Latest news with #Web
The Citizen
2 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Queenswood substation goes ‘up in smoke' yet again
Queenswood substation goes 'up in smoke' yet again On the cold winter evening of June 25, a loud explosion rocked Dunstan Road in Queenswood. For many residents, it was all too familiar: the same power substation that had failed repeatedly in recent months had once again gone 'up in smoke'. With it, power was lost to large parts of the community for yet another indefinite period. This substation, which serves key areas in Queenswood, has become notorious for its instability, leaving residents and businesses frequently in the dark. While initial reports suggest the power trip may have been easily resolved, help never came because of the metro's policy on overtime. 'It is terrifying. The power is now thankfully back on. Sounds to me like the switch just tripped, but thanks to the city council's 'no overtime' policy, no one could go out last night and flip the switch back on,' said resident Theana Olwagen. Residents have grown increasingly vocal, reporting ongoing power outages that go beyond ordinary inconvenience. In a statement sent to local officials, Olwagen outlined the depth of the crisis. 'As paying residents, we have consistently observed a lack of action from the city regarding these persistent outages. While power outages have regrettably become common in South Africa, many residents have invested considerable resources to make their homes as comfortable as possible, despite the circumstances. This is particularly frustrating considering our compliance with municipal rates, taxes, and other fees, as well as the fact that rates will be going up from July 1.' In the last four months alone, Queenswood has endured power disruptions lasting up to 14 days at a time. One resident is keeping an Excel sheet noting complaints lodged on WhatsApp groups in the area. Most recently, an outage that began on June 20 was briefly resolved on June 22, only to fail again hours later after a brand-new cable was installed at the same location. Olwagen points to a deeper problem: the metro's fault-reporting and maintenance systems are failing. 'I suspect that the city's reporting system is currently facing challenges with closing tickets related to repairs, whether they have been completed or not. Consequently, we are unable to report this new issue, and we have learned that the depot was unaware of the recurring cable malfunction.' Residents fear the system may be intentionally closing unresolved cases to create a false sense of progress. Worse still, they fear follow-up practices have eroded into what many describe as what they see as only attempts to contact residents that do not translate into action. 'Historically, when a ticket was logged, officials from the metro would typically follow up within a day or two. Now, they seem to call, let the phone ring once, and then disconnect before the call can be answered. 'This approach enables the metro's logs to reflect an attempted call without providing any actual follow-up,' confirmed Olwagen. As of June 26, Webb Road has been without power for four consecutive days. However, this outage is not listed on any official metro communication channels or outage reports. 'It appears that the metro depot may be unaware that the same issue has reoccurred,' Olwagen noted. 'Our specific area has not been mentioned in any of the situation reports on the metro WhatsApp channel. In fact, our ward councillor confirmed that the depot was unaware of Webb Road's current outage.' The damage goes beyond merely being in the dark. Residents are facing measurable harm. Essential medical equipment, including oxygen machines, is at risk in power-dependent facilities. Huis Herfsblaar, a senior care home, is reportedly spending hundreds of thousands per month on diesel to keep generators running. Appliances are damaged by power surges. Students are studying under poor lighting conditions. Food is spoiling in fridges and freezers during long outages. 'These issues are numerous and frustrating, especially considering that we contribute to the resolution of these problems through our rates and taxes,' said Olwagen. 'While some households have opted for solar panels or generators, it's important to recognise that these solutions are not accessible to everyone.' The community is calling on the metro to urgently respond to enquiries, such as the following questions: What is the exact cause of recurring cable faults along Webb Road, especially given that a brand-new cable failed within hours on June 22? Are repair tickets being prematurely marked as resolved without verification? The metro's reports confirm the residents' complaints. A progress report from the Prince's Park Depot dated June 24, 09:00, listed: – 2 medium-voltage area outages – both unresolved; – 7 low-voltage block outages, including one in Queenswood (Fontana/Kirkby) marked as 'unknown cause' and 'team to investigate'; – 50 single complaints. This lack of recognition of their troubles and complaints is deeply worrying to residents. As per internal communications, reference numbers are supposedly escalated every four hours and addressed within 96 hours per the metro's new norms and standards. That is not happening in practice, according to residents. Among these residents, there is rising talk of boycotting municipal fees and even legal action, with some consulting with lawyers and power supply specialists. 'I urge that immediate action be taken to address these grievances,' said Olwagen. 'If residents' frustrations boil over, it could lead to a protest that may have considerable, and entirely avoidable, consequences.' After a utilities oversight meeting of the metro on June 20, DA Councillor Anru Meyer confirmed to Rekord that systemic issues within the energy and water departments are finally being acknowledged at senior levels. 'The 132kV cable infrastructure is failing. Each load point between substations adds new weak points and destabilises the entire network. We are pushing for a complete replacement and upgrade.' According to Meyer, a group of residents is in discussions with private-sector electrical engineers to assess what a full network upgrade would cost. His proposal is to recommission a dormant substation within Queenswood, which could offload pressure from the Blesbok substation and the industrial zone nearby. A petition is being prepared to speed up the implementation of these plans, with the goal of having finance and groundwork in place by the end of the year. Questions were put to the metro on the outages and residents' complaints, but no response was received by publication. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Build To Last: Why Founder Control Matters In Uncertain Times
