Terra Nova Conservation Services has evolved through the development of a number of game reserves within South Africa over the past 20 years and offers a complete range of conservation and risk related services to the tourism and insurance industry.

Their objective is to create a better understanding and improved management of any asset (reserve, wildlife and infrastructure) which in turn reduces exposure to risk at all levels.

SATIB Insurance Brokers have strategically aligned with Terra Nova in order to provide our clients access to these exceptional services.

Terra Nova’s underlying philosophy is one of responsible and ecologically sensitive development, supporting the local environment and conserving and maintaining natural resources. Their affiliation with the Wilderness Foundation is testament to this philosophy, experience and track record within the industry.

Services include:

• Wildlife & Environmental Consulting
• Wildlife Development Plans
• Wildlife Business Plans
• Wildlife Management Plans
• Ecological Assessments
• GIS Mapping
• Environmental Impact Assessments
• Environmental Management
• Environmental Auditing
• Wildlife Land Acquisition & Development
• Game Reserve Development
• Eco-Tourism Development
• Reserve Management
• Reserve Security
• Wildlife Veterinary
• Game Capture & Translocations

Their preferred approach is to work closely with our clients through all phases of a project to ensure that the initial objectives are met and at the end of each phase there is a tangible result that can be taken forward.

Terra Nova have successfully completed many environmental studies as well natural resource and development management projects all over Africa, the Indian Ocean Islands and the Middle East.

In order to access these services please contact SATIB Operations:
Andre du Toit
E : adutoit@satib.co.za
C : 082 44 61697

Lately we have experienced claims coming in whereby staff have driven client’s company vehicles without permission only to damage or worse still, write off the vehicle whilst under the influence or without possession of a license.
 
In terms of your policy, in order for cover to prevail to you must prove to the insurer that in the normal course of their business that they have procedures in place to ensure only licensed drivers are permitted to drive the insured vehicles. If you do not have procedures in place then there is no cover in terms of the motor policy.
 
We need to reiterate the huge importance in avoiding this situation. The Insured needs to make sure that unlicensed staff members are not able to gain access to these vehicles for this very reason. Insurers will not pay out claims resulting in incidents like this.
 
Some suggested procedures could be:

• Keep keys in a central place - the person needing to drive signs the key out and keys are locked away at night
• Key individual/s (KI) are allowed to keep keys and anyone wanting to drive has to request key from KI
• Keep copies of the driver license of all authorized drivers (this should be standard practice already and used in addition to point 1 and 2)

We hope these simple and easy to implement suggestions are of use to you and your operation.

Dear Client

We are excited to announce that, in our drive to lead best practice incident management in Africa, we will in the next few weeks upgrade our Africa Incident Management Centre phone infrastructure.  With this upgrade come the following benefits:

Improved voice quality during emergency calls

• Improved call redundancy
• Virtual conferences, such as video conferencing and group voice calls, are enabled.
• Improved security measures to protect confidentiality
• A more efficient call recording system.

Extremely important to note is that this may have an effect on the numbers that you are currently using to access the SATIB24 facility. 

Extremely important to note is that this may have an effect on the numbers that you are currently using to access the SATIB24 facility.

Please carefully read the following to ensure your staff have the right number to phone in the event of an emergency.

1. By now, all clients should be using the 0861 SATIB24 number (08617284224). This number will not be changing, and the upgrade will have no effect on this whatsoever. This should remain your primary number.

2. As your back-up numbers, some clients may be using the number 011 287 2009.

This number will be falling away with the system upgrade.

If you are currently using this number as the primary number, you must replace this with the 0861 SATIB24 number.

3. As back-up numbers you should have the following cell phone numbers: - 082 347 8648 - 079 888 8220 - 082 775 1914 4.

We will advise of a replacement number to the 011 287 2009 number just prior to changeover.

This number should only really be used if you are accessing the Africa Incident Management Centre from outside South Africa.

Note that the present emergency number is still operational and we will inform you in due course as to when the new number will be in use.

Please read our tips to ensure a successful update to your emergency numbers.

TIPS TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL UPDATE TO EMERGENCY NUMBERS

1. Check your Emergency Response Plan, or whatever Emergency Procedures documents your organization has. Make sure all the numbers are updated.

2. Publicise the change of numbers with staff through internal emails, in staff meetings and in management meetings.

3. Update any public notices containing emergency contact numbers, e.g. on staff noticeboards. Remove any reminders of the old number.

4. Update any other documentation that might have emergency numbers in it, e.g. induction information, departmental procedures, and so on.

5. Make sure your reception and management staff, particularly, are familiar with the numbers, and that they know your emergency procedures.

6. If you have made number changes, test the numbers to make sure that they work.

7. Have a few ‘dry runs’ with staff to get them used to using the new number.

SATIB highly recommends Livingstones Supply Co. as a supplier to help you replace what was lost.

Livingstones Supply Co has setup a special quoting and preparation division to attend to Flood damaged properties, the main focus will be in working closely with Loss adjusters, owners and SATIB to ensure quick efficient resupply of goods and services.

We will make every effort to match product to what has been lost and to ensure quality parity. Pricing will be at special wholesale rates so we encourage you to make use of this offer and contact us.

We have a full spectrum of products that have been thoroughly “tried and tested” , ranging from Beds & Linen, Fridges & Freezers, Cutlery & Crockery, Glassware, Wooden chairs & Tables, Handheld Radios, Lanterns, Hot boxes & Cooler boxes and Gas Ovens / Stoves.

With a background of 23 years retail and hospitality experience, we strive to be industry leaders and a benchmark in wholesale for the hospitality industry.

Please check our website for further information www.livingstonessupplyco.co.za.

Or contact us at: Headoffice  - 011 802 5800/1
Email: info@livingstonessupplyco.co.za / orders@livingstonessupplyco.co.za

 Please note: This special offer is exclusive to SATIB clients only

Now more than ever, South Africa is experiencing more and more destructive, natural disasters. South Africa has experienced floods and fires across the country and it is affecting more and more people and businesses.

Are you confident that the insurance you have on your buildings and assets are accurate? If your building was damaged would you have sufficient cover to be able to replace assets, rebuild or repair damaged buildings without putting further strain on your business?

Having a comprehensive Insurance Valuation done will give you peace of mind that if a disaster does strike, you have sufficient coverage to get you back on your feet and your business up and running with as little hassle as possible.

It is of utmost importance that you update the Building Insurance Value of your Lodge or other buildings on a regular basis. A premium increase or decrease is the least of your concerns. Being under-or over insured can have major financial implications with hundreds or millions of Rands at stake.

Regular means at least every two years, if market trends were stable and not influenced by any market increase or recession. In a stable market, replacement cost values increase between 8% and 12% per annum. But in view of property boom periods, values usually increase above norm and this will influence building costs upwards and you may end up being under-insured.

Building costs are mainly influenced by premise types, fixtures, fittings, finishes, locality, environmental aspects, market conditions, competitive products and contractors, and most importantly – time. There are risk factors such as lightning, fire, thatched roofs, gas piping, occupant ratios, crime, floods, etc, all being factors which might cause expensive damages.

As you may be aware, the new Companies Act came into effect earlier last year. One of the key aspects of the Act is that Directors and company officers will be held more accountable for their actions than previously.

Based on this new position, it has become increasingly important for us to recommend to our clients that they consider some type of liability cover for company directors. One of SATIB’s premier underwriters has cautioned that companies could face damaging litigation because Directors and officers will be held accountable for not only negligent actions but also for breaches in their fiduciary duties.

It is therefore our strong recommendation to our policyholders that they consider some form of liability insurance to protect them against such actions. Until 1st of April 2011, only listed companies purchased personal liability cover for their Directors but now, any Director of any company may face legal action, even if he or she owns the business in its totality. As Section 218 (2) of the new Act states, “Any person in contravention of any provision of the Act is liable to any other person for any loss or damage suffered by that person as a result of that contravention.” This means that if a Director’s actions are considered as an intervention of the Act, both shareholders and any other person who has been prejudiced has the right to pursue legal action.

It has been noted that even if duties are performed with absolute care and due diligence and no negligence has occurred, disgruntled plaintiffs could still institute actions against the Directors which could result in substantial legal fees. One significant change in the Act is that negligence is now included as a liable action. Directors must ensure that they obtain all of the relevant information needed to make informed business decisions to avoid being held liable for such decisions. If knowledge is lacking, experts or consultants should be accessed.

Other key changes in the Act that need to be noted are that Director’s duties will now be codified and they cannot plead ignorance of duties as a defense. Class actions will also be permitted, meaning that consumer organisations and trade unions can bring actions against companies on behalf of members and consumers.

We would like to urge our clients who consider themselves vulnerable to contact their account executive to discuss Directors’ and Officers’ Liability cover. This type of cover protects the interests of company decision makers (Directors, officials, managers and supervisors) by managing risks, providing defense and investigation costs and awards for valid claims. Wrongful acts, errors and omissions, misstatements, misrepresentation and negligence are covered, but willful acts are not.

