Author: Gugu Lourie
On the 31st of August 2023, the Information Regulator took action by issuing an Enforcement Notice against Dis-Chem, due to their non-compliance with several provisions of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). In the timeline of events, it was revealed that during the months of April and May in 2022, a brute force attack was launched against Grapevine, a third-party service provider engaged by Dis-Chem. A brute force attack involves repeated attempts to guess a password until the correct combination is discovered. It wasn’t until the 1st of May 2022 that Dis-Chem became aware of this security breach when…
After years of rumors and speculation, Google’s first foldable phone, the Pixel Fold, was finally released last month. This new addition to Google’s smartphone lineup promises to redefine user expectations and usher in a new era of smartphone technology. With its striking 7.6-inch internal screen and an ultra-sleek profile, the Pixel Fold sets new standards for design excellence. Not just good looks, the Pixel Fold also presents a world of possibilities when it comes to smartphone multitasking and media consumption. The splitscreen mode and intuitive drag-and-drop feature means users can now be on a Zoom call while responding to a…
For the first time, Volvo Car South Africa has extended its guaranteed future value (GFV) finance offering to their electric fleet. Previously, the Volvo Versatility Finance scheme was available only for the Swedish firm’s combustion-engined vehicles, but in response to growing local demand for electric vehicles (EVs), the company has added the XC40 Twin Motor Recharge AWD Ultimate to the list of eligible cars, while also further refining its GFV offering. According to Volvo, customers will now have the flexibility to choose between a 36- and a 48-month GFV contract period, with a generous mileage cap of 20 000 km…
Plural, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered policy tracking platform, today announced its expansion into Africa to enable access to public policy data across various African jurisdictions starting with Nigeria and South Africa. In June 2023, Plural began collaborating with a local network organization, Afrilabs, to help refine the platform and spur the region’s economic growth, create political change, simplify increasing regulatory complexity, develop ongoing digital transformation and stimulate transparency and cross-border business expansion. Plural’s expansion into Africa comes at a crucial time, as Africa is currently implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and being met with growing calls for policy transparency, harmonization and improvements to aid free trade and economic development. Plural…
It’s truly remarkable to contemplate that Telkom’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) is commemorating its 25th anniversary. Through the CoE Programme, substantial funding and assistance are channelled into the advanced education of post-graduates (encompassing PhD, Masters, and Honours levels) within the realm of Computer Science and Engineering (CS&E). This initiative not only enhanced technical research and innovation on a significant scale in South Africa but also nurtures the growth of adept professionals in these fields. Telkom has seamlessly integrated several innovations stemming from these students, one notable example being Izwe.AI, which has been harnessed to enhance the quality of customer service.…
Telkom has reaffirmed its dedication to cultivating emerging technological skills as its Centre of Excellence (CoE) reaches its 25-year milestone. Originating as a collaborative initiative involving Telkom, the telecommunications industry, and the government, the CoE was established to advance research in communication technology and related sciences. It also aimed to offer facilities that would inspire young scientists and engineers to pursue their research passions within South Africa. The funding for CoEs was a joint effort involving Telkom, companies within the ICT industry, and the Department of Trade and Industry through the Technology and Human Resource for Industry Programme (THRIP). However,…
Telkom’s participation in the two-day Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference (SATNAC) is significant. The overarching theme of the conference, “The Augmented Era: Navigating Artificial Intelligence in a Connected Society” is reflected in the plenary sessions and presentations, which include speakers and panellists from local and international telecommunications, software, networking and infrastructure providers. SATNAC is an annual event held under the auspices of Telkom and attracts more than 400 participants. This important gathering has become the most important ICT conference across the continent. It serves as an important platform for industry, academic and operator stakeholders to showcase their advances…
Telkom recently partnered with the University of the Witwatersrand to inaugurate the Telkom Industry Solutions Lab. This state-of-the-art facility is designed to foster collaboration between businesses and universities in the field of research and development (R&D). The establishment of this lab is a key strategic move by Telkom to strengthen innovation within the group. The partnership with the University of the Witwatersrand aims to create an environment that fosters creativity and collaboration. This venture leverages the collective expertise and resources of both Telkom Group and the university. Ahead of the upcoming Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference (SATNAC), which…