Josh Haas is the cofounder & co-CEO of Bubble, an AI visual dev platform that turns ideas into scalable apps—no coding required. Let's say you have an idea—something simple but powerful. Maybe it's a travel app that adjusts itineraries based on real-time weather or a tool that helps small businesses manage invoices through voice commands. You open an AI builder, type in a prompt and, 30 seconds later, it's there—a fully formed app. It looks great. It runs. It even reacts to sample data. For a moment, it feels like you've skipped months of development in a single keystroke. That moment is the illusion. Over the past year, we've seen generative AI push into the world of software creation. And it's done something extraordinary: It's made prototyping accessible to anyone with an idea and a browser. That's not hype—it's real progress. But it's also where the progress tends to stop. The Prototype Trap Here's the part many AI development tools don't tell you: The thing you just created isn't a product. It's a prototype. It might look finished, but it's missing the depth, flexibility and control needed to turn your idea into something customers will rely on—and pay for. Most founders don't hit a wall right away. That first version feels like 80% of the work is done. But try to add custom logic or get it to run on a mobile device as well as the Web. Or what about handling payments or scaling with real users? That's when the cracks start showing, and early speed turns into long-term drag. You start tweaking prompts, hoping the AI will 'get it' this time. You bounce between tools. You spend hours debugging things you don't understand or burning money on specialists you thought you didn't need. And suddenly, you're back to square one—only this time, with less momentum and more complexity. The Real Work Begins At 81% That last 20%—the part AI can't generate out of thin air—is where real products are made. Things like: • Adaptive UX that evolves with user behavior • Custom workflows with conditional logic and integrations • A data model that can support real-world complexity, not just a demo • Performance that holds up under traffic • Security, compliance and resilience at the foundation Without those layers, your idea isn't ready to go to market. In fact, it's barely ready to leave the test lab. Avoiding The 80% Trap: Four Focus Areas For Founders AI can get you to the first draft—fast. But the leap from prototype to production isn't about speed; it's about substance. Based on my experience helping founders navigate this transition, here are four areas to prioritize: Aim to build apps that can run natively across both the Web and mobile devices. A shared logic base, unified database and consistent design system help reduce duplication and technical debt. The goal is to meet users where they are, without having to rebuild from scratch. Too often, startups bolt on security later—a mistake that invites risk. Instead, bake in infrastructure essentials from the start: SSL, audit logs, rate limiting, role-based access and protection against common exploits. It's an investment that will save you time (and headaches) down the road. Great apps adapt to user behavior. Even without writing complex code, you can implement simple 'if this, then that' rules to personalize pricing, trigger reminders or adjust workflows. Prioritize this adaptability early—it's what makes apps feel dynamic and responsive. AI can generate a button, but not the infrastructure behind it. Real products require real connections to payments, authentication, analytics and third-party services. Build these connections from the start so your product can evolve beyond a static prototype. The Path From Idea To Impact The future belongs to founders who understand the difference between a prototype and a product—and who are willing to do the hard work of bridging that gap. AI is an incredible spark, but the engine that drives long-term success is thoughtful architecture, real-world testing and a relentless focus on building something customers can trust. Your idea deserves more than a demo. Build it like a business. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
The Print
5 days ago
- Business
- The Print
Looking to Get Married? Knot.dating Launches India's First AI Matchmaker
Gurgaon (Haryana) [India], June 25: After a successful invite-only beta launch on March 31, is now opening its platform to the public. Built for serious relationship seekers, is India's first matchmaking platform that uses conversational AI and human-assisted matchmaking to deliver emotionally compatible matches. Co-founded by Jasveer Singh and Abhishek Asthana, was born out of the team's pivot from Hood, a pseudonymous social network, to solving a deeper human need: meaningful relationships. has been built to cut through the noise. Users don't want filters–they want connection. That starts with conversation, not checkboxes. Users don't fill out endless forms — they simply talk. In just a few minutes of AI conversation, the system captures personality nuances, emotional depth, and communication patterns to match users with high compatibility. 'We're not just building another matrimony app,' said Jasveer Singh, Co-founder & CEO. 'We're building a matchmaking experience where compatibility grows through conversations. Our users are professionals who want to take the lead in their own journey — before involving families.' blends tech and empathy to deliver curated, verified matches. Every profile goes through face & Government ID and users also have access to Matchmaking advisors for guidance on complex or sensitive match decisions. What's new with the public launch: * Full access to the AI matchmaker experience — no waitlist * Smart curated profiles with deeper behavioral understanding * Real-time AI conversations to drive compatibility, not just preferences * Face-verification for profile authenticity * Optional personal advisors to support match decisions The app is now live on Android, iOS, and Web. Early adopters have already praised its clean design, zero-spam onboarding, and deeply personal matchmaking approach. Backed by marquee investors like 3one4 Capital, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Ritesh Agarwal, Ashish Hemrajani, Kunal Shah, and Ashneer Grover, had earlier raised $3.2M during its Hood journey. With this public launch, the company enters a new chapter — one led by AI, human intuition, and the real pursuit of marriage. To experience the future of matchmaking, visit or download the app now. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Business Standard
