Influential Women in South Africa

Nothing excites me than seeing people make it in life. I’m one of those people that are always searching for successful people in their industries from motivation. I love being motivated by what others are doing out there. You don’t have to be born in a family where there is already a legacy you can start one for your kids and grand kids. With some people they didn't have to join political parties to make it. They went to school just like you and I and worked their way up. I look up to most South African Women and I've compiled a list of those that I admire.

 Here is the list of Women that I find Influential:

•  WENDY LUHABE - South African businesswoman, social entrepreneur and author. She was also honored as one of the 50 Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World.  She’s the Founder and Chair of Women Private Equity Fund and a Founder of Wendy Luhabe Foundation
•   PHUTI MAHANYELE -Director of Energy at Shanduka Group. Prior to joining Shanduka Group, she headed the Project Finance South Africa unit at the Development Bank of Southern Africa
•  YOLANDA CUBA - Non-Executive Director at Absa Group Limited and serves as a Director at various companies. She is a qualified CA (SA). Cuba has served as Chief Executive Officer of Mvelaphanda Group Limited, where she became one of the youngest Chief Executive Officers ever of a JSE-listed company

•   KHANYI DHLOMO - Managing Director of Ndalo Media, which she founded in 2007. She is also the founder of Destiny Connect , the Founding Editor of Destiny Magazine and owner of Luminance

•  PRECIOUS MOLOI-MOTSEPE - an Executive Chairperson for African Fashion International. Her company owns and hosts Fashion weeks in South Africa. She is also a Chairperson for Leisurewor

•  PRECIOUS NCAYIYANA - is an Independent Pharmacist and a Stakeholder Relations Director at National Consumer Forum

• FUTHI MTOBA - President of Business Unity SA. She is a qualified chartered accountant and chairman of Deloitte Southern Africa. She is the first black woman to be appointed as a partner by one of the big four accounting firms in South Africa

•  NOMAXABISO MAJOKWENI - the Founder and Managing Director of L'Avant Group also a Board Member of South African Tourism
•   NONKULULEKO NYEMBEZI-HEITA - was the Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal South Africa Limited. She is currently a Non-Executive director at Old Mutual, Macsteel ,JSE LTD

•  NONKULULEKO GOBODO - a Founder for Gobodo Incorporation. She is also an Executive Chair for White Harvest Holdings and a Member of the Bks Appeal Board. She is a Chartered Accountant of South Africa, and was the first black woman ever to achieve this

• IPELENG MKHARI- Ipeleng Mkhari is an Independent Non-Executive Director for KAP International Holdings Limited. She is a Co-Founder of Motseng Investment Holdings currently serves as its Chief Operations Officer and is the Founder of Phosa Iliso CCTV

•   KURISANI MASWANGANYI- founder and managing director of Kulani Engineering Consultancy.

Written by Cupid

Economic Freedom in our Lifetime - Investment 101

Throughout all the years, we've always known January to be a very tough month, we had great times in December and now many barely have petrol money – JanuWORRY. As the years have gone by I have found that I am becoming smarter and as such manage my December money better so as to live through Jan, but it’s still TOUGH. Queen Troll spoke to someone who knows a little more about money and savings and here’s what came up (hope it helps on the road to economic freedom)

Most individual’s I meet on a daily basis often need the use of the following investment vehicles to address their financial needs: 

1.       Unit Trust (I call it “super 32days notice account”)

-          Different Funds/Portfolios are chosen that meet the client’s investment goal return and risk profile.

-          Flexible investment vehicle. (Invested funds are available on requested)

-          Advantage: Liquidity of investment funds

-          Disadvantage: Capital Gains Tax can be charged.

-          Use:  Planning for short term goals (less 5years). Example: Trips, Purchase of anything, Education, building of capital, etc.

2.       Endowment

-          Fixed investment vehicle. (Invested funds are available after a fixed period of time)

-          Advantage: No Capital Gains Tax charged

-          Use: Planning for long term goals (5years plus). Example: Education for children, balloon payments, building of capital, etc.

