scourge or discriminatory attitudes against those who are different. In my case, being a man from a different epoch, has not always been easy, but I`ve tried. A conversation will always be better when there is a will to move forward.

Democracy as a destination will always be a challenge. Dr Max Hernández

Max Hernandez is one of the leading intellectuals in contemporary Peru and a major personality in the Peruvian Psychoanalytic Society. He has been a British Council Scholar, a Ministry of Overseas development (U.K.) Fellow, a Wilson Center Guest Scholar, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Spain) Fellow, Fellow of the Society for the Humanities at Cornell University and of the World Academy of Art and Science. A psychoanalyst and historian, Dr. Hernandez has also been actively involved in cultural and societal matters of his native Peru. He was present in 1974 for the founding of the Peruvian Center for Development of Psychoanalysis. He was among the training analysts who formed the new Peruvian Institute of Psycho-analysis which was approved as a member of the Peruvian Psychoanalytic Society in 1987. ceo 2021 l Vol 3

NEWS

Top Finance Role at BME for Nadia Statham Nadia Statham has been appointed Financial Director of blasting and explosives company BME, a member of the JSE-listed Omnia Group. Joining BME in 2017 as Head of Commercial, Statham progressed to the position of General Manager Commercial in 2019 – becoming a member of the Executive Committee and playing a key role in customer and contract negotiations. “Despite the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic, this is an exciting time to be serving the mining sector,” she said. “Minerals remain vital to global growth, and I am looking forward to helping strengthen BME’s financial capability to drive our contribution and performance.” She highlighted that BME was on board Omnia’s strategic journey which included global expansion, innovative solutions, and trusted performance. She noted that her role would include bringing breadth to the financial role in the business, and opened opportunities to coach and mentor BME staff in the financial arena. A South African Chartered Accountant, Statham is an experienced finance and commercial executive with global and African exposure, having worked for over 12 years in the mining environment. She earned a BCom (Hons) and a Master’s degree in financial management from the University of Johannesburg. About BME Blasting and explosives company, BME is an integrated provider of safe, smart, sustainable blasting solutions – collaborating closely with customers and business partners to create value across the blasting cycle.

Nadia Statham,Financial Director at BME

Together with Protea Mining Chemicals, BME forms the mining division of the Omnia Group – a JSE listed diversified provider of specialised chemical products and services used in the mining, agriculture, and chemicals sectors. Formed over three decades ago on the strength of a new cold emulsion technology that has since become an industry standard, BME offers innovative products and services at every stage in the blasting supply chain. As a mid-tier, global manufacturer and supplier of explosives, related accessories and blasting services to the mining, quarrying and construction industries, its continuous improvement is driven by an agile, solutions-based approach. Its commitment to operational excellence ensures customers of fitfor-purpose solutions that optimise mining efficiency – delivered reliably through its secure supply chain. The company is committed to environmental social and governance (ESG) initiatives to underpin our sustainable strategies that protect life, sustain livelihoods, and leave a better world. BME’s footprint covers 17 African counties including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Swaziland, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, DRC, Sierra Leone, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Senegal and Eritrea. The company also has legal entities in Australia, Canada, Indonesia and the USA. For further information visit bme.co.za bmeexplosives.com ceo 2021 l Vol 3

EXCLUSIVE

FOCUSING ON AFRICA Published with approval from Mark-Anthony Jones CEO at JIC Holdings

Angola, a tourist destination to be discovered Angola's top tourist destinations just waiting to be discovered: From captivating coastlines to lush lands and wonderful waterways, Angola is realising its tourism potential. The team traveled some of the country's most amazing sites to give you a glimpse of what awaits to be explored. Drylands One of Angola's biggest attractions in the south west is the Namib desert. It runs from Angola, through Namibia, to South Africa’s Kalahari and is an impressive feat of nature. Local tribes live in the Angolan part of this desert and will happily show you their culture and heritage. For a unique place to stay after visiting the rich sands, ecolodges make a comfortable dwelling. For the more adventurous, this area also offers luxury camping or 'glamping' Wetlands After you let the sunset on the Namib desert, there's still plenty more to do. Heading further inland, there are unique fertile lands, waterways and wildlife. Cuando Cubango’s rivers flow into the OkavangoDelta, one of earth’s last wetland wildernesses. The National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project team has spent years building up a scientific picture of them. For conservationists, like Stefan van Wyk, Cuando Cubango is special. He tells us that he thinks he'll stay there for the rest of his life. "It’s just a very tranquil place and I see a lot of potential in this area for tourism", he explains. Angola 🇦🇴 is an AfCFTA member country

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Meet the 38 African Countries making the continent ESPECIALLY PROUD The African Continental FreeTrade Area (AfCFTA) is an agreement among African Union (AU) Member States who have signed and ratified the agreement, to create a single liberalized market. The combined African market (GDP) of the 55 Member States is valued at $3.4 trillion with a population of over 1.3 billion people, the majority of which are youths and women. AfCFTA represents a potential turning point for the African continent, as it could deepen, transform and accelerate intra African trade and consequently promote Africa’s global market position by unifying the continent under ONE voice. The establishment of a unified African market creates a cooperative and collaborative environment that facilitates trade, movement and overall accessibility to African markets, goods and services. Start of trading under the AfCFTA Agreement began on 1 January 2021. As at 1 September 2021, 38 out of the 55 Member States have deposited their instruments of ratification with the AUC. Two-thirds of Member States are now parties to the AfCFTA Agreement. “Universal ratification is closer than ever. We are building one African market”. Albert Muchanga, Commissioner for Trade and Industry, African Union Commission (AUC)

EXCLUSIVE

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Africa is first to take in Afghan refugees Uganda will take 2,000 Afghan refugees fleeing the crisis in their country. Refugees Minister Esther Anyakun said that President Yoweri Museveni agreed to take in the refugees at the request of the Americans. It follows the weekend’s lightning Taliban takeover and collapse of the federal authorities. The first group of around 500 Afghans are expected to land at Entebbe international airport in a few hours' time.

