blogs
sable blog
August 8, 2023
SA: An Evolving Scenario
Steuart Pennington
Ever noticed in England their traffic lights go from Green to Amber to Red and then back to Amber before Green? ...
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June 8, 2020
Ethanol Or Gas Why an Ethanol Fire Pit is your First Choice
Rhys
Ethanol or Bio-ethanol is an environmentally friendly fuel source. Unlike natural gas which is causes havoc on our environment due to fracking. It is renewable energy and produced from the bio products of plants such sugar cane, rice and corn....
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June 5, 2019
Digital Marketing In South Africa: Getting Ahead Of The Game For South African Businesses
Jackie Edwards
The way South Africa does business is changing. In recent years, the country has become a major business development hub, and overall, Africa has become a frontrunner in technological innovation....
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May 3, 2019
Roundtable Discussion with South Africa's Minister of Communications Ms Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams
Donovan Neale-May
Members and African expats in Silicon Valley had a highly constructive invention session on April 26 with Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams...
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November 9, 2018
HELP TREATMENT OF BRAIN DISORDERS IN AFRICA BY CONTRIBUTING TO SPECIALIZED TRAINING OF SOUTH AFRICAN NEUROLOGISTS AT UCLA
Donovan Neale-May
In an effort to bring quality neuro care and treatment to disadvantaged populations in South Africa, UCLA’s Center for World Health and the South African Consulate, founded the Brenda Lucille Miller UCLA South African Education Fund. ...
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October 31, 2018
Meeting with Eastern Cape Premier and Delegation
Donovan Neale-May
Another South African delegation to Silicon Valley on a scary Halloween afternoon! Enlightened conversation with the energized premier of the Eastern Cape and his team of highly interactive provincial leaders who convened with local domain experts in our SABLE Network and GlobalFluency offices. ...
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October 25, 2018
Silicon Valley Briefing - Impact of Disruptive Innovation
Next-generation of digital business leaders and change agents from South Africa visited GlobalFluency's offices in Silicon Valley for a lively roundtable discussion on "Growing Innovation in the Enterprise." Founders of exciting start-up disruptors gave them excellent food for thought to help drive digital transformation and "intrapreneurship."...
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May 31, 2018
Great Decisions: An Art of Sacrifice
Willie Pietersen
Before you can decide what you will do, you have to decide what you won’t. Effective decision-making is, however, fraught with difficulties. The world is constantly changing and the future is uncertain. But one crucial requirement of decisiveness is frequently overlooked: deciding what not to do....
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March 5, 2018
Why Ramaphosa's attitude to Media points contrasts with Zuma's, and why it is the best signal for a better future
Rowan Philp
My journalist colleagues and I were worried when Cyril Ramaphosa became our ultimate boss, almost 20 years ago....
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March 2, 2018
Innovative Tech Improving Road Safety and Accessibility
Jackie Edwards
7.5% of South Africans live with a disability, with this number increasing to over half among over 85s. For this section of society to be fully involved in the community and be able to have equal opportunities, we need to make sure that public streets are fully accessible. ...
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February 13, 2018
How Entrepreneurs Can Reduce Currency Risk
Jackie Edwards
Currency is the core of business, and at the same time, it can also bring serious risk. For entrepreneurs in South Africa, a small business or startup can be affected by both local and worldwide influences in terms of managing currency. ...
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January 18, 2018
The Benefits of Studying in America for Young Entrepreneurs
Jackie Edwards
For South African entrepreneurs and innovators, there is extreme value in experience. Traveling globally to witness the ways that other businesses partner with one another and network can lead to many new ideas. ...
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November 27, 2017
Lessons Learned From Two Islands Using Only Renewable Energy
Jackie Edwards
As a global society, many people are working to create systems and infrastructure that are more sustainable to the earth. This work goes in concert with the task of getting more low-cost energy to those who live in poverty....
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October 23, 2017
A Guide to the Poorest Countries in Africa
Jackie Edwards
Having spent several years abroad carrying out aid work I have visited some of the most impoverished and unstable places around the globe. My work has exposed me to sights of unbearable suffering, the lives of people embroiled in the very depths of despair whether this be down to poverty, illness or famine. Despite the plight of the people I found in several countries in Africa, I believe that there is light at the end of tunnel in this post-colonial era....
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March 28, 2017
Bernard Wolfsdorf: South Africans are Running Out of Time
Rowan Philp
America’s top immigrations attorney makes headlines as time runs out for wealthy South Africans who seek new lives and opportunities in the US....
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February 14, 2017
HOW SOUTH AFRICA CAME ROARING BACK IN DAVOS AT THE TURNING OF THE TIDE
Rowan Philp
Adding to a slew of other positive indicators ranging from SME confidence and Rand strength to new rainfall and the governance shake-up from the August municipal elections, veteran observers of the World Economic Forum report that “Team South Africa” had one of its best-ever showings at the iconic Davos event last month....
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February 14, 2017
The State of the Nation Address - What will the BIG issues be
Steuart Pennington
After misreading the Brexit vote, and after misreading the Trump election, are we going to misread what will be the ‘unthinkable’ in our own State of the Nation Address (SONA)?...
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May 2, 2016
South African Business and Civic Leaders at Home and Abroad Rally Around New, Inclusive Growth Agenda to Pull Country Back from the Precipice and on a Way Back to Economic Vitality
Rowan Philp
Now calling for support from the overseas business diaspora, the CDE calls for urban-driven growth based on the inexperienced labor force South Africa actually has – not the skilled workforce it would like to have....
