By KOPANO MONAHENG
MZANSI children have first-hand experience of poverty, drug abuse and other social challenges.
For many, a lack of food and education mean they remain trapped in poverty.
And that’s what KFC wants to stop.

The most loved fried chicken giant is going around Mzansi to provide children at early childhood development (ECD) centres with food and learning materials.
Through KFC’s Add Hope, customers are asked to donate R2 every time they buy meals at their outlets. The money then goes into buying food for less privileged children in ECD centres across Mzansi. This has been KFC’s project since 2009.

To date, Add Hope has provided over 318 million meals, supporting more than 134 different non-profit organisations across all nine provinces, Rise Against Hunger is one of the beneficiaries.

Andra Nel, marketing manager for brand and purpose at KFC, said this year, the food outlet, together with Rise Against Hunger Africa, have managed to package 35 000 meals.
Each parcel contains various staples like dehydrated vegetables and vitamin sachets.

“The 35 000 meals will feed 152 children, five meals a week for an entire year while attending their ECD facility,” she said.

Two of the many ECD centres they are supporting include Tangani in Diepsloot and Elelwani in Ivory Park.

“Our ECD Connect programme takes on unregistered ECDs and helps them improve their facilities, build educational infrastructure, teacher training and health and safety standards. This is achieved through the savings created by providing them with meals sponsored by KFC Add Hope,” added Nell.

She said people should not underestimate the forever rising food prices as it has a negative impact on the lives of people, especially those living in poor communities. This also has an impact on health, child development, social and mental well-being.

She believes that no child should go to bed hungry, and no child should be deprived of a good education.

“Through collective and continued efforts, along with government support, we can feed our future potential,” Nel said.

Acute food insecurity in Africa has increased by over 60% in the past year and threatens to widen even further, especially if we consider rising inflation and food prices as well as the fact that overall inflation rate in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to grow to 12.2% stretching consumers’ pockets even further. South Africa also continues to experience some of the highest levels of inequality in the world and the scope of food-insecurity and hunger are a major concern.

As we commemorated World Food Day on 16 October, it was important to highlight that access to food is crucial and that partnerships with purpose can make a difference.

Brian Nell, CEO of Rise Against Hunger Africa agreed that many parents have been struggling to pay for their kids’ school fees due to high inflation.
There is also an increase in requests for “take home” meals for the families whose children attend the ECD centres we serve, placing more pressure all round.”

Their ECD Connect programme takes on unregistered ECDs and helps them improve their facilities, building on educational infrastructure, teacher training, health and safety standards.

Eskom-City Power smart meter hard sell

By

 Desmond Pitoyi

 –

October 18, 2023

0

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Me just thinking aloud. Go easy on me, I plead!

I have been constantly hearing and reading stories about Eskom
and City Power contemplating, or are already in the process of,
installing Smart Meters all over ekasi, whether we like it or not.

Methinks that this is not a wise move at all. It is bound to fall on its
face before it is even launched. That is my two cents’ worth. Facts
speak for themselves though.

Eskom and City Power are infamous for not doing things by the
book. To start with, their customer service stinks to high heaven.

The end user is always sent from pillar to post whenever they
bring their gripe about poor service. They are treated indifferently
by those behind the help desks at walk-ins or call centres.

A good service provider should always know that “Customer is
King”. A customer always wants the best value for their money.

Ordinary folks ekasi want reliable and uninterrupted electricity
supply service to help them cope with their daily existence. And
when there are issues with the service rendered, they need to
know who to turn to – to have their problems resolved.

The thinking behind this apathic treatment of customers is based
on the fact that township residents do not want to pay for
electricity or any service, for that matter. The opposite is true.
Umphakathi has no qualms about paying for basic amenities.
Provide good service and they will meet you halfway.

As things stand, expecting good service from Eskom or City
Power is like wringing water from a stone. Both of them
bazokuHurder!

With the proposed new system, both service providers are trying
to strike fear into the hearts of abahlali that their electricity supply
will be switched on and off remotely through a smart meter
system that will be installed in each house. This is intended to
make customers use power sparingly, so we are told.

