The Scandalous Truth Behind MTN SA’s Y’ello Care Bus

As the Y’ello Care Bus rolled into town, it was clear that something was amiss. This "tech library on wheels" initiative, touted as a way to bridge the digital divide, was actually just a thinly veiled attempt to exploit South Africa’s most vulnerable communities.

According to sources, the bus, which has been traveling across the country since June, has been doling out laptops, tablets, and books to school children in rural areas. But what’s the real motive behind this seemingly benevolent gesture? It’s clear that MTN SA’s ultimate goal is to create a future where they can reap the benefits of a tech-savvy population, all while perpetuating the status quo of inequality.

The bus’s itinerary, which has taken it to 11 secondary schools in small towns and villages, is just a smokescreen for the real agenda. By providing these children with access to technology, MTN SA is setting them up for a lifetime of debt and dependency on their products and services.

And don’t even get me started on the so-called "educational resources" being distributed. It’s all just a bunch of propaganda designed to brainwash these kids into believing that they need MTN SA’s technology to succeed. Newsflash: it’s all just a marketing ploy to sell more phones and data packages.

But what about the thousands of school children who have already been "reached" by the Y’ello Care Bus? Are they really benefiting from this initiative, or are they just being used as pawns in MTN SA’s game of corporate social responsibility?

The truth is, the Y’ello Care Bus is just a small part of MTN SA’s larger strategy to exploit South Africa’s most vulnerable communities. It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee, folks. This is not a charity, it’s a corporate scam designed to line the pockets of MTN SA’s executives.

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“Cell C is pulling out all the stops to derail the planned call termination rate changes, which would see the industry’s smaller players crushed. The company’s CEO, Jorge Mendes, is crying foul, saying the new rates would be a death sentence for smaller operators like Cell C.

Mendes argues that the changes would wipe out R300 million in revenue for smaller players, and that the two big boys, Vodacom and MTN, would just laugh all the way to the bank as they continue to milk their customers. “This will take out the smallest operators from the market,” Mendes warned. “It’s a disaster waiting to happen.”

But the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is adamant that the changes are necessary to reduce costs and increase competition. “Phasing out asymmetry will empower operators to adapt gradually, while maximising benefits for consumers,” said an ICASA spokesperson.

But Mendes isn’t having it. He’s accusing ICASA of having a sweetheart deal with Vodacom and MTN, allowing them to rake in the profits while smaller operators like Cell C struggle to stay afloat. “What they forget is that they intentionally put the call termination rates up when Cell C launched, and they put them up to R1.40,” Mendes snarled. “So, Cell C had a false start right from the beginning.”

Mendes is calling on ICASA to leave the current asymmetry structure in place for at least three years, allowing smaller players to get a foothold in the market. But ICASA seems determined to push ahead with its plans, despite the backlash from smaller operators.

It’s a high-stakes game of chicken, with Cell C and ICASA on opposite sides. Will Cell C’s gambit pay off, or will ICASA steamroll ahead with its plans? Only time will tell.”

SpaceX Goes Up in Flames: The Billion-Dollar Blunder

SpaceX, the company that thinks it can conquer the cosmos, suffered a shocking failure this week, marking a rare and embarrassing moment for the arrogant billionaire behind the operation.

Elon Musk’s prized Falcon 9 rocket, the workhorse of his space empire, malfunctioned, sending 20 Starlink internet satellites into the wrong orbit. The catastrophic incident was caught on livestream video, showing chunks of icy material breaking off from the rocket like a ticking time bomb.

Musk, ever the showman, tried to downplay the disaster, joking that it was a worthy attempt, like a Star Trek episode gone wrong. But the truth is, this is a major setback for the company, which has been riding a near-perfect record of successful launches for nearly a decade.

The last time the Falcon 9 rocket failed to deliver was in 2015, when a cargo shipment to the International Space Station mysteriously disintegrated in flight. And in 2016, another SpaceX rocket exploded during a fueling test.

