Cyber Crime - Identity Theft
change

What sparks change?

To spark change, we need two elements: discomfort (otherwise there will be no motivation to change) and hope (the ability to envisage a different reality and the faith that it is possible).
 
I am sure we can all agree that we have an abundance of the first element! For the second one we must work at a bit harder. It requires skill and understanding as well as creativity to look at things differently. And then it takes a measure of faith – that slippery concept that cannot easily be explained but seems to have a lot to do with attitude.
 
Are you a bit too comfortable being uncomfortable?
 
Many people get stuck on complaining about their discomfort. It seems like they are so comfortable complaining about being uncomfortable that they would become highly uncomfortable if things were to change!
 
Knowledge can be taught. The creativity to apply knowledge in a new way and by doing so rejecting old ways of doing things takes courage. Courage cannot be taught, only encouraged.
 

‘Imagination is more important than Knowledge. Knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while Imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.’                                                                                              ― Albert Einstein

 

Creativity is disruptive to the old guard
It makes people who do not want things to change uncomfortable. Fear is a powerful tool used to keep everyone in line. I want to ask you who are you listening to? Are you only looking for more unwelcome news to confirm that the country is going to the dogs and that there seems to be nothing we can do about it? Or are you willing to look for evidence of the incredible tenacity and inventiveness of people? Are you willing to dream of a better South Africa?
 
I am not saying we should all go to our nearest flea market and buy up all the imitation rose coloured glasses! We do need to have the courage to look at the reality of our situation, but then push ourselves past the fear and search for the way forward. The good news is that there is good news!
 
‘Normal?’ is that what you want?
 
Do you really want to go back to ‘normal’? By March 2020, we were in a recession and had suffered from an investment downgrade to junk status. Crime levels were high, job opportunities were low, and pollution was everywhere. Can we do better? Do we have the courage to make it better?
 
Let us go on a treasure hunt
 
Let us start with Electricity!
 
We all know about Eskom all its coal-powered woes. Are there alternatives? The good news is these are not pie-in-the-sky dreams! It is becoming a reality.
  • Solar energy – a plant in South Africa can generate 20% more electricity than is possible in Europe.

  • The investment in such a plant can be recovered within 5 to 8 years. Do we need a 20-year timeline for a coal plant?

  • Best of all, there is plenty of private funding available; we can start today. And we do not need an SOE to mess it up. This October 275 MW new solar energy will be fed into our system.

  • Wind Power – there are currently 19 wind farm developments in South Africa with more than 600 wind turbines.

  • On the international scale, South Africa ranks as having fair to adequate wind resources. Wind power is a renewable, widely distributed and a clean form of energy. The production of wind energy does not produce greenhouse gases.

  • Again, there is plenty of private funding available. At a recent conference, over 1000 delegates were looking at Independent Power Production as a workable investment choice.

  • The Government instituted the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). Currently 27 new projects, part of big window 4, are ready to add 2 300MW into our grid once the paperwork is completed. Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe signed the final Section 34 to open bid window 5.

  • Research and experience tell us that we will be capable of generating over 240GW of electricity from renewable sources. That is six times what we produce today.
Smart cities
 
In February 2020, our President announced the building of a Smart City in Lanseria. He wanted a city without the spacial planning of a pre-Apartheid city. He wanted better town planning, with places of study integrated into living areas. He envisaged easy access to factories and work. All living areas are to benefit from technological transport hubs. The goal is to start with one city and add 29 over time.
 
Sceptics say we cannot afford it. I say how can we NOT afford it?
 
Let me just remind you that 8,2 million people (aged 15 – 34) out of 20 million are unemployed. We need to do something.
 
This is not something our President sucked out of his thumb the night before he had to deliver his speech. Gauteng Premier David Makhura said that they have been planning this for several years. It will be a collaborative project between the cities of Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Madibeng. He said they have been working with development finance institutions and have put together a plan that will fund the bulk sewerage, electricity, water, digital infrastructure and roads that will be the foundation of the new city.
 
It is common economic knowledge that spending on infrastructure has a multiplier effect. This means spending money on creating job opportunities will lead to a knock-on effect down the value chain. Contractors need to buy materials and will employ local workers. Workers need a place to live, a place to buy groceries, somewhere to take their partners for a bit of rest and recreation and schools for their children (possible by-products of the rest and recreation!)
 
