Brand Trust and the Coronavirus Pandemic Karena Crerar, Edelman Africa Advisory Practice Lead

The rapidly evolving Covid-19 pandemic has not only presented an alarming health crisis, but is also causing significant social and economic implications across the globe. In uncertain environments like this, trust in institutions – businesses, organizations, and governments – becomes even more critical. Strong leadership and decisive action are needed to earn that trust and shape our post-crisis future. We have observed groups of people ignoring critical health guidance, in part because they doubted the veracity of available information or because they relied on disinformation. At the same time, a…

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Africa’s $2.6 Trillion Energy Gap Provides Opportunities

“While this energy gap remains a major barrier to Africa’s sustained economic development, it inversely presents opportunities for many African nations.”

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New technology extinguishes demand for coal-fired powe

CAPE TOWN – South African coal exports are approaching long-term decline, according to an Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) report released on Monday. IEEFA energy finance analyst Simon Nicholas said the sector needed to come to terms with the prospect of fading demand from its major export destinations. “Policy makers in South Africa need to prepare for the ongoing technology driven transition away from coal or face the inevitable social and economic consequences,” said Nicholas. “It won’t happen overnight, but key trends in global markets show new…

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The changing face of digital payments

JOHANNESBURG – Around the world there is growing, collective consensus that digital disruptions will continue as old ways of doing business are fast being ditched, and new ways are being adapted across industries. Industries such transport, accommodation, print media, television and dining, have all seen disruptions that were not really expected to take off at such speed two decades ago. Now these industries are playing catch up, with some winning and others struggling to keep their heads above the water. What has been noteworthy is the advent of the democratisation…

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Engineered probiotics a gutsy new field

CAPE TOWN – Bacteria mostly have a bad reputation for causing disease, so the idea of drinking a few billion bacteria every day for your health might seem a bit hard to “swallow!” However, substantial scientific evidence is indicating that bacteria can be used to treat and prevent many illnesses. Therefore, millions of people all over the world are taking capsules of probiotics on a daily basis with the goal of improving their digestion and health. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are often recommended for gastrointestinal problems, for…

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Building a (digital) bridge to SME success

For small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) sustainability matters – and today, sustainability is arguably best achieved by investing in the right technology. “The world has essentially become one marketplace, and one workforce,” says Jacobus de Nysschen, executive director at Creative CFO, a financial services firm based in Cape Town that is focused on the SME sector. “To build a successful company today, you have to gain access to the global innovation marketplace, which means embracing the right technology.” According to de Nysschen, the rapidly changing nature of the modern work…

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School of specialisation on drive to the future

The future looks bright for maths and science pupils at the Katlehong Engineering School of Specialisation, on the East Rand, who will be trained as qualified car technicians by five big motor companies in SA. Yesterday, Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi officially launched the school with a focus on manufacturing, transport and logistics. The school is situated in the eastern economic development corridor where the major industries are transport, manufacturing and logistics. Lesufi said the school has partnered with MerSeta (Manufacturing, engineering and related services Seta) to provide pupils with…

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SA businesses still in their comfort zone when it comes to AI – expert

  Despite pockets of excellence, there is a massive gap among South African businesses between understanding the impact of using technology and actually moving to embrace that technology, according to Arthur Goldstuck of World Wide Worx. Moreover, many have flagged poor connectivity as a barrier to moving ahead. “The secret that South African businesses should understand is that technology is not the enemy, but your ally,” Goldstuck said at the SAIPA Accounting Indaba in Cape Town on Tuesday.   More than half of businesses he recently surveyed indicated that they…

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Graphene: 21st century wonder material

CAPE TOWN – Over the past millennia technological advances have to a large extent determined the course of civilisation and even history. Bronze and iron were so crucial in the history and development of ancient societies that retrospectively whole eras were named after them such as the bronze and iron ages. During the Bronze Age (≈3300-1200 BC) it was the production of the harder and more durable bronze through the smelting of copper and adding of tin or arsenic that gave civilisations a technological advantage. In the Iron Age (≈1200-600…

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Technology key to luring Africa’s youth into crucial farming sector

The ageing workforce in African agriculture will be one of the sector’s key challenges in the medium term, according to a new report by global research and consultancy firm Oxford Business Group (OBG). In SA, the government has identified agricultural value chains as one of the sectors that can stimulate youth employment. The OBG report, which analyses the state of the sector and its medium-term development prospects, highlights Africa’s significant untapped agricultural potential. While the continent accounts for 60% of the world’s arable land, it only contributes 4% of total…

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