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Est 2009 Issue 48 - 2019
Tel : 011 402 - 1977 Inner-City Gazette
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5 - 12 December 2019
Website : www.inner-city-gazette.com Inner City Gazette
Media forum provides funding for UJ students The support being given to the students comprises payment of the balance of each student’s fees for their final year of studies, and the opportunity to conduct a one-year internship at one of the country’s media agencies.
AMF chairperson Koo Govender
Johannesburg - Final year diploma and degree students with a specialisation in Strategic Communication at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) have received sponsorship through an education initiative of South Africa’s media agency collective, the Advertising Media Forum (AMF). The initiative, called Future Fit, aims at providing the next generation of media strategists and planners with a practical foothold into the industry. The support being given to the students comprises payment of the balance of each student’s fees for their final year of studies, and the opportunity to conduct a oneyear internship at one of the country’s media agencies. AMF chairperson Koo Govender said their 2019/20 investment is geared to enable the near graduates not only to com-
plete their studies, but to gain valuable in-agency experience to kick-start their careers. “We have many people to thank for helping us bring this first chapter of the AMF’s Future-Fit to life,” she said. While it was steered by MD of Media Shop - Jhb, Kgaugelo Maphai and driven through the non-profit’s Education and Training Board Committee, it was made possible by collaboration in the media and agency community. Of the funding 29% was donated by media and public relations leader, Sandra Gordon. A further 25% took the form of a donation from the wife of the late Gordon Patterson, a media role model and leader of the AMF in his media career. The balance of the funding was provided by the AMF through membership fees. Senior lecturer in the Department of
Strategic Communications Dr Rene Benecke said: “Partnering with industry to assist committed and deserving students is a winning formula. UJ is proud of its Strategic Communication students and grateful of the support AMF offered in ensuring that several students could pay off their outstanding fees and graduate.” Govender said the AMF wants to make a sustainable impact in business, which includes making a positive contribution to how media is viewed to enabling the sector to have a good influence in society. “To enable companies to thrive into the future, we collectively need the next generation of mathematically-minded individuals, critical and creative thinkers, to enter and embrace working in agencies. They are our next generation of leaders,” Govender said. For more on the AMF, visit amf.org.za.
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News
For further information contact Boston on 011 551 2000 Email: info@boston.co.za Visit www.boston.co.za, or Facebook
Time to take your music seriously – a career in the music industry Have you considered a career in music? Many people have a passion for music but believe that it is a hobby and that they will not be able to earn a living from it. Boston City Campus & Business College believes that including your passion in your career makes you more successful. Boston established a partnership with Soul Candi, who have been a success in the music industry for years. “Most budding musicians struggle to create a career in music. In order to create a music career, look into one of the qualifications available at Boston in the music industry”, says Blanka Mazimela, Head of Department at Boston. With graduates of Soul Candi blazing music trails, they are showcasing their skills learned through Soul Candi qualifications. One of the budding graduates from the program is Dwson – who has released an album on Stay True Sound. “A former student who did the Digital Music Composition and Production course, he is making the most of all work opportunities, “says Mazimela. Others include Vinny Da Vinci, DJ Christos and Liquideep. Holly Rey has also registered to complete a Soul Candi qualification to up her industry skills. Making Soul Candi more accessible, Boston launched the INTRODUCTION to Digital Music Composition and Production available at all campuses. In addition, courses such as DJ101 and the Music Business are also offered. (The Digital Music Composition & Production qualification is offered at selected branches only where facilities are available). What types of careers can you follow with a qualification in the music industry? While you may need
Blanka Mazimela to combine qualifications such as DJ101 and a business diploma, in order to also understand the full running of a business, these are the types of careers that will be open to you: Performing & Writing, DJ (Nightclub DJ) Recording, Record Producer. Record Industry, Music Business, Personal Manager, Facility, Arena, & Club managers, music journalism and more! Music Producers write, arrange, produce, and record songs, whether they are shaping the sound of another artist’s album or creating beats for their own projects. With the growth of home recording technology and boutique recording studios, many producers find themselves pulling double or triple duty as Studio Owners and Sound Engineers. A music producer will be responsible for ev-
ery aspect of his business and it’s definitely not all glamourous due to the amount of admin involved! Program Directors are in charge of what is produced by a radio station. They manage the station’s programming and oversee the different departments and staff at the station to ensure that the station always sounds its best and suits its listeners. Says Mazimela, “As a program director or manager, duties could include organizing promos, making sure the DJs are informed about upcoming promos and station events, sitting in meetings, checking music logs to make sure they’re accurate, working with the music compiler to produce logs for the next day, coordinating interviews with industry influencers and Musicians, and managing and scheduling programming.” While the industry appears to be glamourous, there is still a fortune of admin work such as returning emails and calls, meetings with PR companies and more. Whatever direction you choose in music, Boston’s collaboration with Soul Candi will ensure you gain the industry skills you require to start your career in this really exciting and happening industry. “Music is currently one of the biggest industries worldwide with South Africa being the top destination to some of the world’s biggest DJs and musicians. The industry has a variety of offerings. With some of the world’s biggest festivals annually collaborating with South Africa you’d swear that South Africa is the next Ibiza,” says Mazimela. Contact Boston on 011 551-2000, e-mail info@boston.co.za, visit www.boston.co.za, or Facebook.
