Final (hummingbird) 3 colour block

THE INSURER

AUGUST 2017

Tyre warning

Check vehicle tyres to ensure that they are roadworthy and safe, especially with the wet season approaching. Unroadworthy tyres not only jeopardise your insurance cover, they also put you and your passengers at risk, as well as other road users. Take note of:
• Remaining tread (must be more than 1mm)
• Age - tyres don’t last forever, and manufacturers suggest that you replace them every 10 years, even if they don’t appear worn. Older tyres could crack or burst, so tyres older than 5 years should be inspected annually for cracking. The manufacturing date of your tyre can be found on the side wall.
• Overall condition - be aware of uneven wear, damage, bulging or warping which could result in tyre failure such as punctures or tread separation.
• Tyre pressure: your tyres must always be inflated to the appropriate pressure for the intended use.

For expert guidance, contact your nearest tyre dealership.

Moving house blues

It is always advisable to confirm what cover you have for your precious things including furniture and electronic items when moving house, but if your removal company breaks anything during the move, they are legally liable for any losses. According to the Consumer Protection Act, when a company has possession of a customer’s property, it must exercise a reasonable amount of “care, diligence and skill’ when handling these items.

Sensible safety measures

French drivers are required to carry a breathalyser in their vehicle, although this is seldom checked and the fine is a minimal eleven Euros. Authorities are more concerned with drivers having high-visibility vests for all occupants of the vehicle, to ensure that everyone is visible if the vehicle breaks down or there is a need for everyone to get out on the side of the road. The fine is a heftier 135 Euros.

Tackling arson

An Indonesian military official has ordered the shooting of anyone caught starting forest fires. The country is plagued by wildfires, with the World Bank estimating that 2.6 million hectares of land was burned between June and October 2015, resulting in around $16-billion of economic damage and choking smoke so bad that it affected neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.

Safire’s authorised towing service

Safire Insurance has arranged a special towing service for its clients. In the event of a vehicle breakdown or an accident resulting in damage so severe that your vehicle cannot be driven, all Safire clients need to do is call 0861 723 473 (0861 SAFIRE) for assistance. The towing costs will be covered by Safire. Please note that failing to use this towing service could result in Safire clients having to pay for the non-authorised towing service they use.

Pocket-sized GPS

We should pay tribute to Ed Tuck, an American army veteran, electrical engineer and investor who in 1985 battled to land his plane in thick fog and decided to explore an emerging military technology called the Global Positioning System. Created a decade earlier, the original GPS relied on satellites and bulky, expensive, ground-based receivers. As the founder of Magellan, Tuck oversaw the funding and manufacture of the first hand-held GPS for the public.

Wasteful wearing

UK residents threw away 235 million items of useable clothing this year and clothing is fast becoming one of the main items in landfills. The Skip Fashion Exchange pop-up shop sees ‘buyers’ swapping clothes to highlight the need for clothing to be donated to charities.

Get ready!

It’s almost here – the 2017 Safire Baynesfield Classic MTB race on 17 September at Baynesfield Estate in KZN. Outdoor fun for all ages, with various routes plus two trail runs. This will be the final race of the ROAG Series in 2017, so get there!

Beer figures

According to Statistics South Africa, beer accounts for 54% of what households spend on alcohol and 2.1% of total household spending in SA, equivalent to what is spent on personal care but more than what is spent on tobacco (1.9%), vegetables (1.5%) and fruit (0.3%).

#ItCanWait campaign

The Western Cape’s recent #ItCanWait campaign went viral almost immediately. Its theme was that if we can’t manage to text and walk, why do we even consider texting while driving. Have a look…

WATCH

ECONOMIC TIDBITS

42 - percentage of parliamentarians in South Africa who are women. Only six countries have a higher figure than this, with Rwanda topping the list at 64%.

1.09 million – number of South African households which recycle their tins, glass, packaging, paper and other waste materials.

$156-million – cost of India’s Project Insight, which will use data analytics to explore social media as well as other sources to find tax dodgers.

84 – percentage of travellers from Africa, according to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority; South African visitors to Zimbabwe have declined by 27%.

50 – anniversary of the Automated Teller Machine or ATM, which initiated the self-service banking culture.

1785 – number of malls in SA, the sixth highest globally, although there appears to be a downturn in demand from retailers.

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