General Archives - Page 9 of 42 - Leads 2 Business Blog

2 Nov 2021

Coding Explained (for non Developers)

by Andile Shange | posted in: General | 1

A bunch of random numbers, gibberish that doesn’t make sense but can produce life-changing applications in desktop, mobile and webspace.

This is usually the flow in conversations I have with my non-developer friends when discussing computer programming. For non-developers, this world can be quite intimidating and understandably so I will use a simple Console App program, that calculates the end user’s age.

Let’s first identify all the tools we need to assemble a Console App program. So, all we need to install is Microsoft Visual Studio on our Windows system that meets the minimum requirements. Once installed, we can launch Microsoft Visual Studio and then create a Console Application project, selecting C# as our preferred programming language.

After which we will be presented with a similar code snippet, as below:

.Net Class Library – The “using” statement is used to import the .Net Framework modules that are required to run code on a Windows system.
Open & Close – We use containers a lot to segment code and these segments are scoped by open “{” and “}” close curly braces.
Namespace – This is a container that encapsulates classes.
Class – All code needs to be logically defined in a module called a “class”.
Method Name – This is the code block that contains all the statements and in a Console App program, this is the code block that gets executed first.
Comment – This is the non-executed text that is used to explain the source code.
Console.Write/WriteLine – “Console.Write” renders text inline and “Console.WriteLine” renders text on a new line.
Console.ReadLine – Gets user input.
int yourBirthYear – We declare a variable called “yourBirthYear” that stores an integer(numeric) value.
Convert.ToInt32 – A method used to convert text to an integer.
int yourAge = todaysYear – yourBirthYear – Finally we calculate your age, we take today’s year derived from the Windows system and then subtract the year captured by the end-user. The result gets stored in an integer variable called “yourAge”, which gets printed on the next line.

We can now press F5 to execute the above Console App program. Pending there are no errors in our source code, the below snippet will pop up. Prompting the end-user to enter the year there were born.

At this stage, we have successfully built our first computer program.

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About Andile Shange

I'm a Software Developer at Leads 2 Business since 02 June 2014.

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28 Oct 2021

L2B Opportunities created in the last 30 Days – October 2021

by Sasha Anderson | posted in: General | 0

Our comprehensive, online, resource platform delivers daily leads to help you make informed business decisions. Find construction Tenders and Projects within the building, infrastructure, mining, and industrial sectors. Opportunities are researched throughout South Africa and Africa. We put new business prospect leads within your reach.

Leads 2 Business Opportunities we have created in the last 30 Days: for more information check out our Pricing Page.

About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

26 Oct 2021

Stay Driven & Plan for 2022

by Robyn Moffett | posted in: General | 0

In order to stay driven and motivated at year-end, think back on what you have accomplished throughout the year so far.

Look at the goals you are near to achieving. Remind yourself how well you have done and how close you are to completing your goals. Motivational self-talk helps.

Lean on your Support System. Stay connected, stay in touch with friends and family that will keep you motivated and support you.

Remember to ask for help if you need it. Asking for help develops relationships, improves resilience, develops a growth mindset, improves mental health, and shows maturity.

When planning for 2022, don’t get discouraged; take smaller steps, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Make sure to give yourself time and space to accomplish your goals, be realistic.

Whenever you are setting goals, be willing to change the direction. Remember to plan and prioritize in order to keep things manageable.

Ask yourself: Is this goal relevant? Is this something I intend to accomplish in the future? What is the purpose of this goal? Is this goal reasonable and attainable?

Remember, motivation starts within. Find what works for you.

Never forget that you may fall and trip along the way, but keep your head up high and keep going! Stay focused on the bigger picture and visualize yourself succeeding.

About Robyn Moffett

I am a relaxed person that likes to get to know the people around me. I am independent and strong-willed but kind.