Once landed, Uganda will become the first African country to take in people fleeing the current crisis in Afghanistan. Uganda has a long history of hosting refugees and is currently home to more than one million people who have fled conflict or other disasters. Refugees in Uganda live in settlements or villages alongside the population. Some are given plots of land and allowed to work. Uganda 🇺🇬 is an AfCFTA member country

She added that the arrivals would be tested for Covid and enter quarantine. All logistics and costs will be handled by the US government.

Inside a US transport plane taking off from Kabul.

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Connecting Africa Burundi, Tanzania seek to raise $1.9 billion for railway project: BURUNDI and Tanzania revealed a plan to raise $1.9bn for constructing a railway line linking the two countries. Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (CCTTFA) Executive Secretary Dieudonné Dukundane said the project involved a 190km rail line that would link the Burundian city of Musongati to Isaka in Tanzania. According to the official, the objective is to facilitate the opening up of the country, while boosting mining exports via Tanzania, which has several ports, especially in Isaka. Banking on nickel, one of its main mining products, Burundi wants to improve mining exports by 47 per cent by 2027. "Now is the time to start fund-raising," Dieudonné Dukundane said, according to comment relayed by Bloomberg.

The railroad is part of a railway network that will enhance trade between Tanzania and its neighbours, particularly Rwanda and the DRC. The CCTTFA executive secretary says other member countries of the Central Corridor should prepare to begin without delay the construction of railway lines that will connect them to Tanzania. He believes it is an opportunity to boost the region's competitiveness. As a reminder, the agency was created on September 2, 2006 and includes Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and the DRC. Its mission is to ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Central Corridor Treaty aim at facilitating traffic transiting through DaresSalaam Port to the landlocked countries of East Africa. Ecofin Agency. Burundi 🇧 🇮 Rwanda 🇷 🇼 Uganda 🇺 🇬 are AfCFTA member countries

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EXCLUSIVE

Compact with Africa 2021 Merkel wants more investment in Africa, a “fair” distribution of vaccines: German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks with the leaders of 12 African countries that are part of the Compact with Africa initiative, some of which connected virtually at the Berlin summit. During the meeting, Merkel promoted economic cooperation with Africa and stressed the importance of containing the spread of COVID on the continent. She called for more German investment in Africa, especially in the renewable energy sector. “Africa has so much market potential, but we need to make better use of it,” Merkel said at the conference. The expansion of investments in renewable energies “is of enormous importance for us to achieve our global climate goals”, added the German Chancellor. Merkel said she realized during her travels in Africa that it was a “continent of opportunities and ideas” and a “continent with promising growth markets and with many, many young people engaged”.

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Moussa Faki, the head of the African Union Commission, congratulated Merkel on this initiative, telling TSWT that the outgoing Chancellor had succeeded in giving “a significant boost to Germany’s presence in Africa”. Control of COVID necessary for economic recovery The leaders also spoke about the COVID-19 situation in Africa. Merkel said keeping the health emergency under control was essential for economic recovery and that this would require increased global vaccine production and “equitable vaccine distribution”. The G20Compact with Africa was initiated under the G20 German presidency in 2017 to promote private investment into the African continent. Currently, 12 African countries have joined the initiative: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia. South Africa, which is a member of the G20, cochairs the initiative alongside Germany. Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 Côte d’Ivoire 🇨🇮 Egypt 🇪🇬 Ethiopia 🇪🇹 Ghana 🇬🇭 Guinea 🇬🇳 Rwanda 🇷🇼 Senegal 🇸🇳 Togo 🇹 🇬 Tunisia 🇹 🇳 and South Africa 🇿 🇦 are AfCFTA member countries.

EXCLUSIVE

Southern Africa hosts 41st SADC Summit in Malawi The Southern African Development Community (SADC) hosted the 41st Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and government in Lilongwe, Malawi. The summit which took place between the 17 - 18 August 2021 with a limited number to observe COVID-19 protocols. The summit was preceded by a Council of Ministers meeting that was held in hybrid format to limit the number of delegates attending physically, while others attended via virtual platforms. The Summit was held under the theme "Bolstering Productive Capacities in the Face of COVID19 Pandemic for Inclusive, Sustainable, Economic and Industrial Transformation". The Theme seeks to accelerate the implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030, in particular, the Industrialisation and Market Integration pillar. Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of Malawi took over the chairpersonship of SADC from Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of Mozambique who assumed the chairpersonship of SADC on 17 August, 2020 during the 40th SADC Summit.

