23 June 2016

8 Talk of the Town ADVERTISING / NEWSDESK: (046) 624 4356 Find us on Facebook
June 23, 2016
Port Alfred
BUSINESSFORUM
Bulk up on your
retirement fund
Channel more income to your RA
THERE has never been
a better time than now
to bulk your retirement
savings Sanlam
financial planner at
Strata BlueStar
Financial Solutions in
Port Alfred, Sticks
Stiglingh says.
The taxable
deductions have
increased to 27.5% of
individuals’ gross
taxable income, and if
you are saving
through a retirement
annuity (RA); that
means getting an
extra 12.5% tax
deduction if you
choose to contribute
up to the allowed
limit.
Previously, you
could contribute up to
15% of your annual
taxable income to your
RA, but now that this
has been increased, it
means you may defer
more of your income
tax to after retirement,
since this contribution
is made from your
pre-tax income. This is
a major benefit as
your individual tax
rate, rebates and
allowable deductions
will be more
favourable at
retirement than now.
Stiglingh believes
that a retirement
annuity is one of the
best vehicles to use
for retirement savings
because, apart from
the fact that it saves
you income tax during
your working years, it
also earns tax-free
investment returns.
Furthermore, funds
accumulated in an RA
are exempt from
estate duty and are
protected from
creditors.
RAs have evolved a
lot over the years to
appeal to a wide
investor audience.
Sanlam’s Cumulus
Echo RA, for instance,
offers a bonus for
every single payment
you make. This is a
very appealing factor
and is particularly
popular among
younger investors.
Sanlam designs
products with people’s
needs as well as their
challenges in mind.
We know that many
people find it
challenging to
continue investing
once they have started
a savings plan. This is
why our Cumulus Echo
RA includes an
incentive bonus
structure that rewards
people for staying the
course. The more and
longer you save, the
higher the bonus.
Contact Stiglingh on
(046) 624-4948/
071-612-7339 or
sticks@
stratabluestar.co.za fo r
expert advice.
Sanlam is a licensed
financial services
p r o v i d e r.
Catch up with what’s happening on the PA business front
New primary school is opening in Kenton
A NEW era of education and
learning is set to commence
in Kenton early next year
when new school Bushwillow
Primary School is opening its
doors in January providing
primary education from Grade
R to Grade 7 to Kenton and
surrounding communities.
The main aim of the school
is to create a learning
environment that is sensitive
to each child's learning style
and needs. The school
curriculum is focused on
holistic development of
children, nurturing curiosity,
critical thinking, self-initiative,
problem solving and
creativity in the learners’
approach to the work.
“Children most effectively
learn through play and
discovery. At Bushwillow
Primary School we want to
nurture their natural love for
learning,” teacher Jessica van
Graan said.
The school is organising its
first fundraiser, a five-day
holiday camp from July 4 to
8, for children aged six to 12
at Beehaven smallholding,
2km outside Kenton-on-Sea.
Advanced life support with Holistic EMS
JON HOUZET
A NEW private
ambulance service,
Holistic EMS
(Emergency Medical
Services), opened in
Port Alfred last week.
They offer advanced
life support, 24 hour
emergency care in
medical and trauma,
ICU transfers, events,
The camp offers a range of
activities, including kayaking
on the Bushman’s River,
bamboo lantern making,
wood work, fishing, dancing
workshop, art lessons, bird
walks and drumming around
the fire.
Anouk Verheijen, one of the
initiators of Bushwillow
Primary and a camp
counsellor, said the camp
focuses on each individual
child's needs within the group
and first aid training.
Holistic EMS is
headed by Karen
Romans, an advanced
life support
paramedic. Romans
obtained a national
diploma in emergency
medical care and
rescue at Durban
University of
Technology, and has a
BTech partner and two
NEW LEARNING: Bushwillow Primary School is set to open in
January and will offer a child-centred educational environment
consulting doctors.
Romans said she
has a silent partner
who comes from a
d i s a d va n t a g e d
background, whose
motivation was to
provide education and
training opportunities
for the community.
“We chose the name
Holistic because we
care for the body, mind
and spirit of the
person, and because of
our desire to give back
to the community.
We ’re starting small
but our goal is to have
two ambulances in
Port Alfred,” she said.
“I moved here in
November last year.
We recognised the
need for an advanced
life support
ambulance service,”
Romans said.
“We visited many
towns to see where
there was a need. We
recognised a gap in
the market and reports
of poor service
delivery in this area.”
Romans related the
story of a local woman
who was having a
setting, and offers the
opportunity for each child to
build self confidence as they
learn new skills.
The camp fee for five days
is R1 500 including food and
a c c o m m o d at i o n .
Day tickets are available at
R300. Bookings can be made
till June 29.
For further information,
contact Verheijen at
Anouk@bushwillow.co.za or
07 1 - 6 2 8 - 6 6 5 6 .
heart attack driving
herself to Greenacres
Hospital in Port
Elizabeth, as she had
called for help but no
ambulances came to
her aid. Another man
told of how often the
community had to
transport ill relatives
in their private
vehicles because
ambulances don’t
arrive after hours of
wa i t i n g .
Romans has
previous experience
working for
Government EMS,
Netcare and ER24,
and has been in the
emergency care
industry for 32 years.
She was one of the
pioneers of the
motorcycle response
unit at Netcare in
Pretoria.
“At Holistic EMS
we’ve got top of the
range equipment. We
can respond to
neonatal and ICU
transfers, cardiac
arrest, motor vehicle
accidents, drownings,
any type of trauma
and medical
emergencies, ” she
said.
“We have a fully
equipped and manned
ambulance and a
response vehicle with
advanced life support
– the vehicle I’m in.
“I’m a really
passionate paramedic
–I will make sure my
staff and I offer
excellent service
delivery and patient
care, always putting
the patient’s best
interest first,” she
said.
Their office number
is 063-460-0042, or
e-mail
info@holistic-ems.co.za or
k a re n ro m a n s 6 2 @ g m a i l . c o m