SAPCC Newsletter Nov - Dec 2022

SAPCC Host 7th Annual Gala and Business Excellence Awards

Ten top businesses and entrepreneurs were recognised at this year’s SAPCC premier event showcasing the high level of success and diversity in the Portuguese and Luso-South African business community operating in South Africa.

The Houghton Hotel played host to SAPCC’s 7th Annual Gala Dinner and the SAPCC Absa Business Excellence Awards on Saturday, 5th November 2022. The Annual Gala and Awards are the highlight of the SAPCC business calendar and the premiere social event of the year!

It was a glittering event attended by 300 guests, including the Ambassador of Portugal, Manuel Carvalho, EU Ambassador, Sandra Kramer, Chief Director: Invest SA, a division of DTIC, Ambassador Sadick Jaffer, Consul General of Portugal, Graça Fonseca, Portuguese Trade Councillor and Director of AICEP

SAPCC EVENT

Portugal Global, Guilherme Lopes, Absa Regional Segment Head Commercial: Gauteng and Limpopo, Jolene Grobler, Head of Absa Wholesale, Retail & Franchise Division, James Noble, and Members of EU Chamber. The guests included the celebrated award winners, Chamber Board members, sponsors, SAPCC members and guests, influential community leaders and business executives, joined to celebrate honouring the worthy recipients.

The SAPCC members were thrilled at the return of the annual event after a pandemic pause. The Chamber was unable to host its annual awards dinner in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The warm Latin sound of Miguel Pregueiro greeted guests as they arrived at this glittering event. This year he was assisted by Kitty and Bellabot, the 2 server and hospitality robots from CTRL Robotics, one of the evening’s award winners. Guests interacted with the bots and Kitty appreciated a few scratches behind her ears before collecting and distributing more canapés.

Co-Masters of Ceremony, SAPCC directors Rui Marto and Pedro Pereira instantly charmed the audience with their comedic start, while navigating the evening’s programme. The rapport between them was contagious and entertaining.

and South Africa in Lisbon, Speaker Event with Moeletsi Mbeki in collaboration with various bilateral chambers, the Women in Business panel event co-hosted by Sasfin, the SAPCC FNB CEO Dialogue panel event and the SAPCC participation in the EU Golf Day.

The SAPCC continued its membership of the EU Chamber of Commerce. The SAPCC nominee director, Rui Marto is its current Chairman. The role of the EU Chamber is to bring together and co-ordinate EU bilateral member chambers and EU companies on jointly identified topics with a view to developing a EU-wide approach and advocacy.

SAPCC continues its close relationship with the Young Adult Portuguese Society (YAPS), whose chairman is part of the SAPCC board, as part of its commitment to the integration and support of the Portuguese and Lusodescendant youth in SA. Pereira further announced the upcoming launch of the Chamber’s new website with its advanced features that will further benefit members.

Co-Masters of Ceremony, SAPCC directors Rui Marto and Pedro Pereira

Rui and Pedro presented the highlights of the SAPCC’s 2022 events calendar. These included the SAPCC’s participation at the Portugal Exportador in Lisbon, Economic Seminar in collaboration with the Portuguese Consulate and the Portuguese Trade and Investment Agency, Multi-Chamber Speed Networking Event, Sasfin Power Hour with David Shapiro, visiting and supporting SAPCC members at Nampo, SAPCC’s participation in Trade and Investment Seminar in Porto with Deputy Minister Alvin Botes to coincide with his visit for the 7th Session of Bilateral Consultations between Portugal

For the first 5 years, he was a key figure in the growth and development of the Chamber. He also made

Special tribute for SAPCC founder member Raul Martins by Tony Rebelo

the Portuguese community including Lusito and the Sociedade Portuguesa de Beneficência (SPB). A special Tribute Award was presented to his wife, Lucilia Martins.

Our guest speaker was Head of Absa Wholesale, Retail & Franchise Division, James Noble. He expressed that Absa was proud to be the headline sponsor and to be associated with this prestigious event celebrating entrepreneurial excellence. He gave us insight of Absa’s achievements and its latest developments. Absa is actively looking for new technologies and expertise that will support entrepreneurs to face the challenges of 4IR. The Portuguese community plays an important role in the South African economy as one of the communities that has had a huge impact on the creation of employment, poverty alleviation and has contributed positively to the benefit of the country.

The EU has historically been South Africa’s main trading partner and the biggest source of foreign direct investment (FDI), representing 40% of SA’s FDI. European investors in Southern Africa, represent approximately 2,000 companies with and estimates 300,000 employees, inclusive of Portuguese companies operating in SA.

This was followed by a speech from EU Ambassador, Sandra Kramer. She highlighted the importance of Team Europe and its contribution to the SA economy.

