Author: Gugu Lourie
Secha Capital and Hassium Capital took a big bet on FarmTrace, a South African agri-tech farm solution. The companies are investing an undisclosed amount of capital into FarmTrace, which is based in Tzaneen, Limpopo and Stellenbosch, Western Cape. FarmTrace is the only cloud-based farm management tool that offers a diverse range of tools to help farmers manage their operations. Jacques du Plessis, FarmTrace co-founder and CEO said, “FarmTrace started in 2015 and we have boot-strapped exponential growth by working intimately with our clients to solve their needs. We have a long back-log of interested farms, so we decided to raise…
Google TV is introducing over 800 new free TV channels and the service is making it easier to browse through content via a revamped Live tab. “These days we have more ways to stream movies and TV shows than ever — but as streaming services multiply, so do our monthly bills. Luckily, there’s been an increase in the number of free TV options available, offering everything from local news and popular shows to hit movies. But with all the choices out there, it can be hard to know what’s available and how to find it,” the company said. “That’s where…
In the first quarter of 2023, the BMW Group sold a total of 64,647 fully electric vehicles from the BMW and Mini brands, more than twice as many as in the same quarter in 2022. “Our strong product lineup continues to inspire our customers worldwide. Our fully-electric vehicles, in particular, are benefiting from high demand around the globe. We were therefore able to maintain the dynamic pace of our electromobility ramp-up in the first quarter,” said Pieter Nota, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Customer, Brands, Sales. “The BMW Group is on track for slight…
MTN South Africa has launched five new uncapped home internet products, starting from only R249pm. The MyMTN Home Internet Starter, Pro, Premium, Ultra and Infinite offerings are all month-to-month plans – meaning that you pay monthly, you can cancel anytime, and you get a free to use router. With these products, MTN aims to change the way customers work, study, play and enjoy social media and streaming apps at home with an ultra-fast and ultra-reliable broadband connection at affordable prices. “Our aim is to make every home a ‘digitally connected’ home”, says Ernst Fonternel, Chief Consumer Officer at MTN South…
Talent acquisition is a pressure cooker. And the pressure is rising. There is a scarcity of skills and cultural fit. This is compounded by high staff turnovers, exhausted teams and urgent deadlines. Often, it’s the job of a tiny talent team to alleviate this pressure and fill the mounting gaps. On average, South African talent acquisitions teams are flooded with 1 400 CVs per advertised vacancy. This number escalates to 20 000 CVs for high volume roles like internships. Finding the right match takes time but with time comes the potential of losing talent. The top 10% of candidates are snapped up…
Liquid Intelligent Technologies, , a business of Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Zambia to accelerate the country’s digital transformation and provide reliable and affordable connectivity to all Zambians. The agreement builds on Liquid’s already extensive investments made since it opened its doors in Zambia in 2011. In the MOU, Liquid Zambia has committed to launching a new data centre that can respond to increasing data-hosting needs from local businesses and hyperscalers establishing their presence in Zambia. Planned expansion of Liquid’s fibre network will see the connection of more towns…
Vehicle tracking and telematics company Netstar, a subsidiary of Altron, in partnership with Vodacom Business, is empowering taxi commuters across the country through the use of a free in-taxi connectivity service, WiTaxi. Through this partnership, passengers can access free Wi-Fi from their personal devices during their daily commutes, turning often lengthy travel time into productive time, when commuters can get work done and even connect with family and friends. The in-transit connectivity also addresses safety concerns for taxi owners, drivers, and commuters, mitigating risk, as the platform can assist in mapping road hazards such as potholes, traffic and accidents. “South Africa’s…
Osidon, in association with Discovery SA, today announced the launch of an innovative and tax advisory solution that will benefit individuals — as well as business taxpayers of South Africa by leveraging bespoke artificial intelligence software, advanced analytics and data. Using this next generation technology, financial consultants will be able to offer the highest quality of customer service in both tax and financial advisory — with the aim of achieving savings for clients on their taxes, insurance and overall financial position. “For the customer, this means an integrated service with a holistic view of all products that impact individual tax as a…
Bolt, an on-demand mobility platform, has partnered with the Automobile Association (AA), the trusted safety champion of South African motorists and travellers for over 90 years, as its new emergency response services provider. The AA’s emergency response services can be accessed through the SOS button located within the Bolt app’s Safety Toolkit. This feature will enable drivers and passengers to connect quickly and easily 24/7 to private armed response teams and private emergency medical rescue if they are involved in any medical or security emergency while on a Bolt ride, at no cost. Willem Groenewald, CEO of the AA South…
South African FinTech start-up Peach Payments has bagged $31 million or R550 million in Series A funding led by Apis Growth Fund II, a private equity fund managed by Apis Partners LLP (Apis Partners), a UK-based asset manager. The startup was set up in South Africa in 2012. Peach Payments is a payment gateway offering simple, seamless and secure online payment services that enable businesses to easily accept payments on their websites and mobile apps, integrating with leading e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify, Wix and Magento. The company is a rapidly growing digital payment service provider that enables online payments…