PRESIDENCY REJECTS MEDIA STORY ON POLICE COMMISSIONER

16 October 2011

The story in today's Independent Newspapers, (16 October 2011) alleging that President Jacob Zuma has "relieved” National Police Commissioner, General Bheki Cele of his duties, and that he is to be posted to Canada as an ambassador is a fabrication.

The story also alleged that General Cele is to vacate his office on 30 November.

The President wrote to the National Commissioner on 29th August requesting his response as to why he should not be suspended, following the report of the Public Protector on police lease agreements. The National Commissioner responded to the President citing his side of the story.  The President is considering the National Commissioner's response and that is where the matter stands at the moment.

The allegations published by Independent Newspaper products are therefore without basis whatsoever.

Enquiries: Zanele Mngadi on 082 330 1148.

Issued by Mac Maharaj

The Presidency
Pretoria

Website: www.thepresidency.gov.za

Input/output: The Economics of Database Searching Input/output: The Economics of Database Searching

Searching the internet might seem simple, but applying a little bit of economic theory to information retrieval can shed some light on the best search strategies to adopt, according to researchers.

Dr Leif Azzopardi from the School of Computing Science at the University of Glasgow took production theory from microeconomics and applied it to the process of searching the internet, or any other database system.

In economics, production theory deals with the process of turning inputs, like capital and labour, into outputs, like goods and services. Production theory helps to determine how resources can be efficiently turned into such products i.e. least effort, most gain.

Working on the premise that searching for information requires effort, such as assessing documents, and submitting queries, Dr Azzopardi sought to consider what search strategies a user should employ to efficiently undertake a search when looking for a number of relevant documents.

Dr Azzopardi said: “Short queries can be quite effective for finding one highly-relevant document, but searching for a number of relevant documents often requires numerous queries to be posed. Generally speaking, a user will only examine the first page or so of the result list.”

Dr Azzopardi said: “We also know that longer queries are more effective, and that there is often more relevant items on subsequent pages. So are people being lazy when they search or are they being strategic and rational when they search?”

“Being able to answer such questions is important for interactive information retrieval because while behavioural and observational studies have been conducted, there is a lack of formal theory to explain why such observations are witnessed.”

Dr. Azzopardi conducted a simulated analysis that varied the way in which a simulated user interacted with three different types of database search methods: BM25, Boolean and TFIDF.

Boolean searches use logical connections to search terms – using AND, OR, NOT; and are typically used in patent or library search systems.
BM25 ranks documents based on relevance using the incidence of key words searched that are contained in the document; and TFIDF (term frequency-inverse document frequency) is another method of searching for relevant keywords within a document.

By applying production theory from economics Dr. Azzopardi was able to identify which search strategies users of different retrieval systems should use.

Overall, he found that BM25 systems supported a greater variety of search strategies than Boolean or TFIDF.  However, the most ‘cost-efficient’ search on a BM25 system involved examining only the first page or so of results and then posting further queries until the desired level of gain was achieved. This finding is consistent with how users search the internet using commercial search engines.

On the other hand using Boolean search systems suggests users would have to delve deeper into the result listings looking at 100s of documents per query and issuing substantially more queries to achieve the same level of gain. However, this finding is consistent with how patent searchers interact with Boolean based patent systems.

Dr. Azzopardi said:  “This work provides the foundations on which to build formal methods for describing, understanding and explaining the interactions between a user and system.”

“It also shows that we can apply economics to human computer interaction, more generally, and therefore we can predict how a user will utilize a system.”

The research was presented at a conference of the Special Interest Group on Information Retrieval in Beijing in July and is published on the website of the Association for Computer Machinery.

ENDS

For more information contact Stuart Forsyth in the University of Glasgow Media Relations Office on 0141 330 4831 or email stuart.forsyth@glasgow.ac.uk

Notes
The research paper can be accessed here

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

31 July 2011

ICT INDUSTRY COMPETITIVENESS AND JOB CREATION

The Minister of Communications, Roy Padayachie, the Department of Communications and ICT industry leaders have today, 31 July 2011, signed an ICT Industry Competitiveness and Job Creation Compact that commits to 100% broadband penetration by 2020 and the creation of one million additional jobs throughout the ICT industry. The Compact was finalised after a two-day workshop during which the participants made personal commitments to work together to achieve the objectives and targets for the good of the country as a whole.

