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The Citizen
a day ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Gerda Steyn aims to build on her legacy with another Comrades victory
Local favourite Tete Dijana will target his third win in the men's race at the annual ultra-marathon in KwaZulu-Natal. Though she will line up as the firm favourite to win her fourth Comrades Marathon title on Sunday, Gerda Steyn insists she is not taking anything for granted on the 'down' run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. Over the last two years, Steyn has broken the women's 'up' and 'down' run records at the prestigious ultra-marathon. Earlier this season, the 35-year-old athlete won her sixth successive title at the Two Oceans ultra-marathon in Cape Town, and she is expected to dominate again on Sunday. She will, however, have to beat a strong field, with her strongest challenge potentially coming from former winner Alexandra Morozova of Russia. Other contenders include the likes of Polish athlete Dominika Stelmach, American Courtney Olsen, SA-based British runner Carla Molinaro and Zimbabwe's Nobukhosi Tshuma, as well as local athletes Galaletsang Mekgoe, Jenna Challenor and debutant Irvette van Zyl. Lining up against a powerful field, Steyn said she would stay grounded and approach the race as if it was her first attempt at Comrades. 'Every year to me is more important than the year before. I think for me to establish a legacy and to show that I'm not just here to win it once and then disappear is very important to me. 'So every year I approach it as if it's my first time, as if I'm a novice with nothing to fall back on, and I make sure I stay sharp and also excited about every race.' Dijana spearheads men's line-up Meanwhile, Tete Dijana was hungry to reclaim the men's title after struggling to put up a fight last year. Dijana won the race in 2022 and 2023 (when he broke the 'down' run record') but he settled for 14th place last year, with Dutch athlete Piet Wiersma dominating the 'up' run. 'I'm so excited to come and fix what happened last year because I cramped and I walked… so this year I'm not here to walk,' Dijana said. Despite missing out on a top-10 finish in 2024, Dijana said he did not feel any additional pressure, and he warned his opponents that they needed to be wary of him. 'I don't have pressure. They have pressure,' he said. Aside from Wiersma, Dijana will also be up against the likes of former champions Bongmusa Mthembu and Edward Mothibi.
The South African
25-04-2025
- Business
- The South African
Mediclinic shifts focus to AI amid hiring freeze
Remgro-owned Mediclinic is reshaping its operations by embracing artificial intelligence, resulting in a hiring freeze and early retirement offers. According to MyBroadband , Mediclinic owner Remgro has informed investors that it has frozen all new recruitment and offered a voluntary early retirement package to corporate office and shared service personnel as it enhances its operating model. This was revealed during Remgro's 2025 Capital Markets Day. The improved operating model will leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen Mediclinic's core business by focusing on operational efficiency. Mediclinic's chief operating officer, Bertrand Levrat confirmed that the hiring freeze and early retirement offer will help cut administrative costs. 'For SA-based corporate office people and shared services people, we have offered early retirement package. These will enable us to reduce the administrative costs of the group,' he said. Mediclinic said the strategy could help the firm save nearly R2 billion by 2027. The company emphasised that the hiring freeze does not apply to nurses and doctors. The company said its South African business was included in implementing its new operating model, and formed part of Mediclinic's broader strategy to leverage AI and automation. Mediclinic highlighted several successful examples of the adoption of AI and automation in the medical field: An AI model for scheduling appointments with doctors in AI has helped improve operational efficiency through reduced standby time and resulted in an additional 100 bookings per day at Mediclinic Middle East. The implementation of an AI agent to procure clinical documentation is saving man-hours, resulting in cost savings in staff time. The automation of clinical coding through AI is showing the potential for increased efficiency and accuracy in billing. AI agents deployed in revenue cycle management are showing the potential for cost savings in administrative processes. Mediclinic has started deploying AI models to read and interpret radiology, improving radiologists' efficiency. Mediclinic has appointed a dedicated team, operating under its chief data officer, to lead the implementation of its artificial intelligence, data, and automation strategy. This team is responsible for setting up governance structures, processes, and technology frameworks to support the company's digital transformation. As part of this strategy, Mediclinic will also invest in continuous AI-related training and upskilling for its workforce. According to Daily Maverick , Levrat emphasised that Mediclinic will not use AI to replace full-time employees, following early reports on the company's plans. 'This transformation includes the realignment of our corporate office structures, reinforcing our ability to support our facilities in providing exceptional care to our patients,' Levrat said. The announcement comes amid growing concerns about unemployment in South Africa, particularly among young people. According to IOL , individuals aged 15 to 24 face an unemployment rate of 59.6%, while those aged 25 to 34 have a rate of 39.4%, contributing to a broader youth unemployment rate of 45.5%. In this context, Mediclinic's commitment to workforce development and retention, even as it adopts advanced technologies, marks a notable approach. Strong Financial Position Maintained During his Capital Markets Day presentation, Levrat emphasised that the private hospital firm isn't in financial trouble, but in a sound financial position. Looking at Mediclinic Southern Africa, revenue grew by 10% from $557 million (R10.3 billion) to $613 million (R11.4 billion), while operating profit increased by 15% to $76 million (R1.4 billion). Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
