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Get security up to scratch before you go on holiday
Homeowners should try resolving disputes with their neighbours directly before involving the police or courts. PICTURE: PIXABAY
BE NICE TO YOUR NEIGHBOURS YOU MIGHT be able to choose your home, but you cannot select your neighbours. “Dealing with neighbour disputes can therefore be an unfortunate by-product of homeownership,” says Adrian Goslett, regional director and chief executive of Re/Max of Southern Africa. “These tend to increase over the festive season when many take their annual leave and spend more
hours at home. “The reassuring thing is there are laws to protect the interests of homeowners who are living within their rights.” He says local police can follow up on complaints around boundary wall offences or noise complaints. If these interventions do not help, homeowners can bring the issue to their nearest court. However, before involving the police or resorting to
extreme measures, Goslett recommends homeowners first try to resolve the issue directly with their neighbours. “Taking these issues up with the authorities can be an uncomfortable process when you live next to the person you’re calling the cops on. “It is always advisable to attempt to resolve these issues between the responsible parties before getting others involved.”
Make sure your outside lights are working before you go away. PICTURE: SIXTIES PHOTOGRAPHY/UNSPLASH
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OME security systems perform a vital function in keeping your family and possessions safe, especially during the holidays, says Charnel Hattingh, head of marketing and communications at Fidelity ADT. Assess your security system and get problems dealt with by a professional technician at least three weeks before you go away. “Your security system is only as effective as its weakest component. If you have invested in a home security system, you must make sure it is always functioning properly.” Hattingh shares six tips for pre-holiday security system testing:
• Put your alarm panel on test with your security company. • Check your perimeter for vulnerabilities, such as broken electric fencing, foliage, worn locks on gates or sensors not working on doors and windows. • Check all outside lights. • If someone is going to be staying in the house while you are away, ensure your remote and fixed panic buttons are working. • Ensure cameras are in the right positions and are recording as they should. • Inform your security provider if you are unsure about anything or feel your security could be compromised.
Boost infrastructure projects to aid sector, government urged
The roll-out of infrastructure projects will help improve business conditions for civil contractors. PICTURE: DIMPHO SAMETSI/PIXABAY
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ONFIDENCE among civil contractors has dropped at the close of this year, with 85% dissatisfied with prevailing business conditions. This is despite improvement in key indicators such as activity and profitability in Q4, according to the latest FNB/BER Civil Confidence Index. And senior FNB economist Siphamandla Mkhwanazi says it is difficult to pinpoint the reasons behind this “persistently weak level of confidence”. “One possible qualification is, although the growth in activity is somewhat better this quarter, compared to a few years ago, the total value of construction activity is still much lower.”
But, looking ahead, he says there are signs that activity could improve, albeit only slightly. “Respondents noted that there is indeed an improvement in tender activity. However, tender awards are lagging significantly, and the validity of tenders is increasingly being extended. This means that, while there is interest, not all projects will be realised, or at best, be commissioned in good time.” Mkhwanazi says accelerating the roll-out of infrastructure projects by the state and further progress on structural and regulatory reform to boost private sector infrastructure spend would “go a long way to alleviate the woes in this sector”.
JOHANNESBURG NAMED AFRICA’S MOST RESILIENT CITY Johannesburg was the more adaptable city during the pandemic. PICTURE: MISIO/PIXABAY
JOHANNESBURG has been Africa’s most resilient and adaptable city throughout the pandemic, a report has revealed. The Kearney Annual Global Cities report offers key insights on how Covid-19 and the resulting pandemic containment measures have impacted the level of global engagement of 156 cities around the world. Prashaen Reddy, a partner at global management consulting
firm Kearney, says of the 13 African cities included in the study, Joburg remained the highest, in 55th place. Cairo climbed five points placing it at 59th and retaining its second place ranking within Africa. The news wasn’t so good for Cape Town – it ranked 77th last year but has now dropped four places and ranks at 81st. The report highlights five strategic steps that are imperative
for cities leaders to consider. These include: • Win in the competition for global talent. • Embrace the rapidly growing digital economy. • Ensure economic resilience by balancing global and local resources. • Adapt in the face of climate change. • Invest in individual and community well-being.
