THE IMPORTANCE

OF BASIC FIRE

FIGHTING TRAINING

6 STEPS TO IMPROVESAFETY IN THEWORKPLACE

CORRECT GRIEVANCE

PROCEDURE IN THE

WORKPLACE CLOSES

COMMUNICATION GAPS

WHY RETRENCHING EMPLOYEES MIGHTNOT BE THE BESTOPTION

SMEs FEAR DISASTER

ON ESKOM SUPPLY

CUT PLANS

MAY 2015

How does Eskom affect LabourWhat is Statutory DeductionsOccupational Health and Safety Act14 Benefits of having a business plan forecastThe importance of soft skills training courses in the workplaceB-BBEE Dissent is NOT RacismValidity period of WarningsHelp of budgeting

May Issue

page 5 - The Importance of Basic Firefighting Training

We want to encouragemembers of the East

Rand Chamber ofCommerce & Industry to

submit any and all material we can publishwithin out next Chamber

Bulletin.

The purpose of theChamber Bulletin is to

give you the opportunityto put your company,your products and orservices into a well

compiled document,being sent out to all ourmembers and newsletter

subscribers.

We also want toencourage members to

make sure that theirwebsites are up to date,

if you have new information, or photos,

send them towebdeveloper@chamberlink.co.za or arrange for acompany representativeto come visit you. He willalso be able to take somephotographs we can use

in both the ChamberBulletin and as updates

within your website.

Make use of the servicesyou have at your

disposal.

If you are unsure whatexactly the extent of theservices are you qualify

for as an ERCOCmember, please let us

know and we will get youup to date.

As we are starting thenew year, make sure

that you have covered allthe necessary angles of

your company. Make sure everything is up todate so that 2015 can

start at full speed.

page 9 - Why you should create budget forecasts

page 11 - 6 Steps to Improve Safety in the Workplace

page 14 - Why advertise in the Chamber Bulletin

page 17 - What to keep in mind when redesigning your website

page 19 - Importance of a reliable internet connection and troubleshooting tips

page 22 - Correct grievance procedure in the workplace closes communication gaps

page 24 - Pitfalls of limited duration contracts for temporary employment

page 26 - E-Learning the BEE-ter way forward to a recovering SA

page 31 - How to create a website on a small budget

page 33 - A training analysis will be a learning curve for all

page 38 - Labour Law in South Africa is an ever-changing beast

page 40 - Why retrenching employees might not be the best option

page 43 - Why you need a responsive website in South Africa

49 36

page 47 - Labour consulting is something all companies can benefit from having

page 52 - AHI News release on Eskom

page 53 - SMEs fear disaster on Eskom supply cut plans

5

Governments and large Companies all over the world have made basic firefighting and trainingcompulsory for companies.

Basic Firefighting training gives a basic idea about workplace safety and health practices, and the various ways to follow them.

Firefighting training is conducted to educate employers and authorities about the need to implement safer and healthier practices at workplace. They will also be trained to respond quickly to fire alarms at the workplace.

BASIC FIREFIGHTING TRAINING ENTAILS A LOT

To have a good fire extinguisher placed in the company premises is not the only solution to fire at the workplace. Employees should be given suitable training to prevent fatal/non-fatal fire accidents at workplace. Basic Firefighting training will improve the needed skills to avoid fire at the workplace, and educate people about the basic fundamentals of fire prevention and protection.

Bulletin Blogsby Koot van der Walt

The Importance of Basic Firefighting Training

Bulletin Blogs by Koot van der Walt

6

Basic Firefighting training courses include basic training to respond to fire alarms, the use of fire extinguishers, and to apply other measures to extinguish fire. All these training sessions are arranged in order to get the needed qualifications and credits required for the job.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BASIC FIRE FIGHTING TRAINING

LIFE SAFETY

According to Raymond Williams, who is a Battalion Chief at the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS) in Birmingham, Alabama, life safety is one of the most important jobs of a firefighter. The city, with a population of over 212,000, has 648 paid firefighters at 31 fire stations. Williams says they help to prevent the loss of life from fires; however, he notes that firefighters also administer first aid during medical emergencies -- which are much more prevalent than fires. In fact, on a national level, firefighters respond to almost 20 million medical emergencies, compared to approximately 1.4 million fires. They also rescue victims from other hazardous conditions like crashed or overturned vehicles.

INCIDENT STABILIZATION

Firefighting training provides incident stabilization. Some occurrences can possibly worsen if not rapidly controlled.

Some examples include workplace fires whereby firefighters must find a way to confine and control these incidents. Firefighters work rapidly and strategically to cut the danger and the level of damage that might be caused by these incidents.

GOODS PROTECTION

In addition to saving lives and stabilizing situations, basic firefighting training can help protect property.While the fire is still small, basic firefighting training implemented in the workplace will ensure thatemployees are able to put out fire before it spreads and cause unnecessary damage to buildingstructures and personal property.

LIFE SAFETY

According to Raymond Williams, who is a Battalion Chief at the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS) in Birmingham, Alabama, life safety is one of the most important jobs of a firefighter. The city, with a population of over 212,000, has 648 paid firefighters at 31 fire stations. Williams says they help to prevent the loss of life from fires; however, he notes that firefighters also administer first aid during medical emergencies -- which are much more prevalent than fires. In fact, on a national level, firefighters respond to almost 20 million medical emergencies, compared to approximately 1.4 million fires. They also rescue victims from other hazardous conditions like crashed or overturned vehicles.

INCIDENT STABILIZATION

Firefighting training provides incident stabilization. Some occurrences can possibly worsen if not rapidly controlled.

Some examples include workplace fires whereby firefighters must find a way to confine and control these incidents. Firefighters work rapidly and strategically to cut the danger and the level of damage that might be caused by these incidents.

Bulletin Blogsby Koot van der Walt

7

GOODS PROTECTION

In addition to saving lives and stabilizing situations, basic firefighting training can help protect property. While the fire is still small, basic firefighting training implemented in the workplace will ensure that employees are able to put out fire before it spreads and cause unnecessary damage to building structures and personal property.

EMPLOYEES EDUCATION

Basic firefighting training also plays a vital part in educating employees regarding firefighting. Training employees for firefighting, prevention and how to respond to emergency situations can help save lives.Training educates employees on how to best respond to fires in the workplace before they become uncontrollable. Employees can be trained on how to put out fires and how to operate fire extinguishers.

BASIC FIREFIGHTING TRAINING MAKE GOOD BUSINESS SENSE

When a workplace is safe and employees are well trained, they feel more relaxed and confident when they are in that environment.

Productivity gets an improvement, and profit margins follow suit. Managers need to know and understand the safety rules that relate to their industry and make sure that their premises are up to standard.

OUR ALL ROUND LEGAL COMPLIANCE TACTIC INCLUDES THE EAST RAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY HELPING YOU TO COMPLY WITH OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY REGULATIONS

According to The Department of Labour in South Africa, all companies should have employees trained with the basic knowledge of firefighting as part of the Health and Safety Act.Remembering that prevention is better than a cure, therefore the training will enable all employers and employees to identify possible fire hazards as well as extinguishing them accordingly.

Bulletin Blogs

9

by Koot van der Walt

A hiker hiking through the wilderness wouldn't initiate his journey without a map and compass. After all,those small tools are a great aid in getting to the end of the trail. However too often, business owners setup their businesses without a financial road map.

One of the stress-free ways to get a business where it wants to go is to create a budget forecast.

Businesses need to grow and survive in today's dynamic environment where profit margins are squeezedand they are forced to operate with lower costs, budget forecast is an important financial discipline forbusinesses success.

WHAT IS BUDGET FORECASTING?

