Sanlam Reality

Father’s Day break aways – The Blue Train and Zimbali Lodge

Reality — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:58:03 +0000

This package includes return overnight journey on the Blue Train (2 nights, inclusive of all meals and drinks), 2 nights’ accommodation at Fairmont Zimbali including breakfast, a Spa voucher to use at Willows Stream Spa to the value of R550, meal vouchers of R550 per guest to be used at any of the restaurants at Fairmont Zimbali.

Sanlam Reality Price: From R11 500 per person sharing
Normal Price: From R15 060 per person sharing
You save: From R3 560 per person sharing

Validity of offer: This offer is valid for the following travel dates; 06 – 10 September 2012 & 22 – 26 November 2012

To book call Superior Choices at 012 460 1050

Terms and conditions: Subject to availability. Standard terms and conditions apply.

Father’s Day break aways – Tshwene & Ekuthuleni Lodges – Welgevonden Private Game Reserve, Limpopo *****

Reality — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:37:55 +0000

The Welgevonden Private Game Reserve is a malaria free game reserve and a mere 2.5 hours’ drive from Gauteng. Welgevonden is home to over 50 different mammals, including the Big Five, and boasts one of the largest populations of white rhino on a private reserve anywhere in Africa.

This package includes 2 night’s accommodation at any one of the two lodges with 3 meals daily, 2 Game Drives and all teas & coffees per couple

Sanlam Reality Price: From R3 500 per person sharing
Normal Price: From R5 400 per person sharing
You save: From R1 900 per person sharing

Validity of offer: This offer is valid from 1 June to 31 August 2012.

To book call Superior Choices at 012 460 1050

Terms and conditions: Subject to availability. Standard terms and conditions apply. Surcharge for children could apply.

Father’s Day break aways – Pepper Club Hotel & Spa – Cape Town

Reality — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:19:52 +0000

When it comes to receiving the best luxury treatment around, the Pepper Club Hotel & Spa in the city centre of cosmopolitan Cape Town doesn’t disappoint. Awarded the CNN Traveler award for best luxury hotel in South Africa in 2011, the Pepper Club Hotel & Spa garnered this award for it’s ‘fine dining, world class amenities, slick management’ and a Rolls Royce Phantom chauffeur service to it’s very own second location, the Pepper Club on the Beach!

This weekend fly-in package includes return flights from OR Tambo on 1time, two days’ Budget car hire, two nights’ accommodation and breakfast daily.

Sanlam Reality Price: R6 250 per couple
Normal Price: R7 685 per couple
You save: R1 435

Validity of offer: This offer is valid from 1 June to 31 August 2012.

To book call Superior Choices at 012 460 1050

Terms and conditions: Subject to availability. Standard terms and conditions apply. Excluding long weekends, peak periods and school holidays. Extra surcharge will apply to flights booked after 12 noon on Fridays and Sundays.

Father’s Day break aways – The Cape Royale Hotel – Cape Town

Reality — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:47:14 +0000

Why not spoil your family at the Award Winning Cape Royale Luxury Hotel and Spa? Situated along the tree-lined boulevard of Green Point, known as the artistic quarter of Cape Town. From the grand and elegant façade and entrance to the intimate and relaxed atmosphere of the designer-furnished suites, the Cape Royale is the first choice for discerning travelers seeking the very best in comfort and convenience.

This fly-in package includes 2 night’s accommodation in a Two Bedroom Deluxe Suite for 2 adults and 2 children under the age of 16, breakfast daily, free luxury transfers within a 5km radius, 24 hour gym access, butler service, Wi-Fi and business centre access, Budget car hire and return flights. 2 Children under 16 stay for free.

Sanlam Reality Price: R3 250 per person sharing
Normal Price: R6 900 per person sharing
You save: From R3 650 per person sharing

Validity of offer: This offer is valid from 1 June to 31 August 2012.

To book call Superior Choices at 012 460 1050.

Terms and conditions: Standard terms and conditions apply. Excluding long weekends, peak periods and school holidays. Extra surcharge will apply to flights booked from Cape Town or after 12 noon on Fridays and Sundays. Children’s flights not included.

Father’s Day break aways – Beverley Hills Hotel – Umhlanga

Reality — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:35:14 +0000

The sun-drenched coastline of Umhlanga Rocks Durban, is one of the premier coastal locations in South Africa, and sets a spectacularly romantic setting for the Beverly Hills Hotel.

This weekend fly-in package includes return flights from OR Tambo on 1time, two days’ Budget car hire, 2 nights’ accommodation and breakfast daily.

Sanlam Reality Price: R3 500 per person sharing
Normal Price: R5 250 per person sharing
You save: From R1 750 per person sharing

Validity of offer: This offer is valid from 1 June – 31 August 2012, subject to availability.

