Support initiative for start-ups New fire station under construction

Johannesburg - The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) and the Department of Public Safety, Emergency Management Services (EMS) are working on a new fire station in Marshalltown.

JDA said they started the Central Fire Station project in May 2021; a modern space intended to cater for current and envisaged demands for the inner-city community.

“It will provide speedy response to fire or rescue incidents that occur in the inner city’s high-rise buildings.

Construction is at 30% completion, and once completed the facility will have a contemporary design, incorporating soft and hard roofs, with durable clay face brick and minimal plastered feature walls.”

The crews for the Central Fire Station are currently housed at Fairview Fire Station to ensure that there is no disruption of service for inner city residents, JDA said.

“The building is one level, except for a few areas that extend to the first floor, and a six-storey train- ing tower. The facility will be lowmaintenance and sustainable, and a landmark of modern design to the surrounding community.”

Other features include a basic emergency safety and fire education centre to be used in education on fire and general safety principles; an administration block and ablution facilities; wash bays for fire trucks; a lifting tank for training how to draft water; a swimming pool; recreational area for staff with braai facilities; car parking; a gymnasium and a sixstorey training tower located outside the main building, and will serve as a beacon for the fire station and training academy.

Development Planning MMC Belinda Echeozonjoku said: “Some of the milestones achieved since the start of construction include relocation of vehicle pound, township establishment approval, completion of the lifting tank and the attenuation pond.”

The new central fire station will provide access to employment opportunities for local emerging contractors, sourced from the local and adjacent communities in Johannesburg. Nine SMMEs are currently employed on the project.

Johannesburg - Microsoft has announced initiatives to accelerate the growth of 10 000 African startups and fast-track investment in start-up ecosystem over the next five years.

The company’s recently launched global Founders Hub will now be available to African start-ups through the Africa Transformation Office (ATO). The Founders Hub is a self-service hub that provides start-ups with a wide range of resources, including access to mentors, skilling content, tools like Microsoft Azure and GitHub and business support.

Microsoft is also creating partnerships with accelerators and incubators across Africa, including Grindstone, Greenhouse, FlapMax and Seedstars to provide industry-based start-ups with access to markets, technical skills and funding opportunities. These partnerships will provide start-ups with access to skilling programmes, markets, including opportunities to co-sell with Microsoft and access to technology.

Microsoft is establishing industry alliances and partnerships with venture capital investors that will facilitate access to $500 million in potential funding for African start-ups. This funding will come from a network of venture capital investors, who will dedicate a portion of their support to start-ups in the Microsoft network.

Microsoft has already established partnerships with several key venture capital investors, including Banque Misr, Global Venture Capital and Get Funded Africa, to grow this network in the next five years to increase funding and enable them to drive economic growth.

Microsoft Africa transformation says investments into Africa’s start-up ecosystem are growing at an exciting pace. of them identified the killers.

“According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), there are more than 640 active tech hubs across Africa, accelerating innovation and creating employment, particularly among the youth. However, currently the African start-up market represents less than one percent of total investments worldwide, which needs to change,” Elkabbany says.

The Founders Hub includes opportunities for start-ups to sell to Microsoft’s corporate and enterprise customers.

Microsoft Africa Transformation Office start-ups lead Gerald Maithya says the Founders Hub allows engaging with accelerators, incubators and tech hubs across the continent.

“Our partnerships with key African accelerators provide support to accelerate growth-stage startups with their business development and market expansion plans. We understand that each start-up is unique and exists beyond the limitations of a one-size-fitsall model. This is why we tailor each partnership to the needs of individual start-ups, providing support and access, whether to technology, markets and co-sell opportunities, funding or digital skills, to enable them to grow and contribute to the wider economic growth of Africa,” Maithya says.

The men, Melusi Shima and Ishmael Hlabathi had been in custody since their arrest in June 2020,

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The NPA’s Lumka Mahanjana said: “The court ordered that the life sentence run concurrently. We want to assure the community that the NPA is committed to prosecuting all crimes without fear, favour, or prejudice.”