The Summit will take stock of progress made in promoting and deepening regional integration in line with SADC's aspirations as espoused in the RISDP 2020-2030 and Vision 2050, which envisage a #peaceful, inclusive, competitive, middle- to high-income industrialised region where all citizens enjoy sustainable economic well-being, justice, and freedom. Among the key highlights of the 41st SADC Summit, the Executive Secretary of SADC Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax will bid farewell to the SADC Heads of State and Government after serving for 8 years and a new SADC Executive Secretary will be sworn in. Coincidentally, Dr Tax was sworn in as the SADC Executive Secretary at the 33rd SADC Summit which Malawi last hosted in Lilongwe in August, 2013. SADC Chairperson assures of his commitment to steer the implementation of the Regional Integration Agenda.

Mark-Anthony Jones CEO at JIC Holdings

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OPINION

Driving digital transformation in Africa by Bluegrass Digital CEO Nick Durrant Africa is leading the way in digital transformation, Bearing this in mind, ecommerce companies its unique socio- and geo- economic challenges has should consider various options around their led to innovation in mobile tech, mobile wallets and fulfilment of product and service delivery. cashless payment solutions. Businesses should take their lead from companies such as Makro who have included a click and With the current digital acceleration taking place collect option. Pargo allows ecommerce within Africa, multiple drivers have been identified companies to use them as a central drop off point as a necessary means to digitally transform, one of for click and collect capabilities. which includes managing rising customer expectations. African businesses need to recognise that digital transformation aids in developing insights into As the majority of companies are optimising their customers’ needs and wants, which will provide digital offerings, customers have increased their necessary data-led decision making to drive expectations of how well the brand that they’re digital transformation projects in the interacting with performs digitally. organisations. One can see this coming through in the customer sales through ecommerce - specifically in mobile and social commerce; where mobile payment options are giving more choice for the African customer. As a result, African customers are now examining functions such as user experience, speed, data security and so forth. If organisations fail to digitally transform their business activities, they are at a greater risk of losing customers. Africa has unique challenges and with consumers increasingly moving towards online channels due to the rise in ecommerce, businesses need to gather data through both channels to track and predict consumer purchasing habits to further improve conversion rates.

Where customer insights contribute to effectively identifying the needs and wants of your consumer base, it also allows the organization to personalize their product or service offering, hereby leading to a greater customer acquisition and retention rate.

African businesses need to recognise that digital transformation aids in developing insights into customers’ needs and wants, which will provide necessary data-led decision making to drive digital transformation projects in the organisations.

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OPINION

What does digital transformation mean? Digital transformation is not a single project or once-off process, it is a strategy which needs to be embraced by the whole organisation which will be implemented over time. Digital transformation refers to the integration of technology within the core business activities of the company in an effort to drive value and improve the delivery of their product or service. This means it will impact all key touch points in the business from sales, ops, administration, manufacturing, distribution, delivery and finance. It is a big opportunity for African organisations to embrace digital transformation to remain competitive in a global digital world and in some cases will allow them to accelerate and “catchup” with global organisations. African companies will benefit from digital transformation as this paves the way for greater employment opportunities, optimises company performance, and ultimately increases the bottom line of the company. The focus for CIOs The CIO role has come to the fore in recent years responsible for the management, implementation and usability of tech and information. They have become highly strategic assets that now drive innovation throughout the business influencing top and bottom-line growth. The overarching goal of digital transformation is to increase revenue, however it is also about preparing the organisation for the digital age. Under this umbrella, companies aim to improve the speed of their work processes through automation, and drive consumer satisfaction.

This is turn will contribute to the customer retention and conversation rate. Furthermore, digital transformation can improve collaboration efforts within the company and increase employee productivity levels. These are some key areas for CIO’s : Removing channels that no longer perform Driving the integration of data and insights into their product and service offering Promoting agile learning Establishing a cultural workspace which recognises that digital transformation adds to the work demands that are placed on employees and aims to address these challenges. This may constitute a change in management. Identifying the required skills and resources Benefits of digital transformation The benefits of digital transformation are not isolated to one project as it will impact various touchpoints over time as one implements the strategy. Of course, one will see improvements on a micro-level with some quick win initiatives which will start to impact the macro-level of a business. This can be seen through the pandemic where business was faced with a survive at all cost through changing how they work, how they find customers and how they drive their sales.

The overarching goal of digital transformation is to increase revenue, however it is also about preparing the organisation for the digital age. Under this umbrella, companies aim to improve the speed of their work processes through automation, and drive consumer satisfaction.

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OPINION

Some of the benefits include the following: Enhanced customer experience through a true omni-channel experience New digital and geographic sales channels Lower costs through automation Increased efficiency through automation Analytical insights of data and customer habits Better agility in order to respond to market or customer needs Promotes a digital culture within an organisation and supports innovation Maintains a competitive advantage

Challenges CIOs face many challenges with implementing digital transformation strategies in their organisations, but they can vary from industry to industry. Some of the key challenges that companies may encounter in implementing their digital transformation strategies include the following:

Choosing the right technologies Which technologies are important to digital transformation and how should CIOs go about identifying these technologies? CIOs are encouraged to invest in cloud technologies as this vastly improves the efficiency of company operations, as well as the productivity rate of employees. Furthermore, cloud technologies remain cost effective and increase the margin for flexibility, scalability and adaptability. Artificial intelligence (AI) is also integral to digital transformation, it automates company communication and generates analytics regarding consumer habits and consumer queries. Cloud can provide the computing power at scale in order to process data and power AI tools.

Employee pushback linked to change Unstable IT infrastructure as legacy systems cannot handle or deliver on specific requirements Shifting customer expectations means how one responds. It may require one to adapt faster Financial constraints as digital transformation requirements will be a significant capital investment for the future Insufficient employee skills with demand for IT skills and experience.

