WhatsApp is finally extending what was an already-limited trial to more countries, and South Africa is included. While reports seem to indicate that Indian users are receiving the lion’s share of the trial, Stuff can confirm the feature has reached a limited number of users around the country. Despite Stuff being enrolled in WhatsApp’s beta programme, we have yet to receive the update, confirming that the trial rollout is seemingly random.

AI for the Hoi Polloi

While there’s still no word on when the Meta AI-powered chatbot will begin rolling out in a more official capacity, we’re guessing a global launch can’t be too far away. Until then, however, we’ll have to make do with watching the feature from afar, using screenshots of the feature provided to Stuff (pictured above).

Meta AI, which uses the company’s Llama model to make itself artificially intelligent, takes up residence right on WhatsApp’s home page, with a search bar appearing above a user’s chats. Don’t fret. Meta’s AI states that it does not have access to your personal messages, and will only train itself off messages sent directly to it.

Read More: Absa launches ChatWallet to let you bank on WhatsApp – here’s how to use it

Hitting the “Ask Meta AI or Search” bar at the top will instantly offer up a selection of basic prompts to give users an idea of how the feature works. Ask it for “Horror TV show recs” for instance, and it’ll open a new chat with its recommendations for what it considers the best in the genre. Seriously? No The Haunting of Hill House?

The AI can also generate “unique images to share with anyone you want,” similar to the app’s AI stickers feature (which we proudly peer-pressured into making Mario and Sonic smoke). We’ve yet to see just how competent the chatbot is, though we’re doubtful it can hold a candle to dedicated AI image generators. Still, it’s better than nothing.

We’ll keep you updated on the feature’s trajectory into a global rollout.

You might have thought the ‘dumbphone’ was dead and buried, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Just the other day we spent time reviewing Nokia’s 2660 Flip — a phone that deals in megabytes rather than gigabytes when it comes to RAM. And that 0.3MP camera? Lovely.

Music to our ears

It’s worth mentioning that these aren’t exactly ‘new’. They’re rehashed classic Nokia devices. The Nokia 6310 (2024) for instance, is riding the coattails of the model from 2021 (which itself is derived from the original Nokia 6310 from 2001), though Nokia’s thrown in a larger 1,450mAh battery and a USB-C port. See, Apple? It’s not that hard.

Everything else… has been kept the same. It still sports a 2.8in QVGA display, 8MB of internal storage, dual SIM-slot, and a 0.3MP camera on the rear end we saw during the re-release in 2021. There’s even a 3.5mm audio jack — something plenty of today’s smartphones can’t brag about.

Nokia’s 5310 (2024) is yet another refresh, being the third iteration in the 5310 family. Modelled after the 2020 refresh, the 5310 first came to power in 2007 as an “XpressMusic” phone. Don’t worry. We had to look it up too. As for the specs of the 2024 model, it packs a larger 1,450mAh battery, a larger 2.8in QVGA display, and a Unisoc 6531F chipset. Oh, and the USB-C charging hole is also new. Everything else…

Read More: Random Access Memories (2003) – Nokia N-Gage

And finally, we have the Nokia 230 (2024). Being the youngest of the bunch, having only released in 2015, it was only entitled to the bare necessities to turn this into a usable phone for 2024. That means the same 1,450 mAh battery upgrade and USB-C port on the bottom. It’s got Bluetooth 5.0 too thanks to the Unisoc 6531F CPU. The 2MP camera, 8/16MB of RAM and storage, and 2.8in QVGA display remain untouched.

At the time of writing, Nokia is yet to officially announce prices, nor a strategy to launch these locally in SA. We’re not worried about that last bit — Nokia’s a fan of South Africa and always has been. No, what concerns us most is that these devices are 2G capable and only 2G capable — which is reportedly getting the boot come 2027. Whether that’ll actually happen is a different story altogether.

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By the time EA Play reached South Africa’s shores, it rocked up with a fee almost worthy of consideration: R50/m or R200/year. Aside from the aforementioned library of games, a subscription also offers a minimal 10% discount on upcoming titles and in-game titles, appealing most directly to folks who eagerly await the company’s next FIFA or Madden title every year.