The use of historic data to determine the direction of future trends. Forecasting is used by companies todetermine how to allocate their budgets for an upcoming period of time. This is typically based ondemand for the goods and services it offers, compared to the cost of producing them. Investors utilizeforecasting to determine if events affecting a company, such as sales expectations, will increase ordecrease the price of shares in that company. Forecasting also provides an important benchmark forfirms which have a long-term perspective of operations. http://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/forecasting.asp#ixzz3W8XkbY2m

Reviewing a company budget on a regular basis, and adjusting it as needed, will help businesses keepan accurate picture of finances.

BUDGET FORECASTING CAN HELP A BUSINESS TO:

WHY YOU SHOULD CREATE BUDGET FORECASTS

Creating a budget forecast allows businesses to estimate how much money they will be able to save forimportant things like new company vehicles or company renovations. Using a realistic budget to estimatecompany expenses for the year can really help businesses with long term financial planning.

Bulletin Blogsby Koot van der Walt

10

Once you have built your first budget, begin to use it and get a good perception for how it can keepbusiness finances on track, businesses may want to map out an expenditure plan or budget for 6months or more. By doing this you can easily forecast which months your finances may be tight andwhich ones you'll have extra money.

CREATES FINANCIAL ROADMAP

Budgets often allow companies to have a financial roadmap for business operations. Many companiesreview previous year's budgets to determine how well they followed the guidelines and why budgetvariances occurred. Not all budget variances may indicate a negative business situation. If budgetvariances occurred due to unexpected growth in sales revenue, companies may need to increase thebudget amounts for future sales increases.

PLAN FOR FUTURE GROWTH

Companies often use budgets to plan for future business growth and expansion. Capital saved onregular business expenditures may be placed into a special reserve account designated for selectingnew business opportunities. Budgeting for future growth opportunities ensures that companies havecapital on hand when needing to make quick decision for expanding business operations. This capitalmay also be used during slow economic times as a safety net for paying regular business expenses.http://smallbusiness.chron.com/important-business-budget-385.html

BUDGET FORECAST IS AN APPROXIMATION OF WHAT WILL ACTUALLY BEACHIEVED IN TERMS OF COMPANY'S FINANCIAL STAND. ITS CHARACTERISTICSINCLUDE:

A reasonable forecast tells them that you have researched your business strategies and are aware ofthe dangers and how to deal with them.

WHEN DEVELOPING A BUDGET FORECAST, BUSINESSES MAY WANT TO LOOK AT:

CREATING, MONITORING AND MANAGING A BUDGET IS KEY TO BUSINESSSUCCESS.

The East Rand Chamber of Commerce assists companies in and outside the East Rand with thenecessary budgeting skills so that your business remains profitable and successful. It need not becomplicated. So knowing precisely that budget forecast is serious, it's a way to measure the successof your business against your expectations.

Bulletin Blogs

11

by Koot van der Walt

6 Steps to Improve Safety in the Workplace

shouldn't have to. So it's really a win-win situation for the employees and for us." Mike Scott, MaineWoods and Millwork

POOR WORK SAFETY PRACTICE COSTS COMPANIES MILLIONS EVERY YEAR. IT SHORTENS CAREERS AND STEALS LIVES.

On the flip side, a safe work environment boosts employee morale, which, in turn, increases productivity, efficiency and profit margins. “When people feel like they have a good, safe work environment, they feel like they can make a difference,” says Steinhofer. “There are fewer staff absences, less staff turnover and an improved quality of work.”

THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT REQUIRE THAT ALL BUSINESSES HAVE AN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM.

A health and safety program is a manner of managing the prevention of work-related injuries and diseases in the workplace. Business owners and employers have responsibility to their employees to ensure health and safety in the workplace.

The following steps will help ensure high maximum safety in the workplace.

6 STEPS TO IMPROVE SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

1. GENERATE A STRATEGY TO CONTROL WORKPLACE RISKS.

Employers must identify hazards in their workplaces and take steps to remove or reduce them. They need to develop a safety plan. Employees need to be told about what an employer intends to do to ensure their safety.

Hazards can include: a domestic worker working with heavy duty cleaning products, a mechanic working with large machinery or a warehouse manager stacking heavy boxes. Employers also have to make sure that their employees have access to a first aid kit.

2. AS AN EMPLOYER YOU MUST EXAMINE YOUR WORKPLACE.

It is the employer's responsibility to frequently check all equipment and tools to make sure that they are well maintained and safe to use.

Are your employees educated on how to lift heavy goods without harming themselves? Do your workers know where the fire exit is and where they should gather if there is a fire?

As we face different work-related injuries in theworkplace, we have a key role to prevent injuries,diseases or perhaps death in the workplace.

First, people need to be careful and take the requiredprecautions to ensure their own health and safety and that of any colleagues who may be affected bytheir work or activities.

"Our company is only what our employees are. Wereally think it's good business to do the right thing for them, to make sure they feel comfortable, that theyunderstand that we want the workplace to be safe, indeed won't tolerate unsafe conditions, same as they

Bulletin Blogs

12

by Koot van der Walt

3. TRAIN YOUR EMPLOYEES.

Right training is needed for all employees, especially if there is a risk for possible injury related to a job. An employer needs to provide written instructions and safe work procedures so that the workers can check for themselves if they are uncertain of a task or have forgotten part of their training.

Manage your workers to guarantee that they are using their training to do their jobs properly and safely. By not providing the correct training for your workers you are not only positioning the lives of your employees in danger but you will be held accountable for the occurrence which could have serious penalties.

4. TALK REGULARLY WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES.

Employers must meet frequently with their staff and talk about health and safety matters. Encourage them to share their ideas and thoughts on how to increase safety in the workplace.

5. INVESTIGATE INCIDENTS.

Even if an incident does not end in a serious harm, conduct an incident investigation to help determine why an incident happened so you can take steps to ensure that it will not happen again.

6. MAKE SAFETY A KEY PART OF YOUR BUSINESS.

Safety in the workplace shouldn't be a thing businesses implement after years; it is just as important to a business as customer service, inventory control, and financial planning. An obligation to health and safety makes decent business sense as it's the one way to protect your greatest resource, your people.

A SOLID SAFETY PROGRAM IN A COMPANY CAN HELP PROTECT ITS NAME. LOST TIME MEANS POOR SERVICE QUALITY.

This can lead to customer dissatisfaction and loss of future business. The East Rand Chamber of Commerce helps businesses protect their hard-earned reputation by helping them develop their safety standards.

Why advertise in the Chamber Bulletin

Bulletin Blogs

14

by Koot van der Walt

Why advertise in the Chamber Bulletin

Advertising is usually done through various methods, TV and radiocommercials, print ads and more recently, bulletin advertisement.

Advertisements are placed where promoters believe they will reach thelargest, most relevant potential clients. Businesses use advertising todrive the consumption of their product, while other industries that do notmake use of the advertising strategy undergo a great loss.

Advertising is a form of marketing communication used to persuade anaudience to take or continue some action, usually with respect to acommercial offering, or political or ideological support. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising

Why advertise in the Chamber Bulletin? Online bulletins are the highwayadvertising platform that no business can be able to function without.The question still stands. Does your advertising strategy work for you?

NO? LET US FIND OUT HOW ADVERTISING CAN DRIVE CONSUMPTION TO YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Many businesses still think that a company logo on a banner advertisement is enough drive customers to their company doors. But it's not.

A message that "rings a bell," makes a promise. Remember that an online customer is already engaged and focused, unlike a radio listener or even a TV viewer, who may only be half paying attention or out of the room when an advertisement appears. You want to take advantage of that focus while potential internet customer's fingers are on their keyboards and eyes glued to their screens.

Bulletin advertising is important for the dealers and companies that manufacture the products.

COMPARISONS

Advertising invites your target audience to evaluate how your product or service measures up against your competitors, says Gerard Tellis, author of "Effective Advertising: Understanding When, How, and Why Advertising Works." Demonstrations of household cleaning products are a good example of this because they provide compelling visual evidence of which product does a faster and more effective job of tackling stubborn stains.