Bluegrass Digital CEO Nick Durrant

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Exclusive Feature

Finalists Announced

EXCLUSIVE

Announcing the Finalists Words Lynn Richards & Michelle York

We’ve missed the freedom of driving.... the sheer joy of the open road while listening to our favourite music, the fun and excitement that goes into planning the road trip to see friends and loved ones, the beautiful scenery along the way, the padkos and roadside picnics with the family, the "are we there yet's” from the back seat and looking forward to arriving at ouma’s house. And it doesn’t matter how old you are - it really always is a competition to see who sees the sea first on the way down to the coast… We missed baking cupcakes for the class birthday party, dropping kids off at school, crying while watching the school concert - because who doesn’t love a lobster in the school year end play. Meeting parent-friends at sport practice and watching the kids play sports, because let’s be honest nothing beats seeing the little rascals run around on the field having a blast (but not really knowing what the game is about). Taking the dogs to the park with their heads out the car window and the wind in their hair. Watching them frolic around the park chasing birds they can never catch.

If we’re honest with ourselves, what we really missed the most during lockdown was the sheer freedom of the drive. Getting up early to get on the road while listening to your favourite wacky morning radio presenter, singing to pumped up tunes at the top of your lungs on the way to the office. For some it was the only “alone time” of the day.. We are celebrating the exhilaration of being on the move, a reminder of our freedom, ultimately helping us to make memories for years to come. The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists proudly honours the amazing cars that make these memories possible every day. Announcing the nominees in each category, each a stellar work of auto manufacturing in their own right. Each creating new brand loyalty and excitement for car enthusiasts across the globe.

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EXCLUSIVE

BUDGET CARS A segment that has boomed over the last decade. Entry level passenger vehicles which are ideal for intown driving and are budget friendly. Buyers have always had to consider price, practicality and fuel economy over luxury or performance, but these budget cars certainly have more features than one would expect.

COMPACT CARS Primarily consisting of compact hatchbacks and crossovers, buyers expect quality, practicality, and comfort. While compact they offer performance and dynamic handling.

The Contenders are:

The contenders are:

The Hyundai Grand i10:

Hyundai Venue: An all-new, fresh version of Hyundai’s biggest seller in South Africa has arrived with style and flair,roominess,a comprehensive list of features and road manners that belies its compact size. The new Grand i10 really is a small car with a big

heart and makes a big statement.

Toyota Starlet: In 2019, Toyota and Suzuki announced a formal alliance between the two companies, in order to leverage each other’s strengths. The first product to come out of this brand alliance and make it to our

The all-new Venue with its bold and unique character might be small in size, but it is big on practicality and personality. It offers a unique, entrylevel vehicle for consumers seeking savvy design with an abundance of safety, convenience and connectivity features.

Opel Corsa: This sixth generation of the Opel Corsa is the Opel Corsa is one of the lightest vehicles in the segment, tipping the scales at a mere 980kg in its lightest form and has some of best-in-class

shores is the Toyota Starlet. The Starlet name dates back to 1973, staying true to the ethos of being a compact, efficient and value-focused product, the newcomer proudly revives the Starlet badge.

safety systems and driver assistance systems.

Suzuki S-Presso:

Suzuki Vitara Brezza: As every connoisseur will tell you, the best way to experience quality coffee is to remove all but the very essence and to concentrate the flavour in a short and very flavourful espresso. This is the inspiration,

behind the S-Presso a new urban SUV that condenses all the best Suzuki characteristics in a compact and affordable package.

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A big part of the global success of the Suzuki Vitara Brezza is its design and dimensions, which make it a nimble urban runabout with the ground clearance, ride height and interior space of a true SUV.

EXCLUSIVE

Toyota Corolla Sedan:

COMPACT FAMILY CARS Suitable for younger or smaller families, buyers in this popular category prioritise fuel economy, safety, practicality, and comfort. This competitive category fantastic contenders:

contains

First launched in 2019, the Toyota Corolla Hatch ushered in a new chapter for Corolla, one where arresting good looks, a dynamic drive and unrivaled

some

Peugeot 2008 SUV: Powerful and distinctive in style, the new 2008 PEUGEOT SUV t fulfills the ambition to turn over a new and remarkable page in the history of PEUGEOT SUVs. It shows that technology and pleasure are not incompatible and that a car has the power to amaze.

refinement featured in the key notes.

Kia Seltos: With its comprehensive specification and highly competitive pricing, the all-new KIA Seltos is set to not only offer customers exceptional choice, but also

Volkswagen T-Roc: The new crossover from Volkswagen brings fresh impetus to the compact SUV class and sets a new benchmark in the SUV segment with its functionality, dynamic handling and technology.

Mazda CX-30: Combining the bold proportions of an SUV with the sleek profile of a coupe, its styling is a sophisticated evolution of Mazda’s KODO design philosophy, while it’s spacious and versatile cabin ensures it has the practicality and comfort demanded by customers in this popular segment.

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exceptional value for money in the highly contested B-SUV segment.

Hyundai Creta: Hyundai has introduced a fresh new face in their local SUV range: the all-new Creta, with eye-catching styling, extensive features and driving capabilities that are bound to make it an even more popular choice in this very competitive segment of the South African car market.

