Author: Staff Writer

South Africa’s five teacher unions are calling for the immediate closure of schools as coronavirus infections spike. The Sunday Times reported that five of SA’s teacher unions are unanimous in their support for the immediate closure of schools, but school governing body associations are divided, in what amounts to a stand-off between rich and poor. Twenty-two teachers have died of Covid-19 complications in the Western Cape, 12 in KwaZulu-Natal and eight in the Eastern Cape. Other provinces did not respond to inquiries by the Sunday Times. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga met with the unions on Friday after meeting governing body…

Onde, a tech company powering over 200 ride-hailing companies in 70 countries, announces an online edition of Ride.Right.Now – a conference for ride-hailing entrepreneurs. This year’s topic is Hack the Crisis: Business Tips for Post-covid Era. The online event is to happen on July 23, 2020. The event will gather ride-hailing entrepreneurs, stakeholders, and experts from around the globe. Speakers will share insights and best cases on how to survive the crisis that has hit the mobility industry. Registration is free of charge. Ride.Right.Now will feature talks with mobility and innovation trend-watchers, discussions of the opportunities emerging as the world…

Refinitiv today released a 2020 first-half investment banking analysis for sub-Saharan Africa. According to the report, investment banking fees in Sub-Saharan Africa reached an estimated US$64.5 million during the second quarter of 2020, half the value recorded during the first quarter of 2020 and the lowest quarterly total since Q1 2012. Around US$196.1 million worth of fees were earned in the region during the first half of 2020, down 27% from last year and a six-year low with fee declines recorded across M&A advisory, debt capital markets underwriting, and syndicated lending. Debt capital markets underwriting fees declined 45% to US$26.2…

There is reason for “cautious optimism” when it comes to the used car market in South Africa. That’s according to George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader, who points to a number of positive trends in this sector of the automotive industry. “Prices have begun to increase – albeit slightly – while cars are also selling faster than experienced earlier this year. Both of these factors bode well for the used car market,” he notes. His statements are based on AutoTrader’s Used Car Rate of Sale (ROS) indicator, which has just been released for the period ending June 2020. As the largest…

South Africa has exceeded the 300 000 mark to reach a cumulative total of 311 049 confirmed COVID-19 cases, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced on Wednesday. Mkhize also confirmed a further 107 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths to 4 453. Of the reported deaths, 41 were from Gauteng, 38 from Western Cape, 12 from North West and 4 from Eastern Cape, and 4 from KwaZulu-Natal. Mkhize has conveyed his condolences to the loved ones of the departed, and also thanked the health care workers who treated the deceased. The provincial breakdown of cases: Eastern Cape 55…

In an effort to eliminate the risk of criminals President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured South Africans that saving lives during this pandemic is important as government is set to engage stakeholders in the education sector on the reopening schools. Interacting with communities across the nation through a virtual Presidential Imbizo on Coronavirus on Wednesday, the President said government will in the next few days engage parents, student organisations, unions as well as other organisations, on the matter of reopening schools. “Once this had been done, we are going to assess what we have heard and discuss it with the medical…

FNB Life is extending credit life insurance benefits to cover a portion of cashflow relief instalments for customers who already have credit life insurance. Under normal circumstances, customers pay an additional amount to extend insurance cover, however, the provider is extending this benefit to protect qualifying customers against the financial impact of COVID-19. The FNB Cashflow Relief Plan covers a number of instalments that a customer has with the Bank, through a separate credit agreement. The extended credit life insurance benefit will cover the portion of the Cashflow Relief Plan that has been used for the customer’s credit instalments where…

Clickatell, a global mobile communications and chat commerce firm, today announced the launch of Chat Desk, a digital contact centre solution that helps agents resolve customer queries and obtain customer insights in real-time using chat channels for live agent support. The solution addresses the growing consumer demand for easy and personal experiences by transforming the traditional call centre with one simple integration. “For decades, businesses have spent significant resources on the call centre experience – generating 265 billion customer service calls each year – and most of this investment does not create desired outcomes for businesses or consumers. It’s cost-prohibitive…

