Author: Gugu Lourie
In response to an Enforcement Notice issued by the Information Regulator of South Africa to Dis-Chem, following a data breach which occurred in May 2022, Dis-Chem has disputed the accuracy of the allegations. Dis-Chem in a statement confirmed that it has already responded to and actioned all orders contained in the Enforcement Notice and will report to the regulator within 31 days as requested. The regulator disclosed on Friday that enforcement notice was issued to Dis-Chem for violating POPIA. The company confirms that the data held by the third-party provider was restricted to mailing details only and did not contain…
On the 31st of August 2023, the Information Regulator took action by issuing an Enforcement Notice against Dis-Chem, due to their non-compliance with several provisions of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). In the timeline of events, it was revealed that during the months of April and May in 2022, a brute force attack was launched against Grapevine, a third-party service provider engaged by Dis-Chem. A brute force attack involves repeated attempts to guess a password until the correct combination is discovered. It wasn’t until the 1st of May 2022 that Dis-Chem became aware of this security breach when…
After years of rumors and speculation, Google’s first foldable phone, the Pixel Fold, was finally released last month. This new addition to Google’s smartphone lineup promises to redefine user expectations and usher in a new era of smartphone technology. With its striking 7.6-inch internal screen and an ultra-sleek profile, the Pixel Fold sets new standards for design excellence. Not just good looks, the Pixel Fold also presents a world of possibilities when it comes to smartphone multitasking and media consumption. The splitscreen mode and intuitive drag-and-drop feature means users can now be on a Zoom call while responding to a…
For the first time, Volvo Car South Africa has extended its guaranteed future value (GFV) finance offering to their electric fleet. Previously, the Volvo Versatility Finance scheme was available only for the Swedish firm’s combustion-engined vehicles, but in response to growing local demand for electric vehicles (EVs), the company has added the XC40 Twin Motor Recharge AWD Ultimate to the list of eligible cars, while also further refining its GFV offering. According to Volvo, customers will now have the flexibility to choose between a 36- and a 48-month GFV contract period, with a generous mileage cap of 20 000 km…
Plural, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered policy tracking platform, today announced its expansion into Africa to enable access to public policy data across various African jurisdictions starting with Nigeria and South Africa. In June 2023, Plural began collaborating with a local network organization, Afrilabs, to help refine the platform and spur the region’s economic growth, create political change, simplify increasing regulatory complexity, develop ongoing digital transformation and stimulate transparency and cross-border business expansion. Plural’s expansion into Africa comes at a crucial time, as Africa is currently implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and being met with growing calls for policy transparency, harmonization and improvements to aid free trade and economic development. Plural…
It’s truly remarkable to contemplate that Telkom’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) is commemorating its 25th anniversary. Through the CoE Programme, substantial funding and assistance are channelled into the advanced education of post-graduates (encompassing PhD, Masters, and Honours levels) within the realm of Computer Science and Engineering (CS&E). This initiative not only enhanced technical research and innovation on a significant scale in South Africa but also nurtures the growth of adept professionals in these fields. Telkom has seamlessly integrated several innovations stemming from these students, one notable example being Izwe.AI, which has been harnessed to enhance the quality of customer service.…
Telkom has reaffirmed its dedication to cultivating emerging technological skills as its Centre of Excellence (CoE) reaches its 25-year milestone. Originating as a collaborative initiative involving Telkom, the telecommunications industry, and the government, the CoE was established to advance research in communication technology and related sciences. It also aimed to offer facilities that would inspire young scientists and engineers to pursue their research passions within South Africa. The funding for CoEs was a joint effort involving Telkom, companies within the ICT industry, and the Department of Trade and Industry through the Technology and Human Resource for Industry Programme (THRIP). However,…
Telkom’s participation in the two-day Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference (SATNAC) is significant. The overarching theme of the conference, “The Augmented Era: Navigating Artificial Intelligence in a Connected Society” is reflected in the plenary sessions and presentations, which include speakers and panellists from local and international telecommunications, software, networking and infrastructure providers. SATNAC is an annual event held under the auspices of Telkom and attracts more than 400 participants. This important gathering has become the most important ICT conference across the continent. It serves as an important platform for industry, academic and operator stakeholders to showcase their advances…
Telkom recently partnered with the University of the Witwatersrand to inaugurate the Telkom Industry Solutions Lab. This state-of-the-art facility is designed to foster collaboration between businesses and universities in the field of research and development (R&D). The establishment of this lab is a key strategic move by Telkom to strengthen innovation within the group. The partnership with the University of the Witwatersrand aims to create an environment that fosters creativity and collaboration. This venture leverages the collective expertise and resources of both Telkom Group and the university. Ahead of the upcoming Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference (SATNAC), which…
Telkom’s AI system called Izwe.AI is changing the way customer service works. It takes spoken words in English and local languages and turns them into written text. Izwe.AI, which means ‘nation”, is special because it can understand how people with South African accents speak. According to Dr Mmaki Jantjies, Telkom’s Innovation and Transformation Officer, Izwe.AI was developed to celebrate African languages. Most language technologies are designed for different languages and not much effort has been put into supporting the specific languages of South Africa. “So from translation perspective, it’s so important for us because a simple example: In call centres,…