SA Rocks

It seems as though the 2010 website is finally up and running.

I like it. I like the feel, the colours, the vibe. It all gels with a great feeling that an African World Cup will bring to the event. I am certain that there has never been a culturally specific World Cup as the one we will be hosting!

Have a look:

The site features speeches from The President, facts, stats, Africa info, SA info, opportunity info and a host of other information that visitors and locals alike might find interesting.

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Crime Line is an anonymous crime tip-off line. You can SMS your tip offs to 33221 or submit them online (not as anonymous I image).

This is the stuff that I like to see. Companies and organisations taking ownership of not only problems but more importantly, solutions. This is a solution, or at the very least it is attempting to become a solution.

According to the HCR blog within one hour of launching the site and idea the first criminal was apprehended via a tip off! Brilliant, not only is it a potential solution to some of a great big problem but it actually works and might continue to do so.

There is one comment on the HCR blog that I agree with strongly, R1 is a cost that should be much, much lower. Unfortunately purchasing these “32211″ numbers requires a cost to the owner. I think that some of the, if not all of the cellphone companies need to jump on board with this project and provide users with a cheap, if not free means to alert police via this number.

This project is a Primedia initiative as far as I can see from the website. Good on big media, what a great show of faith/step in the right direction!

From the website:

Crime is a problem – but you can help solve it.

There is no doubt crime is affecting all of us. It’s easy to feel helpless, thinking there’s nothing you can do to stop it. But, you can! Crime Line will help make our country safer.

This is a Primedia Ltd group initiative. It is independent and anonymous and aimed at getting criminals off the streets.

We want you to blow the whistle on crime. We will pass on the information to the authorities who have undertaken to act.
All we want you to do is to pass on information of any criminal activity you know of.

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I have been looking at the SA Rocks template that I have completely customised with my limited volume for some time now. I have been extremely happy with the look, feel and funky vibe I get when I look at it. Yet something was not right.

With a suggestion from Mike and Justin and some coding assistance from Justin I think that I have arrived at a great point in the SA Rocks theme. I have inserted a navigation menu just under the header and for those of you with 1024 screen resolutions I have implemented a thinner, smaller header as you can well see.

I think that all of the changes work well and aid in navigating the site. If you think differently let me know and I’ll consider some options! Hope you like.

Regards

Nic (Editor)

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While looking for tracks, samples and music from Africa for the SA RocksCast coming up I stumbled upon a really great site containing information about anything and everything to do with truly SA Music and surrounding areas. Give music.org.za a try and I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised by their interesting list of artists.

This isn’t just a site focusing on the typical SA Rock scene like many others, there are various genres covered if you are looking for music that is typical of SA!

Great work on a great SA site that proudly supports SA music.

A quick word from the music.org.za mission statement:

To be a most useful reference and educational resource about musicians in South Africa and the neighbouring regions.

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Hi Yeigites!
Welcome to SA Rocks!! We think you guys/girls rocks so lets begin!

SA Rocks (SAR): Tell me about the people behind the product? (Just a few sentences on each of the founders!!)

Yeigo(Y): Yeigo was started by three B.Bus.Sci students, Wilter, Lungisa and myself. In 2006, we were also joined by Sebastian and Andrew. This founding group of five is responsible for the first version of Yeigo as well as the upcoming Yeigo Version 2.0.
Please refer to descriptions on the Yeigo Blog where all the members introduce themselves.

Rapelang: http://blog.yeigo.com/authors/48/Rapelang-Rabana

Wilter: http://blog.yeigo.com/authors/49/Wilter-du-Toit

Lungisa: http://blog.yeigo.com/authors/66/Lungisa-Matshoba

Andrew: http://blog.yeigo.com/authors/67/Andrew-Snowden

Sebastian: http://blog.yeigo.com/authors/69/Sebastian-Murray-Roberts

SAR: Why/How did this project come about?

Y: This is described in Wilter’s opening post.

SAR: Come down to my level and tell me how exactly Yeigo works?

Y: Register an account on our website with just your mobile number and email address. We send you an SMS which allows you to install Yeigo. Open Yeigo, and make calls for no charge to other Yeigo users and really cheap calls to non-Yeigo users. Just enter a number, or select a number from your phonebook and press the green dial button while you are in the Yeigo application, to start a call. Test credits are provided to test calls to non-Yeigo users.

Yeigo is able to offer this service my sending voice conversations over the internet, otherwise known as VoIP. The user therefore faces the cost of connecting to the internet, whether they are using Wi-Fi or 3G.

A large and growing knowledgebase covering a range of topics is available on the site.

SAR: I am interested in the legality of Yeigo… am I going to go prison if I use it?

