SME South Africa is looking for a junior content writer to join our editorial team and enrich our websites with new blog posts, guides and marketing copy.
Company Description
About SME South Africa (www.smesouthafrica.co.za). SME South Africa is an enabler within the SME ecosystem and provides strategic content, data and advertising solutions to both entrepreneurs and brands.
Requirements
Research industry-related topics (combining online sources, interviews and studies)
Write clear online content
Prepare well-structured drafts using Content Management Systems
Proofread and edit blog posts before publication
Submit work to editors for input and approval
Coordinate with marketing and design teams to illustrate articles
Conduct simple keyword research and use SEO guidelines to increase web traffic
When applying for the position, please send through your CV, relevant references, links to your published works and a cover letter which explains why you’re the best fit for SME South Africa.
If we like your CV, we will ask you to complete a writing and grammar test.
We are a small but growing digital marketing agency in Ballito, KZN looking for an experienced marketing professional to join our team. The right candidate must have a positive outlook on life and a can-do attitude to take us to the next level. The position will be responsible for:
Being new and existing clients’ primary point of contact
Conceptualising and coordinating marketing campaigns for clients
Leverage all current client relationships to maximise the benefit to the client and company
Oversee all aspects of digital marketing to retainer clients and ad-hoc projects to ensure desired outcomes are achieved and exceeded
Be the driving force is sales strategy and acquisition/on-boarding new clients. Focus on growing client base and products to existing clients
Requirements
Strong leadership capabilities
Three or more years of agency experience or experience in running your own digital marketing agency is an advantage.
Good working-to-in-depth knowledge of most aspects of digital marketing including SEO, Google Adwords, social media marketing campaigns (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.), influencer marketing, websites, video campaigns, reporting, etc.
Strong insight into social communication trends and projections.
You feel confident ideating and executing campaigns across all digital channels from social media to web.
You are calm under pressure and thrive working under tight timeframes.
You have a passion for the digital space and intimately understand advancements and technology across all platforms and channels. You have a thirst to share new innovations with your team and always look for new digital solutions to meet your client’s needs.
You have client management skills and a passion for building relationships.
You demonstrate the ability to collaborate with cross-functional departments and peers.
You can understand appropriate tone, voice and topics that will engage our audience in a meaningful way.
Please only apply if you meet all the criteria above. If you have not heard back from us within five working days after submitting your application please consider it unsuccessful.
The investigation was commissioned by the Council of Medical Schemes (CMS) in 2019 after the allegations were made by the National Health Care Professionals Association (NHCPA) and advocacy group, Solutionist Thinkers.
The chairperson of the independent review panel, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, SC, presented the findings of the investigation on Tuesday. He said the panel was mandated to investigate two main issues: whether there is racial discrimination by schemes against black healthcare providers and whether black providers were being treated procedurally unfairly.
“The evidence presented by complainants and the schemes was important for the panel’s inquiry regarding how the schemes and administrators’ risk management systems, more particularly their fraud, waste and abuse (FWA) systems, worked in practice,” he said.
The panel appointed an independent specialist in statistics and data analytics as well as legal experts to assess the outcomes of the FWA investigation processes by the three main administrators – Discovery, Medscheme and the Government Employee Medical Scheme (Gems) – and to provide assistance with the legal framework to test unfair discrimination and the principles of implicit racial bias.
The panel found that between 2012 and 2019, there was a substantial difference in FWA outcomes between black and white practitioners. It did, however, not find any evidence of explicit or intentional racial bias in the algorithms and methods that the administrators and schemes use to identify FWA.
“There is no explicit use of race in the analytics process. This does not mean that the process is ‘race-blind’. It may be the case that certain factors used, or areas prioritised are asymmetrically distributed by race and that this may produce racially biased outcomes.
“There is a substantial difference in FWA outcomes between black and non-black practitioners over the period from January 2012 to June 2019. Over this period, black practitioners were 1.4 times more likely to be classified as having committed FWA than those identified as not black. The probability that this distribution occurred by chance (ie, that there is no correlation between racial status and FWA outcomes) is for all practical purposes zero.”
