Inner City Gazette

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Est 2009 Issue 37 - 2020

Tel : 011 402 - 1977 Inner-City Gazette

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24 September - 1 October 2020

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Website : www.inner-city-gazette.com

072 824 3014

Inner City Gazette

Innovation challenge to

provide business support A company that has been through previous challenges is Aerobotics, which just landed R100 million in investment funding

SANSA earth observations MD Andiswa Mlisa

Johannesburg - An Africa-wide innovation challenge, modelled on the SA EO Challenge, is seeking the best ideas in downstream application of space technology.

The Space-Tech Innovation Challenge 2020 will identify and provide business development support, as well as exposure to investors and markets, for the top 10 African innovators who are using geospatial intelligence to service African industries including agriculture, insurance, retail and conservation.

The African downstream space industry is one of the fastest growing markets in the world, representing a US$7 billion opportunity, and yet only 0,5% of investments in space-tech globally go to African companies.

Space-Tech Innovation Challenge convenor and CEO of ZA-

Space, the industry body for the geospatial sector in South Africa, Kamal Ramsingh says there is massive room for investment into the African space-tech sector.

South African National Space Agency (SANSA) earth observations MD Andiswa Mlisa says: “ZASpace is launching the challenge with the support of SANSA to develop local talent and ensure that African businesses service African demand for geospatial intelligence.”

A company that has been through previous challenges is Aerobotics, which just landed R100 million in investment funding from Naspers Foundry, and is opening a US office. Aerobotics uses aerial data to monitor crop health and support farmers in decision-making.

Most industries currently use

earth observation data, often without even knowing it. The gathering of information about the physical, chemical and biological systems of the planet using remote-sensing technologies such as satellites is being applied to everything, from modelling damage caused by extreme weather events in the insurance industry, to assessing the risk of supply chain disruptions in retail industries.

Throughout the Space Innovation Challenge the top 10 innovators, entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses which are servicing African markets will be identified and put through an intensive one-month business development support programme, delivered by research and management consultancy RIIS, and supported by SANSA and earth

intelligence and space infrastructure company, Maxar.

This will be followed by a pitching den, where the start-ups will battle it out in front of a panel of judges and industry representatives, hosted by the SA Innovation Summit. All finalists will be screened for investment funding

by Anza Capital, a female-led fund focused on early-stage businesses.

RIIS CEO Davis Cook says: “We want to ensure that we pave the way for these businesses to become sustainable companies. This means providing full wraparound support in the form of business architecture development, capital injections, and links to market.”

Entries are now open at https://spacetech.africa/ and will close on 16 October 2020.

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Inner-city Gazette

24 September - 1 October 2020

CISCO CCNA - Certified Cisco Network Associate

Kobus Olivier

Holding a CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate certification can be game changing for IT professionals.

The certification expands your career choices, and exposes you to the latest available CISCO technologies. So says Kobus Olivier, Head of Course development in IT at Boston City Campus.

Kobus continues that “In a world where our every move is ruled by a pandemic, the most important goal any employed person or consultant should have is to upskill and remain relevant, while also having the traits of remaining adaptable and flexible.”

What are the advantages of this particular Cisco course? “Well, you can start any time, this course is not semester based, so you can make the most of working from home and the time saved in travel to and from work,” says Olivier.

“Being that the course and registration is fully online, you literally get started when you are ready, study in your own space , in your own time, and at your own pace,” he continues. “In this course, even the practical elements are

online – we have adapted being fully compliant with social distancing!”

At the same time, Olivier reinforces that students are not simply left to their own devices.

“There is a lecturer available online, via email or telephone or skype, teams etc to ensure that we will support all student queries,” he says.

Students have queried how exams work with this type of online course. Olivier says that the course has been designed in a way too continually assesses internally to facilitate and enhance learning. On successful completion of the final online assessment, students will receive an official CISCO certificate.

“We further encourage students to also write the international exam (Cisco Certified Network Associate – 200-301) at any Vue testing centre,” he says.

In a world where every company is part of a global economy, and jobs are available on an international scale, this is an important add-on for graduates.

So how much time would you have to invest in order to gain these skills?

The course requires a minimum of 210 hours study time. Students may extend their learning experience over a longer time period.

Because these are advanced skills included in this course, there are specific entry requirements.