EXCLUSIVE

FAMILY CARS

PREMIUM CARS

Dominated by SUVs and mid-sized sedans, vehicles in this category provide sufficient comfort and practicality for the needs of a modern family. Safety is a key requirement as is everyday drivability and adequate performance.

Prestige mid-sized to large vehicles featuring powerful engines, advanced technology and highend trim options.

BMW 4-Series:

Volkswagen Caravelle: In South Africa the TSeries, especially the legendary Kombi and Caravelle, have been the best-sellers for the past six decades. Now in its sixth generation, the Transporter range has sold around 12 million units worldwide.

Mercedes Benz GLA:

Audi A4: One of Audi’s bestsellers the A4 represents the core of the Audi brand – after four years in the making, the successful midsize Sedan is now tauter, sportier and more intelligent than before.

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The latest generation of the sporty two-door model for the premium midsize segment underscores its distinctive character profile with both a vehicle concept focused squarely on delivering dynamic driving pleasure and the clear differentiation of the coupé from the new BMW 3 Series.

Mercedes Benz E-Class:

Mercedes-Benz has taken the wraps off its biggest, most luxurious GLA to date, ensuring the entry-level model in the brand's successful family of SUV models rounds off its current compact-car generation in style.

The contenders are:

Mercedes-Benz launched a comprehensive facelift for its already stunning E-Class. Upgrades include a healthy facelift, with the front sections, in particular, being given a fresh look; a good dose of new technology, including the next generation of driving assistance systems and the MBUX infotainment system.

If we’re honest with ourselves, what we really missed the most during lockdown was the sheer freedom of the drive.

EXCLUSIVE

ADVENTURE SUV

PERFORMANCE

Leisure SUVs offering a combination of practicality and supreme 4x4 ability.

From the Performance car view, the sportier flagships of an existing passenger ranges or stand-alone models, the primary considerations are all-round high performance. Thoroughbred sports cars are also included in this category.

The contenders are: Land Rover Defender 110: Beside the luxurious and refined Range Rover family and the capable and versatile Discovery SUVs, new Defender completes the Land Rover line up. Not only is the new version driven by a passion and respect for the original, it also inherits the previous model’s naming convention. Available now in 110 guise, which gives a historic nod to the 110-inch wheelbase of the previous generation.

Hyundai i30N:

developed from the ground up to deliver maximum driving pleasure in everyday life on the road, as well as on the track.

Porsche 911 Turbo S: A Porsche Turbo is so much more than a model variant though: it is a principle. The harmonious design, which perfectly balances driving pleasure, dynamics and sportiness, is

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado The Land Cruiser Prado has established itself as one of the most accomplished offroaders on the South African market. While many SUV’s are bought for ‘curb appeal’, the Prado leverages its Land Cruiser DNA to deliver when the going gets tough.

Toyota Hilux: The latest iteration of Toyota’s revered ‘bakkie’, first launched in 2016 with an increased focus on technology, convenience, and comfort, while still retaining the traditional Hilux hallmarks of toughness and durability

The i30 N, revealed to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany, is Hyundai Motor’s first high-performance car under the N line up. Built on the New Generation i30, the i30 N has been

ideally suited for everyday use as well as the race track.

NEW ENERGY & PERFORMANCE CARS For those concerned about the environment This includes hybrids, BEVs, PHEVs and FCEVs for environmental awareness and harness alternate propulsion in part or in whole.

Porsche Taycan: A Porsche for the age of electromobility – this four-door sports saloon is a unique package, offering typical Porsche performance and connectivity while setting new standards in the fields of sustainability and digitalisation. ceo 2021 l Vol 3

REVIEW

Hyundai Creta: Fresh & Practical

by Carl Wepener

Hyundai has introduced a fresh new face in their local SUV range: the all-new Creta, with eyecatching styling, extensive features and driving capabilities that are bound to make it an even more popular choice in this very competitive segment of the South African car market. The new Creta comes in five derivatives with two specification levels – Premium and Executive. A 1,5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, a 1,5litre turbocharged diesel engine and a 1,4 turbocharged petrol engine are the power sources for the range. They are used in combination with a manual transmission, an Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) and a dual-clutch automatic transmission for the flagship Creta TGDI Executive. That was a brief description and it complies totally with the new Creta. The Creta is completely redesigned and it looks great. The exterior is modern and well-constructed. It is slightly longer and wider than its predecessor giving that needed extra space that makes it much more comfortable.

It is a visibly larger car than its predecessor and the smoothly creased hood lines and a voluminous body-coloured bumper and big, bold new grille helps to make a dramatic first impression. The neat, minimalistic facia of the new Creta's centre console and instrument panel is impressive and creates a tranquillity that adds to the enjoyment of the solid, smooth ride qualities of the vehicle. The infotainment system gives the essentials and is not cluttered with lots of functions that are rarely used. Its two-tone colour scheme makes for even crispier and classy looks that catch the eye. Although we have not had the chance to drive the Creta at night to see how effective its lights are, the headlights (halogen for the Premium derivative and LED for the Executives) take an unusual shape, with the daytime running lights above and on the side of the headlight cluster. Below them, the bumper houses the indicator lights and fog lights (for the Executive derivatives).

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REVIEW

I loved the red-accented seats but for the more conservative people seat trims are also available in grey and black cloth for the Premium derivative; grey and black leather for the Executive versions; and as said, black leather seat trim with red accents for the flagship Creta 1.4 TGDI Executive DCT.