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19 Oct 2021

Technology for Small Businesses

by Michelle Crosby | posted in: General | 12

The best thing about technology is that we are able to connect and communicate with people from all over the world, right at our fingertips. Not only do we use this for ourselves but our business as well. Technology is an easy and great way to touch base with employees and clients. This gives your company a competitive edge and puts you in the lead. It is convenient, simple, cost-effective and economical for all companies.

Even something as simple as sending a company newsletter or email to customers can lead to the growth of your business.

Small businesses rely on technology to help them operate on a daily basis. This includes computers, printers, online storage and web-based applications.

10 Ways to Enhance a Small Business using Technology

1) Marketing Tactics

Small businesses would need to look at and compile some marketing techniques for their new business. Technology can assist you in honing in on those techniques/skills and help your company grow.

Simple and easy marketing ideas include the creation of a company website, reviewing and mastering your email skills, use of social media to promote your company etc.

Building your own company website will provide prospective and current clients with an idea of what your company does, where to locate you and how to contact you. A website makes your company look reputable, creditable and well established.

2) Social Media

In my opinion, using social media and digital marketing is the BEST way to grow a small business. Businesses are no longer physically advertised as there is no longer a need. It is more cost-effective and easier to use online technology.

Social media not only allows you to connect with people in your area but the whole world. Anyone is able to easily locate your company online and make contact with you at the click of a button.

With social media platforms, you can advertise and promote your business online. A new small business should create pages on various platforms whereby people can like, share, follow and interact with you. The most used platforms are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin and Google +

Whatsapp is also fast becoming a way of communication for a small business. Whatsapp has come up with a Business Whatsapp especially for this. Small businesses can track clients queries, orders and payments. You can also have your product list available for viewing or downloading.

Start a Company Blog, like us here at Leads 2 Business, where we relate to our business and clients.

Link all your apps and use your mobile to stay connected while on the go.

3) Remote Working

Thanks to the internet and technology, we are able to work from home and connect with like-minded people. With a new emerging small business, this is fantastic news as you are able to keep your start-up costs down as there is no need to rent a separate office space for you and your team.

The COVID-19 pandemic has added to the working remotely trend which has a range of pros including lowered costs, increased flexibility, greater productivity and increased wellbeing.

Technology allows you to connect with your team via Zoom or Teams or any other online platform where you can touch base or assist where need be. Not only with employees but clients and customers as well. You could also make use of a virtual phone number.

4) Productivity Techniques

Time management has always come into play when it comes to a business. There are many tools and apps available for time management/time tracking for small businesses. You can also make use of to-do lists, reminders and online calendars.

5) Technology Security

There are many benefits for a small business owner using technology to benefit and grow their company. One of the other benefits is improved security. The technology could be used to prevent hacking or any breach of security with active passwords and firewalls. It protects small businesses valuable and private information.

6) Cloud features.

A very beneficial tool of technology is the Cloud and Cloud features. This can reduce the number of software and computer applications your company needs in the long run. The Cloud is essential for data storage, backups, collection of documents, spreadsheets and images not only for the individual but for team collaborations/projects as well.

It is easily accessible by a shareable link which can be accessed by yourself and your team at any location on any device such as your mobile, laptop, PC or tablet.

7) Customer Service

I believe that customer service is a lifeline of any business. Clients are the ones who are investing their energy, time and money into your business. It is essential to take care of these clients and make them a priority and follow up with them making sure they are happy with the products and service they are receiving.

You can make contact with your clients via telephone or achieve this by using technology and social media. With Facebook, Linkedin other platforms there is an inbox messaging system that customers can use to enquire about your product. Facebook also is linked to your WhatsApp, so the customer can choose to whatsapp your business directly.

You can also set up a feedback or ticket system to handle customer concerns. Some features allow clients to request appointments online. You can also compile questionnaires & surveys to obtain customer feedback.

8) Emailing

An email is an ongoing form of communication that everyone uses. We need to look at how to control the influx of emails and work on improving our productivity. How to organise, tag, flag and reply to emails. Create a system that is tailor-made to your needs and suits you.