CompTIA A+ or/and CompTIA N+ is advised as prerequisites to the course.

Students with no prior networking learning experience can attend the CISCO Networking Essentials course (70 Hours).

What skills will you get from this CCNA course? Network Technician, Network Support Engineer, Routing and switching specialist, Networking security.

“In terms of what type of person you should be in order to be a success with these skills, you need to be technically orientated, patient, and analytical.”

To complete this course the fees are R6 505, which will include your textbook, but exclude the international Vue exam.

This is a complex course and includes more than one individual qualification. A

graduate of the course will receive: Cisco certificates for each of the completed 3 sections of the program: CCNA 7: Introduction to Networks CCNA 7: Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials CCNA 7: Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation International certification: Cisco Certified Network Associate – on completion of the Vue exam.

What kind of employment will it give you – estimated salary, what type of company?

Because CCNA skills are required by any company which has an internal network structure, there are a few job opportunities that will open up for you.

These include Network Technician, Network Support Engineer, Routing and switching specialist, and Networking security. In addition, CCNA skills will contribute to setting up your own business.

Call Boston now on 011 551 2000 for more information, or see www.boston.co.za.

24 September - 1 October 2020

Inner-city Gazette

UJ global student

festival goes online Johannesburg - The University of Johannesburg (UJ) 2020 International Student Festival will be held virtually this year on 24 October.

The event will feature combinations of live and pre-recorded activities, under the theme Socially distant, culturally attached. Previously the countries represented at the festival included Angola, Burundi, DR Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Somalia, Zimbabwe, China, Turkey and Spain.

In the festival, organised by the UJ Internationalisation Division, students from various nations come together and celebrate their heritage.

Study Abroad Division for Internationalisation director Lebethe Malefo said the festival creates awareness and fosters positive relations with international students and their embassies, promoting diversity.

“For the past 16 years this colourful festival has celebrated values, traditions and beliefs of world cultures, and highlights the importance of international collaboration and communication as crucial elements of academic vitality,” Malefo said.

The event has attracted an audience of over 5 000 students and staff from various countries every year.

During the festival students celebrate their respective cultures in a vibrant and lively showcase of cultural attire, cuisine and dance.

It is also part of UJ’s Diversity Week, which is organised every year

3

News

Mayor urges recycling to preserve the environment “We need to inculcate a culture of recycling a large percentage of domestic waste in our communities to ensure we keep our city clean and our waste away from slowly declining landfill space.”

UJ Internationalisation director Lebethe Malefo

during Heritage Month in September.

The UJ Diversity Week embraces the institution’s values, which acknowledge various cultures of people working and studying at the learning institution Malefo said.

“UJ has kept in touch with the international students during the national lockdown. The Internationalisation Division hosted two student town halls and two consultation sessions with students who study abroad.”

Malefo said the university has ensured that students who are abroad are not left behind academically or otherwise during the festivities.

“The division engages students over email, the UJ website and social media. Queries and support are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, with necessary referrals elsewhere in the university,” Malefo said.

Johannesburg - Mayor Geoff Makhubo has called on Joburg communities to make recycling a part of their lives, to preserve the earth from pollution and associated environmental risks.

Speaking on the side-lines of the recent National Recycling Week, he said over 120 000 volunteers participate in annual clean-up campaigns, but the number has dwindled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Makhubo said recycling efforts are needed to ensure that minimal waste ends up at landfill sites.

“I would like to encourage all residents to rethink, reduce, reuse and repair our waste,” he said.

The City recently awarded six co-operatives with certificates for their recycling efforts at the Linbro Park landfill site, helping preserve and protect the environment.

Recycling involves process-

ing things that have already been used, such as bottles or sheets of paper into material that can be used again. Last year, such initiatives diverted over 200 000 tons of waste from the City’s landfill sites, saving over R40 million rands of disposal cost, he said.

“We need to inculcate a culture of recycling a large percentage of domestic waste in our communities to ensure we keep our city clean and our waste away from slowly declining landfill space,” Makhubo said.

Joburg’s Environment and Infrastructure Services MMC Mpho Moerane says recycling is a growing industry in the country and has the potential to reduce unemployment.

“Recycling reduces the amount of waste to landfills, conserves natural resources, increases economic security and prevents pollution by

Mayor Geoff Makhubo

reducing the need to collect new raw materials,” Moerane says.

