Author: Staff Writer
Eskom today announced that Mr Dan Marokane will assume office as the Group Chief Executive on 01 March 2024. When making the announcement of Mr Marokane’s appointment on 08 December 2023, Eskom indicated that he would join the organisation no later than 31 March 2024. “On behalf of the Eskom Board, I officially welcome Dan to the organisation. Eskom employees were excited to hear that Dan will rejoin the company. They remember his hands-on leadership style that is needed right now,” said Eskom Board Chairman, Mteto Nyati. “The Board wishes him well as he steers Eskom in the right direction…
As matric results are released, the country will celebrate the vanity metrics presented by the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga. However, these do very little to reflect the true picture of education in South Africa. Instead, what should be looked at is how many learners who entered Grade One in 2012 completed Grade 12 last year. Figures showing how many young South Africans have completed the treacherous journey from Grade One to matric will reveal the actual state of education in South Africa. The matric results presented annually simply mask the true state of education received by most learners…
TikTok is currently testing a new feature that taps into the realm of AI to enhance users’ songwriting endeavours, according to The Verge. Known as AI Song, this feature utilises the extensive language model, Bloom, to generate musical compositions based on text prompts provided by users. When crafting a post, individuals can input their own lyrics into the text field, prompting TikTok to suggest incorporating AI Song to complement the content with sounds. Additionally, users have the flexibility to select the desired genre for the generated song. Although the feature hasn’t been rolled out universally, some TikTok users have already…
Telkom today announced its recognition as the Top Employer in South Africa for 2024 by the distinguished Top Employers Institute. This prestigious accolade underscores Telkom’s steadfast commitment to cultivating an environment that prioritises and invests in its most valuable asset – its people. On 18 January 2024, Telkom was honoured to receive the prestigious Top Employer Award – for a second year in a row – a testament to the Company’s dedication in achieving a harmonious balance between investing in its workforce, refining operational processes, enhancing the physical work environment, and embracing cutting-edge technology. This distinction further solidifies Telkom’s position…
Vodacom Group has been ranked by the Top Employers Institute as the continent’s number one employer. This prestigious certification and first place ranking has also been awarded to Vodacom South Africa and Vodacom Mozambique. Each year, the Top Employers Institute certifies organisations who are focused on putting their people first through exceptional Human Resource (HR) policies. The Top Employers Institute programme certifies organisations based on the participation and results of its HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity & Inclusion and Wellbeing. While Vodacom…
Roedean School (SA) proudly celebrates the Class of 2023 Matriculants for their stellar performance, achieving an impeccable 100% pass rate. Every student has triumphed, unlocking the golden opportunity to embark on their journey of tertiary education. Known for a rich history of academic excellence and creating future leaders, Roedean is proud of the Class of 2023 for upholding this tradition through their dedication, focus, and enthusiasm. Key Achievements: Achieved a 100% Bachelor Pass rate. Attained an overall average of 78%, with an impressive 3.8 distinctions per candidate. Over 40% of students achieved an A average. Over 50% of students achieved…
While parking her car in a bustling shopping mall, Susan Haroldson (not her real name) received a call from someone who claimed to be from her bank. The caller mentioned that there had been unusual activity on her account. Initially, Susan did not find the first transaction (a purported purchase from Takealot) suspicious. However, when the caller mentioned a payment of R10,000 to an overseas account she became not only convinced that the caller was truly from her bank but also that she wanted to stop this fraudulent transaction immediately. Because he was so convincing and because she was distracted,…
McDonald’s South Africa today announced that it has been recognised as a Top Employer in South Africa, by The Top Employers Institute. Being certified as a Top Employer showcases an organisation’s dedication to a better world of work and exhibits this through excellent HR policies and people practices. The Top Employers Institute programme certifies organisations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR focus areas consisting of 20 topics including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Wellbeing and more. CEO of McDonald’s South Africa, Greg Solomon…
German startup Vay has launched its inaugural commercially accessible mobility service in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the simple click of a button. This cost-effective rental, charged per minute, facilitates a smooth experience from the “driverless” delivery of the vehicle to its hassle-free return, eliminating the need for parking. Vay’s teledriving technology presents an alternative strategy to autonomous driving, employing automotive-grade technology developed and validated in accordance with industry standards to ensure safe operations on public streets. The launch is a major milestone for Vay, the leading teledriving company. Co-founder and CEO Thomas von der Ohe, says: “After five years of…