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March 22, 2016
OVERVIEW OF NON-IMMIGRANT VISA OPTIONS
Hendrik Pretorius, Managing Partner at Lipson & Pretorius LLP
In this post we provide a survey of some of the most common non-immigrant visa options that we see used by our clients including non-U.S. entrepreneurs and organizations looking to enter the U.S. market....
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December 7, 2015
Africa's Private Sector Needs to Drive Response to Tourism Decline Over Destination Safety Fears
Rowan Philp
South Africa is Africa's Most Competitive Travel Market with a Global Ranking of 48, but many other Country Destinations have Growth Potential with Better Regional Cooperation and Unified Messaging...
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November 6, 2015
Searching for Einsteins: Africa at Cutting Edge of Scientific, Tech Advancement
Rowan Philp
In this piece written previously by Rowan Philp, Editorial Director for SABLE, for AFKInsider, one of Africa's leading minds - Professor Neil Turok - sets out the campaign to unearth "African Einsteins" to unleash the continent's innovative potential....
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November 6, 2015
Africa at the Cutting Edge: How African Innovators are Quietly Changing America
Rowan Philp
In this first installment for a regular column, ROWAN PHILP – U.S. correspondent for South Africa’s Sunday Times, and Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT/Harvard – invites readers to enjoy a welcome culture shock: the discovery that Africans are, in fact, at the leading edge of U.S. high-tech innovation....
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October 20, 2015
How a Joburg Brewery Grew to Become a $100B Global Prize
Rowan Philp
A focus on local brands, beer innovation, and consumer needs in the fastest-growing markets has positioned SABMiller for its $104 billion offer from Anheuser Busch Inbev – which will retain the stock listing on the JSE....
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February 13, 2014
How South African Expats Have Risen to the Top of Key American Sectors
Rowan Philp
In this article first commissioned by the Mail & Guardian, SABLE editor Rowan Philp found that, per capita, South Africans may well represent America’s most successful immigrant group. ...
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December 18, 2013
A SENIOR policeman sagged, weeping, into my arms...
Rowan Philp
Visibly surprised by his own tears, Sipho Mkhwanazi - a Principal Inspector for the KwaZulu-Natal Traffic Police – gasped “my God he’s really gone; he gave us everything we have.” In the most personal eulogy delivered at yesterday’s historic state funeral, Kathrada – Mandela’s oldest friend – had told 4500 dignitaries from about three dozen countries of his final meeting with Madiba in hospital......
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February 15, 2013
SABLE'S Entrepreneur of the Week: Nicholas Haralambous
David Kitley
Nicholas Haralambous, a serial and mobile entrepreneur, has turned his creative focus to men's socks, founding NicSocks, an online retailer of bespoke men's socks. SABLE was fortunate to get time in his diary to discuss his view on how South African's should overcome their fear of starting their own business, e-commerce as a platform to unlock opportunities...
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February 7, 2013
SABLE's Entreprenuer of the Week: Devin De Vries
David Kitley
SABLE's David Kitley spoke with Devin de Vries about his navigation of the South Africa start-up topography in his four years at the helm of an innovative transport solution that hopes to optimize urban travel management and commuter travel planning. De Vries shares his thoughts on bootstrapping, mentorship and venture capital...
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January 22, 2013
President Obama & Mark's Emergency at the Inauguration
Mark C. Thompson
As expected, we arrived at the White House for a breakfast with Obama & 12 Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. While seated at a conference table in the West Wing, I had a personal emergency. Too much coffee. I was about to burst, but there was no way now to sneak out, so I finally got up as if I had better things to do and dashed down the hall...
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featured blogs
- Afro-IP - African intellectual property law, practice and policies.
- Affrinovator - telling the stories of African startups, African innovation, African made technology, African tech entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs.
- Appfrica – Pan-African and Ugandan web and mobile tech developments
- Bandwidth Blog – Charl Norman’s blog in South Africa
- Build Africa – Matt’s musings on technology in Africa
- Charl van Niekerk – Always insightful post from one of South Africa’s great coders
- Coda.co.za – One of Africa’s very best web designers
- Dewberry – Shaun’s frenetic blog on general, and South African tech
- My Hearts in Accra – More of generalist these days, but excellent analysis of African tech space by Ethan Zuckerman
- Eric Edelstein – Financial Analyst turned Serial Internet Entrepreneur, and occasional Angel Investor
- Henry Addo – A perspective on tech from Henry in Ghana
- Geek Rebel – Henk’s blog on entrepreneurship and technology
- Mad Markets - Mad Markets is the noisiest, most colourful show on business TV.
- Matthew Buckland – From one of the pioneers, and big thinkers, in the South African media space
- Mike Stopforth – Entrepreneur and South African social media nexus point
- Nubian Cheetah – Thoughts and news on West African tech
- Open Source Africa – Just what the name describes… talking about open source development in Africa
- SA Angel Investors Blog - News, views, interviews and observations on small business and entrepreneurship in South Africa
- SA Online Business Blog - Interesting and informative articles by Ben Botes, life-coach.
- South African Innovation Network - A place to collaborate and build networks around innovation
- Startup Africa – StartUpAfrica is a blog dedicated to entrepreneurship in Africa with a particular focus on technology entrepreneurship.
- Thought Leader - Mail & Guardian - A collection of blogs by different, exciting writers compiled by this thought-provoking South African newspaper
- Vincent Maher – Vincent’s excellent, fun and controversial blog on all things South African tech
- Viva Start-ups - News, views, interviews and observations on small business and entrepreneurship in South Africa
- Web Addict(s) – From the mind of Rafiq, opinionated coverage and thoughts on South African tech