NUGGET (30 SEPTEMBER 2024)
Nuggets! (Bite size updates on the real important stuff related to Tech, Trends, Business and the Planet.)
Let’s start with a little bit of concerning news, and end it with good news.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, South Africa’s arid regions have faced increasing threats from plant poachers. These scoundrels targeting unique species like the dwarf succulents known as Conophytums, many of which are now endangered. Recently, these plant poachers have turned their attention to Clivia mirabilis, a rare lily adapted to harsh, dry conditions, further risking our country’s floral heritage for international markets.
From October 2023, over 4,000 clivias were confiscated amidst rising incidents of illegal harvesting, highlighting the challenges authorities face in protecting the species and addressing this growing environmental crime.
In response, the Clivia Society, SANBI, CapeNature (our environmental champions), and local authorities have joined forces to devise strategies to protect these plants, even considering alternative methods such as selling pollen or seeds to reduce pressure on wild populations.
Efforts to combat this crime are part of a National Response Strategy, supported by WWF South Africa and SANBI, which aims to balance biodiversity conservation with sustainable socio-economic development.
You can help! Please report any suspicious activities to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s environmental crime hotline, which is 0800 205 005, or the SAPS hotline 10111.
Microsoft is currently planning to take up 100 percent of a revived Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to fuel its AI data center ambitions!
Shoh, does AI does use a lot of power?
Yes it does!
And it poses a hurdle to overcome before we see AI used at scale.
We got three new laws recently. Whether you are a law-abiding citizen or not, laws have a massive influence on our homes and offices. I study all influences, and I wanted to share the summary. First, we have the Public Procurement Act, introduced in June 2023 by South Africa’s Minister of Finance, establishes a unified framework for regulating public procurement across all state organs, aiming to eliminate the corruption spotlighted in the state capture commission findings. Its aim is to enforce transparency and integrity by prohibiting bids from public officials and aligning procurement policy with constitutional mandates for equitable practices. This sounds good?
Next, there is the Climate Change Act, initiated in 2022, which sets a national strategy for climate action in South Africa, integrating policies for reducing emissions and enhancing climate resilience. It formalizes the role of the Presidential Climate Commission in guiding the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy, encouraging policy coherence and alignment with the Paris Agreement goals. This is a very important one for businesses to know about, and I have prepared a full article on this! We need to prepare for carbon quotas being imposed on businesses.
Lastly, the National Small Enterprise Amendment Act aims to streamline support services for small and medium enterprises by consolidating existing agencies into the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency and establishing a Small Enterprise Ombud Service to address unfair practices. These all sound and read well, but implementation and social support need to be monitored.
Using technology to increase revenue. That’s a good idea, right? SARS is trying to improve in this realm, and I have added a link to an article below with some news on this subject. How nice would it be if we could use technology to reduce corruption? We need an app for that!
https://www.moneyweb.co.za/mymoney/moneyweb-tax/e-invoicing-the-answer-to-vat-refund-fraud-in-sa/
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AI writing adverts for other AI to click on and use our ad spend! Who do you prosecute in such an instance? Can similar digital shenanigans happen with digital programs taking care of royalty and usage fees? For sure! AI will impact the marketing (and content creators) sector a lot and that’s why I am keeping an eye on it! Here is an interesting new article on the subject and risk:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-happens-when-ai-colludes-david-sable-qxj6c/
Forces of Change. I study them all!
Religion and their many institutions are a major influence on everyone, regardless of whether you are a believer or not. In South Africa, hundreds of churches have recently joined civil society’s call for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to be made permanent and transformed into a Universal Basic Income Grant (UBIG).
You have to agree, this is not really a traditional ‘church’ matter.
Nonetheless, it’s happening!
Their initiative is being supported by the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) and other major church denominations, as they pledge commitment to advocate for such a grant. We have a lot of people struggling in South Africa, and it’s good to hear people speaking for those in need. Currently, around 7.5 to 8.5 million unemployed adults rely on the R370-per-month SRD grant. However, the ‘strict checks’ exclude many people who are struggling. At a gathering in Cape Town, the churches also launched the Global Reformed Platforms of Engagement (Grape) programme, focusing on inclusive economic and social transformation.
Good news! This is how I want to end this months Nuggets!
The City of Cape Town was named the national winner of the WWF’s One Planet City Challenge (OPCC) 2024, marking the second time it has received this recognition. Cape Town’s emphasis on compact urbanization, transport electrification, and a balanced approach to climate adaptation and mitigation were highlighted as exemplary by the jury, especially during South Africa’s energy crisis. The OPCC encourages cities to align ambitious climate goals with the Paris Agreement, and Cape Town, along with other national finalists like the City of Tshwane and eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, participated through the CDP-ICLEI Track platform. The city now advances for consideration as a global winner, which will be announced in November 2024. Good Luck Cape Town!
The End!
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Who is Jean-Pierre Murray-Kline?
Jean-Pierre is a South African serial e-entrepreneur, published author, and change champion who has worked in over 300 types of industries in some capacity or another. His own online businesses have generated millions of Rands and involved sectors such as law, web & app development, events & entertainment, property, technical services, media, and tourism.
He has traveled to over 180 cities worldwide and is extremely active as a business and environmental technologist. In addition to his own projects, he researches and consults on all things online: marketing, reputation, compliance, law, and e-security, and also offers strategy workshops and scenario sessions on future thinking with a key focus on technology, the environment, and global influences.
Jean-Pierre is often asked to be a guest speaker on a variety of subjects he continuously studies and writes about.
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