Political ads are another example of how advertising serves up side-by-side comparisons of the candidates' qualifications and voting records for readers and viewers to make informed choices at the polls. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advertising-important-business-3606.html

Bulletin Blogs

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by Koot van der Walt

TRUST

Building trust isn't something that can be done instantly. Think of the businesses that you trust to do business with. Mostly, the companies that people trust the most are the ones they have been exposed to, either through advertising or by doing business with them for years.

The earlier you start marketing your business, the longer your target audience will have known you. Start early and build a relationship with your target market that forms an image of sturdiness, reliability, and honesty and people will respond by trusting your business to live up to its image.

“People share, read and generally engage more with any type of content when it's surfaced through friends and people they know and trust.” – Malorie Lucich, Facebook

A BULLETIN CAN HELP YOU TO PROMOTE AND INCREASE YOUR BUSINESS VISIBILITY, NOWADAYS PEOPLE SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME ONLINE. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO INCREASE SALES.

The East Rand Chamber of Commerce Bulletin is a digital publication we send out monthly. It is an instrument made available to members so they can broadcast news, events or special offers to the rest of our members and newsletter registrants.

Yes, advertising in the bulletin plays a vital role for the suppliers of products, because:

Opportunities such as these are created so members can introduce their business, share information regarding events or products with our members situated in and around the East Rand. We can also arrange for a company representative to take the necessary photos.

Just another way The East Rand Chamber of Commerce is making life easier for their members.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Timothy Bacon

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN

REDESIGNING YOUR WEBSITE

A company website is the face of any business and one of a business main sales tool, so it needs to be constructed with the intention of converting visitors into customers.

The major objective of a website is to educate the audience on what the company does, why it offers the unbeatable solution for people's needs and prompts potential customers to take action as quickly as possible.

Even when a company has the best product or service in its industry, if its website is not communicating messages rapidly, tersely and efficiently, this can result in valued customers being lost to competitors.The customers that you want to buy from you, they are searching online and they won't just be looking at your website, but at your competitors' sites as well. So not only does your website have to rank fine and offer the information that the people require, but it needs to provide trustworthiness and stand out from your competitors. If your website doesn't stand out and provide the total best experience, you are losing out on valuable sales to your competition.

Every one of your web pages, from the homepage to blog posts to landing pages, they all need to be well designed and strategically planned. Visitors of your website get their first impression based on the design standard, so if your site isn't attractive, it is time for a redesign.

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN REDESIGNING YOUR WEBSITE AND ITS BENEFITS TO IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS' ONLINE PERFORMANCE.

These days, every business needs to have a website. It becomes difficult to imagine a reason for any company of any size not to have a user-friendly website.

MOBILE-FRIENDLINESS

Customers have diverse needs when accessing information and services on their mobile devices. Mobile users believe to get what they want very quickly and effortlessly, and want to have "mobile intelligent" features, like one click dialing for example.

It is significant that your website is enhanced for mobile devices to guarantee the best user experience. With about 30 percent of website visits coming from mobile devices, if you are just delivering your customers to the desktop version of your website you will be losing business due to user-friendliness preventions.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Timothy Bacon

VISIBILITY

Increasing visibility is one foremost aspect that you can consider in redesigning your website. Even if people have heard about your company, they may want to first research about your company before leaving the house. Website redesigning puts your business on the map and grants your potential customers with directions to your company so that they are less probable to have trouble finding the company.

CREDIBILITY

Globally, two-thirds (65 percent) of small businesses with an online presence said they elected to create a company website because it makes their company look more credible, and 60 percent said that a website is critical for a small company's success. Overall, 82 percent of small businesses with an online presence would recommend investment in a website to other small companies in their industry. http://blogs.verisigninc.com/blog/entry/why_small_business_say_having

UP-TO-DATE

Ever since you created your website few years ago, have you done some changes to it? There is a chance your site is running on an out-of-date platform. Web browsers like Internet Explorer, Google Chrome & Mozilla Firefox are always making changes to improve their product. If the technology running your site isn't up-to-date with the browsers, things may not work appropriately. You may lose an opportunity.

SOCIAL INTEGRATION

No one doubts social media's significance in a marketing strategy. If you don't share your social channels on your main marketing channel “website”, how can customers find you in the social ground? Social media is an exceptional tool for emerging client relations and encouraging your brand. If your website is missing social buttons, be sure to add them.

IS YOUR WEBSITE PERFORMING AS WELL AS IT SHOULD BE OR DOES IT NEED A REDESIGN? THE EAST RAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS THE SOLUTION.

Your website is a living part of your business, and it should evolve and change as your business grows and as technology progresses. A website has become a requirement in the business industry. It is more than a status symbol; it is proof that your company is here to stay. But in an ideal world you would want as many potential clients possible to visit your good looking website.

To get access to our web development services, join the East Rand Chamber of Commerce today.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Timothy Bacon

IMPORTANCE OF A RELIABLE INTERNETCONNECTION AND TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS

Slow unreliable internet connection can be very annoying, but since the internet is made up of hundreds of different technologies linked to each other, there are times where the internet can be slow. Your ISP might be at fault, but there are many other issues to look at before assigning responsibility.Some of these slow points are within your control, and can be rapidly fixed with a slight do-it-yourself effort.

WHAT IS AN INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER (ISP)?

An Internet Service Provider is a company that provides access to the Internet, usually for a fee. The most common ways to connect to an ISP are by using a broadband connection (ADSL) or a wireless solution like 3G. Many ISPs provide additional services such as e-mail accounts, web browsers, and space for you to create a website.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A RELIABLE INTERNET CONNECTION AND TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS

More and more people these days want reliable internet connections, so do businesses and since technology is moving at a quicker speed than in the past, there is no business today that doesn't depend on a consistent connection to get done with what they need to do.

Without a high quality connection, there is no access to the products and services that let industries grow. As well, a business without a reliable internet connection may not be able to use present resources to their full potential.

An internet downfall has real costs and risks. First, and most clearly, slow internet is irritating. Waiting for videos to buffer, websites to load and e-mails to send slows down a company's production.But, slow internet costs us more than just time and frustration; it also costs a lot of money.

8 TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS"My Internet is so slow." "My computer won't connect to my router." These are just a few of the many common problems internet users experience with their networks and wireless connections.

Bulletin Blogs

20

by Timothy Bacon

Find below some guidelines and tips to use when experiencing slow or intermittent internet connections.

1. Restart Computer and router- it might sound like the obvious initial point, yet a simple restart can really resolve many of the everyday internet issues people always come across, including a bad network connection. 2. Check connection (Telkom lines and network cables) Ensure you check the physical connections. 3. Check the maximum specs of simultaneous connections your modem can handle. If it can only handle 8 Wi-Fi connections and you are running 50 you need to upgrade or look at alternatives to accommodate your needs. 4. Clear browsing cache, this can help fix pages that freeze or don't finish loading outdated pages with old content or online applications (like CRM systems) that don't respond. 5. Check the power, connections, and installation status. Make sure the plugs for the devices haven't come loose, the outlets are working. Check that all the connections are secure. 6. Try to access more than one website to be sure that the problem is not related to a specific site. 7. Check your cap. If you have reached your allowable limit or monthly bandwidth you may be throttled where your speed is reduced or they might even stop the connection entirely depending on service providers. 8. If you're having problems connecting or staying connected to the internet, find below a couple links to ISP's to help you with restoring your internet connection.

We hope that following the above steps will help you get back online.

What The East Rand Chamber of Commerce is

The East Rand Chamber of Commerce is not an internet service provider and therefore it cannot assist members with issues related to their internet's downfall.

The East Rand Chamber of Commerce provides email and website hosting services to its members as well as website design, maintenance and updates.

The East Rand Chamber of Commerce Membership gives members access to a wide range of services to ensure that they do their business with piece of mind.