The Compact recognises the significant role ICT can play to accelerate economic growth, meaningfully impact job creation and transform South Africa into one of the most competitive developing countries through a strong partnership between government (lead by the Department of Communications) and the private sector.

Purpose

As a collaborative partnership of all role players and a key South African stakeholder, the ICT industry has adopted the following purpose statement to define its overall ethos and role going forward:

An innovative and globally competitive ICT industry to accelerate the development and prosperity of all South Africans.

2020 Collective Target

1.    Achieved 100% broadband internet coverage with 100% of the population with access to broadband.

2.    The creation of at least one million additional jobs through the ICT industry. 

Addressing Competitiveness and Job Creation

In addressing its role in country competitiveness and job creation, the ICT industry has defined a number of key intervention areas including specific targets. These areas will form the basis for a collective “2020 ICT Industry Strategy and Action Plan for Competitiveness and Job Creation”. The strategy needs to ensure implementation and realisation of specific targets over the next 9 years until 2020.

1.    Human capital development to ensure the ICT skills requirements of the economy and enable South Africans to effectively participate in the digital and knowledge economy.

2.    Investment capital (both public and private) to fund the large scale infrastructure required to achieve the targeted access and penetration levels, the funding and promotion of small, medium and micro enterprises and the funding of innovation.

3.    Manufacturing capacity needs to be enhanced to significantly increase local content and leveraging global best practice to stimulate manufacturing investment.

4.    Local digital content needs to be increased considering the opportunity for application development, the multi-media sector, knowledge creation and the digitisation of government.

5.    Capacitate a focused programme to drive the implementation of this compact.

Signatories of the ICT Industry Compact on Competitiveness and Job Creation

By signing the compact, all participants have committed themselves personally and as organisations to working together to achieve the objectives and targets of the compact in the collective interest of a better South Africa. They will leverage the country’s strengths and opportunities and will overcome whatever challenges and obstacles may exist to achieve their purpose.

Issued by the Ministry Of Communications

For  any enquiries contact:

Pearl Seopela

082 906 1404

May 31^st  2011 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A few hours ago, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) allocated the last 2 free batches of IPv4 addresses to APNIC, regional Internet registry of the Asia Pacific.

This is the biggest event in the history of the Internet.

Says Adiel Akplogan the CEO of AfriNIC, regional Internet registry for Africa: “The allocation by IANA of two /8s of IPv4 address space to APNIC, the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for the Asia Pacific region, marks a turning point in the history of Internet infrastructure. It is now more important than ever that organisations around the world begin to plan for the next generation of IP addresses, IPv6.

"As per the global policy, AfriNIC will now receive one last allocation from IANA. At this point the global free pool will be exhausted. Due to the careful management of IP addresses by the community, AfriNIC is likely to be the last RIR with IPv4 address space available for its members.

Handsets Account for 30% of Total Data over Mobile Networks

Boston, MA - November 16, 2010 – According to the latest forecast from the Strategy Analytics Wireless Media Strategies service, “Global Handset Data Traffic Forecast: 2001-2015,” handset-generated data traffic will account for 30 percent (over 8000 Petabytes (PB)) of the global network load by 2015, up tenfold from 2010. Wireless dongles and connected consumer electronics devices, including tablets, will generate the remaining 70 percent.

Senior Analyst, Nitesh Patel, noted, “Over the next five years the growth in mobile phone data traffic will be driven by consumer use of mobile web browsing and video consumption, which will account for over 95% of total handset-based data traffic by 2015.”

Strategy Analytics predicts continued strong demand for smartphones and data plans over the next 5 years, which will enable increasing access to popular consumer data services like video and browsing. Operators will need to prepare network capacity for this growth in demand.

David MacQueen, Director of Wireless Media Research at Strategy Analytics, stated, “The combination of improved data traffic analytics, investment in network capacity and differential pricing strategies will allow operators to more effectively match consumer demand with their finite network resources.”