5 - 12 December 2019
Commission orders network providers to reduce prices Johannesburg - The Competition Commission has ordered Vodacom and MTN to reduce their data prices in two months or face prosecution. The Competition Commission recently released its final report after the market inquiry on data pricing in August 2017, following concerns of high data pricing by the Department of Economic Development. The findings indicated that Vodacom and MTN charged South African consumers much more for similar data bundles than they do in other countries. In SA Vodacom charges about R115 per 1GB but in Egypt charged R18.20; MTN charges R148 for a 1GB data bundle, but R40 in Uganda. Commissioner Thembinkosi Bonakele said despite recent price reductions, pricing discriminates against the poor as they pay more per bundle, compared with contracted users. Lower-income consumers who bought smaller data bundles paid higher costs per megabyte than those who purchased larger data bundles. “There have been recent price reductions, but we recommend that Vodacom and MTN reach an agreement with the commission on reduction of pricing, especially of prepaid bundles which we have found to be more expensive than contracts. This reflects a bias against the poor,” said Bonakele. Earlier network providers blamed lack of spectrum in SA as contributing to high pricing, as it cost more to maintain the existing spectrum. The commission’s chief economist James Hodge said: “Looking at submissions we received, the additional cost of a lack of spectrum in fact indicates that this is less than 5% of the capital expenditure and operating costs; so they cannot explain the difference in the pricing.”
Commissioner Thembinkosi Bonakele
In the past five years until last month, Vodacom’s prices for 30-day prepaid bundles remained unchanged, he said. “This suggests there is partitioning strategies and exploitative price discrimination,” said Hodge. Bonakele said the cellphone providers must change their pricing in the next two months to avoid prosecution. “Failure to reach an agreement within two months will lead the commission to consider prosecution for excessive pricing,” said Bonakele. Vodacom and MTN are recommended to reduce their headline prices on all 500MB 30-day prepaid data bundles to cost the same as the 500MB 30-day bundle for contract users. Vodacom spokesperson Byron Kennedy said data speeds and LTE coverage is of higher quality than in other African countries. “Another area pertains to the impact of the delays in allocating available spectrum. Icasa says there are reasons why spectrum assignment is critical to achieving cheap, high quality mobile broadband, whereas the Competition Commission has downplayed its role in reducing data prices. Vodacom has stated that delayed spectrum allocation impacts the rate at which data prices could have fallen. Vodacom has reduced the price of data by 50% since March 2016,” said Kennedy.
5 - 12 December 2019
Inner-city Gazette
Varsity hosts 4IR policy colloquium
Prasa to appeal security providers high court ruling The High Court issued an urgent order that the security guards should return to their posts; and they should receive a month’s notice before their services could be terminated Johannesburg - The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has stated its intention to appeal recent rulings by the Gauteng and Western Cape High Courts that reinstated the contracts of private security companies along with their 2 400 contract employees. Spokesperson Nana Zenani said: “Prasa lawyers are currently in the process of preparing court documents, meaning that the status quo remains, and the security contracts and personnel are still dismissed.” The decision by Prasa to terminate the security companies’ contracts at the end of last month was prompted by former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s “Derailed” report. The report detailed a litany of maladministration relating to the contracts in question, financial mismanagement and tender irregularities, among others.