Y: In 2005, legislation was passed in South Africa legalising the provision and use of VoIP. Our view is that the legislation did not discriminate between how you access these VoIP services, whether you use a fixed-line connection or connect through your mobile phone. Exactly how the operators will react is unclear, nor has Icasa provided a conclusive response.

There has been no indication that users will be penalised for using VoIP services.

SAR: Have you had some flack from the big cellular providers?

Y: The cellular operators have not made any contact with Yeigo.

SAR: ave you had any overseas interest?

Y: Yes, a number of our users are coming from the US and the UK.

SAR: Do you have any exciting new products or improvements on Yeigo coming up?

Yeigo Version 2.0 will be out in a matter of days and includes interconnection with IM clients like MSN.

SAR: At what rate is Yeigo growing? Are there Bazillions of people using it yet?

Y: Yeigo released in February 2007. First local public announcement was made end of March, and since then there has been strong interest in the product. Marketing of Yeigo will begin shortly. Right now, its very early days.

SAR: How commercial is Yeigo going? How many handsets are compatible and is this number growing quickly?

Y: Please refer to the list of compatible handsets.

Yeigo is working to support more phones and realizes the importance of this. Where possible, Yeigo will supply a version.

SAR: Thank you so much for talking to SA Rocks! Please keep us in the know and let our readers know how to take on Telkom and the Cellular bigwigs!

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For ages now I have been wondering about South African paraphernalia, what it is, what it should be and how it could work. I have found an organisation, company and website that has answered these questions for me.

Streetwire rocks and has taken South African beadwork and craft to another level. This organisation seems to be full of lovely little surprises that make it easy to support the project and get involved!

From the Streetwire website:

WHY WIRE ART?
Street wire art, unique to Southern Africa and largely unavailable beyond our borders, is a living testimony to the industriousness and creative spirit of our people. Born in the shanty towns and dusty backroads and baptised on the streets, today this genre is a thriving and legitimate art form in its own right, with many ‘wiremasters’ making a living selling their creations not only on street corners and at craft markets, but also in upmarket shops and galleries around the world.

I couldn’t agree more and think that small business like the ones wired art create are imperative to creating some sort of change in SA. Streetwire seems to be making a good go of street art and culture.

It seems as though at the moment, approximately 120 individuals make up the organisation. That is a very large organisation and amount of people being helped and given an opportunity to make something of their skills and gifts as craftsmen and women.

I hope to get hold of Streetwires and have a chat with them, keep a look out for that interview!

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Big Blog Directory and SA Rocks are co-hosting a South African Blog Roundup. Any South African blogger can participate and I hope that many will.

Between May 25th and 30th write a post on your blog with something like the following (please link to both blogs):

“Big Blog Directory and SA Rocks are co-hosting a South African Blog Roundup and I am participating…”

Next answer the following three questions:

1. Why does South Africa “rock”?
2. Why do you blog?
3. What are two of your favourite posts?

Once you have written your posts leave a comment here with a link. If your blog is listed with BBD leave a comment there otherwise leave it with SA Rocks.

Thanks everyone, I think it’ll be an interesting experiment to see who participates and what the answers are to some of these questions!

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The original 2010 logo

Not the 2010 world cup logo is great. It’s loads of fun, talent and prizes rolled in to one Pro-SA and design site.

From the site:

This website was created simply as a portal for designers who felt that they were unjustly excluded from the opportunity to design an emblem or logo for the 2010 World Cup. Many designers feel that the current logo is not a good reflection of SA design and this website affords them the opportunity to submit their own creations. Your logo will not become the official logo by any means, but you can win some great prizes for your efforts and become recognised as creating the best unofficial logo. Do you think you can design a better logo? PROVE IT!!

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I registered at Twac a while ago (when they first launched their beta) and began watching the Couches. The Couches are little comedy skits that the guys at Twac produce. The Couches are unbelievably South African products that are incredibly funny and true to South African culture.

Have a look for yourself:

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There seems to be a wave of positivity trying to break through a cloud of negative smoke. SA Rocks thanks Manufacturing Hub for leading us to the following site:

The SAPS Journal Online is what seems to be the antithesis of the crime vibe that SA is feeling at the moment. This site is putting forward positive progress made by the police. Arrests that they have made, cases that they have closed and positive feedback from people who have had experiences with the police in SA.

This site absolutely 100% rocks. What the people behind the site are trying to do is admirable and thankless and I am sure often criticised. I will not bring myself to criticise anything that is promoting a positive mindset and exposing great stories of success!

If you have a story that you would like to share that shows the police in any sort of positive light please support their cause. Furthermore if you would like to get involved with the police to take control of your community (just as David Bullard suggested he would be doing) then visit Business Against Crime South Africa. They are partnering business, government and citizens to make an impact on South Africa.

Empower yourselves and your community, start making the change happen.

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