Andrew Stegmann
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JUA Technologies and BrazAgro to Distribute Solar-drying Tray in East Africa

JUA Technologies International, a Purdue University-affiliated startup developing solar-powered crop-drying devices, is partnering with BrazAgro Ltd., a supplier of Brazilian farm machinery, to distribute its solar-drying tray.

Dehytray is a solar-drying solution for small and mid-size growers and food processors and home gardeners. Its convenient size and ease of use are backed by years of research into drying technology. It is durable, approved for food use, and designed for optimum drying of foods using natural solar energy. It is designed for drying grains, fruit, vegetables, fish, meat and more.

The company was co-founded by the husband-wife team of Klein Ileleji, a professor in agricultural and biological engineering at Purdue, and Reiko Habuto Ileleji, a Purdue alumna who earned her PhD from Purdue’s College of Education.

When they visited Nairobi during the summer to demonstrate the Dehytray at the 6th Agritec Exhibition and Congress, they received immense interest in the product from local farmers and processors, who quickly realized its benefits to the profitability of their operations.

Securing distributors across wide-ranging regions, four continents and counting, is a challenging endeavor. The company implemented this partnership with BrazAgro, which will distribute the trays in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

Throughout East Africa, the Dehytray will be used to dry specialty crops like leafy green vegetables, okra, mango, bananas, guava, tubers such as cassava and sweet potato, coffee, and grains, among other food products. The Dehytray meets a high hygienic standard for sun drying of crops, is quite portable, and can be adapted into a wide range of processing operations for the farm or small to mid-size processor.

The Dehytray was developed at Purdue’s agricultural and biological engineering program. The research was funded partly by USAID and USDA. Field tests on drying specialty (horticultural) crops and grains using the Dehytray have been carried out in the U.S., Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Kenya, South Africa and Peru. The Dehytray has been shipped to customers on four continents since it became available on the market in December 2018.

Some of the technology used by JUA Technologies International is licensed through the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization. JUA Technologies also received entrepreneurial support from the Purdue Foundry.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], American Public Power Association [2].

Andrew Stegmann

Cape Town Back-yarders Urged to Register on Housing Database

An increase in urbanization is the leading factor in Cape Town’s housing crisis.

With only one in three registered on the city of Cape Town’s housing database, the city has encouraged more people in this sector to register.

The city said in a statement recently that almost 70% of informal back-yarders in the metro would not be eligible for a housing opportunity because they were not registered for subsidized housing.

The city says increased urbanization across South Africa over the past decade has resulted in a steady growth of backyard dwellings on publicly- and privately-owned land.

“The great need for affordable housing and services in and near urban centers especially means that we must ensure that we work in a planned, systematic and fair manner.

“It is really important for backyard dwellers to apply to register on the housing database. Back-yarders who are not registered on the database cannot be considered for housing opportunities created for them by the city and Western Cape Government. “

The city said that all qualifying beneficiaries and especially backyard dwellers should ensure that they were registered and that their details were correct and up to date.

“We also continue to focus on enhanced service delivery especially to back-yarders residing on council-owned properties. Cape Town was the first city in South Africa to introduce basic services to back-yarders residing on Council-owned properties.

“The back-yarder program started in 2014 and entails the provision of one-to-one water, refuse and electricity services to back-yarders residing on Council-owned property, such as rental units.

“The Municipal Finance Management Act determines that public money may not be used for enhancing private properties. Therefore, much work still needs to be done to see how back-yarder services will be rolled out to those residing on private properties within the framework of the law.

How to register on the housing database

The city said that urbanization was a challenge that all tiers of government, as well as the private sector and civil society organisations should deal with.

We “must work together and ensure that we are ahead of the curve with our plans to address rapid urbanization. We must bring our communities on board with the alternatives on offer”, the city’s member of the mayoral committee for human settlements, councilor Malusi Booi, said.

He also explained that the service was free and that there was no payment for registration.

Applicants can register on the housing database online, at city housing offices, MyEstate mobile offices that comes to various areas and at the Parow or Wale Street walk-in centers.

