Author: Gugu Lourie

When Anonymous declared “total war” on Donald Trump in early March, the hacktivist group set a countdown clock, calling on “everyone to target Trump websites” on April 1. But that may not have been its real objective. By Adam G. Klein Regardless of what, if anything, is planned for April 1, the actual attack may have already happened. That’s because the hack appears to be not of any website or technology but rather of Trump himself. By exploiting Trump’s quick-trigger tendencies to attack and destroy his rivals – including by threatening police action – Anonymous is seeking to tear down…

Africans are learning how to demand accountability from their governments. But they have a way to go before fully making the transition from voters to citizens. By Osabuohien P. Amienyi What’s the difference? Voters are “subjects”. They participate in elections hoping to get material benefits from government, but have little or no control over what they get. Citizens, meanwhile, fully understand their political rights and take judicious actions to hold elected representatives accountable. One way to deepen the attitudes and behaviours of African voters as citizens who demand their rights is to empower them with knowledge. This has been proved…

Yolanda Cuba has been appointed as CEO of Vodafone Ghana. South Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator Vodacom, which is owned by British cellphone giant Vodafone, is planning to announce Cuba’s successor in due course. By Gugu Lourie Cuba will succeed Haris Broumidis, who is moving into Vodafone Greece as the new CEO. The announcement was disclosed in an e-mail sent to Vodacom employees by group CEO Shameel Joosub. Cuba joined Vodacom Group in November 2014 and has successfully driven the execution of Vodacom’s strategy as well as focussed on new revenue streams. She is currently the chief officer: strategy and new business for Vodacom…

Legal documents indicate that South Africa did sign a nuclear deal with Russia, environmentalists who have taken the government to court, alleged on Wednesday. By Matthew le Cordeur In its legal proceedings against the Department of Energy (DoE), Earthlife Africa (ELA) and the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (Safcei) said they received documentation indicating that a binding deal had been signed. They said “the Russian agreement was entered into unlawfully, but makes (an) internationally binding commitment to buy a fleet of nuclear reactors from Russia”. From the state law adviser’s explanatory memorandum that was prepared in November 2013 but…

A lack of policy-driven consequence is putting corporate South Africa at risk of being vulnerable to cyber attacks. Organisations often view security as a grudge purchase, resulting in them not adequately protecting their data assets. This, coupled with complex or multiple solutions often lead to security being compromised putting the company at risk. Companies, therefore, have to take the responsibility to invest in increased security as risks continue to grow in the wake of the Internet of Things (IoT) and pervasive connectivity. According to Eric McGee, managing executive of information security and managed network services at Business Connexion, one of…

Mobile marketing firm InTarget has unveiled a research application that survey participants access on their cellphones using USSD menu-driven technology.  What’s more, there is an instant gratification element as customers engaging with a particular survey can be rewarded with any product or service from free airtime to discount vouchers. USSD, or Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, is a real-time GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) technology that enables mobile users to interact with scripted menus by sending answers to posed questions. InTarget’s recently-released mobile research and survey USSD application can help businesses learn more about their clients using technology that resonates…

South Africans are among the most banked on the continent, ranking second place in a Brookings study that included 21 developing economies across Asia, Africa and South America for both digital and financial inclusion. Around 86% of adults have access to banking in one form or another and, according to On Device Research, mobile penetration is at 133%. So why is it that South Africans are so reluctant to delve into digital? Data released by MasterCard in 2015 showed that the majority of transactions are still cash – a startling 65% – and it’s not just in South Africa where…

Whether it’s calling mom or ordering take-out, we rely on our phones to help reach the people and things that matter. And while mobile phones have pushed us toward the future, home phone service is still important to many families. Landlines can be familiar, reliable and provide high-quality service, but the technology hasn’t always kept up. That’s why today, we’re introducing Fiber Phone as a new option to help you stay connected wherever you are. By John Shriver-Blake, product manager at Google Fiber Familiar features, improved  Fiber Phone is meant to give you everything you want from a home phone service,…