EA Play(ing us for fools)

EA began warning subscribed customers of the change via email yesterday, noting that new prices will come into effect from 10 May 2024, according to GamesIndustry.biz, or “until your next renewal date that occurs on or after X” date. Thanks to u/ssa17k on Reddit, we’ve got an idea of what the email being sent to customers looks like.

And we haven’t even mentioned EA Play Pro, the company’s higher-tier subscription service, which is also included in the price hike. The difference here appears that Pro members can secure new titles instantly, rather than waiting for them to shrivel up and be passed onto the cheaper subscription package.

Read More: Dead Space (2023) PC review – We’re crossing the Event Horizon here

In South Africa, the monthly price of EA Play is being hiked up to R90/m (R40 increase), while a year will now set customers back R650/year (R400 increase). Step up to EA Play Pro, and you’ll pay R305/m (R105 increase), whereas a year of the service now costs R1,700/year (R500 increase).

EA’s email doesn’t mention the reason behind the massive price hike, though according to GamesIndustry.biz, the FIFA-maker is looking to “reflect changes in currency value and to bring fees in line with market value.” Translation? “We’d like more money, please and thank you.”

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Let’s first address the elephant in the room. The pinnacle of the Note series, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ has had a massive price jump. What once used to cost R11,000 for the best that the Note series had to offer in 2023, will now set you back R16,500. And honestly, it’s worth it — even more so if you get creative with where you purchase the device. From some places, it can be had for R4,000 less than Xiaomi’s official figure. Jus’ saying.

Slippery slopes

There’s no denying that Xiaomi’s assembled a decent-looking phone. While most mid-rangers in the category settle for the bare minimum, Xiaomi put in real effort to help the Note 13 Pro+ stand out from the rest of the crowd. Whether it’s the curved display — a first in the Note family — or simply the Moonlight White coating our review model turned up wearing, there’s something for everybody here. And we haven’t even got to the important bits yet.

Those curved edges aren’t only for show. Disagreeable as you might be toward the idea of a phone without ‘proper’ edges, the Note 13 Pro+ uses them to its advantage, offering a generally more comfortable fit in hand. Sure, those metal-looking rims and a generous coating of Corning Gorilla Glass (Victus) are doing a lot of heavy lifting to up that premium (if [very] slippery) feel, but we’re not condemning that. Team effort and all, you know?

Under that slathering of toughened glass is a gorgeous 6.67in AMOLED display that’s quite capable of hitting a silky-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and a brightness level touting a splendid 1,800 nits all weave together for a display that we found difficult to put down — day or night. That’s saying something.

Don’t expect anything special in the way of ports. Xiaomi has stuck with the basics, such as a USB-C charging hole, SIM slot, and a singular speaker vent adorne the phone’s bottom. Running along the right-hand side is the volume rocker and power button, while the top is home to the speaker’s better half and a lonely IR blaster. A 3.5mm audio jack is sadly absent from the Redmi Note series for the first time. RIP.

Dime-piece Dimensity

If you’re picking up the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ in South Africa, you’ll be “stuck” with the best of the lot, meaning 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Internationally it’s a different story so you’ll need to look in the creative spots if you’re after something a little less capable and lighter on the wallet.

No matter where you’re getting your device, it’ll come stock with MediaTek’s 4nm octa-core Dimensity 7200-Ultra SoC, including the Mali-G610 MC4 GPU. It’s no flagship chip, but that’s alright. We never once struggled to get the Note 13 Pro+ in the gaming mood, hitting a consistently smooth 120Hz after we’d enabled the feature in the settings.

Having already proved itself a capable gamer, you’d be right to think it’s great just about everywhere else. Multitasking? No problem. Jumping from app to app like an iPad kid looking for his next fix? Easy. The only real cause for concern is a slight tendency to get a little warm around the edges roughly an hour deep into a gaming session — 45 minutes under more duress. Bring on winter, we guess?