Spare a thought for educators. Artificial intelligence has made their jobs harder, particularly when spotting plagiarism and corner-cutting among learners. Yet, artificial intelligence also offers new opportunities for educators to do more with less and create new engagement within their classes. Educators are not anti-AI. Many of them see its potential. According to a survey among US teachers by Quizlet, 62 percent of respondents have used AI, and 50 percent of educators are excited or optimistic about AI in education. Four in ten teachers expect to use AI in their classrooms this year, reports Education Week. AI in education is already starting to…
Topco Media, a B2B media, digital and events company, is set to host the 2024 sustainability conference, focusing on successful, sustainable principles, practices, funding and ESG. The event, scheduled for March 19-20, 2024, in Johannesburg, aims to connect, celebrate and profile sustainable, ethical, and green companies to a local and global audience of global sustainability experts. In a bold move towards greening economies and promoting sustainable practices, the conference will underscore the three pillars of sustainability: environment, social, and governance. Topco Media is proud to announce Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) as a platinum partner for the Future of Sustainability…
inq., a Convergence Partners company, has announced the launch of an extensive Edge Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and the Edgedock data insights value proposition to transform business operations across various sectors. The integrated offering combines edge computing with AI to bring real-time data processing and intelligent decision-making to the forefront of South African businesses. The inq. Edge AI & IoT suite includes: Vision AI: To provide advanced video analytics powered by AI and machine learning. Video AI Platform: Leveraging AI for advanced video analytics, improving security and customer insights. Video AI Compliance as a Service: This empowers organisations to easily convert…
Huawei has officially announced the local availability in South Africa of its latest laptop, the Huawei MateBook D 16, featuring a High-Performance 12th Gen Intel Core i5-12450H processor. The new iteration of the Huawei Matebook D16 laptop delivers an immersive viewing experience and excellent performance in a slim and lightweight design at an attractive price. An expansive 16-inch display with ultra-narrow bezels delivers an incredible 90% screen-to-body ratio. Its large screen in no way adds to its weight, the Huawei MateBook D 16 weighs just 1.68kg. It also features Huawei Metaline technology, delivering stronger and more stable WiFi connections of…
TymeBank, one of the world’s fastest growing digital banks, today announced that it reached its first month of profitability in December 2023, less than five years since launching in February 2019. This makes it the first digital bank to break even in South Africa and on the continent. This milestone marks a pivotal moment for South Africa’s only black-controlled bank, making it one of the fastest growing digital banks globally, and the first African digital bank ever, to reach this milestone. “We are extremely proud of our achievement, particularly when you consider that globally, less than half of the top…
Microsoft is introducing Copilot Pro, a new premium subscription for individuals that provides a higher tier of service for AI capabilities, brings Copilot AI capabilities to Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers, and new capabilities, such as the ability to create Copilot GPTs. Copilot app is now widely accessible for iOS and Android phones. Additionally, Microsoft is extending the availability of Copilot for Microsoft 365 to a broader range of commercial customers, encompassing businesses of all sizes, including small- and medium-sized enterprises, effective immediately. You can subscribe to Copilot Pro today for $20 per month/per user. Copilot Pro provides: A single AI…
The last-mile delivery market is going through the roof – not just here in South Africa but all over the world. How can courier companies deliver the goods reliably while, at the same time, treading lightly on the planet? Responsible companies are eyeing futuristic technologies that will propel deliveries into the next decade… Courier companies across the globe are exploring various tech tools to streamline the delivery process, reduce costs, and improve overall efficiency. Robots, for instance, can undertake a number of tasks very efficiently – from picking, packing, and sorting packages to navigating pavements and delivering parcels directly to…
The much anticipated public hearings on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over its actions in Gaza will be heard at The Hague on Thursday morning. The Israeli Defence Forces have killed more than 23 000 Palestinians in retaliation to the October 7 surprise attack in which Hamas killed 1 139 Israelis and took over 200 hostages. To follow the matter live simply click here: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k11/k11gf661b3
