The Press Release 

South African welders remain unemployed and under pressure to find work, despite a global demand for the skill and a firm commitment from the South African government to spend millions on public work projects specific to the power generation and petrochemical sectors, positions that require certified welding skills.

The post Bridging the Unemployment Gap: How SAIW is Securing the Future of Welding in South Africa appeared first on Firehorse Media.

The Press Release : Knight Frank Property Investment

A Tax-deductible Property Portfolio is One of the Best Investments to Consider

Your assets for the future determine your current net worth today, and with a healthy property portfolio and the current SARS tax incentives in place, you as the property owner can maximise the growth of your investments.

In order to enjoy tax-free ownership incentives, property investment portfolios in South Africa may be residential, such as single-family homes, multi-family properties or commercial properties. The distinction lies in the fact they are ‘buy to let’ residential or commercial properties as opposed to falling under the income tax of primary residences.

Defined within an investment portfolio, your properties are considered ‘income properties’ that are bought and developed with the sole intention of earning revenue from them.

A successful property portfolio comprises of five or more ‘buy to let’ properties that are rented or held while the property appreciates. All expenses on your property portfolio are deductible from the rental income, before tax is calculated. The gains that you see to growing your net worth lies in the interest, capital gains and dividends you earn from them being completely tax-free.

Rental properties, such as holiday homes, guesthouses and bed and breakfast establishments bought with the intention of generating rental income can not only cover your property’s bond but will also allow you to claim for certain expenses you may further acquire on the property. This might include levies charged by body corporates, repairs and maintenance, insurance premiums and municipal service costs charged to the owner.

Keep in mind that you can invest R33 000 per tax year up to a lifetime maximum of R500 000. If you contribute more than these maximums, you will incur penalties.

Your property portfolio investment is also beneficial in estate planning. Your dependents can be financially secured through estate planning which pays your beneficiaries immediately, does not incur executor fees and ensures your beneficiaries receive the maximum benefit from your estate.

As with any investment, Knight Frank advises you consult with a certified tax advisor to ensure you receive the best legal and investment guidance for your distinctive property portfolio.

ENDS/

Results & Impact 

• Strengthened Knight Frank’s positioning as a trusted thought leader in wealth management through property.

• Reinforced the link between property investment, tax efficiency, and estate planning.

• Provided accessible, actionable guidance that positioned the firm as approachable for clients seeking clarity in complex areas.

This release illustrates the value of creating content that educates while positioning a brand as a premium advisor. If your company operates in finance, property, or wealth management, well-crafted releases like this not only secure coverage but also build trust and long-term client relationships.

The post Why Tax-Deductible Property Portfolios Are a Smart Investment Strategy appeared first on Firehorse Media.

The Press Release

The House of Hemp Strikes Green Gold for South Africa for the Second Time in History

Front-runners in the quest for using South Africa’s indigenous knowledge rights to commercialize medical marijuana and by products produced from hemp for the benefit and upliftment of our local economy, House of Hemp has been honored as the first private company to receive a license to commence commercial production.

Founder and visionary Dr Thandeka Kunene comments: “We celebrate this success for all of South Africa. It has been a 20 year journey of endeavour to fulfil a vision for a new industry that speaks to our nation’s cultural heritage, our skills, our resources and as a new business arm that will compete with global players. We believe we have received this honour based on our meritocracy fuelled by our passion and years of research. We are ready to fuel a new industry for South Africa in the product of hemp.”

History repeats itself

Since its grass roots endeavors in 1999, when House of Hemp first set down its mandate to be a part of a new South Africa focused on reducing poverty and creating jobs, its 28 black directors lobbied for their vision of a future hemp industry and won the first permit granted by the South African government at that time for cultivating hemp for commercial research purposes.

Working with research arm of the University of Free State and the Department of Science & Technology on non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) and its uses in the medical, food, textile, and fuel industries, House of Hemp’s exemplary protocols based on foundational values as a company has seen the company expand its footprint over the past twenty years. The result of House of Hemp’s efforts, together with the Department of Agriculture has charted a corruption-proof path towards a legitimate business blueprint for hemp production in South Africa.

Hi-tech operations underway

Following the recent granting of the first license for commercial production of Medical Cannabis within the new proposed Medical Controls Council (MCC) guidelines, operations have already ramped up at Dube Trade port’s AgriZone complex – one of the most high-tech agricultural facilities in Africa.