8.1. Turn off email notifications, on both your computer and mobile, after office hours to avoid disruptions and distractions.

8.2. Decide how to use your inbox. Using personalised colour coded tags works for me.

8.3. Update your Whitelists & Blacklists frequently. You can blacklist or block spam addresses as well as list safe addresses to ensure all important messages come through.

8.4. Unsubscribe to unwanted emails. Limit newsletters and automated messages that flood or take up your inbox.

8.5. Set up your email signature. Having a company email signature is super important and makes your company stand out. Start with the basics by including your full name, job title, company address, phone number and link to your website. In here you can add the social media icons of which platforms your company is on. You could also add an image, banner or GIF.

8.6. Email Etiquette can set you apart from the rest. It is simple yet effective.

– Use a simple catchy subject line.

– Use a standard font.

– Address your new customer formally

– Structure your message clearly.

– Always proofread your email carefully and use spell check

– Include your signature

9) Financial

There are many tools that you can use in your small business from helping you to identify wasteful spending within the company as well as provide diverse payment options.

– Credit cards are a great way of conducting money transactions. They are not connected to your bank accounts, making them very safe to use. A small business can apply for a Business Credit Card from their Bank or a preferred credit provider. FNB offers a great Business Credit Card solution with benefits and rewards. If there are any disputed transactions, your card issuer can freeze these transactions. If your card has been compromised, you will be notified via a fraud alert however, chip technology makes it harder to steal your credit card information.

– Online invoice service. This can reduce the costs incurred when collecting payment from customers

– Online budget app. Can help you keep onto of your expenses and see where all your money is going.

– File your taxes online and on time

– Create a new income stream by selling your products online on your website, Facebook and other platforms previously mentioned.

– Download accounting software to streamline your business finances. You can also share digital files with your accountant or bookkeeper.

– Offer your customers an online payment option for ease of payment.

– Use your phone to make payments. FNB offers a Virtual Card option whereby you tap your phone at places of business to make payments.

Close up hand of customer paying with a smartphone. Cashier hand holding credit card reader machine and wearing protective disposable gloves at the bar counter, while client holding the phone for NFC payment. Women wearing a face mask while paying bills with mobile phones during the Covid-19 pandemic.

10) Influencer Marketing

Consumer habits are moving away from the more traditional media like TV and Radio towards online content. The methods of promotion have also shifted and modernised. There are loads of influencers are on Facebook small businesses should take advantage of this opportunity and collaborate with these influencers to promote their company online. Like the comedian Kevin Fraser who promotes Westpack Lifestyle on Facebook.

Conclusion

While some people may not like change and find that this can confuse or be difficult, it also creates opportunities. Small businesses that use new technology have achieved a lot of positive outcomes such as happier clients and employees, efficient and streamlined processes, and lower costs and higher quality content.

Get with the times 😉

Sources
Finsmes
The Balance MB
Small Business
Industry Today
WW2

About Michelle Crosby

I started my journey at Leads 2 Business in the Directory Department in 2012. I was then promoted to the Private Projects Department in 2014 and was recently promoted to Projects HOD this year.

12 Oct 2021

Photography & Drones in Construction

by Claire Donaldson | posted in: Construction Chat | 0

You generally hear them before you see them. You tend to be looking here and there until you spot it. A splayed machine rising near vertically into your line of sight. Hovering. Until it banks and zooms off. No matter what innocuous activity I’m partaking in, I always squint in suspicion at our local neighborhood drone as it zips off over the farm. My dog also tends to get a bark in.

No matter how commonplace drones have become, they’re toys for crying out loud; they still give me the creeps. They do still have an air of science fiction about them. And we all know they have cameras.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s), commonly referred to as a drone, are considered aircraft without pilots on board. They are controlled by remote control by a human on the ground (I sincerely hope so, because I’ve seen that movie, and it does not end well for us). They were initially developed by the military, for less than savory undertakings “dull, dirty or dangerous”, but with the development of their technology, and the reduction of cost; their use expanded into non-military applications. They are used for aerial photography, agriculture, product delivery, surveillance and policing, an inspection of infrastructure, science, smuggling, and drone racing (because “of course they are”).