Ambassador of Portugal in South Africa, Manuel Carvalho delivered his farewell speech. The customary 5-year diplomatic rotation will soon see Ambassador Carvalho leave our shores for another continent. The Ambassador provided a moving summary of his 5-year tenure. He has indeed shared an important part of SA history. South Africa is a country with great diversity

The Ambassador also had high praise for the work of the SAPCC. The Ambassador has been a great supporter

Head of Absa Wholesale, Retail & Franchise Division, James Noble

EU Ambassador, Sandra Kramer

Ambassador of Portugal in South Africa, Manuel Carvalho

A special Tribute Award was presented to Lucilia Martins by Tony Rebelo

SAPCC EVENT

of the SAPCC and participated and collaborated with the Chamber in various events. The Ambassador’s full speech appears later in this publication.

After dinner the awards were presented. 10 awards were presented in different categories to the top businesses and entrepreneurs of Portuguese or Luso-South African origin. The award categories are New Business of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Business of the Year – under 20 employees, Business of the Yearunder 100 employees, Large Business of the Year, Family Business of the Year, Tech Innovation Award, International Business of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award. The winners are announced separately in this edition.

As each winner was announced, a video interview was shown showcasing each one’s business achievements and why they were worthy winners. Congratulations to all the winners. After the presentation of first five awards there was a musical interlude with a sizzling performance by local Portuguese talent, Miguel Pregueiro.

The evening came to a close with a surprise draw sponsored by SAPCC premium members TAAGAngolan Airline. TAAG Regional General Manager, Diane Chung drew the name and announced the lucky winner, Ricardo Ribeiro, entitling him to 2 free tickets to any destination flown directly by the airline. It was a double win for Ricardo. Happy travels.

Thank you to our headline sponsor Absa Bank. Thank you to our gold sponsors Rangel Logistics, TAAG Angola Airlines, KIA Retail, Troyeville Hotel and our silver sponsors XL Novo Mundo Travel, Casa das Natas, Leroy Merlin, The Venue, Houghton Hotel and Leroy Merlin. A special thank you to Zita De Abreu and her team at 360 Link for organising and managing this event. Thanks to CTRL Robotics for the interaction with Kitty and Bellabot.

Thank you to Portuguese Forum Newspaper & RTP International Hora dos Portugueses for their coverage of the event. A big thank you to all the winners, guests and all those that worked tirelessly to organise this prestigious event. Finally, a thank you to the SAPCC team including the Board, Raquel Simoes and Rui Fragoso.

Ricardo Ribeiro (middle) was the lucky winner of the TAAG draw receiving his prize from Regional General Manager, Diane Chung and SAPCC director, Rui Marto

SAPCC EVENT

Winners Announced of the SAPCC Absa Business Excellence Awards 2022

The winners of the SAPCC Absa Business Excellence Awards 2022 were announced at the SAPCC’s glittering 7th Anniversary Gala and Awards held at the Houghton Hotel, Johannesburg on 5th November 2022. The Awards are held annually to recognise and celebrate outstanding success and excellence by Portuguese and Luso-South African businesses and entrepreneurs contributing to the economic vitality and social fabric of South Africa.

10 awards were presented in different categories to the top businesses and entrepreneurs of Portuguese or Luso-South African origin. The award categories are New Business of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Business of the Year – under 20 employees, Business of the Yearunder 100 employees, Large Business of the Year, Family Business of the Year, Tech Innovation Award, International Business of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The winners were announced by the joint Masters of Ceremony, SAPCC directors Rui Marto and Pedro Pereira. As each winner was announced, a video interview was shown showcasing each one’s business achievements and why they were worthy winners.

The winners are:

NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: BSI Football Academy (Zeca and Eurico Marques) presented by EU Ambassador, Sandra Kramer and SAPCC Director, Anabela Diogo

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR: Laura Ferreira – House of Lucent presented by SAPCC Directors Anabela Diogo and Ricardo de Freitas

Congratulations to all the winners. We are most proud of your achievements.

BUSINESS OF THE Y EAR – under 20 employees: Eurosaf (Roberto and Miguel Teixeira) presented by SAPCC Director, Anabela Diogo and Consul General of Portugal, Graça Fonseca

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR: Raul de Lima presented by Absa Regional Segment Head Commercial: Gauteng and Limpopo, Jolene Grobler and SAPCC Director, Anabela Diogo

SAPOR FAMILY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: Da Rocha Interiors (Daniela Da Rocha and Ricky Souto Maior) presented by SAPCC Director, Anabela Diogo and Sapor Director Michelle Badenhorst

TAAG INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: Rangel Logistics Solutions (Tiago Pocinho) presented by TAAG Regional General Manager, Diane Chung

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR – under 100 employees: Strata-g Labour Solutions (Jennifer de Mata, Roxanne Goncalves, Tertius Wessels) presented by Chief Director: Invest SA, a division of DTIC, Ambassador

LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: Rosond (Ricardo Ribeiro) presented by Head of Absa Wholesale, Retail & Franchise Division, James Noble and SAPCC Director, Anabela Diogo

C2 GROUP TECH INNOVATION AWARD: CTRL Robotics (Steven Pinto) represented by Ricky Jericevich e Richard Chemaly presented by Cornelia Holzhausen from C2 Group and SAPCC Director, Anabela Diogo

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Manny de Canha presented by SAPCC Director, Anabela Diogo and Ambassador of Portugal, Manuel Carvalho

Speech by Ambassador of Portugal to South Africa Manuel Carvalho

Presented at the SAPCC Gala and Business Excellence Awards

Dear friends and programme directors, H.E. Ambassador of the European Union, my dear friend Sandra Kramer, H.E. Ambassador Sadiq Jaffer, my dear friend and colleague in Saudi Arabia– we are honoured to have you here with us.

