Megaplex Newsletter 2020 March: Shopping in Sandton

Shopping in Sandton – March 2020

Welcome to Megaplex's monthly newsletter! We alert the up-market shopper to the new and interesting in Sandton and Bryanston. Please feel free to support our advertisers!  To subscribe, see our subscription page.

Contents:
Welcome ~ New Shops
Restaurant Review ~ Closed
Civic Tip ~ The Checkout

Practical Effective Self-Defence

KRAV MAGA Instructors:
Mike & Walter
SMS or phone 084 211 8888

Email: michael.kravmaga@gmail.com

Lessons continue online during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Links to Other Pages:
Megaplex Home – Overview of Shops, Facilities, and Accommodation in Northern Sandton.

Shopping Centres in Sunninghill:
The Square
Sunninghill Village
Sunhill Shopping Centre
Chilli Lane Shopping Centre
Chilli on Top Centre
The Core

Wedding Speech? –A Piece of Cake!

Learn public speaking in a relaxed, fun environment at Mariswe Toastmasters: Online on Tue 24 May at 18:00. Details here. Call Rick on 082 389 3482 or email

Shopping Centres in and near Bryanston::
Cramerview Village
Nicolway Shopping Centre
Coachman's Crossing
Grosvenor Crossing
Hobart Grove Centre
Bryanston Shopping Centre
Riverside Shopping Centre
Hurlingham Pick 'n Pay Centre
Bryanpark Shopping Centre
Epsom Downs
Sloane Square

Shopping Centres in the Woodmead area:
Wendywood Centre
Woodmead Value Mart
Woodmead Super Value
Woodmead Commercial Park
Woodmead Retail Park
Woodmead Square
Dunwoody Centre
Woodlands Office Park
Kelvin Village
The Bridge, Buccleuch
Other Shops and Shopping in Woodmead

Non-Religious? Meet other atheists & Humanists online:

The South African Secular Society (SASS) holds regular social & educational Meetups online during Covid-19. Visit us on Meetup.

Shopping Centres in Central Sandton::
Grayston Shopping Centre
Atholl Square Shopping Centre
Sandhurst Centre, Rivonia Rd

Shopping in and around Rivonia:
Rivonia Central
Rivonia Village Centre
Rivonia Junction
Mutual Mews
Early Dawn Mall
Shops in Central Rivonia
Shops in Northern Rivonia
Cambridge Crossing
Petervale Shopping Centre

Shopping Centres in
Greater Morningside:

Morningside Shopping Centre
The Wedge, Morningside
Morning Glen Mall
90 Degrees on Rivonia
Morning View
Sandton Court
Benmore Gardens
Shops in the Morningside Area

Almost all of us will one day need a blood transfusion

– Yet only 1% of people donate blood!

Make a difference to society! Donate at The Colony,  cor Jan Smuts & Rothesay Avenues, Craighall.  Phone:
011 447-6665
011 880-4994

Restaurants:
Restaurants in Rivonia,
Rivonia Restaurant reviews
Sandton Restaurant reviews
Morningside Restaurant reviews

Other Places of Interest:
Sandspruit Hiking Trail,
Ernest Ullmann Park Recreation Centre,
Montrose Nursery Garden Centre and Gia's Coffee Shop

Do You keep Repeating the Same Actions in Excel?

Stop wasting precious time! Save an hour or more a week: Get your life back. How? Learn simple Macros: Record the repetitive action once, repeat it fast with a single keystroke whenever needed!  email for our online course

A Medical Emergency Far Graver Than We Have Experienced in Over a Century

That was how, a little over a week ago, on Sunday 15 March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa described the global Covid-19 pandemic caused by the novel corona virus, officially known as SARS-CoV-2 ("severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2").

He declared a national state of disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act and announced extraordinary measures to curb the spread of infections. We have "social distancing", no gatherings of more than 100 people, closed places of learning, and restaurant restrictions.  We must:
• Wash hands often with soap and water or hand sanitisers for at least 20 seconds;
• When coughing and sneezing, cover the nose and mouth with a tissue or flexed elbow;
• Avoid close contact with anyone with cold- or flu-like symptoms.
• Minimise physical contact with other people, and avoid shaking hands.

Toastmasters, Krav Maga, and Secular Society meetings have gone online.

Many businesses have either closed or reduced their hours and staffing.  Supermarkets are still operating.  Well done to Pick n Pay for opening from 07:00 to 08:00 on Wednesdays for the over-65's only. The session was well-patronised at Morning Glen Mall last Wednesday.

The video The Coronavirus Explained in 8½ minutes makes a useful primer and myth-dispeller.

 

Infection figures are climbing daily.  That is hardly surprising: These are still the people who were infected more than a week ago. The real number of infections may be slowing, at least below what it would have been without drastic measures.  Why?

