Virtual office for UIF

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has embarked on a new electronic initiative. The “Virtual Office” will allow those employees who have access to the Internet to apply for UIF benefits online.

During her budget vote speech this week, labour minister Mildred Oliphant said the new system electronically connects the unemployed with their former employers.

It also provides for real-time declaration of earnings and employment histories; speedy claim processing; and tracking of all claims through the issuing of unique reference numbers.

“This service will save time and cost, and it will be transparent and secure. This new service will soon be launched and this will be another example of government making use of technology to improve service to its clients. The new Virtual Office will also enhance the performance of the labour centres, many of which are achieving their targets for the turnaround time of claims,” said the minister.

Web system

She added that the Compensation Fund (CF) is currently embracing new IT systems to improve service delivery and the turnaround time in processing of claims.

“The fund is aiming to increase revenue collection through Web-based registration of employers, and electronic submission of the return of earnings and employer assessments – details of which will be announced in the next few days.”

Oliphant said that while the Web-based submissions will be implemented in the first quarter, electronic submission of medical accounts and provision of pharmaceuticals is targeted for the second quarter.

Clean exit

The Department of Labour (DOL) has been allocated R2.1 billion for the 2012/13 financial year.

It has initiated projects in several key areas to provide a focus for the activities of the department.

These include the turnaround strategy for the CF; the DOL Organisational Review; the ICT Strategy; redefining Public Employment Services; and redefining professionalisation.

In the year to come, the department expects to face a few challenges in its administration and organisation. This includes the expiration of the IT-PPP, on 30 November.

“In this respect, the department will need to ensure that it is in a position to continue its operations seamlessly, through the correct management of the exit and transfer of services strategy, as contained in the contract,” said Oliphant.

FNB CEO Twitterview

Following the announcement of FNB’s new GeoPayment solution, ITWeb interviewed CEO Michael Jordaan live on Twitter and invited followers to take part. Below is a transcript of the Twitterview. Let us know in the comments section if you’d be interested in joining us for similar Twitter interviews in the future.

TWeb: And we’re off!

ITWeb: @ MichaelJordaan Do you have to bank with FNB to use Geo Payments? What are the limitations if you don’t bank with FNB?

Michael Jordaan: FNB App customers can pay & receive. Non-FNB can set up eWallet to receive.

ITWeb: Will FNB be looking at similar cashless payment solutions for non-smartphone users?

Michael Jordaan: FNB has other cashless payment solutions, but Geopay with LBS [location-based services] is specifically for smartphones.

ITWeb: @ WaltersMPowerFM asked: “Any chance of Geopay for WindowsPhone for us 2%ers?”

Michael Jordaan: Looking at Windows App but not imminent, development driven by demand.

ITWeb: What security measures are in place to protect users?

Michael Jordaan: Users identify themselves to each other, password protection and backend security in place. Don’t disclose password.

ITWeb: How come Geo Payments is embedded within the FNB App rather than being standalone?

Michael Jordaan: FNB App is platform for many existing and future innovations, because FNB Geopay is transactional it belongs there.

ITWeb: Is FNB Geopay meant to take the place of NFC or is FNB still working on an NFC payment option?

Michael Jordaan: FNB Geopay is a contactless P2P solution prior to ecosystems for NFC being ready. Market ready for P2P and App platform exists.

ITWeb: @ alanqcooper: #askMJ @ ITWeb Do you see future for NFC in payments or is it a tech dead-end?

Michael Jordaan: Neither, niche application until standardised.

ITWeb: @ aubrey_muvhango asked: #AskMJ What’s the transfer limit on #FNBGeopay?

Michael Jordaan: R35 000 default payment limit.

ITWeb: What is the potential of #FNBGeopay for small businesses?

Michael Jordaan: P2B very interesting prospect but for now P2P.

ITWeb: @ pantsula asked Plans to deploy the #FNBGeoPay to retail? How bout earning eBucks on transactions?

Michael Jordaan: One step at a time…

ITWeb: @ ck_memphis asked can one add beneficiary to the #FNBGeoPay service/app for people who you pay regularly?

Michael Jordaan: FNB Geopay eliminates the need to add recipient but once payment made u can save recipient.

ITWeb: Final question from us: What’s next for FNB? Thanks for your time @ MichaelJordaan.

Michael Jordaan: Priority: just keeping customers happy. Over and out.

Less than a week until Cloud Computing World Forum Africa

There are only five days until the highly anticipated Cloud Computing World Forum Africa opens its doors, on 8 May, at the Sandton Sun Hotel, Johannesburg.
This is the first time that the Cloud Computing World Forum has been held Africa, and interest in the one-day conference and exhibition has been high, with over 400 senior IT decision-makers registered to attend.
Africa has experienced an increase in both infrastructure and broadband in recent years, leading to many businesses and organisations across the continent looking for new ways to integrate the use of cloud services into their IT operations.