Applicants need a certified copy of their IDs and their spouses’ IDs, a completed housing assistance form, copies of their children’s birth certificates, marriage or divorce certificates, details of special needs where applicable, as well as supporting documents such as medical records and proof of address (FICA).

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann

Cheque Limits Reduced to R50,000 in South Africa

Following the recently announced rules from the Payments Association of South Africa (PASA) to reduce the maximum value of cheque limits to R50,000, businesses are urged to adopt electronic banking channels.

The updated rules come into effect in May 2020, with an eight-month grace period to be granted for cheques that are yet to be processed by the due date.

Kenneth Matlhole, FNB Business Spokesperson, said several businesses and public institutions that still have cheques built into their operations will be heavily impacted by the decision. This ranges from schools, churches, scrap metal dealers, agriculture, motor industry, fiduciary services and auctioneers, among others.

Matlhole unpacked important factors for businesses to consider as they reduce their reliance on cheques, prior to the implementation of the new rules:

Act now – depending on the nature of the business or institution, moving away from a traditional payments system may result in cash flow disruptions. Business should allocate enough time for migrating to new payments systems. It is also essential to ensure that staff members are trained accordingly.

Business to business transactions – whether the business is receiving or issuing cheques, it is advisable to communicate and inform business associates and suppliers about the new payment systems/ arrangements and reach a mutual understanding.

Businesses can offer discounts or incentives for suppliers or business associates to adopt electronic banking channels, to help speed up the process.

Moreover, when considering the administration process, storage of physical paper, and the cheques clearance waiting period, migrating to electronic payments which are more efficient will no doubt be an incentive to migrate to electronic payments.

The same guiding principles for alternative payment adoption should be applied to inter-company funds transfer where cheques have been used as a mechanism to allow for money flow between linked franchises and business entities.

Adopt electronic banking channels – once a thorough analysis of how the business uses cheques has been conducted, the next step is to identify the most appropriate and efficient electronic banking channel to use. Furthermore, businesses that are still receiving B2B cheque payments should ensure that their systems are updated and ready to accept electronic payments.

“Given the reduction of cheque limits due to several issues including fraud, it may not be viable for businesses to continue using cheques.

“Regardless of the final decision to be taken by businesses, on thing is clear, the imminent reduction of cheque limits to R50,000, leaves businesses and institutions with no choice but to ultimately reduce their reliance on cheque payments,” Matlhole said.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: Matthew Kwong [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni Tries to Keep the South African Reserve Bank from Being Nationalized

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni took to Twitter recently to ask what the ANC wanted to achieve by nationalizing the bank.

The African National Congress (ANC) has cautioned Finance Minister Tito Mboweni to be aware of the implications of his comments about the party’s position to nationalize the South African Reserve Bank.

Mboweni, who is also an NEC member, has tweeted that the ANC adopted the wrong resolution during its policy conference in 2017 by wanting the central bank to be nationalized.

The issue of what purpose the reserve bank should and should not serve has once again played out within the ANC.

Mboweni took to Twitter recently to ask what the ANC wanted to achieve by nationalizing the bank.

“As a long standing member of the ANC and its leadership structures, I know and understand our resolutions. I don’t need lectures on that. But on the SARB, I am convinced that we adopted a wrong resolution. What do we want to achieve? Our Strategic focus: Structural Economic Reforms,” Mboweni said recently.

“As of now, 90% of the SARB profits are handed over to the National Revenue Fund. So? What do we want to achieve? Tell the public. Lets debate. Don’t say internal debates, this is a fundamental National debate. Answer the question. What do you want to achieve by nationalizing the SARB. Don’t tell me about internal debates, NEC, etc. what do you want to achieve? Lets answer that fundamental question. Party spokesperson Pule Mabe said that the leadership of the ANC was expected to be consistent, coherent and united on policy positions. The leadership of the ANC is expected to appreciate the need to articulate a consistent, coherent and unified message on policy positions. Unfortunately, public spats initiated without any provocation feeds into the narrative of lack of policy certainty,” he continued.

ANC leaders counter-attacked each other last year about the mandate of the central bank, with some saying the mandate of the institution should be expanded to include job creation.

The party said that only the ANC national conference had the right and power to change any decisions.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].