Breaking news - Brian’s 2022 calendar will be out in a few weeks. The title - African Reflections. Price R100 excl delivery. Some really stunning sketches.
Those loyal supporters, if you want to place your orders now WhatsApp Shan Cade on 078 801 0896.
The wording of employment contracts and the associated clauses are crucial and can affect the employment relationship when circumstances arise at a later stage. Many of my clients and business associates have heard me repeatedly say “be careful what you put in your employment contract. If it’s not done professionally or been properly reviewed, its guaranteed to bite you later.”
So, the question is – how will it bite you later? When entering into a contract, even as simple as an employment contract it, is legally binding. What you decide to document, is what you are going to be held to. The only way to alter the contract is through consultation with the employee. Consultation is not merely telling an employee that their conditions of employment are going to change. Consultation in this context means discussion and agreement. “Agreement” being the operative word. The risk is when times are tough or relationships are strained, the employee will be less likely to reach a point of agreement.
Common errors that most employers do not consider and may include in employment contracts are: Extending the required notice periods beyond those stipulated in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. This is most probably done with the view of protecting the business so that the employer has enough time to replace the employee. The employer must however realise that should the employer wish to retrench the employee or request the employee to leave without working their notice period (outside of a summary dismissal), the employer is obliged to pay the salary due to the employee that they would have been paid if he worked the full “extended notice period” as per the contract. Another common error is to commit to 13th cheques or other bonuses. Later, due to financial strain or other business reasons, the employer may not be able to do so and will be required to pay the bonus unless they consult and obtain agreement to alter the contract. It’s highly unlikely that employees will waive their bonus without getting something else in return.
Many employers make use of templates from the internet or use another business’ contracts as a foundation for their own. In my experience, it has proven to be a very dangerous practice. Aside from the factors mentioned above, employers may be using a contract that is not relevant to their sector. This mistake could have the employer documenting incorrect overtime hours, incorrect overtime remuneration, or the incorrect severance pay amongst other employment conditions. This could either get the employer into hot water with The Department of Employment and Labour, a Bargaining Council, or even worse – the CCMA when you have retrenched an employee according to the wrong conditions of employment for the sector.
Due to lockdown and COVID-19, several new clauses should be considered to protect the employer and allow for unforeseen circumstances. My advice to employers is to add these clauses to new contracts, and if possible, consult with current employees and get them to sign an addendum to alter their conditions of employment. Having these clauses agreed to in a contract or an addendum allows the employer to immediately implement changes to employment conditions without the difficult task of consultation and obtaining agreement, and in the event of agreement not being obtained; forced to implement the retrenchment process.
A short time clause covers the employer to implement reduced working hours due to economic factors, slackness of trade, the lack availability of raw materials and similar conditions.
A Lay-off allows the employer to implement the “no work no pay” principle when the employer has no work for the employee to perform.
A clause for supervening impossibilities, where circumstances do not allow for either party to fulfill their contract, such as lockdown where an employer could not provide the employee work, and the employee could not tender their services to the employer.
The final clause being force majeure, where circumstances arise being either an act of God or man which does not allow the employer to trade.
Another risk is entering a fixed term contract without a retrenchment clause. A fixed term contract without a retrenchment clause cannot be terminated by retrenchment and the employer will be liable to pay the employee his salary for the remainder of the contract if terminated early by retrenchment. Essentially this means that a fixed-term employee has greater protection against retrenchment than a permanent employee if you have not catered for an out of the contract due to retrenchment.
If you are looking to change conditions of employment, as always, it’s imperative to consult. There are many unions knocking at business’ doors at the moment. If you are in a similar situation, I would recommend that you consult with employees and hopefully get addendums signed before signing a recognition agreement with the union, as the process will become delayed, tedious and difficult and may not have a successful result if a union becomes involved.
More about Infinty HR Consulting
Speak to Sindy on 087 073 6940 or 083 305 6219.
Spot the Red Flags for Human Trafficking
The signs that a person may be a victim of Human Trafficking include:
-Evidence of being controlled,
-Not speaking on own behalf and/or non-English speaking,
-No access to a passport or other forms of identification,
-Shows signs of drug addiction,
-Receives little or no payment for work done
no days off
-Work excessively long hours of work.
Raise the alarm when you spot the Red Flags –
For more information or to report Human Trafficking, call 0800 222 777 or 10111.
UMGENI WATERFALL BOWLING CLUB - A friendly, welcoming club.
