Subscribe to Updates
Get the latest technology news from TechFinancials News about FinTech, Tech, Business, Telecoms and Connected Life.
Author: Staff Writer
Tax Justice South Africa (TJSA) condemns tonight’s announcement of an extension to the cigarette ban as “life-endangering economic sabotage”. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s said last Thursday that the ban on the sale of cigarettes will be lifted from May 1, when the country enters a less strict level 4 lockdown. But Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said late on Wednesday that the ban on cigarettes should remain. Dlamini-Zuma cited the health risks associated with smoking and the sharing of cigarettes as the reasons for the revised decision and said that alcohol would remain prohibited for the foreseeable…
The retail price of the Limited Edition Golf GTI TCR has been announced. The Golf GTI TCR will be available for order from Volkswagen dealers in South Africa as of May 2020. The Golf GTI TCR is the final swansong of the Golf 7 range which has sold 40 128 units in South Africa since launch in 2013. Of the total Golf sales, 13 230 (33%) of those were the GTI derivative, which makes South Africa one of the top 10 markets worldwide for Golf GTI. The Golf GTI TCR is derived from the racing car of the same name;…
South Africa plans to open schools next week despite some parents calling for schools to remain closed because of serious concerns over the spread of the coronavirus. Hubert Mathanzima Mweli, the Director-General of the Department of Basic Education (DBE), told parliament on Wednesday that the department plans to reopen schools from 4 May. The outbreak of COVID-19 led to the early closure of schools during the first term. To curb the spread of COVID-19, the country imposed a 21-day lockdown that has since been extended by two weeks to the end of April. In a virtual presentation to parliament, Mathanzima…
Struggling clothing retailer Edcon is to file for a business rescue after losing R2bn in turnover during SA’s lockdown. The group said its board passed a resolution authorising it to file for business rescue in the next few days. Edcon, which owns the brands Jet and Edgars, said in a letter to suppliers that the R2 billion of lost sales during the COVID-19 crisis period which included the necessary “social distancing” measures, lockdown and extended lockdown, has consumed its remaining cash. The retailer added that it will resume operations and open Edgars and Jet stores in “business rescue” mode on…
South Africa’s prudent decision to institute a countrywide lockdown has circumvented an exponential explosion of cases of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic within the borders of the country, the Department of Health said on Tuesday. The Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said while the lockdown will not spell the end of new infections, it has, however, significantly delayed the peak of the virus. This has bought the country precious time to beef up its response, and prepare health facilities for the management and treatment of those infected with COVID-19. As of Tuesday, 28 April, the country had 4 996 confirmed…
Although it’s recommended in King IV, succession planning is often neglected because it’s an uncomfortable subject. The COVID-19 crisis should act as a wake-up call for organisations to ensure not only that they have a plan to govern an orderly succession for key senior posts, but also an emergency back-up plan, says Parmi Natesan, CEO of the Institute of Directors in South Africa (IoDSA). “The current crisis should remind governing bodies that in addition to key management positions like the CEO and CFO, succession planning should also cover key board positions, including the chair of the board and chairs of…
Communities in the Eastern Cape such as Mthatha will now have broadband access through Television White Spaces (TVWS). The country’s communication watchdog, ICASA, has assigned temporary radio frequency spectrum to assist in the provision of COVID-19 affordable and reliable data access to rural communities during this period of the pandemic. Using the temporary radio frequency spectrum, Morai Solutions plans to build access infrastructure using TVWS by Eastern Cape. Morai Solutions plans to start its TVWS rollout, starting with Mthatha and the surrounding rural communities of King Sabata Dalindyebo, the local municipality of the OR Tambo District Municipality. “We are planning…
As the face mask become the world’s most coveted commodity, Proudly South African (Proudly SA) has launched a dedicated marketplace portal for selling locally-made face masks. The face mask portal is hosted on the Proudly SA website. The concept of the portal arose from discussions with the SA Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU), the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and The Manufacturing Circle around steps that could be taken to align initiatives underway in the clothing and textile manufacturing industry with the needs of the public and businesses. “This initiative is an effort to support a sector…
Libra By Lemok, the first smartphone brand by a township-based company, was first launched in December 2019. Their launch model, the S8, was developed in partnership with a Chinese company, however, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, Lebogang Mokubela (the entrepreneur behind the brand) was forced to review the business model. “When lockdown restrictions were first implemented and borders were closed, we were stuck. We could not get new stock into the country. We then had to evaluate the business and look at manufacturing the phones in South Africa.” Mokubela said. Although there were plans to eventually bring manufacturing into the…
TicketPro announced on Monday it has launched Covid-Zero, a platform for musicians, comedians and other artists to stream their acts online. All ticket sales will be donated to support these artists during the lockdown and fund community care packages. TicketPro is a subsidiary of JSE-listed Blue Label Telecoms, which owns 45% stake in cellphone group Cell C. Covid-Zero and the Trust Blu Foundation aim to provide communities around the country with care packages including masks, hand sanitiser, food vouchers and information on staying safe. The first 5000 Care Packages have already been donated by the Trust Blu Foundation. “Against the…