News24.com | Jake White savours first Currie Cup success in his first Bulls season

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Jake White during the Currie Cup final between Bulls and Sharks.

Jake White during the Currie Cup final between Bulls and Sharks.

(Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

  • Bulls director of rugby Jake White savoured his inaugural Currie Cup title as a coach, after his team won a thrilling final 26-19 over the Sharks at Loftus on Saturday.
  • But even he was taken a little aback at how quickly his team found success after he joined the Bulls during the pandemic.
  • White ended the Bulls’ 11-year wait for a Currie Cup title and a decade without silverware.

Bulls director of rugby Jake White savoured his inaugural Currie Cup title as a coach, after his team won a thrilling final 26-19 over the Sharks at Loftus on Saturday.

White, who guided the Springboks to Rugby World Cup success in France in 2007, added the Currie Cup to his glowing trophy cabinet that also includes last year’s Super Rugby Unlocked title.

READ | Jake White hails Bulls comeback spirit

With this domestic double in the Covid-affected 2020/21 rugby season, the 57-year-old did exactly what he came to Pretoria to do – win trophies.

But even he was a little taken aback at how quickly his team found success, especially considering he started with the Bulls after the pandemic hit.

“Would I have thought about it? Obviously, I would have liked to achieve it but I’m also a realist,” he said.

“Tonight I told the players when we came off the field: ‘Now you know why it’s so tough to win the Currie Cup. We’ve waited 11 years for it and we nearly didn’t win it’.

“I have respect for everybody who’s won it before.

“It’s a tough competition. It’s a really great honour. Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers, some of the best players I’ve ever coached, never won the Currie Cup.

“I would never have thought we would do but I had always planned on the basis that we could get it right.

“I have massive respect for Sean [Everitt]. He’s won the Currie Cup and he knows how tough it is.

“But, as he said, someone’s got to win and someone’s got to lose.”

His team was 19-9 behind with less than 20 minutes to go before two Arno Botha tries, one in the 63rd minute and another in the 98th, sealed an incredible Bulls fightback.

AS IT HAPPENED | Bulls 26-19 Sharks

White, though, took exception to the tag that he was at Loftus for a short ride and could move on quickly.

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - JANUARY 30: Jake White du

The transient nature of his jobs at the Sharks (less than one year) and Brumbies prior to returning to South Africa made some Bulls fans fairly incredulous about how long the affair would last.

White said the labels were unfair.

“I think it’s unfair but people can write and say whatever they like,” said White.

“I’ve got a contract with the Bulls and I work for an incredible organisation.

“The shareholders want to win, I’ve got a great CEO (Edgar Rathbone), and unbelievable young players.

“Take it or leave it. If people are going to surmise and make statements like that, they must do it.”

News24.com | WATCH | Bomb squad called in to free hijacked guard strapped with explosives in Cape Town

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  • The Western Cape bomb disposal unit freed an SBV guard after a hijacking left the 30-year-old strapped with explosives.
  • An SBV crew was servicing ATMs in Cape Town when they were accosted by an unknown number of suspects.
  • SBV applauded the guards for remaining calm during the attack and promised to offer support and counselling to the affected employees.

 

An SBV guard escaped unscathed after being hijacked, kidnapped, robbed and strapped with explosives in Cape Town.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the Western Cape bomb disposal unit rescued the guard.

Potelwa said the 30-year-old guard was allegedly abducted, strapped with explosive materials, and forced to remove cash from several ATMs in Cape Town.

The guard was then dropped off along the N2 highway, near Macassar, with the explosive materials still strapped to his body.

Potelwa said police are investigating a case of kidnapping and robbery.

SBV said their employees were accosted while servicing an ATM.

The company has applauded their employees for remaining calm during the attack.

ALSO READ | R1m reward for information about N4 cash-in-transit heist – SBV

“We are grateful that our team members were physically unharmed, and we are providing support and counselling for all affected employees. Despite our industry-leading risk profile, criminals continue to invent new, brazen and more violent ways in an attempt to get to the money. 

