Xsit

Notice of Data Breach

Chante — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 07:11:15 +0000

We would like to advise you regarding a data breach that transpired within our company via a hacked email of one of our employees. The email in question was sent from the address: mathew@riverbio.com dated 07/04/2022, requiring recipients to enter their Microsoft login details through a corrupted folder link.

From what we have gathered from our investigation thus far, the breach originated externally from one of our service providers. We are still investigating the extent of the breach and the potential harmful effects thereof.

The consequences of the Security Compromise:

There may be a possibility of recipients data being compromised which could involve, but is not limited to, identity theft, fraudulent misrepresentation, sensitive data being accessed by those unauthorised.

Measures that RB/XSIT undertakes to address the security compromise:

We have implemented additional firewall security measures designed to prevent future attacks and to protect the personal information and privacy of our customers, suppliers, and relevant operators. Additionally, we have instituted the Incidence Response Committee who will oversee and protect against present and potential data breaches.

Recommendation to our Data Subjects to mitigate the effects of the possible misuse of their personal information:

We recommend those affected review or have your I.T. departments review and change your Microsoft login details and otherwise similar passwords to protect yourselves from any potential harm.

We further recommend those affected review their banking card statements and report any suspicious activity to the relevant financial institutions. We deeply regret that this incident occurred and we shall notify you of any significant developments in our ongoing investigation.

We thank you for your understanding and please direct all queries or concerns to our Information Officer, Andre Moolman: andre@riverbio.com

Sincerely,

Andre Moolman

Chief Financial Officer

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Reg Vir Winter

Chante — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 13:32:47 +0000

Reg Vir Winter

Daar is deesdae ‘n aantal inisiatiewe om fondse in te samel vir goeie doeleindes, en so ‘n geleentheid was Slipper Day op 7 Mei. Vir ‘n donasie van R20 het u ‘n plakker gekry en was toegelaat om pantoffels vir die dag werk toe te dra! Die administrasie-span in Port Elizabeth het besluit dat dit ‘n goeie inisiatief is om te help, om ‘n bietjie pret te hê, en om deel te neem om die minder bevoorreg ‘n geleentheid te gee om hul droom te bereik. Soos blyk uit die foto, het ‘n paar nie net hul pantoffels gedra nie en dit was groot pret!

Uit die Direkteur se pen:

Nog ‘n jaar van produksie by die Citrusdal-aanleg is pas voltooi. Die jaarlikse diep skoonmaak van die aanleg, asook herstelwerk en instandhouding, begin nou vir die volgende twee maande.

Tussen al hierdie aktiwiteite is ook die tyd wanneer die personeel welverdiende vrye tyd kry. Ek wens almal wat gedurende hierdie tyd ‘n blaaskans kry, ‘n fantastiese rus en herinner u daaraan om versigtig te wees, aangesien die COVID-19-getalle weer styg.

Dit beëindig ook die eerste seisoen met die nuwe bestralingsbron. Die positiewe impak wat dit op die grootte, gesondheid en kwaliteit van ons motte gehad het, was fantasties om te sien.

Daar is ook baie werk agter die skerms aan die hand van belangrike inisiatiewe wat waarde toevoeg, wat in die nuwe SIT-seisoen bekend gestel sal word, so opwindende tye lê voor.

Groete Rob

Verjaarsdae in Junie:

Darraleen Anderson, Anrico Basson, Jerry Botha, Carmen Coetzee, Rhoderick Floors, Nathan Fortuin, Johnique Fransman, Cohen Geduldt, Andrea Jackson, Taswald Kamfer, Anrich Lenee, Rohen Ludik, Joy Nel, Goodman Nqubelani, Martiens Oktober, Monrae Skeepers, Donvan Swartz

-VEELS GELUK-

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Slipping Into Winter

Chante — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 13:15:43 +0000

Slipping Into Winter

There are a number of initiatives to raise funds for good causes these days and one such event was Slipper Day on 7th of May. For a donation of R20 you got a sticker and were allowed to wear your slippers to work on that day! The administration team in Port Elizabeth decided it would be a good initiative to support to have a little fun and be part of helping those less fortunate to have an opportunity to reach their dream. As can be seen from the picture, a few not only wore their slippers!

