Wednesday 5 October 2016

SA News

South African teen wins big at Google Science Fair

29 September 2016
South African Kiara Nirghin was named the winner of the Grand Prize at the annual Google Science Fair, announced in Mountain View in the US on 27 September.
She won $50 000 (R677 357) in scholarship funding.
The 16-year-old Grade 11 pupil attends St Martin's School in Johannesburg. She worked on a project to alleviate drought in the country. Called "No More Thirsty Crops", her solution uses orange and avocado peels.

How it works

Kiara created an absorbent polymer from orange and avocado peels that is able to act as a water retainer in soil.
It won her the Google Science Fair Community Impact Award in the Africa/Middle East region earlier this year.
She described her invention as creating “mini reservoirs of water in the soil and plants will be able to have a water supply even through drought”.
Kiara hopes her project improves food security and the standard of living of many people.
Watch:

Opening doors

“The Google Science Fair took my passion for science and gave me a global platform to share it with the world,” wrote previous Grand Prize winner Shree Bose on the Google blog.
When she entered the inaugural science fair in 2011, she targeted the manner in which cancer cells processed energy.
“So, the idea behind my project was to study AMP kinase, an energy protein, to understand its importance in the way ovarian cancer cells develop resistance to drugs. I was 17 when I won the Grand Prize, and my life hasn’t been the same since.”
Bose went on to major in molecular and cellular biology at Harvard University, and is now doing her MD/PhD at Duke University School of Medicine.
She attended this year’s final leg of the fair and congratulated the finalists and winners. “You might ‘just’ be teenagers, but you’re also amazing researchers, entrepreneurs, technologists and explorers who are challenging themselves — and all of the rest of us — to make things better.”

Read more: http://www.southafrica.info/about/science/google-science-fair-kiara-winner-290916%20.htm#.V_UP0fl96Cg#ixzz4MDnfXaEX

SA News

15 August 2016

South Africa scoops an award at the 2016 Today’s Traveller Awards

South Africa shines as a leading tourist and adventure destination at the Today’s Traveller Awards 2016 held on 6 August 2016 at the Taj Palace, New Delhi.
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The prestigious event (and most respected awards in the travel industry) recognises and celebrates excellence across all sectors and markets in the tourism, corporate, hospitality and entertainment industries. It’s also a platform that allows networking opportunities and for attendees to gain insights on achievements from top tourism industry leaders.
Due to South Africa’s perfect climate, picturesque coastline, and diverse terrain that stretches for thousands of kilometres, our country offers world-class outdoor activities that range from climbing, surfing and river rafting to horseback safaris. It’s without a doubt that these unique features of South Africa sealed the deal and bagged the Today’s Traveller Award in the Best Adventure Tourism Destination category. “The diversity of experiences that South Africa as a destination has to offer is unparalleled,” says Ms. Hanneli Slabber, Country Manager India – South African Tourism.
We’re confident that this impressive win will boost South Africa as a preferred tourist destination, especially among the increasing number of Indian travellers.

FA NEWS

Standard Bank scoops 27 awards at SIBOS 2016

02 October 2016Standard Bank
Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest bank by assets, scooped 27 awards from Global Finance, Euromoney and EMEA Finance Treasury Services. The awards were presented at the annual Sibos conference currently underway in Geneva.
“We are delighted to have received these awards,” said Hasan Khan, Standard Bank’s Head of Transactional Products and Services. “These accolades reaffirm the relevance of our universal banking proposition in which we look to partner with our clients in identifying, managing and leveraging growth in Africa.” 
In all, Global Finance Magazine awarded Standard Bank 23 accolades across several categories, including: 
  • Best Emerging Markets Bank in Africa
  • Best Emerging Markets Bank in Angola
  • Best Emerging Markets Bank in Botswana
  • Best Emerging Markets Bank in Mauritius
  • Best Emerging Markets Bank in Namibia
  • Best Emerging Markets Bank in Uganda
  • Best Overall Bank for Cash Management in Africa
  • Best Bank for Financial Risk Management in Africa
  • Best Treasury and Cash Management provider, South Africa 
  • Best Treasury and Cash Management provider, Angola
  • Best Treasury and Cash Management provider, Kenya
  • Best Sub-Custodian Bank in Africa   
  • Best Sub-Custodian Bank, Mozambique
  • Best Sub-Custodian Bank, Namibia
  • Best Sub-Custodian Bank, Nigeria
  • Best Sub-Custodian Bank, Ghana
  • Best Securities Lender in Africa
  • Best Foreign Exchange provider in Africa
  • Best Foreign Exchange provider, Angola
  • Best Foreign Exchange provider, Botswana
  • Best Foreign Exchange provider, Kenya
  • Best Foreign Exchange provider, South Africa
  • Best Foreign Exchange provider, Zambia 
“Building the financial infrastructure that will power the growth of Africa’s domestic economies and regional markets as the continent emerges as a key global player is deeply rewarding,” said Mr Khan. 
Euromoney named Standard Bank Best South African Trade Bank. EMEA Finance Treasury Services awarded Standard Bank; Best Cash Management Services in Africa, Best FX Services in Africa, and Best Transactional Bank for FIs in Africa. 
Standard Bank was recently named Best Transactional Bank for Africa 2016 by The Banker, and has also been named Best Trade Bank in sub-Saharan Africa and Best Trade Bank in Africa awards by Trade & Forfaiting Review.

