Author: Staff Writer
Bayer South Africa recently hosted a hackathon organized in collaboration with Empire Partner Foundation (EPF) which brought together some of the most talented young minds to develop creative ways to raise awareness on women’s health and sexual and reproductive education. Despite making up half of the world’s population, women and girls are frequently disregarded and have their rights violated according to the UN. As a result, women and girls may be less empowered to make choices about their own health, sexuality, and reproductive health matters, making them more vulnerable to abuse, unhealthy behaviours, and avoidable maternal deaths[1]. The keynote speaker,…
During the recent Huawei Eco-Connect Sub-Saharan Africa 2023, Steven Zhao, Vice President of Huawei’s Data Communication Product Line, delivered a keynote speech outlining the security threats facing networks today. The speech, which was titled “Huawei Intelligent Cloud-Network: Innovations Never Stop”, also saw Zhao outline how Huawei products are helping address those threats. According to Zhao, the biggest security threats facing networks today include remote work, the cloudification of enterprise services, and ransomware. “Remote work has become mainstream in enterprise campuses, bringing a surge in IoT endpoint connections,” he said. “Additionally, the cloudification of enterprise services has accelerated, leading to a…
Salesforce, the global leader in CRM, will be hosting the Trailblazer Virtual Career Fair on Thursday, 3 August as part of its ongoing initiative to grow new digital skills for the South African market. Skills development is an issue of high priority for Salesforce globally, and particularly in South Africa and on the continent. At Salesforce World Tour Essentials that took place in Johannesburg last month, Salesforce reaffirmed their commitment to addressing the digital skills gap in South Africa through their ecosystem of partners. In October 2022 Salesforce announced that the ecosystem is expected to create 31,800 new jobs and…
The workforce is changing. The average age of workers is rising, and the number of young people entering the workforce is declining. This is a concern in a country where youth unemployment is so high. Young people in South Africa are underemployed at far higher rates than older people on the job market. According to Stats SA, by the end of the first quarter of 2023, the underemployment rate was 6.3% for 15 – 24 years of age, and 5.2% for those aged 24 – 34. This is significantly higher than the national rate (4.9%). Here is why it is…
South African ICT entrepreneur Doreen Mbhalati-Mashele recently saw her inspiring story go global when she was featured on Huawei’s international thought leadership platform Transform. Read by millions of people around the world, Transform is published several times a year and looks at how tech is shaping the present, while also providing a glimpse of the future. Mbhalati-Mashele’s feature comes at an apt time, with South Africa set to celebrate Women’s Day in less than three weeks. It’s a story that deserves to be told too. Having obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Mathematics, Mbhalati-Mashele struggled to find work after…
In a South African first, Checkers has launched a competition that will see 120 winners each walk away with a comprehensive home solar solution worth over R100 000 to help its consumers offset rising energy prices and negate load shedding challenges. Each winner will receive a solar system that includes a Conti Solar Inverter (5.5KW), a Conti Battery (Lithium-ion/LifePo4 48V 100AH), six Conti Solar Panels (420W), a Conti Wi-Fi module, and standard home installation. “With this competition, Checkers aims to provide 120 loyal customers with some relief from the ongoing challenges experienced with loadshedding, as well as an opportunity to experience firsthand the benefits of renewable energy,” explains Mike Middleton, Chief Marketing Officer at Checkers.…
Kasha, an East Africa’s digital platform for last mile access to health. today announced its Series B financing of over $21 million or R377 million. The funding is led by Knife Capital, a pan African VC based out of South Africa, with participation from FinnFund, DFC, Altree Capital, Tim Koogle and Pam Scott, Beyond Capital Ventures, Bamboo Capital’s BLOC Smart Africa Fund, Five35 Ventures and other new and existing investors. With Series B funding, Kasha is scaling operations into South and West Africa to be Africa’s leading digital health access platform. Kasha is a digital retail and last mile distribution…
BuildRSA chat platform is a South African technology initiative, which gives people the chance to share their thoughts and feelings on developmental issues facing the country and find sustainable solutions to resolving them. It serves as a platform for constructive dialogue, providing everyone interested in building a prosperous South Africa with the opportunity to share opinions and practical, considered ways to address the socio-economic and political challenges plaguing our country. The BuildRSA National Conference, South Africa’s first-ever text-based conference, will happen on the BuildRSA platform at Buildrsa.co.za on 24 July 2023. Running from 10:00am to 1:00pm, conference participants will focus…
