Author: Staff Writer
Civil society groups are renewing demands for the introduction of a basic income grant just days before Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presents the government of national unity’s first midterm budget, according to the report in the Sunday Times’ Business Times. On Wednesday, Godongwana is expected to hold firm on fiscal consolidation, focusing on reducing government debt, limiting public spending, and controlling the growth of the public sector wage bill. In an open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, coordinated by the Institute for Economic Justice, civil groups accuse the National Treasury of attempting to block the implementation of a basic income…
Eskom has successfully suspended loadshedding for 212 consecutive days since 26 March 2024. This significant achievement is attributed to the ongoing success of its Generation Recovery Plan, which has been instrumental in maintaining a stable power supply across South Africa. Eskom’s Energy Availability Factor (EAF) has maintained a steady average of 62 % over the past week and 63% year to date, with top-performing stations — including Kusile, Grootvlei, Majuba, Camden, and peaking facilities — achieving over 70% EAF. Four other power stations recorded EAFs above 60%, sustaining system reliability. Operational efficiency over the past seven days has improved compared…
In a South African grocery retail first, Checkers has taken to the skies in a specially branded aeroplane. Emblazoned with “Sixty60” on its sides and “Checkers” on its belly, the plane was first spotted at the OR Tambo International airport on Thursday, 24 October. In collaboration with award-winning airline LIFT, the teal Airbus A320 conducted its maiden flight between Johannesburg and Cape Town at 10am on Thursday, 24 October. It will continue to operate on regularly scheduled flights between Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town this summer. Aviation enthusiasts and plane spotters can track the aircraft, operated by LIFT, online via…
Huawei Cloud, a top three cloud vendor in South Africa, today pledged to accelerate the digital transformation for local industries over the next five years to support the implementation of South Africa’s National Digital and Cloud Policy, thus driving the growth of the country’s digital economy. The inaugural Huawei Cloud Summit brought together public and private sector stakeholders with Huawei executives and Huawei Cloud ecosystem partners to align on strategies for better cloud infrastructure and digitisation in South Africa. Huawei Cloud has been in South Africa since 2019 and in this time its public cloud business has grown more than…
South Africa’s new Transport Safety Lab was unveiled by the Hon. Minister of Science Technology and Innovation, Prof Blade Nzimande at CSIR in Pretoria on 24 October 2024. The lab features a stationary driving simulator housed on the CSIR’s Scientia campus in Pretoria, as well as a vehicle equipped with sensors to collect data on driver behaviour and the environment on the road. Dr Sandile Malinga, CSIR Smart Society Group Executive, says the lab will collect and analyse road safety data from the real-world and simulations, which can be used to improve transport safety policies and products. “This dual approach gives the CSIR Transport Safety…
The Media Information Communication and Technologies Sector Education Training Authority (MICT SETA) and the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) are set to host the inaugural 4IR Research Symposium and Expo, marking a pivotal moment for South Africa’s Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) research landscape. Scheduled for 25-26 October 2024 at VUT’s Vanderbijlpark Campus, the event will also launch the MICT SETA-VUT 4IR Research Chair. The two-day symposium, under the theme “Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Future Skills,” aims to significantly enhance South Africa’s 4IR scientific research and innovation capacity. It will bring together leading scholars, industry professionals, and government representatives…
Telkom and the National Research Foundation (NRF) have announced the launch of the Future Technologies (FutureTech) programme, a new initiative to co-fund technology research grants and the studies of postgraduate students and postdoctoral Fellows, to help drive innovation. The FutureTech programme will support local universities in the research and development of future innovations, solutions and technologies. This will improve competitiveness in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector and other related fields. Commenting on the partnership, CEO of Openserve, Althon Beukes, said the company was pleased to contribute. ‘’Through the Futuretech programme we are investing in the future of South Africa’s…
VisionAI, an artificial intelligence and computer vision solutions provider, has announced an investment from Kalon Venture Partners. This funding will fuel VisionAI’s growth as it continues to transform not only the manufacturing and supply chain sectors but also a wide array of industries through its innovative AI-driven technology. VisionAI has been making waves by helping manufacturing and supply chain operations leverage their existing CCTV camera feeds with visual AI to track business critical metrics that lead to increased productivity, cost savings and reduced operational risk. The partnership with Kalon Venture Partners will further empower VisionAI to redefine the use of…
Huge Group, an investment entity listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, announces that Douglas (Doug) Reed has recently joined the team to take on the company’s growth and innovation portfolio, and that he will be working closely with the investment companies in its investment portfolio. With over 30 years of experience in the telecoms sector, Doug is recognised for, amongst his many accomplishments, his leadership in transforming Vox Telecom from a small ISP into a major industry player. His industry knowledge and hands-on approach will support Huge Group’s portfolio investment companies with their growth aspirations, with an immediate focus on…
The Johannesburg Interbank Average Rate (JIBAR) – one of the most widely used interest rate benchmarks by banks in South Africa – will be replaced by an Alternative Reference Rate (ARR). The Market Practitioner’s Group (MPG) has designated the South African Rand Overnight Index Average interest rate benchmark or ZARONIA as the successor rate to replace Jibar. RMB is actively involved in the industry working groups which include the regulator, the central bank, industry bodies and forums. RMB supports the transition to ARRs and has launched a South African Rates Reform Programme to help clients navigate the many challenges resulting…