Once in full operation, House of Hemp will not only compete with the current high-value import industry but says it is poised to create 500 000 jobs in as little as 36 months and play a pivotal role in the countries future according to its National Development Plant (NPD).

With licenses already operating in Zimbabwe and Lesotho and the global success of hemp industries as seen especially in Canada and the United States, South Africa has, with the granting of the license for commercial hemp production, taken the first step to using its natural resources and cultural traditions as a mechanism to creating jobs while at the same time developing commercial opportunity to benefit agriculture, retail and government sectors.

Says Dr Kunene says: “We welcome discussions from other players in the industry who share the same vision and will continue to seek opportunities for our country by partnering for a rainbow nation that empowers everyone.”

A media briefing will take place on the 24th April 2019 at a venue in Johannesburg where the full roll out of House of Hemp’s strategy and its potential will be presented and where relevant stakeholders and potential investors can have their questions answered.
All enquiries can be directed to E: info@ihouseohemp.co.za

Results & Impact 

• Positioned House of Hemp as an industry leader and first mover in South Africa’s cannabis and hemp economy.

• Elevated the role of founder Dr. Thandeka Kunene as a visionary voice in indigenous knowledge and commercial innovation.

• Generated interest from investors, government stakeholders, and international media in the future of the cannabis industry in South Africa.

Visuals (Optional Enhancements)

• Image of Dr. Thandeka Kunene.

• Photo of Dube TradePort AgriZone facilities.

• Infographic showing projected job creation and economic impact.

Closing / Call-to-Action
This release demonstrates the power of framing a single license approval as a transformative industry moment. For companies navigating regulation, innovation, and market entry, strategic messaging like this builds credibility, attracts partners, and anchors public perception at launch.

The post House of Hemp Secures South Africa’s First Commercial Cannabis Production License appeared first on Firehorse Media.

The Press Release

Hayward’s Secret Safaris Cater to the International Elite seeking Travel Exclusivity

Where do royalty, millionaires and corporation heads like to travel? To unique, untouched locations where no one has stepped foot before and where no one may disturb their peace, unless of course, it’s the nocturnal roar of a big cat on the prowl or sweet bird song chorusing to a pink-hued African dawn.

Celebrated as Africa’s 5-star safari specialists, Peter & Celia Hayward and their skilful service team have been conjuring up big group safari adventures and private mobile expeditions for over 25 years. Hosting high-end safari clientele and their staff entourage in Africa’s most beautiful natural wonders of sea, land and sky, many of their bespoke safari destinations lie within exclusive World Heritage Sites where access is restricted.

“You can find budget flights and hotel stays for the ordinary traveller just about anywhere on the globe these days,” says Peter Hayward, “but you can’t book a safari expedition in the era of Livingstone into untouched Africa. The Grand Safari is the art of bringing luxury living into bespoke experiences within pristine natural landscapes to co-exist in complete ecological balance. When our mobile 5-star safari expedition departs, not a blade of grade is left bent to show our group of private safari explorers were ever there.

“And we are clear that the emphasis is on privacy and personal luxury, from non-disclosure agreements to personal requests. If you want to smoke cigars from Cuba with a case of the finest wine or whisky at your side while stargazing in the Waterberg Wilderness, we are happy to oblige. If you want to set up a casino event as a private networking opportunity with a group of global business elite in the middle of the Kruger National Park’s Big 5 territory, we will make it happen. If you want to be entertained by your favourite international rock band in the Namib Desert for your 60th birthday with friends and family, we are your go-to team.”

Off the Radar

Choosing your own unique luxury destination starts by looking at the map. Then you are provided with choices for getting there and what you want to experience. Think luxury train travel, charter flights, overland vehicles, hot air balloons, luxury yachts and camel taxis.

Arrival at camp is a warm welcome which reveals only the finest in Livingstone-style safari comfort in 30 en suite Presidential Suites, manned by your personal butler. The dining tent caters to seven-course silver service meals, including mid-morning and afternoon high teas and sundowner cocktails served at various natural locations outside of camp.

When not engaged in safari excursions, Big 5 walking safaris, Big 6 diving excursions, or other business or adventure activities, a massage and spa service assist you to prepare for the evening’s black-tie events. Canapes, cocktails, oysters and champagne, wine and whiskey tastings set the tone until dinner is served and the evening’s entertainment commences.