Don’t expect anything more intensive than a simple Android 13 affair with Xiaomi’s MIUI 14 skin thrown in to distract you from that fact. The company’s new and flashy HyperOS is absent, but we’re hoping that’s nothing more than an oversight that’ll be fixed by the time the Note 14 arrives. Right, Xioami? In the meantime, you’ll need to put up with a fair amount of bloatware and some settings fiddling to get it un-MIUI-fied.

Battery life was about as standard as it gets. There’s a 5,000mAh battery shoved in there, somewhere, and it’s about as consistent as you’d expect. Pretty damn consistent, then. Keep its tasks simple, and it’ll stretch to accommodate roughly a day-and-a-half’s worth of life. Squeeze in some gaming while you’re at work, and you’ll be lucky to have 10% at bedtime. More exciting is the 120W charger which is about as excellent as it sounds.

No gimmicks here 

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+’s camera bump may not look particularly extraordinary, but the tech it’s packing in the three-sensor array definitely is. You’ve probably heard Xiaomi shouting about the 200MP main sensor from the rooftops, or you’ve got a bit deaf. Either way, it worked so well last time around, so why not now?

Xiaomi hasn’t put all of its eggs in one basket. That 200MP camera is one of three, with 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro sensors filling the gaps. ‘Round the other end is a perfectly capable (often more so) 16MP front-facer. If you were hoping for a depth sensor, you won’t find it here. That’s fine. There’s a whole 200MP sensor to mess around with to comfort you through the loss.

And comfort us it did. You’ll fare better with images in the daytime, providing clear and fairly detailed snaps — even without switching to the dedicated 200MP mode inside the phone’s camera app. Colours can occasionally appear washed out, with a hint of pink overshadowing the image. It’s not constant and felt like an almost random occurrence — seemingly depending on the light levels.

Those secondary cameras are about as average as you’d expect from a mid-ranger who has blown the budget on its main sensor. Still, we didn’t hate the variety. The 16MP front-facer on the other hand was the star of the non-200MP show, pulling some half-decent, Instagram-worthy selfies out of the bag, even if the AI-touting software beautified our faces a little too much for our liking.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5g verdict 

Xiaomi’s taken a rather big bet by setting the launch price as high as it has. R16,500 is certainly a lot to stomach, especially when it doesn’t have what the top billing companies like Samsung or Apple can bring to the table. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the price — it is — with that excellent camera set-up, gorgeous displays and fashionable coating. But we can’t in good faith have you spending R4,000 more than is necessary. The creative avenues aren’t that hard to find.

Xiaomi’s trio of smartphones not only weave together some of the best cameras in the game with absolutely stunning displays, but their excellent price points place the Redmi Note 13 Series comfortably in the race for Mid-Range Smartphone of the Year.

Whether you’re after a bonkers 200MP camera that’ll have you zooming in on your favourite football players from way up in the crowd, or a battery that just won’t quit (even when Eskom does), there’s something for everybody in Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 13 Series.

Going Pro on a budget

Xiaomi’s got plenty to brag about where the Note 13 Pro and Note 13 Pro+ 5G are concerned. Both devices are championing a long list of firsts in Redmi Note Series history, such as curved, 120hz AMOLED displays which ultimately offer a more immersive viewing experience.

It’s also the first time the Note 13 Series is sporting an IP68 rating and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection, essentially making both devices near-indestructible. All that, while also rocking the brightest and clearest displays and a Note Series-first with an under-display fingerprint sensor. What more could you ask for?

A whole lot, actually. These are the first devices in the Note Series to have a processor built using a 4nm manufacturing process, which leads to improved performance, enhanced efficiency and altogether better heat dissipation. Incidentally, the Note 13 Pro+ has MediaTek’s Dimensity-7200 Ultra chip inside, while its younger sibling uses Qualcomm’s Helio G-99 Ultra processor.

A good processor isn’t much use without an equally capable amount of RAM in the trunk. Both the Redmi Note 13 Pro and Note 13 Pro+ are no slouch in this regard, with both models turning up with more than enough RAM at 12GB and plenty of storage with 512GB.

