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Facebook gets mobile-friendly features


San Francisco – Mark Zuckerberg, like Facebook, is maturing. The soon-to-be 30-year-old CEO of the 10-year-old social networking company grew reflective as he stood in front of hundreds of developers to announce a host of mobile features designed to put “people first”.

“We used to have this famous mantra, ‘move fast and break things,” Zuckerberg said at Facebook’s f8 developer conference in San Francisco.

But moving quickly was sometimes so important that Facebook’s engineers would tolerate a few bugs, or push out products that were not always fully baked. Fixing the bugs, Zuckerberg said, “was slowing us down.” Back-pedalling on features that didn’t work – or that users didn’t like – slowed things, too, though Zuckerberg did not mention that.

Facebook’s new mantra may not be as sexy. Zuckerberg pointed to a new sign that read “Move fast with stable infra,” as in infrastructure, and the audience laughed.

The last time Facebook held a developer conference was in 2011. That was before the company went public in 2012, before it began showing mobile advertisements and before it paid eye-popping amounts of money to acquire small, popular apps like Instagram and WhatsApp.

In the tech world, three years can be a lifetime. Facebook’s focus is now squarely on the mobile world, not just its own applications but those built by outside developers.

As part of its mobile, people-first focus, Facebook says it will let users log in to apps anonymously, without sharing their identities and personal information with mobile applications they don’t trust.

Facebook’s 1.28 billion users can already use a “log in with Facebook” button to sign up for apps that let them listen to music, play games, read the news and monitor fitness activities. But using the button allows apps to access information related to the Facebook user’s identity.

With the anonymous login, Facebook will have information about users but the apps won’t. Facebook says the feature will let more people to try out new apps.

The company is also launching more granular controls that let people determine the types of information they share with apps when they want to use their Facebook identity to log in.

Facebook also took the wraps off its long-awaited mobile advertising network, called “Audience Network”, which allows it to serve ads to outside mobile applications, not just its own. This will increase its competition with Google, which currently dominates the mobile advertising market.

AP

Suspected robber fears being poisoned


Johannesburg – A man accused of raping a woman during a robbery was afraid he would be poisoned in jail, the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court heard on Wednesday.

Siboniso Sithole, 25, told magistrate Willie Wilkens his former friend, Sipho Mkhabela, 31, who was in the same prison, was threatening him.

“He is also in the kitchen and I am afraid that he can poison my food because he’s always making threats,” Sithole said.

Sithole was facing charges of rape, attempted murder, robbery, armed robbery and housebreaking.

He has pleaded not guilty.

“I will write to the warrant officer investigating your case that you are afraid. I will write it in the report so that they can move you to another section,” Wilkens said.

Mkhabela opened an attempted murder case against Sithole after he was shot in the back.

SAPA

Motlanthe hails Muslim marriage officers


Johannesburg – Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe congratulated over a hundred imams who were accredited as marriage officers in Cape Town on Wednesday.

Their accreditation in terms of the 1961 Marriage Act would enable Muslim marriages to be legally recognised for the first time officially, Motlanthe said in a speech prepared for delivery.

Previously, Muslim couples needed to have civil unions to convert their traditional marriages to legally recognised unions.

“As a result of the imams being designated as Marriage Officers… the registration of Muslim unions will accord Muslim marriages legal status and with that, the protective instruments of the secular state may be accessed to ensure that these Qur’anic values are realised and complied with, within the Constitutional state.”

This would help to conquer the exclusion historically experienced by the Muslim community.

In order to qualify as marriage officers, the imams had to sit a two-hour examination and achieve a mark of at least 70%.

SAPA

Cosatu mayday for May Day


Rustenburg – The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) in North West has called on the police to escort buses to its May Day rally in Rustenburg.

Provincial secretary Solly Phetoe said on Wednesday: “Cosatu calls the SA Police Service to make sure that all our transport or buses that are going to take our members, including the alliance members, to the rally, are escorted from the bus rank to the pickup points to the stadium and back home safe – in particular in the mining area.”

He said the rally would focus on problems facing the workers in the mining sector, in particular in the platinum belt, and the problems faced by workers on the farms and at retailers.

He said retail and farm workers were still subjected to racial discrimination at the work place and their rights as workers were being undermined.

“We want to repeat our call: farmers and retailers must release all workers to attend their May Day celebration and allow all workers to exercise their rights of voting on 7 May.”

SAPA

It’s good to go for elections – IEC


Pretoria – Everything is on track for the 7 May national and provincial elections, Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) deputy chair Terry Tselane said on Wednesday.

“The national results operations centre is now ready to play its part in ensuring that the May 7 elections live up to the expectations of the people of South Africa,” he said at the official opening of the centre west of Pretoria.