Please contact your account executive if you have any questions or queries regarding the above – they can be reached on 0861 SATIB 4U (728 4248).

The introduction of the revised Companies Act and the advent of the King III Code on Corporate Governance has necessitated that companies review their insurance cover, specifically with regard to Directors and Officers insurance.

Accountability
Increased accountability serves to make the general public aware of companies’ workings. It also serves to heighten awareness for the rights of recourse the public can take against a business and its stewards when a situation has not been conducted in a responsible and ethical manner.

Directors and Officers (D&O) Insurance
Because of this heightened accountability, the personal risks for business owners and reputational risks for the business itself are significant. The good news for businesses and their stewards is that these risks can be lessened through comprehensively structured business liability insurance options, specifically Directors and Officers insurance.

William Croxton of SATIB Insurance Brokers says, “At its roots, D&O insurance insures ‘behaviour’ in that the decisions of directors and officers are the matters that often lead to claims. That is, an incorrect decision often leads to public and/or shareholder discontent and, thus, a lawsuit against the directors and officers who made the decision. Even innocent errors in judgment by executives will bring D&O insurance to the forefront of the matter; especially because most "D&O" claims are settled before going to trial.”

Overview of D&O Insurance

• It covers damage or defence costs in the event of a lawsuit against a company for alleged wrongful acts by the directors or officers.
• This business liability insurance coverage can also extend to defence costs arising from criminal and regulatory investigations/trials. Often, civil and criminal actions are brought against directors/officers simultaneously.
• Local D&O insurance encompasses two predominant clauses, commonly known as Side A and Side B:
  Side A deals with the personal liability of directors and officers
  Side B addresses a company’s reimbursement where the organisation has indemnified the director or officer.

Other Business Related Insurance Products

Buy & Sell

• All businesses have a unique set of financial requirements which need to be managed in times of crisis. Buy & sell agreements can help as they provide a legal document, which ensures that the business is not thrown into disarray if one of the stakeholders dies or is permanently disabled.
• Buy & sell agreements preserve the continuity of business ownership. They are designed to protect the shareholding of the partners or owners by providing the remaining shareholders the funds to purchase the shares of the deceased or disabled partner.

Key Person Policy

• A key person policy is life cover that is taken out by an employer to insure the life of a key individual within their organisation.
• This key person would be someone within the business who significantly enhances profitability.
• This cover ensures the continuation of the business should this key person pass away or become permanently disabled.
• It does this by providing bridging finance to replace that person without suffering financial losses, absorbing business disruptions, and funding the recruitment and training of a suitable replacement.

Personal Liability

• Businesses incur debt and shareholders generally have to sign surety for these, which creates certain business and personal risks.
• Personal liability insurance provides cover for any sureties that have been signed by business stakeholders in the event of their death or disability.
• This cover also protects the business and the estate from creditors by settling the debt and allowing the business to operate without the burden of potentially catastrophic debt.

Personal Life & Disability Cover

• As a responsible partner and parent, it is important to be prepared for every eventuality, even death and disability.
• Your family’s standard of living could suffer in the event of death, disability or dread disease of one or both of the breadwinners.
• Personal Life and Disability cover provide the funding needed to continue supporting your family if you are unable to work due to illness or injury and it ensures that major debt items such as home loans and car repayments do not cripple them financially.

Retirement

• After a lifetime of hard work, retirement should be about enjoying a relaxing and well-deserved break but it can become a distant dream if the retirement funding that has been put in place is insufficient and basic needs cannot be met.
• Retirement cover allows for the investing of small amounts on a monthly basis, accumulating the required amount for the desired retirement date.

Under insurance is where your sum insured (maximum amount that can be claimed in the event of a loss) is less than the replacement / reinstatement cost of the property or of specified items. In the event of a loss, insurers generally ask the loss adjusters to comment on the total (or specified item) value at risk, and should this be more than the sum insured, the proportion by which it exceeds the sum insured would be borne by yourselves.

This means that whilst your insurance claims payment will assist you in recovering from your loss, you may have to partially fund this reinstatement. Depending on the quantum of the loss, this could possibly place you in a position where you cannot replace what has been lost. This could be the cost of rebuilding the structure or, for contents, stock or personal property, the cost of replacing old with new.

Business Interruption cover
The adequacy of the Business Interruption cover is equally important so as not to impair recovery of the business following a major incident such as a fire or flood, says Gavin Courtenay, Managing Director of SATIB Risk Solutions.

Consequences of under insurance
“Whilst it is rare that there is total destruction of all assets, under insurance can also affect partial losses e.g. should the actual replacement value of the total buildings be R10M and the sum insured is say, R8 million, a claim for partial damage of R1million would result in a claims payment of just R800 000.00 i.e. you would effectively be your own Insurer for R200 000.00, being insured for only 80 per cent of the loss.”, he adds.

“At SATIB, we recently handled a fire claim where the total sum insured for buildings was R740 000.00. However the reinstatement / replacement value was in the region of R1 650 000.00. The buildings were only insured for 45 per cent of their replacement / reinstatement value, and therefore the condition of average applied, and the insured was settled 45 per cent of the claimed amount and was considered their own insurer for the uninsured portion of 55 per cent.”

Tips to make sure you are not under insured:

• With regard to the buildings the sum insured should make provision for the cost of rebuilding all the structures on the property (as though they were completely destroyed) including the cost of demolition, removal of the debris, cost of plans, professional fees and importantly VAT. This amount should allow for any inflation occurring over the course of the insurance year and replacement time from the end of the insurance period and also take into account any escalation in the costs of material and other construction costs.
• Ensure that your sums insured are adequate to cover all items that are to be insured eg: boreholes, paving, electrical (underground) cables, solar panels, paved roads and pathways and wooden walkways etc.
• Rethink your base insurance values annually.If you have completed renovations recently you need to increase your level of cover.
• Update your inventory lists regularly – importantly the sum insured for contents must represent replacement as opposed to book (i.e. not depreciated) value.
• Call on SATIB’s services to assist you in the revaluation process – we have access to valuation services, basic information relating to building prices and are able to assist in the Business Interruption assessments.

For more information contact Gavin Courtenay on 0861 SATIB 4U or email info@satib.co.za

‘Green tax’ is levied on all new, light commercial vehicles, including passenger vehicles, it is imperative that we understand this CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) Emissions Tax, how it works and how it affects Tour Operators.

At a glance...

• CO2 tax can add R10 000 to R20 000 to price of new vehicle.
• Make sure that the invoice shows the CO2 tax separately.
• If vehicle insurance policy has a new replacement clause; make sure that the CO2 tax is included in the sum insured.

What will the effect be of the new emissions tax?
The tax will be levied at R75 per g/km on vehicles emitting more than 120g/km CO2, which will add about R10 000 to R20 000 to the price of a new vehicle depending on the model.

What will the effect be of this new emissions tax on vehicle insurance?
Traditionally insurers will insure vehicles based on Retail, Market or Agreed Value. These values are based on either the Mead and McGrouther Guide or the TransUnion Auto Dealers Guide.

Insurance premiums are calculated using rating models, which take these values into consideration. However most insurers’ current rating models do not take into account the new emission tax, which will add considerably to the value of the vehicle.

Tour operators are advised at the purchase of a new vehicle, to request invoices which show the emission tax levied separately. As at September 2010 only one of the insurers that SATIB utilise was clear on exactly how this will affect our clients and state: “The impact of insurance is that for new vehicles added to a policy after 1st September 2010, the tax amount must be included in the limit of indemnity.

A policy that contains a new replacement clause will obviously be most affected. In such cases, the customer will purchase a replacement vehicle that was purchased following a claim, if it falls within the clause period. In theory, a vehicle purchased before 1st September 2010 will need the limit of indemnity evaluated to include the tax amount, if the new replacement clause is still in operation.

From a claims settling perspective, it is therefore clear that the indemnity needs to include the emission tax component, provided the limit of indemnity is adequate to cover this.”

Where to from here?
The basic principle of indemnity states that the insured needs to be placed in the same financial position as prior to the loss occurring. So when buying a new vehicle (a vehicle that could be affected by the CO2 tax) make sure that the invoice shows the emission tax levied and notify your broker and find out from the insurer exactly how you will be indemnified in the event of a loss.

For more information contact Gavin Courtenay on 0861 SATIB 4U or email info@satib.co.za.

SATIB Insurance Brokers along with insurer Santam have shown their support towards this worthy initiative by donating R50 000 each to fund a dedicated team in Mabula who are working to ensure that the Ground Horn-bills’ existence is assured for many years to come.

The Ground Hornbill Project has been actively working towards halting the decline of Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) in the Savannah biome of South Africa since 1999.

• At present Southern Ground Hornbills are considered ‘Globally vulnerable’ but their numbers are still declining.
• A detailed analysis of data collected by the Project, show Southern Ground Hornbills in South Africa to be “Endangered” and probably critically Endangered” under IUCN Criteria. Review comments can be found in “What’s News”. Further collection of sightings data is now in progress to discover the global status at the instigation of Birdlife International.
• There are probably only 1500 birds in South Africa—half of which are in the protected areas of the Kruger National Park.
• Groups consist of 2—9 birds, of which there is only 1 breeding female from which an average of only 1 chick is raised to adulthood every 9 years.

