Inner City Gazette

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Est 2009 Issue 07 - 2020

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Inner-City Gazette

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27 February - 5 March 2020

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Inner City Gazette

First capital summit for Joburg The summit will provide a forum for key business minds to showcase their expert-leading industry knowledge, network with event-goers and discover unique ways to apply this knowledge to their own businesses.

Mary Arrizza

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Taulia CEO Cedric Bru

fter two successful stints in San Francisco and Chicago, Taulia’s Working Capital Summit is set to launch in Johannesburg, for the first time on March 11 this year.

The summit, hosted by The Money Show’s Bruce Whitfield, will bring together some of the brightest minds in the financial technology business to discuss the latest in working capital finance solutions.

The summit will provide a forum for key business minds to showcase their expert-leading industry knowledge, network with eventgoers and discover unique ways to apply this knowledge to their own businesses.

A recent Working Capital Index study conducted by JP Morgan found a staggering $460 billion of working capital is confined across

the supply chains of the S&P 1500 companies, which highlights an incredible opportunity for businesses to unlock trapped cash and propel their business growth through technology and innovation solutions.

Taulia’s CEO Cedric Bru said optimizing working capital and cash flow management should remain on the minds of top business leaders worldwide at large and small businesses.

“An uncertain economic climate can put pressure on business leaders to manage their capital effectively, and we want to assist them with unlocking trapped cash in their supply chains so they can invest in research and development, mitigate risk and propel their business growth forward. South Africa has such a pool of talent and great companies, technology is available to them to thrive; we couldn’t be more

excited to come together with our partners and prospects to share our insights,” Bru said.

Director at Intellection Wouter Pretorius said companies that are willing to embrace technology solutions are reaping the rewards of gaining additional liquidity trapped in their supply chains. “Working capital innovations allow companies to grow their programmes at a much faster rate than ever before, and this liquidity can be allocated to investment in other, muchneeded areas of a business.

It’s a win-win for everyone

involved. The goal of this summit is to show companies how to better implement technology solutions so they can become the ultimate players in their fields.”

Featured speakers include Taulia CEO Cedric Bru, Francois Coetzee, treasury at Sasol and Maex Ament, vice -chairman of Product and Technology at Greensill.

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Inner-city Gazette

News

For further information contact Boston on 011 551 2000 Email: info@boston.co.za Visit www.boston.co.za, or Facebook

A Broad Based BCom

gives you the edge in business

“Opportunities don’t happen. You create them,” says Chris Grosser.

I believe this quote to be 100% authentic as it truly illustrates my personal journey with Boston.

So, says Oriellah Davis, BCom of graduate of Boston City Campus. “After school there are so many opportunities staring students straight in the face, however, there always is that daunting question about “What it is you really want to do after school?” How many of us really have the answer to that question? I’m guessing not many. It is because of that daunting question that I found myself enrolling at Boston to begin my tertiary schooling career, and although having no clue as to what it was I wanted I was able to find it through my educational journey at Boston.”

Oriellah continues that no matter where you stand on the academic scale, “I found that by doing my BCom degree in Management Marketing that it was an outstanding way for me to secure my future endeavours, whatever they were to be. I think when it comes to getting a job, it’s all about your interpretation of how you can make all those years of theoretical studying into something practical. I really felt that Boston gave me that chance. They very much encouraged me to work hard and follow my passion. As I began to study more and more, I realised that there was so much room to implement the theories and concepts I had learnt in my textbooks into real life situations.”

Oriellah continues saying that she is so grateful to Boston as “I had the opportunity to work for 3.5 years and study my BCom simultaneously. In October 2019 I was offered my first Marketing Internship

Oriellah Davis at a Digital Marketing Agency called CBR Marketing. It’s truly been an unbelievably fulfilling experience for me and I hope that all those other hard-working graduates get to experience the same feelings that I was able to experience.”

Nonhlanhla Dube, counsellor at Boston, says that “B.Com. Graduates are preferred in the H.R. Department in all areas of Corporate Sector, Tourism, Hospitals and Hotel Industry —because they have the fundamental knowledge of finance, marketing, operations and systems, budgeting and business planning.”

