The fast-approaching festive season is an exciting time for many families who pack their bags, lock their homes, and make their way to popular destinations like Plettenberg Bay or Ballito, or even global beach or ski destinations, to begin their holiday.

A spike in the demand for greenery – from highly valuable plants like cycads to red-listed succulents like those found in the Karoo – is sparking what many are calling a “plantdemic”.

The world’s wealthy have a reputation for adding to their fortunes during crisis, as evidenced by huge jumps in the net worth of the likes of Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk through the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest South African crime statistics recently released, show an increase in hijackings across the country. It reports a slight reduction countrywide in theft of motor vehicles.

With the continued power outages driven by the inability of Eskom to generate and store sufficient energy to supply in the demand, more and more homeowners have started to install back-up power systems.

Although there is undoubtedly still a long way to go before there is greater equality in boardrooms across South Africa, there are lessons from those who have made it, that can pave the way for others.