Dear EU Chamber board members, dear SAPCC Board members, especially Mr. Rui Marto e Pedro Pereira, sharing the stage tonight, dear colleagues from the Portuguese team in SA, esteemed guests celebrating South Africa, Portugal and business between the two, in special the representatives from Absa Bank.

Portugueses, caros amigos, caros Conselheiros da Comunidade, caros Comendadores, caros líderes associativos, caros empresários, caros amigos na língua portuguesa.

It’s good to be back in presential mode., to be in this beautiful room, full of beautiful people.

Let me start by congratulating SAPCC and its Board for the work they do in promoting the economic linkages between South Africa – a major power and economy in Africa – and Portugal – a proudly European country that has travelled the World. We are part of the World and the World comes to us, it is in us: recently remarks were made about the fact that another European Country – alas, not in the EU – for the first time ever has a Prime Minister of Indian origin; well, in Portugal that has been the case for many years and it’s totally a non-issue.

The World is in us.

Africa lies for us just over the horizon and Portuguese have been in Africa since 600 years ago. We are part of the continent and this explains the sizable community we have in South Africa.

Let me salute from here all the Portuguese and Portuguese-descendants in this country. We have been traders in Africa for many centuries. SAPCC and its members drink from that tradition of Portuguese entrepreneurship. Let me salute that entrepreneurial spirit gathered in this room.

Let me also greet from here all our South African, European and other friends that are with us tonight. And let me salute in special Rui Marto for his role and contribution as President of the EU Chamber of Commerce in South Africa. We’re proud Europeans and we’re proud of you.

I’ve been almost 5 years in this beautiful, exciting, vibrant country, South Africa. I used to say that I was the new dawn, I landed at OR Tambo on 16th December 2017, just as ANC was having its Elective Conference. I’m coming full cycle.

Zuma was President. I saw President Zuma announce the Zondo Commission. I witnessed 7 editions of the SONA. On the first, I went to Cape Town with one President, and I left with another.

I saw Ramaphoria and how that made the Rand shoot against the US Dollar: in February 2018, the Rand went highest, at 11.55 for one Dollar; now you have to pay around 18 Rands for one USD. And I saw GDP growth rates go up and down.

I saw personalities disappear from the scene, some may reappear in orange overalls.

I saw a former President be detained for contempt of Court. I saw Justice functioning, I saw institutions functioning, I saw free and fair elections, even during COVID.

I saw the resilience of this country facing down the pandemic. I saw top-notch Science coming out the labs in South Africa, sequencing and sharing with the World two of the viral variants – do you remember Beta and Omicron?

I saw society coming together facing the many challenges: I saw the triumph of Democracy over the insurrection in July 2021. I saw the agitated politics and the response with peaceful elections. I saw the response to the terrible KZN floods in April 2022.

That was all truly inspiring.

But, have no doubt, there are serious challenges to be tackled in view of a better life for all, including to reduce poverty, inequality and unemployment for a truly non-racial society, that belongs to all South Africans and in which all South Africans belong, as President Ramaphosa once said.

For that, higher economic growth is indispensable. Nelson Mandela reminded us that “Democracy will have little content, and indeed, will be short lived if we cannot address our socio-economic problems within an expanding and growing economy.”

Unfortunately – and I’m drawing from the Finance Minister’s sober presentation of the mid-term budget (MTBPS) a few weeks ago in Parliament – several longstanding structural impediments make that South Africa’s economy has underperformed for many years. These impediments include:

• unreliable electricity supply,

• costly and inefficient ports and rail network,

• crime and corruption,

• weak state capacity, and

• high levels of market concentration and barriers to entry that suppress the emergence and growth of small businesses

These challenges undermine the efforts to create jobs, aggravating the high levels of poverty and inequality.

And on top of all of this, we have external challenges: as we were coming out of the pandemic we were struck by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and all its reverberations. And climate change. And terrorism. And…

But it is also the resilience that I alluded before that gives me the confidence that this country has the capability to continue defeating the doomsayers that have been proven wrong for so many years. And Portugal and the Portuguese community here will continue to support the efforts for that better future.

Meanwhile in Portugal, we continue to strive to build a better future, offering opportunities to all, rewarding the enterprising and creating an even more open society.

