Southern Africa
“Ready for Third Wave” Claim SA Oxygen Suppliers
Sourced from Times Live. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_6ee.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_6ee.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } A few weeks after the third wave of COVID-19 infections was confirmed in South Africa, the number of daily infections has again begun to steadily rise. During earlier waves last year many public and private hospitals experienced severe shortages in their oxygen supplies. Now, amongst increasing concerns that oxygen will again begin to run dry, oxygen suppliers have confirmed that they have learnt their lessons during the second wave and have helped increase capacity to meet the demand in the coming weeks or months as the third wave crests upon the country. The Third Wave is Here /* custom css */ .tdi_3_110.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_110.td-a-...
South Africa’s COVID-19 Variant Renamed to Avoid Discrimination
/* custom css */ .tdi_4_517.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_517.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } The several mutated variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, otherwise known as COVID-19, will now be known according to letters of the Greek alphabet in order to avoid “stigmatization and discrimination”, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). This new system will apply to the variants seen to be of most concern – the most severe of the four currently in circulation on Earth – and the second-level mutates of interest being tracked. Maria van Kerkhove, WHO’s COVID-19 technical lead, suggests that the new names will not replace the scientific names of the variants, but instead will be “aimed to help in public discussion.” /* custom css */ .tdi_3_c11.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: l...
Innovative Tech Critical in Vaccinating South Africa’s Rural and Remote Areas
/* custom css */ .tdi_4_9b2.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_9b2.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } As South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination programme ramps up, with a target to vaccinate 41-million people by the end of March next year, health NGO Right to Care is deploying teams to vaccinate South Africans living in hard-to-reach places in remote parts of the country. Dr Ntombi Sigwebela, chief of party for vaccinations at health NGO Right to Care, says that “No-one should be left out of the vaccine programme, including people living in far-flung areas. There is an urgency to vaccinate as variants may emerge and spread. We need to achieve herd or population immunity to break the chain of transmission as quickly as possible.” Right to Care is supporting the National Department of...
Huawei’s New Band 6 Smartwatch is Launching in SA – Here’s the Details
Image sourced from Huawei. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_411.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_411.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Huawei’s Band 6 smartwatch is coming to South Africa, according to the Chinese telecom retail megacorp. This new iteration of the company’s Band series of smartwatches comes will an all-new set of improvements and features. Boasting a sleek, rounded Apple Watch-like design, the Band 6 seems to be Huawei’s next very competitive answer to the already uber-competitive smartwatch market. New Features /* custom css */ .tdi_3_126.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_126.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } The Band 6 has an increased display area from previous generations of devices. Its 1.47-inch AMOLED FullView Screen is touted as having a 148% larger...
PnP Mobile Introduces Paperless RICA Process for South Africans
Pick n Pay’s Mobile Virtual Network (MVN) will now allow subscribers to RICA their SIM cards through a completely paperless process. “Pick n Pay and our partners, TymeBank, are making it possible for our PnP Mobile customers to enjoy a completely simplified mobile SIM card purchase and registration process. They will no longer need a physical copy of their residential address or identity document to complete registration,” says John Bradshaw, Retail Executive at Pick n Pay. The paperless RICA process is completed by using a TymeBank kiosk, available at 500 Pick n Pay stores across the country. Registration is completed in five simple steps: 1. purchase a SIM card 2. scan or type in SIM barcode 3. enter ID number and an alternative cellphone number 4. select a residential address in the sys...
Vodacom South Africa Launches the Nokia 2720 to Promote a more “Inclusive Digital Society”
Vodacom has joined forces with Nokia to launch the Nokia 2720 in South Africa – a smartphone designed to provide greater access for senior citizens, people living with disabilities and those who experience other communication barriers. “For more than two decades, Vodacom has been addressing the need for more inclusive technologies by providing products and services that are accessible to all. By expanding our portfolio with Nokia, we now offer a device equipped with features that meet the specific communication needs of the elderly or those living with disabilities,” says Karen Smit, Principal Specialist for Specific Needs at Vodacom. This 4G-enabled device is the first of its kind created for the special needs market. It is durable with useful features such as a 2.8” internal display, 1.3...