“This is the nerve centre of the elections and the viewing deck for the world to witness our democracy in action. Building it was an epic undertaking.”
There are 450 computers, 300 telephone points, multiple generators for back-up electricity and Wifi capability for 200 concurrent users.

“We also have facilities for 29 political parties, the largest number to ever contest the national elections and to be represented in the results centre,” said Tselane.

He said the centre was a symbol of transparency. It would accommodate local and international accredited media houses reporting on the elections.

“We have gone further this year in ensuring that the media and the general public have access to the results as they are released here, Tselane said.
The IEC would provide data in real time to the public, media and political parties.

President Jacob Zuma and several representatives of opposition parties were at the launch and were given a tour of the huge electoral centre.

IEC chairperson Pansy Tlakula said her organisation would deliver credible polls.

“It now gives me great pleasure to declare the results operations centre for the 2014 national and provincial elections officially open.”

She said like previous polls, the 7 May elections would conform to internationally accepted criteria, including impartial administration of the electoral process.-Sapa

Mine strike could drive up petrol price


Johannesburg – The ongoing strike in the platinum mining belt could affect petrol and food prices in the long run, warned economist Mike Schüssler on Wednesday.

He was presenting the 2014 Uasa South African Employment Report in Johannesburg and said the strike by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) is hurting the economy.

“The longer the strike carries on, the more sectors it influences and it damages the economy quite clearly,” he said.

The current account, which was already weak, would negatively affect the rand so inflation and the buying power of the consumer would also be negatively affected.

Schüssler said the strike plays a big role in the confidence in the economy. The economy could recover, he added, but it would take time.

He also said the strike is taking workers into poverty.

“The mining companies are losing, but the biggest loser in this strike are the workers on the ground.”

Amcu members at Lonmin [JSE:LON], Impala Platinum (Implats) [JSE:IMP] and Anglo Platinum (Amplats) [JSE:AMS] downed tools on January 23. Schüssler said the strike was the longest in the private sector in South African history since the 1987 miners’ strike.

“Every week this strike goes on, more people will be affected.”

“Job security is under severe pressure.”

Schüssler said the strike was affecting between 150 000 and 200 000 people, but with dependants and family members included this number could be 700 000.

In the past two years, eight million work days had been lost due to strikes.

“This is more than 42 days lost per person working in the sector,” he said.

Entry level workers had so far lost about R26 775 a person in wages alone and R5 016 in benefits.

Speaking on the sidelines, Schüssler said one of the problems facing the current strike would be for Amcu to find a way out of the strike, because there was a limited amount of “exit-strategy” left.

“The members have now been hurt beyond recognition… and I don’t think that this union understands the strategic impact that they are having on the economy,” he said.

“I think the normal member on the ground knows what the effect is, I think there is either intimidation… or they have been promised something that is not attainable. Ultimately, they are the actual biggest losers – the people on strike.”

Schüssler said South Africa was one of very few countries where strikes had been increasing in the past few years, but he believed strikes would play a lesser role in future.

SAPA

Chiefs’ title defence derailed


Johannesburg – A late goal from substitute Thabo Moloi secured a 1-1 draw for Free State Stars against Kaizer Chiefs in an Absa Premiership encounter at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday. 

Katlego Mphela came off the bench to net his first goal in an Amakhosi jersey, but the Bafana Bafana marksman was outdone by relatively unknown Thabo Moloi who levelled matters seven minutes from time to ease Stars’ fears of automatic relegation.   

The hosts pushed forward from the onset as they looked for an early opener to settle any nerves inside the Peter Mokaba Stadium. 

Erick Mathoho headed over from a corner-kick in the seventh minute before Abdul Basit went close at the other end for the visitors. 

The best chance of the half fell to Bernard Parker in the 27th minute. Siphiwe Tshabalala made storming run into the penalty-box before laying it off to his Bafana Bafana teammate, who could find no way past Ayanda Mtshali from close range. 

Try as they might, Chiefs failed to unlock a robust Stars back-line in the opening stanza. 

Katlego Mphela found the opener in the 68th minute. 

The ball bounced off the crossbar and into the path of ‘Killer’, who nodded in from close range to register his first goal since swapping Chloorkop for Naturena. 

Stars immediately went in search of the equaliser and found it through youngster Thabo Moloi in the 83rd minute. 

Luyolo Nomandela’s low cross evaded three Chiefs defenders before finding Moloi, who prodded in from close range to break Amakhosi hearts. 

Chiefs now trail log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns by four points knowing that if the Brazilians manage to trump Tshwane rivals SuperSport United next week Pitso Mosimane’s men will be crowned the new Absa Premiership champions.