“As a responsible corporate citizen, SBV thoroughly investigates all incidents. We remain focused and committed to investing and adjusting our risk mitigation actions to account for the evolving face of cash-related attacks on the industry.

“SBV does not tolerate violence, crime and threats to human lives. We will tirelessly persist in our efforts to mitigate cash-in-transit (CIT) crime and, together with the authorities and the CIT industry, we will ensure that the perpetrators involved in attacks are brought to justice,” said Group CEO Mark Barrett. 

SBV’s Risk & Compliance team is working closely with SAPS to investigate the incident. 

SBV has appealed to members of the public with any information on this incident to anonymously contact SBV’s Early Warning Robbery Hotline on 083 408 7029.

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News24.com | Shonisani Lethole’s death: Gauteng health dept places hospital CEO on precautionary suspension

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Shonisani Lethole.

Shonisani Lethole.

Shonisani Lethole, Facebook

  • Tembisa Hospital CEO Dr Lekopane Mogaladi is facing suspension following a damning report by the Health Ombudsman surrounding the death of Shonisani Lethole.
  • The Gauteng health department issued Mogaladi with a notice of precautionary suspension on Friday.
  • The ombudsman found the hospital was negligent in its treatment of Lethole. 

Dr Lekopane Mogaladi, the embattled CEO of Tembisa Hospital, has been served with a notice of precautionary suspension following a damning report by the Health Ombudsman, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, with regard to the death of Shonisani Lethole.

The Gauteng health department served Mogaladi with the notice on Friday.

Department spokesperson Kwara Kekana said the notice of intention to place Mogaladi on precautionary suspension was served in terms of Chapter 7 of the Senior Management Service Handbook 2003, as a result of the health ombudsman’s report into the death of Lethole at Tembisa Hospital in June last year.

“As part of the standard labour practices, Mogaladi has been afforded an opportunity to make representations within five working days of receipt of the notice, regarding the intention to place him on precautionary suspension.

“The department wishes to reiterate its commitment to implementing the recommendations of the report by the health ombud into the circumstances surrounding the care and death of Lethole at the hospital within legal prescripts,” said Kekana.

READ | Shonisani Lethole’s death: No food for 100 hours – Tembisa hospital ‘like a zoo’, says Health Ombud

The notice of precautionary suspension follows a scathing report released earlier in the week, which revealed the hospital was negligent in its treatment of Lethole.

Lethole died after being starved of food for more than 100 hours.

Makgoba found the hospital effectively left Lethole to die.

Among other damning revelations, Makgoba also revealed the hospital was not truthful and provided incomplete information to the ombud.

Lethole’s death was inaccurately recorded and he died without knowing his Covid-19 status.

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for Rent. R 10 500 : 2 BEDROOM APARTMENT / FLAT FOR RENT IN PARKWOOD, JOHANNESBUR… South Africa Property Portal

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Price: R 10 500
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2 BEDROOM APARTMENT / FLAT FOR RENT IN PARKWOOD, JOHANNESBURG

    

Listing Features

  

Listing Description
    SECOND (TOP) FLOOR UNIT
This apartment offers: 2 Bedrooms with bic’s, 2 bathrooms (mes).
Open plan lounge & kitchen. Kitchen with granite tops, plenty of built-in cupboards, and space for 3 appliances plus a standard fridge.
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Ideal location – 1.6 km from Rosebank Gautrain station.
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No Pets!
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News24.com | Proteas in a corner … but MUST lengthen batting

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  • Their batting still so wretched in Subcontinent conditions, the Proteas have no choice but to lengthen it on paper.
  • It will mean the sacrifice of a frontline bowler in Rawalpindi … but beefy totals are also needed to win Tests.
  • George Linde is a tenacious individual at the crease but simply not a proven, Test-calibre No 7 batsman.

It is the classic catch-22 situation for South Africa in Pakistan.

