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Liquid Instruments Introduces Moku:Pro – A High Performance, Software-Defined Instrumentation Platform for Engineers and Scientists

New architecture delivers nine instruments with real-time measurement capabilities to the research lab

Moku:Pro In Lab Setting

Moku:Pro brings test and measurement into the modern age, allowing engineers and researchers to dynamically switch between instruments rather than needing multiple stand-alone devices.

CANBERRA, Australia and SAN DIEGO, June 23, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Liquid Instruments, an innovator in precision software-defined instrumentation, today announced Moku:Pro, a high-performance platform for engineering and research labs.

Moku:Pro accelerates the transition from traditional fixed-function test and measurement hardware to a flexible field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based approach by making high-quality instruments accessible in an integrated, software-upgradeable platform.

“Researchers in engineering and physics face constantly evolving requirements – with changes occurring on timescales much shorter than the lifespan of test equipment,” said Daniel Shaddock, CEO of Liquid Instruments. “Moku:Pro’s software-enabled-hardware architecture allows it to evolve as your applications evolve, something that is simply not possible with conventional test equipment.”

Moku:Pro hosts nine powerful instruments, including an oscilloscope, lock-in amplifier, PID controller, phasemeter, arbitrary waveform generator, data logger, spectrum analyzer, frequency response analyzer, and waveform generator to ensure researchers have the instrumentation they need to quickly characterize their set up and scale their experiments. The platform was designed to meet the needs of researchers in a variety of fields, from aerospace to semiconductor. Moku:Pro’s instrument suite is particularly suited to photonics applications, including spectroscopy, microscopy, metrology, gravitational wave detection, active laser stabilization, and quantum computing.

Moku:Pro

Moku:Pro accelerates the transition from traditional fixed-function test and measurement hardware to a flexible field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based approach by making high-quality instruments accessible in an integrated, software-upgradeable platform.

“Quantum computing pushes the performance limits of electronics, optics, and flexible real-time signal processing. We see software-defined instrumentation as the future of test and measurement systems for quantum computing,” said Andrew Horsley, CEO and Co-founder of Quantum Brilliance, a full-stack quantum computing company working on room temperature diamond technology.  “Moku:Pro is a workhorse of the lab and one of the most versatile photonics tools we’ve seen.”

Bringing Instrumentation Into the Modern Era
Moku:Pro brings test and measurement into the modern age, allowing engineers and researchers to dynamically switch between instruments rather than needing multiple stand-alone devices.  Advanced ADC blending technology ensures that each instrument can function with optimal sensitivity from RF to acoustic frequencies without compromising performance for flexibility. Full connectivity via Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB-C ensures industry-standard, hassle-free configuration.

A key benefit of software-defined instrumentation is that it gets better over time. Moku:Pro can receive over-the-air updates to deliver improved specifications, new instruments, or entirely new capabilities. Users can expect to see these benefits as soon as September when Liquid Instruments plans to release a feature that will give Moku:Pro the ability to run multiple instruments in conjunction with one another and hot-swap instruments in and out. In this multi-instrument mode, instruments can be combined and connected to form sophisticated signal-processing pipelines. Also slated for September release is a new cloud-based tool that will allow users to directly program Moku:Pro’s FPGA. With this capability, users can implement unique signal processing algorithms and create their own custom instruments, which will further widen the gap with conventional hardware.

Moku:Pro Specifications

  • 4 analog inputs and outputs
  • Blended ADC input (10-bit+18-bit) for low noise, high bandwidth applications
  • Sampling rate of 5 GSa/s (1 channel), 1.25 GSa/s (4 channels)
  • 9 integrated instruments, including a DC-600 MHz lock-in amplifier
  • 120 GB SSD for high-speed onboard storage
  • API support for Python and MATLAB
  • Starting at $12,000 for the base configuration, ranging up to $20,000 for the full suite.