League recommenced this week. The men in the Second League team were away to Kokstad and won their match. Both Men and Ladies Mini League teams also won their respective matches against Maritzburg (Home) and Mooi River/Lynwood (Away)
Featured here; Our fun-loving greenkeeper ,Londiwe, enjoying both work and play.
This young lady is the first of our members to be supported by the development fund sponsored by Knight Security Solutions. She has proved to be a committed employee and fellow bowler.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS FOR OCTOBER - PLEASE DIARISE
All Saturdays in October: League matches
Wednesday 13 October: Tabs In Competition sponsored by Halfway Toyota with added prizes of vouchers for coffee and cake from The Treatery. Tabs In by 13h15
Tuesday, 19 October: 2-4-2 Start time is 09h00. Competition sponsored by J Leslie Smith and Dr Alan Sara. Pre-entry on list in clubhouse or by contacting Richard Chard on 083 269 3508
Friday, 29 October: Start time is 09h00 (DATE AS ADVERTISED IN THE FIXTURE BOOK) Two Bowl Trips competition sponsored by Woodstone Craft Café. Existing Teams to pre-enter via the Woodstone Trips WhatsApp group. Any new teams wishing to enter may call or send a WhatsApp to 071 164 3162
The Greendale Spar competition which normally takes place on the second Saturday of the month will be played on a date to be confirmed.
GENERAL
Coaching by qualified coaches is available by arrangement – phone or Whatsapp 071 164 3162. Prospective new members and visitors, experienced or novice are always welcome! Come along on any club day and speak to any one of our friendly members.
Can you believe we are at that time of the year already!? Time to start thinking about year end functions, last minute conferences and wrapping 2021 up slowly but surely. For customisable packages, a variety of private venues to choose from and more, contact Lulu on 033 330 5071.
More about Fern Hill Hotel
Reloved Furniture has opened in Howick! Vanessa and Jonathan have worked hard to get everything in place and now their store is open at the new premises at St John's Village Lifestyle Centre - the premier shopper destination in the KZN Midlands.
Visit Shop 2, St John's Village Lifestyle Centre, 1 Karkloof Road, Howick or contact Reloved Furniture on;
0833874382 - Vanessa (shop)
0822653697 - Jonathan (workshop)
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Proof of certain facts must be available in order to prove due diligence in the event of an inspector visiting your premises, or at worst a guest or employee is injured on your premises.
Should you not be able to prove due diligence, you could be liable to pay a steep fine or look at possible jail time depending on the seriousness, thus costing you in terms of recovering from financial and bad publicity losses.
Our team of highly experienced and qualified SAQCC registered technicians here at Active Fire Services - KZN offer a hands-on approach ensuring you receive that professional dedication, support, service, and advice you deserve, not to forget, a favorable return on your investment.
More about Active Fire Services
As some of you may know, Funda Nenja is based at Sifisesihle Primary School in Mpophomeni. When we recently moved to this new venue, the school principal allowed us to share the room where their library was, as we needed an office space. We are now in the process of assisting the school by moving their library into an empty classroom so that our office and their library are not in the same room.
We would like to make this library attractive to the children to encourage them to use it and thereby encourage them to read more. We will be moving the contents of the library next week and would like to decorate it with the following items:
Loose rugs / carpets
Plastic tables and chairs
Beanbags / cushions
Educational posters
Bright / colourful paint
If anyone has any of these items (or anything else that could be used in a library), that they would like to donate to us, we would be very grateful. If you can help, please contact Lisa on 082 657 5201 or email her at : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
More about Funda Nenja
Even though it was a long weekend, our dedicated team held another sterilisation clinic on Saturday where they sterilised another 12 dogs. Thank you to Dr Lee Pachonick, Debbie Cook , Diana Santoro and the rest of the Funda Nenja team. You guys really are The A-Team.
"Woggles are winners, yes, that much is true.
But whether you win depends upon YOU.
Winning takes effort, this much you will see.
What you learn from your loss can bring victory!"
In Sometimes You Win--Sometimes you Learn for Kids John C. Maxwell adapts his inspiring life lessons for the youngest readers, showing kids that having the right attitude will help them turn any loss into a win.
Find more like this at Nuts About Books & Toys in Howick, KZN Midlands
'Another very successful two day sterilisation clinic happened in Phoenix for #PACT. Despite the pouring rain on Saturday, we managed to sterilize 13 dogs. Sunday was the cats turn, and after doing 2 dogs who had missed out on Saturday, we did 30 cats. Very well done to Dr Lee who must have been exhausted by the time she got home at 8pm.
