Author: Contributor
By Staff Writer Urgent intervention to bring down the price of mobile data is an obvious priority for South African consumers and the country’s Minister of Telecommunications & Postal Services, but not equally so for the country’s telecommunications regulator. While 87% of South African households use mobile exclusively to communicate, the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has placed intervention in one of the world’s least competitive mobile data spaces on the back burner while it sets out to determine what its priorities should be. According to the latest StatsSA General Household Survey, the exclusive use of cellphones was most…
By Viresh Harduth Tax filing seaso kicked off this week and millions of South Africans are planning to file their annual returns in the given time frame. If you’re one of the many people who have left corporate employment to start a home-based business or join the gig economy, you may be facing the challenge of filing a return under your new status for the first time. “Whether they’re driving for Uber, offering freelance programming or graphic design services, or making artisanal crafts and cuisine at home, we’re seeing more and more South Africans pursue their entrepreneurial passions as a full-time…
by Karl Blom, Associate at Webber Wentzel The rise of the FinTech industry may herald a significant upheaval to the financial services industry, and significant opportunities (and risks) await those who wish to participate. Novel data processing techniques are a key aspect of many FinTech businesses and with such a rapid pace of innovation, there is a concomitant rise in the risk of data breaches. It is vital for FinTech companies to be aware of their obligations in the event of a data breach. Obligations in respect to data breaches The Protection of Information Act, 2013 (POPI) requires you to…
By Karen Mesoznik, SaferVPN What You Should Know About Public Wi-Fi Usually when you’re preparing for an upcoming trip, your mind runs through the usual concerns and questions: “What vaccinations do I need?” “Is my passport up-to-date?” “What do I need to keep my cash and cards safe?” But if there’s one more travel habit you should have, or precaution you should take, it’s staying safe over public Wi-Fi. Today, public Wi-Fi at airports, hotels and cafes, is a lot like water at a restaurant – it’s an expectation, not a gift, a commodity, not a luxury. But what if the…
By Staff Writer Internet Solutions, a pan-African telecommunications service provider, has deployed the company’s first Point of Presence (PoP) in Madagascar. Further expanding their African footprint, Internet Solutions has also commissioned a second PoP in Zambia. Internet Solutions now has 68 PoPs in 16 African markets, with operating offices in South Africa, Mozambique, Uganda, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria, as well as international PoPs. “We can boast a significant managed services network on the continent because of our investment in both infrastructure assets and partnerships with trusted, in-country service providers,” says Murray Steyn, executive head: Wholesale at Internet Solutions. “This, along…
By Staff Writer JSE and Nasdaq-listed tech firm Datatec announced on Tuesday that its subsidiary Logicalis has acquired 51% stake in NubeliU, a South America based company specialising in cloud computing projects based on OpenStack. The South African-based firm said the acquisition is part of Logicalis’ strategy to position itself as a cloud integrator, and strengthens its commitment to the opensource community, in particular with OpenStack, which is essential for large SDx (Software Defined everything) and cloud computing projects. NubeliU was founded in January 2015 by the team that deployed the first production clouds in OpenStack which is seen as…
By Staff Writer A South African startup is simplifying the process to establish and verify the identities of clients. This South African start-up ThisIsMe, which has innovation that’s “giving a heartbeat to your identity” is making it easy and affordable for corporates and clients to comply with the Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment (FICA) Act 2017. Conceptualised in 2013 and formally established in 2014, ThisIsMe verifies an individual’s identity to other individuals, businesses, financial institutions, and regulators. It does so using links to Home Affairs data and the major banks. ThisIsMe has set an African record for the FICA process, which used…
By Staff Writer Vodacom is spending R260 million ($20 million) to offer its more than 30 million subscribers free mobile games. South Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator has entered into a strategic partnership with a US-based mobile game publisher, GameMine. The partnership will provide GameMine’s diverse range of subscription-based mobile games to Vodacom’s large South African mobile market. GameMine is providing a selection of its ad-free mobile games, which include more than 175 titles spanning all major mobile gaming genres, free of charge to Vodacom subscribers during a promotional trial period. The deal is part of Vodacom new promotion to…
By Dr Saahier Parker, Human Sciences Research Council From the microchips in smart phones to the largest jumbo jets, science and technology influences the way people interact with the world around them. It brings them closer to friends and family, enhances health care, secures assets and keeps the world moving forward. Traditionally, people have turned to science for certainty and confirmation. But in a sea of social media and allegations of fake news, it has become increasingly harder for people to distinguish fact from fiction. As a result, science’s authoritative place in society is being questioned more and more. This…
By News Agency Staff The Gauteng Provincial Government will in the next three months introduce a pilot project for a single e-ticket for public transport users. A similar card-based pilot project was introduced in Pretoria last year by the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) for minibus taxi commuters on the Johannesburg, Pretoria and Mabopane (JPM) route. However, according to the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, the project to be introduced by the provincial government will encompass all modes of public transport including taxis, buses and possibly trains. The department will launch the pilot project for a single e-ticket…