What’s better than 120W and 67W charging on the Note 13 Pro+ and Note 13 Pro respectively? Not much. But there’s a case to be made for what’s arguably the star of the show: the massive 200MP main camera sensor that comes kitted out with amazing 2x and 4x zoom levels, perfect for capturing those moments that are a little too… far out.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ arrives in two shades – Midnight Black and Moonlight White. The Redmi Note 13 Pro shares the Midnight Black colourway and introduces the Forest Green hue into the mix.

Keeping it simple

If you’re all about getting the most bang for your buck, Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 13 should be at the top of your list. Not only does it share many of its Pro-named siblings’ best features, but it’s also carving a name for itself with one of the best cameras on the market at this price point.

We’re of course talking about the 108MP main sensor that the Redmi Note 13 is donning, which is regularly considered the pinnacle of other smartphone brands’ camera tech. That enormous 108MP sensor is just one of three, joined by just as capable 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro sensors. Don’t forget about the gorgeous 16MP front-facer embedded in the 6.67in, 120hz AMOLED display.

Hidden under that display is more than enough power to keep you satisfied, with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

It may only have 33W fast-charging as the more budget-friendly model – the same as what you’d find in some industry-leading flagships – but arrives with a 5,000mAh battery that can be found not just here, but across the entire Note 13 Series.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 makes a case for being the most stylish of the lot, arriving in two shades: Midnight Black and Ice Blue.

You can pick up your Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 today for only R7,799. Or you could take things one step further with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro, selling for R10,999. But if you’re after the best things in life, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ can be yours from R16,499.

You don’t actually need to know any of this. All you need is the desire to own a basic cellular phone with a battery that will outlast Eskom’s longest load shedding avoidance streak since March 2021. A desire for monster keys and a return to the T9 keyboard format from the late 1900s would also be useful since that’s what you’re getting here.

Something old, something new

So what does a twenty-first-century dumbphone look and feel like? It’s a fair amount like the devices from the heyday of cellular phones but with lighter plastic. The folded device is neatly compact and even unfolded it’s very easy to handle in a single hand. This owes a lot to the Nokia 2660 Flip’s narrow width and generous keys. Even the cellphones of yesteryear didn’t feature keys this large. There’s the classic T9 configuration topped by a navigation wheel and other physical buttons to help you get around not having a touchscreen.

The Nokia 2660 Flip is otherwise light on physical features but there’s one rather modern(ish) one to marvel over. That would be the external 1.77in display. It’s really only good for checking the time and the odd notification but since it helps you avoid flipping even this low-effort device open, it’s handy to have. Oh, and there’s a camera sensor and flash on the outer side.

A headphone jack, a charge port (microUSB), a volume rocker, and a wakeup key along one edge round out the other features. There’s also what looks to be a dock connector at the base of the phone. Being what the Nokia 2660 Flip is, the whole rear panel can be pried off. Inserting one or two SIM cards and a microSD card (there are slots for all three) calls for this operation. Very retro.

Mocor, fewer worries

That’s almost all there is to this smartphone. The official specs list a Unisoc T107 processor inside the Nokia 2660 Flip, along with a mighty 128MB of storage and 48MB of RAM. Yes, they’re measured in megabytes. When you scroll through the very simple-t0-navigate operating system, you’ll see why. The internal 2.8in, 240 x 320 display doesn’t call for much in the way of speedy hardware. It doesn’t take that much to play Snake, after all, even if the revised version of Nokia’s mobile classic is now rendered in colour instead of monochrome.

It took us a while longer than expected to run down the Nokia 2660 Flip’s Mocor operating system. This OS is developed by MediaTek and is typically used on lower-end phones. Long story short, don’t expect to download and install much, though there are a set of apps pre-installed. Some of these you’ll somehow be asked to pay for, in the case of the trial versions of Tetris, Doodle Jump, Crossy Road, and a couple of others. Facebook, as ever, is entirely free. So are the calculator, stopwatch, and converter apps. There’s also a voice recorder, which is a nice touch. It’s simple to read and navigate, which suits this device’s target market.

