Author: Staff Writer
Surpassing a robust lineup of contenders, the EX30 proudly earned the esteemed title of 2024 World Urban Car during an event held yesterday at the prestigious New York International Auto Show. Additionally, the full electric SUV was honoured as one of the top three vehicles globally, outshining 38 other nominees on the list. “Winning this award with the EX30 is incredibly gratifying and a firm validation of our ambitious electrification strategy,” says Jim Rowan, our Chief Executive. “Customer response to the EX30 has exceeded our expectations, and it has proven to be a perfect car for today’s marketplace as a…
The ascent of artificial intelligence (AI) poses a threat to as many as eight million jobs in the UK, particularly impacting those with lower skill levels, according to Sky News. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) cautioned that the effects of generative AI are already evident, with approximately 11% of tasks performed by workers currently susceptible to automation. Sky News added that the report indicated that back-office, entry-level, and part-time positions face the greatest risk of disruption in what is termed the “first wave” of AI impact, with women and young individuals being disproportionately affected. However, further analysis suggests…
South Africa has welcomed the adoption of the United Nations Security Council Resolution Demanding an immediate Ceasefire in Gaza “South Africa has welcomed the adoption of Resolution 2728 (2024) by the United Nations Security Council on 25 March 2024, which demands an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for the Holy Month of Ramadan,” said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in a statement. Earlier on Monday, the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, and “the urgent need to expand the flow” of aid into…
Not only is cybercrime bad for business, but employees also pay the price. Researchers have identified a correlation between the spectre of cybercrime and employee health and wellbeing. Stress, fear, and uncertainty are leading to poor health, such as burnout, hypertension, strokes, and posttraumatic stress disorder and these concerns deserve attention. This situation is not limited to security teams, even though they are under the greatest pressure. Cybersecurity responsibilities, disappointment when failing to prevent an attack, and the general uncertainty around cyber risks affect all employees across organisations. “Security teams are under tremendous pressure,” says Gerhard Swart, Chief Technology Officer…
Ogilvy South Africa and Audi teamed up to launch an exciting new campaign that introduces a new line of special edition models, tailor-made for the South African consumer market. This innovative campaign spotlights the premium and luxury features of the new Audi models – the Urban Edition and the Black Edition; blending style, sophistication, and advanced automotive technology seamlessly. The AI-led project aims to capture consumer interest prior to the vehicles arrival in South Africa, solving the business challenge of not having the vehicles physically in market during production. “I’m very excited and proud of our collaboration with Ogilvy. This…
All eyes will be on the High Court in Pretoria this morning, Monday (25 March 2024), where National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will be fighting to prevent her arrest for allegedly accepting bribes from a contractor when she was Defence Minister. The Speaker’s highly publicised “imminent arrest” for allegedly accepting kickbacks of over R2 million rand from a contractor was initially reported to take place on Friday, (22 March 2024). Mapisa-Nqakula, who denies the allegations and has taken special leave to deal with them, filed an urgent interdict to prevent her arrest. At the weekend, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson…
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has suggested a substantial reduction in mobile call termination rates. These rates, which are the fees operators levy on each other for transmitting calls across their networks, could be cut by over fifty percent by the coming year. has today published for public comment draft amendments to the Call Termination Regulations, of 2014 and 2018. These draft amendments mark the penultimate step in a process that began with the Authority’s 2021 decision to review the existing call termination rates. The central feature of the draft regulations sees a substantial reduction in wholesale…
Water, Tyla’s global hit single opened the floodgates for her career, leading to a viral dance challenge, almost 500 million streams on Spotify (so far), and a Grammy win. Now, her self-titled debut album, Tyla is out. The 14-track album which she first teased in November by releasing three songs, is already a fan favorite. Truth or Dare, the soulful R&B release with a touch of Amapiano -Tyla’s signature, has taken the spot as her second most streamed song on Spotify, just four months after its release. Butterflies and On and On are also coming in hot, with both songs…
Former Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste is dead. Just a day after the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) slapped him with a hefty R475 million administrative fine, the former CEO of Steinhoff was found dead. The 63-year-old disgraced businessman was said to have shot himself on Human Rights Day, Thursday (21 March 2024). The SABC reported that the unexpected tragedy occurred at night. The FSCA had earlier indicated the Special Investigative Unit was probing Jooste. The businessman was accused of misrepresenting Steinhoff’s financial statements published between 2014 and 2017. On Wednesday the FSCA said: “Jooste and Dirk Schreiber made or published…