The South African Rand (ZAR) has been exploding in interest in the forex market. Over the last decade alone, the Rand’s trading volume has grown by over 182%. The massive surge in interest surrounding the Rand has prompted the award-winning Bitcoin-based margin trading platform PrimeXBT to list ZAR alongside other new forex currencies from emerging economies. ZAR was listed for trading against USD, EUR, and GBP, alongside other newly listed currencies MXN, THB, CNH, and HKD. The Rand was hit hard by the initial outbreak of COVID, but has since gained against many top currencies. However, uncertainty surrounding remiposing quarantine-like…

CineMagic, SA’s newest Video-on-Demand (VOD) streaming service, is now available to millions of cellular users via the Vodacom Video Play and MTN Play mobile content platforms. The service is unique in providing mobile users with access to award-winning short-form video movies, series and documentaries that are designed for smaller mobile screens. Launched in June by founder Exceptional Rights, CineMagic offers director-driven, well-acted and high-value curated video content from five to 30 minutes in duration. “There is an unmet consumer demand for short movies that display beautifully on mobile,” says Joanne Raphael Katz of Exceptional Rights. “The support from the mobile…

The Basic Education Department has reiterated that any decision on whether schools will be closed or not, will be taken by Cabinet. The department reiterated its stance following a resolution taken by South African Democratic Teachers Union on Tuesday, which called on government to close schools nationally as the country braces for the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The government is extremely concerned about teachers, principals, non-teaching staff who use any platform to attack government for going back to work; ostensibly creating an impression that they should be treated differently from the rest of the other public servants. “CEM [Council…

Following the U.K. government’s announcement that it had banned Huawei from its 5G telecom network, the Chinese telecommunications and consumer device company issued a statement to the press. Speaking in Parliament, U.K. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said mobile network operators in the country would be forced to stop buying equipment from Huawei by the end of the year. They will also be required to strip out Huawei gear from their infrastructure by 2027. The decision follows sanctions imposed by Washington, which claims the firm poses a national security threat – something Huawei denies. Dowden said new US sanctions imposed on…

A total of 4 424 720 applications for Special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant have been approved. Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said that the department has to date, received 7 558 555 applications through the various electronic application platforms, including Supplementary Service Data (USSD), Website, WhatsApp and email. “A total of 2 174 046 applications were found to be active on various databases, including those who are currently receiving social grants, receiving Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits or are appearing on the active database of UIF contributors, those who are receiving National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) stipends, [and] those…

Telkom has unveiled a complete online education solution for learners through the Lightbulb Education platform. The company said the Lightbulb Education platform can be used seamlessly between school and home. The platform focuses on the goals of the learner and creates a path to achieve this goal through a personalised learning journey. Most classrooms in South Africa have over 50 learners per class, with one teacher having to give enough attention to each child, said Telkom. The company added that this is impossible in most cases, resulting in some children being left behind. 2020 has added additional strain to this…

The South African Municipal Workers (SAMWU), is now demanding the government to pay its members a “danger allowance” of R3 000 after 63 of its members succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Friday, SAMWU held a virtual Special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. The union said in a statement on Monday that it stands by its demand for a danger allowance of a minimum of R3000 which should be paid to all municipal workers who were on duty for the duration of the lockdown. “For purposes of clarity, we will henceforth call this demand a COVID-19 allowance,”  union’s general-secretary, Koena…

Telkom has recently unveiled its Big Deal for July 2020, which would make sure you don’t run out of data. “We’re aware that needs differ and that’s why this month we’re bringing you two unique deals,” Telkom said. “With the July Big Deal, you get to choose your monate with Home Unlimited Uncapped Fibre 10Mbps or SmartBroadband Wireless 10GB* Prepaid!” What is the Fibre Big Deal? The deal includes the following: Unlimited Uncapped Fibre 10Mbps R499 PM x 24 Includes WiFi router and installation on a month to month (24-month clawback) 3 Months Free Subscription subject to 24-month contract 1 email account with…

Recent revelations indicate that U.S. President Donald Trump may have used the U.S. clampdown on Huawei – an ICT firm founded in China – as a bargaining chip in the U.S.-China trade dispute, to boost his re-election campaign. The revelations come in recent excerpts published by the Wall Street Journal from former White House security advisor John Bolton’s forthcoming memoir, The Room Where It Happened. The excerpts paint a picture of a president consumed with his bid to win a second term in the White House and looking for leverage on issues where he might be seen to have achieved…