Knowing that a website is the foundation of any marketing strategy, The East Rand Chamber of Commerce has a dedicated website department who will ensure that all members have their own professional looking website. Seeing that we have access to our own hosting server, we are able to host member websites with their own personalised domain.

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Bulletin Blogs

22

by Christine Du Plessis

CORRECT GRIEVANCEPROCEDURE IN THE

WORKPLACE CLOSESCOMMUNICATION GAPS

CORRECT INTERNAL MECHANISMS AVOIDS DISPUTES

All companies should have an internal mechanism for resolving disputes. This includes issues relating to other employees, management and internal procedures implemented by companies.

Some employers may feel that employees should resolve their issues during their own time, but internal disputes are mostly as a result of friction between employees based on work related issues.

When considering the human factor, it is evident that some employees have a problem with authority. Cultural differences, differences in personalities and many other personal convictions play a role in the way employees interact with other employees as well as management.

More serious cases may be related to possible sexual harassment. This should be followed by disciplinary action if it is found that there is merit to the accusations.

If the issue cannot be resolved, it is very important to still manage the problem. If an employer has an “I am not interested in the dispute” attitude, it will definitely have a negative effect on the employees' commitment.

This procedure should be perceived by employees as an outlet for their frustrations and the method for resolving the issue should clearly be communicated to all employees.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Christine Du Plessis

We would suggest creating and implementing a policy dedicated to internal grievances which contain a Formal Grievance Procedure and ensure that employees know that the grievance can also be lodged against management.

A credible listener who will provide an objective review of their grievance should be appointed as a chairperson and an inquiry should be conducted with all the relevant parties present.

BENEFITS OF HAVING A FORMAL GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES IN PLACE

Avoid having employees who will refer a matter successfully to the CCMA / Bargaining Council based on “constructive dismissal” (where an employee resigns and claims that the work situation was intolerable due to the actions of the employer). If the correct documentation is in place and the employee did not follow the internal procedure first, the employees' chance of success is very limited. The employer should however be cautioned not to ignore internal grievances, especially if they are placed in writing.Employers should strive for consistency in the workplace. If the measure is consistently applied it creates assurance for employees who feel aggrieved. It also eliminates unjustifiable complaints by employees. If, for instance an employee claims that he is not doing the work that he is appointed to do. During a grievance inquiry an independent party will assess the reason as well as his conditions of employment. In many cases the employee will only then realise, (if it is communicated to him by a third party), why he was instructed to do certain tasks. Most of the time the employer has a justifiable and valid reason for the instruction

Having this procedure in place not only alleviates frustrations in the workplace but it also assists in keeping records of attempts to resolve this type of dispute and contributes to productivity.

THE EAST RAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, CAN ASSIST YOU WITH IMPLEMENTING THE CORRECT PROCEDURES

One of the Chamber's services is providing an independent chairperson who will objectively assess the matter. The said chairperson will allow all the relevant parties to voice their concerns and assist parties to come to an amicable conclusion.

The proceedings will be recorded (with permission of all parties), and minutes will be provided to the company-members for future reference.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Koot van der Walt

PITFALLS OF LIMITED

DURATION CONTRACTS

FOR TEMPORARY

EMPLOYMENT (LDC)

Many companies are not willing to appoint employees on a permanent basis due to the fact that they feel that the employees' performance declines once he is permanently employed. An additional reason for this is because employers don't want to pay severance packages during retrenchments.

The reality, however is that legislation protects employees from the uncertainty of multiple renewals of limited duration contracts:

Although there is no statutory limitation on the maximum amount that it can be renewed, the MEIBC Main Agreement also limits the reasons for entering into this type of contract. The most common exception for entering into a LDC with an employee would be if the company had an “influx of work”.

CONSEQUENCES OF CONTINUAL RENEWAL AND HOW IT IS REGULATED

Continuous renewal of employment contracts can create an “expectation of renewal”. If this expectation is found to be reasonable, the employee will be successful in a claim for compensation at any Dispute Resolution Centre.

Although a “reasonable expectation” is not defined by legislation, the presiding commissioner will assess each case and apply his mind to the merits before him. If an employee had received the same income for a certain period and had adjusted his lifestyle by accruing debt (which was provided to him based on his existing income), then it can be assumed that he had the reasonable expectation of continued employment.

In the case of SACCAWU and others vs. Primeserv (2007, 1 BLLR 78) the arbitrator found that because the company did not renew the employees' contracts it constituted dismissals. The dismissals were found to be unfair and the employer was ordered to pay each employee the amount of 12 months' remuneration.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Koot van der Walt

HOW TO ENSURE THAT YOUR CONTRACTS ARE MANAGED EFFICIENTLY

The above mentioned does not mean that limited duration contracts are completely out of the question. Although the employment contract, which is a legal binding document, should be scrutinised to ensure accuracy, the impression that verbal communication creates also plays a very important role.

Start by advertising the vacant position correctly. Ensure that the employee knows that it is not a permanent position. During the interview, communicate to the employee that it is only for a limited duration, and then affirm this information on his offer of employment.

When signing the employment contract, employers should be weary of clauses that create confusion. Rather opt for a basic contract with minimal legal terminology – ensure that the employee knows exactly what he is signing and why.

It is also advisable that employees sign every page, and specifically sign at the clause where the ending date of the contract is stated. The period of engagement should be very specific. If the employee is appointed for a specific type of order / tender / project, indicate the order number or description as well as the beginning and end date or the order / tender / project.

If the exact date that the project will be ending is unknown, rather shorten the period than prolonging it. The courts recently found that it is a breach of contract if the contract is ended from the side of the employer before the end of the period (even if the employer pays the employee for the remainder of the contract).

HOW CAN THE EAST RAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ASSIST

The East Rand Chamber of Commerce provides assistance with the drafting of employment contracts that will ensure optimum protection to the employer. We also offer sound advice on the do's and don'ts of contracts and clauses in all sectors.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Koot van der Walt

WE ALL BY NOW KNOW THAT WE ARE LIVING IN THE INFORMATION AGE.A period which is characterized by the gathering and almost instantaneous transmission of vast amounts of information and knowledge, that began around 1975. By simply searching the word E-Learning on Google you will within 0.34 of a second be presented with 285 million results all explaining to you what E-learning means. What is even more revealing is the fact that this information is available on 59M cell phones in South Africa, which is 9M more than our total population (2013 GSM African Mobile Observatory report).

With the recent introduction of the latest technology, the PC in your specs “Google Glass”, who knows what the future will provide as far as access to information, is concerned.

DEFINITION OF E-LEARNING (WIKIPEDIA)E-learning (or eLearning) is the use of electronic media, educational technology and information and communication technologies (ICT) in education. E-learning includes numerous types of media that deliver text, audio, images, animation, and streaming video, and includes technology applications and processes such as audio or video tape, satellite TV, CD-ROM, and computer-based learning, as well as local intranet/extranet and web-based learning. Information and communication systems, whether free-standing or based on either local networks or the Internet in networked learning, underlay many e-learning processes.

E-learning can occur in or out of the classroom. It can be self-paced, asynchronous learning or may be instructor-led, synchronous learning. E-learning is suited to distance learning and flexible learning, but it can also be used in conjunction with face-to-face teaching, in which case the term blended learning is commonly used.

EDUCATION IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE THE ONLY ERADICATOR OF DISCRIMINATION.Why then is the ANC government painstakingly pursuing negative affirmative actions, to the detriment of all South African citizens, even those that are supposedly to benefit? When all that is needed is education to eliminate and eradicate any previously disadvantaged sufferings.

No longer do we need expensive class rooms. One lecturer on the internet can literally teach millions of students any time anywhere and in and from any country without limitations.

