Author: Gugu Lourie

One of the most challenging and revolutionary things artificial intelligence (AI) can do is speak, write, listen, and understand human language. Natural language processing (NLP) is a form of AI that extracts meaning from human language to make decisions based on the information.  Derrick van Schalkwyk has set his mind on conquering NLP and is not doing badly so far. This South African-born civil engineering informatics master’s graduate from Stellenbosch University has helped start Kristalic, an applied NLP company based in San Francisco. He founded Kristalic in San Francisco with Filip Kozera and his university flatmate, Jos van der Westhuizen,…

This week millions of jobless South Africans will begin receiving relief grants of R350 each to help them cope with the lockdown.   The temporary-relief grant will perhaps give an accurate figure of the disputed unemployment rate in the country.  Government, unions and employment agencies have varying estimates of the size of the unemployed – anywhere between 5 and 15 million. They, however, all agree the problem is most acute among young people. Stats SA reported that South Africa’s unemployment rate increased by 0,1 of a percentage point to 29,1% in Q3 of 2019. The SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) has, in the…

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) will today open the process for applications of the R350 Special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant for unemployed people. The manner in which qualifying citizens can apply for this grant will be as follows: The new WHATSAPP line will be 082 0468 553 The USSD or SMS Line will be *134*7737# The email address will be [email protected] If an applicant has previously provided a cellphone number to an institution such as the SA Revenue Service or the Unemployment Insurance Fund, and now tries to apply using a different number, “the system will kick…

Vodacom is scaling up its financial services offerings to empower the lives of customers through financial inclusion, and the investment is paying off. The Vodafone-owned operator said Monday it had added 6 million new financial services customers in the year to 31 March 2020, pushing its total customers to 53.2 million clients, reflecting a 12.8% jump compared to the previous year. The technology company said its group financial services revenue rose by 22% to R18 billion. The company’s key market of South Africa contributed R2 billion in revenues after experiencing a 21.5% increase on the back of our popular Airtime…

As of today, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa is 10 015. Case Data Province Total Confirmed Cases Eastern Cape 1218 Free State 135 Gauteng 1952 KwaZulu-Natal 1353 Limpopo 54 Mpumalanga 61 North West 45 Northern Cape 29 Western Cape 5168 Unknown 0 Total 10015 “We note with concern that the Western Cape and Eastern Cape combined comprises 84%of the total new cases,” said Dr Zweli Mkhize, Health Minister. Testing Data A total of 341 336 tests have been conducted to date with 17 257 tests done relative to the last report. “This is a record high for a 24-hour…

The Business for SA (B4SA) is not disclosing the names of the panel members that sidelined black businesses in the allocation of multimillion-rand contracts for sourcing equipment for the fight against COVID-19. The business group – made up of the Black Business Council and Business Unity South Africa – was formed to support the government’s efforts to deal with the effects of COVID-19. B4SA – has been procuring much-sought-after PPEs (personal protective equipment) on behalf of the government and the Solidarity Fund. This week, the organisation refused to reveal the names of those panel members entrusted with appointing PPEs suppliers, according…

Applications for the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant will open on Monday, May 11, the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) announced late on Saturday. The criteria for the application were gazetted later on Saturday to enable implementation and allow millions of deserving members of the public to access the grant.  Lindiwe Zulu, Minister of Social Development, will present a comprehensive report on the matter to the National Coordinating Council today Sunday, May 10. WhatsApp and related electronic application options will go live on Monday, and this will be demonstrated during a media launch to be addressed by Minister Zulu. In…

The South African government is suppressing information from the public about COVID-19. The Sunday Times reported that the government is doing this to “avoid panic.” Leading experts have questioned why COVID-19 modelling data is being kept under wraps by the government. “We don’t want to put these models out to the public as if they are the gospel truth,” President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, told the Sunday Times. “There is an element where we want to avoid panic in communities, and we’re also mindful of the stigma of the virus.” She conceded that “we need to allow people to…

With economic data for April beginning to show the devastating impact of the first full month, Business for SA (B4SA) has urged the government to move quickly to level 2. The business group – made up of the Black Business Council and Business Unity South Africa – was formed to support the government’s efforts to deal with the effects of COVID-19. Modelling by B4SA shows that if level 4 continues for a month, with a gradual move to lower levels, the economy will contract 14.5% in 2020. The Sunday Times reported that B4SA is calling for a swift move to…

SAveabusiness, a platform that works in collaboration with citizens to save small South African companies that have been hardest hit by COVID-19, is offering grants of R20 000 to struggling businesses. Donations are offered to ten businesses struggling to operate during the lockdown, weekly. During COVID-19, small businesses in South Africa have few options of relief during a time of lockdown and no business activity.  SAveabusiness is looking to gain the support of civil society and large businesses to ensure that small businesses make it through this period. SAveabusiness looks to the public to swiftly and meaningfully take action and…