Note from the MD

Another year of production at the Citrusdal plant has just finished. The annual deep cleaning of the plant along with repairs and maintenance now kick in over the next two months.

In between all these activities is also the time when the staff get some well earned time off. I wish all those who are getting a break during this time a fantastic rest and remind you to be careful as the COVID-19 numbers seem once again to be on the rise.

This also brings to an end the first season with the new radiation source in place. The positive impact this has had on the size, health and quality of our moths has been fantastic to see.

There is also a large amount of work going on behind the scenes on some key value adding initiatives that will be rolled out in the new SIT season so exciting times lie ahead.

Cheers Rob

Birthdays in June:

-HAPPY BIRTHDAY-

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RBX Filosofie in aksie

Elsa Winterboer — Tue, 04 May 2021 13:26:37 +0000

Uit die Direkteur se pen:

Na ‘n volle jaar van noodtoestand is dit verstaanbaar om moeg te wees vir al die protokolle en beperkings wat dit in ons lewens meebring. Ongelukkig is ons terugkeer na normaliteit onderhewig aan die uitgebreide en suksesvolle verspreiding van die entstowwe, en dit blyk ver agter die verlangde skedule te wees. Daarbenewens staar baie lande regoor die wêreld die 3de golf in die gesig, selfs met ‘n wyer verspreide entstof as wat Suid-Afrika bereik het.

Verlede jaar het ek geskryf oor die verantwoordelikheid wat daarmee gepaard gaan om as ‘n noodsaaklike diens geïdentifiseer te word en wat vandag nog net so belangrik is as in 2020.

Wees asseblief waaksaam en ondersteun die protokolle om ons almal veilig te hou en in staat te wees om te werk.

Groete Rob

RBX Filosofie in aksie

Soos uiteengesit in ons RBX-bedryfsfilosofie en kultuurverklaring, poog ons om alles na die beste van ons vermoë te doen in ‘n omgee-omgewing gebaseer op sterk waardes.

Met insette van werknemers op alle vlakke in ons organisasie, het die RBX Groep ‘n paar inisiatiewe gekies om die bogenoemde uit te leef. Een so ‘n inisiatief is om ontwikkeling en onderwys vir vroeë kinderjare te ondersteun as deel van ons gemeenskapsondersteuning in die gebiede waar ons gevestig is.

Deur middel van die verhouding wat ons het is ‘n paar skole is geïdentifiseer en kon ons die behoeftes wat daar is identifiseer en help om basiese materiaal te verskaf wat nodig is om glimlagte op hierdie gesiggies te hou.

Onlangs het sommige van ons Xsit-personeel die voorreg gehad om nuwe ontsmettingsstasies, skoonmaakmiddels, boeke, legkaarte, skryfbehoeftes, opvoedkundige speelgoed, kombuisgereedskap en natuurlik ‘n paar paaseiers by een van hierdie skole af te lewer. Hierdie skool is Sonstraaltjies Educare.

Dankie aan die skoolleiers en ouerliggame vir hulle ingestem het om ons toe te laat om hierdie foto met ons hele RBX-span te deel.

Verjaarsdae in Mei:

Thobani Bisa, Marince Brown, Hillsenzo Coetzee, Enrico Ficks, Meugel Fransman, Nadia Gagiano, Mathew Goddard, Sachelo Kamfer, Christopher Kapel, Theunis Lombard, Keegan Mentoor, Ngquse Mncedisi, Andre Moolman, Eric Nohamba(Director), Patricia Prince, Albertus Ruiters, Dyhan Ruiters, Gerreny September, Muriël Skeepers, Anita Smit, Sean Thackeray, Ralton Titus, Petrus Willemse, Pamela Zamxaka

~LEKKER VERJAAR~

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Die Registrasie van SAGA™ Mier Lokaas

Elsa Winterboer — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 07:26:58 +0000

