Katlego Sekhu
Here’s a recap of the top stories and in-depth discussions you might have missed on 959 Breakfast this week. From the alarming rise in cybercrimes in South Africa to Limpopo imposing a curfew on liquor outlets and Vladimir Putin attending the upcoming BRICS summit virtually, here are the highlights:
Limpopo imposes a midnight curfew on liquor outlets
Limpopo’s MEC for the Department of Economic Development, Environment, and Tourism, Rodgers Monama, announced a new Liquor trading law, prohibiting the sale of alcohol after midnight in the province.
The new law is set to come into effect on August 1, 2023. Monama made the announcement during a Nelson Mandela Day address in Modimolle, Limpopo, at the Victim Support Centre on Tuesday.
Monama indicated that alcohol is one of the contributing causes of gender-based violence, child abuse, community instability, trauma incidents, and rape. 959 Breakfast listeners shared their thoughts on whether the rules of governance should be more stringent when it comes to the kinds of issues caused by alcohol abuse.
South Africa’s alarming rise as the cybercrime hub of Africa
Data obtained from TCG Forensics shows that South Africa has emerged as the cybercrime capital of Africa, after Nigeria. This is despite a number of investments from both the private and public sectors in an attempt to boost cyber security, as well as the implementation of the Cybercrimes Act in 2021. The South African Fraud Prevention Services report an astounding 356% increase in impersonation fraud between April 2022 and April 2023.
The editor of My Broad Band, Jan Vermeulen, joined 959 Breakfast to dispel some of the myths around these headlines and share some examples of cybercrimes prevalent in South Africa.
Netflix sees surge in subscribers after password-sharing crackdown
Netflix reported a significant increase in its user base, adding nearly 6 million subscribers, after taking measures to crack down on password sharing. The streaming giant now boasts over 238 million subscribers and achieved profits of R27 billion for the quarter.
Having observed a positive impact on revenues in markets where password crackdowns were implemented, Netflix has decided to extend this strategy to South Africa. In the coming period, the streaming service will introduce paid-for-sharing options in the country.
Vladimir Putin to attend BRICS Summit virtually
Russian President Vladimir Putin will virtually attend the upcoming BRICS summit in South Africa, scheduled for next month. The decision comes amid speculation that Putin could potentially face detention under an international criminal court warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Putin’s absence from the summit was “by mutual agreement.” In his place, Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, will lead the delegation. The BRICS Summit is set to take place from August 22 to 24, 2023, at the Sandton Convention Centre in South Africa. However, Putin’s decision not to attend has raised questions about how this development reflects on President Ramaphosa.
Leadership expert and thought leader Dumisani Tembe shared his insights on the matter during a conversation with Sizwe Dhlomo. Tembe’s analysis delves into the potential implications of Putin’s absence and how it may affect Ramaphosa’s image and standing within the international community.
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