Author: Contributor
South Africa’s goal since 2012 has been to build a capable and developmental state to address the twin challenges of poverty and inequality. The country’s National Development Plan defines a capable state as “well-run and effectively coordinated state institutions with skilled public servants”. A transformative and developmental role is about “consistently delivering high quality services” for the good of society. To meet these goals, the country requires people in government with the necessary technological skills. This has been shown to be true in analysis of how governments from various regions worldwide have responded to technology as part of the Fourth…
On 15 February 2025, Gautrain services between Rosebank and Park Station were halted due to an illegal borehole that caused water and soil seepage into an underground tunnel. This article explores the unintended consequences of the growing water crisis in Gauteng and the interplay between public and private infrastructure across sectors. The Gauteng water crisis and boreholes Recently, Gauteng residents have faced interrupted water provision due to intermittent supply, excessive use, and ageing infrastructure. This is the latest instalment in a series of water supply issues for the City of Johannesburg. In fact, the situation is so dire that Rand Water has…
The ongoing United States (US) case of Derek Mobley v Workday warrants the attention of South African employers using AI platforms and AI software developers themselves. Derek Mobley, an African American male over 40 with anxiety and depression, alleges that Workday’s AI screening tools discriminate against job applicants based on race, age, and disability. Despite being qualified, Mobley was rejected for over 100 positions by companies using Workday’s AI screening tools. Mobley successfully established a prima facie case of “unfair discrimination,” as he demonstrated a causal link between an employment practice and its impact on a designated group: Mobley argued that Workday’s algorithmic tools…
By Clare-Alice Vertue, Partner, Karl Blom, Partner, Siya Ngcamu, Senior Associate and Sidrah Suliman, Associate from Webber Wentzel It is vital for employees to understand how to conduct themselves during dawn raids or interactions with regulators. Failure to do so may result in significant consequences for the employer. The European Commission recently fined a European company after a senior employee deleted private WhatsApp messages during a dawn raid pertaining to a competition law violation. The WhatsApp chat in question was with a competitor and contained business-related information. This fine illustrates the growing scrutiny on digital communication channels as employees increasingly…
The incidence of gambling in South Africa spans all age groups and with the accessibility of online gambling platforms, gambling is now an activity that can be conducted in-home and anywhere. To understand more about the dynamics of gambling, particularly amongst the youth, infoQuest, a leading South African online research company recently conducted a survey amongst 300 gamblers, 139 of which were younger gamblers (aged 18 – 34 years). The research was conducted during March 2024 and some of the main findings for the younger market are discussed below. Participation in types of gambling activities Online gaming and sports betting…
The Post Office and Postbank have failed to manage the social grants payment system. But the private sector is not an easy fix either. The failures of the Post Office and then Postbank have led to suggestions that the private sector should play a larger role in the payment of social grants. In this article we show that South Africa’s social grants history reveals the dangers of thinking private companies are the easy answer. Fintech companies – old and new – are entering the grants payments space with little oversight, many of them through the promised benefits of ‘financial inclusion’. Read part…
What does 2024 have in store for South Africans? What will the political landscape look like, will our economy strengthen, what about job security, load shedding and crime? Leading South African online research company, infoQuest, posed these and more questions to 2809 South Africans across all demographic groups and the results are extremely interesting. Expectations for 2024 Political outlook As South Africans await a definite national election date, their outlook on the political situation in 2024 is far from favourable. The state of the country’s leadership and the health of democracy is expected to worsen in 2024. Three in four…
The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Investigation, Search, Access or Seizure of Articles in terms of section 26 of the Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020 (CCA) were published by the Department of Police on 6 October 2023. The CCA creates legal mechanisms to address cybercrime in South Africa. The aim of the SOPs enacted in terms of the CCA is to ensure that investigations conducted by the South African Police Service (SAPS) are compliant with legislation. The SOPs also ensure that the Constitutional rights to privacy and to a fair trial are duly observed and protected during the exercise…
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) has transformed from a “nice‑to‑have” buzzword to a “must-have” demonstrable compliance requirement. As such, ESG is now also widely accepted as an important tool for a business to not only achieve or drive impactful sustainable development but also to strive for long-term value creation that strengthens and does not hamper the environment and the broader society in which the business operates. ESG is also geared towards making sure that every business understands and engages with the broader societal concerns of its day-to-day operations, mainly targeted at non-financial metrics. As ESG continues to grow in importance,…
Cyber security has taken centre stage in South African commerce, and it’s no surprise, given the prevalence of ransomware attacks on businesses in Africa. South African law sets out specific obligations to address these risks if they arise. The obligation to secure your data The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) imposes specific obligations on businesses to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of the information that they process. This includes taking technical and organisational measures to prevent unlawful access to information in their possession or under their control. These steps include: identifying internal and external risks to their information; implementing…