Now 1-0 down in the two-Test series, and victory in Rawalpindi from next Thursday required to salvage a draw in the short exercise, one of the first thoughts – understandably – has to be ensuring that the “20-wickets job” on the host nation can be completed.

By extension, it will mean having to be careful not to under-resource the bowling department, in the event that the Pakistanis are prepared to take a cautious approach to the second encounter, knowing that stalemate is sufficient there for the overall honours.

But matches are also won by runs on the board … an area where the Proteas’ acute fallibility on the Subcontinent simply continues.

In terms of batting, there were two major causes for a demoralised feeling if you were SA-inclined in the opening Test: first the failure to post even a remotely satisfactory total in the first innings (220 in fewer than 70 overs) after Quinton de Kock won an excellent toss, and then the way the once-budding second knock subsided.

The latter was, frankly, inexplicable.

There is just no way you should fall like a house of cards to 245 all out from a situation of 175 at the fall of the second wicket, having seen Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen at last show the kind of resolve, patience and gumption required in a lengthy alliance of 127.

Mental stranglehold? Pakistan already boast that in shovel-loads, as a result, and it is difficult to see a way the tourists can extract themselves dramatically enough, batting-wise, to turn the tables in the second Test … hardly helped by skipper and key stroke-player De Kock’s current struggles at the crease.

But they can – and must – respond structurally.

In that regard, the SA brains trust would be well advised to take note of the reservations expressed by Pakistan pace great Wasim Akram in television commentary as the Karachi Test moved fast toward an inevitable outcome, in the Proteas’ second-dig capitulation.

Noting that the current line-up revealed a conspicuously long tail, Wasim said he well remembered how a South African team of the years soon after the return from isolation – and who he would have played against – possessed “endless all-rounders” in the lower regions of the batting order.

In other words, many of the frontline bowlers offered genuine menace at times with the bat, too … and he was probably thinking such names as Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and Pat Symcox.

The left-arm toe-crusher’s thoughts would have been influenced, no doubt, by rueful memories of a famous, inspired South Africa Test (and by extension series) win in Faisalabad in 1997.

It was the decisive, relatively low-scoring third Test after successive draws, with Akram part of a Pakistan team that somehow fell well short (92 all out) of achieving a modest victory target of 146.

There were certain other heroes in engineering the outcome, but fight by SA tailenders was a critical element of the triumph.

Off-spinner and later player-of-the-match Symcox was very much to the fore, with respective innings of 81 at No 9 and then another 55 as nightwatchman at No 4, while both Klusener and Pollock also provided some precious resistance with the willow.

Wasim’s co-commentator Daryll Cullinan, who had also played for the visitors in that remarkable, see-sawing Test, concurred with him about the look of batting vulnerability to the vast majority of the SA bowlers in Karachi.

“When South Africa are four or five down, you just get a sense that the tail is extremely (close),” said Cullinan … and he is not wrong.

A lethal cocktail is only created when your specialist batting is at probably its lowest ebb of the entire post-isolation era (and a bit before it?), and you then marry that to a fluffy tail.

Their selection arrangements potentially thrown into various forms of chaos by the back spasms suffered by intended unconventional spin pick Tabraiz Shamsi just before the toss, the Proteas opted to field five out-and-out bowlers, meaning that left-arm spinner George Linde was thrust into a batting role as high as No 7.

He is a gutsy character and can justify the berth in the moderate landscape that is South Africa’s franchise cricket, but it is a highly precarious role for him to possess at unforgiving Test level.

By hook or crook, the Proteas simply have to find a method in Rawalpindi of reducing their tally of batting “bunnies” … even if it means thinning the attack by one player to ensure genuine batting, on paper, to at least the No 7 position.

Keegan Petersen? Kyle Verreynne? It will require either the blooding at Test level of one of those in the squad, or a return to the policy that showed a bit of fruit in the recent home series against Sri Lanka: genuine all-rounder Wiaan Mulder being restored.

