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MTN would like to warn its customers about two parody social media accounts, namely MTN AWOOF Giveaway and MTN Free Dashout, that purport to be official MTN accounts. These are NOT MTN’s official accounts, nor have they been endorsed by MTN or any of its third-party service providers. These accounts are run by scammers who use them to defraud unsuspecting members of the public. We wish to strongly urge our customers not to fall prey to these accounts as they are not official and legitimate MTN accounts. Customers who wish to interact with us on social media can do so…
by Wim Delva The term “data science” was coined by scientists working at the social networks LinkedIn and Facebook in 2008. A few years later, they dubbed it “the sexiest profession of the 21st century”. This relatively new, interdisciplinary field is a blend of statistics, computer science, mathematics, engineering and subject matter knowledge. In fact, any and all subjects qualify. Its proponents believe it will transform every aspect of society. Many of the disruptive, game-changing innovations that are grounded in data science are intended to improve people’s quality of life as well as the efficiency of processes and services. Examples…
The concerning rise in battery theft and vandalism at cell phone towers across the country requires a stronger and more concerted drive to clamp down on syndicates and opportunistic criminals. According to MTN, which recorded 125 incidents of battery theft last week from 74 the week before, a greater fightback is needed to avoid the costs of replacing batteries and fixing damaged infrastructure being passed on to consumers. The worst-hit areas are currently Soweto, Tembisa, Vereeniging, and Parktown, however, this is a national problem affecting all mobile networks. “Battery theft and related vandalism are costing MTN hundreds of millions of…
by Wim Naudé Most discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) are characterised by hyperbole and hysteria. Though some of the world’s most prominent and successful thinkers regularly forecast that AI will either solve all our problems or destroy us or our society, and the press frequently report on how AI will threaten jobs and raise inequality, there’s actually very little evidence to support these ideas. What’s more, this could actually end up turning people against AI research, bringing significant progress in the technology to a halt. The hyperbole around AI largely stems from its promotion by tech-evangelists and self-interested investors. Google…
Why satellite is a better “off-grid” option by Dr Dawie de Wet Most network architects won’t actually consider satellite as an option. For them, the only alternative is LTE. The reason satellite is not considered an alternative is mainly due to bad past experiences and personal perceptions fuelled by old information or hearsay. The satellite industry is a very specialised and niche industry and hence not part of the mainstream tech publications and info channels. At the same time, it doesn’t mean that just because you don’t know about the latest satellite technologies that it won’t work and is not…
With two weeks left before branch filing opens, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has encouraged taxpayers to beat the queues by filing their returns on the SARS MobiApp and eFiling. The revenue said it has paid out R3.5 billion in refunds during Tax Season for eFilers and users of the SARS MobiApp from 1 July to date. “During the first week of July, R1.5 billion in refunds were validated and released,” the revenue said. SARS encouraged taxpayers to file their returns on the SARS MobiApp and eFiling, and assured them that their claims will be attended to and resolved…
by Bhaskar Chakravorti As the public and government regulators around the world discuss whether and how to manage the power of technology companies, one idea that keeps coming up is breaking up these large conglomerate corporations into smaller pieces. Public distrust for tech companies has shifted to talk of antitrust action against them. Facebook, for instance, might then have to compete with Instagram for photo-sharing and WhatsApp for messaging – rather than owning both. The idea has managed to garner support from both Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, and Republican President Donald Trump. However, advocates and opponents of breaking…
by Ayanna Howard, Ph.D The Singularity (with a capital S) is a doomsday vision that has cast artificial intelligence (AI) and its robot sister-in-crime as evil villains bent on the irreversible and immeasurable disaster to the human condition. Whether we need to worry about the big S or not really isn’t the issue, rather the primary concern today should focus on how do we capitalize on the impact of AI in the now and the foreseeable future. Yes, there are challenges with the deployment of AI in various applications and industries, but there are also amazing opportunities as well. Following are two areas…