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
No More Swiping: Knot.dating Launches as India's First AI-Powered Matchmaker for Serious Relationships
PRNewswire Gurgaon (Haryana) [India], June 25: After a successful invite-only beta launch on March 31, is now opening its platform to the public. Built for serious relationship seekers, is India's first matchmaking platform that uses conversational AI and human-assisted matchmaking to deliver emotionally compatible matches. Co-founded by Jasveer Singh and Abhishek Asthana, was born out of the team's pivot from Hood, a pseudonymous social network, to solve a deeper human need: meaningful relationships. Unlike traditional matrimony platforms that rely on filters and swipes, listens, learns, and understands. Users don't fill out endless forms -- they simply talk. In just a few-minutes-long AI conversation, the system captures personality nuances, emotional depth, and communication patterns to match users with high compatibility. "We're not just building another matrimony app," said Jasveer Singh, Co-founder & CEO, "We're building a matchmaking experience where compatibility grows through conversations. Our users are professionals who want to take the lead in their own journey -- before involving families." blends tech and empathy to deliver curated, verified matches. Every profile goes through face & Government ID, and users also have access to Matchmaking advisors for guidance on complex or sensitive match decisions. What's new with the public launch: * Full access to the AI matchmaker experience -- no waitlist * Smart curated profiles with deeper behavioral understanding * Real-time AI conversations to drive compatibility, not just preferences * Face-verification for profile authenticity * Optional personal advisors to support match decisions The app is now live on Android, iOS, and Web. Early adopters have already praised its clean design, zero-spam onboarding, and deeply personal matchmaking approach. Backed by marquee investors like 3one4 Capital, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Ritesh Agarwal, Ashish Hemrajani, Kunal Shah, and Ashneer Grover, had earlier raised $3.2M during its Hood journey. With this public launch, the company enters a new chapter -- one led by AI, human intuition, and the real pursuit of marriage. To experience the future of matchmaking, visit or download the app now. About We are -- we're building India's first AI-powered conversational matchmaking experience. While traditional matrimony platforms rely on filters and preferences, we're going deeper -- using conversational AI that talks to you, understands you, and finds the right match for you. This is not just another matrimony app -- it's a private, 100% verified, invite-only platform with total privacy. Our focus is on working professionals who are serious about finding a partner -- individuals who want to take the lead in their own journey before involving their families Founded by Shark Tank-backed entrepreneurs, we're reimagining how modern Indians find their forever person -- one meaningful conversation at a time. Contact Jasveer Singh jasveer@ Photo: Logo:
Business Standard
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Looking to Get Married? Knot.dating Launches India's First AI Matchmaker
BusinessWire India Gurgaon (Haryana) [India], June 25: After a successful invite-only beta launch on March 31, is now opening its platform to the public. Built for serious relationship seekers, is India's first matchmaking platform that uses conversational AI and human-assisted matchmaking to deliver emotionally compatible matches. Co-founded by Jasveer Singh and Abhishek Asthana, was born out of the team's pivot from Hood, a pseudonymous social network, to solving a deeper human need: meaningful relationships. has been built to cut through the noise. Users don't want filters--they want connection. That starts with conversation, not checkboxes. Users don't fill out endless forms -- they simply talk. In just a few minutes of AI conversation, the system captures personality nuances, emotional depth, and communication patterns to match users with high compatibility. "We're not just building another matrimony app," said Jasveer Singh, Co-founder & CEO. "We're building a matchmaking experience where compatibility grows through conversations. Our users are professionals who want to take the lead in their own journey -- before involving families." blends tech and empathy to deliver curated, verified matches. Every profile goes through face & Government ID and users also have access to Matchmaking advisors for guidance on complex or sensitive match decisions. What's new with the public launch: * Full access to the AI matchmaker experience -- no waitlist * Smart curated profiles with deeper behavioral understanding * Face-verification for profile authenticity * Optional personal advisors to support match decisions The app is now live on Android, iOS, and Web. Early adopters have already praised its clean design, zero-spam onboarding, and deeply personal matchmaking approach. Backed by marquee investors like 3one4 Capital, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Ritesh Agarwal, Ashish Hemrajani, Kunal Shah, and Ashneer Grover, had earlier raised $3.2M during its Hood journey. With this public launch, the company enters a new chapter -- one led by AI, human intuition, and the real pursuit of marriage. To experience the future of matchmaking, visit or download the app now.
