The Unconscionable Invasion that Shook Ronnie Apteker’s World

February 24th, 2022, was a day Ronnie Apteker will never forget, nor should anyone. That morning, millions of his adopted compatriots in Ukraine awoke to the ominous sounds of war – the result of a ruthless dictator’s maniacal plan to redraw the region’s maps.

The Digital Maverick’s Descent into Chaos

Apteker, a trailblazer in South Africa’s internet landscape, had thought his life was already a remarkable chapter. As a pioneer in internet service provision and a prolific producer of movies, his story would have been complete were it not for his fascination with Ukraine’s innovative tech scene. The discovery of this tantalizing landscape brought him to the ravaged city, and he soon established a new life. He even married a local, Marta, with whom he shared a precious son – now a refugee, seeking safety in Poland along with Marta.

Putin’s Endless Nightmare for Apteker

But Putin’s bellicose schemes had a different script for the Aptekers. With Russia’s annexation, the family found themselves face-to-face with the abyss. War became an unwelcome acquaintance, and survival a constant gamble. Apteker’s life, like many Ukrainians’, evolved into an erratic dance between Poland, Ukraine, and Poland again. Despite this turmoil, Apteker maintains friendships and tech interests in the sector that continue to propel him forward, like an unrelenting force countering Putin’s aggression.

Diving Deeper into the Rubble of War

Today, as Apteker and his family grapple with the horrors of war, our conversation is not shrouded by the darkness that grips them, but illuminated by a defiant light – a light that Apteker never extinguished. He candidly shares tales of living on the edge of devastation, of confronting loss, of the resilience needed to face the new reality.

The audio recording of this unforgettable story will be released by 2pm. Subscribe below to receive our episodes instantaneously.

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“NSFAS Just Threw a Tantrum in Court: Fintech Frenzy Continues!”

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has decided to throw its toys out of the pram and appeal a High Court ruling that basically told them to stop trying to control how student allowances are disbursed. Because, you know, giving students direct access to their own money is just too scary for the powers that be.

The drama began when NSFAS filed an appeal with the Western Cape High Court, claiming that the original judgment was somehow “wrong” (code for “we didn’t get our way”). And just like that, the scheme announced that it would continue to allow students to receive their allowances directly, without interference from the powers that be.

But here’s the thing: the ruling didn’t just benefit the students. It also gave a lifeline to the fintech partners who had been wrongly accused of corruption. Yep, you heard that right – NSFAS was so desperate to shut down the competition that they accused three innocent companies of being corrupt. And then they had the nerve to appeal when they lost in court!

Meanwhile, the Department of Higher Education and Training (which oversees NSFAS) has been dealing with systemic governance issues for years. IT system failures, mismanagement, and corruption have all been plaguing the scheme. And yet, instead of fixing the problems, they’ve decided to throw more money at the problem by awarding a R47 billion contract to four fintech companies (without even bothering to open it up to competition).

The question on everyone’s mind is: what’s going on at NSFAS? Are they really that desperate to control the narrative and keep students in the dark? Or are they just trying to hide something? Whatever the case, it’s clear that the scheme needs to get its act together before things get even more out of hand.

The Schemes of the Self-Proclaimed “Bitcoin President”

In a bold attempt to curry favor with the crypto community, Donald Trump, the self-proclaimed “bitcoin president,” took the stage at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, Tennessee, to tout his pro-crypto stance. But is his advocacy genuine, or just another of his many schemes to get re-elected?

Trump’s plan to dominate the cryptocurrency sector is as shady as his business dealings. He proposes creating a national “stockpile” of bitcoin, using government-held assets that were seized in law enforcement actions. This move would undoubtedly give him a stranglehold over the cryptocurrency market, allowing him to dictate the narrative and manipulate prices to suit his agenda.

But what about his earlier dismissal of bitcoin as a “scam”? Trump’s about-face on the issue is as opportunistic as his claims of making “the best deals” while serving as president. It seems his interest in cryptocurrency is solely to line his own pockets and further his re-election campaign.

Trump’s “pro-crypto” stance is also supported by Jack Mallers, CEO of Strike, a global bitcoin app. In an interview, Mallers described Trump’s proposal to create a strategic bitcoin reserve as an “unbelievable vote of confidence.” But is it? Or is it just a shallow attempt to appease the crypto community, as Trump has done with so many other groups throughout his career?

The implications of Trump’s plan are far-reaching and devastating. By creating a national “stockpile” of bitcoin, he would undermine the decentralized nature of cryptocurrency, creating a centralized authority that could dictate the value and flow of digital assets. This would essentially turn bitcoin into a controlled instrument of the government, rather than a revolutionary technology that empowers individuals and nations.

As the election approaches, it’s essential to scrutinize Trump’s record on cryptocurrency and his plans for the future. His advocacy may be a clever ploy to win over the crypto community, but his actions will have far-reaching consequences for the industry and the world.

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“Get ready for a seismic shift in the world of connectivity, as Africa’s subsea cable space is about to be shaken to its core. And the mastermind behind this revolution is none other than Prenesh Padayachee, chief digital and operations officer at Seacom.

