I'm AfriCan from Gqeberha, South Africa and 100% Nelson Mandela Bay. But wait, there is more. See MyNMB.co.za/z/ for short, sharp news from my hood.
Articles by Alan Straton
Top Click Explains Who Its SEO and Google Ads Service Is For
This October, Top Click is telling South African businesses plainly that it is not the right agency for everyone. Spring and the approach to year end are when many companies reassess who handles their marketing, so the search specialist has published a frank account of the clients it accepts, the ones it turns away, and exactly what those it does take on can expect. There is a practical motive behind it.
Sky Dental Helps Sandton Plan Cosmetic Care Before December
Sandton, October 2026. Year-end functions, family reunions and holiday photographs are only weeks away, and Sky Dental is urging anyone who has been quietly considering a better smile to book that first conversation now instead of leaving it to the busy final stretch of the year. Located at 150 Rivonia Road, the practice has served the Sandton community since 2012 and provides general, cosmetic, implant and full smile rehabilitation care under one roof. There is a practical reason for the timing.
H2O Guru Offers SANS1657 Bottled Water Testing for Summer
October is the month to get SANS1657 bottled water testing done, according to H2O Guru. The SANAS-accredited water testing laboratory works with clients throughout South Africa and is urging water bottlers, refill stations and businesses that sell purified water to book now. Spring is in full swing and summer is on its way, and that is when demand for bottled and purified water usually climbs.
Does Your Finance Team Spend More Time Preparing Reports Than Analysing Them?
Johannesburg: College Africa Group | Executive Question of the Week Every month, finance departments across South Africa face a familiar challenge. They must collect, reconcile, check, and present financial information to management. Deadlines approach, spreadsheets multiply, and experienced finance professionals spend valuable hours preparing reports.
Acepak Showcases Pouch Fillers for Liquid and Food Producers
This October, Acepak is turning attention to its pouch filling machines. The family-owned Cape Town company builds end-of-line packaging machines and turnkey systems, and every pouch filler it sells is designed, engineered, assembled and tested at its South African head office.
Wendys Online Puts Timber Quality First for Garden Storage
Spring has properly arrived in Gauteng, and with it come the warmer weekends when families finally clear out garages, sort the garden and deal with the bikes, tools and pool gear that collected over winter. This October, Wendys Online, a Boksburg manufacturer and installer of timber structures serving the whole province, wants buyers to ask one thing before they pay for anything: what is this structure built from?
Drakenzicht: Pools, Braai Rooms and a Pre-school in Paarl
Families hoping to settle into a new Paarl home before the long summer break have a fresh reason to look at Drakenzicht, the luxury estate Legaro Property Development has built on Lustigan Road. Released in PAARL in October 2026, as spring in the Cape Winelands gives way to summer, this announcement highlights the family-focused design behind the estate.
Zero Debt Points South Africans to Free Debt Calculators
School fees, December getaways and festive shopping all arrive in the last quarter of the year, and Zero Debt wants South African households to check their finances now, before those costs pile up. The debt counselling company, which is registered with the National Credit Regulator (NCR), has four free online calculators on its website. It recommends them as a simple first step for anyone who thinks their debt may be getting out of hand.
What if We Had Click Bait Writers When the Telephone Was Invented?
Table of Contents Toggle Did our great grandparents view the invention of the telephone with the same trepidation that we view AI with today? Imagine if a present day click bait author was tasked to write about the telephone? I think it may go something like this: By a Tech Columnist Who Just Had Their Mind Blown I’ve seen the future, and it arrives through a copper wire.
Cloud Camper Matches Rooftop Tents to Group Size for Summer
Ask any South African family what happens in October and many will say the same thing: the December holiday stops being an idea and becomes a plan. Leave gets approved, campsite bookings open and someone eventually asks where everyone is going to sleep once the car is packed. Johannesburg outfitter Cloud Camper, which sells rooftop tents, awnings and vehicle camping equipment, is making that decision easier by pairing each tent in its range with the size of the group it is meant to carry.