With the introduction of tax benefits to employers who provides equipment and facilities to their workers so that quality training can take place. Simultaneously financial encouragement to successful adult students, the transformation period in South Africa will be shortened and welcomed by all even the staunchest supporters of the old regime.

The East Rand Chamber of Commerce has 50 annual seats available in the Chamber Academy. This is on offer to Chamber members, who may choose from more than 600 study courses in categories such as:

SOFT SKILLS: ADMINISTRATIVE, BUSINESS PLANNING, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND MORE COMPUTER SKILLS: WORD, EXCEL,POWERPOINT, ACCESS, WINDOWS 7 & 8 AND MORE

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HOW TO CREATE A WEBSITEON A SMALL BUDGET

Bulletin Blogs

31

by Koot van der Walt

Creating your own website is a brand new branding experience

A website is a sneak peek into your business and indicates quality and professionalism. As with the displays in shop window fronts, your website is your ultimate online presentation and first impression. If your website is not visually appealing then your customer will be lost. The internet is the ultimate tool to influence consumer decisions. Fortunately deciding how to create a website and implementing your ideas is not as difficult or costly as it may seem.

A good website lends credibility to your business. It is seen to be an excellent investment and necessary to the success of your company. You can have a website created and designed for you that will ensure you have the best design, the best copy and a plethora of pages however this is entirely unnecessary. Your potential new lead is looking to be wooed by your website and if done successfully then your lead should become a client and your client is your business. So opting for building a website on a smaller budget or building one yourself is not a bad idea and there are certainly viable options available when trying to conceptualise how to create a website.

CREATING A WEBSITE IS NO SMALL FEAT HOWEVER THERE IS A LOT OF ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE

If you do decide to go down the route of creating your own website, there are many tools to help. A popular, basic and very functional website design platform is Wordpress. Wordpress will take you through the basics of creating your website. It is a new breed of website creators known as “CMS” or “Content Management System”. These web creators require no HTML or any other programming language. Most of the design elements of the website are controlled by an intuitive menu or icons.

Wordpress will also automatically assist with some of your SEO (Search engine optimisation) needs and is said to be “liked” by Google. There is another site worth having a look at called Wix.com, this is a cloud-based website development platform that allows users to create professional HTML5 websites through the use of their online drag and drop tools.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Koot van der Walt

Users can add functionalities such as social plug-ins, eCommerce, contact forms, email marketing, and community forums to their websites using a variety of Wix-developed and third-party applications. Wix is built on a freemium business model, providing a free solution and earning its revenues through premium upgrades. Users can purchase premium packages in order to connect their sites to their own domains, remove Wix ads, add e-commerce capabilities, buy extra data storage, bandwidth and more.

HOW TO CREATE A WEBSITE USING PLUG-INS

An excellent way to customise your website is via plug-ins which is a software component that adds a specific feature to an existing software application. The common examples are the plug-ins used in web browsers to add new features such as search-engines, virus scanners, or the ability to utilize a new file type such as a new video format. Well-known browser plug-ins include the Adobe Flash Player, the QuickTime Player, and the Java plug-in.

YOU MUST CREATE A WEBSITE THAT PROVIDES RELEVANT INFORMATION TO YOUR CLIENTELE

Most importantly you want to deliver a synergistic website that aligns correctly to the target audience. You know your product and you know who you want to talk to so you need to ensure your website is communicating correctly. Make sure you have a clear and unique selling proposition with excellent content that is updated and relevant. The content must also take into account SEO strategy that is effective on the likes of Google and Yahoo search engine. Your website must direct the client as to what to do once they have made a decision to buy, a powerful call to action will promote impulse purchases. Ideally you would like to have an analytics package that captures what your clients do when visiting your site.

SOME FINAL POINTS ON HOW TO CREATE A WEBSITE:

1. Don't overbuild your Website. There are ways to create an impressive site using less-complex open source or template approaches.

2. If possible, have an easy-to-remember Website address that relates to what your company does.

3. List your Web address (URL) on all of your corporate materials.

4. Make sure your Website is optimized for organic search terms. This is a low-cost strategy that will make you much easier to find.

5. Try narrowly focused low-cost pay per click search terms.

6. Give some information away for free to increase your Website stickiness.

7. Create many links with other sites to increase your search engine visibility.

8. Refresh your content often. Do not let the site go stale.

Keep it simple and remember that user experience should always be the overriding concern when choosing how to create a website.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Lindie van der Walt

A TRAINING ANALYSIS WILL

BE A LEARNING CURVE FOR ALL

FIRST AND FOREMOST, A COMPANY SHOULDSET OUT TO LEARN WHAT IT NEEDS.

Skills development in the workplace always translates to

training programmes that will aid the employees and

employers alike. The idea of skills development within

the workplace has been highlighted in South Africa and

every company is expected to showcase their dedication

to the up-skilling of their staff. Selecting the correct kind

of training programme and figuring out the correct skillset

that must be developed can be difficult. A lot of money

can be wasted on training programmes that would appear to aid in necessary development however do

not necessarily relate to the pertinent goals of the company. An exercise in learning what you need is of

utmost importance and this is where we should make use of a training needs analysis.

A TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS TOGETHER WITH A SKILLS AUDIT WILL IDENTIFY THE COMPANY'S TRAINING NEEDS.

A training needs analysis is necessary to establish what skills and knowledge currently exist within the

organisation and where there is a lack. The training needs analysis should be used in conjunction with a

skills audit in order to ascertain what new training interventions can be identified and actioned. With this

information the organisation can improve and empower the capabilities of the employees. A training

needs analysis is often of most assistance when a company has a specific project to roll out. This phase

allows project leaders and training specialists to evaluate the situation and make informed decisions.

IT IS BEST TO CONDUCT AN ANALYSIS VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS AS IT WILL ASSIST WITH FINDING SOLUTIONS.

A training needs analysis can help you clarify the project or company's goals and evaluate possible

solutions; it is therefore most helpful early in the process. The training goal should correspond to a

business objective. This can be specific to an individual employee, work unit, department or the entire

organization. The end goal, of the training that is to be selected, should be clearly articulated and kept in

the forefront to ensure that the entire training needs analysis process keeps the desired outcomes in

sight. It is recommended that in the beginning employers consult a professional who is well versed in

adult learning to help determine how employees can acquire a particular competency. Although no two

people retain information in the same way studies show that individuals retain information much better if

they actually perform the skill or task. It is suggested that group tasks and interactions will assist with

sufficient retention of presented materials.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Lindie van der Walt

HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE EMPLOYING THE SERVICES OF A CONSULTANT:

IN JUST ABOUT EVERY COMPANY A TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS SHOULD BE PERFORMED DUE TO THE POOR EDUCATION SYSTEM IN SA.

The quality of education in South Africa is rather low. Industry is expected to pick up the slack of our

poor education system hence the government has made subsidies available to cover the cost of

employing insufficiently educated youth. Training, development, up-skilling labour and adult education is

a very real aspect in South Africa's job market.

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We are in the business of Autobody repairs either from accidents/hail damage of

your vehicle. The company has acquired the services of suitably qualified technical

personnel with vast experience of the spraypainting and Autobody repairs business.

We are situated in Germiston Gauteng and we offer a collection and delivery service

of your vehicle to and from, either your workplace or your residential address.

We do work in a radius of 150-200km from where we are situated.

We do work for Santam, FNB insurance brokers who are affiliated to Mutual & Federal

Insurance and various other insurances. Barrister Trading is an approved GWM Collision

Repairer. The expertise of the staff is the reconstruction of vehicles which have been

involved in accidents. They have the technical skills to repair most models of vehicles

currently manufactured.

Replacement of:

Fenders, inner panels, chassis legs, boot floor, engine parts, ABC posts / pillars,

deformed passenger compartment, floor panel, inner still, inner door sill,

gearbox / rear axle, shock turret, car burnt.