Telkom’s AI system called Izwe.AI is changing the way customer service works. It takes spoken words in English and local languages and turns them into written text. Izwe.AI, which means ‘nation”, is special because it can understand how people with South African accents speak. According to Dr Mmaki Jantjies, Telkom’s Innovation and Transformation Officer, Izwe.AI was developed to celebrate African languages. Most language technologies are designed for different languages and not much effort has been put into supporting the specific languages of South Africa. “So from translation perspective, it’s so important for us because a simple example: In call centres,…
Black investors in Phuthuma Nathi, the broad-based black economic empowerment arm of pay-TV operator MultiChoice, will share more than R1.3 billion in dividends. An ordinary dividend of R20.37 per share before dividend tax (R16.30 after tax) will be paid to Phuthuma Nathi shareholders in the first week of September 2023. “Despite the challenging macro-economic environment, which is also having a severe impact on our Phthuma Nathi shareholders, the board declared a dividend again this year,” Imtiaz Patel, MultiChoice SA chair, said. “We want to lend a helping hand during these trying times to our 77 000 shareholders who come from all…
Empire Partner Foundation, a distinguished philanthropic entity committed to the advancement of education and technological progress, today announce its collaborative endeavor with Midesk Global in delivering 50 Smart Desks to Mayibuye Primary School in Soweto. This charitable contribution, undertaken to enrich educational prospects and broaden student access, stands as a momentous achievement in the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to empowering marginalized communities through innovative solutions. The Smart Desks, thoughtfully equipped with a comprehensive ensemble including a school bag, desk, solar-powered light with charging port, and chair, are poised to redefine the learning experience for Mayibuye Primary School students. The seamless integration…
South Africa’s premier fintech focused on SMEs, Lulalend, has transformed into Lula, an encompassing cash-flow management and business banking solution. This rebranding signifies a pivotal shift from being solely a funding provider to an integrated cash flow management platform designed to streamline financial operations for SMEs. “Guided by our core belief that SMEs are the lifeblood of the South African economy, Lula aims to broaden our service offering to solve even more of the most common financial challenges small businesses face. To this end, we’re launching a business banking account tailor made for SMEs, complete with advanced financial management capabilities…
The Road Traffic Management Corporation, in collaboration with WeBuyCars, has unveiled a groundbreaking solution that enables the hassle-free online registration of motor vehicles and seamless transfer of ownership. This innovative initiative has been meticulously crafted to offer a streamlined and user-friendly approach for motor vehicle dealers and financial institutions. By facilitating direct online interactions with Natis, the system eliminates the need for cumbersome paperwork and visits to registration authorities. Months of meticulous development and rigorous testing alongside WeBuyCars have paved the way for this smooth and efficient introduction. This marks the latest stride in a series of technological enhancements within…
Solvyng is a Johannesburg based provider of information technology (IT) cloud services founded by Thulasizwe Mavuso. the company predominantly services the banking and asset management sectors and has recently focused its efforts and diversified to other sectors such as mining, retail, manufacturing and insurance. Solvyng is an amazon web service (AWS) advanced tier partner. its goal is to ensure that cloud services align with organisational objectives and business strategy, for seamless migration from legacy-to-cloud based systems. “We enable businesses to be more agile and resilient, reaching their bottom line quicker while saving cost and delivering more value to their customers.…
Bayobab, a subsidiary of the JSE-listed MTN Group, says it well on track to spend over $500 million or R10 billion investment in the expansion of its fibre business into an open-access network. CEO Frederic Schepens of Bayobab revealed to TechFinancials the company is in transition to separate MTN Group’s fibre business from the GSM network to unlock value within the business, attract strategic partners and comply with local regulation across our key markets. Schepens highlighted that the company is currently making significant strides in Zambia, where it has rolled out an impressive 4,000 kilometres of fibre. He added that…
BMW Group South Africa today unveil the newest addition to its leadership team. Effective from July 1, 2023, Thorsten Achenbach assumes the role of Director Digital and Global Solutions at the esteemed BMW IT Hub, situated in Menlyn Maine, Pretoria. This strategic appointment follows in the footsteps of Mr. Klaus von der Osten-Sacken. “I am pleased to welcome Mr Achenbach in his new role at the BMW IT Hub. Mr Achenbach brings a vast portfolio and proven track record of excellence, particularly in the IT field, and we look forward to the continued success of the BMW IT Hub,” said…