“Culture, history, art, science, nature, adventure and food are pivotal players in each bespoke location,” says Peter, “and we incorporate choices for learning and entertainment within all of these, so our clients may experience the essence of action adventure along with immersing themselves in the local culture and current influencers that match with today’s authentically luxurious lifestyles.”

Customizable Corporate Incentives

It is not only celebrities who look for customized experiences that thrill and delight. Hayward’s Grand Safari Company is ahead of its game when it comes to one-of-a-kind travel incentives that are worthy of rewarding top corporate sales staff on international travel incentive programs that guarantee no individual participant could replicate the same for themselves or their families.

Achieving a once in a lifetime incentive trip for personally pushing the boundaries and achieving as a company incentive winner sets you apart from the rest, as you are whisked away to an unknown grand safari tented camp in the heart of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal. Its awe-inspiring to say the least, according to the Hayward Safaris’ latest group guests from Sanlam Connect International Convention who found themselves with breath-taking views over Lake St Lucia, backed by untouched coastal forest and dunes teeming with fauna and flora.

“One of my favourite pastimes is hunting down incredible camp site locations so we can offer guests the privilege of wilderness regions never safaried before and better still, where there are no other hotel options available, making it a truly rare and privileged occasion for all participants,” says Peter Hayward.

Whether you choose to be ensconced in a crater or the birthplace of mankind, amidst the San people, an island beach or a valley of a thousand purple tinged mountains, Hayward’s classic safari camps will take you there, just the way you want it.

Hayward’s Grand Safari Company provides tailored experiences in custom designed safari camps into unexplored Africa, compiled by experts with the utmost taste and insider knowledge for total travel exclusivity for VIP private groups and well-heeled globetrotters. Visit www.haywardsafaris.com

Results & Impact 

• Positioned Hayward Safaris as Africa’s premier provider of ultra-exclusive mobile safari experiences.

• Secured coverage in luxury lifestyle, travel, and incentive industry outlets.

• Elevated brand appeal to both ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) and corporate incentive buyers.

This release illustrates how luxury branding goes beyond simple description to evoke an experience that only a select few can access. If your business is seeking to elevate its messaging to attract a discerning, global clientele, I can help you shape communications that not only describe, but truly transport your audience.

The post Hayward Safaris: Crafting Ultra-Exclusive African Expeditions for the Global Elite appeared first on Firehorse Media.

The Entrepreneur Feature
Entrepreneur Feature/ Thokozile Mangwiro of Nilotiqa/ Sunpac / February 2022

Counting Confidence One Head at a Time for Nilotiqa Black Haircare Founder

She is shy, petite, and laser focused. And rare. It is not the money that inspires South African Thokozile Mangwiro, founder of Nilotiqa Haircare for black women but rather the discovery of her own formulation of organic hair treatment that speaks to every black woman who has stood in the face of adversarial marketing that wants to straighten, smooth, dye and reshape a black women’s hair, as if her natural crowning beauty is something to be avoided and changed.

With Krugersdorp roots and a family drive for an education, ‘Thoko’ duly completed university and followed a career in programming and business intelligence. But, frustrated by the hair care products on the retail shelves being marketed to black women, Thoko felt compelled to seek out her own organic solutions for maintaining her naturally managed, long Afro hair. Thoko set about researching and formulating Nilotiqa in 2014; and launched her brand in 2016 as a natural and organic hair care product solution to dry, brittle hair.

“Like most African women, our hair is characterised by kinky curls and grows closer to the scalp which makes it a challenge for our hair’s natural oils to travel down the hair strands to its tips. Nilotiqa is an organic and homegrown solution to maintaining your hair’s natural moisture,” she explains.

“Whether you wear a weave or braids, Nilotiqa keeps what is beneath – your natural hair – in its healthiest state,” she says. “When African hair is not adequately retaining moisture, it can lead to several conditions, such as dandruff, thinning of the hair, a receding hairline, or even worse hair falling out. These conditions can then have a significant impact on the health and aesthetic of the African coil.”

Entrepreneur Access into the Marketplace

Celebrating her grass roots success at delivering a solution to her new fans and followers who were overusing harsh, chemical treatments, Thoko was optimistic about being able to share her product with all African women on the local retail shelves. “I had no understanding of the ‘retail of retail’,” she laughs. “I pounded the pavements, made weekly calls to the major retail outlets where I knew I needed to be if I wanted to reach and speak to my local audience but none of the retailers were ready for my products.”