3.       Retirement Annuity

-          Different Funds/Portfolios are chosen that meet the client’s investment goal return and risk profile.

-          South Africa’s legal age to access your RA is 55

-          Advantage: Tax benefit, government pays you as tax rebate your tax bracket on your contribution towards your RA (i.e. If you are in 40% tax bracket and you contribute monthly R10 000 towards your RA, the government of that R10 000 will give you a R4000 rebate)

-          Disadvantage: High penalty fees for access of investment funds before agreed upon fixed time.  

So are you ready to invest? A few facts:

·         Anyone and everyone, with affordability (of investment type), can participate in investing of money and shares. (Including a new born baby who through their parents can be an investment owner/holder)

·         When markets are low it’s always the right time to invest. At this time, the investment is “cheap” and when markets are high, the investment has increased in price- which means for someone pulling out, it could be right time (when markets are high)it would mean they would have made a significant gain. When a financial goal arises, like planning for children’s education, trips, purchase of property (which is also investing) - it is always the right time to invest to ease the burden of having to start at a later stage.   Of course anytime where it is certain that the initial entered investment will be lost and there is a significant amount of money involved- one can pull out.   

·         One important question that needs to be addressed in every individual’s Financial Planning is: What happens when I live too long? Meaning you need funds to fund that long life and your different goals – Investing is a way of ensuring you are able to meet your goals and have enough to take care of your long life.  

As a beginner the hardest thing in investing is STARTING, often we believe I must first have a lot of money to invest, when it should rather be - let me invest so I can have a lot money.

Investing need not be confused with saving, investing looks at a more long term approach, which means before one invests, they must have taught themselves how to save- this also allows the investor to have liquid capital in times of need from savings, instead of interrupting their investment goals.

Remember, the higher the risk in investment the higher the returns are likely to be.

If anybody would like to speak to the Financial Adviser who helped the Queen with the above information, here are her details. She is suitably qualified.

Cell: 072 442 5077/ 073 767  3480

 Email: ntsako.khosa@liblink.co.za

Courtesy of QueenTroll and Loulou 

The price of education

I came across an article stating the most expensive private schools in South Africa, all of which the school fees are no less than R140 000 and most offering the IEB syllabus. Right now with that money I could pay off my 4 year university fees which included res and food. To me these amounts seem ridiculous, firstly because of my current pay-grade and secondly because I managed to be where I am today regardless of my public school education. 

But with the performance of some of our public schools being the way it is and with no clear prospect of it getting any better, are these parents justified in their choice of schools for their children. If the bank balance allows it and they would rather invest this much money towards their kids education than be a TTT for some of us; I see no fault in this. Although these elite schools guarantee good facilities, the queens english and maybe exposure to certain opportunities that we as public school products only see once we enter university or the working force.  These  do not guarantee that your child will turn out any better than those in public schools, I believe the character and attitude of your child and also the values you equip them with, whether you pay R100 or R140 000 per year matter more than anything. 

Hilton college

But what do I know about raising children, my gold fish didn't even last 2 days, most probably cause I gave it tap water and not bottled, lol.

Whats your opinion Tolahs: Are these fees ridiculous? Or is it all worth it?

By ME :-)

Picture source: http://businesstech.co.za/news/general/70063/most-expensive-schools-in-south-africa/

http://schoolstribune.com/spotlight-on-hilton-college-p267-299.htm

Self esteem

Bio oil -for stretch marks

And still u see no beauty

Alie soap- for dark inner thighs, underarms and "slave knees"

And still u see no beauty

Make up - for the ugly face

And still u see no beauty

Spandex -for the cellulite

And still u see no beauty

Waist trainer -for the bulgy stomach

And still u see no beauty

Filter so u can get 50 likes and comments 

 And still u see no beauty

Photoshop for the body you want

And still u see no beauty

You fix yourself, you cover the map that is ur body to fix urself,

Oh darling if only you could realise that its ur inside that needs fixing. So u can see the beauty I see,  a pure beauty that does not seek validation, that oozes confidence , one that commands to be seen without words, a beauty that doesnt need make up to find itself, but uses it anyway. 

