Author: Staff Writer
Meet the new BMW X5 M Competition and BMW X6 M Competition. Both powerhouses possess a high-revving 4.4-litre V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology, resulting in a power increase over their respective predecessors of 37 kW for both the BMW X5 M Competition and the BMW X6 M Competition. This sees both the BMW X5 M Competition and the BMW X6 M Competition boasting 460 kW of power (at 6 000 rpm) and a maximum torque of 750 Nm between 1800 – 5600 rpm. Both the BMW X5 M Competition and the BMW X6 M Competition accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h…
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has declared that 85% of the UIF cases which were previously deemed not to be qualifying for the R350 COVID-19 grant qualify. This is a major about-turn for an agency that has rejected millions of applicants for the special grant. On 21 April, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a R500 billion stimulus package to deal with the negative economic impact of COVID-19. As part of the package, Ramaphosa revealed a special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant of R350 a month for six months to be paid to jobless individuals. The relief grant excludes…
Phathilizwi Training Institution has invoiced the OR Tambo district municipality R4.8 million for ‘work’ done over four days. The Sunday Times reported that the company claims to have hired community workers to embark on a door-to-door COVID-19 awareness campaign in the Eastern Cape. Documents leaked online show that Phathilizwi Training Institution invoiced the district municipality for just over R3m on May 21 and a further R1.8m four days later. The municipality now says it has launched a probe into the project. Municipal speaker Xolile Nkompela told the Sunday Times he has asked the director in his office to provide a…
The Gauteng government wants to reintroduce a hard lockdown in the province to curb the rapid spread of COVID-19. This is an attempt to curb soaring COVID-19 numbers in the province. The Sunday Times reported that if the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) approves the request, it could see Gauteng being shut down for up to two weeks at a time. “Nobody goes to work and no-one moves,” Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku told the newspaper. “Then the economy opens up again for a particular period of time and then it closes again. So at least there is predictability and…
iStore today announced that it will open its largest flagship store in Cape Town on 13 July. The new iStore Queens Hotel V&A store is located on Dock Road, Cape Town, amid the vibrant city centre, cultural landmarks and shopping district. The Queens Hotel building has stood on this spot, which used to be on the shoreline of the harbour, since around 1880. iStore in conjunction with the property owners, V&A Waterfront, has been on a two-year journey to attentively restore the building to its iconic status. “The result is breath taking, it is one of our second largest store…
At a time when South African SMEs need it most, FinTech SME capital provider, ProfitShare Partners today announced that it has secured R100 million from the SA SME Fund. This will allow ProfitShare Partners to partner with more small and medium businesses to provide much-needed capital to catalyse growth for SMEs. In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, SMEs have been severely affected – even after the easing of lockdown restrictions over the past few weeks. According to the colloquium held on 23-24 June 2020 by the National Planning Commission on small business as the spine of economic recovery and…
Avon is introducing its LATEST ANEW Skin Reset Plumping Shots, powered with Protinol, which is a patented formula that is clinically proven to revitalize skin by naturally restoring collagen 1 and 3 to a perfect balance that is found in baby skin. Independent scientific tests have confirmed that Protinol, the breakthrough formula discovered by Avon, helps to rebuild and simulate the perfect balance of collagen. The findings were authenticated in a test conducted in a controlled laboratory environment where these never seen results were observed and validated. The breakthrough ingredient is already gaining attention from industry leading scientists. Dr Bayat…
South Africa’s FinTech startups, associated with AlphaCode, share how the country’s extended lockdown has provided some with growth opportunities as people adapt how they engage with their finances, while other FinTechs share their challenges. Andile Maseko, head of ecosystem development at AlphaCode explains, “Mixed experiences are expected for our members but those with a digital first approach are benefiting the most. Those experiencing difficulties, are evaluating product offerings to better address the new normal, but the uncertainty of the COVID-19 environment adds complexity to pivoting.” Business is better than usual A business achieving records is Luno, a global cryptocurrency…
MTN this week successfully launched its superfast 5G next-generation mobile network across major cities in South Africa, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth. During a YouTube livestream media launch, speed tests were performed at various locations in Johannesburg showing download speeds in excess of 600Mbps, with latencies averaging 15ms demonstrated. Tests performed by media reported download speeds peaking in excess of 700Mbps and upload speeds peaking at 100Mbps Huawei Massive MIMO deployed in Johannesburg Leveraging on multiple bands, MTN deployed 5G in 2.1GHz using Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, 3.5GHz and 28GHz bands. 3.5 GHz, known as C-band, is the…
You love Top Hits South Africa. Your partner is obsessed with AmaPiano Grooves. So, deciding who gets to play DJ at home or in the car is a constant battle. Luckily, Spotify is making it even easier for two people to enjoy music together (or separately) with the launch of Spotify Premium Duo – our new, first-of-its-kind subscription plan. Beginning today, Duo will be rolling out in 55 markets globally, including South Africa. Premium Duo is for two people living at the same home address and costs R79.99 per month. Each individual gets their own Premium account under one plan…