In South Africa, in the commercial sphere to legally operate, you are required to have a Remote Pilots License (RPL) and a ROC (Remote Operator Certificate). There are laws governing the flying of drones, and should you break the law you could be given a fine, have your drone confiscated, or go to jail.

They are, however, proving very useful in a variety of industries.

Drones are being used in the construction industry for inspections and to keep abreast of project progress, as well as to keep on top of site safety and security. Drones and aerial photography are proving cost-effective and efficient. They are used for land mapping and for ground assessment. And although aerial images from high up, and wide angles do come to mind, drones are also used for close-up inspections.

Drone photography is even being incorporated into CAD software. These images are being used for progress reports as well as for accurate measurements.

They are invaluable when it comes to marketing. Often the photographs captured via drones, are stunning. They are arresting not only in their composition but in their sheer uniqueness. We are not used to seeing the world from such an aerial perspective. Plus a lot of the time, the images are unobstructed.

A bird’s eye view has been replaced by a drone’s camera view.

Sources:
Fly Guys
Drone Photography Services
Wikipedia
Robert Lowdon
CAA
Law for All
Baithe

About Claire Donaldson

I started working at Leads 2 Business in February 2005, and have served as Head of Department of Daily Tenders from 2007 until the present. I oversee both the Daily Tenders South Africa and Africa Departments.

28 Sep 2021

Mind Strengthening: How to keep your head above the waves!

by Minnie Zondi | posted in: General | 2

How do you remain positive during unstable economic times and a global pandemic?
How do you stay sane during trying times?
How do you make your mind obedient?
How do you make your mind, mind?
By Taking Every Thought Captive!

I write this blog coming from a place where I have personally seen the face of mental illness and the battle for the mind. I battled with severe depression and anxiety for a number of years. Fortunately somewhere along the line, I found healing and in the process, I learned a few things about the mind and its power but moreover, I learned that all things were permissible in my mind but not everything was beneficial to me and I was determined to never be mastered by anything my mind willed.

In winning the battle for my mind. I went through vicious cycles that came in the form of meltdowns, relapses, and mistakes that happened after I had been momentarily volatile in stressful situations. I am aware that there is much material out there on this topic, but all I wish to do for this blog is give 3 principles that I used over the years and more frequently during the trial period of 2020 and 2021. I hope it helps someone as much as it has me.

1. Do not believe everything that you think

Sometimes what we think is far from true, the thoughts that appear in our minds do not always reflect or support the condition of reality and because of this, we should not assume that what we think is true regardless that it comes from within us. The world puts suggestions in our minds that are inaccurate, and we are flooded with those false ideas all the time and this results in corrupted minds that we should not always trust.

We tell ourselves things like ‘things aren’t as bad, things are better than they really are, ‘we’re doing okay/I am fine’ we tell ourselves ‘it’s no big deal,’ when it really is. I often advise against not allowing your emotions to feel what they need to. This is our body’s way of re-setting when it is overwhelmed. When you try to bypass that natural process, you cause worse damage. You would not continue driving an overheating car because the radiator can explode and the engine could catch fire, why would you do that to your body and mind!?

2. Guard your mind for it is the wellspring of life

‘The wise are always hungry for knowledge and the foolish feed on trash’

Just like there are three kinds of food for your physical body; food that makes you smart, junk food (simple calories), and toxic food (which is poisonous) the same is true in what you feed your mind. What you graze on [even in your spare time] all diligently develop and shape your thought processes and if it is garbage that you’re taking in, garbage will come manifest as involuntary actions. My advice would be to start filling your mind with things that develop your emotional intelligence. When confronted by difficulties, do not be anxious, but approach every situation with thanksgiving and try to find things you can be grateful for within the trouble. Try to learn not to resist against tough times, but rather re-channel towards gratefulness, this will turn your mind away from the things that could potentially crush your mind. It’s all about finding a positive perspective!