Nota van die Besturende Direkteur

Op 31 Maart het ons finansiële jaar van 12 maande geëindig. ‘n Jaar gelede sou niemand ooit geglo het dat dit sou moontlik wees nie. Afgesien van Covid-19, het ons twee maatskappye gedurende hierdie tyd ‘n aantal uitdagings gehad en ek is so trots op hoe almal in die maatskappye saamgetrek het om hierdie probleme te bestuur soos dit ontstaan het. X-SIT het nog ‘n paar maande tot die einde van hul seisoen, maar ek moedig almal aan om die lesse van verlede jaar te gebruik om die RBX-groep sterker te maak in die toekoms.

Groete Rob

Die registrasie van SAGA™ mier lokaas

RB glo vas in geïntegreerde plaagbestryding (IPM), en die suksesvolle implementering daarvan is afhanklik van toegang tot ‘n verskeidenheid instrumente om die volhoubaarheid van die omgewing en voedselveiligheid op lang termyn te verseker. Ons produsente is onderhewig aan verskillende vlakke van voedselveiligheidsvereistes, insluitend fitosanitêre plae en residu-vlakke, wat ‘n reuse-balanseringstegniek verg om marktoegang en vrugkwaliteit te bestuur.

Uitbreek van witluise is duur om te beheer en is ‘n beduidende risiko vir toegang tot die mark. ‘n Biobeheerprogram vir witluise het twee hoofwerkings: eerstens die impak van blaartoedienings en tweedens is daar ‘n groot aantal miere in die boomkap, aangesien albei skadelik kan wees vir die verkryging van beheer oor witluise. Die belangrikheid van mierbestryding in die bestuur van plae, soos witluise, word elke jaar herhaaldelik beklemtoon tydens die CRI IPM-werkswinkels. Huidige beheeropsies sluit in die gebruik van chemiese toedienings as ‘n stompbehandeling of ‘n mieraas in die vorm van korrels.

‘n Huidige beperking op die wêreldwye GAP-nakoming vir produsente is dat geen produk geregistreer is vir die bestryding van sowel die mal mier as die bruin huismiere nie. Byna ‘n dekade gelede het CRI-navorsers ‘n navorsingsprojek begin om ‘n produk te ontwikkel wat hieraan aandag gee, en die resultaat is die nuwe RB-produk SAGA ™, wat nou die enigste geregistreerde produk is volgens Wet 36 van 1947, vir gebruik teen beide soorte miere.

As trotse lede van die CGA is SAGA ™ deur bedryfsliggame ontwikkel om ons aandeelhouers te help om doeltreffende plaagbestryding op ‘n voldoenende en volhoubare manier te bereik, wat geen voordelige insekte in die boord negatief beïnvloed nie.

Verjaarsdae in April : Lazani Barnard, Peter Basson, Ntombentsha Befile, Warren Botha, Lee-Anne Carolus, Jeanette Kent, Monrezo Meyer, Nceba Ngquse, Tracey-Lee Paulse, Zelmari Persens, Enrich Scholtz, Nomazotsho Tatsi, Ruben Terblanche, Marius Tsobo, Redawaan Valentyn, Grayzill Van Wyk

~Lekker verjaar!

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Registration of SAGA™ Ant Bait

Elsa Winterboer — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 07:26:58 +0000

Note from the MD

31 March ended our 12 month financial year that passed under circumstances most never believed possible just a year ago. Apart from Covid-19 our two companies have faced a number challenges during this time and I am so proud of how everyone in the companies have pulled together to manage these issues as they arose. X-SIT still has a few months to the end of their season but I encourage all to use the lessons of this last year to make the RBX Group stronger into the future

Cheers Rob

Registration of SAGA™ Ant Bait

RB firmly believes in integrated pest management (IPM) and its successful implementation relies on having access to a variety of tools to ensure long term environmental sustainability and food safety. Our producers are subject to various levels of food safety requirements, including phytosanitary pests and residue levels, setting a massive balancing act to manage market access and fruit quality.

