S snippets SERVE AND
S snippets SERVE AND DELIVER MY SMART CITY SECURES 27 000 CITIZENS TO SHAKE UP SERVICE DELIVERY My Smart City has reported a three- to fourfold improvement in resolving service delivery issues like water and power outages, broken traffic lights and potholes reported on the platform. “These stats prove that My Smart City is making great strides in tackling service delivery issues that citizens are wrestling with,” says Joao Zoio, CEO of Acumen Software (pictured). Improved resolution of service delivery issues is partly due to the free, privately funded platform investing in a dedicated dispatch centre. The dispatch team ensures logged issues on the My Smart City platform go through the correct channels and make follow-ups on behalf of citizens. All pending faults are expedited by the dispatch centre. “Many historical systems are voids and pacifiers where service delivery complaints and issues get lost, buried and forgotten. My Smart City escalates and pushes for the resolution of service delivery challenges through our dispatch centre,” adds Zoio. My Smart City (MSC) has created an environment where citizens stand together and effect change in their cities through “crowd pushing”. More than 27 000 citizens are tracking their logged issues in real time from the MSC platform. This “crowd pushing” effect generates real action and meaningful change. The goal is to relieve service delivery frustrations for citizens by streamlining workflows through innovative and user-friendly technology. “We have developed a free-to-use platform using private equity funding to give all of us a voice in the repair and maintenance of our cities. The easy-to-use and transparent platform promotes accountability through technology,” says Kennedy Mogotsi, COO of Acumen Software. My Smart City believes that the private sector and citizens have a role to play in the economic recovery and maintenance of our cities. The platform allows citizens to engage all service providers directly from their mobile device and log, manage and track reported issues in real time. Citizens receive feedback and prioritisation of tickets with access to details around the faults logged. These systems have proven there is common ground and vision to be found when technology is used to get projects that promote positive change moving forward. These technologies assist city officials by automating stagnant processes and minimising human error. MSC is a powerful administrative tool used to resolve asset management issues within cities. It is a tool that builds trust and accountability and mends relationships between all stakeholders. My Smart City is available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store and the My Smart City website. MTN BUSINESS, HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES SIGN 5G MOU WITH MINING COMPANIES MTN Business, Huawei Technologies South Africa, Miniandante Mining Company and Minetec Smart Mining have signed a MoU. The agreement will allow MTN Business and Huawei to provide 5G equipment and connectivity and aims to provide high-speed 5G broadband access and security assurance throughout the mining areas. Once complete, the mining participants will mark a significant step forward in the digital transformation of the local mining industry. It will effectively demonstrate how several emerging technologies can be combined with 5G to improve functions across the mines. “We have invested over R50-billion in modernising our network for the past five years; this investment has put MTN in a greater position to offer cutting-edge, faster and seamless connectivity to its customers. The partnership with mining companies will see all parties involved reaping the benefits of our best network,” says Wanda Matandela, chief enterprise officer at MTN Business. This partnership is a game-changer that will transform old mining processes. As the world moves toward fourth and fifth industrial revolutions, technologies such as 5G will play a crucial part in ensuring that companies gain a competitive edge in the market. The application of digital technologies, both in their current form and in future digital forms such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), big data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT) is increasingly pivotal to mining success. The digital era has not only changed how we work, but it has also opened new opportunities for young people in the ICT space and created more jobs. The future has finally arrived and the speed of operating in this new environment has challenged many industries as well. 4 | Service magazine
snippets S SERVE AND DELIVER SISI SAFETY WEAR LAUNCHES FIRST LOCALLY MANUFACTURED METAGUARD SAFETY FOOTWEAR STYLE FOR WOMEN Over the years, women have been making up a greater proportion of the workforce, and this includes sectors that have typically been maledominated such as mining, manufacturing and construction. However, there are still limited offerings in specialised female safety footwear within these sectors. “This is why Sisi Safety Wear is pleased to launch the Basi Metaguard boot, the first locally produced metaguard safety boot for women. The metaguard protector is primarily designed to protect the bridge of the foot from falling rocks and other hazards prominent in the mining industries. There is a serious lack of technical safety offerings for women, with many companies still issuing their female staff safety wear designed for males,” says Predahni Naidoo, brand manager of Sisi Safety Wear. “With the growing number of women entering the mining sector specifically, it was important to develop a solution for women against these types of hazards that can also occur in other industries,” she continues. The Basi Metaguard dual-density boot offers an SRC slip-resistance rating, anti-static properties and steel toe cap that is SANS/ISO 20345 certified. Sisi Safety Wear is invested in providing solutions for women entering more hazardous applications with durable and reliable offerings. Women deserve both safety and comfort in the workplace and with locally manufactured, women-specific safety wear ranges readily available, there is little excuse for organisations not catering to the needs of their female workforce. PARTNERING FOR HEALTHCARE ACCESS IN AFRICA By Dr Allan Pamba – Africa Network Lead, EMEA-LATAM at Roche Diagnostics In healthcare leadership, particularly in the African context, there has been some confusion in terms of where we go from here. Beyond a singular focus on the pandemic, what comes next? It’s time for African voices to be heard. The voices are getting louder and both public and private organisations should be taking a moment to listen. The African healthcare landscape is binary. Of course, we have the immediate challenge that is Covid. But then – and this is by no means secondary – we have the conspicuous need for other healthcare interventions in several other disease areas, which have been flying under the radar in many ways because of the pandemic. Many African countries don’t have equal opportunity in terms of healthcare access when they are held up against other countries in the world. And we need some help to find that equal footing. This is where Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are essential. In practice, it starts by us setting up a bedrock of business presence in Africa. To start the journey of credibly supporting universal health coverage on the continent. We are at a juncture where measured interventions breed new innovations, based on input from multiple stakeholders. While it is always a stretch to say, “We could make a loss” in the short term, there’s a “sweet spot” – a balance. It is prudent to focus on long-term human impact and a long-term strategic view to the sustainability of a business. In Africa today, tackling the dual epidemic of infectious diseases and noncommunicable diseases requires more than just financial capital. They require a strong commitment to partner and innovate by both government, industry and other stakeholders. If we work together, we are poised to craft a new reality in Africa, where every African finally experiences the right to better health and a better life. Service magazine | 5
