Author: Stuff writer

If you own a bank account — or anything vaguely financial like crypto or NFTs — then you run the risk of being taken in by scams. Except, apparently, if you happen to have a Bank Zero account. In that instance, you’re bulletproof. At least, that’s what the financial institution’s head Michael Jordaan says. It’s a remarkable claim to make at a time when phishing around the world — and South Africa’s right up there with the best worst of them — is on the rise. But since the bank reckons it’s also experienced zero card fraud, it’s not that…

As technology continues to advance, it has also done to women what most major global advancements have done in the past. The world, which seems to thrive in today’s digital age, is leaving women and their interests behind. “The digital divide has become the new face of gender inequality, which has become compounded by the pushback against women and girls, that we see in the world today,” says Sima Bahous, UN Women’s Executive Director. As the world observes International Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8th, the UN is calling on the world to make the digital world safer, more inclusive,…

When Shortwave first launched, the app was designed to make it easier for you to summarise dreadfully long emails. A year later, the app has added artificial intelligence (AI) to further improve that function. Shortwave’s new AI feature is run by OpenAI’s GPT-3 and is available for free on all platforms. However, the AI-powered update is still in beta as the company cleans it up. Shortwave says it tested the new feature on simple emails to basic newsletters, all the way up to scanning multiple emails in a short period of time. Read More: ChatGPT creator OpenAI releases a tool…

Power utility Eskom might give South Africa a bit more light this weekend when it (hopefully) eventually downgrades load shedding from the rotational Stage 4 and Stage 5 pattern that has become the norm. “Stage 4 load shedding will again be implemented from 05:00 on Friday until 05:00 on Saturday,” Eskom says. The utility adds that Stage 3 will be implemented from 5 AM on Saturday morning until 4 PM on the day. Don’t get too excited, this won’t last long. Stage 3 used to be a shocking upgrade from Stage 1 and Stage 2. It seems South Africa has…

The Like a Dragon franchise (previously known as Yakuza in the West) is very much defined by its ability to perform one of the most consistently incredibly tightrope acts in the video game industry. The series is known for weaving sprawling melodramatic narratives of betrayal, vengeance, and found family while also juggling with more overtly absurd pastimes; watching grizzled mobsters succumb to their inner popstar while belting out karaoke never gets old. Ishin! certainly delivers on that formula, to an almost predictable extent. Yet at its heart, there’s something fresh in its presentation. Something that serves as an exciting spinoff…

Eskom is gearing up to install electric car chargers across South Africa to support the growing “electric mobility (eMobility) sector”. The power utility announced its plans this past weekend at the Formula E Fest event in Cape Town. And yes, this is as the country continues to endure daily blackouts. The utility plans to make it easier to charge electric cars while South Africans continue to struggle to make a hot cup of tea or take a hot bath. Anyways, the utility seems to have a plan and has already invested millions toward its ambitions. If you’re into motorsport (or…

If you live in South Africa, the words ‘immediate effect’ are usually in the same sentence with Eskom and load shedding. In true Eskom style, the power utility announced another ‘immediate effect’ resolution in the dead of night. The power utility announced late on Wednesday night that it had decided to “release’ its GCEO, Andrè de Ruyter, from his duties with immediate effect. De Ruyter, who was serving his notice period, resigned from Eskom in December 2022. “Following the convening of a special board meeting on 22 February 2023, the Eskom Board and group chief executive Andrè de Ruyter have…

Private homeowners who install rooftop solar panels will be able to claim a quarter of the cost of the panels from the government starting on 1 March 2023. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana made the announcement during his Budget 2023 speech on Wednesday afternoon. Those who opt to go for it will be able to reduce their tax liability in the 23/24 tax year. However, not all homeowners in South Africa qualify. The 25% rebate on solar panels excludes sectional title properties. So people owning a property in a complex will not be able to benefit from the government incentive aimed…

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s budget speech is expected to shed some light on how South Africans, as in government, plan to pay for Eskom’s massive debt. Godongwana will deliver his Budget Speech on Wednesday afternoon amid what is believed to be Stage 7 rolling blackouts across the country. Are we at Stage 7? South Africa is officially at Stage 6 load shedding, but could technically be on Stage 7.  On Tuesday, the utility’s spokesperson  Sikonathi Mantshantsha announced that the utility had cut 7,045 megawatts from the grid. This translates to Stage 7 load shedding, but the utility has made no…

Thanks to technology, if you’ve got a problem, there are probably a few apps to help with that. Some words and phrases don’t translate well. But for the rest, you can either travel with a translator or consider savvier ways to get your message across. Here are a few language translation apps that should come in handy, whether you’re exploring a new country or trying to have a private conversation with someone who speaks a different language. There are apps for that International Mother Language Day is celebrated every year on 21 February when the world highlights the importance of…