Author: Gugu Lourie

The South African National Consumer Union (Sancu) is urging consumers to be aware of their smart phone charges after receiving complaints from users with bills running over R20 000. By Adiel Ismail, NewsAgency Sancu vice chairperson Ina Wilken told Fin24 that in 2015 the union received nearly 500 cell phone-related complaints, with some being sent to the Consumer Commission. “It seems to me the big issue here is the bundles,” she said. “Smart phones have the ability to devour huge quantities of data when performing certain of their functions, and this can easily exceed the amount of data provided for in…

Cell C, South Africa’s third-largest mobile phone operator, is likely to be floated on the JSE in the next three to four years, according to a media report published on Sunday. By Staff Writer The Sunday Times newspaper report said the country’s third-largest mobile phone operator plans to use the next three years to position itself for a favourable listing. “We think the markets will still be trying over the next two or so years, but we will use this time to make sure we have changed perceptions about this company and to ensure that there is an appetite to buy…

 After four days in hospital following a “hit and run” incident, actor Thapelo Mokoena has taken to social media to recount what happened to him. By Mpho Raborife, NewsAgency On Saturday morning, Mokoena posted on his Facebook account that he had been struck by what bystanders described as a red Audi while he was jogging in Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg on Tuesday night. “I started my run and it’s was going well as usual,” Mokoena wrote. He had started jogging at 19:45. “I reached my 5km mark and started to make my way back. I keep going and just before I…

 The rand could be between R18.37 and R19 against the dollar by the end of 2016, Peter Attard Montalto, emerging markets economist at Nomura, said on Friday. By Carin Smith, NewsAgency This is an adjustment of Nomura’s previous expectation of the rand at R16 to the dollar by the end of 2016. The key factor regarding the rand remains what he calls “the negative narrative” against the backdrop of the country facing a downgrade, a widening current account deficit, capital flight and looming rate hikes in the US and China. His analyses indicate that emerging market currencies are likely to underperform…

Government employee Velaphi Khumalo has been suspended with full pay from the Gauteng Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation Department. By Naledi Shange, NewsAgency In a Facebook post, Khumalo called for black South Africans to do to white people what “Hitler did to the Jews” and cleanse the country of white people. The Sports Promotion Officer was served with an official suspension letter on Friday morning, said department spokesperson Nomazwe Ntlokwane. Disciplinary action was expected to follow. “Mr Khumalo has been suspended as from today and due process will be taken. We regard the allegations against him as a serious matter,” Ntlokwane said. “His pay…

The ANC says it has met with freelance journalist Carien du Plessis over a tweet she sent about “pantypreneurs and tenderpreneurs” at the party’s 104th anniversary celebration and resolved to allow her to attend the rally. By Karabo Ngoepe and Genevieve Quintal, NewsAgency “The ANC has been in contact with Carien to discuss her tweet… she expressed to us her commitment to non-racialism and unfortunately a very genuine mistake was made,” spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said. “We accepted that and her commitment to non-racialism.” Kodwa said the ANC had withdrawn its decision to bar her from attending the party’s 104th anniversary celebration…

In his keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, Reed Hastings, Netflix CEO, announced that Netflix will now be available in 130 new countries. This sees Netflix more than triple its global presence. By Marc C-Scott The world map of Netflix availability on the company’s website is now a sea of red. Among the countries yet to have access to Netflix is China, although the company is exploring this. Crimea, North Korea and Syria are also yet to be included due to United States government restrictions. Netflix CES 2016 Keynote – Reed Hastings, Ted Sarandos -…

MTN, Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator by subscribers, on Thursday afternoon confirmed that it has acquired Visafone, Nigeria’s wireless network provider as it vies to deploy broadband internet in Africa’s largest economy. By Gugu Lourie The news follows market speculation on Thursday that MTN has acquired Visafone and the deal has been given a go-ahead by the country’s communications industry watchdog, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The deal seems to issue a clear message that MTN is committed to the lucrative Nigerian market despite a possible R59 billion ($3.9 billion) fine imposed by the NCC on the South African-based mobile…

 The ANC has decided to ban journalist Carien du Plessis from attending its 104th anniversary celebration in Rustenburg this weekend following a tweet referring to people attending the event as “pantypreneurs and tenderpreneurs”. By Genevieve Quintal, NewsAgency “If she applies to come to this event we have taken a decision that she will not attend any of the ANC events. With immediate effect we have withdrawn her accreditation if she did apply,” ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said. “We will take action against her because we think it is unfortunate for a person who comes from such a profession to make…

Controversial radio personality and former Idols SA judge Gareth Cliff on Thursday said he was disappointed that people were calling for a boycott against him following some backlash he’s received on Twitter for adding his views on the Penny Sparrow racist post debate.  “I am very disappointed how this agenda has been hijacked by an angry mob on Twitter,” he said. By Naledi Shange, NewsAgency Asked to give his comment on what was behind these sporadic race debates, Cliff said: “I think this is an ugly situation. It’s a conversation we absolutely need to have, but I believe it has gotten…