Over the past 50 years Ground Hornbills have lost over 70% of their natural habitat:

•     Loss of habitat due to farming/agriculture and cattle
• Indirect poisoning
• Indirect trapping and snaring
• Shooting for window breakingLoss of large nesting trees
• The trade in exotic birdsIncrease in Ancient cultural uses
• Electrocution on power transformer boxes

The Mabula Ground Hornbill Research and Conservation Project are addressing these issues by:

• Harvesting and hand-rearing of second hatched chicks which die of starvation in the nests.
• Re-introduction and augmentation of non-viable groups in the wild.
• In February 2009 the first ever chick was fledged from a reintroduced group. The parents are a 9 year old Kruger harvested, hand-reared female and a re-habilitated father. This group is free-roaming on Mabula Game Reserve and is totally self-sustaining.
• Provision of artificial nests for wild groups without nests.
• Research on genetics, behavior and other important unanswered questions.
• Awareness Campaigns to educate the general public to :
• The danger in which this flagship indicator species is in the Savannah biome of South Africa.
  - Unintentional poisoning
  - Trade in ground hornbills
  - Secondary trapping and snaring

To find out more about this project or see ways in which you can assist visit www.mabulagroundhornbillconservationproject.org.za, call +27 83 289 8610 or email project@ground-hornbill.org.za.

Simon Turner and Holly Bellingham Turner, shareholders and valued customers of SATIB, are also proud owners of premier wine estate, Sumaridge, in the Western Cape. Since purchasing the estate 2 years ago, Simon and Holly have concentrated on growing their wine export business into the UK.  We are privileged that they will now be distributing their award winning wines locally. As one of our prestigious clients, we would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Simon and Holly Turner and their exceptional product.

An introduction to Sumaridge Estate Wines
Sumaridge Estate in the Cape’s Walker Bay region is reputedly the most beautiful wine estate in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. The picturesque village of Hermanus, world-renowned as the ‘whale capital’ of Africa, on the shores of the Walker Bay is the seasonal home to the famed Southern Right Whales.

The aptly named Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is truly ‘Heaven on Earth’. A spectacular mountain range, known as Babylonstoren, towers over the western side of the Valley, while the Fernkloof Mountains grace the eastern aspect. These two ranges form the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and channel the Atlantic Oceans air over the vineyards.

The cool maritime climate defines the wines produced with a distinctive minerality, natural high acidity and complexity borne of the long slow ripening period, all combining to produce wines that reflect balance with extended aging potential. Sustainable vineyard husbandry, and the minimalist intervention approach to winemaking, optimise the expression of the Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinotage, Syrah and Merlot cultivars. Each varietal is vinified in small batches according to vine age, soil, type, aspect, elevation and even row direction.

An outstanding poise and elegance is brought to bear on the estate’s wines during the subtle crafting by expert winemaker and viticulturist Gavin Patterson, who also respects Sumaridge’s considerable natural assets.

Our Terroir:
Climate: Cool Maritime           
Altitude: 180-260m above sea level
Aspect (slope): North to North-west
Prevailing winds: North-west & south-east

Soils - Our six cultivars are equally distributed over two main soil types, viz. Table mountain sandstone and an interesting inclusion, unique to our part of the valley of granitic derivation. The soil is shallow (12-20 inches/30 - 50cm), yet gravelly and well aerated. The underlying, friable saprolytic clay sub soil is free draining, however also has good water holding capacity.

Irrigation - As minimal as possible, however soil and vine moisture status are monitored and supplemented as required using deficit irrigation principles.

Trellis - 6ft/1.8 m high - VSP 5 wire fence type at 8.2 ft/2m row width.

Plant Spacing - 3 - 4 ft/0.9 - 1.2m - depending on cultivar and soil potential.

The Rainbow Fund is the first registered charity of its kind in Mozambique. They support a variety of social and environmental projects large and small, from building a new school, to environmental protection initiatives. They now have around 400 children in education on Benguerra Island, compared with just 40 when they started out. They work alongside the National Park and local communities wherever they can and have a dedicated environmentalist and community officer at Azura.

Azura is Mozambique’s first luxury 5 star 'eco' boutique retreat, which blends modern elegance with traditional artwork. This exotic beach resort is located on an unspoilt island with white sandy beaches and sparkling turquoise seas and is a perfect haven for relaxation. Built entirely by hand by the local community and operated in partnership with them, it has just 14 villas, each with their own pool and designed for pampering in privacy and ultimate luxury.

Magnificent reefs invite diving and snorkelling and are home to colorful fish, migrating whales and dolphins. In season the turtles nest on the island’s outer shores. On land, towering sand dunes give way to indigenous bush abundant with local flora and fauna, an interesting variety of birdlife, as well as the odd crocodile or two at the lakes. Guests staying more than 3 nights will receive a free island tour and sunset show cruise.

Azura is a long-standing and valued client of SATIB Insurance Brokers and we are proud to be able to support such a worthy cause.

For more information on the Rainbow Fund and Azura Retreats visit www.azura-retreats.com.

The Tourism Tattler has been appointed by publishing company Joburg Liaison as their advertising sales agent in South Africa for Mzanzi magazine, a Dutch consumer magazine for travel to South Africa and by Verlag Dieter Niedecken GmbH for their FVW Mediengruppe publications, Germany’s leading travel consumer and travel trade media group as their exclusive advertising sales agent in Southern Africa.

“These agreements enable Tourism Tattler to offer our advertising clients exposure to the travel markets in Africa, Netherlands and Germany – all under one contract and invoiced in local Rand currency” says Tourism Tattler’s Managing Director, Des Langkilde.

In terms of the FVW Mediengruppe appointment, the Tourism Tattler will represent their magazines, websites, supplements, advertorials, e-learning projects and other online solutions in Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Seychelles, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

FVW Mediengruppe’s stable of periodicals includes:

• FVW Magazine – distributed in print format to 31,087 travel agents in Germany
• Fvw.de Website – receives an annual average of 6,950,000 tourism and business travel visitors or 583,000 monthly average visitors.
• BizTravel – this print format magazine reaches 30,204 staff members in charge of business travel and event (MICE) planning and purchasing.
• Biztravel.de Website – compliments the printed edition with daily up-to-date news. The homepage receives on average 35,000 visitors pm while the newsletter channel is distributed to 6,300 recipients twice a week.
• TID Contact Guide – an annual directory distributed at ITB contains more than 3,000 entries of global travel trade contacts. An essential resource for world-wide travel brokers.
• tid.de Website – provides up-to-date search optimisation and enhances the listings with company logo’s and video clips.
• Urlaub Perfect Magazine – this travel magazine reaches a paid subscriber base of 135,000 German couples, families, singles and travel trade professionals.

Commenting on the appointment, Heike Beller, FVW’s account manager for International markets, said; “We work in close cooperation with representative agents in more than twenty countries and have chosen Tourism Tattler as our agent for the Southern Africa region on the basis of the Tourism Tattler’s credibility and market penetration in the continent of Africa. Our respective trade communications are closely aligned and it makes sense to partner with a publisher who understands the marketing needs of operators in the African travel and leisure trade who target the German market.”

Mzanzi magazine is the first and only travel magazine in the Netherlands that focuses exclusively on South Africa. The editorial content has a strong leaning towards sustainable tourism, which is reflected in its choice of destinations and in the type of stories that Mzanzi likes to tell.

Each of the four annual editions of Mzanzi comes with an inserted city guide, which highlights things to do and see in Johannesburg, Cape Town and a third city, which varies by edition. Every issue will also include practical information on accommodation, restaurants and transport as well as articles on nature and culture, wine and cooking and experiences that make South Africa such a wonderful travel destination, all written by Dutch correspondents living in South Africa.

The Mzani.nl website will be launched to coincide with the ‘Vakantiebeurs 2012’ Expo (11 – 15 January) while 10,000 copies of the fist edition of the print magazine will be distributed to news stands at all major magazine retail chains in the Netherlands during the first week of March 2012.

For more information contact info@tourismtattler.co.za or call +27 (0)32 947 2554.

On November 2 2011, the picturesque Tsitsikamma Village Inn Hotel hosted the 10-year anniversary dinner extravaganza of SA’s popular nature adventure activity, Canopy Tours – a company that believes strongly in the importance of community involvement and upliftment.

THE lavish celebration was attended by the operators of all six Canopy Tours locations in the country - Karkloof, Magaliesberg, Magoebaskloof, Drakensberg, Malolotja, and Tsitsikamma - as well as members of the media, Sanparks and tourism organisation representatives, and individuals who have been involved with this remarkable operation since the first treetop tour in Africa in October 2001.

Stars of the night, however, were the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tours team who entertained the audience with hilarious renditions of their encounters with international tourists. The pride with which staff members celebrated this occasion showed job satisfaction to be the core of this company.

