Southern Africa
Cape Town Tech Startup Secures $14.5-Million More in Funding
“In emerging-market megacities, hundreds of millions of people use public transport to get where they need to go. Before WhereIsMyTransport, there was no central source of data for these networks, despite their size, scale, and importance,” reads a blurb on the startup’s official website. “WhereIsMyTransport helps people understand mobility in emerging-market megacities. We’re trusted by industry leaders like Google, the World Bank, and WSP.” Founded in Cape Town in 2015, the tech startup focusing on mobility creates data maps for formal and informal public transport networks in cities and uses this data and tech to improve the public transport experiences of commuters. WhereIsMyTransport hopes to make public commutes more reliable, predictable, safe, inclusive and more accessible to indiv...
Cybersecurity and Data Protection Laws Urgently Needed Across Africa
The pandemic has driven home the high value of personal data to the global economy, while also highlighting its vulnerability to abuse and attack. In response, governments around the world have been reviewing their data privacy and protection laws and regulations, including in South Africa and Ghana. Global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky recently noted that cyberattacks are set to rise in African countries, especially in the key financial centres of South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. The cybersecurity firm noted that rapidly evolving digital techniques had led to an increased risk of Advanced Persistent Threats and hacking-for-hire events in Africa. South Africa In South Africa, the Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Act was signed into law by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in early June 2...
What Your Education Level Means for Your Employment Chances in SA
Image sourced from Iemas Financial Services. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_5e7.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_5e7.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } South Africa is currently dealing with an incredibly high unemployment rate, one of its highest in history, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS). The latest QLFS results show that the official unemployment rate increased to 32,6% – the highest rate on its record. The number of unemployed people remained relatively unchanged at more than 11.4-million people, however, Stats SA notes that this number may not be concrete considering the large number of non-economically active individuals who make up home-makers and/or previously discouraged workers at 17-million. “The number of discouraged work-seekers increased by 201,000...
MultiChoice Introduces New AI Chatbot to its Service
Sourced from Tech Central. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_6d6.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_6d6.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } MultiChoice is enhancing its digital customer service through an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot. Called by the tongue-in-cheek name, “The Ultimate Master of Information”, or TUMI, this innovative service is available 24/7 to answer customer queries about products and services. “TUMI is an evolutionary leap in our service capability. Born and developed right here in Africa, TUMI is a tangible manifestation of our commitment to innovation. This is not innovation for its own sake; the focus is to continue to grow our capacity to give our customers an excellent service experience,” says MultiChoice South Africa CEO, Nyiko Shiburi. /* custom css */ .td...
Vodacom Injects R100-Million to Drive Connectivity in KwaZulu-Natal
A Vodacom investment of R100-million ($73,137.60) has been injected into the KwaZulu-Natal region in South Africa and has led to the deployment of 84 brand new base station sites. This comes as part of the telco’s KwaZulu-Natal Region drive. The new sites were rolled out in 9 District municipalities and 14 local municipalities including Jozini, uMhlabuyalingana, uMfolozi, uMlalazi, uMsinga, uMzumbe, uMgeni, Ray Nkonyeni, Mandeni, eNdumeni, eDumbe, Msunduzi, Newcastle and Nqutu. This is part of Vodacom’s Rural Coverage Acceleration Programme, firmly aimed at expanding network coverage for people who live in deep rural and remote areas in South Africa. Vodacom hopes this investment and new infrastructure will augment the continued development of network infrastructure outside of urban areas ...
Unemployment Stats Downplay SA’s Jobs Crisis
Sourced from Voice of the Cape /* custom css */ .tdi_4_012.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_012.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } The Alternative Information and Development Centre (AIDC) and the Assembly of the Unemployed (AoU) note the results of the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) with concern. The results of the survey show that unemployment in South Africa has reached some of the highest levels in the country’s history. It is the youth unemployment who make up the majority of the unemployed. The AIDC and the AoU believe that austerity policies by the government will only make the situation worse. The latest QLFS results show that the official unemployment rate increased to 32,6% – the highest rate on record. But while the official unemployment’s increase of 0....