Vodacom today pays tribute to Professor Kole Omotoso, widely recognised as the face of Vodacom’s long-running ‘YeboGogo’ advertising campaign, who passed away on Wednesday 19 July 2023. Most South Africans know Prof Omotoso as “the Yebo Gogo man” from Vodacom’s iconic adverts which the telco used to promote brand Vodacom in the early 1990s and early 2000s in South Africa. Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub says: “We are deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Prof Omotoso, who is one of the country’s respected academic and playwrights. At Vodacom, we remember him as an iconic figure who helped…
Huawei and the East African Communication Organisation (EACO) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at driving up levels of digital participation in the region. The MoU, which was signed by Dr Ally Simba, Executive Secretary, EACO and Yang Hongjie, Director of ICT Strategy and Policy Department of Huawei Southern Africa Region during the 25th EACO Congress and 28th Annual Assembly in Bujumbura, recognises the importance of ICT as a digital enabler. It further contains an agreement that both Huawei and EACO have determined to partner in the areas of ICT Capacity Building for EACO Secretariat staff and EACO…
To reinforce this proactive approach and ensure effective risk management, MTN SA has appointed Bradley Swanepoel as Chief Risk Officer, effective 1 October 2023. Swanepoel, who presently holds the position of General Manager: Finance Business Partner, has organisation-wide experience having served MTN’s Enterprise, Consumer, Fintech, and Technology businesses. He possesses a comprehensive understanding of MTN’s operations that aligns perfectly with the requirements of a Chief Risk Officer. “Bradley is a seasoned CA (SA) and finance executive with more than 20 years of experience in senior leadership roles. With many of those years spent in the telecoms including his current tenure…
Enhancing learner online safety this new school term is about adopting a progressively protective approach. That’s according to South Africa’s Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) which says online threats to the country’s school children are real, but can be mitigated by parents taking progressive action in the face of potential danger. ISPA chair, Sasha Booth-Beharilal says: “With access to information, comes the risk of learners being exposed to harmful content and equally harmful predators and cyberbullies.” When it comes to cyberbullying, it’s important for parents to advise their children not to respond and not to retaliate, either online or in…
TikTok is where culture, entertainment and music collide, making TikTok the ultimate platform for music discovery and promotion. Every day on TikTok, millions of passionate music fans discover their new favorite musician, rediscover old hits, and support up-and-coming artists to break through and reach the top of the charts. “We’re committed to supporting rising talent to help them break through the noise to reach their dreams,” said TikTok in a statement. “That’s why we are so excited to officially announce our next program aimed at raising the volume of the voices of emerging artists.” TikTok Elevate: TikTok’s first-ever programme to identify,…
The Forex market, also known as the foreign exchange market, is a vibrant and fast-paced financial market where both regular retail investors and major financial institutions trade currencies. It is a market that never sleeps, operating 24 hours a day, five days a week, across different time zones. What makes the Forex market truly intriguing is its dynamic nature, characterised by constant fluctuations in the prices of financial instruments and a multitude of factors driving these changes. Those qualities attract investors around the world seeking to maximise their profit potential in a short time. What dynamic factors shape the Forex…
The South African Artificial Intelligence Association (SAAIA), an industry body focused on promoting the advancement of responsible AI in South Africa, will officially be launched in partnership with the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), one of the AI Institute of South Africa Hubs, on 19th July 2023. SAAIA seeks to encourage stakeholders to adopt responsible AI for the commercial and societal benefit of the citizens of South Africa with a primary focus on economic growth, trade, investment, equality and inclusivity by uniting practitioners across commercial, government, academic, start-up and NGO sectors. Dr Nick Bradshaw, the founder of SAAIA, states: “From…
Eskom said on Monday that Stage 4 loadshedding will be implemented from 16:00 today until 05:00 on Tuesday, as previously communicated. Thereafter, Stage 1 loadshedding will be implemented from 05:00 until 16:00, followed by Stage 3 loadshedding from 16:00 until 05:00 on Wednesday. This pattern will continue to be implemented daily until further notice. Eskom will publish another update should any significant changes occur. Eskom said breakdowns have reduced to 15 747MW of generating capacity while the generating capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 1 946MW. Since Friday, a generating unit each at Kriel, Lethabo, Majuba, Matla and…
MyBroadband Insights has released its 2023 Mobile Voice Network Quality Report, which shows that MTN has the best mobile voice service in South Africa. The report is based on South Africa’s biggest-ever mobile network quality test, conducted between 20 March and 24 April. Over the testing period, MyBroadband Insights travelled over 10,000 kilometres, made 93,912 calls, and recorded over 41,000 call minutes. MyBroadband Insights partnered with Analytico and Keysight distributor Coral-i for the extensive, country-wide network testing project. This project used Keysight’s world-leading network testing platform, Nemo, to test a range of voice network quality variables. Network performance was also…