Gold&I Jewellery Featured at the Pause Floral Workshops in Paarl
Flowers and jewellery have shared a wedding day for as long as there have been brides. The bouquet goes down the aisle, the ring goes on the finger, and both end up in the same photographs. In September 2026, two South African makers put them side by side on purpose, in the Winelands. Floral designer Amanda Theron invited Stephani Cillié of Gold&I to bring her custom jewellery to the Pause floral workshops in Paarl.
When AI Goes Completely Rogue You Can Probably Blame One (or All) of These 12 People
Table of Contents Toggle I watched a disturbing Instadoc on Netflix last night titled AI Gone Wild. The documentary examines the swarm attack on Hugging Face by reconstructing the Hugging Face breach and examining what autonomous agents’ coordinated actions mean for AI safety. One quote in the entire documentary struck me as highly worrying.
Notice the Life You Are Already Living Space Between Breaths, the Debut Book by Justin P Van Tonder
What if you could be busy living, yet still miss your life? That question sits at the heart of space between breaths, the debut book by Cape Town-born writer Justin P Van Tonder. A lived journey into presence, the book arrives this November for readers who recognise the rush towards the next meeting, the next achievement, the next version of themselves, and the quiet fear that something essential is being missed along the way.
DigitFMS Launches SA’s Smallest Tracker: It Fits on a R5 Coin
Midrand: South African electronic security and fleet technology company DigitFMS has launched the Digit D-Micro7, which it describes as South Africa’s smallest tracking device. Small enough to rest on a R5 coin, the wired Bluetooth unit measures approximately 21 mm long, 9.5 mm wide and 4 mm thick.
Rent, Buy Used or New? Delta Heavy Equipment on Forklifts
Ahead of the year’s peak trading months, the forklift supplier with branches in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town offers a clear framework for choosing between rental, a used machine and a brand-new purchase Johannesburg, South Africa: Rising stock levels, bigger order books and forklifts that are about to be pushed harder than at any other time of year.
Gqeberha Ant Problems Surge After Spring Rains, True Clean Data Shows
GQEBERHA, South Africa: Ant problems in Gqeberha start picking up from spring and normally get much worse as we move into summer, especially after the first rains. An analysis of anonymised True Clean pest control records found that 89% of ant-related invoices were issued between October and April, with 68% falling between December and March. From January to March, ant treatments made up roughly one in four pest control invoices.
Mechani Mags: Ferrochrome Separation and Lifting Magnets
Most plant engineers know Mechani Mags for one product above all: the suspended belt magnet that lifts tramp metal off conveyors in mines and processing plants. This October the Boksburg manufacturer, which trades as African Magnets, wants buyers to see everything else it makes. That includes the rare earth Ferrochrome Magnet for recovering ferrochrome from slag, heavy duty lifting magnets for scrap and furnace loading, and a line of drum magnets, demagnetising coils and permanent magnet designs.
Are Your Employees Learning the Excel Skills Your Business Actually Needs?
Johannesburg: Businesses continue to invest in Advanced Excel training courses, yet many employees still spend unnecessary hours preparing management reports, reconciling spreadsheets, correcting formulas and consolidating information. The problem is not always a lack of training. Often, employees have been taught Excel functions without learning how to apply them effectively to the business processes they manage every day.
Dust-A-Side Curbs Dust at Plants, Conveyors and Stockpiles
October across much of South Africa’s interior is still dry and windy, with the summer rains not yet settled in. Dust-A-Side, the South African dust control company, is using this period to focus on the places where moving material generates dust: conveyors, transfer points, crushers, tip areas and stockpiles. At mines, quarries, process plants and bulk terminals, airborne dust stays a daily problem in these conditions. It affects visibility, the health of workers and the communities living nearby.
Peachz Invites Retailers to Stock Its Festive Accessories
With the festive season approaching, South African mobile accessories brand Peachz has opened registration for its wholesale programme to retailers, resellers and other businesses that are now deciding what to stock. Many stores lock in their shelf plans in October, ahead of November promotions and December gift shopping. Peachz is offering these businesses bulk pricing across its chargers, cables, car mounts, power banks and MagSafe products, and every item comes with a two-year limited warranty.