The agenda is set to address the state of the cloud computing market in the region, covering topics such as the commercial risks and opportunities of cloud computing, cloud in the public sector, security issues of cloud and the future of broadband development in Africa.
Speakers confirmed for the event include:
* Paul Kukubo, CEO, Kenya ICT Board
* Yolisa Skwintshi, Head of IT Development, First National Bank (FNB)
* Chris Pickles, Head of Industry Initiatives, Global Banking and Financial Markets, BT Global Services
* Strini Mudaly, Group CIO, Goldfields
* Kim Andersen, Principal Advisor, CXO Advisor
* Mandla Mkhwanazi, Group CIO, Transnet
* Frank Pinto, CIO, BankservAfrica
To view the full speaker list and agenda, please visit the Web site.
The event will also feature a free-to-attend exhibition and workshop sessions. Attendees can expect to meet the latest providers of this rising technology, including T-Systems, Oracle, BT Global Services, Panduit and Kwezi Software Solutions.
Drinks will be served immediately after the conference in the expo area, enabling attendees to talk cloud with fellow industry professionals.
To register your place at this event, please visit the Web site at www.cloudcomputinglive.com/africa/register or e-mail [email protected].
For further information on speaking opportunities, sponsorship ad exhibition options, please call the team on +44 (0)845 519 1230.
This event is part of the Cloud Computing World Series, which has events in India, Hong Kong, Dubai, New York, Sao Paulo and Europe.
For information on any of these events, please visit http://www.cloudcomputinglive.com.

Facebook introduces ‘Action Links’

Facebook has added customisable links, or ‘Action Links’, for Timeline applications.
The social network says the links provide another way for people to interact with applications and to publish actions via Open Graph to the news feed, Timeline or ticker.
Facebook software engineer, Alex Wyler, explains the new feature: “For example, when someone checks in on Foursquare and shares it on their Timeline, friends can already like or comment on the resulting post through the links that appear as part of the story.
“Now with Action Links, Foursquare added another link – ‘Save this Place’ – that enables people to save a place to their foursquare to-do list directly from Facebook.”
Other action links already introduced by applications include options such as ‘Fave this Product’ or ‘Save this Recipe’.

“Action Links tie one action to another, and can be part of any Open Graph story. Developers can designate an Action Link for any action they define, which will then appear throughout Facebook,” says Wyler.
Take action

The new Action Links show up next to the ‘Like’ and ‘Comment’ actions, which Facebook says allows for user to quickly take action in response to a story. “This in turn will drive more distribution to your app with fewer user clicks.
“Action Links can be configured for a built-in action type or a custom action type. When the user takes the action, you should then publish a story against that action. The resulting Action Link story may be seen in the user’s Timeline, on their friends’ news feed and ticker,” says Facebook.
Action Links are currently not available for mobile, but developers can find the full guide for setting up the new feature here.
Facebook introduced the first Timeline-optimised applications in January. The applications tap into Facebook’s Open Graph and are tightly integrated with the new design, with the option of ‘frictionless’ sharing. The new applications also introduced ‘action verbs’ which could be defined by developers and broadened the scope of the standard Facebook ‘Like’.

Facebook’s IPO show starts on 7 May

The roadshow for Facebook’s initial public offering is scheduled to start on Monday, meaning the company’s shares should begin trading on 18 May, a source familiar with the process said yesterday. Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who has mostly operated in the background during Facebook’s closely watched journey to public markets, will be involved in the roadshow, another source said.

Facebook declined to comment.
Many on Wall Street had not expected Zuckerberg to turn up on the roadshow after he skipped a March analysts’ meeting, ceding the stage to COO Sheryl Sandberg and CFO David Ebersman. His March absence irked some investors who were indignant that the CEO, while wielding near-absolute control over the eight-year-old firm, had snubbed Wall Street.
IPO roadshows, in which company management presents its strategy to prospective investors, typically last one to two weeks. If the roadshow goes particularly well, shares sometimes start trading a few days earlier.
Facebook is set to raise at least $5 billion in what will likely be the largest Silicon Valley IPO ever. The world’s largest social network continues to command keen investor interest although disappointing first-quarter results raised questions about whether it can sustain breakneck growth for the longer term.
A source familiar with the offering said last week that a recent acquisition spurt by the company could have added about a week to the IPO timetable as regulators signed off on the deals.
This review is close to completion, however, allowing the company to go ahead with the roadshow on 7 May, according to the source who spoke with Reuters yesterday. The sources did not want to be identified because they are not authorised to speak about the company’s IPO.
“I have not seen as broad-based interest in an IPO since Google. Investor demand is immense,” said Scott Sweet of research firm IPO Boutique. “I expect a roadshow that will rival all roadshows where investors will be turned away at the door.”