Over a year after its planned implementation was ruled unconstitutional, Aarto will soon be on the cards for motorists again. Yesterday, the Constitutional Court overturned the High Court’s ruling of Aarto as invalid and unconstitutional. What does this mean for South African motorists? The CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, says the efficacy of Aarto in bringing change to the high fatality rates, needs motorists to have faith in the Act as well. “Yet, even before the High Court overturned Aarto, the public had little faith in Aarto. There are concerns there is too much opportunity for corruption to creep into…
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa today officially opened the Huawei Innovation Centre in Woodmead, Johannesburg. President Ramaphosa said that facilities like this innovation centre, along with the adoption of a range of cutting-edge technologies being pioneered by companies such as Huawei, will enable South Africa and the wider African continent to leapfrog into the Fourth Industrial Revolution. According to Huawei South Africa, the newly launched Innovation Centre serves to foster and encourage joint innovation with Huawei’s South African partners, app developers, and SMMEs in the ICT space. It also showcases Huawei’s latest and most innovative digital technologies and solutions such…
Wits University and Sibanye-Stillwater (tickers JSE: SSW and NYSE: SBSW) have launched the newly refurbished and rebranded Wits Sibanye-Stillwater Innovation bridge (‘the Innovation bridge’), a Wits Centenary Project funded by Sibanye-Stillwater. The launch on 12 July 2023 was accompanied by an additional commitment of R51 million from Sibanye-Stillwater to Wits for study bursaries, learnerships within the Group’s mining operations, graduate internship programmes and staff development within the Wits Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE). The refurbished Innovation bridge is both a symbol of the past and a gateway to the future. It represents shared value and a strengthening of the partnership…
Google today announced the expansion of Bard, its conversational AI service, to 40 new languages including Swahili- the first African language to be included and 59 new countries and territories. The expansion includes new features that allow users to better customize their experience, boost their creativity, and get more done. With the expansion, Bard is now available in most of the world, including countries in the European Union (EU), and in the most widely spoken languages, including Swahili, Chinese, German, Spanish, Arabic, and Hindi, and Spanish. Users can now access Bard in their preferred language with text-to-speech also enabled in…
Design thinking is a problem-solving methodology and approach that originated in the field of design but has since been widely adopted across various industries and disciplines. It emphasizes a human-centered and iterative approach to tackling complex problems and finding innovative solutions. Design thinking places a strong emphasis on understanding the needs and perspectives of the end-users or customers and uses empathy as a key driver in the problem-solving process. In recent years, design thinking has gained widespread acclaim as a powerful tool for navigating the AI revolution. Its proponents argue that it brings a human-centered approach to the development of…
You don’t need statistics to tell you there are severe inefficiencies in the South African healthcare system. You just need to look at the long queues at clinics and hospitals. Or if you’re fortunate enough to afford private healthcare, try and make an appointment with specialists (months’ long waiting lists aren’t uncommon). It is worth noting, however, that the waiting list at one Eastern Cape Hospital for knee and hip replacements is over a decade long. Across the Gauteng public healthcare system, meanwhile, wait times for the same operations can be up to five years long. That’s to say nothing of the long clinic…
Vuma, one of South Africa’s biggest Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) provider, has announced the integration of next generation fibre technology and innovation to the South African market, through its latest partnership with Huawei. As a next-generation PON technology defined by ITU-T, the 50G PON effectively supports 10Gbps Everywhere. It provides high-density symmetrical 50G PON to meet the increasing bandwidth requirements in future campus, industrial interconnection, enterprise, and home scenarios. And it integrates GPON, 10G PON, and 50G PON into one port, allowing for service upgrade on demand. The partnership sees the launch of 50G PON capabilities – significantly higher than the existing…
The Shoprite Group invites technology students and seasoned Information Technology (IT) professionals to join Africa’s largest retailer by applying for its bursary programme or various available job opportunities. The retailer’s comprehensive bursary programme covers tuition fees and on-campus accommodation, provides a grocery allowance, and guarantees employment upon graduation. Youth studying scarce and sought after skills are invited to apply by visiting www.shopriteholdings.co.za/careers.html before 30 September 2023. Home to some of the brightest industry talent, the Group’s Shoprite Technology division uses technology, data, insights, systems and processes to take advantage of and unlock new opportunities. Greytown-born Percival Phakathi (28) joined the…