With no option for failure, having left her corporate career in 2017 to follow her dream of success with a solution specifically suited for curly, African hair, Thoko says she quickly learnt what it was to have an abnormal amount of persistence. “I learnt how to speak up. I found out how to make myself more visible. I didn’t have an option to give up. I would cry on the bathroom floor and grind through months and months without an income. I could not imagine Nilotiqa not fulfilling its highest potential. It was a solution for African women that deserved to win.”

It took two years of knocking on retail doors to for Nilotiqa to debut products onto Clicks retail shelves nationwide; then a further year of pain and purpose from Thoko, and public outcry from South Africans at racially biased marketing content from a globally distributed hair care brand, for Nilotiqa  to debut on the shelves of  Dischem and Pick n Pay nationally.

“Running my own business, managing the marketing, finance, production and distribution while also managing my family and two young sons, was a learning curve. I never doubted Nilotiqa was a good product, that kept me going, but as an entrepreneur who was unfamiliar with the challenges of the national retail sector, I knew I needed help.”

Acquisition for Growth

Enter Sunpac and a conversation with CEO Shaun Laffer which led to the Sunpac acquisition in early 2022.

Says Thoko, “I had another investment opportunity on the table at the time, but for me, Sunpac was the type of partner, backed by a team, which understands the business I am in. As a leading distributor of top international hair care brands, Sunpac aligns with the Nilotiqa ethos which places a value on black female consumers needs and their financial restraints.

“The Sunpac agreement now allows for key investments for growth, while I can continue to maintain and manage the core of the Nilotiqa business and develop the range to include other personal care categories too. There is a lot to be done. All the processes for retail distribution are changing and we are upgrading our branding and labelling, but the process of formulation will not change.”

Speaking into the potential of her newfound future, Thoko says, “I want to see Nilotiqa become a household brand; to define the luxury of what it is to be an African woman. There are competitors in this field, however my products are unique, I know what I have to offer – it is all about the customer and what they are looking for in a brand that is healthy for their hair. With Nilotiqa, each and every consumer is the influencer for this incredible brand, in each and every way.”

Fabulous Forties for Future Fortune

Recently celebrating her 41^st birthday, we asked Thoko to define her own secret dreams and ingredients for confidence and style.

“The secret ingredient I would wish for myself would be the inspiration and ability to express my inner world more. I am a dreamer at heart but until now, I have had to be a survivor. I dream of creating products that are easily accessible to woman who, like me, are busy, hard working women that love quality and believe that they too deserve to feel beautiful. I want to create products that allow women to express their true selves, even when the world around them makes them feel unseen or small. As an African woman, I think we have so much to offer to the world and we desperately need to express ourselves more.”

For now, weekends are spent with her close-knit family bonding over games of tennis or swimming with her boys, or taking early morning prayer runs through her neighborhoods. “Having natural hair that is healthy is easy hair. When you start using Nilotiqa you will discover that your hair starts growing again. This year will be defining for the Nilotiqa brand and it will be defining for black women everywhere.”

About:
The Nilotiqa Hair Care Range is 100% home-grown, organically sourced, and locally formulated to deliver a plant-based moisturising hair care range perfectly suited to natural African hair care. Inspired and birthed from exquisite shea butter, it is formulated with oils from the nuts of the vitellaria nilotica tree, a beautiful tree, indigenous to the upper Nile region of Central Africa. Only the finest and most luxurious ingredients have been selected from South Africa and Africa to be delivered in an organic and naturally formulated product.

The Shea & Coco Collection is specifically formulated for dry and brittle hair and is designed with the combinative power of Shea butter and coconut oil to deeply nourish, care for and replenish moisture back into your hair. Start your healthy hair journey today www.nilotiqa.com.

Results & Impact 

• Positioned Nilotiqa as a trusted, authentic voice in the natural haircare market.

• Strengthened brand authority by aligning Thokozile’s personal journey with her company’s growth.

• Secured visibility for the Sunpac acquisition while reinforcing Nilotiqa’s unique market position.
  https://iol.co.za/lifestyle/style-beauty/hair/2022-02-22-home-grown-nilotiqa-hair-brand-gets-a-boost-from-sunpac/

  Counting Confidence One Head at a Time for Nilotiqa Black Haircare Founder

  
  
  https://www.dsbd.gov.za/stories/garage-retail

This feature demonstrates how storytelling humanizes a brand and elevates an entrepreneur’s voice as part of her company’s growth narrative. If your business has a founder story, a new partnership, or an acquisition moment, I can help craft the narrative so it resonates with media, customers, and investors alike.