*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing

News24.com | Eskom-free future for Stellenbosch?

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(Photo by: Education Images/UIG via Getty Images)

(Photo by: Education Images/UIG via Getty Images)

  • The municipality of Stellenbosch wants to cut ties with Eskom.
  • In order to do this, a study must be undertaken to determine the viability of deriving energy from alternative means.
  • Mayor Gesie van Deventer believes the municipality has the potential to do be the first to do this because it has access to some of the “brightest minds in the energy sector”.

Stellenbosch Municipality is eager to be the first municipality to completely cut ties with Eskom.

With the goal of becoming the first municipality in the country to mitigate the economic impact of load-shedding, the Stellenbosch municipal council will conduct an investigation into generating and using alternative electricity supplies.  

The Western Cape Government said in a statement on 28 January, that: “Through the Municipal Energy Resilience (MER) Project, the Western Cape government will be supporting the Stellenbosch Municipality in their aim to become energy resilient.”

The amendment of Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act that took place last year October enables municipalities to research means of generating their own electricity, in addition to procuring electricity from independent power producers (IPP).

According to the Stellenbosch Municipal council, “… today’s [Thursday’s] decision marks the official start of a journey for Stellenbosch Municipality that may culminate in energy independence and long-term energy sustainability”.

This decision requires visionary leadership, technical excellence, and strong financial and corporate management, said Kevin Mileham, DA Shadow Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy in an article written on 28 January.

“Sadly, most of South Africa’s municipalities do not have such capabilities,” he added.

Generating alternative energy

According to Van Deventer the municipality benefits from years of sustained good governance and being in the fortunate position of having access to some of the “brightest minds in the energy sector”.

These minds include experts from Stellenbosch University, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), internal research entities, and the Western Cape government.

 

A study will be undertaken to determine the viability of deriving energy from alternative means. It will explore the use of methane mining, solar panels, allowing the public to generate electricity and sell this to the municipality, purchasing electricity directly from registered IPPs, and potential electricity sales to willing buyers from outside our municipal area, said Van Deventer.

“The national electricity challenges are not going away anytime soon and councils know that without a guaranteed electricity supply, job security and economic growth remains at risk,” said Anton Bredell, Western Cape Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning.

News24.com | Hlaudi Motsoeneng ordered to pay back more than R850k of SABC money used for personal legal fees

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Hlaudi Motsoeneng has been ordered to pay back legal fees to the SABC. (Felix Dlanagamandla)

Hlaudi Motsoeneng has been ordered to pay back legal fees to the SABC. (Felix Dlanagamandla)

  • The former SABC COO was ordered to pay back R851 981.73.
  • He was taken to court by the SIU and the SABC to recoup the public broadcaster’s money that he used for personal legal fees. 
  • He was also ordered to pay the costs of the interlocutory applications and the cost of the judgment. 

The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has ordered former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng to repay over R850 000 of the public broadcaster’s money that he used for his personal legal fees during his time there. 

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and the SABC took Motsoeneng to court to recoup the money he used to pay for his legal fees in two cases which were challenged in court: his appointment as COO of the SABC, and his appointment as Group Executive of Corporate Affairs. 

In both cases he was represented by Majavu Incorporated who were listed as the second defendant in the case.  

The third defendant was Malesane Raphela who is a former General Manager of Financial and Management reporting. She is accused of having authorised the payments of Motsoeneng’s legal fees while being aware that they were a personal cost, and not the SABC’s.

In a judgment handed down last week Friday Judge Thina Siwendu ordered Motsoeneng to pay back R851 981.73 with interest. Motsoeneng was also ordered to pay the costs of the interlocutory applications and the cost of the judgment.

The head of the SIU Advocate Andy Mothibi welcomed the judgment.

“This is a continuation of implementation of the SIU investigations outcomes and consequence management to recover monies lost by the SABC. There are other cases enrolled in the High Court and in the Special Tribunal awaiting adjudication and will result in further recoveries for the SABC,” said Mothibi.