Are You Washing Your Hands Properly?
Affinity Health, a leading provider of high-quality health cover, is encouraging families to improve their handwashing habits this Global Handwashing Day (15 October). Handwashing may seem like a small everyday task, but it is one of the simplest ways to help prevent illness. Our hands touch taps, phones, door handles, money, shared desks, shopping trolleys, pets, food, and many other surfaces throughout the day. Germs can then enter the body when we touch our eyes, nose, or mouth.
Designer Pool Covers Highlights Energy Savings From Covered Pools
JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng, South Africa — Designer Pool Covers, a South African supplier and installer of pool covers, is drawing attention to the running costs that a covered pool avoids, arguing that heat retention and reduced evaporation make a cover one of the more cost-effective investments a pool owner can make. An uncovered pool loses heat from its surface, drives up chemical and filtration demand and accelerates water loss through evaporation.
Rode & Associates Values Hospitality, Game Reserves
Spring has arrived in South Africa, and with the summer holidays on the horizon the country’s lodges, hotels, guest houses and game reserves are gearing up for their busiest trading months. Against that backdrop, Sandton-based Rode & Associates is highlighting the valuation and advisory work it carries out for the hospitality and eco-tourism sector.
Balwin Properties: Izinga Eco-Estate Umhlanga Dates
Buyers eyeing a home at Izinga Eco-Estate in Umhlanga now have firm timing to work with, after Balwin Properties released estimated occupation dates for the apartments that remain unsold, with the first keys set to change hands at the end of November 2026. The schedule lets anyone considering a move to the KwaZulu-Natal coast match a unit to their own timeline and know roughly when they could move in.
Blue Falcon Estate Offers Germiston Families Outdoor Space for Summer
October tends to be a planning month for Gauteng households. With summer on the doorstep, parents are weighing up where their children will be enrolled come January, keeping a closer eye on the budget, and asking whether their current place still suits daily life.
Kaelo Destinations Spotlights Private Safari & Beach Homes
Ask most families and friend groups in October and the year end trip has shifted from a vague idea into a confirmed reservation. Kaelo Destinations, the collection behind Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana and Pambele Beach House in Mozambique, is leaning into that booking season to spotlight a particular corner of its portfolio: exclusive-use homes where a single group keeps the property, the guide and the rhythm of each day entirely to itself.
Gold Avenue Compares Ways South Africans Sell a Rolex
Few possessions prompt as much hesitation at the point of sale as a Rolex, and The Gold Avenue, the Illovo, Sandton buyer of luxury watches, gold, diamonds and Krugerrands, has drawn up a straightforward comparison of the four main ways a South African can sell one. According to the company, most owners who get in touch already hold an offer from elsewhere, and the gap between those offers nearly always traces back to a single factor: what the buyer is able to do with the watch after purchase.
A Multi-Billion Rand Opportunity: Why High-Impact Events Are the Catalyst South Africa’s Economy Needs
Table of Contents Toggle When over one million applicants queue for tickets to a major event hosted in South Africa, it isn’t just a testament to the country’s world-class entertainment and hosting capabilities—it represents a monumental economic windfall for the local tourism sector.
A Multi-Billion Rand Opportunity: Why High-Impact Events Are the Catalyst South Africa’s Economy Needs
When over one million applicants queue for tickets to a major event hosted in South Africa, it isn’t just a testament to the country’s world-class entertainment and hosting capabilities—it represents a monumental economic windfall for the local tourism sector.
Most Downloaded Press Release Images – September 2026
Below are the most downloaded images off of MyPR for the month of September 2026. Featured press releases may upload images to accompany their press release, with publishers allowed to use the images when re-publishing. This doesn’t count publishers that ‘hotlink’ to the images via the republish feature OR publishers that use MyPR RSS to republish. Bar One Poena Prionsloo Netshi Engineering
Most Read Press Releases – September 2026
Volkswagen T-Cross R-Line vs OMODA C7 Luxury: Trusted badge or more car for less? At around R550,000, buyers have no shortage of compact SUVs to choose from. One of the most familiar is the Volkswagen T-Cross, which has built a solid reputation as a sensible, economical and easy-to-live-with crossover. The range-topping T-Cross 1.0 TSI R-Line currently costs R548,400.