Through smart meters, electricity guzzlers like your geysers,
stoves and other essential power points will be turned on and off
from a control centre, if both distributors feel that the grid is
overloaded at any given time. You will only be able to use
minimum power to run your lights, a TV set and a Wi-Fi router.
Convince me otherwise, this is make-believe.

Officials from both these service providers are doing their
damnedest to try and persuade us that they mean well with this
hard sell. If people on the ground soon find out that this is nothing
but a scam, Eskom and City Power are courting danger.

We all are aware that the country is in the throes of a power crisis,
most of which is self-made. Regular power outages wreak havoc
in every aspect of our daily existence.

So, with this smart meter nonsense, are you not compounding the
already existing problem? Proponents of this scheme will be left
with egg on their faces as this will further agitate the gatvol end
user.

This extravagant and wasteful expenditure project, if
implemented, will cause an angry backlash from those on the
receiving end of this high-voltage equation.

Look around you, the electricity supply infrastructure leaves much
to be desired. It is in tatters, to say the least.
Street lights, substations and transformers are vandalised on a
daily basis and power cables stolen left, right and centre as
izinyoka and scrapyard owners rule the roost.

How do you introduce this new technology, and hope it will work
seamlessly under such conditions?

First things first, do a feasibility study to determine whether what
you are intending to do [installing smart meters in this instance] is
technically viable, and local communities buy into your idea.

Clean up the mess, fix what is broken and make sure your ducks
are in a row before you roll out your proposed plan. Your plan
should be fool-proof and do not ram it down people’s throats.

I am not convinced that this project has all the good intentions it
purports. It has all the hallmarks of a gimmick used by greedy
tenderpreneurs to “loot the gravy train” written all over it. So, I will
not buy into this smart meter claptrap. It is a damp squib.

It looks like a money-spinning attempt by the fat cats to “eat” and
line their pockets one last time. Phela, 2024 is just around the
corner, and these people need to have something to fall back on
when they find themselves in the political wilderness.

Mzansi, open your eyes and see this for what it is: the higher-ups
are trying to sell us a pig in a poke.

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By TANA MALINGA

MILLIONS of soccer lovers across the African continent will this weekend see Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club in a different look.

PUMA and 13 times league champions Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club have launched the new kit that will see the team wear the new jersey only when they play Caf championship matches.

They will wear the new kit on Saturday, 21 October with a trip to Angola against Petro Luanda and the return leg to be played on Saturday the 24 October in Tshwane. And also the two legged finals of the newly established competition which will be played on 5 and 12 November this year.
The dark blue kit in PUMA Navy, inspired by the colour of the African sky at the dawning of a new day, features a Pele Yellow ribbed crewneck and yellow ribbed cuff.

The CAF Champions League Star appears above the club badge and the letters MSFC appear on the back of the neckline alongside a map of Africa.
“With the team about to represent the Nation in the inaugural African Football League we have designed this kit to honour Mamelodi Sundowns as they take their place amongst the other as giants of African football.

A new League deserves a stylish and special kit for our Team,” said PUMA marketing director Brett Bellinger.

Technology in the player’s shirt ensures this is the lightest ever PUMA shirt, weighing just 72 grams.
The material construction has a structured, 4-way stretch to reduce weight and friction.

The trims use a new, lighter and more breathable print technique while the bonded seams create a comfortable, lightweight feel.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ spokesperson, Tiyani “Shuga” Mabunda welcomed the initiative and said: “It is an honor to be selected as one of the top teams on the continent to participate in this prestigious competition and we could not have chosen a more befitting time to launch this special kit for the Yellow Nation. We trust that the kit will propell our players to break new boundries and reach new heights.”

The African Dawn shirt will be available on 16 October 2023. The match shirt with official heat press badge (R1499) will only be available on PUMA.com and the sundownsfc.store. Meanwhile, the Replica with official embroidery logo (R1099), will be available from the sundownsfc.store and PUMA.com, Sportsmans Warehouse, Studio 88 and Totalsports.

By KOPANO MONAHENG

BUSINESSES depend hugely on technology today more than they did years ago.

And this means employees can communicate far more quickly and conveniently, no matter where they are. Tools like online chat rooms and phone services allow employees to manage many tasks from home. This gives companies an opportunity to work with employees regardless of their location.

