With the locally developed and manufactured Astute Smart Range from CBI-electric: low voltage, everyone can have a smarter kitchen
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 29, 2022/APO Group/ —
By 2026, three million South African households will adopt smart home technologies, up from 1.6 million in 2022[i]. This is being driven by time-pressed consumers increasingly turning to technology for greater convenience and efficiency. With a poll amongst VISI readers revealing that the majority would opt to give their kitchens a spring ‘update’, why shouldn’t this start with making the heart of their homes smart?
Dr Andrew Dickson, Executive: Engineering at CBI-electric: low voltage (https://CBI-lowvoltage.co.za) says that with the cost of renovating a kitchen ranging from R10 000 to R250 000+, depending on the size of the kitchen and extent of the remodelling project.[ii], a more cost-effective way of making your kitchen work better for you would be to install smart home technologies.
“Not only will this mean a more modern kitchen in the time it takes to change a plug, but also one that actually helps you monitor, manage and control your energy consumption – especially with dishwashers, induction stoves and washing machines being the biggest power consumption culprits[iii], he adds. “Additionally, some estate agents say that it could even increase the value of your home[iv].”
Dr Dickson breaks down how homeowners can go about incorporating smart home technology into their kitchens to get the most benefit:
Waste not
With geysers using the most electricity out of all of a home’s appliances – approximately 1,984 kWh annually on average[v] – one of the best ways to curb consumption would be to install a Smart Controller as this enables you to schedule the geyser to turn on and off at specific times. For instance, you could schedule for it to switch on an hour or two before mealtimes to ensure that there is sufficient hot water for prepping and cleaning up after meals. By keeping the geyser off at all other times, this can reduce consumption by 23%[vi].
Peace of mind
Smart technologies can protect appliances from voltage fluctuations
Ever left home and then later worried about whether you switched the stove off? A Smart Isolator could be used to not only check and see whether your oven or stove is on from anywhere in the world via an app on your smartphone and/or tablet, but also turn it off
Lower standby electricity usage
Did you know that leaving multiple appliances on standby could be responsible for up to 10% of your household’s electricity bill[vii]? This makes sense seeing that the energy consumed by a coffeemaker on standby, for example, accounts for up to 55% of the total energy used by the appliance[viii]. With a Smart Plug, you can switch off appliances when not in use. Even better, you can turn them on remotely when needed, meaning that you can get the coffeemaker to start brewing even before you get out of bed.
Lighten the load
According to a Twitter poll by Gumtree, 61.6% of South Africans’ electric appliances stopped working due to power surges caused by load shedding. However, smart technologies can protect appliances from voltage fluctuations. Users can set a minimum and maximum ‘safe operating voltage range’ via an app. If the voltage is unstable, the smart device will monitor the voltage levels and only allow power to the appliance once it is within the safe operating voltage range. Alternatively, once power is restored, the smart devices can be set to automatically delay the re-energising of white goods like fridges, freezers and dishwashers, providing a basic level of protection against the likes of switching transients typically associated with system restore after loadshedding.
“It’s easy to build your dream kitchen one smart device at a time,” concludes Dickson.
With the locally developed and manufactured Astute Smart Range from CBI-electric: low voltage, everyone can have a smarter kitchen. Go to https://CBI-lowvoltage.co.za for more information.
This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships
TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.
This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.
Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.
This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation
“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”
The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.
Why Attend
Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution
During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.
We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency
Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.
“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.
This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).
More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.
Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.
At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains
Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.
By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.
“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.
Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.
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