After the COVID downturn, the economy resumed growth above the Euro area, at 4.9% in the third quarter of 2022, compared to the same quarter in 2021. Unemployment is at around 6%, tourism is recovering again, we have been repeatedly acknowledged as one of the most attractive destinations, one of the safest, one of the most welcoming.

And we’re a Mecca for golf players.

The sun, the waves and the wind also contribute: not just to tourism, but also to turn on the lights, powering our economy. For many years now, steadily over 50% of our electricity comes from renewables, without the light flickering. This didn’t come out of the blue.

My country was the first in the World to assume – back in 2016 – the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. In May that year, Portugal ran for four consecutive days on renewables alone. Since 2005 we reduced Greenhouse Gas emissions by about 22%. With the additional measures in the current National Energy and Climate Plan (PNEC), we should attain 45% to 55% reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions in 2030, compared to 2005, thus exceeding the target of 30% currently in force. By 2030, Portugal aims for 47% of renewables in the final energy consumption; at least 80% of renewables in electricity generation.

Progress isn’t linear, results vary year by year, literally according to the weather. In 2015 in the EU, Portugal had the fourth highest incorporation of renewable electricity with 44.6%, after Denmark (50.2%), Austria (62.6%), and Sweden (72.1%). The share of renewables in electrical output came to almost 60 % in 2021, but the figure dropped back to 40 percent this year because of a brutal drop in hydro-electric power resulting from a historic drought – an effect of climate change in itself, perhaps.

Despite this, the Portuguese Government doesn’t believe we need to change course. We’re weathering the storm relatively well: tapping more of domestically generating renewables means more energy independence: and that is a strategic advantage. Even as Europe faces challenges

that make some others momentarily return to coal, we have shut down the last coal-power plant in November 2021.

The established capacity in renewables allows Portugal to have become an occasional exporter of energy and to be at the forefront of the Green Hydrogen revolution, aiming to be one of the EU´s principal green hydrogen producers, in part through the reconversion of the port and industrial estate in Sines. The area is being transformed into an export-oriented, wholly new industrial sector, in partnership with the Port of Rotterdam. And this helps in eveningout the intermittency that is a problem when deploying renewables on such a massive scale.

We’ll be sharing this with the world in the upcoming COP27 in Sharm elSheikh. And we’ll be present at the South African Green Hydrogen Summit in Cape Town at the end of this month, also to share our experience in the green hydrogen adventure. As one of the most advanced EU members on the green hydrogen projects development and more generally speaking on the renewable energies transition, Portugal can have a meaningful conversation with South Africa, especially now that the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan was unveiled.

Bilateral links between Portugal and South Africa are growing healthily on the economic front, on a broader sense.

Portuguese exports of goods to South Africa in the first eight months of this year reached 174.1 million euros, an increase of 32.5% compared to the same period last year – the fifth largest increase in exports to SA among the EU27 members. Vehicles and Machinery represent our two main categories of exported products to this market, while even stronger growth is registered in areas like food products, footwear and homeware products – showing the higher recognition of the "made in Portugal" label in South Africa. And we will continue working to bring to South African store shelves more and more diversified Portuguese products, notably whenever a lack on the local offer is identified.

South African exports to Portugal have also increased in the same period by 37.8%, accounting for 141.7 million euros. Citrus, Cereals, Fish and Sugar are more than 70% of South African exports to Portugal. My country represents one of the major entry points into Europe, especially for South African agricultural and fisheries exports.

Looking at investment flows, in June 2022 the South African investment stock in Portugal totalled 333.4 million euros, an increase of 25.0% compared to June 2021; while the stock of Portuguese investment in South Africa in the same month reached 104.6 million euros, an annual increase of 8.7%. We have about 25 Portuguese major

companies present in the South African market, among which Amorim Cork, CR Moldes, Frulact, Mota-Engil, Rangel, Sodecia and Sonae-Arauco, along with the three banking representations respectively of CGD, MilleniumBCP and Santander Totta. And then, there are all the locally based companies, many of which are gathered in this room, under the SAPCC umbrella.

South Africa is our 4th biggest economic partner in the African continent. And we want to go further and continue deepening and diversifying our trade and investment bilateral relations, so as to continue supporting each other on the path of progress and growth.

We also want to contribute to the rebirth of some South African historical industries by sharing our experience with local authorities. For instance on footwear, we are nowadays the third biggest European producer and we believe that the positioning of our offer on the market is very close to the one South African industrials are aiming to achieve. This is why we recently brought to Portugal a small delegation of South African journalists that, beyond visiting different manufacturers, had also the chance to visiting some footwear-related institutions, as the Portuguese Footwear Technological Centre and the Professional Training Centre for the Footwear Industry, that we believe represent virtuous models of added value and knowledge development that can contribute to the modernization of the production techniques and sustainability practices in this industry.