To book call Superior Choices at 012 460 1050.

Funeral peace of mind

Reality — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:41:54 +0000

Have you ever wondered about the financial wellbeing of your domestic worker – and what would happen to their dependents if they had no breadwinner? Gillian Samuels comes up with a plan.

Every Friday morning, Yandisa, my domestic worker arrives at my door and prepares for the day’s chores. I don’t know what I’d do without her.

Funerals are a large part of Xhosa culture, with vast amounts of ill-afforded cash splashed out. The funeral is a display of respect for the deceased, Yandiswa explained to me. “It shows the community that the life now departed had value and will be missed.”

It is significant that in South Africa you can buy a funeral plan in a supermarket. The icover Funeral Plan is available for R9,95. I bought a pack and took it home to study. There are three funeral insurance plans to choose from, total self- service, no harassment by a single salesperson. And right there in my local Checkers store.

THE FUNERAL IS A DISPLAY OF RESPECT FOR THE DECEASED … IT SHOWS THE COMMUNITY THAT THE LIFE NOW DEPARTED HAD VALUE

All Yandisa had to do was choose one of the three funeral plans from the pack; take the appropriate policy card and her ID book to the Money Market in-store at any Shoprite or Checkers and activate the policy immediately. She didn’t have to fill in any forms or take any medical tests. Once activated, she could then continue to pay the monthly premiums for the policy at the Money Market whenever she was in the store. So there was no need for her to have a bank account.

The premiums seemed quite affordable – R64,94 a month for a family funeral covering the policy owner, her spouse and all their children, R44,95 a month for a single adult and her children, or R20 for one month’s accidental death cover of R15 000 for a single adult.

The R20 prepaid accidental death product seemed to be a bit like buying pay-as-you-go airtime. I could afford to pay it every time Yandisa got on a long-distance bus or taxi. She and I have come to an agreement – I cover half of the funeral premium each month, as long as she keeps up the premium payments. I reckon that’s a small price to pay for peace of mind. And a tiny act of kindness for someone who takes great care to keep my home sparkling clean and my mountain of ironing, just a little hill.

For more info on the icover Funeral Plan, pick up a starter pack at Shoprite or Checkers stores nationwide or go to www.icover.co.za where full details of the policy are available in six languages. Alternatively, contact the Sanlam Call Centre on 0860-726-526 or visit www.sanlam.co.za

Where to invest

Reality — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:33:06 +0000

Credit crunch, global economic meltdown, the threat of bank failures and governments defaulting on their debt – we’ve heard the horror stories and we’ve felt the effects on our purses as the petrol price skyrockets. Candice Paine of Sanlam Investment Management discusses wise options for your nest egg.

Given the pressure that capitalism has recently been under, it’s little wonder that anybody is considering putting their money anywhere except under the old mattress. So, what are the options?

THE STOCK MARKET

History has shown that even during volatile and uncertain market conditions, investing in the stock exchange over a long period (at least five years) will render better returns than if you had just left your money in an interest-bearing bank account. The present crunch is not the first time the world has confronted such hefty challenges – and it is unlikely to be the last.

Investments in shares mean you are at risk of losing some money over shorter periods – particularly when markets are as volatile as they were last year. Stock-market investing requires patience and diligence. Once you have decided on a strategy and time horizon, wait it out and let the plan unfold.

TIMING IS CRUCIAL

One factor that plays an essential role in determining prospective returns is the value of the stock when you buy it. An overvalued equity will give little or no return but you can earn attractive returns if you buy them when they are cheap. Investing when stocks are overvalued, as they were in mid-2007, means you could wait a long time to make back the capital you lost during the subsequent bear market. Conversely, if you have spare cash, now is a potentially good time to buy equities because they offer fair value, which means they are priced in line with their underlying worth – neither cheap nor expensive.

UNIT TRUSTS ARE A WAY INTO THE JSE

So, how does the average layman access the stock market? Unit trusts are the most popular way of investing in equities because, for a relatively small sum of money, you get exposure to a basket of shares that have been picked by professional investors. Buying individual shares requires much more investment and insight. Unit trust schemes are more accessible because they pool investors’ money and invest it collectively in shares, giving you the benefits of scale and proven investment expertise for a reasonable fee.

SIT TIGHT

Once you’ve decided on what unit trusts to buy, preferably in conjunction with your financial planner who will help you navigate the vast unit-trust universe, stick to your guns. It takes time to unlock the value of investing in the stock market and constantly shuffling your portfolio erodes the potential benefits of investing in equities in the first place.

Please note: These are only suggestions on investment management. It is advisable to consult your adviser or broker if you are not sure about the best way to invest your money.

For more information, contact Sanlam Investment Management on 021-916-1800 or email services@sci.sanlam.com. Alternatively visit www.sim.sanlam.com.

