Natasha Odendaal

https://staging1.creamermedia.com/

Natasha Odendaal

Natasha Odendaal is Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor for Engineering News and Mining Weekly.

MTN Q1 performance muted on ongoing macroenvironment challenges

14th May 2024 JSE-listed MTN on Tuesday posted a dip in service revenue and earnings during the first quarter of the year, amid ongoing high inflation and local currency devaluations in some of its key markets. The group reported a 28.7% contraction in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and... →

Vodacom FY earnings dip on challenges, revenue up

13th May 2024 JSE-listed Vodacom Group on Monday posted double-digit increases in revenue, however, its earnings a share for the year ended March 31, 2024, declined. The group reported a 11.2% decrease in earnings a share to 842c, along with a 10.8% decline in headline earnings a share to 846c during the year... →

Hypervine launches satellite survey service

10th May 2024 Satellite imagery and data analytics specialist and greentech business Hypervine has launched a new unlimited satellite surveys service. The Glasgow-headquartered group aims to provide cost-effective, accurate and comprehensive global data on precise mineral mapping, openpit mines and some... →

High cellphone penetration rate positions continent to leverage 4IR technologies

10th May 2024 Africa has an advantage when leveraging ever-developing Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to overcome the deficits created by a lack of infrastructure and geographical distances: its high cellphone penetration rate. Amid one of the largest cellphone penetration rates in the world,... →

UK, South African universities partner to establish water security forum

9th May 2024 The University of Johannesburg (UJ) Centre for Social Development in Africa (CSDA) and UK-based Cranfield University Centre for Water, Environment and Development (CWED) are partnering to establish a cross-stakeholder consortium to achieve water security in Johannesburg. The Johannesburg... →

MTN achieves record 98% network availability in Limpopo

7th May 2024 As telecommunications giant MTN South Africa accelerates its nationwide modernisation programme, the company has achieved a record 98.33% network availability daily in Limpopo. The 2024 resilience plan, which was completed in the first quarter of 2024, aims to ensure that all sites have power... →

Telkom set to support 2024 elections

6th May 2024 Telecommunications group Telkom is preparing to support South Africa’s upcoming national elections as the information and communications technology partner to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). South Africa’s 2024 elections are set to be held on May 29. →

Company sets sights on agriculture sector

3rd May 2024 SEW-EURODRIVE’s complete gear solution for centre pivot irrigation systems for the farming sector is attracting significant interest after its launch in South Africa earlier this year. The plug-and-play solution, which aligns with existing equipment, has the added advantage of integrated... →

Need to reduce electricity use overlooked in efforts to mitigate water challenges

3rd May 2024 A crucial missing element in current water management strategies is reducing electricity consumption, says CBI-electric: low voltage engineering executive Dr Andrew Dickson. Discussing Johannesburg's current water crisis, which raises urgent concerns about the city’s and South Africa’s long-term... →

Africa’s water challenges present opportunities for innovation, private-sector involvement

3rd May 2024 Water scarcity poses a significant hurdle to Africa's growth and development, with climate change and deteriorating infrastructure intensifying the challenges. However, the challenges present opportunities for innovative solutions and private-sector participation, says Frost & Sullivan consultant... →

Samsung claims back its position as leading smartphone provider

3rd May 2024 As worldwide smartphones shipments continued on a path of recovery during the first quarter of 2024, Samsung has once again surpassed Apple as the leading smartphone provider. Preliminary data from the International Data Corporation’s (IDC’s) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker shows that... →

SA mines get first look at private 5G in action

2nd May 2024 Fixed-wireless access provider Comsol has showcased the capabilities of private fifth-generation (5G) infrastructure to South African mining companies at its Midrand premises to demonstrate multiple indoor and outdoor use cases, with clients actively involved in the tests. Hosting immersive,... →

MTN SA launches Made4U career portal Skillsbox to empower job seekers

29th April 2024 Telecommunications giant MTN South Africa has launched a new portal to assist unemployed South Africans on their job seeking journeys. The new Made4U career portal Skillsbox offers a comprehensive suite of resources on a user-friendly website and mobile platform designed to empower job seekers. →