The long article Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now explains.  Referring to his Chart 7, author Tomas Pueyo makes a distinction between official and true case numbers:

The daily official number of coronavirus cases is how many people were diagnosed that day. The true daily cases are found by asking patients during the diagnostic when their symptoms started.  Crucially, true cases aren’t known at the time. We can only figure them out looking backwards: The authorities don’t know that somebody started having symptoms. They know when somebody goes to the doctor and gets diagnosed.

Between what authorities in China's Hubei province knew, and what was really happening, there was a lag of about 12 days.

On 23 January, the number of new diagnosed cases was around 400 a day. They shut down Wuhan.  Note that number: they made a decision to close a city of 11 million with just 400 new cases in a day.  In reality, there were 2,500 new cases that day, but they didn’t know that.  The day after, another 15 cities in Hubei shut down.

Up until Wuhan closes, the graph of true cases grows exponentially. As soon as Wuhan shuts down, cases slow down. On 24 Jan, when the other cities shut down, the number of true cases grinds to a halt. Two days later, the maximum number of true cases was reached.  It has gone down ever since.

However the official cases were still growing exponentially: For 12 more days, it looked like it was still exploding. But it wasn’t. It’s just that the sick were getting stronger symptoms and going to the doctor.  Add to this, that some 26% of contagions happen before there are symptoms.

The author concludes that early proactive measures can reduce the death rate from over 4% to around 0.9%.  This is why our government was wise to move last week Sunday.  But was it early enough?

Odd Jobs

Funeral Directors have esprit de corpse.

Free Spreadsheets from Software Africa!

These spreadsheets will be e-mailed to you by auto-responder on request.  To use them you need Microsoft Excel (instructions included, but no batteries): Bank Account Reconciliation, Fuel Consumption Record, Rainfall Record, Water Meter Readings, Electricity Meter Readings, Mattress Turning Schedule, John Demartini Savings Calculator, and Quotation System with Bill of Materials: Click Here.

New on the Block, Movers and Shakers  Back to top

  • Erawan Thai Restaurant and Bar has de-franchised as Jintara Thai - Sushi - Dim Sum, Shop 3, Ground in Riverside Shopping Centre – Offering "delicious Asian food, delivered with impeccable service".
  • Livingstones Supply Co. 18 Waterval Crescent in Woodmead Area Shops – Suppliers to the Hospitality Industry. Hotel quality linen at wholesale pricing, cutlery, crockery, glassware, catering equipment, luxury tents, table linen, blankets, throws, towelling, bed linen, game drive equipment, cooler boxes, fridges, ovens, lodge furniture, patio furniture. Mosquito nets made to order.
  • Absolute Pets & Pet Spa, Ground in Riverside Shopping Centre – Pet washing and grooming. Pet Food: Vet's Choice, Eukanuba, Hills, Iams, etc., pet toys, dog and cat beds etc.
  • Consultant Dietician Dalene Rottier moved from Dunwoody Centre to Building 1, Allhart Business Park, 152 Western Service Road, Cnr Woodlands Drive, Woodmead. A Registered Dietitian is the only medically qualified nutritional professional: the title is protected by the Health Professions Council. Consultations, including via Skype, and on-site Corporate Wellness days.
  • Grant Monaghan, Rivonia 7th Avenue in Rivonia Area Shops – Medical Prosthetist, Orthotist & Podiatrist. Crutches, elastic stockings, etc. 3 De La Rey Rd, Rivonia.
  • Avon Mitri Eye Care, Shop 48, Upper Level in Morning Glen Mall – Sunglass and eyewear boutique. Belongs to Avon Mitri Optometrist.
  • Coming soon, where Solomons was: Protea Home, Shop 16, Lower Level in Morning Glen Mall – No apparent relation to Protea Hotels or Protea Home for the Aged.

Live Close to Work in Morningside / Rivonia!

To Let, 1 May: Roomy cottage / garden apartment with double bedroom, bathroom, split-level lounge-dining room, kitchen, patio, garden and secure carport.  Wi-Fi.  Carpeted, fully furnished and serviced including laundry. Close to shops and bus routes.  Call 082 389 3482, e-mail us, or click here.

Restaurant Reviews by Judith Back to top

Two reviews from before the shutdown:

*** Riverside Café and Bistro, Riverside Shopping Centre, Bryanston

Good wine and Appletiser, the Riverside Burger and the Chicken and Avo on Rye were both good. I did take over two days to eat the latter! Angie gave excellent service. It is a great place to go to for the buzz

Contact Details for Riverside Café and BistroBack to top

**** Chow To Go, Morningview Shopping Centre, South Road, Morningside

Moreblessing Wadenga was amazing. She was alone up front but organised green tea, plus a combo of 2 spring rolls, rice balls and meat skewers. We ended up with prawn toast and Fried Banana Ice cream. Brilliant service and interesting Chinese food.