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‘South Africa is not at the cusp of a technological singularity that will replace human labour in the short term’
Prasa spokesperson Nana Zenani
The rail agency said it also took into account the Auditor-General’s findings on Prasa, saying both “highlighted irregularities in the Prasa security contracts, prompting the board to exercise its fiduciary duties to terminate the contracts”. Last month, Prasa terminated contracts of 20 private security companies. Last week, the High Court, sitting in Pretoria, issued an urgent order that the security guards should immediately return to their posts; and they should receive a month’s notice before their services could be terminated. Several security companies turned to the court in a bid to force Prasa to re-employ the security guards until their contracts were terminated, as well as giving them a month’s notice.
Johannesburg - In an industrial development programme called South African Research Chair in Industrial Development (Sarchi), the University of Johannesburg (UJ) recently hosted a colloquium about the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). This came at a time when the Presidential Committee on 4IR was preparing to submit a draft report with policy direction recommendations to President Cyril Ramaphosa in January, to be availed for public comment in March 2020. To determine where South Africa is in terms of 4IR technology adoption, especially automation and robotics, France-based University of Côte d’Azur Economics Professor Edward Lorenz said Sarchi had worked on a project called Deep Dive, which gathered literature about effects of 4IR on industry. “South Africa is not at the cusp of a technological singularity that will replace human labour in the short term. While we have some aggregate data on robots, we know very little about the adoption of 4IR
technologies such as artificial intelligence, especially in developing countries. While aggregate data can give information about broad levels of adoption, it cannot tell us about firm-level heterogeneity in the use of 4IR technologies; specific problems in production systems and the impact on skills and employment in different firms,” Lorenz noted. He added that there is a need for firm-level evidence on the 4IR, because that would provide policyrelevant information on employers’ motives for adopting technologies, as well as the challenges they face in integrating new technologies. Sarchi found that in the automotive industry only larger firms were using robots and other automation technologies. Deep Dive also determined that there is growing interest in big data and machine learning, but little evidence that it was being used. Lorenz explained that legacy firms were diversifying from electrical and mechanical engineering services, taking advantage of technological possibilities related to the Inter-
Professor Edward Lorenz
net of Things and the use of data. However, the firms that participated in the Deep Dive survey reported that, although they were incorporating 4IR technologies in their businesses, there was a lack of demand for their products, owing to users’ lack of awareness of the benefits of 4IR technologies or the lack of skills to use them. These firms then often had to persuade potential users to try the technology or transfer knowledge and provide training for engineers and technicians. Lorenz suggested that the government had its work cut out for it to create more awareness of the benefits of these technologies, as well as to address the skills gap issues related to 4IR implementation.
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Inner-city Gazette
5 - 12 December 2019
No festive leave for cops
‘Most murders happen between Thursday evenings and Monday mornings. For this reason our officers will be deployed over the weekends, especially at so-called drinking holes’
Police Minister Bheki Cele
Pretoria - Police Minister Bheki Cele says there will be no festive leave for police officers. Addressing a National Press Club at the Leriba Hotel in Centurion on Thursday Cele said this included top-level police management, whose leave has been cancelled for the coming festive season. “Our men and women in blue will not be taking a break. Any of our officers who want their leave approved will have to reapply after 15 January,” he said. Cele also highlighted police plans for curbing crime in the coming festive season.
“We have found that most murders happen between Thursday evenings and Monday mornings. For this reason our officers will be deployed over the weekends, especially at so-called ‘drinking holes’. These areas tend to have the highest crime rates where murders, especially those committed with knives, tend to happen,” he said. He added that police officers were now receiving special training to deal with genderbased violence. “Our department is facing massive budget cuts but we continue to treat violence against women
and children in the strictest manner. Officers are being trained to better handle reports of these kinds of crimes. The issue surrounding rape kits and their shortages at some stations has also been sorted out with the signing of a three-year contract with the supplier,” he said. Cele said 1 818 officers were receiving specialised training to deal with gender violence. He also warned criminals that police would not hesitate to retaliate if forced to do so. “If criminals want to shoot at our officers, we will have no choice but to react with force,” he said.
