Author: Contributor
by Peter van Heusden One important aspect of managing emerging infections is identifying chains of transmission and assigned cases to clusters of infection. A case in point is South African trade union leader Zwelinzima Vavi, who spent a few days in the hospital with the new coronavirus disease. He stated that he “had no idea” where he may have contracted the virus and was scrutinising his travel history for clues. This experience is hardly unusual and would be more so for South Africans using public transport and living in crowded circumstances. To ensure that scientists can trace people’s contacts, stronger…
by Moses Ngware Almost universally, one of the first measures taken to contain the spread of COVID-19 was the closure of schools, colleges and universities. This has affected over 1.576 billion learners, constituting slightly over 91% of enrolment. In Africa, about 297 million learners have been affected. Their teachers and resources, will remain underutilised for a while. The question for society is, “what next”? This is a valid concern given that no one is certain how long the health crisis will last. At the national and school levels, education technology (also known as EdTech) is closing the learning gap. In…
SA’s Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) is advising members that hosting so-called ‘fake news’ websites is prohibited by Clause 11(5) of the Disaster Management Act regulations which makes it an offence to publish any statement with the intention to deceive about COVID-19, someone’s infection status or steps taken by the government to deal with COVID-19. ISPA says the regulations specific to the ICT define deceptive statements as “fake news” and place an obligation on ECS licensees and ISPs to “remove fake news related to COVID-19 from their platforms.” Any ISPA member hosting a fake news site should act expeditiously to…
by Stefan Nalletamby As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a devastating impact globally, the African continent, while less affected, is preparing to undergo its own severe social and economic crisis. As of April 7, over 10,000 cases have been reported across 52 countries in Africa (less than 1% of cases globally). Yet despite the slow onset, Africa’s fragile health systems will be overwhelmed if the virus continues to spread. To avoid this scenario, governments are implementing contingency measures with striking collateral damage in the form of shops and factories closing, workers being sent home, and jobs being cut, with the effect that an…
by Dr Gilad Isaacs As government, economists, activists, business leaders and the public debate the size and scope of government support to the COVID-19 hit economy, it is worth asking a simple question: what is the impact of government spending? This forms part of a wider debate over whether South Africa should continue on the path of austerity – cutting expenditure with the aim of reducing debt – or undertake a fiscal stimulus – spending with the aim of growing the economy. Recent research by Professors Enno Schröder and Servaas Storm from Delft University of Technology throws useful light on…
The House of David Tlale on Monday, April 13, will launch a new sustainability-friendly and COVID-19 compliant Autumn/Winter “Fashion Trend” launch with an entirely digital agenda of content, including a fashion showcase and brand collaborations. For the first time the fashion maestro that is David Tlale will work in partnership with Boschendal Wines and Avon South Africa to digitally showcase his latest Autumn/Winter 2020/21 Collection titled, “Classica Icons”. You are invited to watch the streamed show at 19H15 on www.davidtlale.com, Avon’s digital platforms and across all David Tlale social media platforms. The pre-recorded virtual fashion showcase will serve as a call-to-action…
by Stanley Shanapinda, La Trobe University A conspiracy theory claiming 5G can spread the coronavirus is making the rounds on social media. The myth supposedly gained traction when a Belgian doctor linked the “dangers” of 5G technology to the virus during an interview in January. Closer to home, Facebook group Stop5G Australia (with more than 31,700 members) has various posts linking the disease’s spread to 5G technology. Members of the Stop5G Australia Facebook group share posts and videos claiming 5G helps spread COVID-19. Facebook Peddling such misinformation is not only wrong, it’s destructive. The Guardian reported that since Thursday at…
BTC predicted to reach highs of $15,499 by year’s end However, the coin may have lost it’s ‘safe-haven investment’ status Bitcoin halving a non-event Bitcoin is predicted to reach highs of $15,499 by year’s end, according to a new report from financial comparison website Finder.com. The figure is the average of 10 FinTech leaders’ individual predictions, who speculated what might be in store for the coin in 2020. With Bitcoin’s recent price decline nearly everyone on the panel (90%) agreed Bitcoin has not been immune to corona-triggered asset sell-offs. Technologist and Futurist at Thomson Reuters, Joseph Racynski, noted that in…
