If you are ever at the Cape Town International Airport on the domestic departures side, do yourself a favour and go to the Slow Lounge.
When you get there, you must go to the toilet, (the first one on your extreme left to be precise) and the below picture shows the Private Room and the View.
Imagine watching planes land, taxi and take off!
Ladies and Gentleman welcome aboard this flight WM211 to a destination of your choice in South Africa. Cabin crew arm your doors and cross check. We will be taking off on runaway 2N in a northerly direction and making a short left enroute to your choice of destination. We will be cruising at 47000 feet (yeah, quite high hey). Weather enroute is all clear. Seat back, relax and enjoy this flight.
Booking
The best way is to book online. I highly recommend that before you book you must check all airlines how much the tickets are. I have seen on many occasions the so called budget airlines being more expensive than the SAA’s and BA’s of this world. Remember to choose meal options at booking otherwise you will get the same old meal if you are a regular traveller. The fruit platter in the morning is a lekker one on SAA.
Check In
If you love certain seats like some of us we love the window seat and as further up the plane as possible you must check in online exactly 24hrs before the flight. With Mango you get lucky at times as they open earlier. How? Simple. Diarize the check in on your smart device to remind you 5min before the 24hr mark.
The best time
The best time to fly out of Johannesburg is the first flight of the day. Any delays that occur normally do after the first flight. Mango Airlines is SA’s most on time airline so now you know who flies you out. SAA has recently up their game on early arrivals. They are boarding passengers earlier than scheduled resulting in early departures and early arrivals. 3 Thumbs Up for you there.
The best time to return to Johannesburg is arriving from 17h30, just in time to miss the traffic unless if you are driving to Pretoria (the four lanes all the way to Tshwane has made travel between the airport and Tshwane quick at any time of the day)
The best parking undercover is Level 3 parking on the domestic side. Everyone goes straight to level 2. Park in level 3 close to the lifts and just take one flight of stairs to the level 2 bridge.
I don’t have a best airline but my worst airline is Kulula. They have massive delays which is extremely bad for business. But if you flying for personal reasons then you can endure the delays.
Security
Oh Yes security is big issue in SA and our airports have a fair share of the load. If at all possible DON’T check in your bag. Pack light. I put all my shirts and suit in a suit cover, the backpack then carries the toiletry bag, laptop, iPad etc. Check in and go through the security gates as soon as you get to the airport. Enjoy your cup of coffee on the other side aka airside. At least on the other side you have fellow passengers.
The Airlines
SAA
Mango
Kulula
1 Time
British Airways
Gautrain
I am not happy that Gautrain at the time of going to print does not start operating early enough to catch the first flight out of Johannesburg. Enough said.
The WeszMadz Rule Number One: Be At The Airport Two Hours Before Each Flight
I have never missed a flight as a result
I am sure I will be writing another article on this topic. So much to say.
People don’t talk to you on flights! Some don’t even greet or answer your greetings.
P/S I wrote this post on board British Airways flight BA6441 to Cape Town 28 March 2012
As we all know the amendment bills for the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) have been submitted to the Cabinet Committee by The Minister of Labour. Next Up is the Public hearings and it is of interest to note that the public briefings planned by Department of Labour are intended to strictly inform and are not an input gathering session. One way traffic it seems.
“We are going to have briefings in all the provinces. In 2010 after publishing the new bills for amendment, we went on a national public hearings campaign, where we solicited comments from the public and various organisations. So, we feel it is also important, that we should go back and report to public what we propose. We want to educate interested stakeholders what these changes mean. Our duty now is to provide clarification,” DoL Chief Director: Collective Bargaining Thembinkosi Mkalipi (27 March 2012)
The schedule for the public briefings is as follows:
Johannesburg, Orion Devonshire Hotel on 04/04/2012;
Cape Town, Fountains Hotel 05/04/2012;
Polokwane, Meropa Casino 09/04/2012. (Thats Easter Monday! Someone tell the Minister)
(Polokwane changed to 02/05/2012 CHANGES HERE)
Durban, Tropicana Hotel 12/04/2012; (Durban changed to 18/04/2012) (CHANGES HERE)
Port Elizabeth; Eastern Cape Training Centre 17/04/2012;
Bloemfontein, President Hotel 23/04/2012;
Kimberley, ICC Kimberley 24/04/2012;
Rustenburg, Hunters Rest 25/04/2012; (Rustenburg changed to 20 April 2012) (CHANGES HERE)
Witbank Protea Hotel 26/04/2012;
NB All public briefings will be held from 10:00 to 13:00
1. Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane March 8 2012
“Cabinet wishes to reiterate its conviction that abusive labour practices should be prohibited. The matter of labour brokers is being discussed at Nedlac by all the social partners.
