Author: Staff Writer

The first-ever BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe sees BMW bringing the four-door coupe concept that has already enjoyed great success in higher vehicle classes into the premium compact segment for the first time. It is now available in South Africa. Recommended retail prices in South Africa  (including VAT, excluding CO2 tax): 218i – R 515 000 220d – R 595 000 M235i xDrive – R 725 000 Standout features include the dynamically stretched silhouette, the four frameless side windows and the rear lights extending well into the centre of the rear end, merging into a High-gloss Black band that runs up to and encircles the…

Jaguar Land Rover South Africa has made 11 vehicles available to the South African Red Cross Society (SARCS) in order to keep the organisation mobile in its efforts to control and minimise the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The vehicles, which come from Jaguar Land Rover’s Experience and marketing fleets, have been supplied free of charge and will be dispatched nationwide to boost transport capacity for SARCS. Red Cross volunteers will now be deployed to critical areas where they will engage communities and educate on how the virus is transmitted and how to avoid risks. In many vulnerable areas the…

Social grant payments for the elderly and people with disabilities is in full swing as South Africa enters Day 4 of the 21-day lockdown to curb COVID-19. In preparation for the lockdown, social security agency – SASSA – announced that grants for the elderly and people with disabilities will be paid from 30 – 31 March 2020. The Social security agency’s decision to pay grants earlier is in response to the State of National Disaster, as announced by President Ramaphosa on 15 March 2020. On Monday, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, together with SASSA CEO Totsie Memela, Acting MEC Panyaza…

Essential services businesses like grocery stores and veterinary practices can look to Bolt Business Delivery, now launched by the ride-hailing service in South Africa, to help them fulfil orders within the confines of the South African government’s lockdown regulations. Bolt’s ride-hailing services are authorised by the regulations to operate between 5h00 and 9h00, and 16h00 and 20h00 each day. The service connects business with drivers on the Bolt platform during these hours so that essential services businesses can deliver to South African residents unable to leave home. “Bolt has been working around the clock to provide innovative solutions to assist…

As it escalates its efforts to help customers, FNB announced on Monday that from 1 April – 30 June 2020 it will implement measures to provide relief to individual and business customers whose financial stability has been impacted by COVID-19. Jacques Celliers, FNB Chief Executive Officer, said the banks interventions will assist customers who demonstrate sound banking behaviour, such as having honoured their repayments to the bank on a consistent basis prior to COVID-19. For those customers that qualify, FNB said its COVID-19 interventions will be for all products. They will be available for a period of three months, covering…

As part of its long-term commitment to fuel cell technology, BMW Group will launch the second generation of its hydrogen-based powertrain in 2022 on a small series of the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT based on the current X5 generation. The premium carmaker offers first virtual insights into the powertrain system for the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT and reaffirms its commitment to following a carefully considered and systematic route to emission-free mobility. “We are convinced that various alternative powertrain systems will exist alongside one another in future, as there is no single solution that addresses the full spectrum of customers’ mobility requirements worldwide,”…

Following the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the days of social grants would be paid, a number of industry bodies have made representations on the relaxation of hours public transport vehicles are allowed to operate.  A similar request was made by the Minister of Social Development, Minister Lindiwe Zulu. Having considered Minister Zulu’s request and representations made by various industry bodies, including the taxi industry, I have decided to amend the Public Transport Directions in order to accommodate grant beneficiaries. Effective from tomorrow, 30 March 2020 until Friday, 3 April 2020, buses and taxis will be permitted to operate…

Liquid Telecom South Africa, part of the leading pan-African telecoms group Liquid Telecom, today announced that it had mitigated network outages due unexpected loss of connectivity following a recent break-in the WACS (West Africa Cable System) undersea cable. “To help ensure continuity of service, Liquid Telecom’s network traffic is automatically re-routed during such outages. We are responding to new and increased demand from customers with additional capacity across alternate routes,” said Reshaad Sha, CEO Liquid Telecom South Africa. “Liquid Telecom operates a five-cable system for our international internet capacity in South Africa. Our resilient architecture means the loss of the…

South Africa will participate in the Public Health Emergency Solidarity Trial, which has been initiated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to conduct a clinical trial to find an effective COVID-19 treatment. “WHO has convened an independent group of experts to review evidence from laboratory, animal and clinical studies to prioritise treatments for inclusion in the trial,” Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said on Saturday. The group has identified the following treatment options for inclusion in the trial: •           Remdesivir: a drug which was previous used in an Ebola trial; •           Lopinavir/ritonavir: a licensed treatment for HIV and Aids; •          …

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared the Ranch Resort a green zone after everyone, who had been placed under quarantine there, has tested negative for Coronavirus (COVID-19). The group of 112 citizens was placed under quarantine at the Ranch Resort in Polokwane from 14 March 2020 after they were repatriated from Wuhan in the Hubei Province of the People’s Republic of China, following the outbreak of COVID-19. “We are now able to declare the ranch a green zone. We had placed our students, the cabin crew of the flight that fetched them, as well as our military medical officers and the…