Author: Staff Writer

South African consumers look set to accelerate their journey towards online shopping beyond the pandemic as they stay in to enjoy the investments they have made in their homes during the lockdown. This is according to new Consumer Pulse research from GfK South Africa into the behaviours and sentiment of online consumers during the Level 3 lockdown. The survey reveals that consumers are preparing themselves for a prolonged period of cocooning, with 59% of consumers expecting the pandemic to last more than another 12 months, and 34% predicting that it will continue for another 18 months or more. Only 2%…

Many companies are looking for new ways to access markets and clients, given the impact of COVID-19 on our economies.  Current market conditions, as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, have limited the opportunity for face-2-face sales meetings.  Manufacturing Indaba has developed a new virtual event platform that solves this market dilemma.  The new platform is known as Africa B2B and is a virtual business event providing 2 full days of virtual business meetings. Africa B2B affords companies with 2 days of new local and international clients to network, engage, sell, and showcase products and services.  Companies are looking for…

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, says the 64-dish MeerKAT, the pre-cursor to the Square Kilometer Array (SKA), will be expanded by 20 dishes at a cost of R800 million. The Minister said this when he outlined the department’s spending priorities during a virtual sitting of the National Assembly on Friday. Nzimande said that astronomy in South Africa remains important to its socio-economic landscape and that the heritage will further be strengthened through the MeerKAT, which has already been able to give the world a glimpse into the star-formation history of the universe. “To extend its research…

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel, has tested positive for COVID-19, the Presidency announced in a statement released on Saturday night. The Minister received his results today, 25 July 2020. This was the Minister’s second test to be conducted since the outbreak of this virus. Minister Patel is in good spirits and is in self-quarantine, and will continue to work from home. Those that have been in contact with the Minister are also in self-isolation and have been encouraged to get tested. On Friday, Patel participated in the virtual parliamentary budget vote debate on the revised budget…

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is investigating allegations that unscrupulous officials and businesses benefited from billions meant to fight COVID-19. According to a report by the Sunday Times, the SIU is investigating 90 companies that received contracts from the Gauteng health department. It is also investigating R30 million worth of allegedly irregular contracts in KwaZulu-Natal, as well as others in the Eastern Cape. The deals are believed to be worth more than R2.2bn, involving emergency purchases of personal protective equipment (PPE). Black Business Council president Sandile Zungu told the Sunday Times he was saddened to see that his lobbying for…

Police Minister Bheki Cele says the department will embark on a virtual media campaign to educate communities on the police’s response to reported gender-based violence cases. He said this when he outlined spending priorities for the men and women in blue during a virtual sitting of the National Assembly on Friday. Cele said police are supportive of initiatives that are aimed at improving access to support services for survivors through victim-centric criminal justice services. “As part of the Women’s Month activities, the department together with provincial departments will embark on a virtual media campaign to educate communities on SAPS response…

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu says discussions on the mooted Basic Income Grant beyond October are in early stages. Zulu said this when she briefed members of Parliament in the National Assembly while outlining the department’s budget priorities for the year ahead on Friday. “As we consider multiple ways to extend the social protection coverage to those aged 18 to 59 years in the period beyond October 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing back the discussion about the Basic Income Grant. “The lack of social protection coverage for this group calls for an acceleration of efforts to put in place…

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Ronald Lamola says the department will introduce a new bill that will enable victims of gender-based violence to apply for a protection order online. The Minister said this when he outlined the department’s priorities during a virtual sitting of the National Assembly on Thursday. “I am pleased that our Domestic Violence Bill will introduce modernization in a radical form. If passed, our domestic violence bill will make it possible for one to apply for a protection order online. “This will be a leap forward in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide. “This is the…

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has cut the repo rate by 25 basis points. “The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points, taking it to 3.50% per annum, with effect from 24 July 2020. Three members preferred a cut of 25 basis points and two preferred to keep rates on hold,” Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Lesetja Kganyago, said on Thursday. He said the implied path of policy rates over the forecast period, generated by the Quarterly Projection Model, indicates one repo rate cut of 25 basis points in…

Jaguar Land Rover and the University of Cambridge will help keep drivers’ eyes on the road and reduce the spread of bacteria and viruses in a post-COVID-19 world through new contactless touchscreen technology. The patented technology, known as ‛predictive touch’, uses artificial intelligence and sensors to predict a user’s intended target on the touchscreen – whether that’s satellite navigation, temperature controls or entertainment settings – without touching a button. The pioneering system, developed with engineers at the University of Cambridge, is part of Jaguar Land Rover’s Destination Zero vision – a desire to make its vehicles safer and the environment…