8 Moller StreetDelville, Germiston1401

P.O. Box 14567Wadeville, Germiston

1422

Tel: 011 825 5970 / 011 825 6790Fax: 011 825 5095 / 086 503 0549

Email: barrister@iburst.co.za

Bulletin Blogs

38

by Koot van der Walt

LABOUR LAW IN SOUTH AFRICAIS AN EVER-CHANGING BEAST

Labour law is complicated and similar to a Russian Nesting Doll, as soon as you think you have uncovered the last bit, there is more to explore. Our labour law practises in South Africa are certainly a cause for concern when looking at foreign investment. The easiest industry to make an example of is the mining sector.

Our mining sector is one of our most attractive areas of foreign investment and, according to the Chamber of Mines, accounts for approximately 18% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Further, South Africa is estimated to have the world's fifth-largest mining sector in terms of GDP value.

The bad news is that according to a most recent survey conducted by the Fraser Institute, South Africa ranked fourth from the bottom on its labour law and regulations scorecard. It is considered too risky to employ people in the mining sector in South Africa. But that is not the only problem, it is simply one of the biggest problems and from what we know it is being addressed.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT HOW THE LABOUR LAW IN SOUTH AFRICA WILL APPEAR IN THE FUTURE

In asking what the labour law might look like in the future or trying to ascertain what we can expect, it is easy to simply dismiss the question and assume it a futile exercise to even begin to justify an answer. However we can and should consider the labour law practises within our own organisations. There are concerns that younger businesses in South Africa are not adhering to correct labour law practises due to the lack of an HR specialist. In South Africa 10% of businesses are less than a year old and 53% are less than 5 years old. Many of the companies that fall within these percentiles do not have capacity to employ a full time HR specialist. The future of our labour law might very well include compliance to always having an HR specialist as part of your management organogram.

THERE ARE TWO LABOUR LAW AMENDING ACTS THAT ARE WAITING IN THE WINGS TO BECOME LAW

There are two labour law amending acts that have not yet been called into action, namely the Basic Conditions of Employment Amendment Act (BCEA Amendment Act) 20 and the Employment Equity Amendment Act (EEA Act) No.47. President Zuma is yet to announce the date at which these will become law however they are in final form and employers or said HR specialist, can prepare themselves by setting up the revised legal framework. Here are the noteworthy aspects of change in each act:

Bulletin Blogs

39

by Koot van der Walt

THE BCEA ACT:

THE EEA ACT:

The definition of "designated groups" has been qualified so that employees who are black people, women or people with disabilities will only count as part of the designated groups if they:

Please see full document outlining these amendments at the following

link:http://www.mondaq.com/x/295342/employee+rights+labour+relations/The+Latest+On+The+Labour+Law+Amendments

Our international relations are forcing us to reassess our labour law regulations so as to secure foreign business.

Essentially the future of the labour law in South Africa is hopefully bright as it is being called into the spotlight through our endeavours with our international counterparts. Through our partaking in the BRICS initiative, and being highlighted as a gateway to doing business in Africa, the onus is on us to ensure our business practises are in alignment with our constitution and actioned through the respective specialist.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Christine Du Plessis

WHY RETRENCHING EMPLOYEESMIGHT NOT BE THE BEST OPTION

Retrenchment is a tactic used by businesses to reducethe diversity or the overall size of the operations of thecompany.

This tactic is often used in order to cut expenditureswith the aim of becoming a more financial stable business. Usually the tactic implicates withdrawingfrom certain markets or the discontinuation of selling certain products or service in order to make a positiveturnaround. Retrenchments can form part of an effective strategy to control a business's margins.

The employer faces disputes, low morale, lowproductivity and even sabotage by disgruntled employees.

INCREASE IN EMPLOYEE TURNOVER OR LOSING TALENTED STAFF

Workers who remain employed after the retrenchment usually suffer from survivor's guilt. The outcome of seeing coworkers and even friends losing their jobs cannot be underestimated. This can manifest itself in a number of ways:

The above mentioned factors can have a disastrous effect on the employee relations climate in a company. Retrenching employees may result in companies losing the skilled employees it went through great distress to recruit, train and retain

THE NEGATIVE EFFECT ON CUSTOMERS

Consumers can be lost during company restructuring. When employees are retrenched, numbers are reduced; this may result in a fall in working competence and service quality. Customers may have a changed perception towards companies that seem to be greedy in dealing with their workers. This may be especially true if the client has developed a relationship with the employee that is facing retrenchment.

Bulletin Blogs

41

by Christine Du Plessis

THE COSTS OF ERRORS

Many times it is envisaged that the work of two people can be effectively done by one, but in practice this may result in an increase of errors in the work or process.

This may have direct costs to a company where, for instance, a machinist experiences a higher rate of scrapped finished products he manufactures. This has a direct cost in the replacement value of the material used to manufacture the eventual product. This may be negligible if your machinist manufactures plastic golf tees, but imagine the costs of scrapping defective catalytic converters each containing between 3 and 7 ounces of platinum at a cost of about $1200/ounce.

Delays in production or delivery of the product or service may come at a cost to a company where delivery is guaranteed by a certain date. Johan Botes

WHY RETRENCHING EMPLOYEES MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST OPTION BECAUSE:

It proves company reluctance due to failure to achieve its goals, for instance the company was not making money and as such had to retrench employees. By so doing, the company may lose integrity from customers.

It may affect the quality of work out-put due to over loading the remaining employees with work. The company can be affected by retrenching skilled employees and leaving behind the young and inexperienced employees.

THE EAST RAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS A SOLUTION FOR YOU

The East Rand Chamber of Commerce provides hands-on advice and step by step guidance during the Retrenchment process to ensure employers do everything 100% correctly when it comes to both the procedure and the justification of retrenching employees.

Our dedicated team of professionals takes care of labour queries before they become unnecessary problems. We know what the law requires of companies, and we are here to assist and ensure that you are compliant to legislation, all the way.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Christiaan Swanepoel

WHY YOU NEED A RESPONSIVEWEBSITE IN SOUTH AFRICA

If you have an existing website, or plan to redesign one in the near future, it's significant to comprehend the features that can make or break the effectiveness of your website. An unattractive or poorly built website will do more to hurt your business than to help it.

Recent reports from ComScore and Nielsen both indicate that almost 40 percent of time spent on the Internet is with mobile devices.

A separate analysis by Adobe indicates that tablet use accounts for more Internet traffic (12 percent) than smartphones (7 percent). Combined, that's almost 20 percent of all traffic through mobile, up from the low single digits just three years ago. Govtech

STATIC VS. RESPONSIVE WEBSITES

Static websites don't change. The do not change on mobile, tablet or desktop. Website visitors get the same view on every device and if the device is too thin for the website they would need to scroll horizontally.

On a 2 inches wide smartphone screen, texts become too small to be legible. The visitor must make constant zoom in's & zoom out's and scroll horizontally & vertically to reach the parts of the site he/she needs to access. These tactile operations are unfriendly for a website visitor and it is likely that he/she will leave the site hurriedly.

On the other hand responsive web design is the future for websites. Content of the website adjust automatically depending on user's device. This method's results are definitely worth it.

A RESPONSIVE WEBSITE HAS MODIFIED ITS LAYOUT AND REMAINS EASY TO READ AND NAVIGATE.

The menu is folded below a button, usually at the top left corner, the text size is essential to read without sweat and the content of the site has been restructured in height without overflowing horizontally. There is no need to zoom in/out or scroll the site horizontally, the website visitor needs just to scroll vertically through the page.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Christiaan Swanepoel

WHY YOU NEED A RESPONSIVE WEBSITE IN SOUTH AFRICA?

The rise of smartphones means that more and more people are going online from a mobile device, but here are some numbers:

Some years ago, companies used to have two websites, one desktop site and the other a mobile (.mobi) site but that didn't solve the problem, instead it…

GOOGLE IS IN A HURRY. IT WANTS TO SHOW ITS SEARCHERS THE WEBSITES IN THE SEARCH RESULTS THAT GIVE THE BEST USER EXPERIENCE.

