Author: Gugu Lourie
South Africa’s youth unemployment rate stands at a staggering 60.9% for those aged 15-24, with 3.9 million young people not in employment, education, or training. For first-generation students navigating a fragmented system of universities, funders, and employers – each operating in isolation – the journey from classroom to career has become an impossible maze. TechFinancials sat down with Nozuko Mzamo, a social entrepreneur, Youthpreneur Enabler, and Youth Advocate with over 20 years of experience advancing education access and economic inclusion in South Africa. Featured in Business Day newspaper for her pioneering work in youth development, Mzamo is the Founder of…
Session Telecoms has instructed its legal team to seek a review of a ruling by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) that imposed a R6 million administrative fine together with additional sanctions. The ICASA Council adopted the recommendations of its Complaints and Compliance Committee on 18 June 2026. The Committee found that Session Telecoms had contravened two provisions of the Numbering Plan Regulations following a complaint lodged by MTN. The ruling imposed a R3-million fine for each contravention, together with the barring and withdrawal of certain numbers, mandatory monthly reporting for a period of 24 months, and ongoing…
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has handed down a hefty fine and multiple sanctions against local telecommunications company, Session Telecoms Proprietary Limited (Session), following a lengthy investigation into numbering resource abuses. The regulatory action comes after a formal complaint was lodged by Mobile Telephone Networks Proprietary Limited (MTN) against Session in April 2023. MTN alleged that Session was misusing numbering resources allocated by the Authority—specifically pointing to activities like Calling Line Identification (CLI) manipulation, call refiling, and SIM-boxing. These practices are commonly linked to interconnect bypass operations, which disrupt the normal flow of communications. Background of the…
The South African Bookmakers Association (SABA) is calling for urgent action, not further debate about blocking illegal offshore gambling websites. This follows the recent position adopted by the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) regarding proposals by the National Gambling Board to block illegal offshore gambling websites. While SABA agrees that technical interventions must be supported by clear legislation, appropriate regulatory oversight and constitutional safeguards, it says that the debate should no longer centre on whether illegal offshore gambling can be addressed, but how quickly South Africa is prepared to act. SABA’s Comprehensive Approach to Combating Illegal Online Gambling For many…
HyperDev, a burgeoning generative AI software development platform operating across Europe and South Africa, has successfully raised more than $1 million (R16 million) in a pre-seed funding round. The investment comes from a network of venture capital investors based in Europe and the UK, signaling strong confidence in the startup’s unique approach to AI-assisted coding as it approaches a user base of 100,000. While the current market is flooded with AI coding assistants, HyperDev is carving out a distinct niche by solving the “last mile” problem of software development. Instead of merely generating code snippets, the platform’s proprietary “Guided Mode”…
South Africa’s AI Leadership in Africa: A Data-Driven Analysis South African enterprises are deploying artificial intelligence at a scale unmatched by any other African nation, according to new data from the 2026 Global Outsourcing AI Readiness Index published by Ataraxis. The comprehensive index, which ranks the world’s top 25 outsourcing destinations on AI adoption, workforce literacy, enterprise readiness, and education pipeline, positions South Africa at number 8 globally and number 1 in Africa, with an overall AI readiness score of 66.5 out of 100. The Continental Gap: South Africa vs. The Rest of Africa South Africa’s dominance in AI readiness across…
South Africa’s escalating cybersecurity crisis is inflicting a devastating blow to the national economy, with costly data breaches potentially knocking at least 1.81% off the country’s annual GDP, a series of avoidable own-goals that experts warn are entirely preventable. According to Cube ICT Solutions, a leading managed ICT services provider, the average cost of a single data breach now stands at R44.1 million in South Africa, based on the latest IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025. With a staggering 3,219 data breaches reported to the South Africa’s Information Regulator in the 2025/2026 period, the cumulative cost to the economy has reached an astonishing…
The Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) has formally cautioned the government that compelling internet service providers to block illegal offshore gambling platforms is not only technically futile and easily circumvented but also carries significant legal and constitutional risks. In a position paper published on Thursday, ISPA laid out its objections to a formal request by the National Gambling Board (NGB) , which asked the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) to implement internet blocking in an effort to curb illegal online gambling platforms targeting South African consumers. While ISPA – South Africa’s official internet Industry Representative Body (IRB) – acknowledges that there are…