Digital Transactions Fraud Rise 187% in South Africa
As more consumers go online for banking and other financial transactions, new research from TransUnion, an American consumer credit reporting agency, has found that fraudsters are ramping up their efforts in the financial services industry. When comparing the last four months of 2020 (September 1 – December 31) and the first four months of 2021 (January 1 – May 1), the company found the percentage of suspected digital fraud attempts coming from South Africa in financial services increased by 187%. Globally, the rate of financial services fraud attempts increased by 149%. Across industries, the rate of suspected digital fraud attempts globally rose 24% when comparing the first four months of 2021 with the last four months of 2020. In South Africa, the overall percentage of fraud attempts in...
Eskom Moves Loadshedding to Weekend Allowing SA Govt to Pass Bill on Friday
Image sourced from International Atomic Energy Agency /* custom css */ .tdi_4_e33.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_e33.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Embattled South African power utility Eskom is suspending load-shedding on Friday from 12:00 to 17:00 in order for the country’s parliament to pass an Appropriation Bill. In order for the power utility to make up reserves it will use to suspend the shedding on Friday, communities across the country will have to face load-shedding through the weekend. #PowerAlert1 In order to allow parliament to pass the Appropriation Bill, Stage 2 loadshedding will be suspended from 12:00 to 17:00 today@News24 @SABCNews @NewzroomAfrika @eNCA @IOL @ewnupdates @SundayTimesZA @SowetanLIVE @dailysunsa pic.twitter.com/d4naqeHG7B — Eskom Hld SOC Ltd...
1Life and Samsung South Africa Launch COVID-19 Screening App as 3rd Wave Crests
Sourced from Shutterstock /* custom css */ .tdi_4_7dc.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_7dc.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } 1Life, together with LifeQ, using a Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 device, have launched a first-in-SA COVID-19 screening app. It uses unique models derived from users’ biometric data to give them an indication of changes in their health, enabling consumers to take proactive precautions in the event of potential COVID-19 onset, which is essential as the country faces a potential 3rd wave of infections. There is growing evidence from studies for the use of biometrics in the early detection of many physical conditions, and this COVID-19 solution is the first of many solutions that LifeQ plans to offer to consumers, athletes, and those with acute and chronic...
Huawei Reveals Price and Release Date for New Band 6 Smartwatch
Sourced from Huawei. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_00b.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_00b.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } IT News Africa was live at Huawei’s Band 6 Smartwatch launch event today from Megawatt Park, Sandton, where Huawei SA revealed more important details about its new Band 6 Smartwatch. IT News Africa is live! @HuaweiZA #Huaweiband6 #MoreThanABand #ITNAXHuaweiZA pic.twitter.com/vzZwmA0KSq — ITNewsAfrica.com (@ITNewsAfrica) June 3, 2021 ITNA had hands-on with the new Band 6 and had the opportunity to discuss the watch’s finer points. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_65c.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_65c.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } The #HuaweiBand6 represents an affordable alternative to other smartwatches. It focuses more on the rigors of daily life,...
Samsung Launches Door-to-Door Repair Service in South Africa
Image sourced from Coindesk. Worldwide electronics conglomerate Samsung has launched a “door to door” repair service in South Africa as part of an effort to facilitate the repairs of their customers’ smartphones (and other devices) and “provide another option to visiting a customer care centre”. Samsung refers to the service as “seamless” and it applies to anyone within 40kms of a customer care centre. This new service is another innovation in the world of convenient tech, a welcome prospect to anyone working from home struggling to find time to take their devices in to repair. “Many people don’t always have the time to drive to a customer care centre – especially as they juggle both their home and work commitments,” says an official release from the company. “Fortunately, you can now opt ...
South African Government Now Seeks to Regulate Netflix Content
Sourced from Getty Images. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_360.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_360.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } A new white paper proposal from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is set to enforce locally produced content on digital streaming services, with Netflix zeroed in. The paper also seeks to apply other regulations to these services, according to Business Tech. The white paper proposal, contained in the department’s Audio and Audio-Visual Content Services policy framework, suggests that the department will regulate up to 30% of the video catalogue that Netflix has available in South Africa. Netflix’s director of public policy for sub-Saharan Africa, Shola Sanni, says that the streaming goliath is already investing heavily in produci...