The post Counting Confidence One Head at a Time: The Nilotiqa Story appeared first on Firehorse Media.

The Press Release

Humanitarian Hope Through Healthcare Pioneers Regenerative Medicine for Poacher-Wounded Rhinos

Humanity in support of sustainable solutions to aid, rescue and protect endangered rhino populations vulnerable to the rising numbers of poachers is highlighted by a recent ground-breaking collaboration between The Rhino Pride Foundation and Novita Biotech with the delivery of regenerative medicine and biotechnology healthcare for surviving rhinos and their young, which have withstood vicious armed poacher attacks.

Recognised as one of Africa’s Big Five, rhino are gentle horned herbivores which are today, highly endangered, and ruthlessly hunted by organised crime cartels to meet the voracious demand from Asian countries for the trade in illegal rhino horn. As in all warfare, if the rhino being hunted is not killed outright, it is left critically injured and in agony.

Specialist Wildlife Veterinarian Dr Jana Pretorius, founder of the Rhino Pride Foundation operates a secure and protected rhino sanctuary in South Africa where injured rhinos are treated and can roam wild following recovery. Together with Baby Rhino Rescue, involved with the foundation’s anti-poaching unit from the onset, orphaned rhino calves are fed and cared for too.

Now, in a co-operative healthcare outreach, Novita Biotech has become the first documented healthcare organisation in the world to supply injured rhino with a pioneering regenerative medicine administered through the injection of systemic Hyaluronic Acid and Proglycan treatment in injured rhinos for pain management and long-term quality of life.

Medical Hope for Critically Injured Rhino

Despite his diminutive name, Junior is a male bull rhino which weighs in at over 1200 kilograms, and a survivor of a recent poaching attempt. The bullet from a poacher’s high-velocity gun which entered through the left side of his chest had started migrating, causing Junior pain and discomfort. Due to his injuries, Junior was moved to the Rhino Pride Sanctuary approximately two weeks after the attack where the Proglycan treatment was administered without incident, with Junior’s positive recovery being monitored daily.

“Regenerative medicine aims to recover the normal function of diseased or damaged cells, tissues and organs, and speed healing and bone strength,” explains Dr Jana Pretorius. “As a non-profit organisation we are uplifted by the many people who work tirelessly in the background to help support and save our rhinos. It gives us incredible hope and it is a glimmer of hope for the future of our rhino in Africa. We are incredibly thankful for this long-term partnership with humanitarian Alexandra Mszewski of Novita Biotech which sets the foundations for the future treatment of injured rhino and increases the numbers of rhino saved from death.”

Novita Biotech is a Cape Town-based biotechnology company that supplies affordable cutting-edge human medical, aesthetic medicine and veterinary medical device products to industry professionals. Headed up by sole owner and shareholder Alexandra Mszewski, the company has developed the first commercially available systemic regenerative equine treatment derived fully from a unique system of processing autologous blood.

“From day one Novita Biotech has been founded on the principle of creating hope through healthcare; this has always been our purpose and mission,” says Mszewski. “The affordability and accessibility of health care products, especially to those who need them the most, is behind what we do and the poaching of rhino horn which leads to rhino deaths and injury is unfortunately a very real South African problem. As an animal lover I want to make sure that our rhino benefit from health products that the Rhino Pride Foundation would not necessarily  have access to.

“The Novitas Biotech business model of hope means we are able to give back thirty percent of our profits to those who need it. We want to support this very real African problem where the recipients really need it and our rhino can benefit from our healthcare with restored and extended life.”

Largest Private Rhino Sanctuary in the World

Due to the tremendous increase in rhino poaching and the high cost of feeding rhinos, many private rhino owners have had to give up their rhinos. This is where the Rhino Pride Foundation steps in, providing a haven for these rhinos, thus becoming the largest sanctuary of privately owned rhinos in the world.

The sanctuary provides a secure yet natural free-roaming habitat for endangered rhinos and utilises tracking technology to monitor poachers and prevent access to the reserve. Working collaboratively with Baby Rhino Rescue, they fund the purchase of milk, teff, and three anti-poaching dogs.