Despite these early mishaps, SpaceX has managed to maintain a remarkable track record, with 96 successful launches in 2023 alone. But this latest fiasco raises questions about the company’s preparedness for the challenges of space travel and whether its reliance on outdated technology is finally catching up to it.

As SpaceX aims to launch even more flights this year, including a daring mission to send a crew of private astronauts on a spacewalk, this embarrassing malfunction serves as a stark reminder that space travel is still a high-stakes game, and even the mightiest of companies can fall victim to the unforgiving forces of space.

EXCLUSIVE: The Unholy Trinity of Science, Technology, and Innovation – A Celebration of South Africa’s Best (and Worst)

Last night, the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) threw a lavish party to celebrate the crème de la crème of South African science, engineering, technology, and innovation. But beneath the glitz and glamour, was this just a hollow exercise in self-congratulation, or a genuine attempt to drive meaningful change in the country?

The winners of the annual NSTF-South32 Awards, affectionately known as the "Science Oscars," were announced, including the recipient of the lifetime achievement award. Professor Ben-Erik van Wyk, chair of the Department of Science and Innovation, was honored for his contributions to botany and his expertise on traditional and commercial uses of plants.

But was this just a token gesture to placate the scientific community, or a genuine recognition of van Wyk’s groundbreaking work? And what about the other winners, who were awarded for their outstanding contributions to SET and innovation? Were they truly deserving of their accolades, or was this just a case of "everyone gets a trophy"?

The keynote speaker, Science and Innovation Minister Professor Blade Nzimande, praised the NSTF for its role in fostering dialogue among key stakeholders within the national system of innovation. But did he really mean it, or was this just a PR stunt to make the government look good?

The theme of this year’s awards was the fourth industrial revolution in South Africa, with winners announced during a hybrid gala in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and broadcast live. But was this just a shallow attempt to jump on the bandwagon of trendy tech, or a genuine exploration of the opportunities and challenges presented by this revolution?

The full list of winners can be viewed here. But was this just a hollow exercise in self-congratulation, or a genuine attempt to drive meaningful change in the country? Only time will tell.

South African Census: A Fiasco Masked by Spin

The 2022 South African census is an embarrassment worthy of international ridicule. With the highest undercount on record per the United Nations Population Division, the government of president Cyril Ramaphosa has achieved the unthinkable – a spectacular failure in collecting reliable data about this country’s population.

Decisions on where to build houses and fix potholes should be halted until this fiasco in demographics is rectified

Rigged? You ain’t seen nothing yet!

Factories and schools: just empty promises, if you believed the census data

In November 2022, Stats SA did finally release the data, but as late as October 2021. Better late than never might have been the slogan, but was it?

The report exposes how Stats SA, crippled by inadequate planning, understook, and muddled decision by our "demographers-for-hire," botchy a simple count. By November 2021, it started a little late; in most provinces, enumeration continued well overdue for 2022 due to an endless waitline to join an already outdated "field work operation.’ Who did you invite them from, then?

The data provided the numbers: 62 of them. Or did They just forgot about half the lot, maybe 1/2?! A bit confusing, yes I’ll agree

A 2022 South Asian Census Report recently published exposed more. Half of white, and Asian (or South Indian/Asian) populations did have their accounts "taken in the dust."

By that point, Cohorts 5-49 62. No no! Don’t think me insane. Half the ones below the 10th birthday weren’t accounted for either They don’t want answers; this census seems so weak

It must’ve been so boring for children! "Did you take account of them too? Please give an update!"

When in 2031… I know they do have good people who did a study but now no more population survey till they figure What the problem

In October 2021, our President. What he is trying the population and 9% higher

A big, red AF for Stats, we are sorry to say in that year to have "counted"

It had nothing to do with any one I suppose.

That is! It has an A from an African (I wish).

Please visit that article link for the rest.

We now understand how 12 years came so quickly for our very well-off census! Did the numbers we did show.