5 Ways to Ensure Your Organisation is POPIA Compliant
Sourced from Europa EU. On 1 July, the grace period for compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) will come to an end. That means organisations found to be in breach of the act will be liable for fines and even criminal persecution. Given the long lead up to POPIA’s implementation, most organisations should be compliant by now. However, the flurry of activity when the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) grace period came to an end in 2018 shows that this won’t necessarily be the case. And while POPIA will affect most organisations, it’s pivotal that they pay extra care when ensuring that they’re POPIA compliant. Here are five ways to do just that: Understand the data you deal with You cannot hope to adequately protect customer data in li...
MTN Subscribers Can Now Make Payments Via WhatsApp
Sourced from TheTechieGuy (https://thetechieguy.com/) MTN has joined forces with Ozow so that subscribers can purchase data and airtime directly through WhatsApp – an industry-first in South Africa. “Giving customers the ability to transact seamlessly on WhatsApp is a gamechanger in South Africa. It provides a seamless way to stay connected, in touch and in tune, while being simple and secure. Most importantly it will help improve financial and digital inclusion and enhance access for consumers,” says Jacqui O’Sullivan, Executive of Corporate Affairs at MTN South Africa. The service is provided within the MTN Chat platform, which was launched in 2019, to enable customers to initiate the purchase of airtime and data bundles within their WhatsApp chat. Making actual payments via WhatsAp...
South Africans Think Software Update Time can be Used to Increase Productivity
Installing updates is considered a routine boring task, according to a study commissioned by Kaspersky. The research revealed that four-in-ten (47%) of South Africans admit that the time spent waiting for updates to take place can be used productively and they are making this a reality in their day-to-day lives. Updates to devices are not only necessary to gain access to new features or interfaces, but they also help to maintain a high level of security. Vendors regularly test their offerings to find new potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. The timely installation of updates can serve as an effective defence against cybercriminals. This downtime can also increase people’s productivity and help with well-being. South Africans agree that the time spent waiting for ...
Spotify Launches New Premium Offers in South Africa
Sourced from Forbes. /* custom css */ .tdi_4_6bf.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_4_6bf.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Spotify is launching new offers for its free and first-time South African users to enjoy the benefits of a Premium account. The music-streaming platform is offering three months free to eligible free and first time-users for the Individual Premium plan. For those who are missing their Individual Premium plan and cancelled for one reason or another, Spotify Premium is offering three months for just R59.99. Spotify Premium gives subscribers an audio streaming experience with ad-free music listening, and on-demand audio anytime. On Spotify, users get access to more than 70 million tracks and more than 2.6 million podcast titles that include topics such as c...
Contactless Payment Methods Beat Traditional Options for the First Time
Sourced from Htxt.Africa South African bank, FNB has revealed that contactless payments have surpassed Chip and PIN contact payments for the first time ever among its Credit, Debit, Fusion, and Virtual Card users. The Bank attributes the behavioural shift (from chip contact to contactless) to consumer’s preference and awareness of safer, convenient, and quicker means to pay at a Point-of-Sale. “This is a remarkable milestone for the financial services industry, and it augurs well for efforts to improve safety and convenience in the payments network,” says Raj Makanjee, Payments Executive at FNB. “With over 10 million contactless cards in the hands of our customers and 200 000 Virtual Cards activated, we are delighted to see our customers pioneering what we believe to be the future of payme...
MTN Completes NLD Fibre Cable Project in South Africa
MTN has officially completed its Coastal National Long Distance (NLD) fibre cable project. The fibre route starts in Cape Town, and runs along the N2, moves through Gqeberha and East London and then on to Durban. It is expected to offer an exciting alternative to existing fibre networks and older, slower options and covers an impressive 1,822 kms while supporting several other sites. “The project gives MTN an opportunity to provide additional and significant capacity between coastal cities and the rest of SA, ensuring the digital world is brought one step closer for many more people,” says Giovanni Chiarelli, CIO at MTN SA. The NLD 5/6 project commenced over 3 years ago, constructed by Liquid Telecoms (Liquid Intelligent Technologies), with MTN as the key anchor investor. Apart ...