by Benjamin Roberts, Jare Struwig, Narnia Bohler-Muller, and Steven Gordon Powerful new technologies are emerging that will continue to affect individuals in multiple ways. This has led to references to a Fourth Industrial Revolution – a new era involving the application of digitisation and automation to different areas of society and everyday life. This revolution is one that presents distinct opportunity. But it also presents major risk and human costs. These changes have become a growing point of discussion in most countries in the world. In South Africa the debate has drawn in policymakers, business and unions. But the voices…
Eskom’s Group Treasurer will leave the power utility at the end of August. In a statement on Monday, Eskom announced the resignation of Andre Pillay, who has been with the utility since 2011 when he was appointed as Senior Manager for Funding Execution in the Eskom Treasury department. He was subsequently promoted to General Manager (Group Treasurer) in September 2016. The utility said Pillay’s contribution to the successful execution of treasury mandate has been immeasurable adding that it appreciates the role he played in ensuring that Eskom’s funding plans were successfully executed year after year. The utility has asked Pillay…
Startupbootcamp (SBC) AfriTech today announced the eleven best tech startups (three of whom are from South Africa) selected to be the latest cohort in the globally renowned, multi-corporate backed accelerator programme. SBC AfriTech is the African leg of a global family of industry-focused accelerators and this is the third year that it will be held on the continent. The top 11 startups chosen for the SBC AfriTech 2019 cohort are: Databotics (South Africa) incorporates Robotics Process Automation, giving customers a streamlined solution geared towards generating value for their client base with the least amount of operational effort. Rentoza (South Africa)…
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan says a special bill on Eskom — aimed at finding a roadmap of the power utility’s recovery — is currently being drafted. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni, Gordhan said, will soon introduce a Special Appropriation Bill aimed at bolstering Eskom’s cash position soon. Gordhan on Thursday briefed journalists in Cape Town ahead of participating in a debate on his department’s budget vote in Parliament. “We have begun the work on the paper itself and we have brought all the role players together. We should have a draft very soon for government to look at,” the Minister…
by Tom Lee This article is part of our occasional long read series Zoom Out, where authors explore key ideas in science and technology in the broader context of society and humanity. “Design” has been one of the big words of the twentieth century. To say that an object has been designed implies a level of specialness. “Designer items” are invested with a particular kind of expertise that is likely to make them pleasing to use, stylish, or – less common in late-capitalist society – well made. Due to this positive association, design has become an “elevator word”, to borrow…
Telecommunications network provider MTN’s Zakhele-Futhi’s scheme has been found to be inconsistent with South Africa’s Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act. The BBBEE Commission on Thursday announced that the scheme, which was announced by MTN on 12 September 2016, is inconsistent with the act that provides a legislative framework for the promotion of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE). “The Commission found that the black ownership held through MTN Zakhele-Futhi is contrary to the objectives of the B-BBEE Act and further that the MTN Zakhele Futhi, as a broad-based ownership scheme, did not comply with the rules in Annexe 100 (D) of…
by Miguel Da Silva Despite the important contribution small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) make to the economic growth of South Africa, the sector battles to access funding using traditional means. The biggest stumbling blocks are the risk barriers and red tape associated with traditional funding products. The underwriting systems and financials required by institutions to finance small business simply do not provide a true reflection of operating conditions. This has seen the emergence of FinTech solutions and alternative funding products that have been steadily gaining momentum. Yet most local SMEs are unaware of how and where to gain access to funding. For…
Science and Technology Minister Dr Blade Nzimande says progress has been made towards the establishment of a five-year R5 billion SMME fund aimed at helping innovators commercialise their products. The Minister said this when he briefed the media ahead of tabling the department’s Budget Vote at the National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon. “I am pleased to report that progress has been made towards establishing a fund that will help bring locally developed innovations into the market. “The fund is designed to largely de-risk the early stages of technology commercialization and business development. “An injection of R1 billion per year for…
