Hello,

I am wondering if anyone here can help me.  I am working on a project 
to get co-sleeper cots (American "cribs") made and marketed here in 
South Africa.  By they way I am doing this as a non-profit venture, and 
not making any money out of it (in fact I am carrying losses).

First I tried to get overseas ones marketed here, but had no luck there.  
So then I bought a "Beistellbett" in Germany and am trying to get it 
shipped to South Africa as a prototype to show to South African baby 
furniture manufacturers in the hope that one of them will make and 
market something similar.  (I have a company who have expressed 
interest if I can show them one).

So I bought the Beistellbett midi in Germany and managed to get it 
shipped to the UK (they won't ship to South Africa).  From there I was 
hoping to find someone moving to SA who would pack it in with their 
household furniture, so that I could get it here at an affordable price.

So far I have had no luck, so I approached a shipping company in the 
hopes I could get it shipped over in a container.  But the quote they 
have given me is way out of the question.  They want ZAR R6,375-00 
(before surcharges and customs duty) just to get it here.

The cost of the cot (plus shipping to the UK) was less than R2,000-00, 
so it seems crazy to spend more than 3 times what it is worth just to get 
it here, especially as I won't be able to get any of that money back, and 
am a pensioner.

So what I am looking for are either of the following:

1.  Someone who is moving house from the UK to SA and would be 
willing to pack it in with their household furniture.

2.  Someone who "continent hops" on business and is travelling from 
the UK to SA with just a briefcase and overnight luggage, who could 
then use there luggage allowance for this item.  

The cot plus mattress plus bumper pad consist of two parcels:

13 kgs, 91 x 50 x 28 cms
3 kgs, 75 x 56 x 23 cms

(That is about 35 pounds in total).  I would of course be willing to pay 
whoever brought it over for me, though that would be loss, so I would 
try for less than R1,000 costs if possible).

A local South African mainstream parenting magazine I write for are 
also coming out with an edition "The Big Sleep Issue" next year, and if I 
can get this here in time, I hope to get pictures of it into the magazine -- 
I think people respond better to pictures than words and all they see 
pictures of at the momemt are designer bedrooms where newborn 
babies are tortured in solitary confinement behind bars!

If I can't find an affordable way to get it here I may have to abandon it 
in the UK, but I am hoping it won't come to that.  So if anyone knows 
anyone, who knows anyone, who knows anyone who is travelling, 
please would you be so kind as to let me know.  (I heard only today of a 
family that have just arrived here from the UK, but their furniture is on 
the way already).

The cot is in the flat of a friend of mine in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, and I 
am in Cape Town (though anyone who could get it into any part of SA 
for me would help).

Thanks lots for an assistance anyone can give.

Warm wishes,
Pat

(Cape Town, SA)

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