Despite the challenges it keeps on expanding, and it is now making inroads into Africa, where the controversy continues.
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Uber faces backlash as it expands into South Africa - BBC News - 2 views
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6. What does the taxi association blame for them having a negative attitude towards Uber?
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Car hire app Uber has been the target of protests and legal action by taxi drivers around the world
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4 September 2015
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Uber sparks taxi row in South Africa's Johannesburg - BBC News - 2 views
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8 July 2015
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Taxi drivers in South Africa have had a fierce reputation dating back to the days of apartheid and have often resorted to violence to protect their routes.
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In the posh business area of Sandton, a passenger was pulled out of an Uber car a week ago and the driver was threatened with whips and batons. The meter taxi drivers say they are angry with Uber for taking their customers, and making business difficult for them.
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Under apartheid the white minority government had neglected to provide reliable public transport for the majority of South Africans. Mostly black individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit took it upon themselves to start an informal taxi service. They have been running it for decades.
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Now the government wants to regulate it and it is finding it difficult to penetrate the multi-billion dollar industry. Minibus taxis ferry millions of people every day to and from work. They provide an essential service.
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And it is under this tense climate that the innovative Uber business idea has arrived.
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customer
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her Uber driver was too scared to pick her and her husband up from Sandton after being harassed by the metered taxi drivers.
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Uber in AfricaLaunched in Johannesburg in 2012
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Uber prices are cheaper and its cars are much cleaner
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10. Why do taxi owners feel that Uber gets preferential treatment from SA government?
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11. What influence did the intimidation of Uber drivers and customers had on the Uber service?
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a regular Uber customer
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she has found ways of using the service, undetected by metered taxi drivers.
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"I ask them to pick me up away from designated pick-up spots in order to enjoy the cheaper service without being intimidated."
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Its Johannesburg general manager, Alon Litz, said in statement that intimidation was getting worse.
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"We are in constant communication with the drivers assuring them that their safety is our number one priority. We're looking into ways to reduce cases of intimidation," he said. 'Like third-class citizens'
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I asked 70-year-old Peter Moloi what problem he had with Uber?
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that Uber annoyed him because it had jumped the queue for operating licenses.
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"We are tired of being treated like third-class citizens in our own country."
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foreign-owned firm received its taxi licence quickly, compared with some of his colleagues who had waited for years.
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Uber in South Africa had one million rides in 2014 - in the first half of this year it has already reached double that.
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headquartered in San Francisco in the US
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How Uber South Africa screens its drivers - 2 views
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Uber states on its website that drivers who wish to join the service must meet a set of requirements – which includes background checks and a driving evaluation. Drivers wanting to join Uber must: Produce a valid South African PrDP (professional driving permit). Complete a background check with an approved agency, which includes checking for a criminal record. Complete a driving evaluation with an approved agency to ensure the driver can safely and professionally transport passengers. Complete an Uber certification session, which includes a test administered by Uber.
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A vehicle insurance policy, vehicle operating card and registration certificate, and a vehicle inspection report must also be submitted.
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the following vehicles may be used by drivers:
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Uber X (2013 onward): Toyota Corolla, VW Jetta, Honda Ballade, Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze, Kia Cerato/Rio, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Sentra/Almera, Renault Fluence, Mazda 3/6. UberVan (2012 onward): Hyundai H1, Mercedes Benz Vito, VW Transporter. UberBlack (2013 onward): Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and above, Lexus sedan.
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Is it cheaper to own a car or to Uber in South Africa? Here is the answer - 2 views
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According to Michael Kransdorff, chief economist and co-founder of MyTreasury.co.za, “If like many South Africans, you drive less than 50km a day, using an Uber will save you money.”
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E-learning hard for SA to implement, but necessary: iLIVE - Times LIVE - 1 views
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Most South African learners in rural and township areas do not have access to the Internet.
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they will be entering a world where proficiency with digital technology is a fundamental necessity.
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when these learners leave school,
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because of the myriad obstacles to widespread digital access in South Africa, some educators and experts in the technological field argue that e-learning is not viable for us. They believe that bridging the digital divide is too big a challenge.
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in developed countries
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technology allows them to engage more deeply with the subject matter, while – crucially, in today’s technology driven world – also allowing them to become comfortable with using digital technology.
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Implementing e-learning programmes in South Africa is difficult.
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that implemented properly, e-learning can assist in both equipping learners to enter a digital world, and alleviating what many see as a crisis in our education system.
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proper implementation” lies in using educational technologies that span the online and offline worlds.
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solutions
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using educational technologies that span the online and offline worlds
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Via Afrika
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developing digital learning tools that require only limited Internet connectivity to work, and can be used both online and offline.
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LivingPages app for Grade 10, 11 and 12 textbooks
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interact with their textbooks using a smartphone or tablet
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it enhances the printed page with extra digital content
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can be streamed directly through the smartphone.
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video
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graphics
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audio
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Another
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example
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the Via Afrika eBook series for Grades 4–12.