From today, South African cryptocurrency traders, will be able to buy Ethereum using Rands directly on the Luno exchange at attractive launch fees of between 0% and 0.2%. Marius Reitz, Luno’s GM: Africa, says that a direct Ethereum/Rand pair will make it quicker, simpler and cheaper for customers to interact with and use Ethereum on the exchange. “We are working on a number of enhancements to our platform and this pairing has been introduced in response to demand from our customers. Previously, customers could buy Ethereum through our instant buy option but having this ability directly on the exchange makes it faster…
MyBroadband Insights has released its Q2 2019 Mobile Network Quality Report, which shows that MTN has the best mobile network in South Africa. The report is based on 330,596-speed tests which were performed by thousands of MyBroadband Android Speed Test App users across South Africa between 1 April and 30 June 2019. The research shows that South Africa had an average mobile download speed of 25.67 Mbps, up from 24.20Mbps in the previous quarter. MTN had the highest average download speed at 35.90Mbps, followed by Vodacom on 29.76Mbps, Telkom on 23.07Mbps, Rain on 17.91Mbps, and Cell C on 17.32Mbps. MyBroadband…
by Lauren Gawne We’re much more likely to be hanging out on social media than at the watercooler these days. But just because we’re no longer face-to-face when we chat, doesn’t mean our communication is completely disembodied. Over the last three decades, psychologists, linguists, and anthropologists, along with researchers from other traditions, have come together to understand how people gesture, and the relationship between gesture and speech. The field of gesture studies has demonstrated that there are several different categories of gesture, and each of them has a different relationship to the words that we say them with. In a…
TEAS Exam stands for the Test of Essential Academic Skills. It is a standardized exam conducted by the ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute). The company is widely known for providing varied kinds of tools to help nursing students pass professional tests. The exam is mainly created to assess the individual’s preparation in the field of health science. TEAS test is taken up as a prerequisite for getting admission into nursing programs or any allied health school. Website Here Now is considered to be necessary to evaluate the students’ performance and skills and determine whether they are able to reach a better…
by Thuong Hoang and Guy Wood-Bradley If you’ve ever participated in a virtual reality (VR) experience, you might have found yourself navigating the virtual world as an avatar. If you haven’t, you probably recognise the experience from its portrayal in film and on television. Popular media has brought us characters like Jake Sully in Avatar, Wade Watts in Ready Player One, and Danny and Karl in the Black Mirror episode Striking Vipers. In these examples, the character’s virtual alter-ego is physically different from who they are in the real world. The connection between the real person and their virtual avatar…
We all hate being held up at roadblocks, the hassle of being in a rush to get somewhere and then end up at least an hour late due to traffic. Have you ever done “the flash” for another car to warn them about an upcoming roadblock? We all like to think we are doing our good deed for our fellow South African BUT there can be some serious consequences if a traffic official catches you doing that… Caught Warning Another Car: Even though it has not been sanctioned for people to be arrested for warning against roadblocks, you can still be charged…
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has assured the public it is attending to certain glitches taxpayers are experiencing when using eFiling. “This occurs when they save their income tax return and immediately re-open the return and press the tax calculates button before the form has fully rendered. The problem is aggravated when taxpayers click multiple times as they try to view their return,” SARS said in a statement. The revenue collector said it will be putting in a fix where all the buttons, including the calculate button, will be greyed while the form is still loading. SARS will also limit…
by Willem Fourie South Africa will present its first progress report on the Sustainable Development Goals at the United Nations on July 17. This report will provide a rather extensive snapshot of the country’s progress towards the 169 ambitious targets. The development goals were adopted in 2015 by 193 United Nations member states. They were hailed as the first set of truly global goals, keeping both the developed and the developing world accountable to the same standards. They cover a wide range of areas, from ending hunger and ensuring universal access to water and electricity; to promoting innovation and building…
by Vino Govender Having adequate levels of education and digitals skills capacity and capability is pivotal in ensuring that South Africa maximizes the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). However, this is a major challenge that South Africa faces while trying to meet the educational needs of its growing population. The challenge is made worse by the living conditions of the majority of the population in rural areas who live in poverty, which often determines their access to quality education. Technology, and more specifically always-on, reliable connectivity, presents a compelling solution. The latest School Monitoring Survey from the Department…