About Strategy Analytics
Strategy Analytics, Inc. provides timely and actionable market intelligence focused on opportunities and disruptive forces in the areas of Automotive Electronics and Entertainment, Broadband Connected Home, Mobile & Wireless Intelligent Systems and Virtual Worlds. Headquartered in Boston, MA, with offices in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, S. Korea and China, Strategy Analytics works with clients through annual multi-client services, management team workshops and custom consulting engagements. For more information, please visit www.strategyanalytics.com/

European Contact: Nitesh Patel, +44(0) 1908 423 621, npatel@strategyanalytics.com
US Contact: Josh Martin, +1 617 614 0730, jmartin@strategyanalytics.com

Regarding the public sector strike currently fully underway, a few
inconvenient truths may perhaps have escaped the general notice.

I am being nearly daily asked about the impact of this strike. After
thinking about it carefully, I would like to share with my readers the
following.

The main impact for the electorate is one of disruptive inconvenience,
to the point of heartache (one thinks of the terminally ill in
hospitals and nail-biting matriculants, but reality goes well beyond
them alone).

But beyond such tragedies the picture changes rather drastically, even
if some imagination is required.

For GDP growth purposes, the statistical authorities worldwide have
long ago given up trying to measure the work productivity and changes
therein of public sector workers.

They therefore merely take into account the actual number of civil
servants employed and being paid a salary. What these servants may be
up to isn‚t taken into account.

So whether they work or strike, it doesn‚t make the least difference
to GDP or its growth. After all, it is all paid for, by you the
taxpayer and electorate. A sunk cost, so to speak, so why worry
measuring anything?

Nice to know, where trivia is concerned, not so?

But it gets better. For the rest of us get enormously inconvenienced
by the disrupted public services. Not a few of us will have made
futile journeys trying to get something done in vain as a direct
consequence of this strike. Or we succeed in getting something done,
but by proactively seeking alternatives compared to depending on some
servant.

In the process we may be using our cars, consuming petrol, trying to
get a service done by a private entity.

How much more private schooling, private hospital care, private
security, getting more people to help out socially, stocking up on
water, making that decision to go solar, too many instances to think
of and mention here, but prompted by absentee servants.

In all these instances we would be engaged in ADDITIONAL economic
activity. This stuff wouldn‚t be happening if it wasn‚t for the public
sector strike.

All of which leads to the strangest kinds of sensations.

For this strike could well be ADDING to GDP growth at present rather
than deducting from it.

It would also be adding to the tax revenue stream, presumably just
what the country needs in this dire hour of budgetary need.

Imagine government advisors suggesting that the public sector should
strike more, and if possible for longer, indeed go on permanent
holiday, for consider the extra GDP growth the country could be
enjoying, the extra work that would be created by desperate taxpayers
and voters trying to keep their lives together, and the additional tax
revenue the government could be collecting this way.

Indeed, what‚s striking is that no other country has tried this
formula for more job creation and tax collection more fully before.

They say always something new out of Africa. This time we could really
surprise the world if we tried hard enough. But I suppose that‚s our
real Achilles heel.

We never really seem to try hard enough.

Cees Bruggemans is Chief Economist of First National Bank. Register
for his free e-mail articles on www.fnb.co.za/economics

* *

The Ministry of Communications has noted the outcome of the Labour Court in the matter between the State and the former Director General of the Department of Communications.

An out of court agreement was reached between the Minister of
Communications and the former DG as per her initial request to have the
President intervene on the matter of the termination of her contract.

The agreement is that she withdraws the court order and the Minister of
Communications withdraws the letter of termination of her service.

This was done in order to reinstate the former DG's status as a public
servant in order for the Minister of Public Service and Administration
to explore suitable options in addressing this matter.

During that time she will be placed on special leave of absence.

It is therefore important to note that the agreement does not imply the
immediate reinstatement of the former DG to her old position but to
allow for what she initially requested from the President to take effect .

As Ministry we welcome the agreement as it paves a way for the filling
of the position as soon as possible by a suitable and relevant person
with the necessary expertise.

We wish to express our sincere gratitude to Dr Harold Wesso who is
currently Acting DG for his contribution to stabilising the Department
and ensure that the work of the Department continues without any
disruptions.

Issued by

Ministry of Communications

399 Duncan Street

Hatfield

Pretoria

For more information please contact Tiyani Rikhotso on 083 800 9936