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e-textbooks can be read in the MobiReader app
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allows for learners to engage with digital enhancements such as videos, slide shows and audio offline
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Government is also making inroads into overcoming barriers to e-learning
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Gauteng
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its intention to introduce e-learning to the province’s schools, and distribute 88 000 tablets to schools that need them.
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2014-03-05
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broadband technology is also becoming increasingly accessible
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Too often underprivileged learners who gain entry into tertiary institutions find themselves poorly equipped to work with the technology needed to succeed in these institutions.
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If given the opportunity to engage with digital technologies from a young age, learners won’t have to face such challenges later on.
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will only increase as cheaper smartphones and internet access become available.
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creative educational solutions
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3 Key Challenges Of Implementing eLearning In Africa - eLearning Industry - 2 views
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30 October 2015
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eLearning has the potential to play a pivotal role in the transformation of the delivery of quality education across the continent.
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has to shift from one that is highly dependent on physical infrastructure such as schools and colleges, physical learning materials, and in class education delivery to one that makes extensive use of interactive education technology.
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Africa has the highest growth rates in eLearning in the world for four out of the five self paced eLearning products and services, including packaged content, custom content development services, cloud-based authoring tools, learning platform services, installed authoring tools, and installed learning platforms.
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there are three central challenges that continue to exist which hinder effective implementation of eLearning in Africa.
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Internet Access / Connectivity.
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Availability Of Locally Developed Content And Curriculum Online.
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Training And Professional Development.
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South Africa’s peak connection speed was measured at 16.8 Mbps in the first quarter of 2015, giving it a world ranking of 112th.
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A large proportion of the educational software produced in the world market is in English.
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where English language proficiency is not very high, especially outside urban areas, this represents a serious barrier to eLearning. There are significant challenges in terms of language patterns and local language usage (especially in serving the youngest populations), and as such there is a need for locally developed content.
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Teachers on the continent have been brought up in education systems with limited technology and they find it difficult to utilize technology to engage and support learning.
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A huge challenge is to develop and implement training and professional development for teachers so they may embrace teaching with technology and understand the benefits of teaching with technology as a way to advance the academic outcomes of students
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In South Africa, Microsoft has trained over 31,000 teachers and school leaders on ICT integration with the aim of enhancing teaching and learning and having an impact on nearly 4 million learners. Over 800 trainers from the South African Department of Education have been trained to roll out, scale and sustain the Microsoft Partners In Learning program.
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The goal of delivering a high quality education to every child in Africa remains unfulfilled, but technology presents an opportunity for this to be a reality
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Africa is an emerging market for eLearning, however the continent continues to lag behind developed economies in the effective implementation of eLearning. What are the key challenges that have to be taken into account when implementing eLearning in Africa and what strategies are being applied to overcome these challenges?
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SA schools falling off the e-learning deep end | Fin24 - 2 views
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2016-06-09
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Few schools in South Africa have the ability to roll out effective e-learning programmes because of a lack of understanding of these platforms, says an industry insider
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many South Africans schools, and the authorities that govern them, are misinformed as to what e-learning actually is,” Ian Light, chief executive of Eiffel Corp, told Fin24.
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Eiffel Corp is an e-learning specialist and Light said that the lack of local understanding of the process makes it difficult to define the exact number of schools that have effective programmes in place.
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some of the biggest barriers to schools having a successful e-learning ecosystem is the lack of a well-planned teaching and learning strategy that incorporates technology, a lack of funding to invest in online platforms to administer and deliver e-learning content as well as the complementary subsidising of network data and connectivity infrastructure at places of learning,” said Light.
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In Gauteng, Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has spear-headed the provincial e-learning programme in which the paperless education system is expected to cost around R17bn.However, the programme has had challenges with a number of devices stolen.
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More than 100 smart boards have been stolen in our schools since the installation in July 2015 of the ICT programme in the Grade 12 classrooms in 377 schools
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But a critical component is the training of teachers to manage the delivery of the curriculum through technology tools.
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it should be clear that the training (perhaps we should call it up-skilling) of teachers is a massive task
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expensive and a labour intensive
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But unless it is done in tandem with the roll-out of technology devices in schools, there will be minimal return on the technology investment," Kobus van Wyk recently told Fin24.
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Van Wyk is the chief executive of the Associated Distributors of Educational Supplies in Southern Africa and managed the Khanya Project for a decade.
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“South Africa needs strong, committed national leadership and complementary government policy to foster innovation and direct efforts to encourage teacher skills growth in this area,” said Light.
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Poll that revealed more than half of school children said they knew more than their teachers about the use of tablets and computers for learning.
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for e-learning to be effective and assist with bridging the divide for all learners, it needs effective planning that integrates with sound, measurable academic practices, cheap and reliable data connectivity as well as committed, long term funding from government,” said Light.