Your Staff Are Already Using ChatGPT. Is Your Company Data Safe?
Durban: As workplace use of ChatGPT grows, South African businesses need practical rules, employee training and human oversight to protect confidential information while still benefiting from AI. Across South African workplaces, employees are already using ChatGPT to draft emails, summarise documents, analyse information, prepare reports and solve everyday business problems. The important management question is no longer whether employees will use generative AI.
MEX26 Returns to Cape Town on 31 October with 12 Industry Leaders, SAMRO CEO Keynote and Four Days of FAME Week Africa Access
Cape Town, South Africa – Music Exchange (MEX), South Africa’s leading music business conference, returns to Cape Town on Saturday, 31 October 2026, bringing together 12 highly respected local and international speakers, a keynote address from SAMRO CEO Annabell Lebethe, senior SAMRO leadership, major prize giveaways from Bothners Music Group and four days of access to FAME Week Africa activities.
That Feeling When a Press Release is THE Top Snippet on Google
The attached screen shot refers: The press release titled, South African Author Steve Hegerström Brings Humour to the Unexpected, referenced in this search was submitted on 2 October 2026 by Bronwyn from Unfold Durban. What you see is the AI snippet at the top of the search term. It shows a direct link to MyPR as the first one, a summary of that release on MyPR and two more links in the RHS box – one to our friends at PressPortal and one more to MyPR.
Designer Pool Covers Urges South African Pool Owners to Prepare for Summer Weather Conditions
Germiston, Gauteng, South Africa: Designer Pool Covers, a South African manufacturer and installer of custom swimming pool cover systems, is directing national attention to certified pool safety covers as families head into the summer swimming season, when drowning incidents traditionally peak across the country. The company, headquartered in Germiston with installations completed across all nine provinces, reports more than 4,500 pool cover installations nationwide since its establishment.
BurnesSEO Launches Generative Engine Optimisation Service for South African Businesses
Meyerton, Gauteng, South Africa: BurnesSEO, a specialist SEO and AI-powered digital growth studio based in Meyerton, continues to provide search engine optimisation, content marketing, and AI marketing automation services to local service businesses across Gauteng and South Africa. The company operates from its office in Highbury, Meyerton, with published pricing starting at R4,000 per month for Google Business Profile management and bundled SEO services ranging from R10,000 to R30,000 per month.
How to Turn ‘Reactions’ on Linkedin Into ‘Comments’
Table of Contents Toggle Share how you turn ‘Reactions’ on Linkedin into ‘Comments’ LiunkedIn Insider Tools to get more engagement For MyPR it has only been a couple of months of regular posting of submitted press releases to our MyPR LinkedIn Account. Make no mistake – it has been a rewarding journey BUT we are now looking for a way to turn those ‘Reactions’ into ‘Comments’. Input from readers would be highly appreciated. In the meantime we have some theories of our own on how to do so.
Serious Social Investing Conference 2026 Focuses on Doing More With Less
The theme of this year’s Serious Social Investing (SSI) Conference, “doing more with less”, puts a hard question to corporate South Africa: in a tough economic environment, can social investment actually make a difference where it matters most? The 2026 SSI Conference will challenge businesses to answer this question and show how their money, expertise and partnerships can move the country forward.
How AI Is Helping Detect Eye Problems Earlier
Affinity Health, a leading provider of high-quality health cover, is highlighting how artificial intelligence (AI) could help detect serious eye conditions earlier this World Sight Day (8 October). Many serious eye conditions develop without pain, blurred vision, or clear warning signs. AI can help eyecare professionals examine images, detect small changes, and identify people who need further tests.
What Are the Limits to Upload and Analyse an Audio File Using AI?
We all know the feeling one gets after uploading a data or audio file to our chosen AI offering and experiencing hours of frustration as we explore the limits imposed on file size, audio length or lines of data. Remember: These limits are all dependant upon whether you are using free or paid versions of your favourite AI buddy. MPr’s AI buddy of choice is Gemini from Google so it gets it’s very own section showing what size and length audio file/s one can upload and analyse.
