News in brief: Deadline for innovateAfricaFund proposals on 1 December; Price Check dishes advice on how to shop smart this Black Friday. Jacaranda FM’s Carols by Candlelight has stellar cast this year. And Wola Nani is holding a fund raiser at Howard Centre in Cape Town.
Deadline for innovateAfricaFund proposals draws near
The deadline for submissions for grants from the new innovateAfricaFund is drawing closer, with 1 December the cut-off date for pitches for projects. innovateAFRICA will provide grants from $12 500 to $100 000 for projects judged to have the best chance to strengthen and transform African news media. Grantees will also receive technical advice from civic technology laboratories across the continent, along with startup support and one-on-one mentoring from the world’s top media experts.
Projects can range from new ‘digitally native’ journalism start-ups, to ideas for improving the reach and impact of legacy media operations. Projects that tackle journalism’s changing role as a civic watchdog will receive special attention.
Proposals may be submitted by digital news pioneers from anywhere in the world, but entries must have an African media partner who will help co-develop and test the innovation and who will deploy the project for African audiences.
Entries must be submitted to the innovateAFRICA website by midnight (Central African Time) on December 01, 2016.
How to shop smart and safe this Black Friday
With Black Friday edging closer, shoppers can look forward to great online deals and discounts on retail’s most beloved day. Riding on the back of positive growth and momentum in local e-commerce, the famous U.S. shopping tradition (falling on 25 November) has caught on among local consumers – and 2016 is expected to be the best Black Friday yet.
“Savvy shoppers can really get a lot out of Black Friday in South Africa, particularly if they are prepared and they know how to recognise and identify the best deals,” says Kevin Tucker, founder of leading product discovery and comparison service, PriceCheck. “We are expecting a 30-50% increase in online retail sales on the day, so it is important that shoppers understand how to navigate local e-commerce sites safely and seamlessly.”
To simplify this process for consumers, PriceCheck is running themed Black Friday deals and promotions from Monday, 21 November through to Friday, 25 November. The PriceCheck deal categories will be Fashion & Accessories (21st); Kids & Family (22nd); Toys & Gadgets (23rd); Health & Beauty (24th); Black Friday (25th) and on Monday the 28th, Cyber Monday, which has become famous for discounts on popular tech products.
Stellar cast for Carols by Candlelight
A stellar cast – including Lloyd Cele, Kurt Darren, Elvis Blue, Charlize Berg and Swing City in Pretoria, and ChianoSky, Lloyd Cele, Richard Stirton, Ross from Prime Circle, Kahn from the Parlotones, Charlize Berg and Swing City in Johannesburg – will join voices with the Soweto Gospel Choir for the 2016 Jacaranda FM and SPAR Carols by Candlelight.
This will take place at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on 1 December and at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on 3 December. Entry is free but attendees are encouraged to bring a toy (not wrapped), which will be delivered to three selected charity organisations – Child Welfare Tshwane, Heartbeat and Hanna Charities.
Gates open 16h00, event starts 19h00 – 21h00
Wola Nani fund-raising book sale at Howard Centre
A charity book sale supporting Wola Nani is being held at Howard Centre in Pinelands from Thursday 24 November to Tuesday 29 November. Books, CDs and DVDs will be available at the pop-up fundraiser, with proceeds going to support the NGO’s work with women, orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) affected by the Aids crisis.
The sale will offer a broad variety of well-ordered reading matter with curated fiction selections for South African authors, classics, contemporary crime writing, vintage detective fiction, thrillers, historical fiction, sci fi/adult fantasy, romance and children’s.
The sale will be 09:00-18:00 (Monday – Friday) and from 09:00- 15:00 (Saturday & Sunday) giving shoppers all the time they need to browse the curated selection of stock.
“Wola Nani” is an isiXhosa term that loosely translates “to embrace”. Established in 1994, the non-profit organisation is committed to assisting people living with HIV/Aids, to be able to help and support themselves and to offer aid and relief to HIV stricken communities.