Mail & Guardian has reported today that Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the speaker of the National Assembly, is anticipated to face charges of corruption and money laundering exceeding R4 million following her imminent arrest, scheduled for Friday. According to Mail & Guardian, multiple senior investigators and a government official have disclosed that during her nine-year tenure as the defence and military veterans minister, Mapisa-Nqakula purportedly sought and received “gratification” from a businessman. Sources intimately connected to the investigation revealed that plans for the speaker’s apprehension were set into motion approximately three weeks ago, coinciding with her participation in the 2024 Women Speakers’…
Comsol, a provider of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) last mile connectivity and Private Networks in South Africa, has launched a 5G FWA network to meet the need for business-class broadband for SMEs, and a cost-effective, reliable redundancy option for enterprises. Iain Stevenson, Chief Executive Officer at Comsol, says its new 5G FWA offering complements Comsol’s existing FWA portfolio of broadband products. “Our wholesale partners and market trends indicated that there was a significant gap in the market for a low cost reliable, business-class broadband. Building on nearly 30 years of experience focusing exclusively on business connectivity, we have spent the…
The Hawks, representing the NPA’s Investigative Directorate, conducted an early morning raid on parliamentary speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s Johannesburg home on Tuesday, according to a report in Business Day. Allegations suggest she received and solicited over R2.3m from a former military contractor during her time as defence minister. Mapisa-Nqakula was reportedly present during the raid at her residence on Adolph Goertz Street, Bruma. The operation concluded around 11 am with the seizure of certain items. The speaker had returned from official visits to Paris and New York last week. The allegations were first published by the Sunday Times regarding the purported…
The latest PWC insight shows that a large number of CEOs have embraced the efficiencies that generative AI can bring to their business, with 51% of respondents saying they had already integrated AI into business operations. However, software development specialist, Global Kinetic, has warned that IT leaders should still exercise some caution, especially as global regulators move towards consensus. The latest 27th PWC Annual Global CEO survey shows that 70% of the 4702 respondents expect generative AI (genAI) to significantly change the way their company creates value over the next three years. However, their enthusiasm was tempered in the longer…
Sectional title sales now comprise more than half of all property sales in South Africa, with price growth for this type of asset exceeding that of freehold properties for the first time in two decades. This is according to Renier Kriek, Managing Director of Sentinel Homes. “Sectional titles made up 54% of total property sales in Q4 2023 – up from 44% in 2013. As sectional title ownership continues to gain in popularity, it may be lucrative for purchasers and investors who buy now and gain from the anticipated long-term trend,” he says. However, knowing the ins-and-outs of sectional title…
The debut of the Audi Q6 e-tron heralds a significant milestone as the inaugural production model built on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE), signaling Audi’s progression towards delivering premium electric mobility. Noteworthy for its exceptional driving dynamics, rapid charging capabilities, heightened efficiency, and extensive range, the Q6 e-tron represents a leap forward in Audi’s electric vehicle offerings. Embodying the distinctive styling of Audi’s SUV lineage fused with a refined e-tron design language, the Q6 e-tron exemplifies the brand’s commitment to innovative aesthetics. Inside, a new design ethos and cutting-edge technologies introduced in this model pave the way for the next…
Sungrow, a renowned global provider of PV inverters and energy storage systems, has introduced its newest advancement: the three-phase hybrid inverter tailored to meet the distinct energy requirements of South African customers. The unveiling took place at the prestigious Houghton Hotel, The Venue, highlighting this pioneering technology that provides tailored energy solutions for both residential and commercial sectors across the nation. “South Africa has long grappled with electricity challenges, from load shedding to infrastructure limitations,” remarked Ezzat Sankari, Channels Business Director for Sungrow Middle East and Africa at Sungrow. “With our latest three-phase hybrid inverter, we seize the opportunity to…
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), Africa’s largest stock exchange continues on its technology enablement journey and is collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to modernise its technology, leverage edge computing infrastructure, explore AI to deliver innovative market solutions and drive operational efficiencies. This move will also revolutionise the delivery of real-time market data in the cloud and drive industry innovation leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), generative AI and blockchain technologies. The transformative journey will focus on market infrastructure and the enablement of evolutionary trading enablement technologies for seamless connectivity with clients. The JSE will start by embarking on…