Despite global economic headwinds, an uptick in domestic and intra-African business and trade growth is highlighting the importance of transactional banking on the continent. With Africa positioned as the world’s second fastest growing region, Standard Bank remains committed to facilitating and growing domestic business and intra-continental trade.

BuaNews

SA engineer scoops global award

29 September 2006 A South African engineer who works at the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry has scooped an international award for his contribution to the expansion of technology. A partially blind Kelvin Legge was bestowed with the award at the General Assembly of the International Geosynthetics Society in Yokohama, Japan, on Thursday. 

Legge is the first African to receive this award in the field of civil and environmental engineering. What drew the international community's attention was Legge's design theory in the use of plastic filter materials in earth embankment dams, a critical feature for their safety. 

He also invented a solution to improve the performance of contaminant containment barriers such as those found at the bottom of landfills and hazardous waste sites. Legge's solution also significantly reduces the risk of environmental pollution. On receiving the award, Legge said it was recognition for the excellent work being done by South Africa's engineering community. 

The International Geosynthetics Society was founded by a group of geotechnical engineers and textile specialists in Paris in 1983. The society brings together people from around the world who are involved in the design, manufacture, sale or use of plastic materials in civil engineering and associated technologies, or who teach or conduct research on such products.

A maximum of five awards are made at the society's quadrennial conference. The achievement is more remarkable given that Legge lost some of his sight in 1992 when he was exposed to a cocktail of toxic waste which had contaminated the soil with which he was working. Source: BuaNews

Read more: http://www.southafrica.info/business/trends/innovations/kelvin-legge.htm#.V_UObfl96Cg#ixzz4MDm6Cf64

SA News

8 November 2011

South Africa wins Three Crystal Awards at SITE 2011

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Nomasonto Ndlovu, SAT's Global Manager: Business TourismNomasonto Ndlovu, SAT's Global Manager: Business Tourism
...give evidence of South Africa’s beauty; warm, welcoming national culture; diversity; and deep, abiding commitment to green and responsible tourism. -  Nomasonto Ndlovu, Head of Business Tourism at South African Tourism
DESTINATION SOUTH AFRICA excelled at the Las Vegas SITE (Society of Incentive and Travel Executives) Awards ceremony last week by walking away with three globally prestigious awards in incentive tourism.
Nomasonto Ndlovu, global head of business tourism at South African Tourism said the organisation was delighted by the wins that not only give endorsement from the world’s leaders in tourism of South Africa’s now-entrenched superiority as an incentive destination, but that also give evidence to incentive travel buyers of South Africa’s beauty; warm, welcoming national culture; diversity; and deep, abiding commitment to green and responsible tourism.
South Africa won three Crystal Awards: Most Impactful Effort Toward Corporate Social Responsibility; Best Destination-Based Experiential Incentive Travel Programme; and most Exceptional Motivational Travel Programme in Africa and the Middle East.
“The winners,” says Ndlovu, “have brought their products to the global market knowing that today’s incentive travellers and buyers want more than just luxury away from home... although the demand for a good and indulgent time remains as important as ever. Today’s incentive travellers, however, go further: they want to be empowered to experience more; to be active and to feel, whilst away on their winners trip, that they have made a difference not only in taking their reward for excellence... but also in the place they are visiting and in the activities they have taken part in whilst enjoying their reward. Incentive travellers are high achievers, after all. They like to break boundaries and do the extraordinary. They demand the best.”
Dragonfly Africa won the Best Destination Based Experience Incentive Travel Programme for the programme it put together for Fuji Xerox Australia that included walking with lions, an elephant-back safari, white water rafting and a visit to a school in Botswana that cares for HIV/Aids orphans where the group of travellers worked with staff and children to repaint the school.
The other two Crystal Awards went to Walthers for work it did for KPMG Meijburg and Co Holland and agency partner, Eventions. That particular project included social responsibility investment for the client in education of rural children whilst the delegation of incentive travellers enjoyed the excitement of a luxury Big Five Safari, demonstrating the successful motivational reward programmes can be entrenched by the inclusion of social responsibility elements that benefit both participants and the local community.
The 2011 SITE Awards were adjudicated by a panel of global experts in incentive tourism. They included Moshe Porat (Dean of the Fox School of Business Management, Tourism and Hospitality at Temple University in the US); Roger Dow (President of the US Travel Association); Peter Greenberg (Travel Editor at CBS News); Rob Davidson (University of Greenwich Business School) and Tyler Mathisen (CNBC Global).