Mealybug outbreaks are costly to control and are a significant market access risk. A biocontrol programme for mealybug has two main considerations: firstly, the impact of foliar applications and secondly, are there a large number of ants in the tree canopy, as both can be detrimental to gaining control of mealybug.

The importance of ant control in managing honeydew producing pests, like Mealybug, is reemphasised every year at the CRI IPM workshops. Current control options include the use of chemical applications either as a stump treatment or an ant bait in the form of granules. A current limitation to Global GAP compliance for producers is that no product has been registered for the control of both pugnacious and brown house ants. Almost a decade ago CRI researchers embarked on a research project to develop a product that addressed this and the result is the new RB product SAGA™, which is now the only registered product, with Act 36 of 1947, for use against both types of ant.

As proud members of the CGA, SAGA™ has been developed by industry bodies to assist our shareholders with achieving effective pest control in a compliant and sustainable manner which does not negatively impact beneficial insect complexes in the orchard.

Birthdays in April : Lazani Barnard, Peter Basson, Ntombentsha Befile, Warren Botha, Lee-Anne Carolus, Jeanette Kent, Monrezo Meyer, Nceba Ngquse, Tracey-Lee Paulse, Zelmari Persens, Enrich Scholtz, Nomazotsho Tatsi, Ruben Terblanche, Marius Tsobo, Redawaan Valentyn, Grayzill Van Wyk

~Happy Birthday!

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‘n Fokus op vaardigheidsontwikkel

Elsa Winterboer — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 13:42:23 +0000

Nota van die Besturende Direkteur

Maart is die laaste maand van ons boekjaar en dit was nog ‘n goeie verkoopsjaar vir River Bioscience. X-SIT het ook goed gevaar in ‘n veranderende mark, sodat almal in die groep baie trots kan wees op hul pogings.

‘n Spesiale gelukwensing aan Noma, (foto hieronder), met haar prestasies. Mag dit ‘n inspirasie wees vir ander in ons groep om nooit op te hou om onsself uit te daag en ons vaardighede te verbeter, sodat die bydrae wat ons lewer om ons produsente te ondersteun verbeter.

Groete Rob

‘n Fokus op vaardigheidsontwikkeling

‘n Belangrike deel van ons strategie vir menslike hulpbronne en volhoubaarheid vir die lang termyn binne die RBX-groep, is om te verseker dat ons personeel oor die nodige vaardighede en opleiding beskik om in hul toepaslike posisies te presteer.

Nomalizo Ngomane, wat in 2019 by die span vir sakeontwikkeling aangesluit het, is ‘n goeie voorbeeld hiervan, aangesien sy onlangs haar meestersgraad afgelê het en sy het verlede week haar proefskrif verdedig. Noma, wat by die Universiteit Stellenbosch in die Wes-Kaap geregistreer is in die departement van bewaring en entomologie, was gebaseer by die Sugarcane Research Institute in KwaZulu-Natal (‘n ander produsentegebaseerde organisasie). Die algemene doel van haar studie was om ‘n doeltreffende en ekonomiese dieet vir grootmaat groei van die Eldana saccharina (‘n ekonomies skadelike plaag in Suid-Afrikaanse suikerriet) te formuleer ter ondersteuning van die steriele insektegniek as ‘n bestuurstrategie teen hierdie plaag. SASRI werk al ‘n geruime tyd saam met X-SIT aan hierdie projek – daarom is Noma blootgestel aan die RBX-groep voordat sy by ons span aangesluit het.

Verder was sy ook ‘n student in die Citrus Academy, so dit was van die begin af ‘n uitstekende pas! Dit is ‘n fantastiese voorbeeld van hoe RBX met die akademiese gemeenskap en die Citrus Academy saamwerk in die ontwikkeling van vaardighede. Sommige van die vaardighede wat Noma verwerf het, wat ‘n beduidende waarde tot RBX toevoeg, sluit in kunsmatige dieetformulering en -ontwikkeling met behulp van karkasmaaltegnieke en chemiese samestellingstudies, insekte grootmaak en veldprestasie-evaluasies.