There are clear differences in the scale of racial discrimination between the three medical schemes, with Discovery 35% more likely to identify black providers as having committed FWA, while Gems was 80% more likely to identify black providers as guilty of FWA. Discovery and Gems are the two largest medical schemes in South Africa,” the report said.
The interdict
On Sunday (17 January), Gems and the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) went to court seeking an interdict against the public release of report, claiming it contained “scathing allegations and findings in relation to Gems (and others)”.
The parties said they not seen the interim report or the investigation’s terms of reference, nor had they been given an opportunity to comment on it, making the public release a contravention of the Medical Schemes Act.
In an answering affidavit, Ngcukaitobi said that from the outset the panel had made it clear that the process would be a public one and that the panel would be “accountable to the public as much as to the CMS and the parties”.
He said the applicants had made extensive submissions – written and oral – during the investigation and they knew from 27 November that the panel was going to publicly release the interim report. The urgency of their court case was “self-created”, he said.
The Pretoria High Court dismissed the application, saying that it lacked urgency.
Responses
The Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) said in a statement that it wanted to clarify the decision to interdict the report’s release was to ensure that due process is followed in relation to the investigations by the independent panel, as well as the issue of the preliminary report by the independent panel.
BHF said that the panel did not implement the approved terms of reference nor the subsequent processes that it initially indicated would be followed.
“The BHF supports openness and transparency and the principles of natural justice that dictate that parties should be made aware of the findings made against them by an administrative body such as the panel and be presented with a reasonable opportunity to correct any errors or inaccuracies set out in any findings made by such administrative body prior to the publication of a report to the general public. This serves to ensure that unnecessary adverse inferences are drawn in relation to named parties to their detriment,” the statement said.
Dr Katlego Mothudi, managing director, BHF, conceded that the private healthcare industry is grappling with a high prevalence of fraud and corruption, which is exacerbated by lack of visible policing, gaps in monitoring systems, inappropriate consequence management processes, long-standing malpractices that have become entrenched as well as low levels of information sharing within the industry.
He said that several efforts are being made in the medical scheme industry to root out fraud, waste and corruption. In efforts to do so, BHF member schemes follow various processes to determine trends and anomalies in claims and use these to determine the outcome of claims. “We are of the view that our members have and had no agenda to intentionally discriminate any of the medical professionals, as we have a zero-tolerance to any forms of discrimination.”
Providing clarity on the interdict application, Dr Stanley Moloabi, principal officer of Gems says: “Our intention was never to ‘block’ the release of the report, but to request that due processes be followed in ensuring that affected parties had a view of the report before it was released to the public.
“Gems has a zero-tolerance to all forms of discrimination and pledges to implement corrective action where such remedial interventions are required and as recommended by the panel for the benefit of our members and healthcare providers.”
Meanwhile, Medscheme was also disappointed not to have eyes on the report before it was released.
The company maintains that its duty will always be towards its beneficiaries to validate and verify healthcare claims, and the company does not take this duty lightly. “Our fiduciary duty to safeguard funds entrusted to us remains to ensure that members and their dependants continue to receive access to healthcare treatment that is affordable and of the highest quality. This function has become even more critical in current depressing economic times, a function without which private healthcare would be substantially more expensive for everyone,” said Dr Lungi Nyathi, executive director at Medscheme.
SA Rugby director of rugby says he’s not sure if the Rainbow Cup will take place.
The Rainbow Cup will consist of SA’s four Super Rugby franchises and 12 teams from Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy.
Should the Rainbow Cup not take place, Erasmus feels there’ll be creative ways to continue playing rugby.
SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus wasn’t sure whether the Rainbow Cup, a tournament that will involve the four Super Rugby franchises and 12 teams from Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy, will take place.
Last year, SA Rugby announced that the tournament, where the SA teams will have a three-match European tour while the 12 PRO14 teams will all be touring South Africa, is scheduled to start on 17 April with the final set to take place on 19 June.
Erasmus said they want the SA teams to take part in the Rainbow Cup, but they will have to find creative ways to get rugby played in the event of the tournament not taking place.