Well done to Neeri and PACT for all you do for the community.'
More about our local Midmar Vet Clinic hero. Dr Lee Pachonick.
Working with ToPS (Threatened or Protected Species)
And the last bit of preparation before the release of this Grey Crowned Crane.
This Grey Crowned Crane has now been fitted with a SAFRING identification ring as well as lightweight colour-coded rings for long-distance identification. These rings are essential for post-releasing monitoring and form part of the EWT (Endangered Wildlife Trust) African Crane Conservation Program. All the information and data collected during the ringing process will be uploaded on our FreeMe Wildlife database as well as the SAFRING database. This means that re-sighting data from this bird can contribute to the understanding of her post-release movement patterns and survival.
This program is vital to the conservation of all four endangered African crane species.
Thank you to Brent Coverdale Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, and to Endangered Wildlife Trust, for assisting the FreeMe Wildlife team with ringing this bird.
We love what we do, and how we do it...
Why not join our Custodianship Program to show your support for the work we do? Anyone from kids to big businesses can join:
https://www.freemewildlife.org/custodian
Otherwise, if a particular story has touched your heart, and you would like to donate directly to our animal care and vet bills, you are welcome to donate directly through these channels:
FreeMe Wildlife
First National Bank
Branch code: 220 725
Account number: 6214 1246 068
PAYPAL ACCOUNT:
http://paypal.me/FreeMeWildlife
PAYFAST ACCOUNT:
http://www.freemewildlife.org/donate
SWIFT CODE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS:
FIRNZAJJ
Contact number: 033 330 3036
More about FreeMe Wildlife
Summer is just around the corner.
In South Africa we are blessed with gorgeous warm weather, which means we get to enjoy lots of time outdoors.
Here are some things you can do at home to make the most of these seasons:
- Make sure you have a shady space to sit and relax, whether it is a built-in patio or an umbrella on the lawn.
- To create a comfortable space you are going to need furniture that is suited for outdoors. Purchasing covers for your outdoor furniture is also a good investment as it will ensure longevity.
- Invest in a braai
More about Dormehl Phalane Property Group Midlands in Howick, KZN
'I have always been drawn to the energy and beauty of nature and the simple power and delicate intricacies of natural forms. I have always picked up gifts that nature gives me: seed pods, shells, twists of bark, feathers - these are incorporated into my works.
I find working with clay a meditation - it nourishes my soul and it has been a path to spiritual renewal for me. This connection with my artistic medium is healing. I often dream of a vessel and then make it.
The clay has its own energy. As an artist, I sense this energy and work with it. Shape, form and how glaze reacts to the smallest texture excites the creator and the viewer.
Feeling it necessary to make a shift from the corporate world, I reconnecting with my authentic, younger self through clay four years ago. This shift started after the death of my mother, an artist, I realised she left the world with a legacy of beauty through her art and every time I touched her painting I felt her hands and energy.' says Gwyneth Gosling, ceramic artist.
You can discover Gwyneth's ceramic art at Zulu Lulu ARTHOUSE at Piggly Wiggly Midlands on the R103.
More about Zulu Lulu ARTHOUSE
Join us for a taste of Treverton College! We have a full program that will give you an idea of what it would be like to be a student at Treverton College. Come sample our STEAM, Language, Art, Drama, Music, Outdoor Education and Equestrian programs as well as try out BOARDING for the night!
Spaces are limited so please book via the QR Code at the bottom, on our website or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
A whopping 664 kg of waste was collected in 2 hours by Green Corridors, and sponsors SAFRIPOL in a major beach clean-up on International Coastal Clean Up Day on Saturday 18 September.
The International Coastal Clean-up is a global initiative that encourages people to remove trash and debris from the world's beaches and waterways, and identify the sources of debris, in order to drive change in the behaviours that cause pollution.
Co-ordinated by Siphiwe Rakgabale, Green Corridors, Clean-ups and Litter booms coordinator, with SAFRIPOL and their partners PETCO, Plastics SA, Cleansing and Solid Waste from the eThekwini Municipality, and Department of Health, the clean-up saw 75 people collect 145 bags of waste, and 2 bulk bags of PET with some fascinating insights into what is finding its way into our waterways, and ultimately the ocean.