EIB Global reveals a $30 million commitment to Seedstars Africa Ventures I, a venture capital fund dedicated to supporting innovative entrepreneurs across Africa. The fund will invest in companies developing and implementing digital technologies, in particular those addressing basic needs such as education, healthcare and utilities, or enhancing goods, services and value-chain efficiency. “Encouraging and promoting innovation and digitalisation is crucial to developing strong and sustainable economies,” said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. “African entrepreneurs hold the key to the continent’s future, creating jobs, reducing inequality and improving quality of life. The EIB, as part of Team Europe, is committed to…
The last century saw few changes to trucks; their appearances were unchanged, and they were all powered by internal combustion engines fuelled by diesel. However, this century has witnessed impressive change! The transport industry is enjoying one innovation following the next; anything and everything from electric trucks to those with fuel cells and even those without drivers. But which of these innovations can you expect to see on South African roads in 2024? Electric trucks While South Africa is trailing some other markets when it comes to the rollout of electric commercial vehicles – China, for instance, saw an impressive…
The Eskom Board today announced the appointment of the Board of Directors of the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA). The appointment of the NTCSA Board constitutes one of the most important pillars of Eskom’s legal separation into three entities, namely Generation, Distribution and Transmission which is the key aspect of Eskom’s Turnaround Plan envisaged in the Department of Public Enterprises’ “Roadmap for Eskom in a reformed electricity supply industry.” Transmission is first of the Eskom’s three divisions to achieve legal separation, with the NTCSA already registered and received approval for the requisite licenses from the National Energy Regulator…
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) on Thursday called for the resignation of Higher Education and Training Minister Dr. Blade Nzimande and Ernest Khosa, chairperson of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board. “If they don’t resign, we call on President Cyril Ramaphosa to fire them immediately,” Rudie Heyneke, OUTA Investigations Manager, declared in a lengthy statement posted on “X”, formerly known as Twitter. Watch video below of Nzimande responding to OUTA: Also read: OUTA Calls For Minister Blade Nzimande To Resign Over NSFAS Bribe Allegations The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) on Thursday called for the resignation of…
Ralph Mupita of MTN, Sim Tshabalala of Standard Bank, and the renowned DJ Black Coffee are among the distinguished individuals recognised in the 2023 edition of New African magazine’s annual compilation of the 100 Most Influential Africans. This curated list applauds the noteworthy accomplishments and positive contributions of Africans hailing from diverse fields and sectors, acknowledging their impact both on the continent and globally. Comprising an eclectic mix of exceptional men and women, the list showcases individuals who have exhibited excellence, innovation, leadership, resilience, and vision in their respective domains. Encompassing politicians, entrepreneurs, industrialists, environmentalists, creatives, scientists, educators, sports personalities,…
Software development and digital solutions company Mpilo Technologies today announced the appointment of Alok Goswami as the Chief Information Officer (CIO). Goswami joins Mpilo Technologies with over 22 years of experience, boasting a diverse background across an impressive spectrum of IT-focused functions. His proficiency in best practice-based IT Governance, Strategy, Business Transformation, and Business Process Re-Engineering has consistently propelled organizations toward greater efficiency and profitability. Notably, Goswami has been an internationally recognised figure in fostering innovation and excellence, spearheading improvements across Project Management, Development, Operations, and Service Delivery functions for various organisations across multiple countries. Goswami’s educational background, including an…
SuperSport is reportedly not expected to air the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) set to commence in Ivory Coast on January 13, according to TimesLive. The newspaper said a circulating statement, seemingly from SuperSport and bearing the MultiChoice letterhead, has been extensively shared on social media, indicating that the pay channel has no plans to broadcast the tournament. The statement, if it is real, may have been leaked before the channel could release it. “SuperSport will not broadcast the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 scheduled for January 13 to February 11 2024 because the channel has not secured the rights to…
Megan Fox has been named to have the most iconic engagement ring, with 17,000 searches per month worldwide for her Ring Meghan Markle’s engagement ring is second on the list, with an average of 12,000 monthly global searches. Kate Middleton, Kourtney Kardashian and Blake Lively also own some of the most searched-for engagement rings. A new study has revealed that Megan Fox has the most iconic engagement ring, with worldwide interest in her ring surpassing 17,000 searches per month on average. The study conducted by customised jewellery experts at Glamira unveiled the most popular and iconic celebrity engagement rings…