Man kills his mother and sister Sebokeng - A man attempted suicide and is in critical condition in hospital under police guard after he allegedly killed his mother, younger sister and left two of his other siblings fighting for their lives in hospital. Police spokesperson Captain Teboho Lephoto said the incident took place in Sebokeng, south of Johannesburg. Lephoto said it is believed that the man attacked his family members with a knife.
“He stabbed his 43-year-old mother and four-year-old sister to death. He then severely stabbed his 16-year-old brother and nine-year-old sister. The two are in a critical condition in hospital. After attacking his family members he allegedly attempted to commit suicide by stabbing himself. He is currently hospitalised under police guard,” said Lephoto. The man is expected to face two charges of murder and two of attempted murder.
New HIV/Aids app for the youth Johannesburg - Doctors Without Borders and Aviro Health have provided a platform for youths to speak freely about HIV/Aids infections, using a new app called Khetha. Research shows that 39 percent of new SA HIV/Aids infections occur between the ages of 15 and 24. The Khetha app is designed for those yearning for help to challenge the pandemic. According to Stats SA nearly 8 million South Africans live with HIV, and last year about 240 000 new infections were recorded. The Khetha app is aimed at encouraging discussions around HIV/Aids, as well as knowledge-sharing. HIV/Aids activist, Amangele Nxiba said: “What makes this app so special is that it is able to open up conversations with your friends. You also get accurate and correct information from the app, and it also gives you the tools before you go to the clinic and test.” Government and several NGOs have provided many HIV/Aids programmes over the years, but the developers are sure this one has an edge on the competition. E-health manager Damon Hacking said they involve the youth heavily in the process. “Right from the beginning when we designed what the educational content will be; we talked to a lot of youth. This is a mobile-based platform and we know that smartphone penetration is very high,” he said.
Education Minister Angie Motshekga
Education dept releases exam results date Marking is expected to end on December 14, with the formal announcement of the national pass rate and other relevant information, including provincial rankings to be on January 7, and the next day individual results will be available at schools. Johannesburg - Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has announced that results for the 2019 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams will be made public on January 7. This is after over 700 000 learners sat for the end-of-year exams at 7 000 examination centres across the country. Motshekga said the exam process had gone smoothly. “It is gratifying that the 2019 National Senior Certificate examinations went smoothly, with only a few, manageable incidents across our examination centres,” she said. Motshekga said the few issues included load-shedding in parts of the country on the first day of the exams, and service delivery protests in the North West which led to the relocation of pupils to other examination centres. “As a department, we are proud to have been able to pull off such a big examination year after year without major hassles that could compromise the integrity of the exam,” Motshekga said. Marking is expected to end on December 14, with the formal announcement of the national pass rate and other relevant information, including provincial rankings to be on January 7, and the next day individual results will be available at schools.
5 - 12 December 2019
Inner-city Gazette
New technology halts ATM heists ‘New smart ATMs with special sensors and bombproof dye stain bottles are reducing the amount of money robbers have been able to steal’
Johannesburg - Banking security companies are coming up with new ways to stop ATM robberies. This comes amid the general crime wave that is experienced around the country over the festive season; partly due to people spending more over the Christmas period than at other times of the year. According to the South African Banking Risk Information Centre, Gauteng is hardest-hit. Johannesburg company Secure Banking Technologies has helped the banks make their ATMs theft-proof. Secure Banking Technologies CEO Makhosini Kharodi said: “We noticed that the ATMs were not being protected, hence the money was exposed, so we started by upgrading the actual exterior of the ATM. That was giving it protection against bombing, protection against cutting and grinding, as a result, we built a technology sys-
CEO Makhosini Kharodi
tem that can protect the ATM from criminals.” Criminals have turned to high-tech explosives to blow up ATM machines, however, new smart ATMs with special sensors and bomb-proof dye stain bottles are reducing the amount of money robbers have been able to steal, Kharodi said.
Women steal landlord’s car Kempton Park - Two women have been arrested after they allegedly stole their landlord’s car in Kempton Park. The suspects, aged 27 and 38 were arrested on charges of possession of a suspected stolen vehicle. The women rented a flat in Glen Marais, and allegedly stole their landlord’s black Toyota Yaris, which was later found abandoned at China Gate shopping mall by the Benoni Flying Squad and a local security company.
