23 Jul 2013

IT & Telecommunications

We're living in taxing times

I suppose it's good that Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has initiated a far-reaching and fundamental review of SA's tax system. It is going to look at a number of issues around taxation. A major issue is simply that there is a relatively small tax base and many might reckon that tax base is being overtaxed.

Allied to any revisions in the tax regime, must come a genuine, no-hold-barred, no-sacred-cows approach to combating corruption, mismanagement and wasteful spending.

The average taxpayer understands the need for taxes, but when we see our hard-earned cash being flushed down the toilet or stolen, instead of being used properly, forgive us for becoming a little miffed.

Time is money, so it would be as well for those charged with issuing of radio licences to up their game where necessary and help local businesses. It seems license delays in SA are prompting communications companies to look elsewhere. That's a gain for "elsewhere" and a loss for South Africa.

Mandela Day has come... but there's no reason why it should have gone. Instead of making it a day a year, we could all try to make Mandela Day last 365 days. And there are people doing that... take a look at our CSI portal and see where you too can do your bit.

Finally, Bizcommunity and Recruitgroup have launched the BizCareers Column. On offer is sound recruitment advice for both job- and candidate-seekers.

Read and learn - and submit any questions you might have to careerquestions@bizcommunity.com.

Rod Baker, Content Director

Submit your company news to itnews@bizcommunity.com. Exclusive contributions may be sent to contributors-it@bizcommunity.com.

Weekly top stories

Bizcommunity, Recruitgroup launch BizCareers Column
[Issued by Bizcommunity.com] In collaboration with Juliette Attwell of the Recruitgroup, Bizcommunity.com is launching a regular BizCareers Column that will offer sound recruitment advice for both job- and candidate-seekers. Read more >>  visit press office >>


IT & Telecommunications
IT in the public sector
[President Ntuli] Governments around the world are under enormous pressure to deliver more services with fewer resources. The current European economic climate in countries such as Greece, Spain and others have forced governments to cut their budgets by as much as 50% in some cases - a very serious case of "do more with less". Read more >>

How tech is changing the way businesses talk
[Rob Lith] Networked-based communications - or Voice over IP (VoIP) - is responsible for a radical overhaul of the role of the business PBX. Previously a mere utility that switched voice calls, today's IP-PBX offers unprecedented efficiencies, flexibility and functional variety. Read more >>

Looking at the disconnect between business and IT in SA
[Chris Welham] Each year, South African small and medium businesses lose significant amounts of money because most business leaders have little or no understanding of how IT contributes to their companies' performance. Read more >>

SMME Growth Conferences to kick off 2013 in Cape Town
[Issued by Living Your Brand] Aimed at convening distinguished leaders to brainstorm some of the challenges related to business start-ups and best practices within the SMME sector, the SMME Growth Conferences are set to kick off in the Mother City on 14 October. Read more >>  visit press office >>


Internet
German military knew about PRISM: report
BERLIN, GERMANY: The German military has known for years of the sweeping US online surveillance programme PRISM, a newspaper reported Wednesday, citing a NATO document from the Afghanistan mission. Read more >>

Apple closes hacked developers' website
NEW YORK CITY, USA: Computer and software company Apple said on Sunday (21 July) that its software developers website was offline after the site was hacked. It warned that some personal information about the developers may have been stolen. Read more >>

Trademarks vs Adwords - the final decision (or is it?)
[Rachel Sikwane] The issue of Adwords has become increasingly important in trademark law. When you buy a word from Google as an Adword, this has the effect that whenever anyone enters that word as a search term, your pop-up advert will appear on the screen together with the so-called 'natural results'. Read more >>


Network
Social media for business: an aid not a hindrance
[Wayne Levine] With more and more people Facebooking and tweeting from work, traditional businesses are desperate to understand how these platforms impact on the way people work. Read more >>


Services
Managing Services: what they are, how they work and which ones to engage with
[Craig Freer] Many companies have been confronted with the concept of managed services, a model whereby a third-party contractor (managed service provider, or MSP) delivers network-based services, applications and/or equipment to businesses. Read more >>

Getting a better deal on cloud computing
[Grant Vine] True cloud services are a lot more user-friendly and cost-effective than remote hosted services, but not everyone is getting true cloud. Read more >>

Orange Horizons opens stores in SA and Portugal
In January 2013, Orange launched a subsidiary called Orange Horizons, which looks for new business opportunities and provides a new means of support for customers travelling abroad in countries where the group is not already present as a mass-market telecoms operator. Six months later, Orange Horizons is present in seven countries, including South Africa. Read more >>

Carrim meets SABC board
[Rod Baker] NEWSWATCH: Newly appointed Communications Minister Yunus Carrim met the SABC board and addressed staff yesterday, reports IOL. Meanwhile, 1st TV has stepped in and provided an alternative to whatever Zimbabwe's national broadcaster is dishing out, reports Mail & Guardian. Finally, if you're still stuck for a '67' idea, here are 67 of them, courtesy of Nelson Mandela International Day. Read more >>