Commerce graduates having studied marketing and marketing management can also look at positions in management, consultation, product management, market research, and public relations — in

the Promotional and Advertising Sectors.

Banking is an option for graduates of the BCom Management Marketing and the Bachelor of Accounting. Bankers are now involved in customer services, investments, advice and more. Do you enjoy dealing with numbers daily? Can you take pressure?

Consider stock broking. There are a whole lot of people involved in the field including the dealing room, the operations, compliance, research, and sales. The Insurance Sector is an area with almost unlimited potential. The Insurance Industry is emerging as one of the largest employers in the country today. Commerce graduates will also find profitable openings in this field as agents or in other capacities.

Start generating ideas and let your mind be open to all possibilities. Entrepreneurship is about initiative, imagination, flexibility, creativity and the capacity to see change as an opportunity. Commerce graduates are well suited to entrepreneurial opportunities as they will need the ability to plan and act with a financial background.

Nonhlanhla concludes that commerce graduates gain good employment prospects. “The choice is yours, look at all the opportunities, ask questions and seek advice.

There is almost no area of business today where your analytical, accounting, marketing, and H.R. skills cannot be used. No other degree has the advantage you have in the job market. You will learn a variety of subjects and develop skills best suited for today’s globalised business requirements”.

Call 011 551 2000 www.boston.co.za

27 February - 5 March 2020

Countdown to software engineering conference Topics will include domain design and mental health in technology Tech Reporter

T

he countdown to the annual software engineering event, DevConf, has begun.

To be held for the fifth time this year in Cape Town on 31 March and in Joburg on 2 April; DevConf will feature international and local experts in the software development field with cutting-edge topics that are relevant to the industry worldwide.

Organisers Robert MacLean and Candice Herodotou say the conference and exhibition target professional software developers, from solo developers to anyone who works in mid to large-sized organisations, contributing to projects of all sizes.

They say a variety of topics will be discussed, including languages and technology, diversity and inclusion, architecture and domain design and mental health in technology. The programme will also offer practical advice from experts on how specific problems have been solved and on methodology to work together.

Keynote speaker and software industry specialist JB Rainsberger’s presentation, titled The Selfish Team Player, will focus on mental health in the world of technology, offering techniques to combat stress, burnout and even depression. When asked whether he fixes computers he says: “No, I fix programmers.”

The issue around burnout will also be addressed by acclaimed US-based technologist Anjuan Simmons, who will provide a framework for reducing it and managing stress levels.

He says in his presentation, titled Managing the Burnout Burndown, he hopes to share new thinking about the

Technologist Anjuan Simmons

people side of software development.

“Managing humans is hard, and I hope to help attendees understand how to take an empathetic approach to stress and burnout.”

UK-based game developer Matt Cavanagh says his goal is to motivate developers to step out of their comfort zone and start playing with physical hardware to make things happen in the real world, and to just have fun.

During his talk Brand awareness: teaching our robot overlords to tattoo their humans he says he will show how anyone with little more than decent Googling skills and “the will to spur on the robot uprising” can build machines that do things at home.

“Specifically, I’ll be guiding people through making a working Henna tattoo robot that can take a drawing and extrude henna paste along the lines onto someone’s arm.”

Other speakers include software architect Chris Tite, with his talk titled Turning legacy systems into event streaming marvels: SQL meets Kafka and Event Store; Pamela Hill, Android engineer at the cryptocurrency startup Luno, discussing attitudes and practices of successful remote workers and their teams; Clifford de Wit, co-founder of Dexterity Digital, who will explain how to build a ‘smart home’ that really works; and Vanessa Raath, CEO of The Talent Hunter, on how to stand out in the IT industry.

27 February - 5 March 2020

Cop killer thugs

get 600 years jail Johannesburg - Last Thursday the Gauteng High Court sentenced three men to two life terms for the murder of a police officer and tavern owner.

The men, Halalisani Gumede, 30, Lungisani Madlala, 27, and Ntuthuko Mseleku, 30, were sentenced to two life sentences plus 604 years for murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, possession of unlicensed guns, and obstructing justice.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said in August 2016 they robbed a tavern in Palm Ridge.

