Tag Archives: Patricia de Lille

Freedom Day 2014: reflecting on 20 years of democracy!

SA FlagIt 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 →

MyCiTi Bus strike poor PR for City of Cape Town!

My CiTi Bus imagesThe City of Cape Town’s MyCiTi Bus service has received mainly praise since it was introduced in 2010, just in time for the World Cup (although not meeting its deadline for the event for its original transport plans), and has praised itself recently for how many passengers its has transported, and how it is expanding the routes.  All of a sudden it is facing a PR nightmare, which it seems inexperienced to handle!

Two months ago the MyCiTi Bus service was criticised by Professor Deon Knobel, who wrote an open letter to Mayor Patricia de Lille and to Brett Herron, City Councillor for Transport, in the Cape Times.   Professor Knobel observed how wasteful the route in Oranjezicht/Tamboerskloof as well as Camps Bay is, asking some hard-hitting questions about the costs of running the service.   In the past week, the City has had to deal with two further problems, the most recent being the most debilitating in terms of the impact of its image.  It also informed Capetonians that the bulk of staff operating the MyCiTi Bus system are not employed by the City of Cape Town, but by third party contractors: Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 20 March

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   Comair has placed an order for 8 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, to the value of $830 million, and the first such order from an African airline.

*   The City of Cape Town has launched a large scale Substance Abuse campaign, to address one of the City’s most severe problems, and to communicate that Drugs are every Capetonian’s problem.  Radio, tabloids, and billboards/bus stops are to be used for the campaign.  It affects family lives, and can lead to crime and gangsterism. The Anti-Drug advertising campaign uses spokespersons Ian Bredenkamp of Kfm, former rugby player Chester Williams, dancer Mamela Nyamza, and Mayor Patricia de Lille.  Each of the campaign endorsers says in the advertisements: ‘My name is …… and I have a drug problem. I don’t use them, but they still affect me. If you have a drug problem or know someone that needs help, call now: 24HR helpline: 0800 435748’.

*   Camps Bay is the 24th most popular beach in the world, according to TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards 2014, with Clifton, Boulder’s Beach in Simonstown, Blouberg, Grotto Beach in Hermanus, Buffalo Bay in Knysna, and Brenton-on-Sea in Knysna also performing well on the top Africa beach list.

*   The House of Mandela, established by the late Nelson Mandela’s daughter Makwizi and granddaughter  Tukwini, has launched its Thembu Collection of wines in The Netherlands, using that country as a springboard into the European market.  Their winemaker is Erlank Erasmus, and they only use grapes from Fairtrade certified wine estates.

*   Grande Provence is introducing the Gourmand Food & Wine Experience in its wine cellar, an 8 course meal prepared for 8 guests Continue reading →