South Africa’s leading on-demand grocery platform, Pick n Pay asap!, has officially unveiled “Penny” – the country’s first fully integrated AI-powered grocery shopping companion – marking a major leap from manual scrolling to intuitive, conversation-led basket building. Available in the latest version of the Pick n Pay asap! app, the generative AI assistant eliminates the need for manual product searches. Customers can now speak, type, or even share photos to build their grocery basket instantly. The feature is scheduled for a full public rollout commencing 6 July 2026. The Shift from Search-and-Scroll to Conversational Shopping This launch positions Pick n Pay…
Takealot Group, South Africa’s dominant online retailer, has successfully defended its market share against a wave of international competitors, posting a significant financial turnaround for the 2026 fiscal year. Parent company Naspers confirmed today that the Takealot Group swung to a full-year aEBIT profit of $11 million (R180 million), a dramatic recovery from a $13 million (R213 million) loss in the previous year. The results highlight the resilience of the local e-commerce leader in the face of aggressive market entries. Takealot Group’s market leadership is under relentless pressure from multiple angles. Globally, the platform faces stiff competition from Amazon’s localized…
Losing a loved one is difficult enough, but when that loss results in an inheritance from another country, it can also bring unexpected legal, financial and administrative hurdles. For South Africans inheriting money from abroad, understanding the three key steps involved – settling the foreign estate, transferring the funds home and possibly using the money to invest in property – can avoid costly delays and unnecessary complications. Step one: settle the foreign estate Before any inheritance can be paid out, the estate must be wound up according to the laws of the country where the assets are held. An executor…
JSE-listed mining group Wesizwe Platinum has provided an update to shareholders, detailing significant progress on its SAP S/4HANA Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system re-implementation . The announcements, following a series of JSE News Service releases since March 2026, highlight the company’s strategic efforts to fortify its internal controls and address operational challenges. SAP S/4HANA ERP Rebuild Nears Final Phase Following the cyberattack in December 2024 that compromised its previous ERP system, the Wesizwe Board approved the implementation of a new SAP S/4HANA system to replace the legacy software. The primary objective of this project is to strengthen the company’s internal…
For the last five years, the story about AI and software jobs has been the same: coding assistants would first come for engineers, gutting the profession from the bottom up. In reality, the last 15 months of talent and hiring data show that the long-feared “AI Code Apocalypse” has failed to materialise, according to researchers at venture firm SignalFire in their 2026 State of Talent Report. Instead, the data reveals a different structural reset. While tech hiring overall has stalled at 75% of its pre-pandemic baseline, engineering has held up better than nearly every other function at the Tech Majors*. SignalFire classifies…
OpenAI and Broadcom today unveiled Jalapeño, OpenAI’s first Intelligence Processor: an accelerator architected around OpenAI’s vision for the future of LLM inference, and the first AI accelerator in a multi-generation compute platform the companies are building together to make advanced AI faster, more reliable, and more accessible to more people. Jalapeño was delivered to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman by Broadcom President and CEO Hock Tan and President Charlie Kawwas, marking an important step in OpenAI’s strategy to build the full stack behind its models and products. OpenAI designed the chip from scratch around its deep understanding…
The Cape Winelands Airport (CWA) is an R8 billion private aviation development poised to transform the former Fisantekraal Airfield into a modern international transport and logistics hub. it is located just 13 kilometers northeast of Durbanville, this 450 hectare project aims to alleviate growing congestion at Cape Town International Airport, offering a strategic alternative for both commercial and business aviation . This ambitious project has reached significant milestones, securing key approvals and a powerful new partnership that solidifies its trajectory toward a 2028 opening . Key Developments and Milestones The Cape Winelands Airport project has achieved several critical regulatory and strategic…
McDonald’s South Africa has officially opened its newest restaurant at Corllet Drive on Friday, 19 June 2026 and it’s about much more than burgers and fries. The new establishment represents a significant investment in people, skills development, and the future of the nation. With South Africa grappling with persistently high youth unemployment, the Corllet Drive Restaurant is creating sustainable job opportunities for young people, equipping them with valuable skills and work experience while contributing to the growth of Gauteng’s economy and the broader national landscape. “This establishment is more than just a place to enjoy delicious feel good moments, it…
Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments infrastructure company, today announces a strategic investment from Ripple, the leading provider of blockchain-based enterprise solutions for traditional and digital finance. This partnership marks the definitive next phase of Flutterwave’s long-term stablecoin strategy, seamlessly connecting its existing cross-border settlement capabilities with enterprise-grade digital liquidity. By anchoring this infrastructure in the heart of the continent, Flutterwave is empowering African businesses to bypass legacy frictions, ultimately bolstering Nigeria’s role as the primary hub for global digital asset trade and driving sustained economic resilience across the African continent. The investment is a part of Flutterwave’s Series E fundraising, which…