Currently, the Rhino Pride Foundation is completing infrastructure to the Sanctuary to nurture and protect more than 40 injured rhinos daily, with continued needs for orphan milk, fencing, the installing of thermal cameras, 24/7 security patrols, security gate and control room headquarters for the ongoing protection of rhino, medical support and the management of a sustainable rhino sanctuary where protected rhino which can live, breed and roam wild.

Adopt a Rhino

Enabling meaningful long-term partnerships both locally and globally, you can become part of the systematic plan to save the rhino through symbolic adoption.  All donations for the Sanctuary go to Baby Rhino Rescue to be disbursed by the Board of Directors. Symbolic support for a specific rhino means the donor will receive updates about projects and rhinos.

Inspired and passionate about the future of healthy rhino populations, Dr Jana Pretorius says, “We are focused on building trust through the successful delivery of honest and transparent initiatives, such as this medical-first partnership with Novita Biotech, so we can continue to education our future generations to be our wildlife conservationists and champions so that we might treat all living creatures with integrity and respect.”

ENDS/

Results & Impact:

• The release was picked up across conservation, health innovation, and humanitarian news channels including: Getaway, IOL and Weekend Argus:
  https://iol.co.za/weekend-argus/news/2021-12-16-regenerative-medicine-and-superior-pain-treatment-brings-hope-for-our-endangered-rhino/
  https://www.getaway.co.za/travel-news/new-medicine-pioneered-for-rhinos-that-survived-poaching-attempts/

• It positioned Novita Biotech as a leader in regenerative healthcare and showcased the Rhino Pride Foundation as a credible conservation authority.

• It helped drive awareness for symbolic rhino adoptions and fundraising for the sanctuary’s infrastructure.

This release illustrates how humanitarian storytelling and science-backed innovation can combine to inspire action. If your organisation is seeking to communicate purpose-driven initiatives — whether in conservation, healthcare, or corporate sustainability — I help craft press releases that secure coverage and galvanize support.

The post Pioneering Healthcare for Poacher-Wounded Rhinos: Regenerative Medicine Brings Hope appeared first on Firehorse Media.

The post How South African Corporates are Redefining Employee Volunteering for Sustainability appeared first on Firehorse Media.

It is also their responsibility and challenge to find the most rewarding destination with which to motivate and excite incentive participants – one that provides the best activities, adventures and amazement which will motivate and drive participants to achieve heightened success.

Long haul destinations offer the promise of the exotic but it can be challenging for incentive professionals to fully understand how to get the most out of the destination when they are situated on the other side of the globe.

This is why working on the ground with a destination management consultant (DMC) of that particular country as well as the local operators on the ground, is so important.

Incentive Travel Tips only Experience can Deliver

South Africa is renowned for its encompassing beauty, natural reserves, world-class wines and safari adventure travel, together with a world-class luxury lifestyle along its vast coastline from its position on the tip of Africa.

What many foreign incentive operators don’t realise is that South Africa is a very large country and all too often lengthly and costly travel logistics can impact both incentive itineraries and client budgets.

Almost every incentive travel group to South Africa looks for the reward of a Big 5 wildlife experience and their first port of call is the world-famous Kruger National Park. However, many factors come into play here which are often not available at first glance to booking agents.

Firstly, moving large groups to and through the Kruger National Park is a challenge and along with the park’s other 1.5 million annual visitors, it is not a high-end luxury incentive activity.

The more upmarket private reserves which edge the park, such as Sabi Sands and the Timbavati region offer an equally thrilling wildlife experience but do not have the scale of accommodation facilities to host big incentive groups, so they focus on catering solely to the free independent tourist (FIT) market.

How to Travel on an Incentive into the Kruger National Park

Getting your group to the Kruger is your next challenge.

Landing at OR Tambo International Airport in Gauteng Province, the park is a five hour drive by car and longer by luxury bus. Alternatively, groups can fly into Hoedspruit and the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, which then requires another hours’ drive to reach the Park’s Numbi Gate.

Traveling such distances often requires splitting the group and using costly alternative travel logistics can open up room for error. For the travelers themselves, the journey can turn into one long, hot and boring day… not something one wants to put ‘winners’ through.

Unless of course, they are arriving to something truly spectacular and inaccessible to anyone else.