Viewed from the side, the new Creta’s styling upgrade is impressive. It sports bold, almost square wheel arches that are accentuated by the design lines on the body panels above them. The 2-tone derivatives with their Lava-Orange-andblack and Polar-White-and-black colour themes are even more attractive as the black C-pillar and roof form a unit. The taillights of the new Creta repeats the design lines of the front end of the vehicle, with reverse lights located in the tidy black bumper. The attractive 17-inch alloy wheels on the Executive derivatives complete the picture. The Premium derivative comes with 16-inch alloys. Seven body colours are available in the new Creta range: Galaxy Blue, Lava Orange, Phantom Black, Polar White, Red Mulberry, Titan Grey and Typhoon Silver. As said the interior of the Creta is minimalistic. That being said, it is beautiful with its beautiful red accents on the very comfortable leather seats and modern looking air vents. I loved the flat bottomed steering wheel as it makes moving in and out so much easier. The steering wheel, with a flat bottom part, also sports red stitching in the leather cladding. I found the cabin is spacious both for front seat occupants and also for rear passengers, who benefit from added comfort in the form of a centre armrest with cup holders that fold out of the backrest for the middle seat in the rear bench. The driver seat’s height can be adjusted, and the telescopic and height adjustment of the steering creates a very comfortable driving position.

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There is a number of convenience features that stands out. A multifunction steering wheel with remote control buttons for the infotainment system, trip computer and cruise control and a wireless charging pad (in the Executive derivatives) are two of the many convenience features found in the new Hyundai Creta. The button for the Bluetooth telephone connection on the steering wheel enables the driver to make calls using voice recognition. Furthermore, the Apple Carplay and androidauto connectivity of the infotainment system with its 8-inch touch screen enables the driver or passengers to select several functions through voice commands. I have found that connecting to the system with Bluetooth is fairly easy and easy to use. Apart from the infotainment USB connection in the centre console, the new Creta has a handy extra 12V power socket, as well as a USB charging socket and storage place in a very useful console for the rear passengers. This console also contains rear air vents for Creta’s manual air conditioner. The only gripe I have, and that is with most SUV manufacturers, is that with the back seats folded down the loading space is not completely flat thus hindering its true packing potential as anything on the seatbacks move backwards. New engines, Continuous Variable Transmission Three new engines are used in the all-new Creta range in South Africa: A naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine with a 1 497 cc displacement; a turbodiesel 4-cylinder, with a 1 493 cc displacement; and a turbocharged petrol engine with a displacement of 1 353 cc.

Hyundai has introduced a fresh new face in their local SUV range: the all-new Creta, with eye-catching styling, extensive features and driving capabilities that are bound to make it an even more popular choice in this very competitive segment of the South African car market.

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REVIEW

The engines are mated in different combinations to either a 6-speed manual gearbox, a conventional 6-speed automatic transmission, a new 6-speed Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) that uses a chain belt and pulley system with an increased gear ration span, or a 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). All derivatives are driven by the front wheels. The 1,5-litre naturally aspirated engine powers the entry derivative, the Creta 1.5 Premium (sixspeed manual transmission), and the Creta 1.5 Executive with the new IVT. This engine delivers 85 kW peak power at 6 300 r/min. and 144 Nm maximum torque at 4 500 r/min. The new turbodiesel, which pushes out 85 kW peak power at 4 000 r/min. and 250 Nm maximum torque between 1 500 and 2 750 r/min., delivers power in the Creta 1.5 Executive Diesel, coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The new 1,4-litre turbocharged petrol engine is reserved for the flagship derivative – the Creta 1.4 TGDI Executive with the 7-speed DCT and a twotone exterior colour finish. This engine delivers 103 kW peak power at 6 000 r/min., and 242 Nm maximum torque between 1 500 and 3 200 r/min. Among other improvements, Hyundai has equipped the new 1,5-litre petrol engine with two injectors per cylinder and applies advanced valve timing, called Middle Position Lock CVVT, to improve efficiency. In the case of the turbodiesel, the cylinder block’s weight has been trimmed by 5 kg and power output and fuel efficiency improved by a new fuel injection system. Ride, handling and suspension Driving the Creta on the open road is a pleasure as it is firm, yet comfortable with great road manners. It makes any journey enjoyable and even on gravel roads, the Creta handles very well. Manoeuvring the new Creta in the city and in tight spaces is made easy with the rear park assist sensors and camera, which displays its view on the infotainment system’s screen.

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The McPherson strut front suspension and coupled torsion beam axle (CTBA) for the rear wheels have been tuned to give the new Creta a solid, surefooted feeling on both road surfaces. The CTBA, which includes trailing arms and carriers on which the rear wheels are mounted, offers improved compliance characteristics that are noticeable when the Creta encounters a mountain pass or a bumpy road. I was amazed at how quiet the Creta is with very little noise levels, be it road, wind or engine. Vibration and harshness (NVH) have also received attention through increased body rigidity along with safety-critical structures with the expanded use of industrial-strength adhesives that augment spot welds. Revisions to the engine mounts and redesigned intake/exhaust manifolds also played key roles in reducing NVH levels and lowering specifically acceleration noise. Safety features were not neglected in the new Creta and except for the normal features of front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, and two curtain airbags that offer protection for rear passengers too are now part of the new Creta Executive derivative’s safety package. Side and curtain airbags are not included in the Premium derivativ. ISOFIX child seat attachments are standard in all derivatives, as well as 3-point inertia-reel safety belts with pretensioners. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ensures control even in difficult road conditions, while a tyre pressure monitoring system gives an early warning should a tyre run flat. Another luxury safety feature is Hill-start Assist Control, which holds the car for a few seconds on an incline to pull away without roll-back.