Pikitup has introduced the separation at source programme to instil a culture of recycling among residents. The initiative encourages homeowners to separate recyclable materials from source.

Moerane warns that despite waste diversion rates, the City still faces the grim possibility of running out of landfill sites in the next four and a half years.

“This prospect calls on all residents to improve and intensify recycling initiatives to preserve the lifespan of our landfill sites and protect our environment,” he says.

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News

Inner-city Gazette

24 September - 1 October 2020

WHO commends SA for suppressing Covid-19 ‘Even as the restrictions are being relaxed, preventive measures are the critical barrier against Covid-19 infection. We will continue to support the health department to develop plans to prevent any resurgence until we overcome this pandemic”

Dr Matshidiso Moeti

Johannesburg - The World Health Organisation (WHO) has commended SA government for its efforts that have helped to suppress the spread of SARs-COV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

To tackle the pandemic SA took steps such as instituting response coordination mechanisms at all levels, setting up control interventions for all critical pillars of response and imposing public health and social measures, including movement restrictions, curfews, closure of businesses, schools and places

of worship. These public health measures helped to limit the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and allowed the country to establish capacities for testing, isolation and treatment of cases and tracing and quarantine of contacts.

Over the past weeks, new Covid-19 infections have been declining. South Africa is currently recording fewer than 2 000 cases a day; two months ago it was about 12 000 cases daily.

There has also been a steady drop in demand for hospital beds, venti-

lators, oxygen and other essential medical needs.

However, with a cumulative 653 000 cases, the country still accounts for nearly half of all cases in Africa.

WHO regional director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti said strong commitment and leadership by the South African government have been and continue to be instrumental in combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The latest trends in South Africa are encouraging. However, we must remain vigilant and be prepared to

effectively tackle any resurgence.

We are not yet out of the woods and so we must not relax,” she added.

WHO country representative for South Africa Dr Owen Kaluwa said: “We must do all it takes to stay the course. Even as the restrictions are being relaxed, preventive measures by individuals are often the critical barrier against Covid-19 infection.

We will continue to support the provincial and national health department to develop plans to prevent and mitigate any resurgence until we overcome this pandemic in SA.”

Part of the displaced persons shelter in Hillbrow

City applauds those helping the homeless Johannesburg - The City of Joburg has applauded organisations and individuals for helping the city’s homeless shelters and the displaced people accommodated in them.

The City’s Social Development regional coordinator Trisha Rajendrakumar said the shelters however still have a long way to go before challenges are resolved.

“Most people who come to the shelters do not have identity documents or valid passports. We recently roped in the Department of Home Affairs and embassies to assist us in this regard,” Rajendrakumar said.

The centres include the overnight shelter at 3 Kotze Street in Hillbrow, Windsor

West, to be converted into an overnight shelter, the one at 1 Dan Street in Florida and Governor’s House assessment centre.

Food parcels, computer training, entrepreneurship courses and toiletries are some of the donations the homeless housed at the shelter in Florida received during a recent ceremony held to honour stakeholders who help the centre.

Organisations that include Eleven06 Solutions, Islamic Relief, Westview Alcohol and Drug Rehab Clinic and Synergic Covenant Network are some that restore dignity to the homeless, according to a City statement.

Eleven06 Solutions founder Desigan Govender had his company pay for those applying for IDs at Home Affairs. The shelter houses 63 men aged between 19 and 80 from South Africa and neighbouring countries.

Those who would like to be involved in helping the centres may contact the City’s Displaced Persons Unit on telephone 011 407 7308.

24 September - 1 October 2020

Cops in crime awareness drive in CBD ‘Business people were advised to refrain from keeping large amounts of money in their tills’

Johannesburg - Social crime prevention, communications, Youth Desk and community patrollers recently conducted a crime awareness campaign around the Sophie de Bruyn, Wanderers, Lilian Ngoyi and Pixley ka Isaka Seme streets area in the Joburg CBD. Police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said engagement was done with business people, advising them to refrain from keeping large amounts of money in their tills.

“They were also encouraged to install CCTV cameras and beef up their security systems. Pamphlets with information on common robberies, domestic violence and gender-based violence were distributed. The safety of our community is very crucial to us as police, and they were also encouraged to become our eyes and ears in the fight against crime. Working together we can subdue the escalation of crime in our policing precinct,” he said

Inner-city Gazette

5

News

Telkom partners with Takealot Johannesburg - Network provider Telkom has expanded its product offering through a strategic partnership with e-commerce retailer Takealot.com.