Standard Bank has acquired a 40% stake in the digital fuel management solutions and telematics company Payment24 Group. Payment24 Group is a technology development firm that supports companies with large fleets. Launched just over five years ago to fill a gap in the fleet fuel payment space, Payment24 operates across Africa and has already seen wide adoption of its fuel management app in South Africa. It has partnerships with major filling stations in the country. The company’s solutions – including the Payment24 fuel management platform, fleet fuel management solutions, mobile fuelling solutions, vehicle tracking, telematics and geofencing solutions – are…
In line with its stated intention of strengthening governance and board independence, the specialist investment bank, Grindrod announced today that it has appointed Zizipho Nyanga as a non-executive board director. Nyanga’s announcement follows the recent appointment of Amanda Dambuza as the chairperson of the board effective 1 March 2020. David Polkinghorne, Chief Executive Officer of Grindrod Bank said, “Zizipho brings not only a wealth of experience in the financial services sector, but a passion to empower SMEs and truly see entrepreneurs grow and prosper.” Nyanga is a Chartered Accountant and has recently obtained the GIBS Global Executive Development certificate, with…
by Niema Moshiri When you hear the term “evolutionary tree,” you may think of Charles Darwin and the study of the relationships between different species over the span of millions of years. While the concept of an “evolutionary tree” originated in Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species,” one can apply this concept to anything that evolves, including viruses. Scientists can study the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 to learn more about how the genes of the virus function. It is also useful to make inferences about the spread of the virus around the world, and what type of vaccine may be most…
Wits University engineers are producing face shields to protect healthcare workers as the country battles the outbreak of COVID-19. The escalating spread of the virus has increased the demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies as more people test positive for COVID-19 daily. Healthcare facilities in the country are seeing a shortage in these supplies for their staff. On Friday, 27 March 2020, Netcare 911, one of the healthcare facilities currently experiencing a massive shortage of protective gear, called on the 3D printing community to assist with printing head rings for face shields for use by medical staff…
by Ryan Falkenberg We are all living the unimaginable. So many face tragedy and hardship. It’s a time for compassion and care for those hardest hit by this global pandemic. COVID-19 is set to be a tipping point in many ways. One of those is a re-evaluation of how we work and what we do during our waking hours. It is a time for us to ask important questions that may help us shape a more positive future for all. Countries like South Africa are under lockdown for 21 days, and many of us who would ordinarily be going to…
by Bhaskar Chakravorti As we practice social distancing, our embrace of social media gets only tighter. The major social media platforms have emerged as the critical information purveyors for influencing the choices people make during the expanding pandemic. There’s also reason for worry: the World Health Organization is concerned about an “infodemic,” a glut of accurate and inaccurate information about COVID-19. The social media companies have been pilloried in recent years for practicing “surveillance capitalism” and being a societal menace. The pandemic could be their moment of redemption. How are they rising to this challenge? Surprisingly, Facebook, which had earned…
by H. Colleen Sinclair Propagandists are already working to sow disinformation and social discord in the run-up to the November elections. Many of their efforts have focused on social media, where people’s limited attention spans push them to share items before even reading them – in part because people react emotionally, not logically, to information they come across. That’s especially true when the topic confirms what a person already believes. It’s tempting to blame bots and trolls for these problems. But really it’s our own fault for sharing so widely. Research has confirmed that lies spread faster than truth –…
by Erin C. WestgateMore and more of us are staying home in an attempt to slow down the spreading coronavirus. But being stuck at home can lead to boredom.Boredom is a signal that we’re not meaningfully engaged with the world. It tells us to stop what we’re doing, and do it better – or to do something else.But, as a social psychologist who studies boredom, I know that people don’t always make the best choices when bored. So if you’re stuck at home, dutifully practicing your social distancing, how do you keep boredom away?About boredomWe can feel bored even with…
By Sarah Archer With the rise of keyless-entry cars and modern technology, car hacking is still prevalent in the auto industry. People attempting to steal cars are now not just limited to physically being outside in order to gain access, but instead can do it from inside their own houses as well. Through the manipulation of codes, taking control of cars from a distance, and other cyber-savvy tactics, being in-the-know is important for your safety. Here are the novel ways that car hackers are succeeding to steal your vehicle and how to keep from getting your car invaded. Carjacking wireless…
