50 most expensive cities in the world

I am amazed by the following study done by Mercer on the most expensive cities in the world. have a look at number 2

For all of you still in doubt that Africa is the place to be read through the list and see how many countries have been investing on our continent.

Japan has a whopping three cities in the top 10, with Tokyo right on top, followed shortly by Osaka in number three and Nagoya in the number 10 position.Last year's surprising top spot, the Angolan capital of Luanda, has shifted down one position, while Russia's Moscow has stayed steady at number four. The rest of the top ten slots are filled from number five to nine as follows: Geneva (Switzerland), Zurich (Switzerland), Singapore, N'Djamena (Chad) and Hong Kong.

Australia is the country that boasts the most cities and these six are: Sydney (11), Melbourne (15), Perth (19), Canberra (23), Brisbane (24), and Adelaide (27). 

Runners-up include China, filling four slots, then Brazil, Japan, and Switzerland, each with three entrants. 

Interestingly enough the UK and the US each only have one city on the list, and also no surprises as to which they are: London (25) for the UK, of course, and New York city (33) for the US. Both these famous cities have, however moved down in the rankings: London from 18 to 25, and New York, only one slot from 32 to 33. 

Some of the most surprising cities listed include: Libreville (Gabon), Khartoum (Sudan), Yangon (Myanmar), Victoria (Seychelles) and Dakar (Senegal). The two latter cities share the 50th position. 

Paris, France and Milan, Italy also make a rather expected appearance, but at the surprisingly low slots of 37 and 38. 

Interestingly not one Canadian or German city made it into the top 50, as many travellers would expect. 

Take a look at the entire list:

1 Tokyo, Japan

2 Luanda, Angola

3 Osaka, Japan

4 Moscow, Russia

5 Geneva, Switzerland

6 Zurich, Switzerland

7 Singapore, Singapore

8 N'Djamena, Chad

9 Hong Kong, Hong Kong

10 Nagoya, Japan

11 Sydney, Australia

12 Sao Paulo, Brazil

13 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

14 Bern, Switzerland

15 Melbourne, Australia

16 Shanghai, China

17 Beijing, China

18 Oslo, Norway

19 Perth, Australia

20 Libreville, Gabon

21 Copenhagen, Denmark

22 Seoul, South Korea

23 Canberra, Australia

24 Brisbane, Australia

25 London, United Kingdom

26 Khartoum, Sudan

27 Adelaide, Australia

28 St. Petersburg, Russia

29 Caracas, Venezuela

30 Shenzhen, China

31 Tel Aviv, Israel

32 Guangzhou, China

33 New York City, NY, United States

34 Niamey, Niger

35 Yangon, Myanmar

36 Kinshasa, Dem. Rep. of the Congo

37 Paris, France

38 Milan, Italy

39 Lagos, Nigeria

40 Bamako, Mali

41 Abidjan, Cote D'ivoire

42 Rome, Italy

43 Brazzaville, Congo

44 Djibouti, Djibouti

45 Brasilia, Brazil

46 Stockholm, Sweden

47 Noumea, New Caledonia

48 Vienna, Austria

49 Baku, Azerbaijan

50 Victoria, Seychelles

50 Dakar, Senegal

Source: SMH

Bruce Walsh - An inspiration to us all

Yesterday I was asked to MC one of the popular Dykes Van Heerden Slabbert events in Pinelands.

Bruce Walsh, a survivor from the Planet Hollywood bombing in the late 90's was the motivational speaker. Although I have heard him several times before, I cannot help but be touched by his courage and attitude and hope that I can display some of his fortitude and strength in adversity.

On August 25, 1998, Bruce Walsh’s world exploded. Literally…

Walsh was at a colleague's farewell function at Cape Town’s Planet Hollywood restaurant, and as luck would have it, they'd been placed at the table closest to the bar. Just after 7pm, he and two companions, Fanie Schoeman and Brian Duddy, placed a drinks order at the bar. Unwittingly, they'd placed themselves at the epicenter of a bomb that exploded moments later.

Fanie and Brian were killed and several others were injured. Bruce, who’d placed himself between the two, shattered an arm and lost both legs.