High in the list of waste collected were plastic beverage bottles with 1530 items, take out foam containers 924, beverage cans, 609, plastic bottle caps 601, cigarette butts 402, straws/stirrers 372, cigarette tips 198, diapers 192, masks 58 amongst many other items such as slops, shoes, and even a broom.
“Our mandate as Green Corridors is to co-create open green spaces within the City for people in communities to live, work and thrive, so cleaning up the south side of the Umgeni around Blue Lagoon again demonstrated just how beautiful this space is, and how the waste really detracts from this when it washes down from upstream,” says Rakgabale. “With less waste in these green spaces, local communities would be able to use it more for leisure and tourism opportunities.”
“This international day, not only helps clean up spaces, but provides us with details of what is really polluting the waterways,” explains Avashnee Chetty, Sustainability Manager SAFRIPOL. “From our perspective, it helps us to drive education around the responsible use of plastic, and its reuse, and disposal.”
On the same day, Adopt-A-River co-ordinated a clean-up on the north side of the Umgeni River mouth in the Beachwood Mangroves together with a number key partners Plastics SA, Ezemvelo North Durban Honorary Rangers, Wessa and Umgeni Conservancy and a host of other sponsors and partners. They report that between 165 people they collected 1.2 tonnes of waste, including 40 kgs of flipflops.
“We were thrilled to bring so many partners together in an effort to create more awareness of the need to manage waste and to be part of this global study,” says Janet Simpkins, Director of Adopt-a-River.
For more information about Green Corridors go to : https://durbangreencorridor.co.za/
The field surveys we do lead to some of the most fantastic experiences which we always love sharing...
This was one of those really special moments where we witnessed a rare species (rare in this part of the world), a pair of Palmnut Vultures who already have a nest site, mating on Fountainhill Estate.
We love what we do, and how we do it...
Why not join our Custodianship Program to show your support for the work we do? Anyone from kids to big businesses can join:
https://www.freemewildlife.org/custodian
Otherwise, if a particular story has touched your heart, and you would like to donate directly to our animal care and vet bills, you are welcome to donate directly through these channels:
FreeMe Wildlife
First National Bank
Branch code: 220 725
Account number: 6214 1246 068
PAYPAL ACCOUNT:
http://paypal.me/FreeMeWildlife
PAYFAST ACCOUNT:
http://www.freemewildlife.org/donate
SWIFT CODE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS:
FIRNZAJJ
Contact number: 033 330 3036
More about FreeMe Wildlife
UMGENI WATERFALL BOWLING CLUB
A friendly, welcoming club.
What a bumper week was had at the club.
The J Leslie Smith 2-4-2 Competition was played on Tuesday. The winners of the main event were John Withers and Grace Abrahams. The runners up were Dave McLean and Pat Norris. The winners of the plate event were Colin Burden and Melanie Ross.
The Heritage Day Competition sponsored by Woodstone Craft Café turned out to be a day of serious bowls and a lot of fun.
The winners of the competition Craig Whitby, Mark Taylor and Fanie Bester. Runners Up were Robbie Rajah, Vis Padayachee and Ian Bevis. The winners of the plate event were Kevin Palmer, Kirsten Hughes and Grace Abraham. Winners went home with generous vouchers for a meal at Woodstone Craft Café. We thank Craig Whitby of Craig Whitby Financial Services for the caps he provided as prizes. These were given as consolation prizes to the teams with the lowest scores.
The braai which followed prize-giving proved to be popular as was the Jumping Castle sponsored by Shayne Knott, which provided fun for the young ones (and some not so young) who were present.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS FOR OCTOBER - PLEASE DIARISE
Wednesday 13 October: Tabs In Competition sponsored by Halfway Toyota with vouchers for coffee and cake from The Treatery. Tabs In by 13h15
Tuesday, 19 October: 2-4-2 Start time is 09h00. Competition sponsored by J Leslie Smith and Dr Alan Sara. Pre-entry on list in clubhouse or by contacting Richard Chard on 083 269 3508
Friday, 22 October: Two Bowl Trips competition sponsored by Woodstone Craft Café. Existing Teams to pre-enter via the Woodstone Trips WhatsApp group. Any new teams wishing to enter may call or send a WhatsApp to to 071 164 3162
The Greendale Spar competition which normally takes place on the second Saturday of the month will be played on a date to be confirmed.
GENERAL
Coaching by qualified coaches is available by arrangement – phone or Whatsapp 071 164 3162. Prospective new members, experienced or novice are always welcome! Come along on any club day and speak to any one of our friendly members.
More about Umgeni Waterfall Bowling Club.