Depending on whether the British and Irish Lions tour will take place, whatever rugby that will take place will be crucial for SA Rugby.
“We want to play in the Rainbow Cup, and we feel we need to play. We are looking at different scenarios within the committee. Currently, we’re going through as per normal, but we’re looking at different options like the South African teams playing each other, but the last thing we want is a double round Currie Cup where the South African teams play each other.
“The Franchise Cup is just the franchises playing against each other and maybe the PRO16 could be cancelled and we go back to the Currie Cup again. We’re unsure now, but we have three or four options that we’re trying to be creative with even though there are no crowds. We’re looking at creative ways, if the Rainbow Cup is off, but that may not involve another Currie Cup, especially after another domestic competition.”
It’s not all doom and gloom should the tournament not take place for SA Rugby as players can rest, but Erasmus said they’ll only know at the end of January or early February with regards to a decision.
“If the Rainbow Cup gets cancelled, there is an opportunity for the Franchise Cup or the tournament where the franchises play, it might be played differently. However, we can only know once we know what will happen with the Rainbow Cup,” Erasmus said.
“All of those things are being pushed back to the end of the month or the beginning of February with regards to decisions. The competition where the franchises will play against each other to get ready will be vital to get the guys who are underplayed to be ready while those who are overplayed so that we can start the PRO16 on an even keel.”
With the Currie Cup finally reaching the playoff stage after a week’s hiatus to sort out any Covid-19 related issues, Erasmus also tackled the officiating matter.
Erasmus said they are affected when referees don’t perform well but have had to blood new referees at the same time to create depth.
“We take it on the chin once referees don’t perform well. They also undergo testing and some of them also test positive, from where a new guy must come in. With no excuses and lessons learnt, but if there were nine guys, there were other competitions and Tests, they would have a game each weekend. Under these circumstances, they only having a game every third weekend.
“You can’t ignore the next generation of referees. We must give them a chance. In a normal cycle, everyone is busy each weekend, but because of what is happening, it’s now once every three weeks. There were a few referees we took off because of performance. There was no continuity.”
Beer producer Heineken South Africa has said it will be cutting its local staff by about 7%, as it grapples with the ongoing ban on alcohol sales.
The Netherlands-based company, whose brands include Windhoek, Amstel and Soweto Gold, employs 1 000 people at in its South Africa operations. But it has been adversely impacted by three bans on the sales of alcohol the government has imposed, to keep hospitals free of alcohol-related trauma cases as the country battles with Covid-19.
The company, which suspended a R6-billion expansion project in August 2020, said it had to restructure its South Africa operations because of the impact the pandemic has had on its business in the past year.
“Unfortunately, this review will mean that we need to reduce the number of employees across some roles,” the beer and cider producer said on Tuesday night.
Heineken South Africa’s human resources director Yvonne Mosadi said the company had not made the decision to retrench easily.
“Prior to considering this action, the company implemented various cost mitigation measures throughout 2020. Unfortunately, given the ongoing challenging situation the company finds itself in, these measures are no longer adequate to manage and sustain the operating costs of the business,” Mosadi said.
The company said it will also continue to review its cost and organisational structure to ensure it is fit for the future needs of the business, particuarily during this tumultuous period.
WHO has recommended a course of Covid-19 treatment.
Getty Images
Health officials with resuscitation kits will be on hand to help should anyone have an adverse reaction to the Covid-19 vaccines.
Health Department official Aquina Thulare briefed the ANC’s Progressive Business Forum on the vaccine rollout.
The military will help safeguard sites and everyone who receives vaccines will be registered on a central database.
Health professionals will be on standby at Covid-19 vaccination sites to tend to anyone who might have an adverse reaction to the vaccines, while the military is set to be deployed to safeguard distribution.
Those who agree to be vaccinated will be issued with a vaccine registration card and they will be allocated a site where they should go to get their jab.
These are some of the details of the vaccine rollout that has emerged during a briefing by Aquila Thulare from the Department of Health during a Zoom briefing to the ANC’s Progressive Business Forum on Tuesday.