Telecommunications companies (telcos) are strategically diversifying into healthcare by leveraging their existing assets—network infrastructure, customer bases, and billing systems—to bridge gaps in access, especially for underserved populations. They are moving beyond traditional connectivity roles to become digital health service providers. For telcos with advanced 5G networks, the strategy is to provide the premium connectivity that next-generation healthcare requires. In Singapore, Singtel is powering community health posts with its 5G+ network, which uses “network slicing” to ensure a stable, uninterrupted connection for teleconsultations, even during periods of heavy network traffic, as reported by Healthcare IT News. This diversification is a natural…
South Africans are suddenly happy with their mobile networks. Or at least, they are happy enough not to leave. Despite rising data prices and lingering frustration with customer service, millions of people are choosing to stay with Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, and Cell C. The days of mass “number porting” — switching networks while keeping the same phone number — appear to be over. And the numbers prove it. Porting Rates Have Collapsed According to the Number Portability Company (NPC), which manages the system that allows South Africans to switch networks without losing their numbers, the monthly average of people porting…
In my hometown, Bethal – a tiny Mpumalanga town of about 128,000 residents surrounded by coal mines and power stations – Eskom could close or reconfigure the many coal power stations in the area. This simply means fewer jobs for young people seeking employment. On the other hand, the massive R25 billion to R35 billion hybrid wind and solar facility currently being developed, already visible from afar when approaching Bethal, has not absorbed significant numbers of jobless youth. Young people in Bethal are eager to work, but the opportunities remain scarce. The lucky ones get employment at Sasol’s Secunda operations, which its future…
Netcare has announced that it is piloting clinical-grade wearable monitoring technology in general wards at a flagship facility, as part of a broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) tools across its ecosystem. The move positions the private hospital group as a continental leader in digitally enabled, data-driven healthcare. The announcement came as Netcare today published its results for the six months ended 31 March 2026, revealing strong financial momentum alongside major digital innovation milestones. Netcare is a leading healthcare provider in Africa, operating an integrated network of hospitals, emergency services, and primary care facilities. The group’s ten-year strategy focuses…
The Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) has appointed insider Charles Shilowa as its acting Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 July 2026. Shilowa, currently Group Executive for Capital Infrastructure Asset Management, will take over when current CEO Nompumelelo Mpofu’s contract expires on 30 June 2026. Mpofu will also step down as an executive director at that time. Shilowa first joined ACSA in November 2015 as Group Executive for Business Development. He later served as Group Executive for Strategy and Sustainability from September 2021 to June 2023 before assuming his current infrastructure role. Prior to ACSA, Shilowa held senior leadership roles…
Vodacom, South Africa’s largest mobile phone operator by subscribers, continues to make significant inroads into the insurance sector as it steadily gains customer trust. The Vodafone-owned company has been expanding its presence in the insurance market by offering funeral, life, and device cover, alongside various short-term insurance services, to both existing and new customers. Insurance is widely recognised as one of the sectors most vulnerable to disruption – a finding backed by major consulting firms and risk surveys. While it may not always top current disruption rankings, its high susceptibility to future disruption – driven by technological stagnation, inefficiencies, and…
CANAL+, a global media and entertainment company, has confirmed its intention to complete a fast-track secondary inward listing of its ordinary shares on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) on 3 June 2026. The French-based media conglomerate which already holds a primary listing on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE), said the JSE listing will provide South African investors with a direct opportunity to invest in the group and enhance the long-term liquidity and tradability of CANAL+ shares. Fully Fungible Shares, No New Capital Raised CANAL+ will retain its primary listing on the LSE. Shares traded on the…
Balwin Annuity delivered another solid performance, with revenue increasing by 25% to R219.0 million for the year ended 28 February 2026. JSE-listed Balwin), a developer focused on environmentally responsible building practices and the delivery of high-quality, affordable, lifestyle-oriented apartments, today released its audited financial results for the year ended 28 February 2026. Balwin said the annuity said Balwin Annuity maintained its 8.1% contribution to group revenue, reinforcing the growing importance of complementary revenue streams around the core development business. The annuity platform includes Balwin ICT, Balwin Real Estate, rentals, customer services, Green Living and other businesses including padel, signage and…