TEBOGO MAENETJA

LHWP tunnel closure won’t have significant impact on water supplies, assures DWS

26th April 2024 The upcoming six-month closure of the Lesotho Highlands tunnel, from October 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, for scheduled maintenance is not expected to have a significant impact or disruption on Gauteng’s water supply. The shutdown will result in an 80-million-cubic-metre shortfall during 2024 in... →

DCDT to establish artificial intelligence advisory panel

26th April 2024 The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) is preparing to establish an artificial intelligence (AI) expert advisory council as it moves to shape the policies and regulations around AI adoption and development in South Africa. Starting the process, the department hosted a... →

Telcos spend billions on batteries, generators to ensure customers remain connected during loadshedding

26th April 2024 South African telecommunications operators spent billions of rands to keep communications infrastructure operational during bouts of loadshedding in the 12 months to September 30, 2023. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s (Icasa’s) latest State of Information Communication... →

Lowered profile, integral bogeys the answer as Condra is set to install crane in factory with limited headroom

26th April 2024 Crane manufacturer Condra Cranes is preparing to embark on a crane installation to customer specifications in a factory that has no roof access and limited headroom. The team of Condra specialists, set to undertake the installation at the customer’s Johannesburg factory in April, will leverage... →

Paratus Botswana completes Botswana Kalahari fibre route

25th April 2024 Telecommunications and network services provider Paratus Botswana has completed the last leg of the new 840 km Botswana Kalahari Fibre (BKF) route between the Namibian border and Lobatse. The new BWP70-million route, which was activated at the end of March, is the largest significant investment... →

MTN South Africa, Investec, Electrum collaborate to introduce PayShap on MoMo

24th April 2024 Information and communications technology group MTN South Africa has partnered with Investec and Electrum to introduce the PayShap solution on its Mobile Money (MoMo) platform. The collaboration aims to provide users with an instant, cost-effective mobile payment system, with MoMo becoming the... →

Icasa officially appoints new chairperson

22nd April 2024 The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has appointed Councillor Mothibi Ramusi as chairperson, effective May 2, for a five-year term. The official appointment of Ramusi followed Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele’s announcement in the... →

Africa’s small businesses increasingly investing in technology to boost growth and resilience

19th April 2024 Africa’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly investing in technology to bolster growth and enable resilience, a new report shows. The report, titled ‘Levelling the SME playing field’ and jointly launched by Vodacom Group, Vodafone Group and Safaricom, shows that nearly 70%... →

E-waste now the fastest growing waste stream globally

19th April 2024 Electronic waste (e-waste) has now become the fastest-growing form of waste worldwide, as consumers shed more than 50-million metric tonnes of e-waste each year – equating to about 7 kg of e-waste a person – with only 17% properly recycled. Most e-waste is either dumped, burnt or unaccounted for,... →

Households remain under high interest rates chokehold

18th April 2024 South Africa’s high interest rates continue to pressurise the finances of households amid the ongoing restrictive monetary policy stance by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). The latest Altron FinTech Household Resilience Index (AFHRI) shows that, over... →

MTN, Huawei launch joint technology innovation lab

17th April 2024 Telecommunications giant MTN Group and information and communication technology group Huawei have jointly launched Technology Innovation Lab to accelerate digital transformation and sustainable development across Africa. The establishment of the lab at MTN’s headquarters in Roodepoort, marking a... →

Seacom launches LEO satellite service for enterprise clients

15th April 2024 Telecommunications and managed services provider Seacom has launched its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite service for its enterprise clients after a two-year process of consultation with industry partners. LEO satellites orbit the Earth at an altitude of up to 2 000 km – the same altitude at which... →

National register of polluters necessary to deal with water pollution, says DWS

15th April 2024 The establishment of a national register of polluters will be key to dealing with the pollution of the environment and water sources in South Africa, says Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu. This emerged as one of the resolutions of a workshop on ‘Water Services Authorities impacting the... →

MDPMI provisional report to be published in October

12th April 2024 The provisional report for the Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry (MDPMI) is expected to be published in October, the Competition Commission announced following the conclusion of the nearly month-long public hearings. The Competition Commission held the hybrid public hearings from March 4... →