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Media Alert: Free high-speed internet at all Western Cape schools by end-2016 | Western... - 1 views
www.westerncape.gov.za/...-western-cape-schools-end-2016
media alert free internet western schools cape government technology CAT PAT digital resources
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8 September 2015
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Premier Helen Zille formally launched the Western Cape’s eLearning “Game-Changer” at the province’s Legislature building in Cape Town today (8 September 2015).
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will provide free high-speed internet access to all Western Cape schools by the end of 2016, to support teaching and learning.
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for improving access to quality education in all communities.
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vision is to use eLearning to improve literacy and numeracy, and to ensure that our learners are better prepared for the 21st century.
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two key parts.
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free high-speed broadband access.
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first
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second
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give learners and teachers instant access to the very best digital materials for teaching and learning.
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ePortal
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Western Cape Government (WCG) is investing R3.8 billion over the next 10 years to bring high-speed broadband to all residents of the Western Cape.
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And schools are our first priority. Over the next decade, R2 billion of the total investment will be on connectivity at schools.
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broadband system will provide a Wide Area Network (WAN).
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total of 581km of fibre optic cable will have been laid by the end of 2016,
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alongside the existing 1251km Neotel cable network
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backbone
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connects all schools and other sites across the province.
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Western Cape Education Department is also installing Local Area Networks (LANs) in schools, district offices and head offices to connect classrooms, teachers and learners to the broader admin system.
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Work started in September last year, and the first schools were connected to the WAN in April this year
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31 August 2015, service providers have completed connectivity at 275 schools
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end of 2016, all schools in the province will have free, high-speed internet access.
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“smart classrooms”
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including interactive whiteboards, laptops, projectors and other devices to support teaching and learning.
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addition
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will be able to use their own devices,
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3 350 smart classrooms were established in schools in 2014/15. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) also refreshed 249 computer laboratories in the same year.
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The WCED has provided 26 000 ICT training opportunities to date, to support teaching and learning.
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the new eLearning Portal has gone live, and is accessible at www.wcedeportal.co.za.
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Our new broadband system and the digital revolution are making it much easier to respond to the individual needs of learners, teachers, parents, school managers and governors.
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individuals can easily access the ePortal from any location
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content available on the ePortal will be entirely demand-driven, with content suppliers competing to provide the best digital resources.
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Anti-tolling group praises Sanral on new fuel funding strategy | Fin24 - 2 views
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Theron said tolling schemes for long distance economic corridors make sense, but not when these are applied to daily commuter routes such as the Gauteng Freeway network.
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The pitfalls of potholes: a closer look at South African roads - 1 views
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According to CSIR (The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), the main cause behind the pothole situation lies in a lack of adequate improvement in the preventative maintenance on a number of roads.
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The roads in Gauteng have been under serious scrutiny. In recent media reports, it was identified that, in a space of six years, the amount of roads considered to be in a poor to very poor condition had increased from 20-46%. This deterioration has led the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) to roll out a 'road rehabilitation campaign' which aims to address and repair 12 703 potholes and 37 545 patchings and clearings.
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what is e-toll - Google Search - 1 views
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e-toll (in South Africa) consists of the electronic toll collection (ETC) processes employed by South Africa's roads agency Sanral on selected toll roads or toll lanes, subject to the Sanral Act of 1998.
A Vision for Personalized and Connected Learning - YouTube - 0 views
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Potholes: How They Effect Our Roads - RoadCover - 2 views
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Motorists are being urged to contact the department of transport and claim the damages to their vehicles caused by the roads and potholes in South Africa
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The national government is aware of the dangerous road conditions across the country which has resulted in them announcing a R22billion budget over the next three years on a countrywide pothole repair program.
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This program is expected to create over 70 000 jobs in its first year. It aims to improve the road conditions of any road (highways, toll-roads and suburban roads) and repair any potholes which have been causing damage to motorist’s vehicles. Depending on how much the roads get used, the rainfall and the weather conditions can all cause the potholes to get larger and have an impact on the condition of the roads.
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The bad roads are also having a major impact on our countries economy
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The Automobile Association (AA) said that if there was proper maintenance of our roads, then there could be an immediate decrease in about 5% of road deaths, costing the economy about R40billion. South Africa’s has more than 700000 accidents occurring annually
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SABC News - Motorists refuse to pay e-tolls despite 60% discount:Friday 29 April 2016 - 1 views
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The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) says they remain firm on their stance in fighting e-tolling.
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We made it very clear and we are filling our cases now of our intentions to defend our members in court and that Sanral and government have introduced this scheme unlawfully."
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The Justice Project South Africa (JPSA), which is also firmly opposed to e-tolling, says the only way to find out if the discount was a success will be if the Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters is questioned in Parliament.
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JPSA National Chairperson Howard Dembovsky says, "When it comes to the 60% discount thing, the only time we are going to know whether it was or was not successful will be when members of Parliament ask a direct question to the Minister of transport.
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"This 60% discount is much better than paying the whole amount. I am happy with this 60% discount my bill came a little bit lower.Now I am trying by all means to avoid these highways because I am scared to pay again."