3. Stretch Your Mind

If we are going to fight the battle of the mind we need to learn how to stretch it – this is a crucial part of the battle.

The act of stretching the mind begins when we teach our minds to think BIGGER. Think beyond the current circumstances: Be a person with vision!

People with goals hardly perish because they have an overarching vision for their lives that serve as GPS coordinates that keep them in control even when skies are grey and overcast. Have goals, without them it is impossible to stay grounded when this world shakes you with uncertainty.

Concluding, I learned it was not enough just not to believe everything I thought. It was not enough just to guard my mind against the junk. I figured I needed to stretch my mind and imagination because I saw that I was faced with the constant need to outthink, out-dream, and outsmart this world and all its troubles.

I would say this to you as a reader, learn to push against internal and external resistance. Learn to endure the discomfort. Persevere through any current limitation until the discomfort decreases and the capacities to move forward increase. Do not give in to the part of you that offers all kinds of reasons for why you should give up. Strive, run the good race until it is finished.

Hold the vision and trust the process, this will give you hope. Hope will fuel your Heart. The Heart and all its good affections will overpower the mind. And in this peculiar coming together of the heart and mind, engaging your physical body you will find that you start receiving outward fuel that helps you get through each day.

Take it one step at a time, tomorrow will worry about its own problems.

Book Sources:
Not by Sight: A Fresh Look at Old Stories of Walking by Faith, Jon Bloom
Don’t Follow Your Heart: God’s Ways Are Not Your Ways, Jon Bloom
Think, John Piper
Craig Groeschel, Winning the War in Your Mind – Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life

About Minnie Zondi

I am an insanely optimistic ambivert that does everything from the heart instead of the mind. Deeply interested in people and matters that pertain to mankind.

14 Sep 2021

What happens when Your Computer connects to the Internet?

by Mark Meyer | posted in: General | 0

What happens Your Computer connects to the Internet?

Your PC needs to be connected to an AP via WIFI, CAT, or UTP cable to the WLAN or LAN.

DHCP will assign an IP to the PC using the MAC of the NIC which allows access to the LAN and, using NAT via the CGI, to the WAN.

TCP or UDP are core protocols of the Internet protocol suite. However, UDP does not provide the reliability and ordering guarantees that TCP does

For IP resolution; WWW, VPN, MX, AAAA, FTP, and HTTP/S also require a TXT entry in the DNS which is a requirement of the IETF and ISOC.

This is referred to as a DNS-SD unless a No TXT record has been specified then it is known as an NXDOMAIN.

Connecting to the WWW the DNS will resolve the IP using a TXT looking for an A record using HTTP or SSL enabled HTTPS.

When searching the WWW the website with the best SEO will display at the top of the SERP.

A website may be HTML or PHP or a standard WP, which may use JS, CSS, or JSON. Some even display CCTV.

A SQL or MySQL server will store the data usually hosted on a DMZ.

What happens when I send an email?

When you send an email, which may contain ASCII, DNS checks the NS and resolves using the MX record which looks for a PTR and will validate using SSL and TLS

which both require a valid DKIM in order for the DMARC to verify. Once verified, SMTP, POP, APOP, or IMAP protocols will retrieve or send your email where they are stored in a PST file on your local PC.

What happens when I make an internet telephone call?

This type of call is known as VOIP.

VOIP requires DNS SRV which specifies a unique host and port when signaling SIP or IAX protocols. The SRV record is named in the PTR.

This is important when using NAT from within a corporate LAN which forwards to the WAN using a public IP. QoS along with either a G729,

uLAW or aLaw codec is used to avoid JITTER. Remote extensions should connect using PPTP over VPN.