South African organisations are struggling more than ever before to manage their data, with almost half (49%) of enterprise data now considered ‘dark’ (unclassified and untagged), an increase from 41% since last year, reveals the latest South Africa Databerg 2020 report from Veritas Technologies, a global leader in data protection and availability. The study surveyed 100 IT leaders across multiple sectors in South Africa, to understand how organisations are handling the growing ‘Databerg’ and dealing with the challenges around turning data into valuable business information. “Business data in South Africa increasingly resembles an iceberg,” explains David McMurdo, regional director, South…
by Geoffrey Mann Working from home is already so common it has its own acronym, and it’s about to get even more common still. Companies like Apple, Amazon and Microsoft are now advising employees to “WFH” to avoid exposure to the novel coronavirus. But working from home can be a real challenge for employees who find themselves doing it for the first time. To address this concern, many employees are turning to digital solutions to help them interact with colleagues and stay productive away from the office. Here are some tech options for three styles of work: formal meetings, informal…
As we near the end of Mercury in Retrograde, which astrologists believe influences forgetfulness, we’re taking a look at what riders are leaving behind – and reminding riders how to reunite with their favourite lost items. The annual Uber Lost & Found Index provides a snapshot of both our riders’ most commonly forgotten items and most unique lost items. It also highlights which cities are most forgetful, which times of day and days of the week people forget items most, and of course, tips on how to get your lost items back using the Uber app. In 2019, phones, wallets,…
by Howard Phillips As the issue of repatriation of foreign nationals from China grabs the headlines in South Africa and elsewhere on the continent in the wake of the spread of COVID-19, there are some important lessons that can still be drawn from events 102 years ago in 1918 when an earlier epidemic, of so-called Spanish flu, arrived in the country. This was the most devastating pandemic of modern times, killing more than 50 million people around the world (or 3%-4% of the globe’s population) in just over a year. South Africa was one of the five worst-hit parts of…
With the first cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus confirmed in South Africa, online cleaning service SweepSouth has announced that it has proactively started preparing domestic workers who find work using its platform on the illness. While SweepSouth is only a platform connecting previously unemployed and underemployed domestic workers looking for work with opportunities, it wants to ensure that the domestic workers who make use of its services are prepared should COVID-19 spread further in South Africa. To that effect, SweepSouth has started informing SweepStars on the symptoms to watch out for regarding COVID-19 and what actions they need to take…
Capital on Tap has revealed the number of businesses and start-ups that have been created as a result of disruptive technologies. The study highlights what industry and countries are leading the way, as well as the jobs roles that are most in-demand and the average salary you can earn in these positions. You can view the full campaign here. Disruptive technology has emerged and become embedded across all industries. From virtual reality to 3D printing, disruptive technology is now rooted in countries, industries, businesses and our day-to-day lives. But which disruptive technologies are the most popular amongst businesses and what…
by Paul Heald The current term of copyright in South Africa is life-of-the-author plus 50 years. But the US is pressuring South Africa to extend the term to life-plus-70. Since the US is a net exporter of copyrighted media, like songs, books, and movies, US copyrights earn billions in revenue yearly. The US wants to prolong this trade imbalance as long as possible and deny foreigners free access to older US works. Research I have done shows that caving in to this demand would be bad for South African consumers. This is because copyright term extensions prevent works from entering…
by Nicklaus Kruger The Zenzeleni Project has reimagined how internet services could be provided to rural South Africa by rural South Africans, giving the community access to affordable solar-powered, Wi-Fi telecommunication networks – and changing lives along the way. In the rural Mankosi community, data really has fallen, thanks to Zenzeleni Networks putting network power in the hands of the people – as Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Dr Blade Nzimande discovered in a visit on 5 March 2020. “South Africa has one of the lowest levels of household internet access in the world,” noted Prof Shaun Pather,…