There are a couple of other features still outstanding. There’s a built-in FM radio and the flash on the outer screen doubles as a torch during load shedding. We know this because you have to use the Torch app to turn it on. Finally, there’s actually a camera. It’s a 0.3MP camera, sure, but it’ll take photographs. We wouldn’t post the pics to social media unless it was being done ironically, but it’ll let you assign a face to a contact on your device effectively enough.

Nokia 2660 Flip verdict

The Nokia 2660 Flip is a basic cellular phone and it doesn’t pretend to be anything else. It has a R1,500 starting price point, which might seem contentious since you can grab a budget Android for less than that. But Nokia’s flipping dumbphone is designed for a very specific market that will appreciate what it has to offer. We’re talking about folks with (some) mobility or visual issues who can’t easily handle a smartphone.

The oversized keys, simple navigation, and stripped-back features make it ideal for older users, those with some physical issues, and even folks who just want a cheap business backup or emergency phone. The battery lasts for absolute ages when powered on and even longer when the phone is off. That’s handy to have when you’re stranded on the side of the road with a couple of flats and a car boot full of slowly melting ice cream.

Should the CEF’s predictions come true, it’ll be the country’s petrol drivers forced to bear the increased prices by the time the first Wednesday of the month (1 May) rolls around. That’s when the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, the government branch responsible for officiating the fuel price, adjusts prices at the pumps around SA.

May the Force be with you

Fortunately, it’s not all bad news. The CEF’s predictions are, well, predictions. It arrives at the figures we’ve got below by studying the same data the Department of Mineral Energy and Resources does daily, rather than an average at the end of the month.

This offers the most accurate representation of the country’s waning or growing fuel price costs before the official changeover date — 1 May 2024.

The CEF examines data such as the current price of refined oil globally and the current Rand/US Dollar exchange to best determine the fluctuating petrol and diesel prices. These predictions unfortunately cannot account for the Department’s regular changes to the slate levy, or any pending failures on Eskom’s end that could send both sets of prices skyrocketing before the month’s end.

Read More: Here’s how Ford is living in a mixed reality

Here are the petrol and diesel price predictions (so far) for May 2024:

• Petrol 93: increase of 38 cents per litre (R0.38)
• Petrol 95: increase of 36 cents per litre (R0.36)
• Diesel 0.05%: decrease of 34 cents per litre (R0.34)
• Diesel 0.005%: decrease of 38 cents per litre (R0.38)
• Illuminating Paraffin: decrease of 27 cents per litre (R0.27)

What is the Lesotho Highlands Water Project? Why is it so important?

It is a large-scale water supply scheme in which water is diverted from the highlands of Lesotho to South Africa’s Free State and the greater Johannesburg area. The project is designed to transfer over 1.27 billion cubic metres of water annually from Lesotho to South Africa, providing a vital water supply to the Gauteng region’s cities and industries. To visualise this amount, imagine about 508,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools filled to the brim every year.

Launched in January 1998, it was developed in partnership with the governments of Lesotho and South Africa. It involved the construction of a series of dams, reservoirs and tunnels throughout Lesotho. These all deliver water to the Vaal River system in South Africa.

The Lesotho Highlands Water Project is a lifeline to millions of South Africans. For example, it:

• satisfies 60% of Gauteng’s water demand
• supplies the irrigation water for commercial farms
• supplies water to regions with irregular rainfall patterns and frequent drought
• plays a role in public health by delivering clean water to millions of people
• contributes to environmental conservation.

The influx of fresh water helps reduce the acidity of the Vaal River reservoir, which has long been polluted by industrial activity, sewage and gold mines.

The project is also a crucial water source for the country’s industrial heartland. Any slowdown to water-intensive industries would have economic repercussions.

What’s behind the planned tunnel shutdown?

The tunnels need essential and critical maintenance and repairs. This is due to take place between 1 October 2024 and 31 March 2025.