Business owners and managers must also be wary of cyber criminals who are always finding new ways to scam their targets.

On Thursday, one of Mzansi’s leading digital system integrators, BCX, launched its Africa Local Public (ALP) Cloud service that will help provide innovative technology solutions to businesses in the African continent.

Jonas Bogoshi, CEO at BCX, said the ALP Cloud addresses the rising demand for secure, scalable and high-performance cloud solutions that cater to the distinct requirements of South African businesses. He said from now on, local enterprises can access secure and resilient cloud compute, storage, network and security services (IAAS) with low latency and high efficiency offered by BCX’s ALP Cloud.

“The initial capacity will be made available to enterprise clients and will be further expanded with additional products and capacity, pending specific demands from clients,” said Jonas.

The ALP Cloud service is powered by Alibaba Cloud – the digital technology and intelligence backbone of the Alibaba Group. One standout feature of the ALP Cloud is its pricing strategy.

BCX has opted to charge for services in the local currency, the South African Rand, which is in stark contrast to other hyper-scalers in the local market.

Bogoshi highlights the significance of this decision, stating that it alleviates the challenge posed by the unpredictable exchange rate.

By billing in the local currency, BCX ensures cost predictability for South African enterprises, allowing them to effectively manage their cloud service expenses and avoid the volatility of the exchange rate market.

BCX also recognises the importance of data sovereignty and residency within the South African context. 

“BCX aims to align with the principles of the National Data and Cloud Policy, which seeks to promote data sovereignty in South Africa,” notes Jan Bouwer, Chief Solutions Officer at BCX.

Bouwer explains that ALP Cloud ensures that data stays within South Africa, addressing data sovereignty and compliance requirements.

ALP Cloud has been deployed in two data centres in South Africa. BCX remains committed to keeping local data within Africa’s borders and intends to launch a third data centre in Cape Town, along with another disaster recovery data centre in one of South Africa’s neighbouring countries to mitigate the impact of load shedding.

BCX’s emphasis on a local approach sets it apart, suggests Bouwer.

“The launch of ALP Cloud serves multiple purposes, one of which accentuates our dedication to maintaining a local presence. As a result, when our customers opt for BCX local cloud services, they will be directly connecting with and supported by a South African company.”

In addition, with global technology experience from Alibaba Cloud and local expertise from BCX, the company ensures that service deployment meets international standards. 

BCX has also been diligently working to upskill local talent for the rising digital transformation demands by enterprises. It is extending training and certification opportunities to universities, aiming to equip students with valuable skills in cloud services.

By TANA “Lulu” MALINGA
IT’S only pupils who do STEM subjects that get to win big in October of every year.
At this year’s Eskom Expo International Science Fair, young scientists from Mzansi and across the globe won bursaries, cash prizes, laptops, tablets, and computers.
They also got the opportunity to work for a company of their choice that is in line with their field of study during school holidays.
The good news was announced at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg.
The fair took place from 3 to 6 October.
The energy company awarded 23 full bursaries valued up to R450,000 each, and four Special Awards to the Best Female, Best Development, Best Energy and Best Innovation projects which were selected among entrants in the energy category.
The winners were:
Best Female: Grade 11 pupil Likitha Chundru from Bryanston High School in Joburg.
Chundru, who also won the Meiring Naudé Award for the most inspiring project, used a novel method to increase the germination and growth of non-legume plants using Rhizobium spp. Bacteria.
Best development project: The Eskom Award for the Best Development Project was won by a Grade 12 pupil Amogelang Mampane from Soshanguve Automotive School of Specialisation.
Mampane impressed the Judges with his technical knowledge of electric cars.
Best Innovation Project went to Keerthana Nair from Bryanston High School in Joburg.
Nair found a quick and easy way to detect tuberculosis in sputum. Her innovation will be most significant for early tuberculosis detection in areas with limited medical resources.
Best energy project won by Sithembile Hlehliso and Kabelo Sekoere from Senakangwedi High School in Bloemfontein. This Grade 12 team investigated ways to improve the efficiency of solar panels.
Eskom Development Foundation Acting CEO, Mologadi Motshele, congratulated the remarkable young scientists who have not only displayed exceptional talent but also a steadfast commitment to scientific inquiry and innovation.