A History of Success 
The Liquid Instruments technical leadership team brings deep expertise in complex measurements with experience from Australian National University, Max Planck Institute, Lockheed Martin, Caltech, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.  Moku:Pro expands the line of software-defined solutions from Moku:Lab, a twelve-instrument platform for research, and, more recently, Moku:Go, a complete and portable lab solution for undergraduate education.

For more information on Moku:Pro, visit: liquidinstruments.com

About Liquid Instruments
Liquid Instruments is a leader in precision software-defined instrumentation and is revolutionizing the way that students, engineers, and scientists learn, work, and discover. Their product line of hardware and software solutions leverages the computational power of modern FPGAs to create highly customizable instrumentation for controlling experiments and acquiring and analyzing data. The team’s IP in software-defined hardware enables Moku products to be dynamically reconfigurable in the field, serving a wide range of ever-changing experimental and process control situations. For more information, visit https://liquidinstruments.com.

The Project received funding from The Australian Government. Liquid Instruments gratefully acknowledges funding and support of the Australian Commonwealth Government through the CRC-P program administered by the Department of Industry Innovation and Science.

Media Contact
Codeword for Liquid Instruments
liquidinstruments@codewordagency.com
801-703-4092

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/37cb06a3-2242-4fe9-b6d2-0243a826051f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8e84cd5f-7bf1-4276-9950-f57a12cfac19

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New architecture delivers nine instruments with real-time measurement capabilities to the research lab

Moku:Pro In Lab Setting

Moku:Pro brings test and measurement into the modern age, allowing engineers and researchers to dynamically switch between instruments rather than needing multiple stand-alone devices.

CANBERRA, Australia and SAN DIEGO, June 23, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Liquid Instruments, an innovator in precision software-defined instrumentation, today announced Moku:Pro, a high-performance platform for engineering and research labs.

Moku:Pro accelerates the transition from traditional fixed-function test and measurement hardware to a flexible field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based approach by making high-quality instruments accessible in an integrated, software-upgradeable platform.

“Researchers in engineering and physics face constantly evolving requirements – with changes occurring on timescales much shorter than the lifespan of test equipment,” said Daniel Shaddock, CEO of Liquid Instruments. “Moku:Pro’s software-enabled-hardware architecture allows it to evolve as your applications evolve, something that is simply not possible with conventional test equipment.”

Moku:Pro hosts nine powerful instruments, including an oscilloscope, lock-in amplifier, PID controller, phasemeter, arbitrary waveform generator, data logger, spectrum analyzer, frequency response analyzer, and waveform generator to ensure researchers have the instrumentation they need to quickly characterize their set up and scale their experiments. The platform was designed to meet the needs of researchers in a variety of fields, from aerospace to semiconductor. Moku:Pro’s instrument suite is particularly suited to photonics applications, including spectroscopy, microscopy, metrology, gravitational wave detection, active laser stabilization, and quantum computing.

Moku:Pro

Moku:Pro accelerates the transition from traditional fixed-function test and measurement hardware to a flexible field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based approach by making high-quality instruments accessible in an integrated, software-upgradeable platform.

“Quantum computing pushes the performance limits of electronics, optics, and flexible real-time signal processing. We see software-defined instrumentation as the future of test and measurement systems for quantum computing,” said Andrew Horsley, CEO and Co-founder of Quantum Brilliance, a full-stack quantum computing company working on room temperature diamond technology.  “Moku:Pro is a workhorse of the lab and one of the most versatile photonics tools we’ve seen.”

Bringing Instrumentation Into the Modern Era
Moku:Pro brings test and measurement into the modern age, allowing engineers and researchers to dynamically switch between instruments rather than needing multiple stand-alone devices.  Advanced ADC blending technology ensures that each instrument can function with optimal sensitivity from RF to acoustic frequencies without compromising performance for flexibility. Full connectivity via Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB-C ensures industry-standard, hassle-free configuration.