Smart Cities create thousands of new jobs in line with 4th Industrial Revolution demands. Do you need some evidence? Look at what is happening in Korea and other Asian countries! It is an answer to the massive unemployment and lack of skills that we have in South Africa.
Then there is the famous bullet train…
 
Yes, for days after his speech there were endless jokes about the super train that sounds so impossible, given how unreliable and outright dangerous our ‘regular’ train services have become.
 
Yet is it that far fetched?
 
These types of trains already exist overseas. We know that train services are still the most efficient way to move large numbers of commuters around. Besides, a super-fast train service leaves the skies less crowded and is far more friendly on our environment. These trains move at around 300km per hour. Imagine what this would mean for those who need to travel between the Greater Johannesburg/Lanseria area and Cape Town!
 
Education must unlock the future
 
Covid-19 has shown us the inequality of our access to education and that access to technology is not a nice-to-have, it is vital!
 
If one looks at the education levels of those who are currently employed, it looks like this:
Education Levels
It is important to note that we need to increase the number of people with qualifications at NQF levels six through 8 to be competitive in the global market. Currently, 22% of workers have qualifications at this level. In countries such as Korea, the percentage is closer to 40%.
 
We need to look at how we make technologically driven fields more attractive and accessible to more people. It does come down to how we teach as much as what we teach. Creative problem solving and innovative thinking should be as important as subject specific information. We have to examine our academic and professional training models.
 
Online private universities are becoming increasingly popular with both students and employers. It is cheaper and more convenient as students can engage in lifelong learning, whilst being employed. We do not need to wait for a slow-moving government to catch up anymore. We can move at the demanding pace of industries. Constant reskilling and upskilling are going to be a given in the future.
 
Let the children lead the way
 
Caring for our neighbours
 
COVID-19 has, in many ways, rob our matric students of many of their social milestones that they have looked forward to for their whole high school careers. Matric farewell balls had to fall away. However, students from St John's College had decided that all funds raised towards their matric farewell for 2020 would be used to feed vulnerable families. They connected with the Kolisi Foundation, met up with Boxer Superstores and the Trevor Noah Foundation. They put together nutritious hampers for the more than 150 families.
 
Helping Others

Someone to watch in the future is social entrepreneur and founder of African Teen Geeks, Lindiwe Matlali. She won a prestigious award from the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship for her efforts to bring science, technology, and maths to disadvantaged communities.
 
Why bother though when we are knee-deep in corruption?

The National Prosecution Authority, the HAWKS and the South African Police Force have been remarkably busy of late. A flurry of arrests and court cases have flowed from the testimonies at the Zondo commission. The NPA promises many more will follow as those lower down on the food chain roll over and sing sensational songs that implicate those ever higher up in the chain. We know that there are many in high positions that are sleeping with one eye open at the moment.

There have been arrests and some convictions for:
  1. VBS Bank scandal
  2. Asbestos Audit in the Free State
  3. FIFA World Cup Tenders
  4. BOSASSA bribes
  5. Various government tenders
  6. SARS bribes
The Asset Forfeiture Unit has confiscated assets to the tune of R300 million in the Asbestos Audit case and R18 million plus a variety of expensive luxury vehicles in a recent pyramid scheme case. No one is above the law.

Yes, we know the rot runs deep. Yes, the problems we are facing are complicated and numerous. However, where is your focus? Do you dare to look to the future with creativity, imagination, and courage?

As we leave the first year of the 2020s behind us, we may wonder what happened?

It was (and often still is) hard to believe any of what we were and are experiencing was or is real. We have no frame of reference for it.

Around 02h30 one morning a woman was returning from work. As she reached her building, a man came out of nowhere with a knife. She ran. He stabbed. She screamed. A neighbour yelled. The attacker fled. Silence followed. The woman crawled to the back of the building. Her attacker returned. He stabbed her again. He raped her. He stole her money.


Does it sound tragically familiar?

‘Retail therapy’ – spending money to make us feel better – has become an acceptable cultural ritual. We joke about it and by doing so, normalise it. It is dangerous. People often have very dysfunctional relationships with money. In my opinion, much of the behaviour that people display when their spending spins out of control looks like addiction.

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Cyber Crime - Identity Theft
Cyber Crime - Identity Theft
Cyber Crime - Identity Theft
Cyber Crime - Identity Theft
Cyber Crime - Identity Theft
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