Bespoke Safari Incentive Offerings

Hayward’s Grand Safari Company, the 2019 Winner of the Best Safari Experience in Africa at the Safari Awards this year, offers a bespoke Kruger National Park Grand Safari experience and is the first private safari operator to be allowed access to this South African wildlife treasure.

Transported to untouched wildlife regions within the 19 485 km² park where there are no public access roads or hotel or ablution buildings, or other tourists in sight, guests are hosted in 5-star luxury tented accommodation which caters to up to 200 people on pristine Park land that has not been touched by a human foot before.

Dedicated game rangers protect, teach and guide groups towards some of the most breathtaking and awe-inspiring nature experiences during the day while at night they are wooed by the night sky and entertained by the best chefs, butlers, cigar aficionados, story-tellers, spa specialists and cultural entertainers in Africa.

Immersed in pure natural environments for a week, guests emerge from a world-class luxury safari that is stained indelibly on their memory.

Setting a bespoke 5-star safari camp up in the Kruger National Park can be costly however, for those wanting to spend a shorter time engaging with the country’s wildlife and safari experience, there is something as equally inspiring and closer to ‘home’, or rather closer to Gauteng’s international airport.

Bringing the Kruger Incentive Experience to Johannesburg’s Doorstep

South African Tourism is behind the marketing of the all new Dinokeng Big 5 game reserve in Tshwane, just one hours’ drive from OR Tambo International Airport and one which offers a wildlife experience on a par with the Kruger National Park when it comes to immersing and engaging with South Africa’s natural heritage.

Adjacent to Hayward’s Grand Safari Company Headquarters in Boekenhoutskloof, this Big 5 reserve is also close to the diamond mining town of Cullinan and the Wonderboom Airport which offers direct transfers to South Africa’s second most visited destination, Cape Town, South Africa’s lifestyle and wine-drinking destination of choice.

Here, in Dinokeng, delegates are served an equitable safari experience on a par with the Kruger National Park but where incentive operators have more opportunity to spend travel logisitic costs on activities and entertainment to inspire and woo the group.

These include transfers by Rovos Rail, Diamond Incentive events, cultural entertainment and artisans such as the Ndebele King’s own traditional dancers and the five star services of classical pianists, hot air balloon sky safaris, wine and whiskey tastings and bespoke staged events right in its Big 5 safari camp each and every evening.

To discuss your next Grand Safari big group incentive trip, contact Top Woman in Mice and Hayward’s Safaris’ Production Director Celia du Preez on (South Africa) Tel: 0861 732 583 (International) Tel: +27 12 808 0442.

The post Incentives to Africa: Kruger to Cape Town Safari Expeditions appeared first on Firehorse Media.

Find BOCCA at the junction of Bree and Wale street in Cape Town’s trendy CBD just a short stroll up from the V&A Waterfront to share in romantic sunset dinners, family-gathering celebrations, or if you are one of the city’s many singular tech-head imports needing a shot of divine sustenance during one of your coding marathons… we saw all three varieties of patrons there on its split-level interior where the focus is firmly on fine food creation rather than just fancy interiors.

CELEBRATE WITH TASTE

Once you’ve dived into your first urban Italian cuisine experience offered up by maestro chef Guido, you will be loudly joining the buzzing fray as people revel in its flavour sensations offered up in a snappy array of sublime food, conversation and laughter.

BOCCA has an Italian calling for inspiring a food celebration, as only the Italians know how, delivered to your private table. It’s a recipe for never leaving and always returning. As petite hostess Adnana says, “You can come by yourself and sit at the counter for a glass of wine and a few small plates or arrive as a group and experience a selection of dishes. It’s really a place for people to connect over food.”

MENU MOZZAFIATO

There by invitation of a local foodie friend, my dinner partner and I were served a special BOCCA chef’s table, with each dish accompanied by detailed explanations from master chef Guido, so I benefited from an Italian lesson in the finer details of the variety and preparation of our particular dishes.

Putting his new menu into context, Guido says: “It’s all about uncomplicated Italian flavours, the kind you would enjoy if you were invited for dinner in an Italian household.”

We felt right at home at BOCCA with both of us delighting in each dishes unique sampling.

Guido and Adnana are particularly intent on sourcing the best local ingredients for their menu at BOCCA, adding their Italian flair to locally sourced South African products which they acknowledge as being of top-notch quality.