“It is my wish for you to recognise that if I can become the luckiest person in the world, then with a little bit of work, and yes some luck, you can give me a run for my money for the title. I won’t relinquish it easily, but you can be certain I will love the competition,” says American business man and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. He makes the interesting remarks in his book ‘How to Win at the Sport of Business If I Can Do It, You Can Do It’. Inspired by Cuban’s “every no gets me closer…

South Korean electronics giant Samsung has the top-selling smartphone and tablet brand in South Africa, according to international researchers. By Duncan Alfreds Samsung dominated South African smartphone sales in the last three months of 2015 with a 53% unit share, according to data from the International Data Corporation (IDC). The growth came despite a weakening rand that did not deter consumers from buying smartphones. Sales of smartphones in South Africa grew 11% in volume and 22% in value on a year on year basis, said the IDC. “The biggest growth comes from the mid-range smartphone class with more than 100%…

Do you want to claim your free GB every month from Afrihost. No payment details required. All you need is a Telkom DSL line. Afrihost says the free GBs will be on offer for as long as it is in business and once you’ve signed up, your free internet is yours to play with. By Gugu Lourie Even if you’re not an Afrihost client yet, you can claim a free GB from them without further obligation to sign up for other products. “We’ll never ever force you to upgrade your free GB to a paid product – it’s really that simple,” says Afrihost. No contracts. Afrihost explains,…

E-toll owner Sanral was on Monday accused of blaming its financial woes and credit rating pressures on opponents of the controversial Gauteng road payment system. “Sanral’s financial predicament is self-inflicted and they should stop blaming others for a mess which they created,” Wayne Duvenage, chairperson of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), said in a statement. Sanral, which is promising to clamp down on non-payers, said e-toll collections of between R80m and R90m for February and March 2016 showed growth in the system. Outa disagreed with Sanral’s calculations, saying payments “remained low and relatively steady, oscillating between a high of…

The ongoing fight between Apple and the FBI over breaking into the iPhone maker’s encryption system to access a person’s data is over – at least for now. This is according to a report in Mashable. The U.S. Department of Justice said Monday that investigators were able to use a new technique to hack into an iPhone that was used by San Bernardino gunman Syed Farook, reported Mashable. The FBI is backing down from their case file against Apple because they’ve hacked the iPhone. This isn’t good news for consumers privacy. Mashable added that the FBI’s sudden success in circumventing Apple’s…

It has been a nightmare of a PR week for Microsoft. It started with the head of Microsoft’s Xbox division, Phil Spencer, having to apologise for having scantily clad female dancers dressed as school girls at a party thrown by Microsoft at the Game Developers Conference (GDC). He said that having the dancers at this event “was absolutely not consistent or aligned to our values. That was unequivocally wrong and will not be tolerated” By David Glance The matter was being dealt with internally and so we don’t know who would have been responsible and why they might have thought…

If you had the opportunity to vote for a politician you totally trusted, who you were sure had no hidden agendas and who would truly represent the electorate’s views, you would, right? By Frank Mols and Jonathan Roberts What if that politician was a robot? Not a human with a robotic personality but a real artificially intelligent robot. Futures like this have been the stuff of science fiction for decades. But can it be done? And, if so, should we pursue this? Lost trust Recent opinion polls show that trust in politicians has declined rapidly in Western societies and voters…

Telkom produces a number of white papers relevant to many aspects of the South African business landscape. In this video, Telkom Business focusses is on Healthcare and Technology: ICT Challenges and Opportunities in the South African Healthcare Industry. “Improving the quality of public healthcare, while also reducing the cost of private healthcare, are two critical objectives in a country with glaring disparities between rich and poor. These objectives can be realised through the roll out of ICT infrastructure that improves the capabilities of healthcare information systems and improves efficiency while streamlining direct and indirect costs,” said Telkom Business.