In the past three months, South African startup room.sh has emerged into the video conferencing tech space to compete with the likes of Zoom and Microsoft. The company has quickly grown to more than 100,000 video-calls a month. If there is a common thread woven through the story of South African start-ups it is that necessity breeds innovation, and this is no more true that the story of room.sh. In 2018 the founding team received investment from local VC’s Knife Capital as SkillUp Tutors with the investment thesis at the time being to expand their offering of online education technology.…

Absa’s  Regional Operations’ (ARO) Data Analytics team has the 2020 Best use of Analytics in Financial Services at the Retail Banking International Awards for its Customer360 (C360) platform. This marks the second such award for its Customer360 (C360) analytics platform. Absa Group’s businesses (excluding South Africa) won this award against several international banks. The award was presented at a ceremony recently hosted in London. Customer360 (C360) was developed to ensure a single point of access to various analytical models that provide key insights across the banking spectrum. Through Customer360, Absa uses data analytics and data science models, combined with basic…

President Cyril Ramaphosa is likely tonight to reintroduce night-time curfew, tighten regulations on the sale of alcohol, limit movement between provinces and enforce a limited load in minibus taxis and other modes of public transport. Presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko told the Sunday Times that the president will address the nation tonight, but would not say what he is likely to announce. The Sunday Times understands that the cabinet has sought legal opinion on the best way forward on the request to reintroduce a limit on the movement of people at night, which was fiercely challenged by the DA. There is also now…

Kiernan Forbes, popularly known as AKA, announced on Friday that he has tested positive for COVID-19. The multi-award-winning rapper announced the news on his Twitter page on Friday. Stay Safe. 😷 🦠 pic.twitter.com/qGls3wfRkc — AKA (@akaworldwide) July 10, 2020 Paid or not, fact is Corona is there and people are dying. Worst part some are still ignorant hence they end up sick. People we know are testing positive these days, are they also paid? Stop reading too much into things, we know y'all are smart but this is not the time. Stay safe— 🍉🍉MBUSENG SEHESHE 🍉🍉 (@BUBU_CESC) July 10, 2020…

Much of the current hype in the telecommunications space focuses on the roll-out of 5G technology, the new mobile networks that will power the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). But it is, in fact, 4G technology – LTE – that is providing lifesaving connectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic right now when communities need it most. Called Long Term Evolution to give it its full name, LTE is the network technology used by 52 per cent of the world’s mobile devices. As such, it is this 4G tech that has underpinned the innovative digital initiatives supporting communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. The…

A recent High Court judgement set a significant precedent and sent the hospitality industry reaching for champagne bottles. Judge Andre le Grange ordered insurer Guardrisk to pay out a Cape Town restaurant’s business interruption claim to the applicants, Café Chameleon. The High Court ruled that Café Chameleon’s loss due to the Covid-19 outbreak is legal cause for the insurer to pay out the claim. According to attorney PJ Veldhuizen, Managing Director of Gillan & Veldhuizen Incorporated, who represent a number of major SA restaurant and hospitality groups, it’s “too soon to pop the champagne, but its definitely first blood for…

As South Africans embrace digital and mobile payments, Visa introduced Click to Pay, a payments solution with an online checkout that eliminates passwords, protects data with smart security. On retail websites or mobile apps displaying the click to pay icon, consumers that have enabled their card will not have to enter a 16-digit primary account number, look up passwords or complete forms to make a purchase. Consumers can pay with confidence with their Visa card where they see a Click to Pay icon where Visa is accepted. Click to Pay uses advanced technology and authentication methods, including device binding and…

Canon announces EOS R5 and EOS R6, two advanced full-frame mirrorless camera additions to the EOS R System built on the future-proof RF Mount. The pro-level EOS R5 delivers 45-megapixel stills at up to 20fps and is the first full-frame mirrorless ever to record 8K RAW up to 29.97fps internally and 4K to 120p. EOS R6 is perfect for enthusiasts and professionals moving to mirrorless and looking for greater capabilities, capturing 20.1-megapixel stills at 20fps, stunning 4K video up to 60p and Full HD at up to 120p. Nothing comes close to the speed and resolution of EOS R5 and…