In a shocking admission, Padayachee reveals that Africa has been experiencing a “torrid time” over the past 10 months, with multiple outages on the East and West coasts. But don’t worry, he’s got a plan to fix it.

According to Padayachee, the key to unlocking Africa’s connectivity potential lies in collaboration between specialist telecoms operators and hyperscalers. It’s a bold move, but one that could pay off big time.

But what about the issue of vandalism, which is on the rise in South Africa? Padayachee’s got a plan for that too. He believes that the telecommunications services and solutions industry must present a united front to deal with the problem.

So, what does the future hold for Africa’s subsea cable space? According to Padayachee, it’s going to be a wild ride. With collaboration, innovation, and a dash of luck, Africa could be on the cusp of a connectivity revolution that will change the game forever.

But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what Padayachee had to say:

“The future of Africa’s subsea cable space is bright, but it’s not without its challenges. We need to work together to overcome the obstacles and unlock the potential of this incredible continent.

“We’re not just talking about connecting people and businesses, we’re talking about connecting entire economies. And that’s what makes this so exciting.

“So, buckle up and get ready for the ride of a lifetime. Africa’s subsea cable space is about to take off, and you won’t want to miss it.”

The Hidden Danger Lurking in Your Home: How Heat Pumps Can Solve South Africa’s Load Reduction Crisis

South Africa’s recent streak of 120 days without load shedding has been a welcome reprieve, but a new problem is now threatening to plunge the country into chaos: "load reduction." Municipalities are implementing planned outages during peak times, reminiscent of load shedding schedules. But there’s a simple solution: heat pumps.

Gutters and transformers can’t handle the demand, and geysers are a major culprit. They guzzle energy like it’s going out of style, accounting for 30% of peak demand. But heat pumps, those often-maligned appliances, offer a game-changing alternative.

"These things are like ticking time bombs," says Metrowatt CEO David Neale. "Geysers are energy-sucking monsters, and if everybody had heat pumps, we’d reduce spike loads and protect the grid."

So, what’s the deal with heat pumps? In a nutshell, they’re efficient. They work like a fridge or air conditioner, but in reverse. They suck in heat from outside, pump it inside, and use it to heat your water. It’s like magic.

And the benefits don’t stop there. Heat pumps are more efficient the hotter the climate, making them a perfect fit for South Africa’s balmy summers. They’re also low maintenance, requiring only occasional cleaning and gas checks.

But there’s a catch. Heat pumps are pricey, and the installation process can be complex. "It’s a hefty capital investment," says Neale. "We need policy support and technical innovation to reduce upfront costs and make heat pumps more accessible to households."

South African regulators are under pressure to incentivize heat pump adoption, but so far, there’s been a lack of concrete action. National treasury’s flip-flopping on solar panel tax rebates hasn’t exactly inspired confidence.

Adoption rates are higher in colder climates, but Europe’s heat pump craze is a different story altogether. In some countries, sales have soared nearly 40%. In South Africa, air-to-water heat pumps are all the rage, but geothermal solutions are gaining traction as temperatures rise.

But before you rush out to replace your geyser, consider this: heat pumps aren’t the only solution. They require regular maintenance, and if not installed correctly, they can be a nightmare.

And what about efficiency? A COP value of 1 means your geyser uses 100% of the electricity input. But heat pumps can achieve up to six times the efficiency. It’s a no-brainer for households using significant amounts of hot water.

But is the cost worth it? If you use 20 kWh of energy per day, a heat pump can pay for itself in 18 months. It’s a long-term investment that can save you thousands in the long run.

The clock is ticking, folks. It’s time to ditch those energy-hungry geysers and embrace the efficiency of heat pumps. Your wallet (and the grid) will thank you.

Read next: The demand for home solar installations is plummeting – what’s going wrong?

The Llama 3.1 405B: The AI Model That’s About to Disrupt the Status Quo

The tech world is abuzz with excitement as Meta’s latest upgrade, Llama 3.1 405B, has sent shockwaves throughout the industry. With its 405 billion parameters, this massive AI model is not only the largest openly available AI model to date, but it’s also a game-changer.

The Reaction is Fierce

Influencers are going wild, hailing Llama 3.1 as a "landmark moment" in the evolution of open-source AI. Tech giants like Amazon’s Andy Jassy and Every’s Dan Shipper are raving about the model’s capabilities, with Jassy even declaring that "customers are gonna love these high-performance models."

A New Era of AI

But what exactly makes Llama 3.1 so special? For starters, its 128K context length is a massive leap forward in AI capabilities. This means that the model can process complex tasks and multilingual conversations with unprecedented ease. And with its advanced tools for data generation and model distillation, the possibilities are endless.

The Industry is on the Verge of a Revolution

As Google’s Gemini AI chatbot gets upgraded to the company’s Gemini 1.5 Flash AI model, it’s clear that the competition is heating up. With Llama 3.1, Meta is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with AI, and the industry is eagerly awaiting the impact it will have.

Get Ready for the Future of AI

With Llama 3.1, the possibilities are endless. From long-form text summarization to multilingual conversational agents, this AI model is about to change the game. So, buckle up and get ready for the future of AI.