But Bruce refused to be a victim. Today he walks and even jogs with his prosthetic legs, and is in demand as an inspirational speaker. He’s also written an account of his life before and after the bomb.

He admits it was probably a sense of vanity, more than anything else, which drove his recovery. I didn’t want to be pushed around in a wheelchair and have people saying, oh shame, look at that man in the wheelchair. 

“We are the sum of our choices” He classified people into the category “winners” as those who set themselves goals and persevere. Winners are team players. Then there are those who choose to be classified as “losers. Who start but don’t finish, who promise but don’t deliver, who do not persevere and who are not good team players and do not set goals. When disaster strikes, winners pick themselves up and see the circumstances as a challenge. Losers, on the other hand, turn the experience into victimhood.

Bruce says he could easily have allowed the trauma to force him into victimhood. Ironically Bruce was a keen runner, having run the Comrades and Two Oceans race many times. He also played league squash.  He was there on company business and said he could still be blaming this employer and Planet Hollywood. If that was his choice, he would still be sitting in a wheelchair.

He says winners are team people. He relied on his family, his physiotherapist and a psychologist to help him deal with what happened.

“Most people are given one shot at this thing called life. I was given a second chance” says Bruce.  He asked: Are you a winner, or a loser, a whinger, a complainer? If you want to be a winner, you have to.

·         Acquire the skill of perseverance

·         Set goals

·         Be emotionally functional

·         Be emotionally consistent

·         You cannot be a winner unless you are intellectually challenging (looking for solutions not problems)

·         And he says you cannot be a winner if your relationship with your creator is not what it should be

If you believe in yourself, even when others doubt you, if you know where you’re going and you persevere, you can overcome anything.

Bruce -  you are a WINNER in my eyes

Charity begins at home

President Jacob Zuma had committed $2 billion of South Africa's reserves to the IMF at the G20 summit, a meeting of the world's greatest economies, in Los Cabos, Mexico.


These funds will remain part of our foreign reserves, currently standing at just under $48 billion. 


Participating countries with no way out of a financial crisis would be able to access these funds through a temporary loan, with conditions.

The funds were committed based on the premise that South Africa's voting power and quota shares in the IMF would be reformed, as agreed to in 2010. It now seems we have to pay to get what was already agreed upon 2 years ago. 

Cosatu has demanded to know which ANC conference resolutions gave the government a mandate for such a contribution to the IMF. It is not clear whether even the ANC (national executive committee) was even consulted over the decision.

In an announcement late Monday, the IMF said China was offering $43bn, Brazil, Russia, India and Mexico $10bn each, $5bn from Turkey, and smaller sums from a handful of other up-and-coming economies. 

China's contribution was the most keenly awaited. The world's second-largest economy has the largest pile of foreign reserves, $3.2 trillion. Although this seems like an enormous of amount of money the reality is that it equates to just over 1.3% of their foreign reserves whereas South Africa's commitment is almost 4% of our total reserves. Someone has to relook at their maths before we jump in boots and all.

China's contribution fell below only Japan's $60bn and German's $54.7bn, but was ahead of France and all other donors. 

The largest economy, the United States, is not contributing, despite its huge voting power on the IMF board. 

While Washington has insisted Europe has enough resources to resolve its problems itself, it is also clear that the deeply divided Congress is in no mood, given the US economic problems, to contribute rescue funds for others. 

I personally think the United States has it right. Charity begins at home. With 24% official unemployment and nearly 50% of the population living in poverty do we really have the right to commit funds from our piggy bank when so many of our own people are living on the breadline.

If the $2 billion is so easily allocated, then maybe we could have avoided the e-tolling debacle and paid off some of our own bills.

The week that was...14 June 2012

   A really interesting few days in South Africa with Bheki Cele, ex Commissioner of Police being fired, President Zuma reshuffling his cabinet just before Manguang and the baby Boks scraping to win to get into the under 20 Rugby World Cup semi's.

Bheki Cele on Thursday became the third high-profile casualty of the police lease saga when he was fired by President Jacob Zuma.

Cele was sacked eight months after he was suspended by Zuma after Public Protector Thuli Madonsela laid the blame for the controversial police office lease deals at his door.