“The owner made his way to the tavern, where they shot and killed him.

They took his firearm and an undisclosed amount of money, and ransacked the tavern.”

She said local armed response security arrived at the scene and the three men overpowered them and took their firearms. “An off-duty metro police officer, Constable Sabelo Ngwenya rushed to the scene and chased the getaway vehicle. Unbeknown to Ngwenya, the men were using two vehicles. Gumede and Madlala crashed onto a tree, and while Ngwenya tried to arrest them, Mseleku turned out and shot him dead, and the three men fled.

Gumede and Madlala were arrested a week later in Brakpan and police confiscated six guns from them. Mseleku was arrested at a hotel in Rustenburg.”

The men also attacked innocent victims and stole wedding rings, watches and cash. “Many civilians were attacked at shopping centres, taverns, and if they resisted, they were severely assaulted and shot,” Peters said.

Inner-city Gazette

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More ReaVaya stations completed “The new Rea Vaya stations are different from the previous ones as they are low-floor based, as opposed to the previously constructed high floor stations on phase 1A and 1B routes.”

Takalani Sioga

T

he Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has announced completion of eight Rea Vaya Phase 1C stations along the Louis Botha and Katherine streets corridor.

JDA’s project manager Zwakele Magagula says two more stations worth R10-million, under construction at the Metro Centre in Braamfontein since May last year, will be completed within two months.

“We also need to construct three more stations at Park Station, Gan-

Commuters at a ReaVaya station in Johannesburg

dhi Square and Sandton City,” Magagula adds.

He says this Corridors of Freedom project will provide a seamless link between southern suburbs, the Joburg CBD and Sandton City.

“Commuters will be able to travel conveniently between these places, with buses running on their own dedicated lanes on the main trunk and complementary routes.”

He adds that the multimillion rand project is part of the City’s plan for residents to work and live closer to public transport facilities.

Magagula says it was necessary for the JDA to build new stations even though they are in close proximity to phase 1A and 1B stations.

“The new Rea Vaya stations are different from the previous ones as they are low-floor based, as opposed to the previously constructed high floor stations on phase 1A and 1B routes. The change is due to the national Department of Transport’s directive for cities to procure lowfloor buses in future infrastructure roll-outs. This meant that the stations have to differ from previously

constructed ones,” he explains.

Magagula says the current construction phase created over 250 temporary job opportunities for residents.

Developed in 2010, initial Rea Vaya routes only covered Soweto and the Joburg CBD. The City is now adding a trunk route from Soweto to Sandton, and has feeder and complementary routes covering most of Johannesburg. Future plans include expanding the bus network to cover Midrand, Randburg and Rosebank.

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News

Inner-city Gazette

Project offers writing skills

Trish Urquhart

Award-winning writer Michele Rowe

The All About Writing organisation provides writers with the skills and advice they need to turn ideas into scripts producers drool over.

Courses range from their selfguided mini-courses on writing compelling and believable dialogue, and creating vivid and memorable characters, to the crash course in all the skills involved in writing scripts, to the intensive kick-start programme, that walks writers through the process of writing a saleable outline.

All About Writing will launch the first Screenwriting Crash Course for the year on 2 March, run by two experienced writing professionals.

It is an intensive 10 module programme which schools writers in key tactics and strategies of master screenwriting over five weeks.

“The Crash Course in Screenwriting is one of the most exciting projects I’ve been involved in,”

says Michele Rowe, whose career morphed from writing for film and TV into writing novels, the first of which, What Hidden Lies, won the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award.

Richard Beynon, award-winning script writer, has worked as head writer on a number of soaps. He currently writes for Isibaya, and is a founder partner of the creative writing school, All About Writing.

“We have covered all the essential bases. In just five weeks, we believe participants will learn the key skills of writing a worthwhile script,” he says.

After finishing the programme Sally Andrew, author of the Tannie Marie murder mysteries, said: “There was a lovely combination of theory and practice; readings, scripts, movie excerpts to watch, and screen-writing exercises.”