A key benefit of software-defined instrumentation is that it gets better over time. Moku:Pro can receive over-the-air updates to deliver improved specifications, new instruments, or entirely new capabilities. Users can expect to see these benefits as soon as September when Liquid Instruments plans to release a feature that will give Moku:Pro the ability to run multiple instruments in conjunction with one another and hot-swap instruments in and out. In this multi-instrument mode, instruments can be combined and connected to form sophisticated signal-processing pipelines. Also slated for September release is a new cloud-based tool that will allow users to directly program Moku:Pro’s FPGA. With this capability, users can implement unique signal processing algorithms and create their own custom instruments, which will further widen the gap with conventional hardware.

Moku:Pro Specifications

  • 4 analog inputs and outputs
  • Blended ADC input (10-bit+18-bit) for low noise, high bandwidth applications
  • Sampling rate of 5 GSa/s (1 channel), 1.25 GSa/s (4 channels)
  • 9 integrated instruments, including a DC-600 MHz lock-in amplifier
  • 120 GB SSD for high-speed onboard storage
  • API support for Python and MATLAB
  • Starting at $12,000 for the base configuration, ranging up to $20,000 for the full suite.

A History of Success 
The Liquid Instruments technical leadership team brings deep expertise in complex measurements with experience from Australian National University, Max Planck Institute, Lockheed Martin, Caltech, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.  Moku:Pro expands the line of software-defined solutions from Moku:Lab, a twelve-instrument platform for research, and, more recently, Moku:Go, a complete and portable lab solution for undergraduate education.

For more information on Moku:Pro, visit: liquidinstruments.com

About Liquid Instruments
Liquid Instruments is a leader in precision software-defined instrumentation and is revolutionizing the way that students, engineers, and scientists learn, work, and discover. Their product line of hardware and software solutions leverages the computational power of modern FPGAs to create highly customizable instrumentation for controlling experiments and acquiring and analyzing data. The team’s IP in software-defined hardware enables Moku products to be dynamically reconfigurable in the field, serving a wide range of ever-changing experimental and process control situations. For more information, visit https://liquidinstruments.com.

The Project received funding from The Australian Government. Liquid Instruments gratefully acknowledges funding and support of the Australian Commonwealth Government through the CRC-P program administered by the Department of Industry Innovation and Science.

Media Contact
Codeword for Liquid Instruments
liquidinstruments@codewordagency.com
801-703-4092

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/37cb06a3-2242-4fe9-b6d2-0243a826051f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8e84cd5f-7bf1-4276-9950-f57a12cfac19

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Liquid Instruments Lança Moku:Pro – Uma Plataforma de Instrumentação de Alto Desempenho Definida por Software para Engenheiros e Cientistas

Nova arquitetura proporciona nove instrumentos com capacidades de medição em tempo real para laboratórios de pesquisa

CANBERRA, Austrália e SAN DIEGO, June 23, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A Liquid Instruments, empresa inovadora em instrumentação definida por software de precisão, anunciou hoje o lançamento do Moku:Pro, uma plataforma de alto desempenho para laboratórios de engenharia e pesquisa.

O Moku:Pro acelera a transição do hardware tradicional de teste e medição de função fixa para uma abordagem flexível com base em field-programmable gate array (matriz de portas programáveis em campo – FPGA), tornando os instrumentos de alta qualidade acessíveis em uma plataforma integrada e atualizável por software.MokuPro-Digital

“Os pesquisadores em engenharia e física enfrentam exigências em constante evolução – com mudanças ocorrendo em um tempo muito menor do que a vida útil do equipamento de teste”, disse Daniel Shaddock, CEO da Liquid Instruments. “A arquitetura de hardware habilitado por software do Moku:Pro permite que ele evolua juntamente com suas aplicações, o que não é possível com equipamentos de teste convencionais.”

O Moku:Pro hospeda nove instrumentos potentes, incluindo osciloscópio, amplificador de bloqueio, controlador PID, fasímetro, gerador de forma de onda arbitrária, registrador de dados, analisador de espectro, analisador de resposta de frequência e gerador de forma de onda para garantir que os pesquisadores tenham a instrumentação necessária para caracterizar rapidamente sua configuração e dimensionar seus experimentos. A plataforma foi projetada para atender às necessidades dos pesquisadores em uma variedade de campos, do aeroespacial ao semicondutor. O conjunto de instrumentos do Moku:Pro é particularmente adequado para aplicações fotônicas, incluindo espectroscopia, microscopia, metrologia, detecção de ondas gravitacionais, estabilização a laser ativa e computação quântica.

