Athletics South Africa (ASA) announces the team for Beijing 2015, the IAAF Senior World Championships, scheduled for 22 to 30 August in China. Team to Beijing 2015 Only athletes who qualified on performance are included in the team. Any athlete that may qualify as the African Champion must still proof their level of fitness to [...]ASA Team for Beijing 2015 is a post from: Time-to-Run South Africa


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Madrid, Spain (July 6, 2015) – The ITU Edmonton 2014 Grand Final organising committee, in collaboration with the International Triathlon Union (ITU),… Time-to-Run – Triathlon News Women’s coaching legacy left at ITU Edmonton is a post from: Time-to-TriWomen’s coaching legacy left at ITU Edmonton is a post from: Time-to-Tri


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Five South African trail runners, including K-Way runner Lucky Miya, competed in Switzerland’s Zermatt Marathon on Saturday. Host to the 2015 WMRA Long Distance Mountain Running Championships, our runners were up against the best runners from 11 other countries. Team South Africa at Zermatt Marathon The Zermatt Marathon begins in a river valley and climbs [...]Solid results from Team SA at Zermatt Marathon is a post from: Time-4-Sport


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President Jacob Zuma and a delegation of cabinet ministers are in Ufa, Russia were they will participate in the 7th BRICS Summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting the two-day meeting of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South African (BRICS) leaders from Wednesday.

According to the Presidency, a number of meetings will be held in the run up to the summit, including the BRICS Business Council and its Working Groups; the BRICS ministers of finance and Central Bank Governors, the first meeting of the BRICS Board of Governors of the New Development Bank and the BRICS ministers of trade and industry.

BRICS leaders had, at the G20 Summit in Brisbane on 15 November 2014, requested their finance ministers to designate the President and Vice-Presidents of the New Development Bank, in advance of the next summit.

They are expected to receive feedback in this regard.

“The leaders also tasked the finance ministers and Central Bank Governors with ensuring that, by this summit, the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) Working Group concludes the procedural rules and operational guidelines of the Governing Council and Standing Committee of the CRA, and to conclude an Inter-Central Bank Agreement,” said the Presidency.

The leaders will also be informed of the status of ratification process within each BRICS country of the New Development Bank Agreement and CRA Treaty.

The first meeting of the Board of Governors of the New Development Bank will take place in Moscow on Tuesday and the Board is expected to report to the BRICS leaders on the steps taken to operationalise the bank.

The summit will see the adoption of the Ufa Declaration and the Ufa Action Plan, which will reflect the views of BRICS member states on a number of international issues.

The leaders will also witness the signing of various agreements which indicate a deepening of the BRICS relationship.

President Putin has arranged a meeting between the BRICS leaders and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and other invited Leaders.

This is in keeping with the tradition of an “outreach meeting” initiated by South Africa when it hosted the Fifth BRICS Summit. – SAnews.gov.za

About 10 crafters will this week get an opportunity to showcase their art to buyers in Atlanta, in the United States (US).

Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Elizabeth Thabethe, said her department has supported at least 10 crafters to travel to Atlanta to interact directly with the buyers and exhibit their art.

“These platforms are part of our efforts to create opportunities for our locally manufactured products and we must continue to open markets for our small to medium enterprises, including cooperatives,” she said.

The Department of Small Business Development, together with the Department of Arts and Culture, as well as the Department of Communications form part of the Department of Small Business Development’s creative industry led initiative to take locally manufactured craft products to the international markets.

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi and Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, are part of the delegation that will be in Atlanta from 6-9 July.

South Africa has a permanent showroom in Atlanta which primarily showcases hand-made quality products from all the nine provinces depicting the country’s diverse culture and heritage.

“Access to markets remains a fundamental challenge for our crafters hence the partnership with the Department of Small Business Development. We can certainly achieve more if we leverage on each other’s strengths and resources,” said Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi.

Minister Muthambi said the Department of Communication and Brand SA will ensure that the exceptional work that South Africa does abroad is shared with people locally.

“It is important to profile our people and their work to demonstrate that we are truly moving South Africa forward,” she said.

After the Atlanta trip, the team will leave for Santa Fe in the US, from 10-12 July.