Essential IT Acronyms

AP – Access Point

CAT – Computer-aided translation

UTP – Unshielded Twisted Pair

MAC – Media Access Control

NAT – Network Address Translation

CGI – Computer-generated Imagery

UDP – User Datagram Protocol

AAAA – Authentication, Authorization, Accounting, and Address (Internet infrastructure)

IETF – Internet Engineering Task Force

ISOC – Information Security Operations Center

DNS-SD – DNS-Based Service Discovery

NXDOMAIN – Non-Existent Domain

DMZ – Demilitarized Zone

PTR – Public Test Realm

SRV – Service Record

AWS – Amazon Web Services

GCP – Google Cloud Platform

IG – Internet Gateway

SEO – Search Engine Optimization

SCM – Search Content Marketing

SEM – Search Engine Marketing

WP – WordPress

PPC – Pay Per Click

CPC – Cost Per Click

SERP – Search Engine Results Page

CTS – Click-Through Rate

CR – Conversion Rate

CPM – Cost Per Thousand Impressions

SVG – Scalable Vector Graphics

DMCA – Digital Millennium Copyright Act

CMS – Content Management System

CRO – Conversion Rate Optimization

CTA – Call to Action

CTR – Click Through Rate

PR – PageRank

ROI – Return on Investment

UI/UX – User Interface/User Experience

SEA – Search Engine Advertising

SMO – Social Media Optimization

SMM – Social Media Marketing

SERM – Search Engine Reputation Management

AMA – Ask Me Anything

B2B – Business to Business

B2C – Business to Consumer

CX – Customer Experience

GA – Google Analytics

SMP – Social Media Platform

ToS – Terms of Service

UA – Universal Analytics

CPL – Cost Per Lead

NPS – Net Promoter Score

QDD – Query Deserves Diversity

QDF – Query Deserves Freshness

HITS – Hyperlink-Induced Topic Search

LSI – Latent Semantic Indexing

PBN – Private Blog Network

AI – Artificial Intelligence

IMS – Intelligent Maintenance Systems

ML – Machine Learning

NI – Natural Intelligence

MI – Machine Intelligence

SR – Speech Recognition

M2M – Machine to Machine

SQL – Structured Query Language

DQL – Data Query Language

DDL – Data Definition Language

DML – Data Manipulation Language

PHP – Hypertext Preprocessor

HTML – Hypertext Markup Language

JS – JavaScript

CSS – Cascading Style Sheets

API – Application Programming Interface

XML – Extensible Markup Language

XHTML – Extensible Hypertext Markup Language

JSON – JavaScript Object Notation

EOF – End Of File

ASCII – American Standard Code for Information Interchange

I/0 – Input & Output

IPSec – Internet Protocol Security

SSE – Server-Side Encryption

SSL – Secure Socket Layer

WAF – Web Application Firewall

DMARC – Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance

OSS – Open Source Software

SSD – Solid-state Drive

RAM – Random-access Memory

SLA – Service Level Agreement

OLA – Operational-level Agreement

SSO – Single Sign-On

UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply

DC – Data Center

GUI – Graphical User Interface

BI – Business Intelligence

IT – Information Technology

DW – Data Warehouse

DNS – Domain Name System

HTTP – HyperText Transport Protocol

HTTPS – HyperText Transport Protocol Secure

LAN – Local Area Network

WAN – Wide Area Network

DHCP – Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

TCP – Transmission Control Protocol

IP – Internet Protocol

WWW – World Wide Web

IoT – Internet Of Things

D2D – Device to Device

VPN – Virtual Private Network

BGP – Border Gateway Protocol

VLAN – Virtual Local Area Network

ICMP – Internet Control Message Protocol

LB – Load Balancer

SMTP – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

FTP – File Transfer Protocol

RDP – Remote Desktop Protocol

NIC – Network Interface Card

ISP – Internet Service Provider

URL – Uniform Resource Locator

PDF – Portable Document Format

IE – Internet Explorer

DM – Direct Message

FB – Facebook

PM – Private Message

QoS – Quality of Service

MIME – Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions

POP – Post Office Protocol

IMAP – Internet Message Access Protocol

MX – Mail Exchange

PPTP – Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol

WPAN – Wireless Personal Area Network

WLAN – Wireless Local Area Network

About Mark Meyer

I joined Leads 2 Business in February 2009 and serve as IT Director.