April is not going to be a nice month for many businesses since Google is starting to penalize websites that are not responsive and mobile friendly with their new search algorithm update. This algorithm

stupdate is taking place on 21 April 2015.

Businesses need to verify with Google to check if their website is responsive or not. This can be done by using Google's Mobile-Friendly test.

The aftermath of this update is that your current site will get de-ranked and moved lower down on the results page if it is not mobile friendly. It can even go as low as going from a ranked first page to page 5 for instance. This is bad as most people don't go further than page 1.

Bulletin Blogs

45

by Christiaan Swanepoel

How to further test if your website is responsive?

Do the same test on the East Rand Chamber of commerce website in your browser and watch how the site (www.chamberlink.co.za) adapts its layout when decreasing the width.

YOUR BUSINESS REQUIRES A RESPONSIVE WEBSITE DESIGNED BY THE EAST RAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Our dedicated website design department started to implement responsive design on websites since 2012. All newly designed sites since then are made to be responsive and should not be affected by the Google Algorithm update.

22 Hamilton Ave, Brakpan, 1541

P.O. Box 2251, Brakpan, 1540

LABOUR CONSULTING IS SOMETHING ALLCOMPANIES CAN BENEFIT FROM HAVING

Bulletin Blogs

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by Christine Du Plessis

For business owners and employers too function withinthe South African labour laws, they need a profoundand current knowledge of the full continuum of newand existing labour laws.

WHAT IS A LABOUR CONSULTANT?

Any person who advises or represents an employer,employer organization, or labour organization concerning employee organizing, concerted activities,or collective bargaining activities.

A labour consultant is an expert who offersprofessional or expert advice in labour and/or inlabour related queries. It is usually an expert or a professional in the labour field and has a wide knowledgein the subject matter.

WHY LABOUR CONSULTING, DOES IT MATTER?

Entity owners are straight involved with labour hitches on a day-to-day basis. Labour consulting provides real assistance in staff related problems to create a productive and pleasant working environment.

The labour ground is an ever changing environment; so all companies should adhere strictly to all the changes implemented by the department of labour. With labour consulting at hand, all companies should do their business with peace of mind.

Without specialized labour consultancy, employers will find it difficult in legal conflicts with employees or trade unions, therefore resulting in a huge consequent financial risk.

LABOUR CONSULTING IS SOMETHING ALL COMPANIES CAN BENEFIT FROM HAVING

Labor laws clarify and codify business owners' obligations to their employees. The labor movement has a long history of lobbying for laws that protect worker's rights, improve worker safety, prevent child labor and increase workers' bargaining power relative to their employers. While labor laws might seem like a bureaucratic hassle for your business, these laws helps keep your employees safe, healthy and happy, and satisfied employees tend to be more productive.http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-labor-laws-62734.html

WHY IS LABOUR CONSULTING IMPORTANT FOR EMPLOYERS?

Labour consulting shapes the employers' responsibilities. This incorporates important features like recruitment, hiring, training, retaining and dismissing of employees. The labour law maintains equality, and obliges companies to provide potential employees with chances regardless of differences in race, religion and sex among others. Basically, labour consulting assists as a guide in many important processes in the business structure.

Bulletin Blogs

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by Christine Du Plessis

HOW DOES IT HELP THE WORKPLACE?

Labour consulting is important for business whether big or small. It gives companies the structure and order to ensure that business is done with ease. It monitors business owners to make live decisions in areas as important as payroll and bookkeeping.

Whatever field each business operates in, it should have a good idea of the provisions and implications of labour laws.

NECESSITY AND IMPORTANCE OF LABOUR CONSULTING

THE EAST RAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY PROVIDES THE BEST LABOUR CONSULTANCY. WE HELP YOU WITH THE FOLLOWING:

The East Rand Chamber of Commerce and Industry assists companies in maintaining the necessary records which are required by the Department of labour. The employment of staff can also be very time consuming and difficult, we can offer you value added assistance in this process.

We are here to help you with whatever the situation might entail.

AHI News Release on Eskom

52

by Lorraine Lefyedi

Johannesburg - Experts are urgently needed to deal effectively with the severe crisis at Eskom, Christo van der Rheede, CEO of the business organisation AHi, told Fin24 on Tuesday.

"Feedback from our members shows they are quite perturbed by the constant change in leadership at Eskom. The business sector requires stability and strong leadership to deal with the impact of the Eskom crisis at hand," said Van der Rheede.

"Eskom faces a severe financial crisis, a maintenance backlog and problems with the completion of Medupi and Kusile. On top of that there are stories of corrupt practices, for instance, in the supply of diesel and coal. To us Eskom is a critical role player in South Africa's economy.

"If Eskom implodes it will take years to restore SA's economy and rightful international position.”

READ: Eskom losing maintenance battle

He emphasised that recent suspensions at Eskom's executive level are a major embarrassment for South Africa.

"Domestically and internationally it strengthens the perception that SA is on a slippery slope of economic and social decay and that government lacks the ability to operate state institutions properly," said Van der Rheede.

The AHi, however, welcomes the resignation of Eskom chair Zola Tsotsi. Eskom said on Tuesday Tsotsi has agreed to step down to allow the board to focus on the core issues facing the state power utility.

Eskom's board said it had reached a mutual agreement with Tsotsi after deliberating a motion of no confidence. Earlier this month, Tsotsi suspended four senior executives at Eskom, including CEO Tshediso Matona.

READ: Tsotsi quits as Eskom chairperson

"Under his (Tsotsi's) leadership this state enterprise stumbled from crisis to crisis. The appointment of Ben Ngubane in a temporary capacity, however, does not offer much hope that things will turn out for the better at Eskom," said Van der Rheede.

READ: Opposition slams Zuma favourite in Eskom hot seat

The AHi therefore called on Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown to appoint top experts in key positions, "in the interest of the sustainable operation of Eskom".

"The AHi urges Ramaphosa and Brown to rid Eskom of corruption, incompetence and mismanagement. It, however, starts with the appointment of experienced and highly skilled experts in the field of electricity supply," said Van der Rheede.

Crisis denial must endWhen the AHi met with Eskom management and even ministers in the past, the organisation was told there is no crisis at Eskom.

"On the contrary, now we find people have been suspended and the chair resigned, so there is a severe crisis, regardless of the fact that they continued to deny it. Government should admit there is a crisis and say let's deal with it in a constructive way," said Van der Rheede.

"For Eskom to stumble from one crisis to another creates the impression that government is not in control of Eskom and that could lead to downgrades of SA's economy." That is why the AHi urged government to address Eskom's precarious financial position, investigate all contracts for the supply of diesel and coal, expose any form of corruption and ensure that all maintenance work on existing infrastructure is carried out thoroughly.

"SA faces a huge economic and social crisis should Eskom implode. For too long this key state enterprise was exposed to poor political and business management. Corruption and nepotism thrive in such an environment," warned Van der Rheede.

"Certainly most of our members are small business people. They do not have the money to afford generators. Also if they have to fork out funds to buy generators, they have less money to expand businesses and to appoint additional employees. On top of that, overseas investors are quite wary of investing in SA due to the crisis at Eskom and resultant load shedding."

ALSO READ: Eskom incompetence becomes SA incompetence

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AHI News

SMEs fear disaster on Eskom supply cut plans

Cape Town - Eskom's plans for a possibleinterruption of bulk electricity supply to the top20 defaulting municipalities is of great concernto the small business sector, the AHi businesschamber said on Monday.

The total municipal arrears debt greater than30 days stood at R4.6bn as at March 31 2015,Eskom said in a statement.

Of this amount, the top 20 defaultingmunicipalities are currently indebted to Eskomto the amount of R3.68bn for the bulk supplyof electricity.