ShowMax is getting ready to update its series and movies catalog once again. Africa’s largest collection of series and movies keeps getting bigger with new shows added every week. From Hollywood heavy hitters to international exclusives and local favourites. Here’s what’s coming up this month. NEW SERIES Once Upon A Time S1-S3 Masters of Sex S1 The Boondocks S1-S3 The Tudors S1-S4   Damages S1-S5 The Big C S1-S4 My Boys S1-S4 Breaking In S1–S2 Kidnapped S1 Community S1-S4 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D S1 Crossing Lines S3 Sex And The City S1-S6 NEW MOVIES A Bronx Tale (1993) Mad Money (2008) Nowhere…

By Duncan Alfreds Companies stand to decrease costs by recycling old computer equipment that may still be useful, says an insider. As the falling rand results in higher costs for PCs, firms that re-purpose functioning laptops could reduce costs and help the bottom line, said Xperien, which specialises in asset disposal. But the process of recycling machines should be done with careful planning. “If you don’t address the security risks, there’s a fair chance your organisation’s most sensitive data might fall into the wrong hands,” said Xperien chief executive Wale Arewa. The Gemalto Breach Level Index showed that there were…

Mobile health solutions or mHealth encompasses all of the technology and software that combined with mainly smartphones, provide individuals to measure, record, monitor, analyse and report the state of their health. The ultimate aim of course is to keep people well and to help them to get better in the event of illness. By David Glance It is easy with mHealth to confuse the enormous potential for technology to bring about change, with its actual ability to do so. Whilst the advances in connected devices and the promise of technology such as Google’s smart contact lenses that will monitor blood…

The customer communication management industry has seen a constant evolution over the past 10 years from single-channel to multi-channel to omni-channel and now opti-channel communication. By Mike Wright, CEO, Striata Multi-channel involves sending customers messages and documents using the channel of their choice e.g. post, landline, mobile, email or online.  Omni-channel involves being able to service a customer across channels i.e. getting a website visit, starting an online chat, continuing over a call centre and then closing the loop by emailing  a secure document. Today the ultimate goal in customer communication has moved towards a more granular and personal experience…

Telkom on Wednesday rejected the allegations by union Solidarity that it was ‘waging a war’ against its own employees. By Gugu Lourie Telkom is forging ahead with its turnaround plan and is not ‘waging a war’ against its employees, Jacqui O’Sullivan, Telkom spokesperson, said late on Wednesday. The union alleged that Telkom, among other things, leaves no room for proper consultation about its current retrenchment process with trade unions. “Moreover, the way in which Telkom is dealing with this year’s wage negotiation’s is not fair in the least.” O’Sullivan rejected the claims and said the telco was’nt “trying to make life difficult…

Investigate and appreciate the beauty of the North West Province, which was recently renamed Bokone Bophirima, in ways never possible before. You can now explore the platinum province through the recently launched Bokone Bophirima Tour App. By Gugu Lourie This innovative app puts the sights and sounds of the Bokone Bophirima Province tourism, heritage, attractions, arts and culture, at user’s fingertips, with personalized guidance on the go through their smartphones and tables. The Bokone Bophirima Tour App is aiming to showcase the Bokone Bophirima Province, home to the world renowned The Palace of Lost City Hotel – the epitome of jaw-dropping grandeurs – in…

Ringier Africa Deals Group, a newly-founded joint venture between Swiss Ringier Africa AG and South African-based Silvertree Internet, on Wednesday announced it has acquired one of Nigeria’s biggest online shopping platforms, DealDey, for an undisclosed amount. The deal represents Silvertree’s first e-commerce investment in Nigeria. Ringier Africa Deals Group has been created by buying out Kenyan online deals business Rupu out of Ringier Kenya and purchasing Ghanaian online deals platform Tisu out of Ringer Ghana. The JV’s partners, Ringier Africa and Cape Town-based Silvertree, aim to lead the online deals businesses through continued collaboration with local merchants and brands wanting to enter the markets…

Technology means that long drives with the whole family are not quite the exercise in patience that they once were. Instead of playing endless rounds of I Spy With My Little Eye, tablets and smartphones mean there are a hundred ways to stave off boredom and make the trip just that little bit more bearable – until the next roadside pee stop that is!  Today you have access to loads of entertainment, music, audiobooks, podcasts and games on demand. Take streaming TV from ShowMax for example. Their apps let you download up to 25 series and movies to watch offline for…