She said:
The vaccination system is going to be based on a pre-vaccination registration system, meaning all of us will have to be on a register of some sort so that we know who has been vaccinated, where are they going to receive the vaccination, and there will be a system of registration.
Everyone who has registered will be allocated a site where they should go for their jabs, which will help the department to control how many people visit a site, but also helps the department with planning how many vaccines to deliver to a site.
“It also helps us to manage those who have to come back a second time,” she said.
To secure the distribution of the vaccines, those vehicles involved will be tracked and monitored to safeguard stocks.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will be present at administration sites “to make sure that we secure this vaccine” and for security purposes and each dose will be tracked and traced through a barcode scanning system “meaning that we will have to make sure that we know where each and every vial is used”.
There will also be data verification of the vaccines that have been distributed and administered.
Vaccines must be disposed of in a secure fashion, but we also have to ensure that we monitor that there is no wastage, she said.
Vaccine distribution
In phase two and three of the vaccine distribution – once targeted groups like health workers and the elderly have received their doses – there will be mass vaccinations in urban centres of individuals and groups, while pharmacies, health facilities, community halls and schools will be used to administer the vaccines.
These sites will have to be registered and comply with a number of requirements.
“We do not want to see the vaccination programme impacting negatively on the other services that are provided, whether it is child illnesses, maternal services,” she said.
Vaccine confidence will increase through transparent and effective safety surveillance and causality assessment, Thulare added.
She said an electronic vaccination data system was currently being developed, and would leverage off existing systems.
The information collected by the system would include patient information, like demographics and number of doses to be received, the health establishment where it is administered, the vaccine administered, safety information and a record of vaccination issued to individuals where necessary.
“For the vaccination programme, wherever we are going to be vaccinating in the sites, there will be teams of health professionals that will be ready to manage any adverse effect that arise,” she said. This included resuscitation kits, to ensure that these are attended to “immediately and effectively”.
The department will also record how many people in the target population receive the vaccine and how many refuse, including the reasons why they do so.
The inter-ministerial committee on vaccines established by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday and chaired by Deputy President David Mabuza would coordinate the vaccination effort “to ensure that the 40 million South Africans that are going to make up the 65% [of the population who will be vaccinated] to build (“herd”) immunity are going to be vaccinated.
Ministerial advisory committees on technical issues and behavioural change will also be on hand to help with the effort.
We are looking for a Creative Group Head (art director)with visionary thinking and dexterous decision-making skills!
The successful candidate will not only work with our Creative Group Head (copywriter) but will form part of our astounding creative team while also getting exposed to other disciplines that add value to the ideation and delivery of each project. We believe very strongly in collaboration and collective ownership of ideas.
We require an intensive understanding of the digital landscape: current and emerging trends. You will need to demonstrate an ability to take a seed of an idea and create a digital ecosystem: displaying how the idea works and evolves for each touch-point.
It goes without saying that the successful candidate will have an amazing eye for aesthetics. Having a great idea is one thing, but being able to deliver the idea in a convincing and beautiful way is an absolute pre-requisite.
Whilst not required to do pixel perfect design, it is imperative that you have a firm grasp of digital design principles.
Responsibilities:
Develop concepts, designs/layouts and campaigns for client projects, partnering with copywriters when applicable to ensure the art direction and visual presentation support the defined strategy
Conceptualise, storyboard and present ideas both internally and to clients
Maintain high standards for execution and attention to detail in all aspects of interactive design
Responsible for the quality of execution and quality of thinking (must come up with the best creative solutions)
Effectively visualise concepts and pass them on to designers for them to create the end product, giving direction on photography style, typography, print material, video content and finishing of stock
Manage digital art direction and execution for multi-channel initiatives that increase customer conversion rates through online, direct, and partner channels
Creatively lead both large scale integrated projects as well as ongoing daily projects
Requirements
Must have a minimum of five years’ experience being a conceptual art director
Must have experience working on integrated projects
Must have some sort of fashion experience/background or at the bare minimum have an interest/keen eye for the fashion industry/fashion trends
Must have extensive film and photoshoot experience. This includes having a good understanding of fashion trends, the ability to plan shoots and be agile on shoot and role with punches.