“Cabinet calls on all social partners to prioritise the finalisation of this matter at Nedlac.”
2. President Jacob Zuma
“The ruling party’s 2009 manifesto was jointly adopted and launched by the alliance – the ANC, Cosatu and the SA Communist Party,”
3. ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe
“This ANC 2009 election manifesto was signed by all alliance partners, including Cosatu.”
4. Strike participant Edward Stalwart
If labour brokers were banned, “the companies that make use of the labour brokers will simply get guys off the streets to do the job”, said strike participant Edward Stalwart.
“Nothing will be accomplished by getting rid of labour brokers, it will only make the situation worse.”
Stalwart said rather than call a march, Cosatu should have upped their efforts to negotiate with government and business.
“We have been marching for all these years and we never got answers. Why would the government and businesses listen to this time around? This is time wasting,” said Stalwart.
5. Labour Brokers: Cosatu Snubbed (The New Age)
“The government will transform laws to regulate labour broking because banning it will send thousands of people to the jobless queue,” said the source. “I shudder to think what the trade unions will do because the government’s refusal to ban labour broking will obviously disappoint them.”
6. ‘Don’t panic over labour brokers’ LABOUR Minister Mildred Oliphant
LABOUR Minister Mildred Oliphant yesterday said there was no reason to panic about labour brokers as discussions and negotiations at Nedlac were ongoing.
7. Black Business Council (BBC) welcomes Labour broking regulation
“We also welcome the news that there is a drive to regulate, rather than ban labour broking in South Africa.
“We maintain that flexible employment solutions should be counted among real solutions to the scourge of unemployment, especially among the youth.”
8. ‘Labour brokers add value’
The Black Business Council on Wednesday said labour broking does add value to the economy but that any abusive practices in the industry must be stamped out.
9. Mechanism of flexibility – Neren Rau
“We are removing a mechanism of flexibility and a mechanism of job creation from the environment due to a small level of lack of compliance and not really appreciating the huge benefits that labour broking offers to our economy and businesses and prospective employees.” Neren Rau, CEO of the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry
March 2012 has been an interesting Month on the Labour Broking front with Cosatu protesting on the 7th of March 2012 calling for the ban thereof. I thought of sharing the definitions of Labour Broker and Temporary Employment Service (TES) as they are currently contained in the South African Legislation
Definition of Labour Broker in the INCOME TAX ACT, NO. 58 OF 1962 (the Act)
The definition of “labour broker” has been changed so that it includes only natural persons. This is effective from 1 March 2009. The new definition reads as follows:
“Labour broker” means any natural person who conducts or carries on any business whereby such person for reward provides a client of such business with other persons to render a service or perform work for such client, or procures such other persons for the client, for which services or work such other persons are remunerated by such person.
SOURCE: SARS Income Tax Act
Keyword for me in this definition are the words “natural person” meaning a Labour broker is an individual not a company
Definition of Temporary Employment Service in the Labour Relations Act
Section 198 Chapter IX. Temporary Employment Services
(1) In this section, “temporary employment service” means any person who, for reward, procures for or provides to a client other persons-
(a) who render services to, or perform work for, the client; and
(b) who are remunerated by the temporary employment service.
(2) For the purposes of this Act, a person whose services have been procured for or provided to a client by a temporary employment service is the employee of that temporary employment service, and the temporary employment service is that person’s employer.
(3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), a person who is an independent contractor is not an employee of a temporary employment service, nor is the temporary employment service the employer of that person.
(4) The temporary employment service and the client are jointly and severally liable if the temporary employment service, in respect of any of its employees, contravenes-
(a) a collective agreement concluded in a bargaining council that regulates terms and conditions of employment;
(b) a binding arbitration award that regulates terms and conditions of employment;
(c) the Basic Conditions o Employment Act; or
(d) a determination made in terms of the Wage Act.