South Africa is also the largest platform for business support in the subcontinent, from logistics to banking, from legal services to human resources. The country certainly has the best road network in southern Africa, the largest ports and airports and the best railways. The internet exists and works almost all over the country and the passage to 5G is beginning. It is a start-up platform that can complement what is happening in Portugal (the Web Summit took place in the past few days in Lisbon). And it can be a turntable for our economic interests in southern Africa, articulated with the approaches we make with our more traditional presences in Portuguesespeaking countries – particularly if we better tap the entrepreneurial potential that resides in the many tens of thousands of Portuguese who live and work here and who are essentially a reservoir of skills, Portuguese language and culture and attuned to life in southern Africa. Including many members of SAPCC.

Bilateral links between Portugal and South Africa are also growing healthily on the Political front.

We had in June 2022 a Political representative from DIRCO in Portugal. Deputy Minister Alvin Botes was in Portugal for the 7th round of political consultations, resuming the regular pace after a gap of too many years. And we hope to have the Portuguese President and Prime Minister in

June next year in South Africa, for a bilateral visit and to celebrate with the Portuguese from here our National Day. That will be a further boost to the friendly relations between our countries. And in the meantime, we are discussing dates for a visit to Portugal of the SA Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.

And I could go further. But I won’t today.

After almost 5 years in this exciting country, normal Diplomatic rotation will soon take me to another continent.

In those years, we discovered this great, big country. Also with my wife, I went to all the nine provinces, mostly driving our car, incognito. We found Portuguese spread far and wide all over South Africa. We saw a country of enormous contrasts and problems deriving from the apartheid past, but to which the policies followed in recent decades have not always been able to respond.

It is a country where there is endemic violence, as we unfortunately know; but it is a country where these challenges are managed, as you can see by the general flow of life and by the observation of the many convertible cars and expensive motorcycles circulating without any protection – to enjoy the excellent climate that the country also has. Pretoria wouldn’t be the second largest diplomatic capital in the world (with more than 140 resident embassies, only surpassed by Washington) if it didn’t have a high quality of life. And I cycle to my gym in Pretoria.

Going away is part of my profession. Joining the “I’m Staying Group” is not an option for me; but I must confess that it’s also with a little sadness that I’ll be leaving South Africa behind.

In any case, I’ll keep the country in my mind, in my memory and in my heart. The magnificent landscapes, the wide open spaces, the African sunsets, the wildlife and safaris, the diving with sharks in the Durban coast in the depth of your seas, the snows on the mountain heights on the Sani Pass on your eternal mountains (as the anthem goes), the unique cities, the monuments, the cultures, the cuisine, the sports and, above all, the people: the many friends we’ve made here.

In that sense, I’ll be staying indeed – or, you’ll be coming with us.

To the SAPCC, to the gathered friends in this group let me say that you have also created those bonds that won’t break, even as I’ll be boarding a plane on a one-way ticket.

For that, let me finish with a loud MUITO OBRIGADO. And let me say that I’ll be crying the beloved country.

SAPCC Participate in European Chambers’ Golf Day

On the 18 October, 9 European Chambers of Commerce, including the SAPCC participated in the Third Annual European Chambers’ Golf Day held at the Randpark Golf Club. The event drew a full field of 200 players. The day was a huge success combining golf, networking and friendship.

The golf was followed by the prizegiving dinner. Events such as this contribute to the unity and friendship between the European Chambers who often collaborate in various business events. The dinner was attended by various ambassadors, trade councillors, members of the board of the chambers and chamber members.

The SAPCC 4-ball teams entered were from Sasfin and XL Novo Mundo Travel. Thank you for your participation.

We thank the SAPCC sponsor Hanlie Burger and Sunskin.

We thank the participation of the various VIPs, the other partner Chambers, all the sponsors, players and guests for making this a very special event. A special thank you to Claudine Vandenabeele and Nikitta Vogl and teams.

The participating chambers included the SAPCC, Belgian Chamber of Commerce Johannesburg, Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the Republic of South Africa, Italian-SA Chamber of Trade and Industries, Business Ireland Southern Africa, Nordic-South African Business Association (NSBA), SA-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, French Chamber and British Chamber.

Portugal intends to enhance its community in South Africa

In this sense he indicated the National Programme to Support Investment by Portuguese Communities Abroad, which seeks to "channel assistance and incentives so that these entrepreneurs may also invest in Portugal", noting the Portuguese Communities Aboard Investor Meeting to be held from 15 to 17 December.

The Secretary of State, who will meet with Portuguese entrepreneurs from the fisheries and fishing industry said that their desire for more interaction between both Governments to set up sector partnerships is "a win-win perspective".

Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, Paulo Cafôfo

"Our communities abroad always end up being a bridge between two Governments and we need to foster our community’s credibility and notoriety to tighten the ties between both countries and (…) there is an interest for this to happen", he claimed.