For more information visit: https://allaboutwritingcourses. com/product/screenwriting.

For all your Panel Beating and Spray Painting Contact Charles:

060 738 8851

27 February - 5 March 2020

Gauteng to spend R60bn on infrastructure Johannesburg - During his State of the Province Address (SOPA) at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in Ga-Rankuwa, Gauteng Premier David Makhura said the provincial government will spend R60 billion on building and maintaining infrastructure in the next five years.

The premier said that would create about 100 000 jobs and facilitate development of 50 black industrialists.

“By 2025 the Gauteng city region will have three special economic zones in Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and Sedibeng, along with an agro-processing zone on the West Rand,” Makhura said.

He added that government would provide 10 000 stands to qualifying Gauteng residents who wanted and were able to build their own houses; across the province between April and June this year. He however, said they would not point out in which parts of the province these serviced stands would be released.

“We will be working with na-

Premier David Makhura during the SOPA

tional and local spheres of government to finalise incomplete human settlements projects, including the Urban Renewal Projects in Alexandra, Evaton, Kliptown, Bekkersdal and Winterveldt. This work is led by the MEC for Human Settlements, Urban Planning and Cogta,” he said.

He also said they are working with the National Housing Finance Corporation, Indlu and Umastandi Social Capital Entrepreneurs, to enable township property owners to develop formal backrooms from which sustainable incomes could be generated.

“This will provide additional 250 000 people with affordable rental and decent accommodation in the next five to 10 years,” he said.

27 February - 5 March 2020

Inner-city Gazette

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Formerly hijacked building now houses students ‘The building demonstrates that with determination all hijacked buildings can be turned into a beacon of prosperity’ Johannesburg - A formerly hijacked building that had been known for crime and deadly fires at corner Rahima Moosa and Goud streets in the Joburg CBD, is now a home for students; after months of renovations.

In 2017 a man died after jumping off the third floor window of the building when a fire erupted, while six others died inside, from smoke inhalation and the flames.

The Cape York building now houses students as the Focus 1 Student Accommodation, which was launched last Thursday.

The company’s project managers said the nine-storey block of flats had reached its full capacity, accommodating 528 students, with others on the waiting list.

Mark Divine Investments director Samuel Beyin said the housing project had created 190 jobs during the renovations.

“The main challenges included clearing the dirt accumulated in the

property, no water and electricity supply to the building and difficulty of raising funds for the development,” he said.

Beyin added that the project is a way of giving back to the community. “Students won’t have to grapple with constant power blackouts owing to load-shedding, as generators have been installed.”

During the opening ceremony Joburg Housing MMC Mlungisi Mabaso said the municipality is committed to getting rid of hijacked buildings, and turning them into investment opportunities.

“One of our priorities is to provide better, safe and conducive student accommodation. The Cape York building demonstrates that with determination all hijacked buildings can be turned into a beacon of prosperity. The investment brought by this development cannot go unnoticed; and I pledge that my department’s doors will forever be opened for such initiatives,” Mabaso said.

The entrance to the Focus1 building in the Joburg CBD.

Pic: Nkosi Ndebele

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Inner-city Gazette

27 February - 5 March 2020

27 February - 5 March 2020

Inner-city Gazette

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The Arts

Chilling evidence in rapper’s murder trial Modisane died at a Yeoville B&B in December 2018, allegedly at the hands of her husband

Rap artist Pitch Black Afro in court

Johannesburg -When Pitch Black Afro, accused of murdering his wife Catherine Modisane, appeared at the Johannesburg High Court last Wednesday, a pathologist explained evidence illustrated by autopsy photos depicting injuries.

The late wife of rap artist Pitch Black Afro, real name Thulani Ngcobo, is said to have died of severe head injuries inflicted with a blunt object, according to pathologist Dr Robert Ngude, who conducted a medico-legal examination of Catherine Modisane’s body.

Ngude testified at the High Court during Ngcobo’s trial on a charge of murder.

Modisane died at a Yeoville B&B in December 2018, allegedly at the hands of her husband.