Skills training of members of the surrounding communities who work as canopy tour guides generates far-reaching benefits for populations around each of the six sites, and ensures that clients contribute not just to the conservation of SA’s forests, but also to the upliftment of local habitants. Canopy Tours have created around 150 full time jobs to date.

The Canopy Tours concept originated in the rain forests of Costa Rica where adventurous biologists devised a system of cables and platforms allowing them to explore this previously inaccessible ecosystem.

After constructing such a canopy tour, civil engineer Mark Brown returned to SA in 2000 to begin the search for the country’s largest trees. These were found in the forests of the Tsitsikamma, and in partnership with Ashley Wentworth of Stormsriver Adventures, the internationally acclaimed and multi-award winning Tsitsikamma Canopy Tours was opened as Africa’s first canopy tours in 2001.

The caring of its staff and sharing of a true adventure make for the success of this unique company – and the Garden Route can be proud of individuals like Mark and Ashley, who put so much effort into marketing and maintaining a setup that affirms this region as a first-class tourist destination.

Here’s to the next 10 years of flying from tree to tree like Tarzan!

Visit www.canopytour.co.za for more information.

South African National Parks (SANParks) revealed that yet another 8 rhinos were found shot and dehorned in the Kruger National Park (KNP) following an intensified patrol in various parts of the National Park on Tuesday, 10 January.

According to SANParks General Manager, Media Liaison & Stakeholder Relations, Reynold Thakhuli all 8 carcasses were found with their horns missing in two sections of the park. Three carcasses were found in Lower Sabie and five in the Pretoriuskop section of the park and were all of adult rhinos.

Although there are a few leads, members of the South African Police Services are working around the clock to get to the bottom of this brutal attack. Investigations are underway.

2011 record high of 443 killed
Last year an estimated 443 rhinos were killed for their horns of which 252 were in the Kruger National Park. More than 100 more than 2010’s countrywide loss of 333 rhinos, up from 24 in 2006.

South Africa is home to almost 90% of the world’s around 22800 rhinos. It is believed that the animals’ gruesome attacks are linked to an increased demand for the horn in Asia, particularly Vietnam and Thailand. In these countries there are people who believe that the horn – made of keratin (the fibrous structure proteins that make up hair and nails) - has medicinal properties, including a cure for cancer.

Thakhuli from SANParks appealed to the public to contact their nearby SAPS if they have any information which can help them speed up the investigation. He said that while the find was disturbing, they are determined to win the war against poachers.

“Extreme weather events have occurred long before humans have started to change the concentrations of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere - so to some extent, these events occur as part of natural climate variability. However, the enhanced greenhouse effect and other forms of anthropogenic (in other words caused by humans) forcing is causing an increase in the frequency of occurrence of extreme weather events, such as the heat waves and flooding.”

More than 4° warming expected inland
He said climate models project that this warming will accelerate during the 21st century, if current trends in greenhouse gas emissions persist.

“Warming of more than 4°C over the interior, and more than 3°C along the coastal areas, is a likely scenario. Climate models also project increases in the occurrence of days with extreme temperatures, and increases in the occurrence of heat waves across the southern African region,” he said.

64 vegetation fires causing more damage
According to Engelbrecht the heat wave was a result of high temperatures and dry north-easterly and northerly winds, which is a deadly recipe for raging veld and forest fires.

City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Theo Layne said firefighters had responded to over 100 vegetation fires in the Western Cape over past the weekend alone. He said that on Saturday, firefighters responded to 64 vegetation fires and by Sunday afternoon, they had already responded to 38 fires.

Layne said last year’s statistics showed there was an average of 50 vegetation fires everyday during January.

“Our biggest problem is the negligent and malicious behaviour of people. Especially with our windy conditions, fires spread rapidly,” he said.

30% of the earth’s surface is affected by fire
Fire destroys forests and vegetations which are our sources of food – it is both a driver and an indicator of climate change.

When biomass is burned, copious amounts of gases and particulate matter are released, billowing smoke plumes fill the sky, and entire ecosystems can change in seconds.

A veld fire outside Ceres, which was fanned by strong winds, claimed the life of one person earlier this month, while two people were killed and over 200 others were left displaced in shack fires in and around Cape Town.

“South Africans will battle to achieve human comfort within our homes and work places. Increases in extreme temperature events may also be expected to impact significantly on agriculture and biodiversity in the region,” Engelbrecht said.

For more information on the risks that climate change poses to the South African region, visit the website of the South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas here.

In the aftermath of COP17, where the built environment was again acknowledged as a primary contributor to climate change and a hot spot for accessing mitigation opportunities, but also as a hot spot for adaptive interventions which will be fundamental to creating more climate resilient cities and communities into the future, and after 6 years of advocacy and knowledge sharing it is now fair to ask: why has green building not become standard practice for new buildings and refurbishments in South Africa?

A conference to provide answers
The Green Building Conference 2012 will endeavour to answer this question, by firstly presenting the results of a survey of building projects to ascertain the state of the market, together with a critique of current policy, regulation and mechanisms in South Africa.

Secondly the conference will showcase global leadership and successful policy frameworks and thirdly, seek to create a consensus based series of recommendations, which if implemented could have the effect of fast tracking the goal of a broad based up-take and application of green building principals in South Africa.

The Event
Date: 27 – 28 March 2012
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre
City: Johannesburg, South Africa

Green Buildings World Africa will focus on everything the construction and built environment needs to know to:

• Implement green retrofit projects
• Develop new projects and ensure ROI
• Source new solutions

Download the provisional programme here.

A unique opportunity
Green Buildings World Africa is the continent’s largest green exhibition for the built environment.

It is the only African event that is known for attracting regional and international property developers and owners, architects, project developers and facilities managers.

In scope, content and experience Green Buildings World Africa will be the only event of its kind in Africa in 2012.

For more information please contact Tatum Willis on +27 (0)11 516 4060 or email at: tatum.willis@terrapinn.com.

'Any company or government department that doesn't comply with the environmental laws could face bills amounting to billions of rands and might even be compelled to shut down.'

This statement was made by Advocate Douglas Shaw, one of South Africa's most influential environmental law specialists, at the inaugural LexisNexis Environmental Law Seminar in Johannesburg this week.

During the past ten years a wave of new environmental acts were passed in order to better protect the environment and punish those who cause pollution through careless waste management. Recent years have seen an exponential growth of litigation as more and more non-governmental organisations and citizens become familiar with these acts and launch law suits against offenders.

Now, more than ever, industry and government departments will be held accountable for damage they cause to the environment if they don't comply with the law. Water management is a key area of attention, particularly given our mining heritage, which has created the intractable problem of acid mine drainage,' said Shaw when he tackled the non-compliance issues head on.

Compelling governments to take action
Private citizens can also compel governments to take action against companies that are in contravention of the law. Even a municipality can be taken over by the provincial sphere if it doesn't manage its waste properly.

South Africa is on par with other international countries in terms of its environmental laws, but Shaw emphasised that poor law enforcement still made it possible for negligent parties to avoid penalties.

However, Shaw warns that CEO's, company directors and risk managers need to implement their organisations' environmental responsibilities as penalties for non-compliance will become more severe as organisations will be held more accountable.

The countrywide seminars, facilitated by LexisNexis, were well received and delegates from major South African mining, petroleum and manufacturing companies as well as governmental departments and municipalities attended this year's sessions.

Guiding delegates through vulnerabilities
Shaw guided delegates through the key vulnerabilities that the new acts open up for organisations and specifically focused on the important compliance areas. Least cost strategies for dealing with difficult problems such as acid mine drainage and the municipal sewage crisis were shared with leaders in order to assist them to improve the risk management side of their organisations.

LexisNexis, South Africa's leading provider of information (www.lexisnexis.co.za), works with experts and authors who have written authoritative books on various topics in the tax, accounting and law industries. Through this network LexisNexis can offer presenters who are leaders in the above mentioned sectors and who have a wealth of knowledge and experience. The seminars and conferences presented by LexisNexis are topical, practical and give delegates the opportunity to interact with one another and with speakers.

For more information on this year's Environmental Law Seminar, visit www.lexisnexis.co.za or contact the seminars team on (031) 268-3255.

About Advocate Douglas J. Shaw:

Advocate Shaw specialises in Environmental Law, and has authored three books on the subject for LexisNexis publishing. He is currently involved in a number of cases in this area. Although concerned for the environment, he also understands the business world; having done management consultancy projects in mining companies in the past and being involved in running investment companies at a high level.

Government is to invest billions in mass transport systems as a way of "greening" the South African economy, President Jacob Zuma said whilst addressing the World Economic Forum Green Partnership Dialogue at COP17 in Durban.

"By 2014, the state-owned commuter rail company, Prasa (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa), will invest R20 billion in new trains, most of which will be manufactured locally," said Zuma.

This was part of government's New Growth Path which seeks to reduce emissions by focusing on renewable and nuclear energy, green transport and the built environment. "Government will invest in mass-transport systems to reduce reliance on private cars. Initial steps have been taken on bus rapid transport and commuter rail," said Zuma.