He has been replaced by Mangwashi Phiyega, the country's first woman police chief, who is a relative outsider to police circles, which has immediately raised objections from the DA who are unhappy with her lack of policing experience.

She is currently the chair of the presidential review committee on state owned enterprises, and deputy chair of the independent commission on the remuneration of office bearers.

Phiyega has considerable management experience, she has been a trustee of Nelson Mandela's foundation and an executive at Barclays-owned banking group Absa.

   For those involved in the e-tolls debacle, the price has been their jobs. The transport minister, Sibusiso Ndebele (to correctional services)n  and his deputy, Jeremy Cronin (now deputy minister  of public works, have both been replaced in the wake of the Gauteng e-tolls debacle after President Jacob reshuffled his cabinet on Tuesday.

The reshuffle on Tuesday, the third in as many years, followed a special ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Monday, where Zuma received a massive boost after the NEC decided with a clear majority to reject efforts by expelled ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema to have his sentence overturned.

By appointing some key backers into vacant positions, without sacking anybody, Zuma was seen to have strengthened his hand.

   Other changes include, Lindiwe Sisulu moved from the defence ministry to public service and administration to replace the late Roy Padayachie. The move has been seen as a demotion as she is said to have harboured sympathies for Malema

   Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is the new defence minister, while Sibusiso Ndebele has taken up her position as correctional services minister.

   Public Enterprises Deputy Minister Ben Martins will replace Ndebele as minister of transport.

Oh, and on a positive note, the baby boks showed great heart by beating the English, with four second half tries, gaining a spot in the Under 20 Rugby World Cup semi-finals. SA will be playing Argentina while New Zealand faces Wales in the other semi-final - GO THE BABY BOKS!

Cape Town International Airport scoops best airport in Africa award

In the ceremony to be held today in Singapore, Airports Company South Africa Cape Town International (CTIA) will be awarded the best airport in Africa, by the airports Council International.

CTIA is Africa's most award winning airport, having scooped the Best Airport in Africa last year as well as The Most Improved Airport, and the internationally recognised Skyrax Award for the Best Airport for staff delivery excellence.

Other airports in South Africa who won awards include King Shaka International as third Best Airport in Africa, Upington International for Best Regional Airport and East London as the Most Improved Airport in service delivery.

The Airport Service Quality Awards have become the worlds leading passenger satisfaction benchmark with more than 200 airports participating in over 50 countries.

Areas in which the airport did well were restaurant value, trolley availability, parking availability, parking facilities and cleanliness in wash rooms. Other areas in which it improved were Wifi internet access as well as ease of finding yourself around using signage.

Well done Cape Town International Airport!

The Battle in Melbourne

We were blessed yesterday to see sporting history in the making when Novac Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal in an epic Grand Slam match at the Australian Open.

After a epic struggle which saw both players giving every last ounce of effort, Njokovic beat Nadal in 5 sets 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5.

At the prize giving, both players were so exhausted, that for a moment it looked as if they would not be able to stand and a thoughtful Australian Tennis official rushed in with chairs and a bottle of water, not a moment to soon.

So how good was the game and can we learn anything from these gladiators.

• At 5 hours 53 minutes it was the longest final in Grand Slam history by nearly an hour
• Djokovic beat Andy Murray in the semi final in another marathon that took 4 hours and 50 minutes

Sometimes to be the best, it will take every drop of energy that you possess, so be prepared

• Djokovic is only 23 years old and has been playing since the age of 4
• Nadal is 24 and has been playing since age 3

To be the best takes time and effort, not everything happens overnight so be patient

• Djokovic received intense training from age 6 and at age 12 moved to Germany to a tennis academy

To be the best, takes sacrifice and support from those you love

• Djokovic is well known for his off court impersonations of other players and is known as the Djoker

Don't take yourself too seriously, life is supposed to be fun

• Djokovic is a member of "Champions for Peace" an organisation committed to peace in the world through sport

Remember to give back!

• Both players are surrounded by an army of coaches, nutritionists and managers.

To be the best you need to surround yourself with the best people as well as the people you love and love you

To Novac and Raphael, thank you for allowing me to be part of sporting history. I will remember this battle for a very long time

Do you suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia?

