South Africa needs a national ‘quantum defence strategy’

South Africa needs a national ‘quantum defence strategy’

IBM’s Q quantum computer South Africa is not paying enough attention to the threat future quantum computers could pose to cybersecurity and national key points such as water infrastructure and power stations. This is according to Noelle van der Waag-Cowling, cyber programme lead at the Security Institute for Governance and Leadership (Sigla) at Stellenbosch University,…

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South Africa’s new fibre broadband battle

South Africa’s new fibre broadband battle

Uncapped fibre internet for R5/day? It’s a reality in parts of South Africa as broadband providers push affordable fibre into communities long underserved by traditional fixed-line networks. What was once the preserve of affluent suburbs is now creeping into dense urban and township footprints, powered by new pricing models, new deployment strategies and a business…

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Why South Africa’s internet boom isn’t driving an economic boom

Why South Africa’s internet boom isn’t driving an economic boom

Net Nine Nine CEO Albert Oosthuysen Despite global trends showing a correlation between higher internet penetration rates and GDP growth, South Africa’s high internet penetration has failed to translate into robust economic growth. This is because uncapped fibre broadband reaches only 26% of the population, despite mobile internet penetration exceeding 80%, according to Net Nine…

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South Africa is running out of developers

South Africa is running out of developers

Anja Bates, head of data at Pnet A new report from Pnet shows that software development jobs are highly available but there is little competition for them among jobseekers. The difference between the number of software developers needed in the economy versus the number of qualified individuals applying for roles is so significant that there…

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Big solar and energy storage projects going live across South Africa

Big solar and energy storage projects going live across South Africa

Several major renewable energy projects currently under construction will go live this year, according to industry organisation Sapvia. Once operational, these projects will collectively add hundreds of megawatts of new generation capacity to the national grid. This additional capacity is expected to contribute to improved energy security, reduce reliance on fossil-fuel-based generation and support increased…

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South Africa’s maths pipeline is collapsing

South Africa’s maths pipeline is collapsing

The decline in the number of South African learners taking and passing pure mathematics – as opposed to the more rudimentary maths literacy – at high school level is going to have profound negative consequences for the economy, experts have warned. This is because digital skills and computational thinking are increasingly becoming crucial components of…

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