REVIEW

The pricing of the new Creta range at the time of writing is:

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OPINION

by Vishnu Singh

A Tale of Two GS’s... (The 2021 update)

There is certain flamboyant joie de vivre to the raw outdoors. Whether it’s riding gravel road less traversed or scouring the countryside for obtusely rare views of isolated scenery. The lifestyle that accompanies this natural freedom allows one a sense of grandness while and the vastness of the open vistas reminds us of our own insignificance. BMW transformed the landscape of outdoor adventuring (pun intended) by releasing a series of Wunderbar bicycles from way back in the 80’s, which also alludes to why the majority of GS riders are over 40 or, they used to be. That is changing. The technology, functionality and aggressive marketing of the brand has dominated this once scarce segment and has forced other manufacturers to stand up on their pegs (another pun intended) and spend some cash on attempting to garner a larger chunk of this dirt pie.

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KTM has made significant strides towards this with their rapid 1290 Super Adventure. Honda, too, has doggedly released one Africa Twin after another. With all the classy finesse that Honda usually lathers upon their other bikes, one keeps hoping they focus a bit on looks and roadside appeal, or maybe that’s just me that feels it resembles a myopic unsteady insect whose beak was clipped. BMW celebrated 40 years of stomping all over the other biking brands in the two-wheel segment of camel man type adventure (pun) by releasing a golden black edition that could not be more Indian had I designed it myself. It has gold mags or I should correctly say spokes, yellow hand grips and stripes, need I say more. Either way, it looks road ready to star in a Bollywood off-road extravaganza.

OPINION

Let me state that although my long-time sociopathic friend and riding buddy used to head the Swartkops Riding academy, I was never one for the dirt and dust accruing in hard to clean places. When this launch invite was accepted, little did I know that my brief sojourn into the world of biking was going to be sorely tested with not only frozen winds but bouts of muddy hell that kept me flinching and holding on as lightly as my weathered mind would permit. The X- shaped headlight change on the facelifted models merges seamlessly with BMW’s Xdrive SUV and car-related market, or perhaps I’m connecting coincidental dots. Either way, it offers homage to the rugged capabilities of the modern two-wheeled transport genre that can pack enough luggage and comforts to almost make it worth my while. Throw in a female companion, then we may have a deal. The GS Adv easily trumps the standard GS in my not so capable dirt riding opinion. In our 3000 km of wet, sticky and unyielding gravel, perhaps it was not that long. The standard GS was as slippery as a sardine evading a granny in a sari in Tongaat in slightly less than ideal situations. Whereas the GS Adventure planted itself stably with consummate ease and devoured the dirt trails that were thrust upon us. Like the poor sardine’s fate, once it was caught and thrown into the masala. The broader tank can be slightly intimidating at first, but rest assured its extended range and capacity eases one’s nerves when the closest fueling stop is the north face of a traumatizing trial.

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Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross: Sporty & Competitive 58

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by Carl Wepener

REVIEW

The new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is an Eyecatching SUV that has a refreshed styling, dynamic shield design, enhanced technology and dynamic performance. The Eclipse looks a lot better than its predecessor and I must say that I enjoyed the overall experience of driving. Road holding, cornering and ride quality is very good and there is an extensive list of standard comfort and safety features that enhances value-for-money offering. With the introduction of the second-generation Eclipse Cross, Mitsubishi Motors is promising to disrupt the highly competitive compact sportutility vehicle (SUV) market. The newcomer is not only a game-changer for Mitsubishi Motors in terms of the competitiveness of its SUV line-up, but is a segment breaker in the market with its sleek, sporty design and SUV capabilities. The Eclipse Cross is a compelling value proposition for customers, considering the quality and value it offers. “Through dynamic performance, spirited design and progressive technology, the new Eclipse Cross is crafted to ignite passion. It will inspire customers to be bold and to break away from the norm,” explains Nic Campbell, general manager of Mitsubishi Motors South Africa (MMSA). The exterior is striking and modern. As mentioned, there is an extensive list of features and some of those include, improved practicality, proven performance, impressive safety credentials, enhanced technology and connectivity, and greater value for money. Why do Mitsubishi say “Striking exterior design”? It has a vibrant styling that expresses a fresh sportiness and stylishness, while the sharply sculpted character lines make a bold statement on the road. Its design is a balance between the sporty wedge shape of a coupé and the practicality, space and comfort of an SUV. Apart from lending the Eclipse Cross an adventurous character, this creates a sense of undeniable sophistication.

With an increased length of 140 mm, the Eclipse Cross has evolved from being muscularly agile to sleekly athletic. In addition, Mitsubishi’s “dynamic shield” concept gives it an expressive dynamic front face, while new details such as twin oval headlamps contribute to a decidedly high-tech image. Thank goodness the rear has evolved from the previous shape and the split rear tailgate window has been replaced by a sharply sculpted hexagonal design with a single piece of glass. The rear boot end has also undergone a styling change, boasting a sportier look. The rear lamps now have a distinctive threedimensional Y-shaped design, and extend upward and inward elegantly to follow the shape of the outside of the tailgate glass. Additional exterior features include electrically adjustable foldaway mirrors with indicator light, projector LED headlights with levelling device, daytime running lights (DRL), dusk-sensing headlamps, front fog lamps, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, front and rear park distance control, rear spoiler with high-mounted stop lamp, front bumper skid plate, 18-inch alloy wheels and roof rails. The interior is sporty, stylish, practical and comfortable. The sporty design enhances the overall ambience of the interior with an extensive selection of features. “Spaciousness is one of the greatest strengths of the new Eclipse Cross. Finding a comfortable driving position is easy thanks to electric seat adjustment, now standard for both the driver and passenger seats, whilst maintaining plenty of head and legroom for all occupants,” says Campbell.