Oh Yes had to put this one out. This is not a review but I looked at the apps I have. I will be writing a separate blog post in my Top Ten SA iPhone Apps
1. News24
I love this app. It loads so fast even with one bar of edge! It fully loads in a few seconds and I can read all the News with pictures in Airplane mode at 35000 feet
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News24 iPad Edition24.com Category: News Updated: 17 Jan 2012
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2. NavFree South Africa
First thing that I loved about this app is Voice command and came free! If you can’t find an address just use the built in google search!
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Navfree GPS Live South AfricaGeolife Ltd. Category: Navigation Updated: 23 Nov 2011
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3. WeatherSA
I love their sharing functionality. With seven Twitter accounts for me it’s touch n go
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WeatherSAAfricaWeather.com Category: Weather Updated: 06 Mar 2012
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4. DSTV Guide
Well done DSTV. Full schedule and reminders. Way ahead of the decoder Guide.
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DStv Guide for iPadMultichoice Mobile Operations (Pty)Ltd Category: Entertainment Updated: 05 Dec 2011
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5. Private Property
There is no other like it for property. With street view.
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Private Property – iPad versionPrivate Property Category: Lifestyle Updated: 13 Feb 2012
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6. Who’s Who of Southern Africa
One of the early apps I found on iOS.
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Who’s Who of Southern Africa24.com Category: Business Updated: 10 Oct 2011 |
7. Yellow Pages
Haven’t used this app much but it comes in hand when needed. Google is still the number go to search for anything engine.
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Yellow Pages SA for iPadTrudon (Pty) Ltd Category: Utilities Updated: 06 Dec 2011
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8. go! Travel SA
This app took some creative thinking and utilizing the capabilities of the iPad
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go! Travel South AfricaMedia24 Limited Category: Travel Updated: 17 Dec 2011
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9. Business Day
First and foremost Thanks to Investec Wealth and Investment for sponsoring this one. Best business news app.
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BusinessDay iPad EditionBDFM Publishers Category: News Updated: 28 Jan 2012
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10. Supersport
Number 10 because it’s just links to main site. Supersport must develop a full app not shortcuts to main site.
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SuperSport.com for iPadMultichoice Mobile Operations (Pty)Ltd Category: Sports Updated: 05 Mar 2012
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NB: I wrote this post on Evernote
My Comment on the Dave Martin Blog
http://mobiledave.me/2012/01/05/recruitment-industry-fail-the-candidate/#comments 
Wesley Madziva says : January 6, 2012 at 9:21 am
Thanks to Dave for sharing and enlightening me on Mobile Recruitment when I met with him in Johannesburg. After having met him we then realised we needed a mobile site or mobile optimised site. Shockingly in South Africa I failed to find even one employment mobi site up to today and still searching.
Here are some South African Stats
1) 87% of South African working adults use a mobile phone (AMPS 2010AB)
2) There are almost 4.7 times more households with a cellphone than a computer +- 1:5 ratio (AMPS 2010AB)
3) 11.5m mobile data users (AMPS 2010AB) 4) 200,000 South Africans are using their location aware applications like Nokia Ovi Maps, and other top navigation apps (Mobitainment)
Yes as a result we have jumped on the bandwagon and working on our mobi site.
The December 20, 2011 List of largest mobile sites in SA (Effective Measure partner to Digital Media and Marketing) had 18 sites listed of which
1) 39% were general news sites
2) 11% general sports news sites
3) 17% soccer/football sites
4) 5.5% Cell Network provider site
5) 5.5% Classified aid site
6) 5.5% Digital Satellite Television site
7) 5.5% Car Sales Site
8) 5.5% Magazine site
9) 5.5% other I am aiming to make sure we fall into this category of SA largest mobile sites.
Therefore Dave to answer your question we have done something about..
It was bound to happen due to requests from colleagues. It has now happened. I will be blogging about Social Media, Social Recruiting, Mobile Recruiting, Recruitment Industry, Latest Tech and Mobile Apps.
What is of interest during my travels will also be published.
Am I a writer. No ways!
Do I always have something to say. Yes!