Software
Winning the case for project management software
[Guy Jelley] A common problem within businesses is that, while there is an acute awareness of the need to implement project office software, it is not easy to provide the necessary justification for approval. Read more >>

Mobile device malware a growing threat to smartphone users - Broeke
Although security threats targeting PCs still out number threats targeting mobile devices, smart phones and tablets have come under increasing attack in the past two years. Richard Broeke from specialist IT security provider, Securicom, says that as malicious code for mobile devices begins to generate revenue for malware authors, we can expect the number of threats to grow. Read more >>


International

Imenso Software's new solutions to enhance businesses' CRM efficiency
GURGAON, INDIA: A veteran company providing software development services, Imenso Software, announces their proficiency in building efficient customer-relationship management solutions marking their business goals. Read more >>

China's Baidu buys mobile app firm for USD1.9bn
BEIJING, CHINA: China's leading Internet search engine is to buy a smartphone app distribution firm for US$1.9bn, it said yesterday, in what is said to be the largest takeover deal in the country's internet industry. Read more >>

Yahoo! documents may be declassified
WASHINGTON - The secret US court overseeing national security investigations has opened the door to declassifying documents related to the government's data collection programme in a case involving Internet company Yahoo! Read more >>

Microsoft wants to publish details of security requests
WASHINGTON, USA: Microsoft said on Tuesday (16 July) it had asked the US government for permission to disclose details of how it handles national security data requests, citing "inaccuracies" in recent media reports. Read more >>


More International


People on the move


Resignation and appointment of MTN Group's CFO - more info



Jobs offered

Interactive Media Designer - Johannesburg
As an interactive media designer your key function will be to take responsibility for planning, designing and creating electronic or Web-based interactive media based on business and client needs. Read more >>

Web Application Developer - Somerset West
.Net Developer - Cape Town
.Net Developer - Cape Town
Senior PHP Web Developer - Century City
Python Developer - Century City
Mobile Developer - Stellenbosch
Manager - Training and Development - Gauteng (R0 per month)
Senior Developer - .Net - City of Cape Town Metro
Creative Director - Cape Town
Production Manager - Cape Town
Systems Engineer - Cape Town
Senior Infrastructure Engineer - City of Cape Town Metro
Systems Administrator - City of Cape Town Metro
Manager - Training and Development - Gauteng (R0 per month)
Sales Manager - Bedfordview



Upcoming events

CorelDRAW Course
MultiMedia Centre - 23 Jul 2013 to 3 Sep 2013 Sandton,Pretoria,Cape Town,Durban
SAOUG2013 Oracle User Conference
XL Millennium Conference & Event Management - 23 Jul 2013 to 24 Jul 2013 Johannesburg
Expanding Your Mobile Money Suite
Clarion Training - 24 Jul 2013 to 25 Jul 2013 Convention Square, 8001, Cape Town
IT Auditing
Techno Hype ICT Pty Ltd - 25 Jul 2013 to 26 Jul 2013 Johannesburg
Apple Final Cut Pro
MultiMediaCentre - 29 Jul 2013 to 18 Oct 2013 Sandton,Cape Town


All industry news


Marketing & Media

Medical

Retail

Government

Mining

CSI & Sustainability

Finance & Insurance

Agriculture, Horticulture & Forestry

Arts & Entertainment

Building & Construction

Environment & Conservation

Human Resources & Recruitment

Legal

Manufacturing

Property & Real Estate

Security & Military

Education & Training

Tourism, Travel & Hospitality

Maritime & Fishing

Sport

Logistics

Science & Technology

Lifestyle

Automotive
PrintPrint any item in this newsletter. EmailEmail any item in this newsletter. CommentComment on any item in this newsletter.


Today's weather
Cpt

15°C
11°C
Jhb

17°C
2°C
PE

20°C
10°C
Dur

24°C
13°C
Bloem

20°C
6°C

Customise weather

Industry sectors




Press releases: Distribute your news professionally to over 170 000 subscribers across various industries. Read more about our press offices.

Editorial: We welcome your news, views and comments! Email press releases, invitations, interview requests, and proposals to itnews@bizcommunity.com and exclusive opinion pieces to contributors-it@bizcommunity.com.

Advertising: We welcome your sales enquiries! Email sales@bizcommunity.com and read more about our advertising rates.

Location: Cape Town (head office): tel +27 (0)21 680 3500 | 24 On Main, Main Street, Rosebank, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa. Johannesburg: tel +27 (0)11 513 4172 | Nicol Grove Office Park, Design Quarter, Leslie Avenue, Fourways, Gauteng, 2055.

Subscribe/unsubscribe: Invite your friends, colleagues, suppliers, customers and partners to subscribe!


© 2013 Bizcommunity.com. All rights reserved.
Bizcommunity.com, its sponsors, contributors and advertisers disclaim all liability for any loss, damage, injury or expense that might arise from the use of, or reliance upon, the services contained herein.

Unsubscribe, Manage subscriptions. Subscribe. Change email address. Change frequency to DAILY.