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Live Editor: Business (Cape Town)

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Independent Media Recruiter

Independent Media is one of South Africa’s leading print media production companies. Our stable of fine, quality publications include 18 of the country’s most prominent newspapers with The Star in Johannesburg,Cape Times and Cape Argus in Cape Town and The Mercury in Durban firmly entrenched in millions of households throughout South Africans.

Digital Account Director (Cape Town)

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Remuneration: negotiable Basic salary 
Location: Cape Town, Durbanville
Education level: Diploma
Job level: Mid/Senior
Type: Permanent
Reference: #ithis_006
Company: Imagine This

Job description

Imagine This Digital is a full-service digital agency built for the current state of the internet. We partner with clients to drive their business outcomes with video production, social media marketing, content marketing, media planning and distribution, influencer marketing, Google services, and everything in between. Building and growing a company from writers, artists, comedians, entrepreneurs, foodies, photographers, and data junkies. We are small with a big heart and driven by passion. We live and breathe emerging tech, and we are always growing. Curious?

The ideal candidate will work on multiple accounts and be responsible for managing numerous multi-disciplined digital projects, accountable for client liaison, maintaining relationships with the client, campaign development and management.

We are looking for a passionate digital account manager with client service and project management experience within a digital landscape. Preferably agency experience. 

A suitable candidate should have a wealth of digital experience and be able to mary this experience with strategic, creative and innovative thinking and execution. 

This is a permanent position is based at our head office in Durbanville, Cape Town.

Role requirements:

  • A passion for people, even the difficult ones. 
  • A keen interest in all things digital and tech. 
  • A solid understanding of the digital environment, technologies and capabilities.
  • Ability to conceptualise solutions against objectives and outcomes.
  • A degree or qualification in business, marketing or PR.
  • Have fantastic communication and interpersonal skills.
  • High attention to detail.
  • Proven track record working in an account management role (two to four years).
  • High level of motivation and the ability to motivate the production team.

Responsibilities:

  • Grow, strengthen and manage relationships with clients and ensure the agency is their trusted source of digital advice.
  • Owning the delivery and quality of digital projects for clients based on a deep technical understanding of the digital landscape, trends and opportunities.
  • Quoting, billing, recons, project sheets and monitoring deliverables against budgets.
  • Overseeing creative delivery.
  • Assist with copywriting.
  • Brainstorm and develop campaigns, competitions and concepts.
  • Review and signoff of monthly client content.
  • Understanding and interpreting client needs and requirements.
  • Identify ways to grow existing clients and generating leads.
  • Understand brands and their integrated digital marketing communication needs.
  • Preparing briefs, presenting creative concepts, identifying channel opportunities and strategies, reporting against agreed objectives and outcomes.
  • Assist in setting up client goals and managing the process to reach these goals.
  • Proactively identify issues and concerns and taking necessary steps to avoid or resolve.
  • Review, analyse and track campaigns and results.
  • Unlock powerful insights and trends.
  • Ensure a thorough understanding and application of all agency tools, templates and processes.
  • Present monthly reports and feedback on key learnings/campaigns.
  • Effective and efficient running of digital deliverables. (web, social, SEO, AdWords, etc.)
  • On top of all day-to-day activities. And there are many of them.
  • Supportive and proactive communication between the client and the agency.
  • Assist in the delivery of services to the client.
  • Ensure a smooth and timeous workflow of activities directed at the client.
  • Co-ordinate and manage agency services to the client.
  • Lead status meetings and reporting/feedback sessions.
  • Ensure that client’s accounts are correct and delivered on time and that payment is effected timeously.