The work will be conducted in phases. In the first month, the tunnels will be emptied in preparation for four months of maintenance and repairs. The last month will be taken up by inspections and refilling the tunnels with water.

This maintenance is critical for ensuring the integrity of the tunnel systems. It will allow technicians and engineers to check the tunnel thoroughly, fixing any problems they find, and making detailed reports. They cannot do this when it is full of water. They will repair the steel walls that were found to be in urgent need of attention during the last maintenance shutdown in 2019.

The temporary shutdown will be managed by the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission, a joint governance body between South Africa and Lesotho.

What will the impact be?

The impact on residential and agricultural users could be significant.

Firstly, it could exacerbate current water scarcity that’s affecting millions of people in Gauteng. The combination of limited water resources, population growth, climate variability and inefficient water management has led to a situation where water scarcity is a chronic and widespread problem.

Residential areas that rely on the tunnels for their water may experience water restrictions. These include Mafube, Nketoana and Dihlabeng in the Free State and Gauteng provinces. There might also be reduced water pressure, and the periods during which water is available may be shortened.

Secondly, depending on the severity of the water shortage, people may need to rely on alternative water sources such as underground water and bottled water, which cost more.

Thirdly, people’s water consumption habits are likely to change. Water may be restricted and residents may need to plan their consumption accordingly.

Fourth, severe water restrictions could lead to people seeking out water from alternative sources, like streams or boreholes, which could cause health problems.

Lastly, agriculture depends heavily on consistent and reliable water sources for irrigation, livestock watering and other farming activities. The shutdown may result in reduced agricultural productivity, crop failure, and financial losses for farmers who rely on the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. This could affect food security, livelihoods, and the overall economy of affected areas.

The tunnel closure might also lead to a series of unexpected issues such as disruptions to hospitals, sanitation systems, and other essential services that rely heavily on a consistent water supply. If business experiences an intermittent water supply, this could have a ripple effect with production slowdowns in one sector leading to shortages and price hikes in others.

If people start extracting groundwater, this could put additional strain on already stressed ecosystems. Factors like unexpected low rainfall or technical problems with backup systems could make the situation worse.

Can anything be done to soften the impact?

Proactive planning and mitigation measures could help. Public awareness campaigns about the need to save water should be carried out well in advance of the shutdown. Creating awareness that there will be less water may significantly reduce water demand during the closure. The government could also offer financial incentives for people to adopt water-efficient appliances and irrigation practices.

Read More: Is my water safe to drink? Expert advice for residents of South African cities

The Department of Water and Sanitation must work with the affected municipalities on wide-ranging plans to maintain a continual water supply for six months. This must include backup plans that can immediately come into play in severe scenarios. The government has said that plans are being made, but no concrete information has been released.

Overall, the impact of the tunnel closure will be determined by three key factors:

• government’s strategy to alleviate the water shortage
• individuals’ efforts to save water
• the availability of alternative water sources.

Effective planning, responsible water use and innovative solutions will be needed.

• Ifedotun Aina is a Senior Researcher and Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Water and Production Economics Research Unit, University of Cape Town
• This article first appeared in The Conversation

These are some of the findings from Discovery Bank’s annual survey of its customers’ spending habits for the past year, done with Visa.

Conversely, for Cape Town to Joburg flights, the cheapest time is Wednesday at 9PM (the same goes for Durban to Joburg) and the priciest time is at midday on Sundays. From Durban to Joburg the most expensive is at 4PM on Sunday afternoon. Joburg to Durban is at its cheapest at 6AM on Sunday – good luck with that – while at its costliest at 1PM on Friday.

The data was compiled not just from Discovery Bank’s customers, but from 60-million global credit cards which made 13-billion transactions through Visa’s “vast global repository,” said the bank’s CEO Hylton Kallner. This gives a snapshot of how global economies in 2023 had to navigate a “post-pandemic revival, framed by persistent inflation and high interest rates”.

These macro-economic challenges “pushed up the cost of living” and demonstrated South Africa’s “economic resilience” through “more stable spending patterns,” he said of the SpendTrend24 report’s findings.