The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities visits South Africa from 8 to 12 November, his first official visit to the country to reach out to the Portuguese community. Following Cape Town, Paulo Cafôfo will be travelling to Durban, Johannesburg and Benoni, ending his trip in Pretoria.

https://www.portugal.gov.pt/en/gc23/communication/newsitem?i=portugal-intends-to-enhance-its-community-in-south-africa

By Tony de Gouveia – Psychologist*

The Holiday Mental Health Guide - How to stay sane during the “silly season”

In TR oduc TI on

Tony de Gouveia

The Festive season that we are shortly entering now, rather than being a source of happiness and goodwill, can for many people be a source of sadness, depression and anger. Often we associate the holidays with terms like magical, childlike, “merry and bright”, but that is simply not the case for many.

The holiday season can

stir up a lot of unresolved emotions and feelings. For example, if a someone has lost a loved one, the holiday season may bring back feelings of grief and loss.

cAuses

This undesired toxicity during the festive period can come from three main sources:

• firstly, at a physical level, due to Alcohol, lots of unhealthy food, long distance travelling and too much exposure to the sun, your body may be exposed to additional toxins which could put you on the defensive for the rest of the year;

• secondly, at a psychological level, many people may be exposed to the annual round of toxic family relationships which arise during the desired “togetherness” of the family season. Many can probably relate to the toxic uncle, aunt or in-law who literally spoil the entire holiday experience by some of their nasty way of interacting with you specifically. You may be exposed to the following personality profiles ie the “Controller”, the “Victim”, the “Tyrant”, the “Drama Queen”, the “Denier”, all of whom take their toll on their psychological victims ie family members like yourself;

• thirdly, at a level of expectations, as in the example cited above, the person feels “out of sync” with their the (their) prevaling environment, causing a feeling of disorientation and depression.

sTAT s on men TA l d I so R de R I nc I den T s/ TR ends du RI n G T he s I lly se A son

The above situation may develop to such an extent that some people contemplate and some commit suicide during the festive season, a trend which is often picked up on by the popular media, suggesting a “ spike” during the festive season. The research, however, according to the Psychology Today magazine does not tend to bear this out. According to the U.S. Centre for Health Statistics, the suicide rate in the USA is highest between April and August. The months of November, December, and January actually have the lowest daily suicide rates. A survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) uncovered some interesting data about the holiday blues.

• While the majority of people in the survey reported feelings of happiness and love, and high spirits over the holidays, those emotions were often accompanied by feelings of fatigue, stress, irritability, bloating, and sadness.

• Thirty-eight percent of people surveyed said their stress level increased during the holiday season. Participants listed the top stressors: lack of time, lack of money, commercialism, the pressures of gift-giving, and family gatherings.

• Surprisingly, 56 percent of respondents reported they experienced the most amount of stress at work. Only 29 percent experienced greater amounts of stress at home.

• Another poll of more than 1,000 adults by a global investment company — found that 53 percent of people experience financial stress due to holiday spending, despite the fact more than half set budgets for their holiday spending. These concerning statistics suggest that we need to develop a strategy which includes the following items to deal with this paradoxically demanding time of the year:

10 WAys To B e AT T he h ol I dAy Blues

• Accept the fact that you could feel sad or lonely, particularly if this is your first Christmas without a lost loved one. Plan to celebrate their life in a way that is meaningful for you: go to church, make a scrapbook, play their favourite music - but in a time frame that is reasonable and not demanding.

• Remind yourself that Christmas depression (like many stressors in life) is temporary and will be gone once you are back into a familiar routine - however, if you are feeling depressed most of the time, both pre-and post-Christmas, you need to get professional help.

• Watch what you eat and drink (i.e. nutrition): a glass of wine is a pleasure but over-drinking or bingeing can aggravate depression and eating sugar and carbohydrates in excess will only make depression worse.

• Have a positive attitude and try not to worry about things that are beyond your control (refer here to the well-known “Serenity Prayer”).

• If you have unresolved family issues, you may choose not to spend Christmas with your family this year. Tell

family members well in advance what your new plans will be; or, if you have obligations you can't get out of, consider limiting very clearly the time spent with them.

• Only spend what you know you can afford. Many financial media experts offer advice in this regard. If your finances are shaky, thoughtful and handmade gifts can often offer more pleasure.

• Remember to exercise as usual: a few extra minutes a day can benefit your overall health. Yoga, Tai Chi or meditation and stretching exercises can help. Get plenty of rest, and keep to your usual sleep pattern each night.

• You may decide that you don't want to get involved with the usual round of Christmas services, parties and meals. If so volunteering your services is an option; hospices, hospitals, children's homes and animal welfare charities all need extra help over Christmas and New Year.

• Increased positive contact is still preferable. Although you may want to be alone, you may feel better if you try to take part in some activities you previously enjoyed with your family and friends. Try to avoid situations that may result in negative feelings.

therefore, need to preferably “lie low” or only participate minimally in the festivities- a tall order for those lacking in self-control and discipline.