“A computação quântica aumenta os limites do desempenho da eletrônica, óptica e processamento flexível de sinais em tempo real. A instrumentação definida por software é o futuro dos sistemas de teste e medição para computação quântica”, disse Andrew Horsley, CEO e cofundador da Quantum Brilliance, uma empresa de computação quântica completa que trabalha com tecnologia de diamante em temperatura ambiente.  “O Moku:Pro é a base de um laboratório e uma das ferramentas fotônicas mais versáteis que já vimos.”

Instrumentação na Era Moderna
O Moku:Pro leva o teste e a medição para a era moderna, permitindo que engenheiros e pesquisadores alternem dinamicamente entre os instrumentos em vez de precisarem de vários dispositivos autônomos.  A tecnologia avançada de mistura de ADC garante que cada instrumento possa funcionar com sensibilidade ideal desde a FR até as frequências acústicas sem comprometer o desempenho da flexibilidade. A conectividade total via Wi-Fi, Ethernet e USB-C garante a configuração sem problemas padrão da indústria.MokuPro-Digital 2

Um benefício fundamental da instrumentação definida por software é que ela melhora ao longo do tempo. O Moku:Pro pode ser atualizado aereamente, podendo fornecer especificações melhoradas, novos instrumentos ou recursos totalmente novos. Esses benefícios devem estar disponíveis para os usuários em setembro, quando a Liquid Instruments pretende lançar um recurso que dará ao Moku:Pro a capacidade de executar vários instrumentos em conjunto e trocar automaticamente os instrumentos. Neste modo multi-instrumento, os instrumentos podem ser combinados e conectados para formar dutos sofisticados de processamento de sinal. Em setembro também estamos planejando lançar nova ferramenta com base na nuvem que permitirá que os usuários programem diretamente o FPGA do Moku:Pro. Com essa capacidade, os usuários poderão implementar algoritmos de processamento de sinal exclusivos e criar seus próprios instrumentos personalizados, ampliando ainda mais a lacuna com o hardware convencional.

Especificações do Moku:Pro

  • 4 entradas e saídas analógicas
  • Entrada ADC combinada (10 bits+18 bits) para aplicações de baixo ruído e alta largura de banda
  • Taxa de amostragem de 5 GSa/s (1 canal), 1,25 GSa/s (4 canais)
  • 9 instrumentos integrados, incluindo um amplificador de bloqueio DC-600 MHz
  • SSD de 120 GB para armazenamento a bordo de alta velocidade
  • Suporte de API para Python e MATLAB
  • Configuração base a partir de US$ 12.000, suíte completa de até US$ 20.000.

Uma História de Sucesso
A equipe de liderança técnica da Liquid Instruments tem expertise em medições complexas na Australian National University, Max Planck Institute, Lockheed Martin, Caltech e Laboratório de Propulsão a Jato da NASA.  O Moku:Pro expande a linha de soluções definidas por software da Moku:Lab, uma plataforma de doze instrumentos para pesquisa e, mais recentemente, Moku:Go, uma solução de laboratório completa e portátil para o ensino de graduação.

Para mais informação sobre o Moku:Pro, visite:

Sobre a Liquid Instruments
A Liquid Instruments é líder em instrumentação definida por software de precisão e está revolucionando a maneira como estudantes, engenheiros e cientistas aprendem, trabalham e descobrem. Sua linha de produtos de soluções de hardware e software aproveita a capacidade computacional dos FPGAs modernos para criar instrumentação altamente personalizável para o controle de experimentos, aquisição e análise de dados. O hardware definido por IP no software da equipe permite que os produtos Moku sejam reconfiguráveis dinamicamente em campo, atendendo a uma ampla gama de situações experimentais e de controle de processos em constante mudanças. Para mais informação, visite https://liquidinstruments.com.