Cell C today announced the appointment of Chris Lazarus as the Chief Officer: Sales, Distribution, & Regions, reporting directly to Jorge Mendes, CEO of Cell C. With over 30 years of experience in the financial services and telecommunications industries, Chris brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to his new role. Chris’s distinguished career demonstrates his success in various leadership positions, including his most recent role as the Chief Enterprise Officer at Safaricom Ethiopia, where he played a pivotal role in establishing the telecoms business. The successful launch of the network in 2022 served a market of 120 million people,…
The Bolt driver convicted of rape and kidnapping female customers has been sentenced to two life terms plus 60 years. Serial rapist 30-year-old Emmanuel Mudau was registered as a driver with Bolt. Between January and February 2022, Mudau targeted women who requested transportation from Cosmo City to various destinations, using the Bolt App. This week the High Court of South Africa: Gauteng Division, Johannesburg sentenced the former e-hailing driver to two life imprisonment terms, plus 60 years for four counts of rape and kidnapping, and two cases of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The four complainants testified…
President Cyril Ramaphosa has reappointed Lesetja Kganyago as Governor of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) for a period of five years. The reappointment will take effect from November this year. “The reappointment of Governor Kganyago will ensure continuity and institutional stability at the reserve bank. “Furthermore, the President has reappointed Nomfundo Tshazibana and Dr Rashad Ismail Cassim as Deputy Governors of the South African Reserve Bank for a period of five years, with effect from 1 August 2024,” the Presidency said in a statement. The statement said Dr Mampho Modise has been appointed as Deputy Governor following the end…
The High Court on Friday dismissed Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana’s urgent applications to stop Showmax from airing the four-part documentary. MultiChoice is delighted that the Johannesburg High Court has upheld the public’s right to watch the “Tracking Thabo Bester” documentary. The fascinating documentary will shed light on the allegations against Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magudumana and allow the public the opportunity to make up their own minds and opinions about what took place. The first two episodes of Tracking Thabo Bester will be available to stream exclusively on Showmax from 16h00 today, 15 March 2024. Also read: BREAKING: Thabo…
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana‘s unexpected announcement of a R20 increase to the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant effective from April 1st has prompted scrutiny from economists due to its questionable timing. The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant – popularly known as the R350 grant – is expected to be raised to R370 from April this year. This was announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in the National Assembly on Wednesday. “I am pleased to say that we have found consensus that in between, subject to the finalisation of the comprehensive social security [programme], we’ll increase the R350…
The e-commerce sector in South Africa is expanding rapidly, with local revenue predicted to reach the $7.9 billion mark by 2027. In such a fast-paced world of business, it is essential for companies to build a strong digital presence and tap into the growing online marketplace. To thrive in the evolving South African consumer landscape, businesses need to understand evolving consumer behaviours. Here are six key insights to help businesses leverage the expanding online marketplace in South Africa: Seamless delivery experiences are a must Consumers are demanding a seamless shopping experience by expecting faster and more convenient deliveries. Online businesses…
MultiChoice confirms that the last-minute applications by Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana to stop Showmax from airing the four-part documentary, “Tracking Thabo Bester” will be heard in the Johannesburg High Court on Friday 15 March 2024. That is the same day that the documentary is due to start airing on Showmax. Bester and Dr Magudumana have each approached the High Court, trying to stop the documentary being seen because they say it threatens their rights. Showmax has briefed legal counsel and will be vigorously opposing the applications. The allegations against Bester and Dr Magudumana are incredibly serious and Showmax strongly…
An increasing number of South Africans are embracing PayShap, South Africa’s first interbank, interoperable, real-time payments service, which experienced strong growth in its first year, in line with the service’s fast-expanding community of participating banks and new users. Promoting instant, convenient, easy and safe payments within the transaction limit of R3 000, BankservAfrica’s PayShap data shows there were over 14 million transactions, with a settlement value in excess of R9 billion, in the period between 13 March 2023 to 29 February 2024. Over 2.5 million users have opted into using a ShapID identifier, such a mobile phone number, in order…