Pretty kills from outside in, pretty hurts.

By ME :-)

Happy Monday

Happy Monday everyone. Welcome back to those who; like me; are only coming back to work today. Can the year end already, I wanna go back, stay in the house and be a house girlfriend tlhe kiiiiiii don't judge!!

My weekend in one paragraph: I stayed in. Did nothing except eat, sleep, eat, watch tv, drink wine and eat some more. Boring but full of rest as I prepared for my first day back at work.

What did you ladies get up to this past weekend?

By Queen Troll

Freedom of speech

What is freedom of speech? Freedom of speech; according to my understanding;  is the ability to voice out what you believe in, whether vocally or in writing without being judged and fearing for the safety of your life.

But, where does freedom of speech end? Does one's freedom of speech pertain bridging those of others? Does the fact that one person is allowed freedom to say what they do or don't like mean that it is then okay to diss the freedom of others to express themselves the way they see fit? Let's say; for example; you have an intolerance for a certain religious group. Does your right to express this reign over the right of the next person who belongs to that group?

Where does one draw the line? How do we decide what freedom of speech or any kind of freedom for that matter is? Who decides that it is okay for one to have more freedom than another? Or, is it all about some humans being more equal than others?

As a blogger, I have freedom to say what I like, whether it be a fact or opinion. However, after the recent attacks on a French magazine's employees allegedly by a religious group offended by the magazine's satirical take on their religion, I have found myself asking the question: when does free speech become so personal to another that the only way they can make you see things from their point of view is by resorting to violence to get their displease across.

When do we draw the line?

By QueenTroll

Do things differently...............

So I've been meaning to pen this down and I finally have it figured out….

·         Past Hurts have no bearing on your future, don’t focus on them:

2012 was my worst year ever, lost my house and had my car repo but got it back within the month. My biggest mistake was learning not to be frank about my needs and assuming that through sheer hard work people will reward you. It doesn't work that way boo, we need to always fight for our little corner in life and never be apologetic for doing so, especially if you have put in the hours. That was my best experience and lesson yet, and today I’m reaping those rewards. Sometimes you need to put in the hours, get paid those peanuts but understand what the vision is. I wanted to leave so badly but nothing was happening, until I understood I had not reached the pinnacle in that phase yet.

·         I’m team J-LO , love and love again, stuff what people say:

Ok, no judgment, but ladies (and gents) there is no harm in going for what you want. When you think you cannot love again, you realize there’s still some capacity in you. I beg O’ don’t be hard on yourself, its different every single time because no two people are the same. I have that one friend that gets me through and through, and the reason is simple…do what your heart wants ngoba you will either do it in hiding or regret. So who are we kidding?

Oh and when you decided to date an ass of a man…own up and make your peace. If he is not your cup of tea, walk away from it otherwise buckle up and understand what you’re looking to achieve. Once again, no one is there when you sit behind closed doors calling, texting etc.

·         Never get comfortable, acknowledge it but don’t relax, ever!

Can I urge all of us to update our Linkedin accounts, please!!!!! Be selective about who you follow, use that platform to inform and educate yourself about the industry that you are in. You will soon understand or at least gain some insight on what recruiters do. Be your own recruitment agent by marketing yourself smartly. Stay clear from treating it like Facebook, NOT the same platform and pretty please don’t inbox people for the heck of it.

Will do an in-depth article on this later on in the month…all I’m saying is that you need to treat yourself as a brand, one that is respectable and has a formidable truth to it. No point accepting every Tom, Dick and Harrison on your profile…be strategic. Ask yourself this question….is this action getting me any closer to my goal or is it a hindrance?

By Snapster