Apart from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, data was analysed from 11 other global cities: five from emerging markets (Accra, Lagos, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam) and six in developed countries (Barcelona, Lisbon, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sydney).

While the study shows a “growth in online and digital transformation,” says Visa South Africa country Manager Lineshree Moodley, “South Africa stands out as a leader in the global shift towards digital wallets, online purchases and contactless payments”. Indeed, most Stuff readers will not be surprised to learn that we tech-savvy Saffas are using our smartphone wallets to pay instead of physical cards in actual wallets at the same adoption rates – or even “surpassing” them – as international cities.

Online shopping also grew five times faster in 2023 than shopping in-store. “South Africans are increasingly shopping online, surpassing other emerging market cities and keeping pace with developed ones,” the report found.

But what are actually we buying?

According to TrendSpend24, groceries, retail, travel and fuel make up nearly two-thirds of what we South Africans spend our money on. In emerging markets – that’s us in the Global South – most of our budget goes to essentials like groceries and petrol, with less spent on the non-essentials like travel.

The average grocery spend in South Africa in 2023 grew by 8%, double the 16% increase the year before. This was caused by last year’s bogey – inflation – with high food inflation rates of 12% and 11% for the last two years respectively. Grocery spending did not grow in the mass market, meaning most people spent less on food and more of their “disposable income being used to repay debts, due to higher interest rates”.

Our favourite shopping apps – used mostly on a Monday – are Checkers Sixty60, Pick n Pay’s asap! and Woolies Dash – which are exactly the same as our favourite stores to visit (preferably on a Saturday).

Takeaways and eating out only grew by 8% last year, down from the post-pandemic bounce of 28% in 2022. Interestingly, our favourite online takeaways are from Mr D, Nandos and Uber Easts, while our favourite places to eat or pick up food are at KFC, McDonalds and Spur. Our favourite day for takeouts is Friday, while most eating-out dining occurs on Saturdays.

Read More: Go green with us, says Discovery as it unveils new renewable power offerings

Globally, travel has returned to where it was before the pandemic but, not surprisingly, at a “higher cost”. You can’t blame Discovery Bank for pointing out its customers saved themselves R670-million through its discounted rates on flights, car hire and accommodation; nor that its clients earned R300-million back in Discovery Miles for eating healthily.

You will also not be surprised that its patriotic cardholders increased their international travel to France last year – by 6% in terms of all travel and by 3% from the year before – for that small sporting event called the Rugby World Cup.

One of the key findings – pleasingly – is how the “benefits and increased security” of digital payments – both through digital wallets and online purchases – have been driving rapid adoption around the world. “South Africa benchmarks well against global counterparts, with an impressive nine percentage point increase in digital wallet usage over the last year.”

Disney’s finally cashing in

This shouldn’t come as a big surprise. The House of Mouse first began notifying customers in the US of their greedy hearts in February, and now it’s time to pony up.

In an interview with CNBC, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed that the lemming-killing company (no, really) would be “launching [its] first real foray into password sharing,” in June of this year. The plan is to test the waters in “just a few countries,” during the initial rollout in June, before targeting a wider release in September this year.

“Netflix is the gold standard in streaming,” Iger said in the interview. “They’ve done a phenomenal job and a lot of different directions. I actually have very, very high regard for what they’ve accomplished. If we can only accomplish what they’ve accomplished, that would be great.”

Disney’s never tried to hide its contempt for password sharing, with rules in the books that discourage exactly that, though it was never one to enforce those rules too strongly. That won’t be the case much longer following the release of a new batch of subscription tiers to combat the issue.

Read More: Disney to use artificial intelligence to make advertising suit the ‘mood’ of what you’re watching

Those new tiers include a more expensive package that allows the main account holder to share their password without reprimand, though pricing details are still by-the-by, local or otherwise. Netflix charges an additional $8 per new account hopping onto the main one. Our guess? Disney will target a cheaper add-on price — roughly $5-6 — in an attempt to start earning back some of that massive expenditure.

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