The local Stracciatella with roasted cherry tomatoes and confit eggplant was a first for me and I nearly swooned. Rich, creamy and almost the consistency of thick yoghurt, I was in heaven. The Polpo of Atlantic octopus with potatoes and basil pesto – a classic Mediterranean-inspired BOCCA dish was as breath-taking.

The star of the show for me however was the Polpettine; interesting for someone who ricochets between thoughts of turning vegetarian and eating all the crackling off the roast pork. Polpettine is a finely ground meatball of beef, pork and lamb to be dipped into a fresh ‘mayo verde’. Each bite is a series of new tastes unfolding one on top of the other and I couldn’t stop going back for more, nicking more than my fair share of it.

Before the arrival of the Brambilla’s, BOCCA was famous for its pizza and nothing has changed. With their imported Acunto oven – which cooks pizzas in 90 seconds, at temperatures topping 450°F – the dough sees a process of slow fermentation before being thrown by hand and pushed into its fiery heat.

The latest member of the BOCCA pizza family is their little PIZZETTE which is rolled smaller – about 16cm across – than a traditional pizza, and which means you can enjoy your favourite pizza flavours while still having space to try a variety of other new dishes served at the table.

We shared the Amatriciana with smoked cheeks of pork and pecorino on a puffy yet crisp base which was so ridiculously delicious it’s hard to view it as mere pizza – at least the takeaway sort of pizza I have previously come to know.

DOLCE ENDINGS

Not being a sweet tooth, I decided to forgo dessert for another glass of Sauvignon Blanc complements of Cape Town’s accessible Uber services but my dinner partner absolutely raved about the Tiramisu with Mascarpone Cream, declaring it the best he has ever tasted; high praise indeed with my own odious time-keeping long forgotten after a bacchanal of such fine fare.

Even as the happy last patron leaves BOCCA and midnight prepares to settle over the city, Guido is setting the next day’s fare in motion, placing his larger cuts of beef, lamb, poultry and port into the heat of the pizza oven for gentle slow roasting in preparation to start another staple Italian day in the kitchen.

Expect the menu of this upscale eatery to change four times a year as Guido works the South African seasons with his own brand of passion, dedication and hands-on approach extended with authentic Italian hospitality for every and all types of diners through their welcoming BOCCA doorway. It’s a guaranteed to be mouth-watering with the perfect selection of small plates ideal for sharing.

BOCCA is open for lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday from noon until 22h00 with last orders are taken at 21h30. Visit their website at https://bocca.co.za/.

Connect with Guido and Adnana Brambilla’s BOCCA on social media via @BoccaCT on Twitter; @boccaCT on Facebook; and bocca_ct on Instagram

Firehorse Media is a South African communications and PR consultancy owned and managed by Mercedes Westbrook, whose career as a journalist, editor, managing editor and communications consultant spans 22 years experience in the print and digital industry. Email her on mercedes@firehorsemedia.co.za or C:+27 789707633.

The post BOCCA REWARDS WITH GASTRONOMIC ROOTS IN ITALY appeared first on Firehorse Media.

 The Sanlam Top Destination Awards was hosted at the Kelvin Grove Club in Cape Town. 35 winners from 9600 nominees walked away with the sought after title of ‘Top Destination’ in their respective categories and star grading.

Hayward’s Grand Safari Company provides private groups of 40 to 200 VIP guests with an authentic 5-star mobile tented safari camp experience in pristine wilderness reserves across the African continent. Each luxury camp guarantees corporate and celebrity clients’ total event exclusivity and superior guest comfort.

Rated as the only 5-star mobile Safari in Africa, hosts Peter Hayward and Celia du Preez, are appointed by leading multinational blue-chip companies, royal contingents, presidents and renown celebrities alike. Owner Peter Hayward said, “I am absolutely delighted to have received such high accolades from the Sanlam Top Destination Awards.

“As custodians of global Sanlam Wealthsmith investments, what better establishment to represent how to turn money into meaning and set the standard for a future vision of tourism and hospitality in South Africa and for the continent. “Together with Discount Traveler, this award is a testament to the skill and vision of its creators and sponsors.”

“Hospitality and tourism is a large driving force in our economy and we want to continue to recognise and reward one of our country’s most influential industries,” commented Jonathan Pepler, managing director of Discount Traveler and founder of the Sanlam Top Destination Awards.

– BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE
https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/haywards-grand-safari-company-wins-big-at-the-sanlam-top-destination-awards-2017-11378910

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