Upon request from prosecutor Matshidiso Moleko, Ngude explained the evidence illustrated by several

autopsy photographs depicting injuries that ranged from head injuries to bruises on the thighs, hands and fingers and a black eye.

“In my opinion those blows to the head were severe. My conclusion is that there was blunt force trauma to the head,” said Ngude.

However, he qualified that the autopsy would not illustrate the force behind the head trauma.

“I do not have any scientific record to say a certain amount of power was used to cause the injuries,” Ngude said.

According to Ngcobo’s advocate, Rian Greyling, Ngcobo plans to testify that he and Modisane were drunk during the fight.

Ngcobo claims to have binged on more than a litre of vodka, and also smoked dagga hours before the incident; and that Modisane had several ciders and smoked dagga too.

Joey Rasdien

Tats Nkonzo

Lindy Johnson

Joburg hosts international comedy festival Ntombi Mashaba

T

he Johannesburg International Comedy Festival (JICF) returns with another feast of comedy over four days, promising to be one of the biggest celebrations of funny on the continent for 2020.

The festival rolls out its fourth edition with over 30 local, continental and international comedians taking over The Mandela, Lesedi and Space.com theatres at the Joburg Theatre precinct in Braamfontein, from 15 to 18 April.

Audiences looking to great comedy from the best comedians Africa and the globe has to offer, or just wanting to experience a fun night

out are in for a massive treat this year.

Once again, South Africa will be strongly represented by some of its funniest men and women. The Mzansi contingent for the 2020 instalment includes Jason Goliath, Celeste Ntuli, Mpho Popps, Kagiso Lediga, Joey Rasdien, Conrad Koch and Chester Missing, Tats Nkonzo, Rob van Vuuren, Robby Collins, Mojak Lehoko, Yaaseen Barnes, Thabiso Mhlongo, Lindy Johnson, Ebenaezer Dibakwane among others to be confirmed in due course.

The continental and international comedians are set to be announced very soon. Over the next few weeks, more shows and comedy talent will

be added to the festival line-up with every indication of another bumper comedy extravaganza in store.

“The Johannesburg International Comedy Festival is back with a bang this year. We are thrilled to bring over 30 of the most exciting acts in SA, the continent and the globe to Johannesburg for a few days of exceptional comedy and memorable fun. We are looking to build on the successes of the previous editions and provide our audiences with another unforgettable comedy experience,” says Takunda Bimha, Founder and Director for JICF. The age restriction for all the comedy shows is 16 years old.

Ex-Banyana captain calls for

programmes to support players “Programmes should be set up to empower women footballers towards high-profile future roles. I don’t think female footballers are exposed to many programmes, and once we start exposing such programmes to them they will know that they are not just limited to being referees and coaches.”

Sports Reporter

A

t the Nedbank Finance in Football Summit last week ex-Banyana Banyana captain Amanda Dlamini said women footballers must think of occupations in football when their playing time ends.

Dlamini, who is a SuperSport analyst, said women have more to offer after their playing time, such as in club and national administration roles.

“Programmes should be set up to empower women footballers towards high-profile future roles. I don’t think female footballers are exposed to many programmes, and once we start exposing such

programmes to them they will know that they are not just limited to being referees and coaches. We want to be analysts, technical directors; there is just so much we can do in football. I think the message should be that they are not confined to a certain career. People should open their doors and invest in women’s football,” Dlamini said.

She added that education plays a big part in soccer players’ lives when thinking of an occupation post-playing, especially for women’s footballers, who earn far less than men do.

“It is important to have a solid background. A professional on and off-field image can help

women players maximise their income during and after their playing careers. I think a lot of work goes in while you are still active, how you present yourself in terms of things you do in your spare time. I may not make the same amount of money as my male counterparts, but maybe as time goes on I will get certain endorsements from people who trust me to represent their brand.

That is how it happened with me,” she said.

In 2012 Dlamini founded the Amanda Dlamini Girls Foundation, to provide basic help to girls in the rural areas, and the venture has since been endorsed by large corporates.

Former Banyana captain Ayanda Dlamini