Eskom said it was “contemplating” a regulatedinterruption of electricity.

READ: Eskom to pull plug on top 20 defaultingmunicipalities

"Most of our members do have businessinterests in many of these municipalities andare paying their bills on time. However, it isclear this money is not paid over to Eskom,"said AHi CEO Christo van der Rheede.

He said Eskom's proposed reaction to its predicament is understandable.

"However, disrupting the electricity supply to businesses paying their bills on time will lead to greater socio-economic challenges, especially in rural areas," he said.

"Businesses are already confronted with a range of factors undermining growth and sustainability. Consequently, these planned disruptions will be disastrous for many of them."

READ: MAP: Is your municipality in Eskom's cut off plans

During the AHi's last meeting with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Energy Tina Joemat-Pettersson in Pretoria, representatives of Business Unity South Africa (Busa) and other role players were assured of government’s commitment to open and regular communication about the situation at Eskom.

However, Eskom's latest announcement about its plans to interrupt bulk electricity supply to defaulting municipalities does not reflect the letter and spirit of this commitment to the business sector, Van der Rheede said.

"The AHi, on behalf of small business in South Africa, appeals to Busa to take this issue up with Eskom as a matter of urgency. In addition, businesses operating in the jurisdiction of municipalities which are defaulting on payments to Eskom must be given the opportunity to purchase electricity directly from Eskom," said Van der Rheede.

“This is the most sensible thing to do as defaulting municipalities will continue to renege on agreements."

Member Report

54

History:The company First Option Electrical is a 100% Black Owned Company, which was founded and incorporated in 2008

by the two Managing Members; Mr. Sandile Ntlabati and Mr.Sifiso Nkosi. The entity then moved to its own premises in

2012.

Ever since the company became operational, it proudly boasts itself to have changed lives for the better. It strives to

improve in performance by ensuring that they only employ well skilled and experienced employees.

Nature of Business:First Option Electrical is an electrical contractor that is in the construction industry. The company's business comes

from subcontractors for building entities and direct contractors in the form of maintenance work for public and private

consumers.

The company's expertise covers all aspects of the industry including:

����·��Industrial contracts, Commercial, and Domestic Contracts.

����·��MV AND LV Reticulation

����· Small Works

����· Contract Design

����· New Electrical Installations

����· Project Management

����· Certificate of compliance

����· Maintenance

The company's operational percentage; 91% comes from Subcontractors from building companies and 9% from direct

contracts.

Combined Experience:First Option has a combined experience amongst staff and management of over 35 years in their field of expertise.

The Director, Mr. Sandile Ntlabati has 10 years' experience in the construction industry and 7 years' experience in

electrical contractor.

Mr. Nkosi possesses a National Diploma in Business Management, National certificate in Financial and Managerial

Accounting and a Diploma in Accounting.

Member Report

55

The company has qualified installers, skilled and semi-skilled employees with no less than 15 years of practical

experience.

First Option Electrical believes in employing the best employees for the job in all levels of their structure to

maximize the level of great service to the customers.

Reason for being in businessFirst Option Electrical expresses the aim to become one of the major economic contributors in the electrical

construction industry, create real jobs and sustainable empowerment opportunities for the disadvantaged,

including woman, the youth and the disabled. They believe in changing lives for the better. Obviously the aim is

also to be profitable.

Security:First Option Electrical premises are safe guarded by appropriate means and measures to ensure safety to all

employees and clients in all premises and construction sites.

The company is registered with the Federated Employer's Mutual Assurance (FEM) and the Compensation of

Occupational Injuries and Diseases.

For the Health and Safety of the employees, the Safety Officers conduct safety inductions before embarking on a

new project. Employees are equipped with proper SABS certified Personal Protective Equipment tools.

First Option Electrical employees undergo medical tests on a regular basis to asses and make sure that they are

fit and able to work under the conditions that they are required to work in.

The company has a safety policy that prohibits employees to work if the conditions are not safe.

Marketing:Marketing is done through the company's eye-catching website that explicitly details all their services, references

and the company's background. They believe that their brand has to be recognized in order for clients to

remember them, this manner for recognition is also expressed on their company vehicles and the work-wear is

brand-named.

First Option Electrical also sponsors industry related events (golf etc.), charity events and does many social

developments initiatives as part of its marketing strategies.

After sales Service:First Option Electrical regards after sales services as an important part of their business. They follow up their

clients to find out if they received great service or not. It helps to improve the standard of after-sales service and

relationship with their clients and sub-contractors.

The company engages with its clients to seek feedback on the level of quality delivered, this helps to build

sustainable relationship with their customers.

Professionalism:The management of First Option Electrical is equipped with qualifications amongst themselves such as:

·��National Diploma in Electrical Engineering

����·��National Diploma in Project Management

����·��National Diploma in Business Management

����·��National Certificate in Financial and Managerial Accounting

����· Diploma in Marketing

Member Report

56

The company has qualified personnel in all levels of their structures that include:

����·��Electricians

����·��Safety Officers

����·��Accountants and

����· Office administrators

Their employees are encouraged to study further through the company's bursaries offered to all First Option

employees across board.

Human Resource Priorities:The company offers external training to all its employees and it has already sent its staff to the East Rand

Chamber of Commerce for training.

The company offers study bursaries to its employees to study towards qualifications of their choice within the

same industry.

Safety is essential in the company and a Safety Policy has been implemented within all the business structures.

Transparency: The company's relevant labour acts are displayed for all employees to see.

The management and all personnel discuss the company's goals and strategies during quarterly meetings

involving all supervisors, team leaders and other personnel.

Employees are encouraged to discuss their problems with the Management or with their team leaders to address

any problem that they have, be it a personal or work related problem. Profit related information is openly shared

with the employees so that they understand the targets for the financial year.

Company Goals:First Option strives to build excellent business with good governance principles and to deliver quality in terms of

client expectations as specified in the contract. The company strives to ensure that all suppliers, sub-contractors,

consultants and all others involved in their projects meet the required standards.

The company is in the process of opening branches in the Western Cape and Limpopo in the near future. The

company plans to have an annual growth of 28% and this has proven to be very achievable since the business

has grown by 18% in the last two years.

First Option also strongly envisage to purchase their own premises later in 2015 which means more jobs will be

created when the new premises have been acquired.

Achievements:2014 has been an extremely good year for the Company, whereby the company was awarded three big projects

where First Option Electrical was the main contractor.

Member Report

57

First Option boasts a wide range of current and completed jobs done for the following members:

����·��Anquet Construction Solutions (PTY)LTD

����·��Probuild Construction Group

����·��Kamo Group

����· CV Chabane and Associates

����· Siyahlobisa Projects

����· Halifax Suppliers

����·��Zethu Consulting Services

����·��ICR Electrical (PTY) LTD

Company Culture:

First Option Electrical has its own distinct style and culture whereby it operates under specific guide rules that

include; professionalism, integrity and transparency.

The company sees itself as the innovator in the industry simple because it is a trendsetter.

Flexibility:First Option can be affected by seasons, for example, the first three months of every year normally start slow in

terms of project appointments because of the financial year-end period that affects project budgets. Business in

the last 2 months of the year is slower due to December holidays.

All data is stored in internal and external servers.

Social Issues:This entity with 12 staff has 100% black ownership which qualifies them for a Level 3 BEE Certificate.

They also plan to further get involved with communities, more especially in the municipalities where they have

ongoing projects.

BRUMA LAKE OFFICE PARKSuite 109, 1ST Floor, 25 Ernest Oppenheimer Drive, Bruma

Office [07:45am - 17:00pm] 011 435 9335 [t]011 435 7270 [f]

Directors [Mobile]078 075 9134 Sifiso Nkosi

073 366 2460 Sandile Ntlabati

info@firstoptionelectrical.co.zawww.firstoptionelectrical.co.za

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