Work continues on Rooiwal, Klipdrift water infrastructure upgrade, refurbishment

12th April 2024 The refurbishment of the Rooiwal wastewater treatment works and the upgrade of the Klipdrift water treatment works in Hammanskraal is well underway, with Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu committing to ensure the success of the projects. The Rooiwal wastewater treatment works is being... →

People at the heart of South Africa’s water sector recovery

12th April 2024 The complexity of the water sector in South Africa, along with the numerous and seemingly insurmountable challenges faced, demands a series of integrated interventions – and people are at the centre of these solutions. South Africa’s long-known water woes are the result of several factors,... →

MTN South Africa injects R10bn into network expansion

12th April 2024 MTN South Africa deployed R10.1-billion in capital expenditure (capex), excluding leases, at an intensity of 19.5%, during 2023, to drive network capacity expansion and power resilience. This formed part of MTN Group’s overall R41.1-billion capex spend across its 19 markets during the year ended... →

Discontinuance of Africa’s 2G, 3G networks to be gradual and targeted

12th April 2024 While there are benefits to phasing out legacy networks, such as second-generation (2G) and third-generation (3G), progress in sub-Saharan Africa will be slower and more targeted than other regions. Globally, operators are – or, in the case of developing economies, are considering – phasing out... →

People at the heart of South Africa’s water sector recovery

12th April 2024 The complexity of the water sector in South Africa, along with the numerous and seemingly insurmountable challenges faced, demands a series of integrated interventions – and people are at the centre of these solutions. South Africa’s long-known water woes are the result of several factors,... →

Accessing the growth potential of tailings retreatment and rehabilitation

11th April 2024 New research, developments in technology and advancements in equipment are unlocking significant growth opportunities in the extraction and treatment of tailings in South Africa. However, while there are many benefits in the development of the tailings sector, various risks remain, including the... →

Joburg Water assures of quality as it upgrades lab power, equipment

10th April 2024 Johannesburg Water on Wednesday assured residents of the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) that the drinking water it provides is of the highest possible quality. The water utility, responsible for the supply of 1.6-billion litres of water across Gauteng, has extensive testing and quality control... →

MTN, Vodacom ranks top in valuable brands survey

9th April 2024 Telecommunications groups MTN Group and Vodacom Group have secured the top two spots in the latest Brand Finance survey. Despite an 8% decrease in brand value to R68.2-billion, MTN Group maintained its position as South Africa’s most valuable brand, while Vodacom, increasing its brand by 10% to... →

AfriForum requests urgent meeting with Mashatile on water situation following interest in engagement

8th April 2024 Civil rights organisation AfriForum on Monday said that it requested an urgent meeting with Deputy President Paul Mashatile following an announcement that government’s new water task team is willing to involve it and other civil society roleplayers. The proposed meeting to discuss the matter... →

Deputy President Paul Mashatile

Evolving sefa innovates, partners to grow South Africa’s SMME economy

8th April 2024 Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa), an implementing agency of the Department of Small Business Development, is evolving, innovating, and partnering to assist in unlocking the potential of small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMME’s) across South Africa. Since its inception in 2012, sefa... →

MTN named South Africa’s best mobile network

8th April 2024 Telecommunications giant MTN Group has maintained the title of South Africa’s best mobile network in the latest MyBroadband Insights report. The first quarter 2024 Mobile Network Quality Report shows that MTN achieved a network quality score of 9.66. →

Icasa publishes draft plans for radio frequency spectrum

8th April 2024 The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) on Monday published the Draft Radio Frequency Migration Plan (RFMP) and the Draft International Mobile Telecommunication Roadmap (IMTR) for public consultation. The draft documents aim to ensure proper alignment and coordination of... →

Progress made on the Lower uMkhomazi water project

8th April 2024 Good progress is being made on the implementation of the Lower uMkhomazi water scheme project, in KwaZulu-Natal, which is expected to be complete by December 2027, says Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu. The project will augment raw water availability and meet the water supply demand of... →

South Africa’s water availability on the edge

8th April 2024 Various factors can lead to a rapid decline in South Africa’s water availability, according to Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo, who reiterated the need to diversify the water resource mix to ensure water security. Economic growth, population growth, urbanisation, inefficient... →

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