recent pretoria news from techcentral.co.za
UIF online services have been offline for weeks
UIF's director for communications, Trevor Hattingh, said the fund's previous service provider has been the "biggest headache" during its 19 years of service. On Monday, employment labour minister Nomakhosazana Meth announced the temporary disruption of UIF online platforms, including uF
Germany ready to help fund South Africa's R390-billion grid revamp
The European nation will be able to provide some funding once the scope for the grid-expansion project has been determined, according to its special envoy for a climate finance pact between South Africa and some of the world's richest countries. The deal, which was agreed in 2021 and is now wort
Internet giants must 'pay to play' in South Africa
Speaking at the launch of an ACT white paper on promoting equitable participation and sustainable growth of broadband networks and OTT service providers, ACT CEO Nomvuyiso Batyi said OTT companies bypass the traditional legislative requirements that broadband operators are required to adhere to,
South Africa battling to fund vital grid upgrades
Since Mays election brought a coalition government to power, there has been a policy shift favouring renewables, after years of bureaucratic delays and contradictory messages about South Africas willingness to give up coal, which provides 80% of the countrys power. But as private provid
Sita upgrades over long weekend could impact gov't services
The agency said in a statement on Thursday that it plans to take advantage of the long weekend to do maintenance and upgrade the electrical infrastructure at its data centre in Centurion in Pretoria. The work will begin at 4pm on Thursday and conclude sometime on Sunday, it said. "This
Emerging markets must embrace renewables: Ramaphosa
Addressing a national treasury and World Bank climate change conference in Pretoria on Monday, Ramaphosa said the carbon intensity of South Africas economy, which relies heavily on burning coal to produce electricity, was unsustainable. For decades our reliance on coal allowed us to pro
South Africa to embrace renewables in major policy shift
Ramokgopa, who now runs the newly created energy electricity ministry, was addressing journalists as South Africa marked more than 100 days with no power cuts a record over years of crippling blackouts. I am going to be ultra-aggressive on renewable energy. You are going to see an expon
Controversial spectrum deal: Icasa questions Vodacom's legal tactics
Vodacom has said the pooling deal gave MTN an "unfair advantage" in network performance. TechCentral first reported in May that Vodacom had filed an application with the high court seeking an urgent interdict to stop rival MTN from using spectrum pooling arrangements that it claimed wer
Telkom blasts Icasa in 'spectrum pooling' case
The pooling deal is the subject of a lawsuit by Vodacom, which has claimed that it has given rival MTN South Africa an unfair advantage in network performance. The matter is enrolled at the high court in Pretoria. "The primary concern that Telkom addresses is that Icasa granted these ap
DTT has failed in South Africa - now scrap it, says eMedia
Speaking at the public hearings forming part of Icasa's inquiry into the review of the digital migration regulations of 2012 held in Pretoria on Friday, eMedia CEO Khalik Sherrif told a panel of Icasa councillors that although DTT has been problematic in many parts of the world, much of the "woe
Telkom warns Icasa call rate cuts will punish smaller players
Termination rates are the fees that operators charge each other to carry calls between their networks - and Icasa has proposed further significant reductions in the rates in the hopes of further driving down retail prices paid by consumers for phone calls. Speaking at public hearings at
iStore now offers deliveries in 60 minutes
iStore, the retail chain owned by Apple distributor Core Group , has joined the fray, promising free deliveries in the Cape Town and Sandton CBDs in less than 60 minutes. It is also promising scheduled deliveries, so customers can get their products delivered at a time of their choosing
Ford has built a million Ranger bakkies in Pretoria
The US car maker started production of the Ranger in 2000 and the millionth Ranger milestone coincides with Ford's celebration of its centenary year in South Africa. "It's fitting that we celebrate reaching and now rapidly surpassing the one millionth locally produced Ranger during Ford
Vodacom drags Icasa to court over 'secret' spectrum deals
Vodacom has filed an application at the high court in Pretoria seeking an urgent interdict to stop rival MTN from using spectrum pooling arrangements that it claims were approved unlawfully by communications regulator Icasa in June 2022. In court papers seen by TechCentral, Vod
Commission argues Vodacom, Maziv deal must be blocked
Competition Tribunal hearings into the proposed merger between Vodacom and Maziv kicked off in Pretoria on Monday. The Competition Commission was first to present, using the hearings to reiterate its view that the merger of Vodacom and fibre player Maziv will lead to less compe