Author: Gugu Lourie

To understand the new smart monitors and other pro devices of tech health, we should look to Silicon Valley and the quantified movement of the latest generation. Apple’s Watch records exercise, tracks our moves throughout the day, assesses the amount of time we are stood up and reminds us to get up and move around if we have been sat for too long – let’s not forget Tim Cook’s “sitting is the new factor” line. Routinely evaluating your risk factors for various medical conditions, screening for cancer and other diseases, and assessing your lifestyle habits helps you stay healthy. It’s…

South Africa’s communications watchdog ICASA will hold virtual public hearings next week on the Inquiry into Subscription Television Broadcasting Services. The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) said on a statement on Wednesday night that the hearings will be held from 12 to 15 January 2021. The regulator said that there were requests from some interested stakeholders for it to consider deferring the public hearings to a later date. After careful consideration, ICASA said it has taken a decision to and hereby wishes to notify interested parties that the public hearings shall continue as set out in the notice. However,…

AmazingMall Africa has responded to rising online sales by opening a virtual marketplace that showcases quality South African brands. Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, online retail has experienced growth, which is largely due to the lockdown that was implemented to contain the alarming spread of COVID-19. South Africa has confirmed more than a million COVID-19 cases and recorded just over 28 000 related deaths. As a result, investment in technology and supply chains is increasing leading to an unprecedented boom in online spending. It is estimated that online retail sales grew by around 40% during the lockdown. Big…

The performance of the share price of YeboYethu, the black economic empowerment (BEE) shares of Vodacom, continues to create value for investors. BEE is designed to widen the South African economy’s ownership, mainly in white hands 26 years after apartheid. Established in 2008 YeboYethu was priced at R25.00 per share, and more than 100 000 qualifying black investors participated. The share listed for trading on an over-the-counter platform in 2014 and their value had jumped to about R45.00 per share. In 2008, Vodacom facilitated a R7.5 billion B-BBEE deal where different groups acquired shares in its South African operations (Vodacom SA).…

The Cape Town High Court has granted a provisional liquidation order against Mirror Trading International (MTI), a bitcoin Ponzi scheme. “The Master of the High Court will now appoint a provisional liquidator to urgently take control of the assets and liabilities of MTI,” said Luitingh and Associates in a statement today The liquidation case was brought by Vezi & De Beer Inc on behalf of their client, Anton Lee. Luitingh and Associate lodge one of the two applications for liquidation against the bitcoin Ponzi scheme MTI. Read: MTI CEO goes AWOL, lawyers pull out (Dec 22) MTI does not know if…

MTN Group has strengthened its board of directors’ gender diversity with the appointment of two women executives. Africa and the Middle East biggest mobile phone operator announced on Monday that Nosipho Molope has been appointed as an independent non-executive director. Her appointment is effective, 1 April 2021. Gosa – a sell-side analyst and experienced deal maker The South African-based telco also announced that Noluthando Gosa has been appointed as an independent non-executive director of MTN Group.  Her appointment is also effective, 1 April 2021. Gosa holds a BA (Hons) Communications from the University of Fort Hare, has completed a Post…

Pick n Pay announced on Wednesday that it has completed the integration of Bottles – the on-demand delivery app – as the on-demand service of Pick n Pay Online. The retailer said this allows customers to get their online grocery and liquor order delivered within as little as 60 minutes. This offering adds to the retailer’s two other successful services – an online scheduled delivery service, and Click n Collect. The retailer further said that the app will soon be integrated with Pick n Pay’s Smart Shopper loyalty programme. “By early next year, on-demand customers will earn Smart Shopper points…

MTN has dished out more than R135 million in ordinary shares to executive directors due to Africa’s largest mobile phone operator’s Performance Share Plan. “In accordance with paragraph 3.63 of the JSE Limited Listings Requirements, shareholders are advised that the following directors of MTN as well as of major subsidiaries of MTN were awarded and accepted shares, which are subject to performance conditions, in accordance with the MTN Performance Share Plan,” the company informed investors on Tuesday. MTN CEO Ralph Mupita received 530 800 shares at a value of R33.5 million with a vesting period of three years from 21 December…

PremierCredit, an online microlending platform operating in Zambia and Zimbabwe, has raised $650 000 (R9.7 million) from South Africa’s Enygma Ventures. Branded as a unique purpose fund, Enygma Ventures is a Venture Capital Fund that invests in female founders and entrepreneurs in Southern Africa. PremierCredit has extensive plans to grow and serve the SADC (Southern African Development Community), a Regional Economic Community comprising 16 Member States. Since 2019 PremierCredit has been offering microloans in Zambia, supporting local entrepreneurs and small scale traders, many of whom are women, increasing their access to capital and the ability to grow their businesses. “After…

The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has opened a criminal case against Mirror Trading International (MTI), a South African registered company offering Forex trading services by using an automated system to trade. The company, which is founded by Johann Steynberg from Polokwane, claims on its website to have more than 90 000 active members in 177 countries. The company’s head office is in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa. There are two satellite offices – one in Randburg, Gauteng and one in Strand, Western Cape, South Africa. Using Bitcoin as its base currency, the company claims it uses advanced digital software and artificial…