Contact Details for Chow To GoBack to top

Funny Language, English...

Do witches like to sit in Wicca chairs?

Advertise in this Monthly e-Newsletter from only R192/month*!

5,650 subscribers, many of them dedicated Sandton Shoppers! e-mail us, or click here. (*Non-top banner for one year paid in advance, includes VAT, less discount)

At Room Temperature:  Back to top

  • Dion Wired, Shop 63, North Wing in Woodmead Retail Park – Electronic Equipment. Home electronics. Computers, printers, cellular, hi-fi. All DionWired stores closed down on Thursday 19 March.
  • Solomons, Shop 16, Lower Level in Morning Glen Mall – Affordable clothing store for men and women. Opened October 2018.
  • The Daily Coffee Shop in Riverside Shopping Centre – South African coffee franchise with manually prepared coffee.
  • FRESCA Riverside Fruit and Flower Emporium in Riverside Shopping Centre – A wonderful range of fresh vegetables, fruit, and flowers.
  • Zounes Fine Chocolate Cakes in Riverside Shopping Centre – A wonderful range of mainly chocolate cakes available from the Fruit and Flower Emporium.
  • Cheerleaders Sports Bar in Rivonia Area Shops – 344 Rivonia Boulevard (Teasers building, on the street). Sports on TV, cheerleader waitresses, daily specials, food & vibe.
  • AVL Solutions in Dunwoody Centre – Audio-Visual and lighting hire and sales: Projectors, TV screens, etc. Was 1st Floor.
  • Lindsay and Associates (Suite 1) in Dunwoody Centre – Public Accountants and Tax Consultants. CPA (SA). Was 1st Floor.
  • WDS Gouws Head Office in Dunwoody Centre – Was 1st Floor.
  • API Piping in Dunwoody Centre – A stockist of Steel Piping. Was 1st Floor.
  • Woodmead Chiropractic in Dunwoody Centre – For the treatment of headaches, neck pain, back pain of all kinds. Was 1st Floor.
  • Blockhouse and Cookhouse, 18 Waterval Crescent in Woodmead Area Shops – Interior furnishing, kitchen tools and cookware.

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Thought for the Day:

"I wish motorists would also practice social distancing!" – Gill Taylor.

More Covid-19 Resources

A podcast by Tim Ferriss, author of the "four-hour" series and "Tools of Titans", popular blogger, thought leader, investor, linguist and suspected lunatic: "What I’m most focused on right now — How to Support Healthcare Workers Now — Plus Urgent Suggestions for Uber Eats, Hilton, Amazon, and More.” Speaking with many doctors on the front lines in NYC and elsewhere, next week is going to be quite scary, and certain people and companies are perfectly positioned to help healthcare workers before the surge. Thank you for listening to and sharing this one. It’s very important and very time sensitive." Tim says that, with the addition of a few 3-D printed parts, a ventilator can be made to serve two or even four people.  We might need that.

There is a new article by Tomas Pueyo, referred to above "Coronavirus: The Hammer and the Dance". Summary: Strong measures today should only last a few weeks.  There shouldn’t be a big peak of infections afterwards, and it can all be done for a reasonable cost to society, saving millions of lives along the way. If we don’t take these measures, tens of millions will be infected, many will die, along with anybody else that requires intensive care, because the healthcare system will have collapsed.

OUTA Needs YOUR Help to cut Property Rates in the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic is having a significant financial impact on businesses and individuals. Thousands of people have lost a significant part of their income. Not all property owners can afford to keep paying property rates. Some have to choose between keeping food on their tables or paying property rates.

Municipalities have the power to assist by reducing property rates or giving temporary exemption. OUTA, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, is calling on municipalities countrywide to reduce property rates under the current State of Disaster.

Please click on the link to sign the petition calling on your municipality to assist residents. Municipalities only pay attention if a significant number of residents support a petition. Please ask all your contacts to sign, and urge your local media to spread the word.

The petition closes at 17:00 on 20 May 2020. SIGN THE PETITION HERE.

Checking Out

"How is your at-home exercise programme going?"

"This morning, I skipped skipping:  Sofa, so good!"

Your name in print!  Would you like to contribute a shop- or restaurant review, a less obscure joke, or something else for this Newsletter?  Please e-mail us.  You will get full credit (unless you want anonymity).  Reach 5,650 shoppers and shop-owners: Advertise in this newsletter!  Editor: Rick Raubenheimer.


Back to top – © 2020 Megaplex cc. Privacy Policy.  All rights reserved. Contents may be used for reference purposes, as long as credit is duly given.
Newsletter Issued 28 March 2020 – Page Last Updated: 22 December 2022. – Contact us.