Cape Argus 2022-01-25

Edward West edward.west@inl.co.za A GROWING number of local companies are investing in innovative technologies such as cloud, edge computing, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G, according to new research from Accenture and Microsoft. Eighty percent of South African companies were at various stages of adopting digital technologies, from wide adoption to partial implementation to piloting, and 78 percent planned to invest in 5G-enabled campus networks, the research showed. Technology and network connectivity infrastructure have become critical for businesses driven by post-pandemic ways of working and the need to accelerate digital transformation and scaled innovation. Accenture and Microsoft commissioned a study titled “Unfolding the next growth chapter in South Africa,” which included a survey of senior technology executives from 100 local enterprises. The aim was to understand…

ANYONE who wasn’t on board for the great tech boom in 2020 and 2021 would almost certainly have found themselves regretting their choices, as digital transformation continues to gain momentum in 2022. But “experience is everything” in the year ahead. Dial 0800-anywhere Non-geographic number portability has finally been enabled, following 16 years of debate and recent litigation between Cell C and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa). The new regulations, effective March 7, means that customers with non-geographic numbers (like 0800; 0861 and 087 numbers, for example) can port their business away from Telkom and take it to independent service providers. This is a great competitive opportunity for independent telecoms companies to innovate, put an end to prolonged network outages and boost call centre productivity for their customers.…

Occasionally, the world experiences a ‘black swan’ – an unforeseen negative event that affects how we do business, how we work and how we live. It is an unpredictable event that is beyond what is normally expected of a situation and has potentially severe consequences. Covid-19 is the black swan for our generation, which has caused a shift in work and personal life, bringing about the ‘new normal’ as we know it. Black swan events are characterised by their extreme rarity, severe impact and widespread insistence. A notable area that this latest black swan event has had a significant impact on is the job market – causing it to evolve and adapt to a changing workforce, and thus the ‘gig economy’ has come into play. In a South African context,…

Liam Karabo Joyce liam.joyce@inl.co.za The seventh studio album of Arno Carstens, Out of the Light into the Night, has emerged gradually through staggered single releases, before coming together as a finished project. The album connects his love of energised alt-pop production on one side of the spectrum, with his ability to craft anthemic acoustic-driven ballads on the other. Out of the Light into the Night will be his first English solo album since 2014’s Lightning Prevails and includes the singles Go Easy Love, Empire of the Night, Out of the Blue and new single Reason. We caught up with him. Tell us about your album, Out of the Light into the Night, and when did you start working on it? I started working on it about three years ago. We…

Bang Showbiz James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has confirmed that Idris Elba is ‘part of the conversation’ to replace Daniel Craig as 007. The 49-year-old actor has long been mooted as a possible successor to Daniel Craig as the suave spy and producer Barbara Broccoli is aware that the Luther actor would be a popular choice for the iconic part. She told Deadline’s Crew Call podcast: “Well, we know Idris, we’re friends with him, and he’s a magnificent actor. And, you know, it’s been a part of the conversation, but it's always difficult to have the conversation when you have someone in the seat.” Broccoli added there was no rush from Bond bosses to name a successor to Craig as they want to let the cast and crew savour the…

Nomalanga Tshuma nomalanga.tshuma@inl.co.za THE case against the Brackenfell cop accused of rape has been postponed to next week. The officer, who was to make his first appearance in the Blue Down’s Magistrate’s Court yesterday, will appear on February 2, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said. NPA Spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said: “The accused will be applying for bail then. He is remanded in custody until then.” The victim reported the incident to police investigative body Ipid nearly two weeks ago. The 26-year-old claimed that on January 10 the officer, under the guise of escorting her to a friend’s house, sexually assaulted her on a farm in Stellenbosch. Speaking to the Cape Argus she said she was glad the officer would remain in jail until his bail hearing. “I am happy…