• Regardless of the fact that we should "feel jolly and happy" over Christmas, many people are going to feel depressed and flat. - (South African Depression and Anxiety Group)

Avo I d I n G RI sks A nd R el A pses du RI n G T he “s I lly se A son”

Alcoholics, Drug addicts and Gamblers need to view the festive season as “code red- high alert” because of all the potential “triggers” found in their abundance during this period- parties and festivities which provide plenty of opportunities (risks) to imbibe alcohol, cigarettes, dagga and other substances or to go to the nearest casino for a “lucky strike”. Such persons,

Here there seem to be two main strategies, firstly to realistically adjust your expectations wrt possible outcomes during the holiday and secondly, setting boundaries aound what is acceptable behaviour by family members towards you and exercising the option of “time-out” should those boundaries be crossed ie withdraw from the scene and calmly, in a civil manner, explain your reasons for doing so. This will prove to be a challenge to many.

c onclus I on

On a final note and to repeat an earlier point : there is a difference between the holiday blues, which typically go away when the holiday season ends, and more severe (Clinical) depression, which lasts longer and interferes with activities of daily living. If the holiday season passes and you're still feeling depressed or anxious, it's best to consult with a mental health or medical professional.

*Tony de Gouveia is a Clinical Psychologist and Resilience Coach in Private Practice at the Akeso and Life Brackenview Clinics in Alberton. He is the founder of the Positive Psychology Group (PPG) in Johannesburg and has made numerous presentations on the topic of Positive Psychology and Resilience.

http://tonydeGouveiaPsychologist.webs.com

T RAvel TI ps fo R TRAvell I n G To G e T he R WIT h A pART ne R

Portugal has the second highest percentage of women inventors in Europe

Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Elvira Fortunato

creativity, associated with high resilience and persistence".

The study analysed the patent requests submitted from 1978 to 2019 by countries in the EPO and concluded that Alentejo is the European region with the greatest percentage of women inventors (34.9%).

Another datum with substantial impact is the percentage

of women inventors in Portuguese higher education institutions and public research institutions: 36%, almost double the European average of women inventors (19.4%).

However, the number is reduced in the private sector, in which only 19.4% of patent requests were submitted by women. This is a trend the Minister wishes to reverse by promoting the strengthening of relations between the scientific system and the corporate ecosystem, "which should foster better integration of PhD holders in non-academic contacts and benefit the translation of knowledge to society".

Elvira Fortunato intends for "doctoral scholarships in a non-academic environment to represent at least 50% of the total of new scholarships granted" by 2027.

Despite the positive results, Europe still needs to foster gender equality with regard to developing innovation, given that there are generally less women in charge of inventor teams

For the president of the European Patent Office, António Campinos, "prompting women in science and innovation is still a huge challenge for Europe and, yet this is a key factor in its future sustainability and competitiveness".

Source: https://www.portugal.gov.pt/en/gc23/communication/newsitem?i=portugal-has-the-second-highest-percentage-of-womeninventors-in-europe

Succession: It’s hiding in your business

By Allon Raiz*

of the most important lessons he has learned using a sequence that mirrors the typical stages of any entrepreneurial journey – from ideation through to scaling a business.

Succession seems like such a grown-up term – something you would hear in the corridors of a large corporate or a family business. But, for all other types of businesses, it is a word that is unfortunately not spoken about more often.

Allon Raiz

Over the past 20 years, Raizcorp CEO Allon Raiz has learned many tough lessons and overcome many entrepreneurial challenges. He has also had the privilege of learning from the journeys of over 13 000 entrepreneurs who have passed through Raizcorp. In a series of articles which SAPCC will be sharing, Allon shares some

The typical startup is built by an entrepreneur who commonly has one of three objectives. The first is to build a business to sell and make a handsome profit. The second is to build a business to run, a business to generate enough income and dividends to make the entrepreneur significantly wealthy while retaining ownership, thereby providing them with a home and a place to express their passion and vision on an ongoing basis. The third is the family business, a

“build-to-hand-down” model in which the entrepreneur’s kids or other family members are groomed over time to take over the business (this normally happens as an outright purchase or a phased sale or handover of shares over a protracted period of time).

In the case of the build-to-sell business, there is little thought about succession mainly because there is no need. It’s more about building a replicable system and team that is competent and able to run the business with a new owner. In a build-to-hand-down business, succession is part of the narrative of the business over many years, the end goal itself.

But, in a build-to-run business, there is often little to no thought about succession until it is too late. Early thinking about succession in this type of business is a lesson many entrepreneurs approaching retirement wish they had learned earlier.

The reality for the majority of businesses is that no matter what the objective was when starting out, they are battling to make consistent profits and, as a result, their businesses are not really worth much. With an essentially valueless business, how can you even think about succession when there is nothing worthwhile for a successor to take over?