SA News

12 September 2011

South African Tourism wins global media excellence award

South African Tourism scoops major M&M Global Award
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Roshene SinghRoshene Singh, Chief Marketing Officer at South African Tourism
Winning campaign made millions realise how exciting and accessible South Africa is, and how friendly and welcoming South Africans are. - Roshene Singh, South African Tourism Chief Marketing Officer

SOUTH AFRICAN Tourism has won the prestigious and highly sought-after M&M Global Award for Nation and Destination Branding for its ‘Adventurers Wanted’campaign in partnership with National Geographic. 
The M&M (Media and Marketing) Global Awards recognise and celebrate leading global advertising campaigns; the most innovative and effective work running in the international media; and the finest co-ordination of multiple advertising strategies. The award was presented at a ceremony in London last week attended by over 800 guests. 
The ‘Adventurers Wanted’ campaign with National Geographic reached more than 260 million people around the world last year with personalised stories of the exhilarating adventure experiences offered in South Africa. It featured an ‘adventure tribe’ of seven people (one each from Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, United States, France, Italy and the Netherlands) who came to South Africa for the adventure of a lifetime. The campaign ran on the National Geographic television channel and in print. It also had a strong, interactive social media and online component. 
“We are delighted to have received this award, which we dedicate to the South African tourism industry,” says Roshene Singh, Chief Marketing Officer at South African Tourism. “It’s great to know our work with such a respected and apt global media partner for this campaign in National Geographic has been judged the best in the world. 
“However, it is even better to know that this campaign worked so well for South Africa... that it established South Africa as the world’s premier adventure destination; that it inspired millions of people all over the world want to come and experience South Africa, and that it showed just how exciting and accessible our country is – and how friendly and welcoming our people are. 
“It means our global marketing work has been recognised by our peers for its excellence; its effective use of media and its universal reach and appeal. And it means that we did the best job we could for one of the most exciting, beautiful and welcoming destinations in the world.” 
South African Tourism was also nominated in the category M&M Global Award: Media Owner. 




African News

South African Airways tops Africa in global awards

 
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At the World Airline Awards held at Farnborough Airshow, Skytrax announced the world’s Top 100 Airlines in 2016, voted for by airline customers around the world in an event held in the United Kingdom last Tuesday (12th July 2016)
Skytrax World Airline Awards, described as “the Oscars of the aviation industry”, are most coveted Quality accolades for the world airline industry, and a global benchmark of airline excellence.
The top ten best airline awards as voted by consumers are:
1 Emirates
2 Qatar Airways
3 Singapore Airlines
4 Cathay Pacific
5 ANAs
6 Etihad Airways
7 Turkish Airlines
8 EVA Air
9 Qantas Airways
10 Lufthansa
South African Airways was named the best African airline in the consumer-voted awards followed by Air Seychelles and Air Mauritius.The consumer-voted awards were announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom on Tuesday 12th July 2016 while Kenya Airways, was ranked 5th best in Africa after Ethiopian Airlines.
Skytrax World Airline Awards are the coveted Quality accolades for the world airline industry, and a global benchmark of airline excellence. Traveler’s across the globe take part each year in the world’s largest airline passenger satisfaction survey to decide the winner.