Alhoewel daar nog nie gradeplegtigheid plaasgevind het nie, sien ons daarna uit om in die toekoms met Noma saam te werk om meer geleenthede in die RBX-groep te ontwikkel deur middel van ons verskillende vaardigheidsontwikkelingsprogramme en studieooreenkomste met ons personeel.

Verjaarsdae in Maart : Karen Basson, Danrich Basson, Cornelius Cloete, Anrich Dars, Eldunique Fortuin, Marvin Fransman, Erenst Hugo, Samotia Jansen, Adriaan Ludick, Alida Mentoor, Mirriam Mjadu, Nomalizo Ngomane, Marshall Pieterse, Ricardo Siwephu, Anorelle Slinger, Petrus Smit (Director), Mochelle Snyers, Maria Swart, Nicolaas Syster, Izak Theron, Franquin Titus, Wikus Van Zyl, Johan Vorster ~ Lekker verjaar!

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A Key Focus on Skills Development

Elsa Winterboer — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 13:19:29 +0000

Note from the MD

March is the last month of our financial year and it has been another good sales year for River Bioscience. X-SIT has also performed well in a changing market so all in the group can be very proud of their efforts.

A special congratulations to Noma, pictured below, on her achievements and may this be an inspiration to others in our group to never stop challenging ourselves and improving our skills to enhance the contribution we can make to supporting our growers.

Cheers Rob

A Key Focus on Skills Development

A significant component of our Human Resources Strategy and long-term sustainability within the RBX group is ensuring that our staff have the necessary skills and education to excel in their relevant positions. Nomalizo Ngomane, who joined the Business Development team in 2019, is a fine example of this as she recently submitted her Masters thesis for examination and defended her thesis last week.

Registered with Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape in the department of Conservation and Entomology, Noma was based at the Sugarcane Research Institute in KwaZulu-Natal (another grower-based organisation). The overall aim of her study was to formulate an efficient and economical diet for mass rearing Eldana saccharina (an economically damaging pest in South African sugarcane) in support of the sterile insect technique as a management strategy against this pest. SASRI has collaborated with X-SIT on this project for some time – so Noma was exposed to the RBX group prior to joining our team, further to this she was also a Citrus Academy student so it was a great fit from the start! This is a fantastic example of how RBX collaborations with the academic community and the Citrus Academy achieves skills development within our industry. Some of the skills acquired by Noma which will add significant value to RBX include artificial diet formulation and development using carcass milling technique and chemical composition studies, insect rearing and field performance evaluations.

Although graduation has not taken place yet we look forward to working with Noma in the future and developing more capacity within the RBX group through our various skills development programmes and study agreements in place with staff.

Birthdays In March : Karen Basson, Danrich Basson, Cornelius Cloete, Anrich Dars, Eldunique Fortuin, Marvin Fransman, Erenst Hugo, Samotia Jansen, Adriaan Ludick, Alida Mentoor, Mirriam Mjadu, Nomalizo Ngomane, Marshall Pieterse, Ricardo Siwephu, Anorelle Slinger, Petrus Smit (Director), Mochelle Snyers, Maria Swart, Nicolaas Syster, Izak Theron, Franquin Titus, Wikus Van Zyl, Johan Vorster ~ Happy Birthday!

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Ons nuwe handgedrewe SIT-vrylatings meganisme!

Elsa Winterboer — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 11:29:16 +0000

Uit die Besturende Direkteur se pen

Vir die meeste was die tradisionele feesseisoen alles behalwe tradisioneel. Die feit dat ons nie vryelik by familie kon kuier, saam met vriende kon ontspan of selfs net na die strand kon gaan nie, het almal gedurende hierdie normale tyd van ontspanning gespanne gehad.

COVID-19 was ook die eerste keer in ons Addo- en Port Elizabeth-kantore in die laaste maande van 2020, terwyl terselfdertyd ‘n paar gevalle in die Citrusdal-aanleg ervaar is. Vir die veiligheid van ons almal en in die belang van die esensiële dienste wat ons aan ons kliente lewer, is die mees indrukwekkende ervaring van al hierdie dinge egter hoe hierdie saak deur alle betrokkenes bestuur en beheer was om beduidende verspreiding binne ons organisasie te voorkom.