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REVIEW

The longer length of the body also means a larger boot capacity of 437 litres, increasing to 1 074 litres with the rear seats folded flat without compromising on the spare wheel tyre size. It does however make for a high loading sill. Other interior highlights include Smartphone-Link Display Audio (SDA) featuring Android Auto and Apple Car Play mirroring, trip information, fuel consumption data, vehicle health indicators and air-conditioning comfort display settings. Other onboard customer functions are the new premium Mitsubishi power sound system, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, multi-function leather steering wheel with audio and cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity with hands-free voice control, practical paddle shifts, electric windows front and rear, central locking with an auto door lock, fully automatic air-conditioning with rear passenger vent duct, comfortable and wellsupporting leather seats, electric seat adjustment for driver and front passenger, heated seats up front, 60/40 split rear seats, accessory sockets and USB ports. I have found the Eclipse to have good performance, smooth acceleration and very responsive to input. The new Eclipse Cross will be offered in two derivatives. Both are front-wheel drives and feature a continuously variable transmission (CVT). There are two engine options, the first being Mitsubishi’s latest 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. It delivers an impressive performance of 110 kW at 5 500 r/min, with 250 Nm of peak torque on tap between 2 000 r/min to 3 500 r/min. This powerplant is coupled with an eight-step automatic INVECS-III CVT gearbox which supports smooth, powerful acceleration and outstanding fuel efficiency. The second engine option is the 2.0-litre MIVEC DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine which uses a multipoint fuel injection system and offers 110 kW of power at 6 000 r/min and peak torque of 198 Nm at 4 200 r/min.

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REVIEW

The new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is an Eyecatching SUV that has a refreshed styling, dynamic shield design, enhanced technology and dynamic performance.

REVIEW

Coupled with this engine is Mitsubishi’s six-step INVECS-III CVT. It delivers effortless acceleration from any speed, slick gear changes and a smooth ride, and because it keeps the engine at optimum performance at all times, fuel efficiency is enhanced. Fuel consumption while tested came down to 7.6 litres per 100kms. Safety is always crucial and the Eclipse have impressive safety credentials. Like all Mitsubishi models in South Africa, the new Eclipse Cross boasts a full complement of advanced active and passive safety features. These include reinforced impact safety evolution (RISE) body construction, seven airbags, sideimpact protection bars, ISOFIX child seat anchors, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with brake assist (BAS), Electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), active yaw control, hill start assist (HAS), active stability and traction control (ASCT), electric parking brake with an auto-hold functionality, electronic power steering, antitheft protection, keyless operation system, rearview camera and Impressive technology and connectivity. Mitsubishi Motors Intuitive Technology (MiTEC) is an integrated system of innovations working in unison to guide, protect, alert, connect and even entertain. One of these is the head-up display (HUD), which reflects relevant vehicle information in full colour on a glass panel above the instrument cluster for easy viewing. The image brightness and display height can be adjusted to suit driver preferences and time of day, and the screen is equipped with auto-retract functionality. “Of course this improves safety – something that is at the core of Mitsubishi Motors – as drivers do not have to take their eyes off the road,” adds Campbell.

The new Eclipse Cross also features the addition of a Smartphone-Link Display Audio (SDA) system. Connected to the vehicle’s eight-inch display and using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, it facilitates access to a smartphone’s compatible apps to get directions, make calls, send and receive messages and listen to music. I must confess I could not get the Bluetooth system to connect to my phone. Enhanced with the latest premium Mitsubishi power sound system, the Eclipse Cross promises to make each journey a memorable one. The new Eclipse Cross range is priced aggressively, starting from R459 995 for the 2.0 GLS derivative and R499 995 for the 1.5t GLS offering. Considering the host of added features and benefits over the outgoing model and the marginal price difference, the new Eclipse Cross positioned to cement its place as a class-leading compact SUV. “When one considers that the Eclipse Cross has a strong SUV heritage and represents all the best attributes of the Mitsubishi brand, this makes it stand out amongst vehicles that offer affordability and very little else. Here you have a unique, high-quality vehicle that is packed with standard features and offers exceptional value for money too,” Campbell enthuses. Enhancing the value proposition is a threeyear/100 000 km warranty, a five-year/90 000 km service plan and five-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance. Service intervals are set at 15 000 km. “Since its launch in South Africa in 2019, the Eclipse Cross has cemented its place as one of the pillar models for Mitsubishi and has contributed immensely towards the growth of the brand over the last 12 months. The latest 1.5t offering with an eight-step CVT transmission is in a class of its own and has been received well in the market. We are looking forward to the introduction of the all-new Eclipse Cross, which we are certain will add further success to the brand,” concludes Thato Magasa, managing director of MMSA. Driving the Eclipse is an enjoyable experience that I enjoyed and the Eclipse is enjoyed in traffic on open roads and even on gravel.

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