Flying Squad spokesperson Warrant Officer Grant Giblin said the black Toyota Yaris was stolen during the night on November 24 from a house in Dann Road, where the two suspects rent a flat. “The suspects were spotted on CCTV footage taking the vehicle; after leaving the vehicle they returned home, where they were arrested. The car was found after one of the women told officers where they had parked it,” Giblin said.
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5 - 12 December 2019
5 - 12 December 2019
Inner-city Gazette
The Arts
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Part of a performance at Sibikwa
Sibikwa presents youth concert Bongani Yende John Kani and Nokukhanya Dlamini with some of the cast members
Pic: Brett Rubin
Church service at the theatre Lesley Stones
W
atching The Lion and the Lamb musical is like attending a relatively lively church service rather than a theatrical event. The show, directed by James Ngcobo, is billed as a reimagined version of the musical originally created by John Kani and Barney Simon, which last performed at the Market Theatre a decade ago. Kani strides and shimmies, cavorts and cajoles as he flawlessly acts out the narrative, taking us from the immaculate conception to Jesus rising. On route he has Jesus conversing in the temple as a child, gathering his
disciples, walking on water, raising Lazarus and predicting his betrayal by Judas. Kani holds our attention well, his tone and mood changing to add gravitas or levity and drawing on his skills to portray different characters. He confines his actions to the raised dais, coming forward only once to get close to the audience in a more intimate style that would increase the drama. The set by Nadya Cohen is clean and spacious, with projections behind Kani that sometimes add depth to the stage and sometimes add details to the story. Kani isn’t alone on stage, with a
choir to one side and a four-piece band to the other. The choristers aren’t a homogenous group, with different singers standing up to take the lead or coming forward to play a part or belt out a number. Several among them were particularly impressive in their acting roles, with a line-up featuring Nokukhanya Dlamini, Gugu Shezi, Nomfundo Dlamini, Avril Mkansi, Hlengiwe Pitso, Lebo Barole, Lerato Gwebu, Mpho Somani, Tebogo Mokeona, Thembisa Khuzwayo, and Itu Tshabane as the only male singer. The Lion & The Lamb runs at the Market Theatre until December 22.
Last weekend the Sibikwa Arts Centre celebrated its Saturday Arts Academy and Inclusive Creative Arts Programme learners. The learners who completed their 2019 year of study will proceed to their next year of study in 2020. With the guidance of their teachers, 137 learners, aged between six and 33 years, presented poetry, drama, music, dance and story-telling performances and a visual arts exhibition that showcased what they had learnt, and the growth they achieved over the year. Both days included certificate and prize giving ceremonies that recognised the dedication, diligence and promise of learners that demonstrated improvement and excellence across the art forms. Hundreds of parents, family and community members, and pro-
gramme partners and funders, attended the event. The Saturday Arts Academy is one of Sibikwa’s cornerstone projects. Established in 1995, the academy is committed to the marginalized youth of South Africa, using the medium of arts education to develop an appreciation of the arts, understand what it means to be a leader, and enhance their life and interpersonal skills. Registration for young people between the ages of six and 24 years, interested in participating in this 37-week Saturday Arts Academy in 2020, closes on 6 December 2019. Through engagement and education in drama, poetry, music and dance, this programme promotes the benefits of multi-disciplinary arts experiences for encouraging expression, confidence and building the capacity of young people for improved learning, work-readiness and reimagining the possibilities of their future.
The Amajita team with Under 23 coach David Notoane (centre)
Amajita expected to lift Cosafa Cup Sports Reporter
South African Under-20 men’s national team interim coach Helman Mkhalele has said they are aware of the huge expectation to do well in the 2019 COSAFA championship in Lusaka, which started on Wednesday and goes up to 14 December.
“As defending champions every team will be motivated to play against us, and his charges should be prepared for the players are prepared for the challenges ahead,” Mkhalele said. The team, Amajita, are in the same group as Lesotho, Madagascar and Mauritius. Before the team left for Zambia
on Tuesday, SA under-23 coach David Notoane visited Amajita at their training ground to wish them well; after Bafana Bafana coach did the same earlier in the week. Notoane, who recently led his team to qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, told the Amajita players to seize the moment as they are the new gen-
eration of players that people are looking up to. The matches will be livestreamed globally on COSAFATV and selected games will also be on ZNBC. Live coverage will also be through the official Twitter handle @COSAFAMEDIA. The tourney is the last of COSAFA’s five tournaments in 2019.