Welgedaan aan almal en bly waaksaam.

Groete Rob

Die twee hoofmaniere vir die vrylating van SIT-motte is per helikopter of per hand. Handvrylating word hoofsaaklik gebruik waar boorde deur nette bedek word en ons sien dit grootendeels toeneem, of waar die onmiddellike bedekte area te klein is om vrystellings met behulp van ‘n helikopter te doen.

Tot dusver was handvrylatings gedoen met ‘n petri-skottel wat gebruik is om motte in ‘n spesifieke voorafberekende posisies in die boord af te lewer. Hierdie metode is nou vervang deur ‘n verbeterde handvrylatingsmetode wat ontwerp, vervaardig en getoets is met behulp van Apex Engineering in Port Elizabeth. Hierdie verbeterde vryslatingseenheid kan op die voorste draer van die vierwielmotorfiets gemonteer word.

Hierdie metode verseker nie net die voortdurende vrylating van motte met beter verspreiding nie, maar dit is ook toegerus met verstelbare spoed beheer wat gekoppel is aan die agteras van die vierwielmotorfiets, wat die hoeveelheid motte aanpas om in te pas by die snelheid van die vierwiel.

Altesaam 12 eenhede is in alle gebiede ontplooi en uitstekende resultate is tot dusver behaal.

RBX Groep verjaarsdsae: Marshale Damon, Burger Du Toit, Fezeka Dyakala, Christina Fransman, Jan Fransman, Hektor Garth, Chesné Geldenhuys, Zintle Gxothiwe, Romilda Januarie, Josè Matipa, Danevico Paulse, Marnick Pedro, Ashley Pypers, Laticia Ruiters, Byron Sas, Albertus Smit, Asanda Spogter, Gilbert Titus, Andries Van Deventer, Abraham Visagie

~ Lekker Verjaar!

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New Hand or Manual SIT Release Mechanism

Elsa Winterboer — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 11:04:15 +0000

Note from the MD

For most the traditional festive season was anything but traditional. Not being able to freely visit family, relax with friends or even just go to the beach has put strain on everyone during this normal time of fun.

COVID-19 has also been present in our Addo and Port Elizabeth offices for the first time in the last months of 2020 while at the same time a few cases have been experienced in the Citrusdal facility.

For the safety of us all and in the interest of the crucial services we provide to our customers the most impressive revelation out of all of this is however how these cases have been managed and controlled by all involved to prevent significant spread within our organization. Well done to all and stay vigilant.

Cheers Rob

The two main platforms for commercial SIT moth release are by helicopter or by hand / manual. Hand releases are mainly used where orchards are covered by nets, and we see this increasing all the time, or where the immediate area covered is too small to deploy releases by means of a helicopter.

To date hand releases were done from petri dishes that were used to deliver moths to specific precalculated positions within the orchard.

This method has now been replaced with an improved manual release method designed, manufactured and tested with the assistance of Apex Engineering in Port Elizabeth.

This improved release unit mounts on the front carrier of the quadbike. Not only does this method ensure a continuous release of moths with improved distribution but they are also fitted with a variable speed drive connected to the rear axle of the quad bike allowing for an adjustment in moth quantity being delivered to match the variation in the speed of the quad. A total of 12 units have been deployed covering all areas and excellent results have been obtained thus far.

RBX Group Birthdays in February : Marshale Damon, Burger Du Toit, Fezeka Dyakala, Christina Fransman, Jan Fransman, Hektor Garth, Chesné Geldenhuys, Zintle Gxothiwe, Romilda Januarie, Josè Matipa, Danevico Paulse, Marnick Pedro, Ashley Pypers, Laticia Ruiters, Byron Sas, Albertus Smit, Asanda Spogter, Gilbert Titus, Andries Van Deventer, Abraham Visagie

~ Happy Birthday!

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