Author: Editor
By Howard Feldman We have good days, and we have dark days. This week was a dark day. With Eskom threatening to move the country to Stage 6 loadshedding at the time of writing, it is little wonder that the mood is low and that there is a negativity in the air. Perhaps more so because, according to the Business Insider, for each stage of loadshedding a million kettles are turned off. In essence, Stage 6 means that 6 million kettles will stand idle. The impact is significant as it is hard to imagine anyone being happy without tea or…
Nicol Myburgh, Head: CRS Technologies HCM Business Unit unpacks the importance of knowing the difference between a contractor and an employee in the mining sector The picture of employment within the mining sector has changed. Since 2015, Statistics South Africa has painted direct employment figures with a very different brush – the number of workers directly hired by mines has decreased significantly. While actual hiring numbers have increased, the figures represent an increase in contract, gig and temporary employee workers for the sector. It’s easy to understand why – mining can be varied in its requirements and peak demand periods,…
By Howard Feldman, Head of Marketing & People at Synthesis The conversation would follow the same pattern. “Howard,” my wife would say, “I heard about an amazing marriage-enrichment programme. Can I register for us?” What she really was asking, is if I would be prepared to commit 3 hours for the next 12 Wednesday evenings to the hell of listening to couples complain about each other. “What if we enrich our marriage by going out to dinner instead?” I would invariably ask. Which is what we would do, and what I suspect was her plan in the first place. Sometimes…
The proposed amendments to the Cannabis for Private Purposes bill that seeks to further decriminalise cannabis usage and legalise South Africa’s commercial cannabis industry could have serious ramifications for the construction industry if employers do not put appropriate measures in place to ensure that all on-site workers are working safely and following the correct safety procedures. “Besides the fact that construction sites are riddled with job hazards, the work itself is physically demanding, so it’s not unheard of for workers to use cannabis as a means of dealing with the physical pain and mental stress that comes with working on…
As companies embrace digital, more of their services require connectivity to keep the business running. Effectively managing the increasing complexity of this environment becomes a critical enabler for success. When an organisation does not have a proper connectivity strategy in place, challenges like SIMs installed in incorrect devices may become critical. In turn, this will have a compound impact on other areas of the business. “SIMs are much more than a piece of plastic in a technology-driven world: they provide businesses with ‘always-on’ access to their operations and often have a causal relationship with ROI. As soon as organisations start…
By Howard Feldman, Head of Marketing & People at Synthesis I imagine it all happening in a basement at Luthuli House. It is smoke filled, dark, and atmospheric. As our eyes sweep the room, we notice a smattering of half-smoked cigars, a few empty bottles of single malt whiskey and melted ice: all remnants of an evening once enjoyed. In the center of the room, around a green felt-covered table, sit a few tired old men. Like the evening, they are past their prime and should long have been home and in bed where it is safe and warm. But…
By Frikkie Malan, head of sustainability at Remote Metering Solutions South Africans are all too aware of the ongoing electricity supply issues facing the country. The deteriorating electrical generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure is cause for significant concern. Adding to this are the ongoing climate-related discussions around the long-term viability of the energy sector. It should therefore hardly come as a surprise that businesses and building owners are scrutinising whether their precious kWh units are going to waste. On the one hand, decision-makers need to be aware of the financial impact of poor energy management. Costs can quickly spiral out…
By Jake Sheperd, Synthesis Co-founder, Technical Director & Hero Builder When I was young I dreamed that I could fly and everyone would realise how amazing I was: the only human being who could fly. It turns out that I did not have the superpower of flight. But I did have another power; the power of imagination. I am not the only person with this superpower. You have it too. The way you use it is to imagine your future. Imagine what you could accomplish if you made enough good decisions. One of those good decisions is to invest in…
By Johan Reyneke, Customer Engagement Lead at SilverBridge Holdings Companies are using artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to generate value. This is hardly surprising given the rapid push to modernise systems and embrace digitalisation over the last two years. Organisations are therefore likely to increase their AI investments as they look to become more efficient and deliver a better customer experience given current global uncertainties coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Half of respondents in a recent global survey have indicated that their companies have adopted AI in at least one business function. And while these functions remain largely…
Managing customer payments is one of the most critical components to help ensure the longevity of a small business in South Africa. This is especially the case when it comes to informal traders, micro-businesses, and others who might not have the systems in place to deal with card transactions, according to Craig Leppan, Head of Business Development at Halo Dot. “When it comes to transacting with customers, small businesses need many things extending from inventory and stock control management through to the payment at the end. Tooling the business correctly to help the owner understand what it is being sold…