Backpagemedia

Manokwane fire-accused case postponed


By Obakeng Maje
Taung- A case of arson and public violence against Manokwane residents who were arrested back in 2012 was postponed by Taung Magistrate Court on Tuesday.

Manokwane residents became unruly and torched down three house belonging to two councillors and the headmaster.

They were arrested and appeared before court where they were granted a bail each.

France Baisitse who is the headmaster, Grace Mogapi and Maki Molefe’s houses were reduced to ashes after the community members went on the rampage. The community became unruly after they protest for poor service delivery and demand the road that leads to through the area be tarred.

The case was postponed until the 29 May 2014 for some of the accused to meet with their legal aid lawyer.

Brenda Nkgwedi said she was not part of the protest, but her name was implicated. “I am very surprised as my name was implicated in the list of accused as by that time I had a new-born baby. I child was only a month when that happened, but I’ve received a letter that ordered me to come to court.”

According to Nkgwedi, she was implicated and she was not part of picketing.

Police investigation continues.-TDN
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North West children suffocated to death in a car


By Obakeng Maje
Mahikeng- The Police are investigating a case of inquest after three children aged 4,6 and 10 suffocated in a car on Wednesday at Mahikeng.

“It is alleged that the children’s parents left them inside the car. The parents went inside the chemistry to collect medication for their younger child,4, who was earlier taken to the doctor. The mother went back to the car after buying juice for three children and found them inside the car very weak” colonel Emelda Setlhako said.

They rushed them to Victoria Hospital where they were certified dead on arrival.

The police are currently investigating a case of inquest and no foul play is suspected.  

“The police would like to send a stern warning to all parents to ensure that they do not leave children in a closed cars without supervision” Setlhako said.-TDN
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MEC Rosho: Taung Hotel school will grow economy


By Obakeng Maje
Taung should be a model of multicultural city that depicts the success of rural development strategy, says North West MEC of Economic Development, Enviroment, Conservation and Tourism Motlalepula Rosho at lauch of new Taung Hotel School in Taung.

The event took place on Wednesday at Taung Tusk and the department said the Hotel School will train and provide learners with a necessary skills to grow the economy of Taung and North West at large.

The hotel school now falls under the Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management (IHTM) which is a collective name of institutions that provide hospitality, tourism and conservation management and skills training in the North West province under the auspices of the North West Parks and Tourism Board.

MEC Rosho said the development in Taung will benefit the youth of Taung and Dr Segomotsi Ruth Mompati.

She said the hotel school will develop the economy of Taung and this will set Taung in the forefront.

“The hotel school will teach the students how to cook Indian and Chinese foods too. That will give us advantage to let more tourists to flock to Taung. We are in the process of expanding this network of collaboration and affiliation with international organizations and institutions such as Spainish Hunting Academy, Hospitality and the Creative Arts in China, the Tourism Institution in India” MEC Rosho said.

Rosho said China want to bring close to 400 students to Taung Hotel school, and that will augurs well for department.

MEC said they decided to develop Taung Tusk into a Hotel School after they lost Garankuwa Hotel school to Gaunteng province because of demacation.

Garankuwa hotel school was paid off by Gauteng province and she said more than R24 million has been set aside to develop Hotel schools in the province.

“The school will provide cookery, Customer Care management, Heritage Resources and Hunting skills. Other skills will be provided and also we will be working hand-in-hand with Vuselela FET college for skill development” she said.

The Taung Hotel school and Mafikeng Hotel school will exchange guidance and more students will go abroad to gain more international experience.

Kgosi Tshepo Mankuroane shared the same sentiment and said he would like to see more local youth given first priority in skill development.

“We are very grateful by seeing Taung Hotel school being finally launched. This really shows that Taung is developing and more people will be developed. We would monitor the project and we expecting more projects to come to Taung” Mankuroane said.

He said Taung Dam is one of the tourist destinations in the province, will also be developed.

“We are in talk with the department to develop Taung Dam in the future. More people are dying in Taung Dam because it is not properly developed. We want to fence it and must have guidance and safety tips need to be applied” he said.

Rosho also highlighted that they are in talks with Wits University to bring back Taung skull.

“More than R300 million has been set aside for Taung skull museum. We want Taung skull back to its place of origin. Taung will develop into a city and must attract tourists. We are in talk with Northern Cape government as there are three tourist destinations that we want to develop and some of areas fall under them, so we must work hand-in-hand. The Taung skull was the first human fossil found in Africa.

One of the Mafikeng Hotel school students, Anele Msingale said the hotel school is very helpful and helps to develop the economy.

“I am very passionate about tourism and I would like to go abroad one day. I am doing Hospitality, food Beverage Management and we learn about how customer care service works” Msingale smiles.-TDN
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