Zuma said government would review its rail investment programme in order to accelerate the shift of freight transport to rail from road. State-owned transport entity Transnet, will invest about R63 billion in the freight rail system over the next five years, he said. "For its part, organised business will continue to promote greater use of rail freight by companies."

Zuma stressed that the country's Green Economy Accord had a strong commitment to employing young people and those historically excluded from the economy. "In particular, government and business have set a target of 80 percent youth amongst new employees in the manufacturing and installation of solar-water heating systems as well as government's public works programmes to green the economy," said Zuma.

He said it was imperative that poor communities did not end up footing the bill, whether through job losses or high prices.
 
Zuma said electricity utility, Eskom, and business would work to create technologies to reduce emissions from coal-fired plants. The solar and wind energy industries in the country had made a target of creating 50,000 green jobs by 2020. "Government will also support the installation of one million solar water heating systems by 2014 to 2015," said Zuma.

In the short run, green jobs would be created by services associated with cleaning up the environment, "especially recycling, cleaning public spaces, and controlling invasive species," said Zuma.

Zuma said the New Growth Path "foresees that in the coming decades, at least a third of new electricity generation will come from renewable sources".

Copiers and office equipment are notoriously greedy consumers of energy, even when sitting idle. Yet we cannot run a business, school or educational institution without this essential equipment. That is why we are excited today to introduce you to a leader in more environmentally responsible copiers, making it possible for all of us to get those notes out with a fraction of the footprint.

Since inception, RISO™ has fostered the belief that technological advance need not go against nature. They have their own concept of equilibrium. The word “riso” means “ideal” in Japanese, so this company is focused on making the most ideally positive difference to the environment. This commitment to the environment is a core value engrained within their culture, and is evident in the development of high-speed, high-volume duplicators and full colour copiers that are designed to reduce the burden on the natural world.

Their track record shows that they have been going green long before it became trendy. RISO™ has been earnestly and purposefully working towards the eco-revolution of their industry since opening their doors in South Africa in 1994:

• RISO Kagaku Corporation developed its own Environmental Charter in 1996,
• and established the RISO™ Environmental Protection Principles two years later.
• In 2000, they received ISO 14001 certification.
• RISO™ duplicators employ soy-based inks and recycled banana leaf fibre masters, and their products operate on “cold process” technology.

Consumers want green stars
Thankfully there has been a noticeable trend for consumers to veer towards Energy Star rated devices to curb this. However, not every Energy Star is created equal. Even at speeds of 150 pages per minute in full colour, EcoCopiers have a maximum consumption of 1,000W. Yet this leading green company has duplicators that draw a mere 110W at maximum speed!

Energy consumption aside, ready supply and availability of power can be a harsh reality. In South Africa we have shocking electrification rates, and the bitter memories of the frustrations caused by load-shedding. Hence exploring alternative and sustainable “off the grid” operations is not only the way forward, but is very much in demand, as evidenced by President Jacob Zuma’s call to save energy (ESI-Africa[E1] ).

There are many options available to cater to this need, such as generators. However, this option can be both dangerous and expensive. It also comes at a huge cost to the earth. For South Africans, solar power has proven to be an effective solution – just look how many homes sport solar geysers these days. In a bid to provide customers with the freedom to do business their way, and reduce the burden on the energy grid, RISO™ provide Eco Power Packs to mitigate the downtime brought about by power failures.

World’s first solar-powered printer
Now their passion for the environment and education has culminated in the latest addition to the family… RISOLAR. This is the world’s first solar-powered printer primarily designed for use in rural education, where affordable and reliable access to power is a constant struggle. When bundled with a 3G enabled netbook, these learners are able to enjoy the benefits of access to the digital world that so many of their peers across the country take for granted.

The RISOLAR received a fantastic reception at COP17, and has opened their eyes to a host of other applications. Thanks to the super low energy draw of this equipment, the entire product line has the capability of harnessing Africa’s most abundant source of power, sunlight.

On their journey to provide true independence of the power grid to their users, RISO Africa was chosen as a finalist in the Eco Logic Awards 2011 in the “goods and services resulting in energy saving” category.

Congratulations! This affirms that their Bertl award-winning, Energy Star rated products really can assist in the transition towards a healthier, more sustainable and balanced future.

As we continue to look for other alternatives to save energy, let me remind all that we must continue to save electricity. - Jacob Zuma

World Travel Awards (WTA) capped its year-long search for the world's most successful travel and tourism brands with its glittering Grand Final Gala Ceremony in Doha, Qatar on 11 January 2012. Hailed as the "Oscars of the travel industry" by the Wall Street Journal, WTA is recognized worldwide as the ultimate travel accolade.

So, South Africa has a lot to boast about once again this year as we walked away with no less than seven awards.

Local lodges and game parks seem to have made quite an impression as Shamwari Game Reserve, Sanbona Wildlife Reserve and Thanda Private Game Reserve all managed to scoop up an award or two. Shamwari was named the "World's Leading Conservation Company" as well as the "World's Leading Safari and Game Reserve" for 2011. Sanbona received the award for the "World's Leading Eco Lodge" with their Dwyka Tented Lodge and Thanda Private Game Reserve has been named the World's Leading Luxury Lodge.

Each of these reserves were up against tough competition from diverse locations including Chobe Game Lodge in Botswana and New Zealand's Huka Lodge (both in the Luxury Lodge category), Conservation International, Virginia USA (in the Leading Conservation Company category) and Morgan's Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge in Nicaragua (in the eco lodge category).

Furthermore, South Africa managed to beat Abu Dhabi, Australia and Brazil (among others) to the award of World's Leading Sports Tourism Destination for 2011. Finally, The Regent hotel in Johannesburg became the World's Leading Residential Apartments and the Saxon Boutique Spa and Hotel was named the top boutique hotel.

The most sought-after award, "World's Leading Destination," sadly passed Cape Town by and landed in the well-deserving hands of India. Other nominees in this category included Istanbul, Las Vegas, Dubai, Jamaica and New York.

The UAE's Etihad Airways won the award for World's Leading Airline for the third year in a row, beating British Airways, Lufthansa and KLM, among others, to it.

Other awards of interest:

• World's leading airport - Singapore Shangi Airport
• World's leading business car rental company - Avis
• World's Leading car hire - Europcar
• World's Leading Dive Destination - Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
• World's Leading Island Destination - Mauritius

South Africa has been named the “World’s Leading Sports Tourism Destination” at a glittering global awards ceremony in Dohar, Qatar.

Welcoming the award, hailed globally as the “Oscars of the hospitality industry”, the director-general of the National Department of Tourism, Kingsley Makhubela, told the Daily News the honour would enhance the country’s global competitiveness as a viable destination.

There was also a hat-trick in store at the awards ceremony for Thanda, the Zululand private game reserve near Hluhluwe, which was named the World’s Leading Luxury Lodge for the third consecutive year.

Thanda has won 12 World Travel Awards in various categories since 2006, and the managing director, Pierre Delvaux, was in Dohar with the Swedish owners, entrepreneur and philanthropist Dan Olofsson and his wife, Christin, and Thanda’s assistant general manager, Dulcie Oliver, to accept the award.

The gala event was the grand finale of a year of global regional award events in search of the world’s finest hospitality products.

A proud Delvaux paid tribute to Thanda’s “amazing staff who go the extra mile and make the difference every time”.

He was delighted that Zululand featured among the best of the best in the world.

The winners were selected from more than 5 000 companies in 100 categories across 162 countries and were voted for by more than 210 000 travel agents and guests worldwide.
 
The Blue Train clinched the title of the “World’s Leading Luxury Train”, while Sham-wari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape was named the World’s Leading Conservation Company as well as the World’s Leading Safari and Game Reserve.
 
The Saxon Boutique Hotel and Spa in Joburg was awarded the trophy for being the World’s Leading Boutique Hotel.

Following a steep economic decline in 2009 and the windfall of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, this publication provides an overview of how the hospitality industry in South Africa is expected to develop over the coming years.

The publication focuses on the following major industry segments: hotels, guest houses and farms, bush lodges, caravan/camping sites and other accommodation. It details the key trends observed and challenges facing these industry sectors as well as considering their future prospects.

South African hospitality outlook: 2011-2015 provides deep knowledge of the local hospitality market and is a powerful tool for understanding critical business issues.

The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) is gearing up for a busy year of international conferences and events in 2012 and has secured 178 international conferences from now until 2020.

Speaking at the centre’s annual results press conference, CTICC CEO Rashid Toefy said: “While the aftershocks of the global recession contributed to a slight decline in the total number of events hosted at the CTICC, the centre managed to meet its targets and achieve a record number of delegate days.”

The CTICC attracted a total of 1 243 910 visitor days to Cape Town, an 11% increase from the 1 119 852 days it generated in the previous year. While the number of meetings and events did not grow substantially there was an increase in attendance across all event categories such as international, national conferences, exhibitions and trade fairs and special events.

Toefy said: “At a time when the global recession has impacted negatively on many businesses around the world, the CTICC has produced a result that serves to entrench the status of Cape Town and the CTICC as a highly attractive meetings and events destination.
“The centre’s success can be attributed to the fact the CTICC has always focused primarily on international association business as these markets are fairly recession-proof.