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7 Sep 2021

Buildings of the Future

by Devika Suresh | posted in: General | 0

The world is changing at an exponential rate and science-fiction is fast becoming science-fact.

We are moving toward an increasingly digital, interconnected society, and with it comes the realisation that everything we know will change.

Compared to other industries, the built environment has been slower to react to this change. Buildings will be built using organic methods that allow for better energy efficiency, less pollution, and even less invasive impact on the environment. The future of construction will focus on efficiency, environmental awareness, and safer practices and reduce health and safety issues.

Let’s explore…

These are few Buildings in the future in Dubai


	Future Dubai Building (Foto von Isaiah) Zayed National Museum

By 2025, 25% of Dubai’s new buildings will be made using 3D printers.

The aim of the 3D-printing strategy is to reduce labor by 70 % and cut costs by 90 % as well as solve the emerging homelessness crisis.

The above photo is of pictures of buildings of the future, with 71% of the Earth’s surface covered in water, and the threat of rising sea levels, innovative inventors and architects are looking to aquatic crafts as the next logical step forward for the future of human living.

These are just some concepts that could take to the seas in the near future.

Sources:
Youtube
Aurecon
Smart City Hub

About Devika Suresh

I started at Leads 2 Business in January 2010 (12 Years ago). I am presently Deputy HOD of L2Q. I started in the Daily Tenders Bills department and worked my way up to the L2Q department.

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31 Aug 2021

Iconic African Buildings

by Caroline Clark | posted in: General | 4

As we know South Africa is known for its diversity and extraordinary views, Often when people think of Africa, they think of wide-open spaces, breathe taking sunsets and animals running free in our back gardens, overlooking the beautifully architectonic Iconic buildings throughout Africa.

Take a look at the 5 Iconic Buildings below, do you have any you’d add to the list?

1. Bosjes Chapel / Steyn Studio – Witzenberg, Western Cape, RSA

Photo by Adam Letch
Architects: Steyn Studio Area: 430 m3
Address: Breederiver Valley, R43, Witzenberg Municipality, South Africa
Set within a vineyard in South Africa, is designed by South-African-born Coetzee Steyn of London-based Steyn Studio.

2.The Big Pineapple House – Bathurst, Eastern Cape, RSA

The structure is 55ft high
Consists of four floors containing a gift shop, a museum that houses the history of pineapple farming in South Africa

3. The Castle of Good Hope – Cape Town, Western Cape, RSA

Coordinates: 33°55′33″S 18°25′40″E
Built:1666–1679
History: Battles/wars – Second Boer War
Build in the 17th century in Cape Town, South Africa. In 1936 the Castle was declared a historical monument (now a provincial heritage site) and following restorations in the 1980s it is considered the best-preserved example of a Dutch East India Company fort.

4. Great Mosque of Djenné – Djenné, Mali, West Africa

The Great Mosque of Djenné is the largest mud- or earth-brick building in the world and is widely acknowledged to be the greatest achievement of Sudano-Sahelian architectural style
Rebuilt/refurbished 3 times due to heavy rains in West Africa

4: Basilica of Our Lady of Peace – Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa

“Basilica in the Bush” is the largest church in the world.
This is a presidential project, commissioned by the first president of Ivory Coast, Felix Houphouët-Boigny, who was 83 at the time.

5. Independence Square – Accra, Republic of Ghana, West Africa

Black Star Square, is the second-largest square in the world after Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China.
Completed in 1961, the square was commissioned by Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah.

As we can see The architectural differences and historical differences in these buildings are just another example of how diverse South Africa and Africa really are. These iconic buildings give our tourist industry insight into our culture and history.

Did you know: South Africa is the only country in the world with three Capital cities?

Sources:
Arch Daily
The Guardian
Wikipedia
Pinterest
The Guardian
Expat Explore
Architecture Around the World