When you ask a build-to-run entrepreneur about their endgame, they often look at you blankly and try to avoid answering the question. The idea of selling their “baby” is something they don’t want to contemplate. Even though they know that inevitably a time will come to sell, it is something they would rather deal with “when the time comes.” But when the time does come, there is likely to be nothing to sell and millions of Rands of potential capital will be poured down the drain.

In an ironic twist, simply introducing the concept of succession to the entrepreneur in a build-to-run business is what actually gives it the highest chance of becoming successful and valuable.

Let me share two stories. The first is about a build-to-run entrepreneur who built a publishing house with two great products, both of which relied entirely on him to keep up to date. When he approached me to invest in his business, I realised that there was no succession in the business. I was not going to run that business so I proposed that together we find a young entrepreneur to groom to take over the business and sell it to them over time. In other words, we needed to manufacture the succession. As the idea evolved, he became more anxious about his baby and pulled out of the process. So strong was his inability to let go that he effectively let go of millions of Rands in the process.

The second story is my own build-to-run business journey. In 2014, my business went through a significant

leadership and management crisis. As part of solving this crisis, I reached out to many of my fellow entrepreneurs and mentors for advice. One of them asked me, “What is your succession plan?” I was confused because I had come to him for advice on the vacuum of real leadership and management in my business. He then moved from advice mode to telling mode. “You need to see your middle management, not your senior management, as your succession plan. Spend the next ten years building the competence of your middle management. They are your succession plan.”

My mentor is an investor and he went on to say that he never buys or buys into a business that has weak middle management. In his experience, it is the strength of the middle management that determines the value of a business.

“Why not senior management?” I asked.

“Even if your senior management lands up purchasing the business or part of the business from you in a management buyout, they will rely on your middle management to continue delivering results. If you only start thinking about building your middle management at that point, it will take another five to ten years to build properly. By then, you might not have five or ten years and you certainly won’t have the same amount of energy that you have now. Start building your middle management now!”

And that is exactly the lesson I have followed. I have spent a huge amount of my time investing in process and systems to support my middle management, and I continue my journey in hand-picking and pruning them. As a result, the business is performing better than ever, and its value has never been higher.

Before this point, I had never thought about middle management in terms of succession. In fact, I had never thought about succession at all. And, even though I still don’t have any inclination to sell my business, I now have that option if I so wish – either to an external party or to my management team.

So, the lesson is simple – Invest in building your middle management now and you will, by default, build your succession plan.

*About

Allon Raiz

Allon Raiz is the CEO of Raizcorp. In 2008, Raiz was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and in 2011 he was appointed for the first time as a member of the Global Agenda Council on Fostering Entrepreneurship. Following a series of entrepreneurship master classes delivered at Oxford University in 2014, 2015 and 2016, Raiz has been recognised as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School.

Follow Allon on Twitter: www.twitter.com/allonraiz

ENDEREçOS ÚTEIS

SAPCC

11 Smith Street, Bedfordview, South Africa

Tel: +27 11 616 6420 • email: admin@sapcc.co.za

Advertising on newsletter / Website: Rui Marto - rui@sapcc.co.za

membership / General: Manny Moutinho - admin@sapcc.co.za www.sapcc.co.za

AICEP Portugal Global - África do Sul Trade and Investment Agency 599, Leyds Street, Muckleneuk, Pretoria Tel: +27 12 341 2340 email: guilherme.lopes@portugalglobal.pt www.portugalglobal.pt

Embaixada de Portugal em Pretória www.embaixadaportugal.org.za

TOME NOTA The SAPCC wishes you a Prosperous and Entrepreneurial 2023

SAPCC MEMBERSHIP

How the SAPCC can raise the profile of your business

KEY BENEFITS of membership are:

• Create networking opportunities

The chamber’s most fundamental mission is to generate more business activity for its members. The chamber initiates business-to-business commerce and more opportunities for networking and connecting local business.

• Increase your visibility in the community

As a new member of the Chamber of Commerce, you will be listed for free in the chamber e-newsletter (1/3 page banner), website and social media.

You also can grow your business by advertising with the chamber and sponsoring events. Our Business Excellence Awards also attract much publicity for the finalists.

• Gain a voice in government Through the SAPCC’s representation in the EU Chamber of Commerce, the chamber takes on the tough issues and opposes new legislation.

• Receive chamber newsletters Newsletters provide new member information, interesting information about operating a local business, articles about the local community, a community calendar and details about up-andcoming chamber events, among other things. I attach latest newsletter for your interest.

• Advertising Opportunities

There are advertising opportunities for your business at discounted member rates on our website and newsletter.

• Assist SAPCC in providing job and business opportunities for portuguese youth.

• Discounts or special offers made to members from other members or third parties.

OUR BANKING DETAILS ARE:

Acc. name: SA Portuguese Chamber of Commerce Bank: Mercantile Branch code: Bedford Centre / 450 205 Account nr. 1050 6652 79 (Cheque account) Ref: [Your name] / Membership