O Projeto recebeu financiamento do Governo Australiano. A Liquid Instruments agradece o financiamento e o apoio do Governo Australiano no programa CRC-P administrado pelo Departamento de Inovação e Ciência da Indústria.

Contato com a Mídia
Codeword em nome da Liquid Instruments
liquidinstruments@codewordagency.com
801-703-4092

Fotos deste comunicado podem ser encontradas em

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/37cb06a3-2242-4fe9-b6d2-0243a826051f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8e84cd5f-7bf1-4276-9950-f57a12cfac19

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Liquid Instruments lance Moku:Pro, une plateforme d’instrumentation définie par logiciel à hautes performances destinée aux ingénieurs et aux scientifiques

La nouvelle architecture fournit neuf instruments avec des capacités de mesure en temps réel aux laboratoires de recherche

CANBERRA, Australie et SAN DIEGO, 23 juin 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Liquid Instruments, un innovateur spécialisé dans les instruments de précision définis par logiciel, a présenté aujourd’hui Moku:Pro, une plateforme de haute performance pour les laboratoires d’ingénierie et de recherche.

Moku:Pro accélère la transition du matériel de mesure et de test à fonction fixe traditionnel vers une approche flexible basée sur les FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Arrays ou réseaux logiques programmables) en rendant les instruments de haute qualité accessibles au sein d’une plateforme intégrée évolutive par logiciel.

« Les chercheurs en ingénierie et physique font face à des exigences en constante évolution, avec des changements survenant selon des délais beaucoup plus courts que la durée de vie des équipements de test », a déclaré Daniel Shaddock, PDG de Liquid Instruments. « L’architecture matérielle compatible logiciel de Moku:Pro lui permet d’évoluer en même temps que vos applications, ce qui est tout simplement impossible avec les équipements de test conventionnels. »MokuPro-Digital

Moku:Pro contient neuf instruments puissants, dont un oscilloscope, un amplificateur à détection synchrone, un régulateur PID, un phasemètre, un générateur de forme d’onde arbitraire, un enregistreur de données, un analyseur de spectre, un analyseur de courbes de fréquence et un générateur d’onde pour s’assurer que les chercheurs disposent des instruments dont ils ont besoin pour caractériser et adapter rapidement leurs expériences. La plateforme a été conçue pour répondre aux besoins des chercheurs dans divers domaines, de l’aéronautique aux semi-conducteurs. La suite d’instruments de Moku:Pro est particulièrement adaptée aux applications photoniques, y compris la spectroscopie, la microscopie, la métrologie, la détection des ondes gravitationnelles, la stabilisation laser active et l’informatique quantique.

« L’informatique quantique repousse les limites de performance de l’électronique, de l’optique et du traitement flexible des signaux en temps réel. Nous considérons l’instrumentation définie par logiciel comme l’avenir des systèmes de test et de mesure pour l’informatique quantique », a déclaré Andrew Horsley, PDG et cofondateur de Quantum Brilliance, une société spécialisée dans l’informatique quantique full-stack travaillant sur la technologie des diamants à température ambiante.« Moku:Pro est un cheval de bataille du laboratoire et l’un des outils photoniques les plus polyvalents que nous ayons vus. »

Intégrer l’instrumentation à l’ère moderne
Moku:Pro fait entrer les tests et les mesures dans l’ère moderne, permettant aux ingénieurs et aux chercheurs de basculer dynamiquement entre les instruments plutôt que d’avoir besoin de plusieurs appareils autonomes. La technologie avancée de mélange ADC garantit que chaque instrument peut fonctionner avec une sensibilité optimale des fréquences RF aux fréquences acoustiques sans compromettre les performances de flexibilité. La connectivité complète via Wi-Fi, Ethernet et USB-C garantit une configuration standard et sans tracas.MokuPro-Digital 2

