The Sweet Service Award goes to the City of Cape Town Traffic Services Department, for the renewal of my motor vehicle license taking all of 5 minutes! There was no one else in the hall, and they have done away with the completion of the green form, the lady typing my details directly from my ID book and my proof of residence! Continue reading →
The Sweet Service Award goes to Hope @ Home, organised by and performed at the Berlin home of violonist Daniel Hope, who entertained music lovers from around the world with classical music, swing music, and more genres, in performing with established musicians as well as new up-and-coming artists, broadcast by arteTV and streamed live, a weekend highlight initially, and a daily one in a second series. Daniel must be the busiest musician in the world, in making music and managing concerts and orchestras, writing books, broadcasting, recording music, and creating publicity for all of his endeavours in conventional media as well as in Social Media. What made the concerts so special for me is that Daniel was born in Durban, and that his father used to live in Johannesburg, Christopher Hope being an esteemed writer. Continue reading →
It was the interview with a Cape Argus reporter on Friday that made me reflect on how far not only our country, but also I personally and my business have come in the 20 years since we voted on 27 April 1994. The Argus interview was focused on the progress over the past 20 years I have seen personally, business-wise, and politically.
My very first feedback to reporter Dylan was that 1994 was the first and only time that I was allowed to vote, having a German passport. I do not recall how it was possible for all foreigners (by passport) to be allowed to vote, when it has never been allowed before nor since then. I loved standing in a queue somewhere in Sea Point, being part of the exciting day that would change our country forever, and how much goodwill there was amongst South Africans whilst waiting patiently in the queues. Little did we know that the rest of the world waited anxiously for the outcome of the election, fully expecting a revolution to take place, unbeknown to us residents, with thanks to the SABC in ‘protecting’ us from this world scenario.
I moved to Cape Town in 1990, and transferred my marketing research consultancy Relationship Marketing from Johannesburg, changing its emphasis to Public Relations for food clients such as Baker Street Snacks, Bonnita (now Parmalat), Aylesbury, and more. The late John Harrison was a favourite client when he was GM of the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. Even Mark Shuttleworth was a client, before he became famous for selling his Continue reading →