Andrew Stegmann

Trendy, Affordable Apartments for Sale in First Fully Integrated Community in Cape Town (Conradie Park)

Conradie Park offers affordable housing while integrating mixed-income earners.

A range of trendy apartments, ranging from studios through to duplexes, are now for sale in SA’s first fully integrated, mixed-income, mixed-use development, near Cape Town’s CBD. Conradie Park is virtually a self-contained town, comprising residential, commercial and retail elements, a business hotel and an emphasis on community and connection. The development includes extensive green spaces, sports and recreational facilities and an urban gym.

Foot and cycling paths are part of a non-motorized transport plan to promote “active streets” where families can walk safely and play freely. The pet-friendly campus includes two schools and three daycare centers. Studio apartments start from R950,000, including transfer costs, while one- and two-bedroom units and duplexes are among 99 properties for sale in the first phase of construction of a block called Kirstenbosch, named after the iconic Cape Town botanical gardens due to its emphasis on green spaces.

Green technology has been applied to energy, water and waste management, while integrated solar heating is also part of a sustainability focus. Basement parking, fiber-ready internet, an integrated camera network and 24-hour security are among the attractions. Other features include trendy finishes, vinyl flooring, oven hobs and extractors, engineered stone kitchen counter tops, track lighting, aluminium windows and internal elevators.

The revolutionary 22ha community comprises more than 3,500 homes – some subsidized or grant funded. “This is a connected, multicultural community marked by affordability, sustainability and security,” says Toni Enderli, founder of Realtor of Excellence.

Conradie’s head of sales, Wayne Lawson, said public excitement was high, adding that 25% of the first phase had been snapped up during the launch weekend. Construction starts in May 2020 and occupation is set for mid-2021. The project is a partnership between developers, Concor, and the Western Cape government, described as one of seven provincial “game changers”, providing affordable housing close to jobs while integrating mixed-income families. Concor project leader, Mark Schonrock, said the model showed how state-owned land could be unlocked to boost economic growth in an attractive and affordable mixed-income neighborhood.

 

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

A Look at South Africa’s New Coins

The South African Mint, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the South African Reserve Bank, aims to mark memorable events and anniversaries that capture the nation by striking these stories onto coins each year.

A new R2 coin will come into circulation – the product of a competition which ran in 2019 following the launch of the SA25 coin series commemorating “25 Years of SA’s Constitutional Democracy”.

The South African Mint invited members of the public to submit designs for the reverse of the new R2 coin, depicting a right from South Africa’s Bill of Rights.

The winning design has been selected and will enter circulation during the course of 2020.

Local inventions

Numismatists will be able to add another example of South African ingenuity to their collection with the launch of the sterling silver crown and tickey coins featuring the Retinal cryoprobe, a local invention that revolutionised cataract surgery.

South African doctor, pioneering inventor and biomedical engineer, Selig Percy Amoils, is credited for the invention of the cryoprobe, which is a pen-like instrument that is inserted into a cut in the eye to remove a cataract with no risk of destroying healthy adjacent tissue. This technology has even been used on former President Nelson Mandela.

The ‘South African Inventions’ theme was introduced on the crown and tickey coin series in 2016, to highlight globally relevant inventions and firsts by South Africans.

Last year’s coin featured Pratley Putty, the world’s first epoxy adhesive invented by South African engineer George Pratley. It was used by NASA aboard its Ranger moon-landing craft some 50 years back.

The R2 crown features the anatomy of an eye on the reverse, while the tickey shows a gloved hand holding the retinal cryoprobe when the 2.5c tickey is placed on top of the crown in the designated area, the surgical procedure is recreated.

Big five

2020 will also see the launch of two new Big 5 designs in 2020, featuring the Rhino and Leopard.

The ‘Big Five’ term originated when big game hunters visited the shores of Africa to shoot for trophies, and locals warned them about the five most dangerous animals in Africa: the elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo.

The Lion and the Elephant were featured on the previous coins.

Natura coins

Following the runaway success of the fine silver Natura coin in 2019, the 2020 series will repeat the coin exclusively in silver and feature the Coelophysis Rhodesiensis, a diminutive, bi-pedal carnivore which preyed on small animals and mammals which appeared around the same time.

The Coelophysids were highly successful primitive theropod dinosaurs that occurred worldwide between the late Triassic to early Jurassic period.

Coelophysis Rhodesiensis occurred in South Africa and Zimbabwe during the early part of the Jurassic period (approximately 201–199 million years ago). Fossil records found in Zimbabwe allude to their propensity to hunt in packs.

Kurgerrand

The design of the Krugerrand has remained unchanged over its 50 years of existence. The obverse features the bust of President Paul Kruger, while the reverse, originally designed and engraved by Coert Steynberg, depicts a prancing springbok, a well-known South African symbol.

The iconic Krugerrand in 2020 stars individually, as well as in the existing four and five fractional sets available.

It is also available in 1oz and 2oz both gold and silver and in bullion and proof quality

Flora

Featuring on the 2020 sterling-silver colour coin range are the flowers Protea repens (Sugarbush) and Serruria florida (Blushing Bride), and birds Coccopygia melanotis (Swee Waxbill) & Ploceus capensis (Cape Weaver).

The quartet of coins which seek to celebrate SA’s rich flora fauna are the subject of this year’s series and are found in the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve, The SA Mint 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: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann

South Africa is Expanding its New e-Visa System

The Department of Home Affairs will expand its e-Visa system in the coming months, making it easier for tourists to enter the country thanks to the online capture of visa applications and biometric information.

In a parliamentary presentation on Tuesday (18 February), the department indicated that it has successfully piloted an e-visa in Kenya, with plans to extend the pilot to India, Nigeria and China over the course of this quarter.

After addressing a number of ‘teething issues’ it is expected to conclude the piloting stage with the aim of introducing the programme.

South Africa began trials on a new e-visa system in November 2019. Speaking to BusinessTech at the time, Department of Home Affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza said that the pilot aims to test the resilience of the system, with the department already holding successful trials in a controlled environment.

“The pilot will be conducted with Kenya first at the OR Tambo and Lanseria airports,” he said. “At the end of the month, we will evaluate the project and look at which other countries to expand the e-visa system to.”

Qoza added that the system is quick and has been designed to be as user-friendly as possible.

He estimated that the entire application process would take around 20 minutes, provided the applicant has all of the necessary supporting documents ready for submission.

Should one of the required documents be missing, applicants can resume the process exactly where they left off at a later date, he 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: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
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South African Home Affairs Makes Concessions for Chinese Nationals Amidst Coronavirus Outbreak

As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, the South African Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has made concessions for Chinese nationals.

  • If on a 4 year intra-company transfer work visa which expires on or before 3 July 2020, one may change their status to a visitors visa in terms of Section 11(2) of the SA Immigration Act, to continue employment for a further 6 months.
  • Visitors may extend their visas for a second time, for a further 3 months.
  • If a visitors visa expired on 1 December 2019, one may apply for an extension without being penalized.

This concession is only applicable to Chinese nationals, and the concession expires on 31 July 2020.

To contact the DHA, click here.

 

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].