L’un des principaux avantages de l’instrumentation définie par logiciel est qu’elle s’améliore au fil du temps. Moku:Pro peut recevoir des mises à jour par liaison radio pour fournir des spécifications améliorées, de nouveaux instruments ou des capacités entièrement nouvelles. Les utilisateurs peuvent s’attendre à voir ces avantages dès le mois de septembre lorsque Liquid Instruments prévoit de lancer une fonctionnalité qui donnera à Moku:Pro la possibilité d’exécuter plusieurs instruments conjointement les uns avec les autres et les instruments échangeables à chaud à l’intérieur et à l’extérieur. Dans ce mode multi-instruments, les instruments peuvent être combinés et connectés pour former des pipelines sophistiqués de traitement des signaux. En septembre, la sortie d’un nouvel outil basé sur le cloud qui permettra aux utilisateurs de programmer directement le FPGA de Moku:Pro est également prévue. Grâce à cette capacité, les utilisateurs peuvent mettre en œuvre des algorithmes de traitement de signal uniques et créer leurs propres instruments personnalisés, ce qui permettra d’élargir davantage l’écart avec le matériel conventionnel.

Caractéristiques de Moku:Pro

  • 4 entrées et sorties analogiques
  • Entrée ADC mélangée (10 bits+18 bits) pour les applications à faible bruit et large bande passante
  • Taux d’échantillonnage de 5 GSa/s (1 canal), 1,25 GSa/s (4 canaux)
  • 9 instruments intégrés, y compris un amplificateur à détection synchrone DC-600 MHz
  • SSD 120 Go pour un stockage à haute vitesse à bord
  • Prise en charge API pour Python et MATLAB
  • À partir de 12 000 $ pour la configuration de base, allant jusqu’à 20 000 $ pour la suite complète.

Une histoire de réussite 
L’équipe de direction technique de Liquid Instruments apporte une expertise approfondie dans les mesures complexes avec l’expérience de l’Université nationale australienne, du Max Planck Institute, de Lockheed Martin, de Caltech et du Jet Propulsion Laboratory de la NASA. Moku:Pro étend la gamme de solutions définies par logiciel de Moku:Lab, une plateforme de douze instruments pour la recherche, et, plus récemment, Moku:Go, une solution de laboratoire complète et portable pour l’enseignement de premier cycle.

Pour tout complément d’information sur Moku:Pro, veuillez consulter le site : liquidinstruments.com

À propos de Liquid Instruments
Liquid Instruments est un leader des instruments de précision conçus par logiciel et révolutionne la manière dont les étudiants, les ingénieurs et les scientifiques apprennent, travaillent et découvrent. Sa gamme de solutions matérielles et logicielles tire parti de la puissance de calcul des FPGA modernes pour créer des instruments hautement personnalisables afin de contrôler les expériences et acquérir et analyser des données. La propriété intellectuelle de l’équipe en matière de matériel informatique défini par logiciel permet aux produits de Moku d’être reconfigurés dynamiquement sur le terrain, servant une large gamme de situations expérimentales et de contrôle des processus en constante évolution. Pour tout complément d’informations, rendez-vous sur https://liquidinstruments.com.

Le projet a été financé par le gouvernement australien. Liquid Instruments tient à remercier le financement et le soutien du gouvernement du Commonwealth australien dans le cadre du programme CRC-P administré par le ministère de l’Innovation industrielle et des Sciences.

Contact auprès des médias
Codeword pour Liquid Instruments
liquidinstruments@codewordagency.com
801-703-4092

Les photographies accompagnant ce communiqué sont disponibles sur :

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/37cb06a3-2242-4fe9-b6d2-0243a826051f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8e84cd5f-7bf1-4276-9950-f57a12cfac19

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Operation Vula Fund to unlock KZN’s potential

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala says the time has come for the province to produce goods in the townships and villages of the province for itself, and the rest of the world.

The Premier was speaking at the launch of a massive rollout of R300 million Operation Vula Fund disbursements, held in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday.

The programme forms part of the province’s efforts to create jobs and grow the economy.

