Author: Gugu Lourie
South Africa’s communications watchdog has allocated a special phone number for COVID-19 emergencies. The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has allocated the phone number “111” for use for COVID-19 emergency services. “The service code ‘111’ is hereby harmonised and mandated for COVID-19 national emergency services,” Dr. Keabetswe Modimoeng, ICASA’s acting chairperson, said in new regulations published today. Calls to the COVID-19 emergency number will be free. “The ‘111’ service code is mandated for COVID-19 national emergency services during the National State of Disaster. The service code “111” will cease to be harmonised and mandated within three (3) months after…
Wits University announced on Wednesday that it has instituted an emergency remote teaching and learning programme. The remote programme is one of the measures Wits is implementing to help minimise the lost time during the ongoing lockdown, which was instituted to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The university said in a statement that it has finalised an agreement with four telecommunications service providers: Telkom, MTN, Vodacom and Cell C to zero-rate Wits’ library and learning management sites from 15 April 2020. The full list of zero-rated sites is available via this link:https://www.wits.ac.za/mywits/zero-rated-data-to-students-and-applicants/ “We are working through Universities South…
Capitec has ‘quietly’ entered the unsecured vehicle finance market through a partnership with WeBuyCars. The banking group describes its unsecured lending product as ‘purpose lending”. It has opened its first outlet inside the WeBuyCars dealership at Brackenfell warehouse in the Western Cape. Gerrie Fourie, Capitec CEO, disclosed during the company’s 2020 financial results presentation on Tuesday that the bank has already granted nine loans within 15 days at the WeBuyCars warehouse. He said these loans were granted three weeks before the national lockdown began. Fourie said Capitec’s first ‘purpose lending’ client bought a 2VW Touareg 3.0 V6 TD1, 2010 model…
The total remuneration for Gerrie Fourie, Capitec boss, has been reduced by R22 million to R72 million in 2020 financial year. The banking group revealed in its 2020 annual report that Fourie’s total remuneration was R72 million versus R94.9 million in 2019. Fourie’s guaranteed pay amounts to R12.8 million and R54 million in long-term incentives. Capitec chief financial officer, Andre du Plessis, was paid R52 million, down from R65 million in 2019. While risk management executive, Nkosana Mashiya, pocketed R22 million versus R20 million in 2019. Capitec’s headline earnings grew to R6.28 billion in 2020 financial year versus R5.29 billion…
Capitec Bank revealed today that it has signed up more than 1.5 million new customers for the year end-February 2020. According to the bank, digital and self-service banking saved its clients R474 million during the year whilst the migration created more capacity in its branch network. “We now have 6.7 million retail clients making use of our digital channels (banking app and USSD) up from 5.2 million in 2019,” the bank informed investors on Monday. However, some customers still like visiting brick and mortar branches. During the year under review, the bank said about 7.8 million (2019: 6.6 million) retail…
The Gauteng Liquor Forum, which wants restrictions on the sale of alcohol eased during an extended lockdown, is threatening court action against the South African government. The South African government banned the sale of alcohol during the lockdown that started on 26 March 2020, was due to expire on 16 April and was extended to month-end. The forum, which is a non-profit organisation of stakeholders made up of associations of mostly township based Shebeens and Taverns, represent about 20,000 micro and small businesses around Gauteng. Also read: Coronavirus: SA Liquor Makers Want Booze Restrictions Eased Struggling South Africa’s liquor makers…
Vodacom boss Shameel Joosub to donate a third of his salary as part of a contribution to South Africa’s fight against the coronavirus. The funds will be donated to the Solidarity Fund. The fund, which was created by President Cyril Ramaphosa, enables individuals and organisations to contribute to the detection and prevention of COVID-19, to provide care for those that need medical care and to support those whose lives have been disrupted by the health crisis. “Vodacom can confirm that Joosub, has heeded the call by President Cyril Ramaphosa and will donate a third of his salary for the next…
Police Minister Bheki Cele has vowed to crack down on illegal alcohol sales during uring South Africa’s lockdown. News24 reported that Cele is also targeting alcohol looters, who have struck several times since the lockdown began. On Thursday, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the extension of the lockdown by two more weeks. For more read: Coronavirus: South Africa Extends Lockdown by Two Week The lockdown, which started on 26 March 2020, was due to expire on 16 April. South Africa’s first case of COVID-19 was reported on 5 March 2020, when a KwaZulu-Natal man came back home after travelling abroad. “Sober…
The fear of police knocking at the door at any time to seek answers about her alleged violation of the lockdown regulations grips Communications and Digital Technology Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, the City Press reported. A close associate revealed to the newspaper that: ”She is quite scared and worried about the police.” Mduduzi Manana, a former deputy minister of higher education and training, posted a picture to Instagram of Ndabeni-Abrahams and others having a meal at his house during the lockdown. President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed his communications minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, on “special leave” for two months, of which one month…
Struggling South Africa’s liquor makers want restrictions on the sale of alcohol eased during an extended lockdown. On Thursday, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the extension of the lockdown by two more weeks. For more read: Coronavirus: South Africa Extends Lockdown by Two Week The lockdown, which started on 26 March 2020, was due to expire on 16 April. South Africa’s first case of COVID-19 was reported on 5 March 2020, when a KwaZulu-Natal man came back home after travelling abroad. The Sunday Times reported that the government is putting together an emergency plan to kick-start SA’s economy after the…