“We have noticed that the nature of how people book meetings and events is changing and that factors such as return on investment, sourcing and contract negotiations and supporting technology platforms are influencing decision processes. The result is that event organisers are becoming more savvy and less likely to contract in advance, with the effect that lead times are being reduced” he added.

“The flexibility of the CTICC to meet its clients’ needs has stood it in good stead in terms of meeting this demand.”

Short lead times reduced the planning process and a venue that was not able to adapt to changing its processes would struggle to survive. “As the economy slowly recovers from the recession, we expect to see a significant increase in the number of international conferences, exhibition trade fairs and special events.

Toefy said that the CTICC was well on its way to achieving its vision of being the best long-haul international convention centre by 2020 and has a portfolio of over 900 events booked until 2020.

The approval of the government's proposed Road Accident Benefit Scheme (RABS) - recently announced as the successor to the much-maligned Road Accident Fund (RAF) - brings hope for much-needed change to the current system.

The RAF was introduced to enable innocent victims, who have no recourse against uninsured or negligent motor vehicle drivers, to receive some type of compensation. However, over time, several issues arose with regards to the affordability and sustainability of the system, including long settlement delays and a disparity between the income of the scheme and its liabilities.

RABS aims to address many of the RAF's shortcomings by expanding access to include more people who are exposed to the daily risks associated with road transportation on a no-fault basis. It aims to optimise resources in favour of those with serious injuries; facilitate access to appropriate and timely medical care to decrease the impact of injuries sustained; and minimise the spend allocated to minor injuries.

No-fault-based system
One of the major benefits of the RABS is the no-fault-based system. This means that for the claimant to be successful there is no longer the need to establish that the damage or loss was a result of the claimant's own negligence. There are exceptions, such as the driver cannot be under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substance, the injury or death cannot be self-inflicted or arise from a hijacking/attempted hijacking of a vehicle, the vehicle driven cannot be stolen or unregistered and the driver must have a valid driver's licence. The claimant's recoverable damages may also be reduced by the extent to which the claimant's fault contributed to the accident.

This new system should be welcomed. Under the previous fault-based system, there were massive delays in compensation for victims as they had to prove fault on the part of the driver, resulting in a lengthy litigation process that increased costs for both the victim and the RAF.

Structured and defined benefits
The RABS aims for structured and defined benefits to the seriously injured. The idea behind this is to encourage the injured person to return to work by not providing a benefit to the full extent of the loss, but rather incentivise them to undergo rehabilitation.

The settlement of claims between the two systems also differs tremendously. The RABS will make payments on a monthly basis and not a lump-sum payment, as is the case currently under the RAF settlement structure. This should help to eliminate criticism that dogged the RAF of one-off payments that may overcompensate for minor injuries and under-compensate for serious injuries.

The RABS also pays health-care providers directly, not the victim, as is the case with the current system. The RABS offers an income support benefit to victims limited to R192 000 per annum, whereas under the old system, income and support was limited to R160 000 (although higher amounts have been awarded in court), irrespective of the actual loss.

No payment for pain and suffering
Importantly, no payment will be made under this system for general damages such as pain and suffering, and disfigurement. Under the RAF, large amounts of public money went towards these non-financial losses, which could not be as accurately quantified as the actual monetary losses, such as medical expenses and loss of income.

A very welcome development is that benefits will now be available to all categories of road users (drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists and passengers) and no road user will be excluded from the system, whereas the old system had numerous exclusions, for example, members of the same household as the driver and paying motorcycle passengers.

No legal costs will be entertained
Another important distinction between the two systems is the payment of legal costs. Under the old RAF Act the claimant was entitled to claim party-to-party legal costs if he accepted an offer from the RAF. Under the Amendment Act, the RAF does not contribute to the claimant's legal costs if the claimant settles with the RAF. To ensure payment of party-to-party costs, the claimant will have to issue summons against the RAF and if found liable to compensate the claimant, the RAF by virtue of Rules of Court, will have to contribute to the legal costs. This increased the RAF's legal bill tremendously. Under the RABS no legal costs will be entertained.

Even though the RABS does address many of the concerns of the RAF, personal and private occupational insurance will still be encouraged, as it is evident that with the limited benefits available, any shortfall will have to be covered by additional insurance.

Exactly how successful this new scheme will be remains to be seen, but whether the changes are welcomed by road users or not, it is the reality of the near future and all citizens need to understand how the RABS works in order to obtain the most out of the new system.

Insight News Letter Issue

• Issue February 2012
• Issue January 2012
• Issue December 2011
• Issue November 2011
• Issue October 2011

The rapid increase in the cost of electricity has resulted in many South African homeowners opting to utilise gas installations in their homes.

However, most homeowners are unaware that there are specific regulations that they must comply with when installing gas equipment in their homes to ensure their insurance policy remains valid, says Christelle Fourie, managing director of MUA Insurance Acceptances.

She explains that the regulations introduced in 2009 state that all gas installations must have a Certificate of Conformity, according to the Pressure Equipment Regulations that have been promulgated under the Occupation Health and Safety Act (No 85 of 1993).

This certificate states that the installation has been properly inspected and is safe and leak free, she says.

“Without this certificate any insurance claim related to a defective gas appliance, could be rejected.”

It is critical that this certificate is also issued by an authorised person who is registered with the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Association of Southern Africa (LPGAS).

According to the regulation, any homeowner who has a liquid gas installation installed in their home must have this certificate, which is usually obtained during the installation phase.

Homeowners considering gas installations need to know that the onus is on them to ensure that they have this certificate in their possession and not the installer, says Fourie.

If your home is damaged or destroyed as a result of a defective gas appliance and you do not have a valid certificate issued by someone registered with LPGAS – the insurance implications could be significant.

“An insurance company would be well within their rights to repudiate a claim, which could have severe financial repercussions for the homeowner.”

Having the installation inspected and approved is a quick and easy process – provided the installation has been done correctly.

This is in line with similar requirements for electrical installations which also require a certificate of compliance under the Machinery and Occupational Safety Act of 1983.

The types of gas installations that require this certificate include gas fires or braais, gas stoves and ovens as well as hot water systems.

Fourie says it is vital for all homeowners to realise that such an inspection is not just essential for their insurance policy to remain valid, but even more importantly, that it is conducted to ensure the installation is safe and their family is not put at risk.

If a gas appliance has been incorrectly installed and results in a gas leak this could have major health implications for a family, not to mention the huge danger involved of an explosion.

It is also important for homeowners to know that if they wish to sell their home and they have a gas appliance installed, they are required to obtain the certificate and deliver a copy thereof to the new purchaser.

LPGAS provides the following useful tips regarding gas safety:

• always use a registered installer
• use a qualified gas dealer
• use a verified and tested gas product
• check the seal on a cylinder matches the brand of the cylinder
• always check gas appliances before use

If you suspect your gas appliance is unsafe it is best to turn the appliance off immediately and do not touch it until it has been checked by a registered gas engineer.

Open all the doors and windows to air out the room and ensure you have shut off the gas supply at the meter control valve.

To ensure your gas installations are always in top working order ask a registered gas installer to perform an annual maintenance and service check.

For all homeowners with gas installations already installed on their property or if for those planning on doing so in the future it is vital to ensure compliance with all the above regulations.

She adds that this ensures adherence to stipulations within the homeowners’ insurance policy and safety of family against any gas related disasters.

Clients likely to feel the brunt of big increases are those with higher claims in previous years, those with a clean record are likely to escape increases.

Short-term insurance premiums would probably increase in line with or slightly ahead of inflation this year, insurers said in January 2012.

Insurers said the rand was expected to be the major driver of increases in premiums for motor insurance.

Also, the clients who are likely to feel the brunt of big increases are those who have had higher claims last year and in previous years. Those who have had a clean record are likely to escape increases.

"I would say increases will most likely be slightly ahead of inflation," Santam CEO Ian Kirk said.

"From a Santam point of view, we have had no general rate increases. Business that has been well rated from a client’s point of view has had rate reductions…. Poorly rated risks will have rate increases."

Stats SA recently reported consumer inflation was 6,1% year on year last month.

The insurers said the major determinant of premium increases was the depreciation of the rand and wage inflation at panelbeaters, Anton Ossip, the CEO of new entrant Discovery Insure, said.

"The weaker rand in 2011 will have some effect as well as the wage inflation. Panelbeaters will try to get their increases right because of the pressure on wages last year. The major cost of the insurer is repairing the vehicle," he said.

When the rand is weak, insurers tend to pay more to import parts from overseas.

Willem Roos, CEO of OUTsurance, the largest direct insurer in SA, said he estimated premium increases would be relatively limited near the inflation rate unless the rand depreciated significantly.

Mr Kirk, who heads SA’s largest short-term insurer, said some of the negligible but important factors that affected people’s premiums were things such as potholes and faulty traffic lights. People’s premiums were rising partly because of claims arising from accidents caused by the poor roads.

Mr Kirk said claims last year were about R50bn in the whole industry. This is compared with premiums of about R74bn.