Today is Friday 13th. For many this is considered unlucky but where does this come from and is there any basis of truth is this?

The fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia  and triskaidekaphobia, meaning fear of the number thirteen. Try saying that fast three times.


According to folklore, there is no written evidence for a "Friday the 13th" superstition before the 19th century. There is at least one Friday 13th per year and like 2012, as many as three.


So where does it come from?


There are several theories about the origin of the fear of Friday the 13th.

• In numerology, the number twelve is considered the number of completeness, as reflected in the twelve months of the year, twelve hours of the clock, twelve gods of Olympus, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve Apostles of Jesus, the 12 Descendants of Muhammad Imams, etc., whereas the number thirteen was considered irregular, transgressing this completeness. There is also a superstition, thought by some to derive from the Last Supper, that having thirteen people seated at a table will result in the death of one of the diners.
• Friday has been considered an unlucky day at least since the 14th century's The Canterbury Tales, and many other professions have regarded Friday as an unlucky day to undertake journeys or begin new projects. Black Friday has been associated with stock market crashes and other disasters since the 1800s. It has also been suggested that Friday has been considered an unlucky day because, according to Christian tradition, Jesus was crucified on a Friday.
• One author, noting that references are all but nonexistent before 1907 but frequently seen thereafter, has argued that its popularity derives from the publication that year of Thomas W. Lawson's popular novel Friday, the Thirteenth, in which an unscrupulous broker takes advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on a Friday the 13th. Records of the superstition are rarely found before the 20th century, when it became extremely common.

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. "It's been estimated that [US] $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day".


I say relax! Experience has taught me that your luck is made by yourself and your perception of good and bad is determined by your attitude.

Let's change this medieval superstition and let's have a great Friday 13th.

Onward and upward

How to make New Years resolutions and keep them

So you have set your goals for 2012 and you are determined to make them work. It's now the 6th of January and already some of the goals may be slipping by the wayside and you want to know why, with the best intentions in the world, you are unable to stick to your goals.

One of the best ways to keep and succeed at your goals is to make sure you have SMART goals.

1. Specific

A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six “W” questions:

*Who:         Who is involved?

*What:        What do I want to accomplish?

*Where:      Identify a location.

*When:       Establish a time frame.

*Which:      Identify requirements and constraints.

*Why:         Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of
                   accomplishing the goal.

A general goal would be, “Get in shape.” But a specific goal would say, “Join a health club and workout 3 days a week.” 

Getting specific will not only give you clarity of what’s required, but it will also make it less daunting because you have a specific area to focus on.

2. Measurable

Establish concrete criteria so you can evaluate your progress as you go. Break your big goal down into small targets that you can track.

 When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goal.

To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……

How much? How many?

How will I know when it is accomplished? 

3. Attainable

You want your goal to be a challenge, but also one that you truly believe is possible to achieve. Don’t say you’re going to write a book this summer if you know you’ve got speaking engagements every other week. Pick something reasonable that you could really see yourself achieving.

You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you grow and expand to match them. When you list your goals you build your self-image. You see yourself as worthy of these goals, and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them. 

4. Relevant

Your goals should feed into your main purpose, so you must get in touch with the underlying purpose tied to your goal. For example, if you want to grow your client list, your priority will be to spread the word. In this case, you’d want to use your ezine, social media, etc. to reach out to new prospects that are in your ideal target market.

Make sure you review your goals on a regular basis—at least once a month. That way you can track your progress, and ensure you’re actions are in line with your vision.

 A high goal is frequently easier to reach than a low one because a low goal exerts low motivational force. Some of the hardest jobs you ever accomplished actually seem easy simply because they were a labor of love.

5. Time-bound

Set a deadline for you to achieve your goal. It will give you a sense of urgency and also help you keep things in perspective in real time. 

With no time frame tied to it there’s no sense of urgency. If you want to lose 10 lbs, when do you want to lose it by? “Someday” won’t work. But if you anchor it within a timeframe, “by May 1st”, then you’ve set your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal.

Good luck for with 2012 resolutions and may they all come true for you