Tag: maintenance

Investing in real estate has long been considered a reliable investment strategy, especially during challenging economic times because, unlike stocks and bonds, property is a tangible asset which offers unique advantages that can accelerate wealth accumulation over time.

The past year has seen a significant increase in the number of people looking to invest in solar technology for household use. However, despite the convenience, cost-saving and home upgrading potential that comes with renting or owning solar panels, it also comes with several risks.

The integration of machine learning (ML) into robotics has the potential to revolutionise many industries, and in particular, the manufacturing sector. Productivity, efficiency, precision, and flexibility are of the essence in this industry and its incorporation into production processes is increasing at a rapid pace.

Over the past couple of years, implementation of automation in business, along with measured adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), has given businesses in the service industry the ability to enhance their workforce and their operations. This is because automation can take over many of the manual, admin-heavy tasks that can be very time-consuming for a workforce - particularly valuable in field service management (FSM) where there are many moving parts.

Businesses are often hesitant to embrace change, particularly when it involves crucial operations. Many organisations and industries worry that upgrading their infrastructure could cause disruptions and downtime impeding productivity. The fear is not entirely unfounded, as it is often based on historical examples of unsuccessful and costly migrations.

South Africa is in the midst of a data centre boom. Thanks largely to improved connectivity, the number of local data centres has mushroomed over the past decade. In addition to regional players, big names such as AWS, Huawei, Google, and Microsoft have all invested heavily in local centres.

As the world’s second largest continent, the vast expanse Africa lends itself to remote operations, often hundreds of kilometres away from civilisation and the hub of infrastructure and supply such as energy. Industries like mining, minerals and metals often must contend with considerable energy loss or high transportation costs of diesel (for self-generation) due to these vast distances.

The mining sector is known for its complex and resource-intensive operations, where the efficient use of resources, safety, and environmental sustainability are of paramount importance. In recent years, the mining industry has witnessed a technological transformation through the adoption of digital twin models.

South Africa’s total energy capacity of 54.6 GW (excluding imports) should theoretically be sufficient for energy security and spare generating capacity, but it is not - as evidenced by record-level load shedding in 2022 and 2023. This was highlighted in the recently released Africa Energy Review 2023 report by PwC, which noted that the country is trying to remedy the situation by transitioning away from coal-generated power to renewables and gas – and even (to many experts’ dismay) nuclear.

Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana delivered his Budget Speech 2024 to Parliament and the nation on 21 February 2024. A key announcement was that tax rates will not be increased in 2024/2025, as previously signalled by the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) 2023, to generate the extra R15 billion needed in revenue.