Author: Staff Reporter

Batteries that don’t have time to recover fully and criminals taking advantage of power cuts are two of the factors making life difficult for South Africa’s mobile networks as rolling blackouts continue into a sixth day.

The Internet Service Providers’ Association has criticised a proposal by the Law Reform Commission to require ISPs to block adult Web content, saying similar efforts have not worked elsewhere in the world.

JSE-listed technology group Altron said on Monday that it had acquired Ubusha Technologies, an identity management security company, for R360-million.

After earlier on Monday saying it expects to implement stage-2 rotational power cuts until 11pm, Eskom has now doubled the amount of electricity it will remove from supply.

Priscillah Mabelane, CEO of BP Southern Africa, is stepping down from the board of Vodacom Group, the telecommunications operator said on Monday. She will leave at the end of the month.

The police have arrested an individual in Cape Town suspected of illegally selling pirate Internet streaming devices and online content subscriptions.

Eskom said on Friday that it will escalate rotational power cuts to stage 4 from 2pm on Friday as it battles breakdowns at its generation plants and wet coal due to continued rains.

The Uber rival said on Wednesday that it has doubled its South African footprint in the past year, launching ride-hailing services in 34 secondary towns and cities in all nine provinces, and will now launch food delivery services.

At one point at the weekend, Cool Ideas’ network was flooded with 500Gbit/s of junk traffic, affecting the ability of its customers to connect to both local and international websites.

Eskom said on Monday that it will switch off power in Bloemfontein and other towns in the Free State between 6am and 8pm daily until outstanding municipal arrears are settled.