Author: Gugu Lourie

Some parts of Soweto may be experiencing slower connectivity as a result of Vodacom-based stations being increasingly targeted for theft and vandalism. According to Vodacom, its base stations in Soweto are being targeted by organised crime syndicates, with over one hundred cases of vandalism since the start of 2020. In most cases, the theft has resulted in significant site downtime, leaving entire communities in Soweto with no connectivity and has caused millions of rands worth of damage, the company said in a statement. Vodacom warned organised crime syndicates behind the spate of theft and destruction of base stations that their…

Distell, the R17.3 billion South African alcohol empire behind Savanna cider, Amarula, Oudemeester and Bernini, has welcomed the announcement of lifting the alcohol ban. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s addressed the nation on Saturday night announcing that the ban on alcohol and cigarettes will be lifted next week Monday. Alcohol sales will be permitted between 9am and 5pm at liquor stores from Monday to Thursday, while on-site consumption of alcohol at restaurants and pubs will be permitted until 10pm. In a tweet, Distell said it welcomed the opening of the alcohol trade, and the economic relief the government’s decision will provide to…

President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing South Africans on developments in our country’s risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of COVID-19, said the further easing of restrictions presents the country with the greatest opportunity since the start of the pandemic to breathe life into our struggling economy. Today, Ramaphosa announced that the country will be moved to level 2 lockdown. A hard lockdown was imposed at the end of March to curb the spread of COVID-19 while giving the government time to prepare the healthcare system for the expected spike in virus infections. Today marks 142 days since the lockdown began. The coronavirus…

South Africa will be moved to a level 2 lockdown next week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Saturday evening. “As South Africa moves to lockdown Level 2 on August 18, prohibitions on the sale of alcohol and tobacco products will be lifted. Gyms and fitness centres will be permitted to reopen. Appropriate restrictions and safety precautions will apply to protect public health,” said Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa was addressing South Africans on developments in our country’s risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of COVID-19. A hard lockdown was imposed at the end of March to curb the spread of COVID-19 while giving the…

South Africa to lift alcohol and cigarette ban as the country is moved to level 2 lockdown. A hard lockdown was imposed at the end of March to curb the spread of COVID-19 while giving the government time to prepare the healthcare system for the expected spike in virus infections. Level 3 of the lockdown began on 1 June and enabled the sale of alcohol. The South African government implemented an alcohol sales ban early on when COVID-19 hit the country, as part of its public health response to contain the spread of the virus. The ban was intended to reduce the…

To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…

Mobile operators refrain from investing in the deployment of new rural network sites. During the festive season, when rural folks who work in cities return home, networks get overloaded or operators end up developing short-term solutions. This is understandable. Operators try to maximise their revenues by deploying every possible new network site that can deliver incremental revenues. However, Vodacom seems to be changing its strategy or seeing more value in deploying new network sites in rural areas of South Africa. The Vodafone-owned company is planning to deploy 20 new base stations in urban areas and 18 new base stations in…

Black investors in Phuthuma Nathi, the broad-based black economic empowerment arm of pay-TV operator MultiChoice SA, are in line to share more than R1 billion in dividends. Phuthuma Nathi shareholders own 25% of MultiChoice SA through the Phuthuma Nathi entity. In 2019, shareholders voted to combine Phuthuma Nathi and Phuthuma Nathi 2 into one scheme. The combination of these entities resulted in one listed scheme with a single Phuthuma Nathi share price. The transaction did not have any meaningful impact on the number of shares held or their attributable value. Phuthuma Nathi will receive R1.5 billion of the R6 billion dividend declared by…

All Welkom Yizani, the black economic empowerment shares of media group Media 24, will receive a dividend of 34 cents a share for the 2020 financial year. Welkom Yizani holds 15% stake in Media 24, a print media domination operation in the Naspers stable. Welkom Yizani investors will receive a dividend of R6.2 million in 2020 resulting in a dividend of 42.5 cents a share before tax, said Media 24 in its annual report. Welkom Yizani, Media24’s broad-based black economic empowerment scheme, began trading its shares on the Equity Express Securities Exchange (EESE) in November 2018. In 2016, Naspers, a…

To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…