By KOPANO MONAHENG
WATCH what you eat, keep your weight in check and exercise!

You may have heard about it many times, but exercise is one of the most important and easiest ways to keep and stay healthy.

One of the surviving founders of the Soweto Marathon, Thulani Sibisi (70), said eating too much meat and junk foods will work against you in the long run.

Thulani, who formed the Soweto Marathon 28 years ago along with Leonard Tshwene and Banele Sindani, was diagnosed of prostate cancer in 2013.

As a build-up to the much-anticipated annual Soweto Marathon on 5 November, Thulani urged every adult in Mzansi to look after themselves and their health.

He will be raising awareness around prostate cancer and other cancers. Thulani has seen the need to educate and empower other men as well as women to lead a healthy lifestyle and eating right.

“Always get tested for diseases at your local clinic and general practitioners, it’s important,” he said.

Thulani found out about his illness after he was admitted at a hospital struggling to pass urine.

“I had been fit as I am right now. But my only problem then was that I was always checking my BP, diabetes and not the prostate or other diseases.”

He said those who are 40 years old and above must start visiting clinics to find out about their prostrate condition.

“Drinking and smoking also must be avoided, if you want to stay healthy.”

He said men must share information among themselves about the things they need to know about their health and wellness. This way, many lives will be saved.

Having been involved in the race since its formation, Thulani’s main role is to ensure that former winners of the Soweto Marathon return, to inspire others who will be running the race for the first time.

The legend started his running career in KZN during his school days.
He won the Two Oceans marathon in 1986, followed by a second place in 1987. In 1992, he represented the SA Olympics team in Barcelona as one of the management officials for the South African long-distance athletics team.

Thulani’s advice to those who will be participating in the African Bank Soweto Marathon for the first time is, “they must take it easy in the first half”.

“It’s a tough second half and hydration is key, especially due to the scorching heat typically experienced in November in Gauteng.

“It’s important that each runner runs runs their own race, based on the training done – because the race is about finishing as that’s when you get your medal.”

Take part in the upcoming Soweto Marathon.

South African customers have become extremely picky when choosing a delivery service, having been burnt one too many times by late drop-offs, drivers becoming lost, or no updates being provided on the status of their parcels.

The first sign of any issues and they’ll be off to look for a service provider who can meet their expectations of convenience.

A new series of humorous Ads by Click and Collect specialist Pargo has picked up on customers’ frustrations to great effect.

The latest Ad, which airs for the first time today, shows a delivery driver at his wits’ end as he encounters a broken street sign, no signal and a customer’s phone that rings unanswered. His anguish plays off against a painless experience at a late-night Pargo Point.

It comes on the back of the company’s hugely successful “Live more, wait less” video, where a South African misses out on all the fun in her life while battling late deliveries. More than 75,000 users have viewed the slot on YouTube alone.

Pargo CEO Lars Veul explains that the recent Ads resonate with South Africans because they are all too familiar with these scenarios. “They’re funny because they’re true,” he says.

The massive rise of the Click and Collect model, both in South Africa and abroad, has coincided with growing discontent over traditional delivery methods.

A recent online poll conducted by South African news publication The Witness found that 53.8% of respondents would rather pick up their goods from a pickup point than be delivered to them.

In the UK, Barclays Corporate Bank has found that Click and Collect now accounts for 40% of sales for retailers offering the service.

The model works for consumers for a variety of reasons, Veul says.

For one, there is total visibility of exactly when an order lands at a chosen pickup point.

For another, the consumer can determine when and where they want to collect, offering a high level of convenience.

One of the biggest drawcards for online consumers is delivery tracking, which keeps both the sender and shopper updated on the progress of the delivery.

Since launching in 2015, Pargo has all but made the Click and Collect space its own in the South African market. Consumers can now collect parcels from a choice of over 4,000 Pargo Points around the country.

As Veul points out, its Click and Collect offering is more affordable than traditional delivery methods since its large network located in South Africa’s major retailers allows it to offer competitive pricing.

