Author: Gugu Lourie

GE HealthCare has signed an agreement with Axim Life Isotopes South Africa (ALISA), a joint venture between Life Healthcare and the AXIM Group of Companies, to expand provision of molecular imaging in South Africa with the delivery of two Cyclotrons, which produce radioisotopes enabling the production of tracing agents used in molecular imaging scans. GE HealthCare will deliver the Cyclotrons to ALISA’s laboratory facility in Midrand, South Africa early next year, giving patients in Africa access to medical advancements. Molecular imaging enables doctors and clinicians to see inside the body with a non-invasive process, helping to diagnose and treat diseases…

Two in three (64%) consumers in South Africa prefer using digital-only platforms when transferring money internationally, according to Western Union’s inaugural Global Money Transfer Index. When asked about the future, being able to choose between digital and in-person platforms grows in importance. South Africa has taken bold steps to rebuild the national economy and boost digital inclusion following pandemic lockdowns. As a result, it is increasingly moving to a remittance future that aims to realise financial inclusion and help grow the economy. Today, it is the largest ‘send’ market in Africa with USD 1.1 billion in outflows[1], and approximately 2.9…

Checkers Sixty60 will now give customers their delivery for free if an order arrives more than 30 minutes after the estimated time of arrival. Delivery will also be free if an order contains fewer than 80% of a customer’s first-choice products. This Service Guarantee is a first in the South African on-demand grocery delivery space.  “Sixty60 is exceptionally confident in our ability to deliver the groceries shoppers want within 60 minutes. In South Africa this can be tricky at times given loadshedding-related traffic congestion, rainy weather and other challenges faced by drivers on the roads. Our north star is to make shopping effortless, and now we are giving customers the confidence to use…

South Africa-based payments infrastructure company Stitch today announced expansion to become an end-to-end Payments Service Provider (or PSP, defined as a third party that enables businesses to accept, manage and send digital payments through a variety of methods). This comes off the back of new solutions including pay-ins via Card and Debit Order, and payments orchestration and reconciliation system, PayOS. The Stitch payments suite is designed specifically for businesses with complex payments needs, offering flexibility and customisation. Stitch launched its first pay-in method, Instant EFT, in late 2021. They moved from a single-method provider toward a multi-method offering with the…

Tech consultancy giant Accenture announced today plans to retrench 19,000 people, or 2.5% of its workforce, as part of its actions to streamline operations and transform non-billable corporate functions to reduce costs. The retrenchments will be undertaken in the next 18 months, the tech giant informed investors in an SEC filing. Accenture added that it hire  consultants to meet current and projected future demand. “We proactively plan and manage the size and composition of our workforce and take actions as needed to address changes in the anticipated demand for our services and solutions, given that compensation costs are the most…

JSE-listed firm Blue Label Telecoms announced on Thursday that Douglas Craigie Stevenson stepped down as CEO of struggling mobile phone operator Cell C. Blue Label Telecoms said Craigie Stevenson resignation is effective 31 March 2023. The company said Craigie Stevenson has elected to resign for personal reasons and to pursue other opportunities in line with his personal career goals. “We thank Douglas for his valued contribution and for successfully assisting in navigating Cell C through the recapitalisation process,” Joe Mthimunye, Chairman of the Cell C Board, said in a statement. “Through the implementation of Cell C’s new strategy, he has…

JSE-listed Metair CEO Riaz Haffejee resign to ‘pursue other opportunities more in line with his personal career goals’. The manufacturer, distributor and retailer of batteries and automotive components informed investors that the board has duly accepted his resignation and wishes him well in his future endeavours. Haffejee, who joined the company two years agao, will be available for a period of two-months up to the end of May 2023 to ensure a smooth transition and handover. Metair also announced that Sjoerd Douwenga, chief financial officer (CFO), has been appointed as interim CEO and as a member of the S&E Committee. Anesh…

MindGeek, a technology and media company, owner of a large portfolio of adult entertainment properties, including Pornhub, has been acuired by a Canadian private equity firm Ethical Capital Partners (ECP). The terms of the transaction are private and are not being publicly disclosed. “At ECP, we seek out innovative and ethically-driven companies that operate at the frontier of new, evolving industries. In MindGeek, we have identified a dynamic tech brand that is built upon a foundation of trust, safety and compliance, and with ECP’s resources and broad expertise spanning regulatory, law enforcement, public engagement and finance, we have a unique…

Financial services provider Sanlam has acquired half of mobile operator MTN ‘s insurtech platform aYo. The strategic alliance, which takes effect on 31 October 2022, will market and distribute insurance and investment products across Africa through MTN Group’s insurTech aYo, in which each partner will hold 50%. “The group entered into an agreement with Sanlam Emerging Markets Proprietary Limited (Sanlam) to sell 50% of aYo’s issued shares for S$40 million ( approximately R735 million translated at the signature date ),” MTN said on Monday. “Subsequent to the sale, a new shareholders’ agreement has become effective governing each shareholder’s rights in…

Minister in the Presidency for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, says collaboration between government, business and society is imperative if South Africa is to overcome the current electricity crisis gripping the nation. The Minister was speaking during the launch of the Resource Mobilisation Fund (RMF) on Thursday afternoon. The RMF is a collaborative effort between government and Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) to provide resources and expertise that will assist government to fully implement the Energy Action Plan. “The establishment of the Resource Mobilisation Fund is a significant step in this regard. It is only through a collective national effort that…