St. Petersburg Hosts Information Tour for Tourism Industry and Media Representatives
From 9 to 13 September 2026, the Committee for Tourism Development of St. Petersburg organised an international information tour focused on St. Petersburg’s priority tourism sectors. The participants included about 40 representatives of tour operator companies, industry-specific media and bloggers from Brazil, Vietnam, India, China, the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. The event was aimed at promoting St. Petersburg as a modern, year-round tourist destination.
CDC: The ONLY Number You Require (For Now)
Table of Contents Toggle What positive number would you expect from an SOE such as the Coega Development Corporation (CDC)? Taxpayers can expect a little bit of relief soon. The Foreign Correspondents Association of South Africa were hosted by the CDC on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. In a full day of information overload and many touch points there was ONE very important number that stood out for myself.
Soccer Laduma Sets Out a Bonus and Deposit Guide for SA Punters This Spring
Now that the international break has run its course, club football is about to reclaim the spotlight. September crowded the fixture list with friendlies, UEFA Nations League ties and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, but with that window shutting the weekend belongs to the clubs again. To mark the shift, Soccer Laduma, South Africa’s best-selling football publication, is steering readers toward the season’s collection of betting guides put together by its betting desk.
Alu Door & Window Centre Readies Mpumalanga Homes for the Summer Storms
Homeowners and businesses across Mpumalanga have a narrow window to get their windows and doors in shape, and Alu Door & Window Centre wants them to use it. With spring in full swing and the region’s summer storm season approaching, the company is urging property owners to check their frames now rather than later.
If AI Can Now Do the Work, Who Checks the Work?
Durban: CAG Executive Question of the Week If an AI system can analyse the spreadsheet, prepare the report, draft the email and even continue working after your employee has logged off, who in your organisation is responsible for checking that the work is correct? Who should read this? CEOs, business owners, Finance Managers, HR Directors, Operations Managers, project managers and anyone responsible for introducing AI into everyday business processes. The Work May Be Faster. But Is It Right?
UK Music Titans Marc Marot & Jeremy Marsh Join #MEX26 in Cape Town
After leaving Island, Marot established a management company and worked with artists including Paul Oakenfold, Richard Ashcroft, Lemon Jelly and Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens). As Chairman of Crown Talent, he also played a role in the management of Jessie J, Ella Henderson and Becky Hill.
The Countdown On – Mind Matters Is Taking Over Cape Town Before Taking the Conversation Global
From daily meditation and breathwork to gut-biome mastery, mental fitness and contrast therapy, Mind Matters is turning the countdown to its October Summit into a city-wide programme of mental performance training – before taking the conversation global. Cape Town – The countdown to the Mind Matters Summit 2026 is no longer simply about two days at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
What Causes Petechiae? When Tiny Red Spots Could Be a Sign of Something Serious
Affinity Health, a leading provider of high-quality health cover, is encouraging people not to ignore unexplained tiny red, purple, or brown spots on the skin, as they could sometimes be an early warning sign of an underlying health condition. These tiny spots, called petechiae (pronounced puh-TEE-kee-eye), happen when tiny blood vessels under the skin leak a small amount of blood.
When Manufacturers Have a ‘Beef’ Then Both Suffer
Table of Contents Toggle Being a relatively young industry the solar inverter and back up battery manufacturers need to be close enough to each other so that each can complement the other. When one sets up an inverter and battery you have to choose certain protocols to ensure the longevity of both the battery and inverter. Essentially you want both to be talking the same language whilst providing you with the most efficient renewable energy experience.
How Much Are You Worth per Year to Your Bank?
Table of Contents Toggle A comparison of the average annual fees collected per client, per bank. Want to know which bank collects the highest fees and commissions per client, per annum? Which Social Media Site Collects the highest ARPU per annum? The one thing that irks me no end about the banking industry is the amount of money we pay to banks to process and handle our money. Agreed – people who owe money on loans etc.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Alan
Contact Alan, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack