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National Treasury will in the coming weeks introduce Bounce Back measures to assist with the rollout of rooftop solar for households to encourage electricity generation and expand the renewable energy tax incentive for business. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said this on Tuesday in Parliament where he tabled the department’s Budget Vote for the 2023/24 financial …
The Springboks made the big switch to Test mode on Wednesday as they returned to the training field in Durban at the first of two preparation camps this month to kick into gear for the international season. This camp, which includes 15 players, will conclude on Friday, while the second preparation camp – which will …
Dear Editor The DA has called for answers from KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, after a 52-year-old Phoenix woman, Constantia Junior Govender – allegedly declared dead by doctors at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital – woke up in a mortuary freezer at the facility. The incident is believed to have taken place early last month. …
Manie Libbok has been recognised in the United Rugby Championship Awards by being voted the Vodacom Fans’ Player of the Season. The 25-year-old DHL Stormers fly-half finished the regular campaign as the leading points-scorer with 167 from 16 appearances. Adding a further 18 to that tally with a 100 per cent success rate from the …
Their quest for automatic qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games may be out of their hands, but the Springbok Sevens team will leave no stone unturned at the HSBC London Sevens this weekend as they give it one final push to book their tickets to Paris next year. Four teams – HSBC World Rugby Sevens …
To mark this anniversary, Volkswagen is launching the special-edition model Polo GTI Edition 25. It was in 1998 that the Polo first added those three iconic letters to its name: GTI. Now, a quarter of a century after the launch of the Polo III GTI, VW presents a limited edition of the current 152 kW …
The Video Cartel has been shooting, producing and editing video, TV commercials, documentaries, music videos, brand stories, experiential installations and digital experiences for a decade. In that time (along with winning multiple awards) they’ve seen video go from nice-to-have to imperative. “When we started, the film industry had been turned on its head,” says Founder …
National Treasury will in the coming weeks introduce Bounce Back measures to assist with the rollout of rooftop solar for households to encourage electricity generation and expand the renewable energy tax incentive for business.
As the demand for alternative energy solutions surges, fraudsters are seizing the opportunity by scamming unsuspecting consumers and businesses out of their hard-earned money. Roshan Jelal, FNB Risks, says “criminals are continuously taking advantage of the vulnerability of consumers, using every opportunity to do so. Purchasing online has become a way of life, and while …
Up-and-coming South African singer, Deard, digs into uncomfortable truths for his debut single, Antisocial, which drops today across all digital platforms. The Pretoria-born, Limpopo-raised musician grew up with a love of music and has decided to chase his dreams with the release of his single – which he is excited to share with South African …
Johan Goosen has been named the winner at the 2022/23 URC Awards picking up the Gilbert Golden Boot. This prize recognises the season’s most accurate place-kicker, with all kickers who have attempted a minimum of 30 ranked by their success percentage. Vodacom Bulls fly-half Goosen claims the Gilbert Golden Boot accolade. Vodacom Fans’ Player of …
Dear Editor In a reply to a DA Parliamentary question, the Minister of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), Thoko Didiza, revealed that her Department has spent R78 million purchasing foot and mouth vaccines from Botswana. This comes after the DA asked for reasons why vaccines cannot be procured in South Africa. This revelation …
For many families, boarding school is a family tradition which goes back generations. For other families, modern life requires work and travel commitments that make boarding for high school students a necessity. But the questions that are central to every parent’s concern are: will my child be happy as a boarder? And how do I …
In recent years, there has been a significant rise in the number of individuals embracing vegan and vegetarian lifestyles. Simultaneously, there is a growing demand for food products that meet specific dietary requirements while also adhering to religious guidelines. For those who follow kosher dietary laws, finding vegan or vegetarian products that are also kosher …
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and Denmark have entered into another agreement of cooperation in innovation and management of water services between the two countries.
A groundbreaking initiative is set to grow the agricultural sector in the iLembe District Municipality, according to KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Finance, Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni.
They say that there are stock-outs on certain medications, long queues and missing folders
Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister, Thoko Didiza, says she is encouraged by the agricultural sector's overall contribution to the country’s job creation drive.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says efforts to get the country off the grey list are well underway, with the Financial Intelligence Centre allocated more than R265 million over the medium-term.
ChatGPT has had more airtime than the world's most renowned celebrity. Its arrival has sparked questions and concerns that some did not even think to ask, including if it is a threat to our critical thinking skills.
Write this essay. Complete this analysis. Unpack the meaning behind this excerpt. These are all sentences that bring horror to those who do homework – lengthy essays about things that students are not sure they care about, and that many do not see the point in doing in the first place. This homework is not designed to be terrifying; it is designed to ignite the mind and critical thinking; to challenge students to form their own opinions and then using research and cognitive thinking to back them up. Currently, this is being threatened by tools like ChatGPT.
Yet, artificial intelligence (AI) tools are here to stay so instead of seeing it as a threat, it should be seen as an asset, but one that supports cognitive growth and memory function rather than replacing it, says Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy & Evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA.
“Research by George Millar in 1956 found that the average person can only keep around seven items in their working memory,” she explains. “Miller's Law of seven plus-minus two means up to nine or as little as five items are the limit of a human's processing abilities. Today, that number has gone down to four (https://apo-opa.info/3MIOCHD). This research, along with other academic papers and analyses (https://apo-opa.info/3BvXPMQ), points to reduced memory due to an over reliance on technology also called the Google effect,” explains Collard.
This is a concern, one that has grown increasingly vocal over the past year as educators and researchers have pondered the impact of technology, and now AI, on cognitive behaviour and memory retention. However, it is also balanced by research that has pointed out that actually, human beings have been outsourcing their memory to various materials and solutions for centuries. Paper, parchment, papyrus and wood are some prime examples. Modern technology is no different. It can be a tool to bolster memory and make it far easier for humans to manage lives that are deluged by information, noise and digital clutter.
“The research goes in both directions, suggesting that technology is both an enabler and an inhibitor of human memory,” says Collard. “This points to the fact that actually, the impact does not lie in using it, but in how it is used or, in the case of ChatGPT, abused. The latter can be an immensely useful tool that supports students in their research and studies, but if it becomes the sole source of information and does all the writing for them, that is where the problems start.”
Nowadays, remembering where you found a fact has become more important than remembering the fact itself. This translates directly into the biggest challenge with ChatGPT – it is vague on its sources and often out of date, which means that it rarely is as accurate as it needs to be.
“ChatGPT uses machine learning to infer information and this introduces inaccuracies,” says Collard. “If you ask ChatGPT what happens if you break a mirror, it replies with ‘You will have seven years of bad luck'. This is not a fact; it is based on superstition. If users do not constantly check the factual accuracy of ChatGPT, they run the risk of sharing fake news, inaccurate information and even conspiracy theories.”
The TruthfulQA benchmark test has found that most generative models are only truthful 25% of the time, according to the 2022 Stanford University (https://apo-opa.info/3o0ZCGJ) Artificial Intelligence Index Report. This means over reliance on technology such as ChatGPT is simply going to make the student's work look stupid. However, that is not enough to stop people from turning to tech when they are tired, overwhelmed or lazy, which means that the best approach is to embrace it.
“Do not ban it, rather teach students how to use it within practical guidelines and policies that help them to enhance their understanding of AI and this type of tool,” concludes Collard. “This will enhance their own critical thinking skills by asking them to question the sources, content, truthfulness and accuracy of the content that the platform serves up to them, and it will turn the threat into an opportunity.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4.
The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has warned South African consumers to exercise caution when dealing with Milo Designs, the supplier seems to be a scam purporting to be an online store that designs and sells furniture, using different social media platforms.
International study confirms that eight out of ten grade 4 learners still can’t read for meaning
Take First Group’s quick quiz to discover if you should be booking one big trip this year, or if you should be taking regular mini breaks instead The decision to take one big holiday versus multiple mini ones ultimately depends on your personal preferences and circumstances. According to Shaun Lamont, Managing Director of First Group …
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reassured development partners and creditors that his government is committed to the implementation of key reforms critical to resolving the country's nearly $8.3 billion of debts and arrears.
He was speaking during the high-level debt resolution forum held Monday in the capital Harare, that was also addressed by the President of the African Development Bank Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the facilitator of the high-level dialogues, former president of Mozambique Joachim Chissano and attended by government officials, development partners, private sector, former farm owners and civil society organizations.
According to President Mnangagwa, “in spite of the challenges associated with the debt overhang and further exacerbated by the albatross of the illegal economic sanctions, Zimbabwe is realizing key milestones towards moving our country forward for the good of our people.” The three key reform pillars for Zimbabwe's implementation program include governance reforms, land tenure reforms, compensation of former farm owners and the resolution of bilateral investment protection agreements.
Unsustainable debt
Dr. Adesina, who is the official champion for Zimbabwe's arrears clearance and debt resolution expressed deep concern about the country's debt, and a “debt accumulation from arrears that don't have an end in sight.”
According to Adesina, “Zimbabwe cannot run up the hill of economic recovery carrying a backpack of debt on its back. It is time for a comprehensive debt arrears clearance and debt resolution for Zimbabwe. But getting there is not a walk in the park. We must address history, to make history.”
He added, “economic sanctions are driving Zimbabwe further into unsustainable debt. The debt itself is not as debilitating as the arrears on the debt since the country cannot access international concessional financing or other revenue or less expensive financing to pay down its debt obligations.”
Majority of Zimbabwe's combined $8.3 billion bilateral and multilateral debt is accounted for by arrears. The country currently publishes public debt statistics and debt payment information to ensure transparency and accountability. “There is need to nurture the trust and good will which continues to grow among all parties,” President Mnangagwa said.
He added that the country's sustainable economic recovery requires augmentation by a comprehensive arrears clearance and debt resolution process which is backed by international financial institutions and the international community at large.
In his remarks, Mr. Chissano said Zimbabwe's situation is hurting the region: “The crisis in the country is having terrible consequences for the region, as Zimbabwe lies at the heart of Southern Africa. Many regional infrastructure development plans, including roads, railways and power transmission lines have been brought to a standstill, as they have to run through the country. The continental free trade is also undermined by the situation prevailing in Zimbabwe.”
Mobilizing $3.5 billion for compensation
On land reforms and compensation, Dr. Adesina said the Bank is working with the Government of Zimbabwe to develop innovative financial instruments and structures that can be used to front-load the mobilization of $3.5 billion for compensations.
He cautioned against further delays, which could erode trust and confidence. “So, timing counts; responsiveness counts; and financial sustainability counts,” he said.
Adesina appealed to development partners “to work together on this proposed structure which can help leverage capital markets to fund compensations without additional debt for Zimbabwe.”
The African Development Bank head commended the government for its decision to make land titles available to enhance the security of commercial farmland. “These would be for 99-year leases which are also commercially viable, bankable, and transferable,” he recommended.
Commitment to free and fair elections
On electoral reforms, President Mnangagwa assured stakeholders that the county has put in place the requisite mechanisms to guarantee peaceful, free, fair and credible elections scheduled for August this year.
“My government stands committed to consolidating constitutionalism, rule of law, good governance and protecting constitutionally enshrined rights and freedoms,” Mnangagwa said.
Adesina commended the Government of Zimbabwe and noted that “The people of Zimbabwe and the international community will be watching very closely. The full weight of re-engagement with the international community will depend on this. It will also depend not just on the election, but the entire electoral process that guarantees a credible election,” Adesina urged.
He further emphasized the need for stakeholders to ensure that there is concrete and measurable progress on the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA), which is critical for re-engagement with the United States and could be used to support advocacy for the lifting of select sanctions imposed by the US Congress.
The African Development Bank chief and Mr. Chissano visited the US early May to meet with leaders in the US Congress, Treasury Department, State Department, and other US agencies.
Adesina said, “it was very clear that there is support for this high-level dialogue, and a hope that it will translate into concrete and measurable progress on the ground to inform a consideration of the lifting of the sanctions under ZIDERA.”
In December 2022, the Zimbabwean government established a Structured Dialogue Platform with all creditors and development partners, to institutionalize structured dialogue on economic and governance reforms to underpin the arrears clearance and debt resolution process.
Dr. Adesina's speech (https://apo-opa.info/3o6b0kr)
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Contact:
Chawki Chahed
Communication and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org
About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa's premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org