During the launch, Zikalala handed over various equipment and business instruments worth over R300 million to successful beneficiaries of Operation Vula Fund.

These included catering equipment, vehicles, computers, and farming implements.

Over the next few weeks, the Premier and members of the provincial executive council (MECs) will visit various districts to handover equipment and business instruments to enterprises who had successfully applied for Operation Vula Fund support.

Zikalala said equipment with a combined value of R300 million will be disbursed to over 1 000 small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) who have been selected as successful applicants.

“To date we have approved a total 1 021 applications with a value of R299 157 million. Of these successful applications, 923 were in Tier One which disbursed equipment and instruments not exceeding R200 000.

“In Tier Two there were 11 successful applications where equipment disbursed ranges between R200 000 and R500 000. There were 87 successful applicants in Tier 3 which disbursed instruments whose value ranges from R500 000 up to R2 million,” Zikalala said.

The Premier added that the disbursements of Operation Vula Fund equipment will serve as a major boost to the province’s job creation and economic recovery efforts.

Zikalala said the projection was that the Operation Vula Fund disbursements will help create and sustain no less than 10 816 jobs.

He noted that, of the successful applicants, at least 42% are businesses owned by young people under the age or 35, while 49.5% are women-owned.

The Premier also warned that beneficiaries are not allowed to sell the equipment, noting that in the event that a business collapses, the equipment will have to be returned to the government.

SMMEs play critical role in job creation

Sharing the Premier’s sentiments, Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Ravi Pillay said SMMEs have a critical role to play in the creation of jobs.

“In developed countries, up to 80% of the jobs are created by SMMES. This task that the beneficiaries have, is a critical one for the future of our province and our country,” Pillay said.

Pillay also stressed that his department will monitor progress and offer support to the beneficiaries.

“As a department we want to come and visit you to see how you are doing. Firstly, we will want to see that the machinery is there and is being used for the purpose for which it was requested.

“Secondly we want to see how you are developing to become a successful enterprise. We will look at the operational side, the financial management side and also access to markets,” Pillay said.

Zikalala and Pillay said that unsuccessful applicants will be contacted, and will be assisted with improving on areas that led to their applications being unsuccessful.

Source: South African Government News Agency

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SA reports 11 093 new COVID-19 cases

A total of 46 893 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Tuesday, with 11 093 new cases detected.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), this represents a 23.7% positivity rate, pushing the number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 1 843 572.

Of the latest infections, the majority are from Gauteng (67%), followed by the Western Cape (8%).

Meanwhile, a further 297 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing the death toll to 59 092.

The NICD reported an increase of 575 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

This means there are currently 10 114 people who are receiving COVID-19 treatment in hospitals.

Global view

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are now 178 503 429 confirmed global cases, 3 872 457 deaths and 2 414 347 324 administered vaccine doses.

The WHO said the global numbers of cases and deaths continued to decrease over the past week, with over 2.5 million new weekly infections and over 64 000 deaths.

This represents a 6% and a 12% decrease respectively, compared to the previous week.

“While the number of cases reported globally now exceeds 177 million, last week saw the lowest weekly case incidence since February 2021.”

The organisation said this week, the Americas and Western Pacific regions logged numbers of new weekly cases similar to the previous week.

Meanwhile, South-East Asia and the European regions reported a decline in the number of new infections.

In addition, Africa recorded a marked peak in the number of weekly cases as compared to the previous week.

“Globally, mortality remains high with more than 9 000 deaths reported each day over the past week,” said the WHO.

However, the number of new deaths reported in the past week decreased across all regions except for the Eastern Mediterranean and the African regions.

The highest numbers of new cases were reported from Brazil (505 344 new cases, 11% increase), India (441 976 new cases, 30% decrease), Colombia (193 907 new cases, 10% increase), Argentina (149 673 new cases, 16% decrease), and Russia (108 139 new cases, 31% increase).

Meanwhile, variant Alpha has been reported in 170 countries, territories or areas, Beta in 119 countries, Gamma in 71 countries and Delta in 85 countries.

Source: South African Government News Agency