In the shadow of Irma Stern

Reality — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:26:13 +0000

After studying agriculture in her native London, Freida Lock switched to painting in 1932 when her family immigrated to a fruit farm in Stellenbosch. Farming was never for Freida who, throughout her painting career, maintained a Bohemian lifestyle, interacting with her artistic contemporaries. She left South Africa after the Second World War and died penniless in Italy. Interior is a superb example of her capabilities as a painter. The broad, vigorous brush strokes using striking colour demonstrate her self-assured approach to enlivening a simple domestic scene – probably her home at the time. Freida never achieved the notoriety or acclaim enjoyed by her contemporary Irma Stern, although many of her works are the equal of Stern’s in composition, paint handling and juxtaposition of colours. For many years, her paintings remained largely unknown and were rarely exhibited, however, recently her work has been re-evaluated and her best paintings have sold for well over R1 million at auction. Freida joins an illustrious list of artists who are being recognised and celebrated only many decades after their death. Those collectors who had the foresight to acquire her work in her lifetime have many reasons to celebrate.

Stefan Hundt is the Curator at the Sanlam Art Collection.

An artistic perspective

Reality — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:13:03 +0000

Marianne Podlashuc emigrated from Holland just after the Second World War and settled in Bloemfontein, where she met her husband-to-be, Alexander. The two painters became a celebrated pair who collaborated with Father Frans Claerhout, Eben van der Merwe, Renee le Roux and Rosemary Budler to form the core of what became known as the Bloemfontein Group in 1958. The Bloemfontein Group served as an inspiration for many aspiring artists in the Free State. Marianne’s early stylistic conventions drew from her experiences in America where she encountered the works of Ben Shahn and other regional painters who focused on local subject matter and the societal collapse among the poor in America’s major cities. Marianne’s paintings from the 1960s to the 1980s reflected similar concerns when she painted the people and places of Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.

The Weather Cock is an exaggerated view of Cape Town from the Tamboers- kloof home she and Alexander shared. You would imagine the depiction was of somewhere in Durbanville, but it is, of course, the privilege of the artist to bend and adapt visual reality to emphasise the experience of looking. The painting also exhibits a humorous side, with the exaggerated size of the weathercock that needs to be installed on the apex of the roof, which looks far too small and sharp.

Stefan Hundt is the Curator at the Sanlam Art Collection.

Teens shine at cancer challenge

Reality — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:15:25 +0000

After 800 club competitions featuring about 37 000 golfers, two teenagers won the overall men’s and women’s titles in the Sanlam Cancer Challenge.

Thirteen-year-old Shawnelle de Lange from Fochville and 15-year-old Benji van de Rheede from Kleinzee emerged victorious from the total of 99 golfers who qualified for the finals at the Gary Player Country Club and Lost City Golf Course. Shawnelle, a six handicap from Goldfields West Golf Club, won with a total of 74 points that also earned her a win in the A Division. “It was a great competition and I had to fight off a lot of challengers,” she said. “At the end of the day, I managed to hold it together at the Gary Player. I’m thrilled to bits about winning; it’s the biggest achievement of my career. The only down side is now they have cut my handicap to five.”

Benji van de Rheede, a 21 handicap from Kleinzee Golf Club, took the honours with 75 points in the C Division.

He was understandably nervous about playing the Gary Player Country Club course for the first time in his life, so he prepared the only way he knew how – by playing a computer game. “I play the Gary Player layout on a game at home all the time, so I thought I would be okay,” he said. But he did admit: “Playing this course was a bit of a wake-up call”.

Both Shawnelle and Benji were inspired to enter Africa’s biggest amateur tournament by their own experiences with cancer. “My younger sister Monique passed away last

November after a long battle with leukemia and I entered in her honour,” said Shawnelle, the youngest finalist this year.

“I also wanted to win so I could create awareness about cancer among teenagers. Sometimes people don’t beat cancer, but I want them to know that if you are aware and informed about the risks, you can fight it and live to tell the story.”

Benji was playing as a tribute to his mother. “My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, but she received treatment and is still in remission. When I entered the club competition I told her I was going all the way and I would win this for her, because this tournament raises money for a great cause.

TAKING A SWING AT CANCER

Since its launch in 1993, the Sanlam Cancer Challenge has raised R26 million for the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA). This year, despite some tough economic conditions, golfers from around South Africa dug deep into their pockets and helped to raise R2,5 million.

“We are delighted that South Africa’s golfers have thrown their full support behind this worthy cause. It was an absolute pleasure to host the finalists at Sun City, but I’d also like to express our sincere gratitude to every golfer around the country who took the time to play in their club competition and helped to raise funds for CANSA.That’s what this event is all about,” said Gary van Loggerenberg, Sanlam’s Sponsorship Manager.