Personal skills/attributes

  • A good sense of humour.
  • Fun, active and sociable.
  • Positive and self-motivated individual.
  • Creative, quirky and out of the box thinker.
  • Ability to work well under pressure.
  • Ability to work well under short deadlines.
  • Accuracy and attention to detail (yes we are mentioning this again).
  • Cooperative attitude and good team player. Company culture is exceptionally important to us.
  • Willingness to learn, accept instructions, correction and supervision.
  • Proactive and innovative thinking.
  • Intuitive and self-standing.
  • The job involves working some evenings and weekends and responding to community members outside of work hours. We do however try to keep this to a minimum. 
  • Great time management skills, ability to multitask.
  • Emotionally intelligent.

Company Description

Imagine This Digital is a full-service digital agency built for the current state of the internet. We partner with clients to drive their business outcomes with best-in-class modern video production, social media marketing, content, media planning and distribution, influencer marketing, Google services, and everything in between.

Skills required: 

  • Must have a very strong understanding of the online environment.
  • Experience in social media marketing, web development and direct marketing.
  • Very strong strategic thinker.
  • The ability to deliver on the clients’ business plans and implement accordingly with the team.
  • Manage the retention of existing clients by delivering consistently high standards.
  • Manage the health of the clients’ business within the agency.
  • Deliver bottom line client profitability and grow the clients’ business within the agency.
  • Great attention to detail.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills.
  • Strong project management skills.
  • Effective team management skills.
  • Proficient in, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, email and web.
  • Able to write copy and short form articles.
  • Exceptional spelling and grammar.
  • Experience in updating content on WordPress.
  • Experience with SEO, reporting will be an advantage.
  • Experience with financial services will be an advantage.
  • Experience with photography and/or video editing will be an advantage.
  • Experience in Photoshop and other Adobe software will be an advantage.
  • Bilingual in Afrikaans and English will be an advantage.

Posted on 29 Jan 15:56

Outdoor Apparel Designer (Cape Town)

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Remuneration: Market related 
Location: Cape Town
Job level: Junior/Mid
Type: Permanent
Reference: #CUMG-4100
Company: Cape Union Mart

Job description

Our Outdoor Design Team has a new and exciting opportunity available for a creative, enthusiastic and driven Men’s Outdoor Apparel& Accessories Designer to produce designs in the K-Way brand, working closely with the buying team and the K-Way factory.

Our ideal candidate will have the ability to align with the company vision, be self-motivated and actively involved in overseeing the end to end process in the applicable area of responsibility.  In addition, the successful candidate should have the high energy levels required for this fast-paced, exciting and dynamic retail environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

    • Deliver designs in accordance with the product and range strategy for the portfolio

    • Create Design Requisitions with relevant information and measurements

    • Design Branding that aligns with product and brand principles

    • CAD designs for Swingtickets

    • Match colours and trims according to brand and range principles

    • Research local and international trends relevant to portfolio and product strategy

    • Provide key item forecasts and seasonal moodboards

    • Compile and present Core and Seasonal colour flow boards

    • Source new fabrics and trims

Experience & Qualifications

    • Matric with a relevant tertiary qualification is an important pre-requisite

    • Working experience in a similar role within a design environment is preferred

    • Working knowledge of Microsoft office and Outlook is essential

    • Preference will be given to candidates with working knowledge and experience with Illustrator and Photoshop

    • Preference will be given to candidates with an understanding of garment construction/manufacturing

    • Will be required to travel within the Region and therefore a valid driver’s license and own vehicle is advantageous

 

Competencies Required

    • Ability to take direction and follow instructions from the Design Manager

    • An eye for colour and a good understanding of colour theory

    • Ability to use initiative and be a creative thinker with the ability to translate ideas into action

    • Well-spoken with effective communication skills

    • Resilient and tenacious in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment

    • Ability to prioritize, manage your time, maintain high levels of drive & initiative while under pressure

    • Ability to build and maintain relationships with all levels of the organization

    • Deadline and outcomes focused

    • Methodical, detail-orientated and accurate

    • Proactive, innovative, passionate, committed, self-motivated, driven and trustworthy

Posted on 29 Jan 15:55