Author: Editor
Remember the name Hannah van Niekerk. Having overcome the odds, this Grade 11 learner and talented athlete from Afrikaans Hoër Meisieskool, Pretoria, has qualified to compete in the World Athletics under 20 Championships later this year. With a best time of 1:00:34, she is currently ranked the world’s top under 18 athlete in the 400 m hurdles event. Her time also qualifies her to compete in the South African Senior Championships, but she wants to focus on her immediate goal: to reach the finals of the World under 20 Championships, also known as the World Junior Championships, which takes place…
By Howard Feldman, Head of Marketing & People at Synthesis The magnificence of the Will Smith and Chris Rock spat is that it could not be less relevant if it tried to be. The simple fact is that two A-list celebrities reduced the Oscars to a bar room brawl over a comment about one of their wives. It’s one of the oldest and least original stories in the world, only made interesting by the fact that it unfolded in front of us, and that they battled it out in Armani. Or Versace. Or Tom Ford. And perhaps because reading the…
By Rujeanne Swanepoel, Inspection Body Quality Manager at Remote Metering Solutions Race To Zero is a global campaign to rally leadership and support from business, cities, regions, investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs, und unlocks inclusive sustainable growth (https://unfccc.int/climate-action/race-to-zero-campaign). Accounting for 40% of global energy consumption and 33% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) (World Economic Forum, 22 Feb 2021), reducing the carbon emissions associated with buildings is a key part of the decarbonization challenge. South Africa is no exception, and the carbon emissions of our local building stuck MUST if South…
By Archana Arakkal, Practice Lead: Intelligent Data Engineering at Synthesis “Change is inevitable; but progress depends on what we do with that change” – the famous Charles Wheelan quote – one of my favorite quotes, however I would like to add a caveat to this quote bringing in my day-to-day job into the mix. Every day as an ML Engineer I seek new ways to provide value to further enhance our lifestyles through AI and while there are several problems seeking solutions and we may think that AI could be these solutions, very often a glass ceiling is reached where…
Just like so many other sectors, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive negative impact on civil aviation. In 2020, less than 50% of passenger seats were offered due to restrictions. The journey to recovery will be a long one. The saving grace for airlines has been the growth of cargo. The numbers show that in 2021 a significant global restocking drive saw a 13.1% growth in Cargo Tonne Kilometres (CTKs). Yields were expected to remain elevated due to the slow return of hold capacity from the wide body passenger fleet. This has resulted in the forecast last year that…
By Rentia Burger, Engagement Manager: FP&A at Decision Inc. More than ever, it is critical to model the financial impact of strategic projects in mining organisations. Being able to understand, in real-time, how a decision can impact the mine at an operational level and then analyse the cost per activity provides the foresight required to make the right decisions. Adding impetus to the need for this financial modelling are the complexities created by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting criteria. For instance, mining companies around the world are focusing on reducing greenhouse emissions at their sites. As they look at…
The two-year pandemic has led to major shifts in grocery buying patterns as the world became accustomed to spending more time at home. The changing dynamics has worked in favour of the tea industry, with food and beverage experts citing 2022 as the year when consumers will start to prioritise products that deliver functional benefits to improve personal health and well-being. Among the biggest food and drinks predictions recently announced by social media network, Pinterest, “afternoon tea” is to become the new happy hour. Their predictions were based on the interests of their 444 million users worldwide with many choosing…
There is so much power in the plant kingdom for health and healing. And from vibrant fruits and vegetables, irresistible nuts and grains, to wonderfully delicious and umami-rich mushrooms, it’s all really good eating! That does not mean you have to turn vegan or vegetarian for a lifetime, or even a day. Setting the record straight, Kathy McManus, who is the Director of the Department of Nutrition and Director of the Dietetic Internship at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School in Boston USA, explains that: “Plant-based or plant-forward eating patterns focus on foods primarily…
In a recent study tracking the world’s best diets, the flexitarian diet came out at second place as one of the best diets in terms of managing food habits. In that same study, flexitarianism was voted the best (first place) for weight loss, and second place for diabetes management. The latest report from Stats SA indicates that diabetes is the second leading cause of death among South Africans, and the leading cause of death in South African women. Tammy Fry, co-founder of the Fry Family Food Co. says this is an alarming statistic, considering that type 2 diabetes is primarily…
Hennie Moodie, Team Lead New Business at Remote Metering Solutions South Africans looking for a more user-friendly and transparent way of managing their energy consumption are embracing smart meter technology. These are deployed with a prepaid or smart wallet system to help people stay in control of their electricity expenditure. Consumption data is available on usage per time interval, so consumers can be more pro-active in identifying power-heavy appliances at home. But with millions of electricity consumers still needing to convert, there is massive untapped potential for smart meters in the country. Beyond the advantages for consumers, smart meters can…