Author: Gugu Lourie

South Africa should optimise its funding model in the procurement of its 9 600 MW nuclear build programme to ensure cheaper electricity costs, according to Rosatom’s Nikolay Drosdov on Wednesday. By Matthew le Cordeur Drosdov, director of international business for Rosatom, told Fin24 that South Africa should “optimise the model to decrease the price of electricity, because … the proportion between investments and loans depends on the … levelised cost of electricity”. “You have to pay interest rates from your price of electricity if you’re using a lot of debt money,” he said on the sidelines of the Nuclear Africa…

The speed at which Russia and Egypt signed a deal to build a four-reactor nuclear plant in November 2015 shows how quickly a nuclear procurement process can unfold, a Russian source said on Tuesday. By Matthew le Cordeur The engineering, procurement and construction funding model developed by nuclear state-owned company Rosatom to secure the deal was the best solution for South Africa too, the source – who preferred to remain anonymous – explained. He said it was a superior solution for technical, legal, political, economic and industrial reasons. “It’s the better solution,” he said. “It’s shorter. You can start the…

ShowMax expands local partnerships to improve access to internet TV, enbaling Makro stores nationwide to offer its prepaid vouchers. Makro joins Pick n Pay, CNA and Game stores where ShowMax vouchers can be purchased. This moves gives access to many viewers who do not have a credit card or PayPal account. ShowMax prepaid vouchers can also be bought online using eBucks. One of the major obstacles holding back the uptake of internet TV in South Africa is the cost of internet. Which is why ShowMax is partnering with internet service providers (ISPs), like Telkom, to give subscribers access to high-speed…

Do you think that the machine you are reading this story on, right now, has a feeling of “what it is like” to be in its state? By Matthew Davidson What about a pet dog? Does it have a sense of what it’s like to be in its state? It may pine for attention, and appear to have a unique subjective experience, but what separates the two cases? These are by no means simple questions. How and why particular circumstances may give rise to our experience of consciousness remain some of the most puzzling questions of our time. Newborn babies,…

Netflix announced last month that it will launch a second screen experience within its app, allowing subscribers to view additional information related to the program they are watching. By Marc C-Scott This functionality will be available to those who use their portable devices to cast content to their television screens via devices such as Roku, Apple TV or Chromecast. The information presented on the second screen will include cast member information and additional program information. But some of Australia’s free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters have already tried to incorporate a second screen experience, and all have failed. So will this Netflix second…

VOIP Service provider Otel Telecoms has tap former MTN manager Christopher Geerdts as COO (Chief Operations Officer). “Chris has been specifically appointed as Otel’s COO to support the company during the current rapid growth phase that is finding expression in our national expansion. Chris’ ability to seamlessly integrate technology and business models will help further enhance Otel’s reputation as a leading independent telecoms provider,” Otel CEO Rad Jankovic said. He added that OTEL is developing a multi-channel strategy and Chris has been brought on board to ensure the effective implementation of this strategy across OTEL’s distribution channels. Geerdts has consulted to…

MTN has launched the next generation of mobile network technology called Long-Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A) in the affluent suburbs of Camps Bay, Moreleta Park and at the Gautrain station in Rosebank. LTE-A offers MTN’s customers a cutting-edge network experience that is robust, it packs more speed into the same amount of spectrum which should allow more people to access the network simultaneously while improving the overall customer experience. Krishna Chetty, Acting CTO at MTN SA says: “Our introduction of this new technology is in line with MTN’s vision of leading South Africa into a bold new digital world and to…

Although CIOs are primarily responsible for the IT Asset lifecycle, most executives have very little or no idea when it comes to IT Asset Disposal (ITAD). More importantly, very few know how to meet legislative compliance whilst reducing total cost of ownership. Executives responsible for IT asset management need to understand the principles of IT Asset Disposal (ITAD) and they need to consider regulatory compliance and the protection of company information. IT disposal has legislative requirements, compliance to Protection of Personal Information Act 2013 (PoPI 2013), the National Environmental Waste Management Act 2008 (NEMWA 2008) and the Consumer Protection Act…

Is the Protection of Personal Information (PoPI) Act just another piece of legislation trumped up by politicians or is it just good business practice that has been neglected over the years? Gone are the days when companies can be lackadaisical in their approach to the protection of their client’s personal information. Ignoring the PoPI Act will soon result in hefty fines and even jail sentences. Systems that were originally put in place to store and protect personal information have become a major threat to organisations and more specifically, to the businesses or individuals who entrust their personal or business information…

Four candidates were approved by Parliament on Tuesday to fill vacancies at the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa). By Jenni Evans, NewsAgency They are Paris Mashile, Peter Zimri, Botlenyana Mokhele and Keabatswe Modimoeng who will fill vacancies that arose when William Currie, Joseph Leboa, William Stucke and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu left in 2014. Their names would be forwarded to the Minister of Communications Faith Muthambi for consideration. “We hope the councillors take the job seriously in ensuring the independence of the broadcaster,” said Inkatha Freedom Party MP, Narend Singh. Icasa regulates the South African communications, broadcasting and postal services sector…