About five artists will participate at the folk art market in Santa Fe which is one the world’s greatest art market and attracts thousands and thousands of people across the globe. – SAnews.gov.za

Knysna, South Africa – Top XTERRA SA Warriors, Carla Van Huyssteen and Stuart Marais will be seen throwing down the gauntlet at South Africa’s leading off-road triathlon, the Totalsports XTERRA Pezula presented by REHIDRAT® SPORT that will take place at the picturesque Conrad Pezula Field Of Dreams (Knysna) on Thursday, 09 July 2015. Xterra Pezula [...]Van Huyssteen, Marais set for Knysna Xterra Pezula is a post from: Trail Running South Africa
The post Van Huyssteen, Marais set for Knysna Xterra Pezula appeared first on Trail Running South Africa.


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Knysna, South Africa – Top XTERRA SA Warriors, Carla Van Huyssteen and Stuart Marais will be seen throwing down the gauntlet at South Africa’s leading off-road triathlon, the Totalsports XTERRA Pezula presented by REHIDRAT® SPORT that will take place at the picturesque Conrad Pezula Field Of Dreams (Knysna) on Thursday, 09 July 2015. Xterra Pezula [...]Van Huyssteen, Marais set for Knysna Xterra Pezula is a post from: Time-to-Tri


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XTERRA legend Conrad Stoltz will kick-start the 2015 season in Buffelspoort (North West Province) when he toes the line at the much anticipated TOTALSPORTS XTERRA Full presented by REHIDRAT® SPORT on Saturday, 24 January 2015. Stoltz started his XTERRA career in Richmond in 2001 when searching for a way to get motivated after the 2000 [...]Caveman ready for Xterra 2015 is a post from: Time-to-Tri


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The 2015 PUMA Trail Run enjoyed a cool start at the Grabouw Country Club on Saturday, 21 February 2015, with just over 400 eager runners on the start line, ready to enjoy the XTERRA trail run routes. AJ Calitz conquers Grabouw 2015 South African ultra-trail champion AJ Calitz claimed victory in the 12.5km PUMA Trail [...]Calitz, Van Huyssteen win Grabouw 2015 is a post from: Time-to-Tri


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Department of Trade and Industry (dti) Minister Rob Davies has published for comment a notice regarding a limitation on fees and interest rates applicable for borrowings.

“The Government Gazette Notice proposes changes to maximum rates for unsecured credit from 32.65% to 24.78%, mortgage agreements from 17.65% to 17.75%, credit facilities from 22.65% to 19.78%, developmental credits from 32.65% to 32.78% and other credit agreements from 22.65% to 22.75%,” said the dti on Friday.

Incidental credit agreements remain unchanged at 2%.

Research studies and statistics show that South Africa has a worrying high level of over-indebtedness. Factors identified as contributing to this include weak affordability tests by credit providers, lack of honest disclosure by consumers, and generally high costs of credit caused by abuse of credit insurance, especially credit life insurance, extension of unsecured lending, as well as costs related to collection of debt and resale of loan books for further collection.

The National Credit Act was promulgated to facilitate access to credit in a fair and equitable manner, while it puts controls in place to ensure that credit extended to consumers is affordable and not too expensive.

Due to gaps identified in the implementation of the National Credit Act, amendments were introduced to address these concerns, with the highlight being the strengthening of the affordability tests requirements. Following the amendments, the dti was required to look at credit insurance as well as the interest and fees charged to consumers.

As per Regulation 45 of the National Credit Act, the National Credit Regulator (NCR) must perform a review of interest rates and cost factors at intervals of no more than three years and advise the Minister of any changes that may be required.

The NCR has since conducted the review and concluded that changes must be introduced to the limitation on fees and interest rates. The regulator made its recommendations to the Minister, who has, after consideration, published the proposed changes in the Government Gazette for comments.

The dti is currently scheduling sessions with affected stakeholders as part of the consultative process during the month of July 2015.

The proposed changes have taken into account various scenarios after the sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the impact of changing the maximum allowable interest rates and fees.

The proposed changes in maximum interest rates would affect types of credit providers in different ways. It is therefore always important to consider fees and rates in their collectivity in order to determine and balance the possible impact on the credit market.

Submissions from the affected stakeholders during this commentary period will enrich the process and enable the Minister to come out with a final determination.

“The dti urges stakeholders to take up the opportunity to clarify any aspect relating to this in the consultation sessions that will be held, and further provide the dti with their written submissions with alternative proposals, where necessary.”

The Minister will publish the regulations relating to the capping of credit insurance soon after the consultation process with the Minister of Finance has been completed, as part of the measures to minimise the cost of credit.

The public is invited to comment in writing on or before 5 August 2015. – SAnews.gov.za