But he said claims that arose from drinking and driving were on the decline, thanks to police clamping down on such behaviour.

Mr Ossip said claims arising from theft had also gone down as a result of better policing and the use of tracking devices.

Mr Kirk said the other factor was the cost of reinsurance.

He said reinsurers had been hammered by catastrophes such as the earthquake in Japan and were passing on their costs to insurers.

"The other thing that is going to put rates in the north is the cost of reinsurance. The reinsurers had big problems last year.

"We are rerunning our models for the current reinsurance rate," Mr Kirk said.

Mr Ossip said increased competition in the short-term insurance space had helped consumers.

He said that there was a suite of products which allowed drivers to influence their premiums, and good drivers were the ones who benefited from this.

Mr Roos advised clients to shop around for better deals if they were not happy with the increases in their premiums.

• Ask to see the other person’s driver’s licence and jot down the driver’s full name and identity number. People often lie about their details;
• Take down the full details of the vehicle – the colour, make and model, and registration number;
• Get details of the other party’s insurance – this allows recovery action to start immediately;
• Don’t admit liability or encourage the other person to do so. Many insurance policies have clauses stating that one is not allowed to admit to being wrong and if this is done, the claim can be thrown out;
• If possible go with the other party to the police station to ensure their statement is correct;
• Find a witness. A witness is the most important factor in proving your case against a negligent driver and the more independent the witness the better. Make sure you get the witness’s name and contact details in writing at the scene of the accident and as soon as possible thereafter get a written statement. Memories fade quickly, so the sooner one can get the statement the better;
• Most cellphones today take high resolution photographs so take a photograph and include damages to both motor vehicles, damages to any stationary objects that may have been involved in the accident such as trees and road barriers, traffic lights and if possible a shot some distance away from the accident scene is always good to give perspective;
• If one has an insurance policy covering the damages to one’s vehicle one should claim through one’s own insurance company and not rely on the other driver’s insurer;
• Have your broker or insurer’s contact details on hand in your car – store on your cellphone for easy access and make sure your cellphone battery is sufficiently charged for those emergency calls;
• Accidents are governed by the Road Traffic Act. The act specifies that in the case of an accident one must immediately stop the vehicle; examine the nature and extent of all injuries and assist to the best of your ability. One also needs to ascertain the nature and extent of vehicle damage and, if asked by a person who has reasonable grounds to do so, provide names and addresses, and the name and address of the owner of the vehicle as well as the registration or a similar identifying mark;
• By law both parties have to report any accident to the police. The Road Traffic Act states that if the drivers have not already furnished their names, addresses and registration numbers to a traffic officer at the scene of the accident they must do so as soon as is reasonably practical, and within 24 hours after the event, report the accident at a police station or recognised authority when the driver’s licences and IDs must be produced; and
• If your insurer has supplied you with a ‘Do not tow’ sticker, put it on your windscreen to avoid the car being towed by an unauthorised company to a repairer not approved by your insurer.

Most insurers only deal with repairers that can offer quality repair work.

With summer in full swing it is essential that consumers make sure they are aware of the legal and insurance implications of owning a swimming pool as new legislation will place even more onus on the owner.
 
This is according to Marike Stals, Legal and Compliance Manager at MUA Insurance Acceptances, who says homeowners should be aware that there are two types of cover under building insurance policies. “The first covers the actual damage of the structure, while the second is legal liability cover, where the homeowner protects themselves legally against something happening to guests, trespassers and / or their tangible property on the insured property.”

“Currently, the owner of the pool is held accountable under South African Law of Delict in the event of a drowning incident. South Africa’s civil liability laws mean a civil claim can be charged against a pool owner for any damage suffered as a result of drowning, whether fatal or not.”
 
Stals says internationally, pool safety laws are very strict and South Africa is following this trend. A draft ‘By-Laws for the Safe Guarding of Swimming Pools’ has also been proposed to the City of Johannesburg (COJ), which is legislation based purely around the safety-proofing of swimming pools.
 
“The new By-Law aims to regulate the access to swimming pools and is intended to protect members of the public from drowning. Following the promulgation of the By-Laws, anyone who wants to have a pool installed on their property must apply to the City for approval and all pools must adhere to strict rules according to the By-Law. Those who have pools in their property already will have two years to notify the council about the existence of their pools following the promulgation,” says Stals.
 
According to the By-Law, all pools will then have to be safe guarded in terms of the regulations. This means that all swimming pools must be maintained and fenced off and children should not be able to climb over the fence. All outdoor pools will be required to have a pool cover or must be fitted with a floating pool alarm when the pool is not in use.
 
“If homeowners with swimming pools do not comply with the statute in the proposed By-Law they can face criminal charges such as fines or even imprisonment. Additionally, the insurance policy will not cover the homeowner if they have not complied with the new By-Law which could potentially be a huge financial loss if the homeowner is found guilty of negligence,” concludes Stals.

Losing customers and struggling to find talented workers are the top two risks facing business leaders across the world, according to a new report published by Lloyd's.

Based on a global survey of 500 business leaders, carried out by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Lloyd's Risk Index 2011 shows fears about falls in orders and - despite high levels of unemployment - a shortage of skilled workers.

These have displaced the lack of credit as the greatest worry for businesses, which topped the Index in 2009. Lloyd's chief executive Richard Ward said: “Two years ago, businesses told us they were primarily concerned about the cost and supply of credit. Now they are facing an even greater business fundamental, with many wondering just what’s happened to their customers, and where can they find the skilled staff they so desperately need."

Dr Ward described the survey, carried out by the Economist Intelligence Unit as a "snapshot of the results of two years of economic and political turmoil.”

Interestingly, despite a series of devastating natural catastrophes across the world in the last two years, business leaders placed ‘natural hazard’ risks (ranging from flooding to earthquakes) in the bottom ten of 50 risks. This is despite the $205bn gap that exists between the insured risk and the economic cost of such catastrophes in the first half of 2011 alone.

Despite such economic losses, the Index revealed that 70 per cent of business leaders actually feel better prepared to cope with vast majority of the risks they face compared with two years ago.

Dr Ward said that while it was "reassuring" to see growing awareness and understanding of unpredictable risks facing global businesses, leaders must also plan for those "rare and hard to predict events that form part of this complex, modern risk landscape".

Corporate use of social media as a marketing engine is expected to rise significantly, but most small and midsize businesses are unprepared for the associated risks and exposures, a recent survey concludes.

Fifty-three percent of senior financial executives surveyed in September by Chicago-based Grant Thornton L.L.P. and Morristown, N.J.-based Financial Executives Research Foundation Inc. said they expect social media to become more prevalent in corporate marketing strategies over the next 12 months, and 68% said social media will be a critical or important component of marketing efforts going forward.

At the same time, the survey—which polled 141 senior executives at primarily small and mid-market businesses—indicated risk management and compliance efforts are far behind implementation of social media as a corporate tool. More than three quarters (76%) of the executives surveyed admitted their company doesn't have a formalized policy regarding employee use of social media, and 61% have not developed an incident management plan designed to address fraud, privacy breaches and other potentially devastating liability exposures.

Ground rules essential
“The speed with which social media has grown in the last five years caught many executives by surprise,” said co-author and Grant Thornton Managing Director Jan Hertzberg last month in a joint statement accompanying the study. “Social media is here to stay. Far-sighted companies that establish ground rules for using social media, monitor compliance and implement governance structures to support its adoption and integration will reap benefits over the long-term.”

Aside from publishing-related risks such as defamation, libel and copyright infringement, and anti-competitive behaviors such as false advertising and disparagement of a competitor's product, companies using social media as a marketing tool can find themselves exposed to fraud, theft of sensitive data and other cyber security risks, according to the survey's authors.

Yet, 22% executives surveyed don't believe corporate use of social media is appreciably risky, the survey said.

“Management often thinks of breaches as stemming from lost laptops or hacking events. These are usually brought to someone's attention immediately after the event,” Mark Sullivan, forensic and litigation services principal at Grant Thornton, said in the statement. “Social media allows for small disclosures over a period of time that, when taken in aggregate, could run afoul of applicable regulations.”

Only 27% of executives surveyed said their company regularly reviews its social media content, and only 21% said their company trains its employees to recognize and report fraudulent activity. For the companies whose executives said they do have a formal fraud/privacy breach management plan, oversight of those responsibilities was split among general counsel (24%), corporate security (19%), human resources (14%) and IT departments (14%).

“Social media cuts across many areas of a company (such as HR, marketing, communications and legal, among others),” FERF Senior Research Associate Thomas Thompson Jr. said in the joint statement. “Therefore any policy surrounding it should be the result of a multidisciplinary approach.”

Andrew Loveridge from Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit has won the SATIB Trust Award in recognition of his work in lion biology and supporting conservation in Africa.

This award was created by Brian Courtenay, founder and chairman of SATIB Insurance Brokers and the Ivory Group, to mark the launch of the SATIB Trust. Courtenay is a trustee of the Endangered Wildlife Trust and of Elephants for Africa (a UK charity), and a renowned supporter of conservation work in southern Africa.

