Author: Staff Writer

The gazetting of the long-overdue draft policy on rapid deployment of electronic communications networks and facilities is good news for a South African economy that shrank 51% in the second quarter of 2020. That’s according to the Internet Service Providers’ Association of SA (ISPA) which says the boost to gross domestic product (GDP) delivered by facilitating investment in telecommunications infrastructure is essential to the local economy returning to pre-Coronavirus levels. “The recent pandemic perfectly illustrated South Africa’s digital divide. Those with affordable, high-speed Internet access transitioned to Zoom and passed lockdown with relatively little disruption, while most households struggled to…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says, as new COVID-19 infections decline and the pressure on health facilities is reduced, the country now has sufficient capacity to expand the criteria for testing. The President said this on Wednesday evening when he addressed the nation on South Africa’s risk-adjusted response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and announced that South Africa would move to lockdown alert level 1 from midnight on Sunday. “Among the categories of people we will now be able to test are all those who are admitted to hospital, outpatients with COVID symptoms, and individuals who have been in close contact with confirmed…

South Africa will reopen its international borders on 1 October 2020, under alert level 1 of lockdown. President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement during a televised address to the nation on Wednesday evening. While the country will move to alert level 1 of lockdown from midnight on Sunday 20 September 2020, international borders will only open up in October. “We will be allowing travel into and out of South Africa for business, leisure and other travel with effect from 1 October 2020. This is subject to various containment and mitigation measures,” announced the President. For international travel, government will place…

South Africa has withstood the Coronavirus storm and will move to lockdown alert level 1 from midnight on Sunday, 20 September 2020. President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement during a live address to the nation on Wednesday evening. “We have withstood the Coronavirus storm. Now is the time to return our country, its people and our economy to a situation that is more normal, that more resembles the lives that we were living six months ago. It is time to move to what will become our new normal for as long as the Coronavirus is with us,” he said. The…

BMW South Africa, in line with its expanded electromobility offering in the country, announced on Wednesday the appointment of established service provider GridCars as its official Charge Point Operator, effective 1 September 2020. Responses from existing BMW i3 drivers were considered when the new three-year agreement with GridCars was decided. Enhanced customer experience and access to Gridcar’s extensive network were instrumental in securing the deal. There will, however, be a defined sign-up process for BMW customers who register on the GridCars portal with their new (or existing) RFID ChargeNow cards. Customers will be able to use one card for access…

Naspers announced on Wednesday an investment in the food service industry with a stake in the Food Supply Network (FSN). FSN is an independent business-to-business marketplace that integrates ordering systems of manufacturers, distributors, and buyers (restaurants, hotels and retailers) of food products. Naspers’s R1.4 billion early-stage tech investment vehicle aimed at boosting the South African tech sector.  “Naspers Foundry invests in early-stage and founder-led South African tech companies and we’re delighted to announce our backing of Food Supply Network,” Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, CEO South Africa of Naspers, said. “It’s the third investment we’ve made through Naspers Foundry and we’re excited to…

President Cyril Ramaphosa will today chair two virtual meetings that will deliberate on the country’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic and the economic recovery plan. The first virtual meeting the President will chair is the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC). The council is co-chaired by the President and the Deputy President and brings together Ministers, Premiers and the leadership of the South African Local Government Association. The meeting is expected to deliberate on a report from the National Coronavirus Command Council on the country’s response to the pandemic. The second virtual meeting that the President will chair is the National Economic…

The 2021 new facelift of the famous Jaguar F-PACE is connected and electrified. The new F-PACE is available with the P400e PHEV powertrain as well as the latest four-cylinder and new in-line six-cylinder diesel Ingenium engines. All F-PACE models feature intelligent all-wheel drive and eight-speed automatic transmissions. When fully charged, the new P400e is capable of up to 53km of all-electric driving, enabling the new F-PACE PHEV to complete the average daily commute to and from work in EV mode without requiring a recharge. “The new F-PACE is dynamic and assertive with an elegant stance on the road – it…

Wide-open spaces are a great place to decompress after months of lockdown, and Knorhoek ticks all the boxes for the perfect country escape. Situated in the Knorhoek Valley just outside Stellenbosch next to Quoin Rock Wine Estate, easy accessibility makes this working farm the perfect choice for family outings. The allure of delicious farm-to-table dishes, and top Simonsberg wines are just part of the story.  Parents can enjoy lunch around the pool, or a picnic under a canopy of trees, while their children are free to explore rock pools, or expend their energy on a bouncy jumping castle. Nature abounds,…

Avon breaks all the rules with Far Away Rebel & Diva. The new launch is the next step in the glamorous bold journey of the perfume powerhouse Far Away, the company’s number one fragrance brand. The range has captured the hearts, minds and dreams of millions of women for over 20 years. Far Away Rebel & Diva was designed for the unapologetically fearless girls who can show the world they have proudly shed the ordinary to discover their true selves: the unstoppable spirit of fearless women. This powerful effect is achieved by the combination of contrasts and contradictions, resulting in…