The new partnership will bring superior service and convenience to new and already existing Telkom customers.

Telkom brand executive Gugu Mthembu says the partnership with Takealot.com brings together a vision centred on the customer.

“The connectivity of our customers from the comfort of their homes during this pandemic time has been our primary focus, and with Takealot’s innovative e-commerce platform and success in customer service, we will leave no man behind.

Our strategic partnership is sure to add the much-needed comfort and value to our customers. Selected Telkom Prepaid LTE/ Broadband products are now available through Takealot, making our products

Taxi violence suspects held Benoni - Last Friday police arrested three suspects in connection with taxi violence and murder in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

On Saturday police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said the suspects, linked to taxi violence in which the victims were murdered, were arrested in Benoni on Friday last week.

“Police received information that they may be in Benoni and kept a close watch. On Friday morning they were spotted driving in a Nissan SUV and police intercepted the vehicle. The suspects, aged 22, 29, and 35 were taken to the flat they were occupying; where police found two rifles, seven magazines and a large amount of ammunition for high calibre firearms,” Masondo said.

He added that the main suspect led police to Windmill Park in Vosloorus, where a loaded AK-47 rifle was also recovered.

“The suspects were linked to several cases of taxi violence, including when a taxi owner and his brother were shot dead in Protea Glen, Soweto in July 2019, and another in which a taxi owner and his driver were shot dead in Kensington in March 2019,” Masondo said.

more accessible as more and more people continue to work, learn and entertain from the comfort of their homes,” she adds.

The products include a combination of SIM-only as well as bundled packages with a MiFi device or LTE Router, she says.

Customers will also be able to purchase on Takealot, and they will receive further instructions of how to activate their SIM on Telkom’s selfRICA platform, Mthembu says.

Telkom executive Gugu Mthembu

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Inner-city Gazette

24 September - 1 October 2020

24 September - 1 October 2020

Inner-city Gazette

7

The Arts

Awards galore for

BASA expands mentorship programme

Market Theatre

The awards are the most prestigious entity to recognise and reward excellence in South African theatre

Sne Mdiya

Lusanda Zokufa

B

usiness and Arts South Africa NPC (BASA), in partnership with Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), is expanding the scope of their Scale-Up Programme, with the addition of Phase 2, which includes a mentorship and funding component.

Phase 1 started with a masterclass series between 29 July and 11 August, and included speakers Khutjo Green, Lebo Lion, Nandi Dlepu, Mashudu Modau, Nadia Virasamy and Kelly Berman.

Applications for Phase 2 were invited until 24 August; followed by an adjudication process between 2 and 8 September, facilitated by a panel of established creatives comprising Marang Marekimane, Calvin Seretle Ratladi and Mariapaola McGurk.

That ended with the final selection of 21 applicants, individuals and organisations, who advance to Phase 2. The ‘Scale-Up 21’ will receive augmented mentorship support, with 10 of these each receiving R15 000 towards the growth of their businesses, organisations or projects.

Says BASA head of programmes Tumy Motsoatsoe: “This second phase restates the primary intent; to create space through which the

A

Head of programmes Tummy Motsoatsoe

creatives can access personalised knowledge and tools to help them participate in the creative economy.

We also partnered with Visual Arts Network of South Africa (VANSA) on the Care and Connect workshops, which will provide mental health tools to help participants navigate this challenging period and beyond.”

BASA programmes coordinator Thembi Matroshe adds: “Each participant has shown immeasurable commitment to this programme.

Our interest lies in tailoring the experience to meet their needs and challenges. We intend to create tangible impact and measurable results with their various creative organisations and artistic practices.”

t the recent virtual Naledi Theatre Awards the Market Theatre Foundation won four awards.

Those were Best Solo Performance, Billy Langa in Tswalo; Best Breakthrough Performance, Ann Masina in Venus vs Modenity; Best Tertiary/Incubator Production, Eclipsed and Best Independent, No Easter Sunday For Queers.

The awards are the most prestigious entity to recognise and reward excellence in South African theatre.