He chairs the charitable trust set up by SATIB shareholders to provide a conduit for support for conservation projects in Africa.

SATIB Insurance Brokers and the Ivory Group have for the past 21 years provided risk solutions for the hospitality, tourism, safari and wildlife industries in Southern Africa using long-term underwriting facilities with Lloyd’s of London. During this time they have financed many conservation projects in Africa and will now further these efforts through the SATIB Trust.

Its aims are to support, preserve and protect natural heritage and conservation initiatives.

The award to Loveridge is in recognition for the dedication of the Hwange Lion Research team working in Zimbabwe.

Loveridge is the Kaplan Research Fellow at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, and a member of Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) within the Zoology Department at the university.

He has spent the past 15 years undertaking research on lions and other carnivores in southern Africa. Working with WildCRU’s director, Prof David Macdonald, Loveridge heads the Hwange Lion Project which researches the ecology, behaviour and conservation of the African lion.

The board of directors of the Ivory Group, which is headquartered in Durban, plans to present the award in May to coincide with Indaba, the annual travel and tourism trade show and convention. This year’s award takes the form of a Land Rover Defender.

Courtenay said: “I have for the past 15 years been travelling to Hwange so I know the harsh conditions under which these researchers work. It is for me a great honour to award this Land Rover Defender to Andy for his and the team’s ongoing enthusiasm and dedication.”

The LWB vehicle was specially built to facilitate many hours of observation of lions. It has drop sides, long-range fuel tanks, a GPS system and other features to make it ideal for its purpose.

Accepting the award, Dr Loveridge said: “It is immensely encouraging to have my own and my team’s research and conservation efforts recognised in this way. African lions and most other large carnivores, worldwide, face significant threats to their continued survival in the wild. One of the keys to halting the continued decline of these important species is through the kind of hands-on practical research and conservation undertaken by WildCRU and the Hwange Lion Conservation Project.”

WildCRU director Prof Macdonald commented “WildCRU’s lion work at Hwange is a model for how scientific discoveries can inform policy and change practice, leading to benefits for both wildlife and people. Our work at Hwange has influenced ideas about living alongside predators around the world.

“Andy Loveridge’s dedication to lion conservation has been immense, and WildCRU is proud of his achievements and this richly deserved prize”.

On 01 December 2011 Atta (African Travel and Tourism Association) held their Christmas showcase event at Sandy B Private Beach Club of the Bay Hotel, Camps Bay, Cape Town.

The Sponsors for the evening comprised of SATIB, Village & Life, British Airways and Tall Horse Wines and the charity benefiting from the event was Uthando.

The aim of the evening was to host a Christmastide Networking Party, in Cape Town involving ATTA, SATSA Members, Guests and Media. Also invited to this showcase evening was all aspiring members from the Tourism Industry to come and see what it's all about. Invitations went out to all 450 members but reached a staggering total number of over 2000 individual trade contacts all over Africa - needless to say the event was well attended.

The evening kicked off with wine and soft drinks and delicious canapés being served. This was followed by some more networking. Atta Managing Director Chairman Nigel Verre Nicoll (joined by Atta Chairman Anita Powell and Atta Southern Africa Director Ingram Casey) then addressed the guests to explain "The benefits of Atta in 2012" with the main aim being to increase membership in Southern Africa.

Next Dieter Prinsloo, Group Director of SATIB had an opportunity to introduce SATIB Insurance Brokers, the Atta evening’s main sponsor, by giving a short overview of the company's history, current structure and it's plans for the future and how clients can benefit from our branch network into Southern Africa. Werner Prinsloo, local SATIB Sales Manager also attended the event.

James Fernie of Uthando had the final say by taking a practical look at how tourism organisations & tourists themselves can get involved with economic and social development in Africa.

The highlight of the evening was of course the Raffle which was undoubtly one of the biggest travel raffles with fantastic holiday prizes from Atta members including a 4 night holiday at the newly opened Azura at Quilalea in Mozambique and 3 nights at Matemwe Lodge, Zanzibar with all proceeds going to Uthando. The Raffle was completed with much excitement and was followed by some more networking until well into the night.

On 21 November 2011, SATIB Insurance Brokers Cape Town branch representatives, Dieter Prinsloo and Werner Prinsloo, attended the annual Chartis Big 7 Awards function at The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, where Chartis recognised the premium contribution of their major brokers.

SATIB came in at second place in the broker category having been awarded the Leopard trophy.

Rhino under siege in KZN received a mega R400,000 boost from the high-flying efforts of 40 big-hearted volunteer skydivers on Saturday 13 August. 

Andre du Toit, SATIB Insurance Brokers Operations Director, had this to say about the experience, “Forty rhino huggers lined up for a once in a life time experience – to Skydive for Rhinos! Being one of the insane participants, drastic measures were required to draw attention to the sad state of affairs in rhino poaching in South Africa. Some of the jumpers had never flown in a plane before, let alone jumped from one at 10,000ft!”

Rhino under siege in KZN received a mega R400,000 boost from the high-flying efforts of 40 big-hearted volunteer skydivers on Saturday 13 August. 

Andre du Toit, SATIB Insurance Brokers Operations Director, had this to say about the experience, “Forty rhino huggers lined up for a once in a life time experience – to Skydive for Rhinos! Being one of the insane participants, drastic measures were required to draw attention to the sad state of affairs in rhino poaching in South Africa. Some of the jumpers had never flown in a plane before, let alone jumped from one at 10,000ft!”

Rhino under siege in KZN received a mega R400,000 boost from the high-flying efforts of 40 big-hearted volunteer skydivers on Saturday 13 August. 

Andre du Toit, SATIB Insurance Brokers Operations Director, had this to say about the experience, “Forty rhino huggers lined up for a once in a life time experience – to Skydive for Rhinos! Being one of the insane participants, drastic measures were required to draw attention to the sad state of affairs in rhino poaching in South Africa. Some of the jumpers had never flown in a plane before, let alone jumped from one at 10,000ft!”

This extraordinary campaign started by the African Conservation Trust (ACT) culminated at Durban Skydive Centre’s Angel’s Way farm in Eston, KZN, just 12 weeks after the idea was first dreamed up by staff members, who had received one too many photographs of South African rhino butchered by poachers this year. The campaign has already received incredible support from thousands of angry South Africans countrywide, and raised cash donations in excess of R140,000, largely from members of the public in KZN. A further R250,000 of ‘in kind’ donations have also been received from the province’s business community.

The organisers will use the funds raised to generate further funding for anti-poaching initiatives in the province. Friends, family, conservation officials, members of the public, media and even a handful of tourists came out in force to watch the 40 slightly crazy, but highly committed individuals from all walks of life jump out of a plane from 10,000ft, strapped in tandem to master skydivers, as they raced to complete this world-first event ahead of a looming cold front. The first-time jumpers ranged in age from grandmothers to students, and included 20 ACT staff members, some of whom who had never been in a plane before. “They must be the only people in the world to take off in a plane for the first time, but never land in one!” quipped ACT’s Projects Director Francois du Toit, who watched the action with his feet firmly on the ground. “I’m not that afraid of heights, but sitting on the edge of the plane, with the buildings on the ground looking so tiny, I was scared stiff,” admitted Sheelagh Antrobus, ACT’s Campaign Coordinator. “I tried to keep calm by thinking, ‘It’s for our rhinos’.

The next few seconds were the most terrifying of my life, and screaming at terminal velocity is something else! But I’m so glad to have been part of this collaborative effort for our rhinos and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” When the Skydive for Rhinos drive started in mid May, 160 rhinos had been killed countrywide by poachers. By the time the jump took place, a further 94 rhinos had been slaughtered; a sickening rate of more than one per day. Three days after the skydive took place, national statistics on rhino poaching jumped to 260, with news that six more had been killed over the weekend. The organisers are astonished at the level of support for what they freely admit is a ‘whacky’ idea. John Jordan, an ex-South African who has been living in Australia for many years, came to watch the skydivers in action and made a spontaneous donation saying, “I’ve never been so profoundly touched in my life. I had no idea about the gravity of the rhino poaching problem in South Africa, but this collaborative effort of 40 people willing to put their own lives on the line made it clear to me that something very serious is going on.” John called the event ‘the best experience of my SA holiday’ and pledged to take up the rhino cause when he returned to Melbourne. “We hope that the money we have raised will make a difference, but we know that this battle is far from over,” said Micah van Schalkwyk,

the youngest jumper on the team. “So much awareness and funding still needs to be raised, however this campaign and the support received at the event proved that there are people willing to help, happy to give and dedicated to spreading the word. “It shows that the conservation community is not the only one concerned about the rapid decimation of our Black and White rhino populations and that ordinary South Africans, in their thousands, want to see rhino poaching stopped.”

The organisers say this is only the beginning! So keep an eye on www.projectafrica.com and www.facebook.com/skydiveforrhinos or contact Sheelagh Antrobus on email atfunding@projectafrica.com for more information as this campaign goes forward. Source: Cindy Clokie | Marketing Manager | SATIB Insurance Brokers