It essentially means effective and cheaper delivery has been opened up to a much wider audience which enjoys the benefit of e-mails and text messages being sent when orders are ready for collection.

“Collection takes place when and where it suits customers. And often this is outside of standard business hours and over weekends,” Veul says.

By OUPA KEKANA
THE Gauteng Tourism is supporting digital hubs found in different cities across the province.
One they recently visited was at a Busy Corner in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni.
The aim is to see these hubs attract investments, create jobs and develop the township economy.
In 2016, the first Box Shop was officially opened at the famous Vilakazi street in Orlando West, Soweto.
Sifiso Moyo, as a founding director of the Box Shop, ensured that more and more digital hubs were rolled out across the country to serve as centres of excellence aimed at connecting communities through digital, information and communication technology related skills training and business development support services.
Moyo said the focus of the digital hubs was on creating a central meeting point for business, technology, innovation, and creative businesses in the respective regions. He said through these hubs tourists are now able to understand the township better without them having to travel there in a car, on foot or by cycling.
All information they need about the township is found right in the hub and it really makes life more easier for tourists and everyone who wants to know the township. He said coming from Vilakazi street in Soweto to Vosloorus was to ensure that they target places where there’s tourism potential.
Moyo said Vosloorus has a strong heritage and all businesses in the area would benefit greatly from this.
“We’re here today to celebrate the transition of the Box Shop from being a lifestyle to digital. And also to acknowledge our stalwarts like Chris Hani,” he said.
The media were taken on a tour where they got to see the house of the late Chris Hani and many other interesting places in the township that can attract tourists in the area.
There’s a lot that needs to be done to develop tour guards in all the townships across the country. This on its own will help create employment for the young people of this country.
People know that every Thursday is a Phuza Thursday, and such places are always supported, but if they can be turned into Tourism Thursday, the better.
Looking at Mzansi’s unemployment crisis, the need for change is undeniable.
So turning Phuza Thursday to Tourism Thursday has to be a practice from now on, isn’t it?
Moyo pointed out the necessity of creating pathways to employability. This requires a change in thinking and the building of skills development ecosystems.

Stellenbosch Football Club can confirm that Sibongiseni Mthethwa will join Kaizer Chiefs Football Club on a permanent transfer after a buy-out clause in his contract was activated.
Ox, as Mthethwa is affectionately known, joined Stellenbosch from Black Leopards in January 2022 and departs after having made 56 appearances for the club across all competitions.
He quickly established himself as a leader in the dressing room and was appointed as a vice-captain at the start of this season, while he also won six Bafana Bafana caps during his spell with Stellenbosch.
“When Mthethwa initially joined the club, a buy-out clause was negotiated into his contract and that has now been activated by Kaizer Chiefs,” Stellenbosch FC CEO Rob Benadie said.
“It’s always sad to part ways with a player and person of Ox’s calibre but we would like to wish him all of the best in this next step of his career.
“He was a consummate professional throughout his time in Stellenbosch and it goes without saying that his influence on the pitch and in the dressing room will be missed.
“Apart from his on-field contributions, he also played an active role in our communities and must be commended for the enthusiastic manner in which he embraced the SFC family and supporters.
“Mthethwa embodied the values of the club, and we would like to thank him for his immense contributions to our cause over the last two years.”

By TANA MALINGA
ORLANDO Pirates players have received high praise from their head coach Jose Ribeiro following eye-catching display this season.
This led to six of their players getting Bafana Bafana call-ups.
Bucs are determined for greatness this season and going in tonight clash against on-form Mamelodi Sundowns, there will be very little room for error.
Pirates host Masandawana at Orlando Stadium kickoff 7:30.
Sundowns on the other side have never set a foot wrong this campaign winning all six of their league games.
Both sides go into this league match without their key players Lebohang Maboe and Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo due to suspension.
This is a game Pirates need to win especially when they are playing at home to reduce the gap of 11 points to 8 and failing to do so will allow Sundowns to run away with the league title.
Club captain, Innocent Maela, said they have a plan to hurt Sundowns this evening to appease their supporters who are expecting a win more than anything else. Coach Jose has assured fans that tonight game is going to be a very exciting so fans must go all out to fill up the stadium.