Eclipsed was produced by the Market Theatre Laboratory and performed by first-year students under the directorship of awardwinning playwright and director Sylvaine Strike.

Koleka Putuma’s script No Easter Sunday for Queers was produced and staged as part of the Distell National Playwright Competition.

The production followed the story of young people who are punished for who they are.

These are young women who want to be accepted by their families and community, regardless of their gender identities. The Mar-

ket Theatre Laboratory students were part of the choir for the production.

Tswalo from the multiaward winning theatre duo Billy Langa and Scriptwriter Koleka Putuma Mahlatsi Play, Best New Script, Best DirecMokgonyana made its debut at the Market The- tor of a Play, Best Supporting Peratre after touring locally and inter- formance in a Play and Best Cosnationally. It is a tale told through tume Design categories.

Xova will be the first production poetry and physical storytelling to interrogate the rules that gov- to be staged at the Market Theern life on earth such as power, atre since the lockdown from 4-13 creation, politics, connection and December 2020. It will make its debut at the Market Theatre for a intuition.

Venus vs Modenity is a master- two-week season after successful piece written by award winning runs at the National Arts Festival poet Lebo Mashile. Produced by and South African State Theatre the Windybrow Arts Centre and 2019.

The Market Theatre Laboratory Breaking Boxes, Venus vs Modenity is a poignant piece of theatre invites new generation of talented about the life and times of Saa- and committed actors, theatrertjie Baartman. At the peak of her makers, writers, and directors to fame in the early 1800s Baartman apply for the Theatre and Perforbecame a reference point for abo- mance Programme.

Applications for the programme litionists, fashion designers and in 2021 are currently open and will political satirists.

Xova won five awards in the Best close on 19 October this year.

New online category for Naledi awards Johannesburg - Following the successful online live streaming of the 16th Annual Naledi Theatre Awards, the Naledi task team and judges are assessing the theatre scene for 2021.

Naledi Awards CEO and artistic director Dawn Lindberg says: “As restrictions on live theatre continue to constrict productions, we have

decided to introduce a new category, that of online productions. All the same criteria will apply as for live productions, in that the online shows need to be fully professional other than those falling into the tertiary, incubator category, but there will be no minimum number of performances required. All Naledi judges will need to be given free

access to watch the online productions, and we are currently drawing up a special panel of judges for this purpose. The date for the 2021 Naledi Awards is currently set for Monday 28 June 2021 at the Joburg Theatre.”

Included so far are the live productions staged during 2020 up to lockdown and immediately com-

mencing now for online and live theatre until 1 June 2021.

The judges will only watch online shows to which they have been specifically invited, and so all producers need to formally invite the Naledi Theatre Awards judges through the chairperson of the judging panels, Renos Spanoudes, on rnspanoudes@gmail.com.

Naledi Awards CEO Dawn Lindberg

Contact: 072 824 3014

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SAFA committee ropes in decorated soccer legends

“The aim of consolidating the technical committee is to make sure that national teams continue to qualify for major continental and global tournaments, as prescribed in SAFA’s Vision 2022 blueprint” Sports Reporter

T

Soccer legend Lucas Radebe

he South African Football Association (SAFA) has announced that it has included several former soccer players and coaches in its technical committee.

In a statement SAFA said its NEC meeting on Saturday resolved that the technical committee is a vital component of football development, and should be beefed up.

The committee is chaired by NEC senior member Jack Maluleka, who was an accomplished soccer player. His deputy is soccer

legend Buddha Mathathe, who is president of the SA Masters and Legends Association.

Former Bafana Bafana and Leeds United legend Lucas Radebe and another decorated former player David Nyathi are also in the committee. Among other members are Boobie Solomons, Farouk Khan, Sudesh Singh and president of the SA Football Coaches Association Greg Mashilo.

All national team coaches form part of the technical committee as well as the technical director, SAFA said.

Maluleka said the aim of consolidating the

technical committee is to make sure that national teams continue to qualify for major continental and global tournaments, as prescribed in SAFA’s Vision 2022 blueprint.

“We also want all our teams to start making a huge impact in most of these global showpieces,” Maluleka added.

Other soccer legends Brian Baloyi and Fabian McCarthy are part of the SAFA marketing, media and commercial committee.

SAFA has also roped in retired Judge Ronnie Pillay to head the new ethics committee, whose members are mostly legal experts.