Must be able to lead a team of art directors as well as grow, inspire and review work.
Have a drive to win awards
Managing a team
Must understand cross-platform/responsive design for multi-screen and is able to create positive user experiences for any device
Must have a deep understanding and advocacy of digital design and design trends
Excellent working knowledge of Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign
Every day we make the lives of contact lens wearers easier, through a streamlined process, steered by people who care.
Do you have a never-give-up kinda attitude? Can you keep your eyes on the prize? Can you cut through the noise and with exceptional simplicity? Are you willing to always go further for the customer with dedicated care? Do you agree that when doing all of the above together is better and a business thrives when a team communicates, collaborates and supports one another?
If so, we’re looking for a new Logistics & Operations Assistant to join our awesome team, for 6 months to start, with the hope of this becoming a full-time contract after the initial 6 months
What we do: An online-only contact lenses retailer. How we do it: Easy online ordering. Fast, reliable delivery. A team that offers unbeatable service. Why we do it: To simplify eyecare.
As a growing tech start-up we are committed to giving you an opportunity to build a long-lasting career and grow within our purpose-driven company. We don’t watch you closely. We don’t follow your every move. Basically, we don’t micro-manage. We believe in autonomy and accountability from every team member. You will be provided with tools, training and skills to do your job exceptionally well – and from there we trust you do master your role and go further, that extra mile, for the customer and our business.
What’s in for you:
You will work with a young, shining & driven team to give the customer an amazing experience, every time.
You’ll contribute to making sure that orders are processed as quickly & effectively as possible, wowing the customer each time they order.
You’ll learn first-hand what goes into running an e-commerce business in South Africa.
You’ll get exposure and experience in almost every division of the company – logistics, accounts, customer support & more.
You’ll be constantly learning in a fun, busy and purpose-driven environment.
You’ll have the opportunity to be coached and develop skills you have never been given the chance to master.
You’ll work from a modern office in central Sandton, with delicious lunch treats every Friday.
Key responsibilities:
Packing orders
Creating waybills
Tracking orders with courier providers
Following up on orders stages
Creating tax and medical aid invoices
Assisting with stock takes & recons
Returning stock to suppliers
Placing orders with suppliers
Answering customer support queries
Ensuring customer satisfaction, always
What every team member must offer:
You must share our values
You must be driven to go further for the customer
You must be a good multi-tasker and be flexible
You must be willing to work on your feet half the day
You must pay attention to detail and articulate information clearly
You must show composure and handle busy periods well
You need to know your way around a computer and online software tools
You must be open to feedback and criticism in order to help you grow
You love teamwork and working alongside others
Why us?
Because you want to simplify the eycare industry
Because you want to help our customers see clearly
Because you believe in our Mission, Vision and Values
Because you’re all about customer service
Because you want to work in a team of smiler
Because there is always opportunity to grow
Because together is better
We’ve rallied a shining team that works relentlessly behind the scenes. Putting our team together was no easy feat. It hasn’t gone unnoticed. We’ve been told in social posts, in passing and with pats on our backs that what really sets us apart is our service.
If offering incredible service excites you as much as it does us, apply now, because it’s what we’re all about.
Umzansi Youth in Business is looking for a creative, talented and vibrant graphic designer. The individual must be able to think out of the box and create youthful yet professional content for the organisation. The individual must be a key contributing member to the various projects and organisation.
Requirements
Demonstrate experience of adobe creative suite – illustrator, photoshop and indesign.
Skilled typography, image content, retouching, color correction, type setting and formatting.
Strong communicator who is delivery focused, organised and flexible.
Accustomed to working as part of a project team including designers, copy writers, developers and project managers.
able to multitask working to tight deadlines in a fast paced environment.
Cape Union Mart International (Pty) Ltd has been equipping South African adventurers since 1933, and is South Africa’s favourite outdoor adventure store. Stocking everything one needs for outdoor pursuits – including hiking, camping, trail running, mountain biking, snow sports, travel and more – Cape Union Mart is an essential first step in every adventure. Cape Union Mart has stores across South Africa, and in Namibia and Botswana.
