The only radio show and podcast dedicated to Africa’s richest square mile, the weekly SANDTON TIMES HOUR brings the pages of The Sandton Times to life with an array of entertaining and informative interviews, now on Mix 93.8 FM every Monday at 7pm.
- Southern Sun CEO Marcel Von Aulock chats about his hospitality outlook and the Southern Sun rebrand.
- Entrepreneur and award winning artist, Boity, talks about her new business venture.
- South African Comedian Marc Lottering returns with UNCLE MARC.
- George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader unpacks the 2022 AutoTrader Mid-Year Industry Report.
- Visit www.sandtontimes.co.za for more stories.
THE SANDTON TIMES HOUR is the go-to weekly digest on greater Sandton including fabulous food spots, luxurious lifestyle bits, first-hand travel tips, motoring notes, and world-class entertainment. In this week’s episode [Edition 79 | Week 33] The Sandton Times covers an array of topical news as well as these interviews:
SOUTHERN SUN REBRAND With Southern Sun CEO Marcel Von Aulock
One of Southern Africa’s leading hospitality groups, Southern Sun, rebranded from Tsogo Sun Hotels to Southern Sun. For over 50 years, the group has provided quality and intuitive service with a unique flavour at every one of its distinctive destinations in South Africa, Africa, the Seychelles and the Middle East.
Of late, the InterContinental Sandton rebranded to Sandton Towers and will be operated as one destination complex with the award-winning Sandton Sun hotel. Visit the Southern Sun website for further information.
BE YOU With Entrepreneur And Award Winning Artist Boity
One of the country’s biggest celebrity’s, Boity Thulo, has launched BE YOU, together with hair extension company Frontrow. Inspired by the many expectations placed on women today, Boity could identify with what the BE YOU range hopes to achieve.
With the global hair wigs and extensions market valued at USD 5.8 billion as of 2021 and expected to reach a massive USD 13.3 billion by 2026, it’s never been more important, for brands to offer consumers a point of difference.
The BE YOU range consists of three looks, each representing a different facet of Thulo’s personality. BE YOU by Boity is available on the Frontrow website.
UNCLE MARC with South African Comedian Marc Lottering
Cape Town comedian Marc Lottering returns as UNCLE MARC at Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre, from August 10 until August 22.
For UNCLE MARC, this will be a return season. The previous season was sold out and Sandtonites now have a final opportunity to catch the show prior to Lottering heading off to Leicester Square Theatre in London.
Tickets start at R150 to R200 and are available through Computicket and at the Theatre Box Office +27-11-511-1988.
2022 AUTOTRADER MID-YEAR INDUSTRY REPORT with CEO George Mienie
Every second, 22 online car searches are conducted, borne out by the over 349 million online car searches made in the first half of 2022, this according to AutoTrader, South Africa’s largest motoring marketplace. Tellingly, the unique data leveraged from these searches and contained in the 2022 AutoTrader Mid-Year Industry Report, show a shift in car shopper preferences, among these rising interest in electric vehicles (EVs). The compelling report, which covers the period January to June 2022, reveals a 134% year-on-year increase in EV demand.
The vital automotive industry is a key contributor to South Africa’s economy and the in-depth report also covers the country’s seven carmakers with a synopsis of their new car sales. An intriguing discussion on the future of the EV in South Africa also makes its way into the report.
Given the global move to EVs, local car manufacturing strategies have begun to shift. Interest in new energy cars is also being fuelled locally, helped in good measure by the introduction of several new EV’s domestically and the launch of the first locally-built hybrid electric car, the Toyota Corolla Cross. Heightened car shopper interest for brands that have a manufacturing presence in the country is also reflected. In 2022, the top three most enquired on brands were Toyota, Volkswagen and BMW. Together they generated over 40.9% of all consumer enquiries.
Indicators of demand include searches (popularity), advertisement views (interest for a certain car, segment or feature), and enquiries (the car consumers are most likely to buy). Other key insights you can expect to read are:
- The Audi RS E-Tron GT was the top searched and top viewed electric vehicle.
- Volkswagen was the most searched for brand, bumping BMW into second.
- The Toyota Hilux was the most searched for, and most enquired on, model.
- The Volkswagen Golf GTI continues to be the most searched for variant.
- BMW was again the most viewed car brand.
- The Volkswagen Polo was the most viewed model.
- Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 was the most viewed variant.
- Over 56 million body-type searches were made. SUVs had the highest body-type searches.
- The three most listed used models were the VW Polo, Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger.
- 9% increase in average used car prices YoY (R389,145 to R423,964); 2% increase in used average car mileage YoY (75,830km to 77,147km); and the average year model is 2017 (2016 in previous period)
You can download a free version of the 2022 AutoTrader Mid-Year Industry Report on the AutoTrader website.
SANDTON TIMES HOUR Music Playlist
- Shania Twain – Man! I Feel Like A Woman
- Daniel Baron – Children of the Sun
- Jubel – Dancing in the Moonlight (feat. NEIMY)
The Sandton Times Hour is released every week, on these major Podcast platforms and on The Sandton Times Homepage:
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