Cell C has officially announced the resignation of its Chief Financial Officer, Lerato Pule, who has decided to pursue a new opportunity. In the coming months, Pule will continue to fulfill her responsibilities, ensuring the seamless handling of crucial financial matters during the transition period. Pule has demonstrated exemplary leadership throughout her tenure, notably guiding the successful conclusion of the recapitalization process. Additionally, she has overseen the completion of historical audits spanning three years (2018-2020), with the finalization and sign-off of financial statements. The remaining stages of the 2021 and 2022 historic audits are underway, underscoring her commitment to delivering…
Entersekt, a global frontrunner in cutting-edge transaction authentication solutions for combating financial fraud, proudly announces a robust surge in both revenue and clientele. This remarkable achievement is propelled by its unwavering expansion in the United States and strategic collaborations. Following a strategic investment by Accel-KKR in the fiscal year 2022, Entersekt has witnessed rapid global growth, with a staggering 191% increase in contracted annual recurring revenue, and an impressive surge of nearly 220% in US-based clientele solely within the fiscal year 2023. Schalk Nolte, Entersekt CEO, commends the noteworthy growth amid a challenging global business landscape, attributing it to Entersekt’s…
SA’s medtech startup, VitruvianMD, has secured $1.25 million or R23 million through their Seed Extension II funding round led by 27four’s social impact venture capital (VC) fund, The Nebula Fund. The medtech company has gained significant traction and will use the funding to further accelerate growth by upscaling their team, gaining international regulatory approvals and driving growth into new applications of their technology. VitruvianMD combines biomedical engineering with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionise diagnostics accessibility in the medical laboratory sphere. Addressing the acute global challenge of diagnostician shortages, such as in Sub-Saharan Africa where the pathologist-to-population ratio stands at…
Absa announced today that it had 3.5 million digitally active customers in the six months to end-June 2023. The company, which is valued at around R155.9 billion on the JSE, said its digital journey continues to create value across all business lines as the number of digital customers grows in both retail and corporate banking. “Our commitment to quality user experience and continuous enhancement of our digital propositions is evidenced by the increase in continuous engagement on our digital platforms,” Absa told investors on Monday. The banking group said this had resulted in the digital channel’s share of revenue in…
Founders Factory Africa has secured an additional $114 million or R2.17 billion in funding to scale its model to better serve founders across the African tech ecosystem. The additional support from the Mastercard Foundation and Johnson & Johnson Impact Ventures, an impact fund within the Johnson & Johnson Foundation, follows on from previous investments into Founders Factory Africa by Standard Bank, Small Foundation and Netcare. The support will enable Founders Factory Africa to scale its model and better serve technology-led start-ups and founders across the African continent. “We are excited to have new and dynamic funding, which follows on from…
MTN’s first half adjusted headline earnings per share (HEPS) increased by 25% to 749 cents and adjusted return on equity (ROE) expanded by one percentage point to 24.4%. The acompany attributed HEPS – South Africa’s main profit gauge – rise to solid revenue growth and improved efficiencies, These were in line with our medium-term guidance, said MTN. MTN Group’s service revenue grew 15% to almost R108 billion in constant-currency terms. “This was driven by increases in revenue from data services of 24% and from fintech services of 22%. Revenue from voice services increased 6% in the period,” said MTN. At the…
Mastercard has acquired a minority stake in MTN’s FinTech business valued at $5.2 billion or R100 billion. Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator informed investors on Monday that Mastercard signed a memorandum of understanding which provides for a minority investment by Mastercard into its FinTech. “Following the bespoke process to identify and potentially introduce strategic minority investors into MTN Group FinTech, we executed commercial agreements with Mastercard to support the acceleration and growth of our FinTech business’s payments and remittance services,” said MTN. Mastercard will pay for the minority stake through cash and debt-free basis. “Signing of the definitive investment agreements…
Microsoft has discontinued Cortana digital assistant for Window 11 and a new update, which is now rolling out simply disables it. Cortana struggled to compete with Alexa and Google Assistand leading to its removal from various app stores three years ago. “We’re making some changes to Windows and Microsoft 365 that will impact Cortana users. Cortana in Windows as a standalone app is deprecated. Support for Cortana in Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams display, and Microsoft Teams Rooms will end in the fall of 2023,” said Microsoft in its blog. The company added that Cortana in Outlook mobile will continue to be…
Google announced today that in June 2022 it began alpha testing the ability to request and capture eSignatures in Google Docs. The search giant said based on the feedback it received it is ready to move this feature to the next level. eSignature is now available as an open beta for Google Workspace Individual subscribers — no additional sign-up is required to use the feature. eSignature will be available in beta for select Google Workspace customers — see the “Additional details” section below for more information. eSignature in Google Drive eSignature in Google Docs Who’s impacted Admins and end users…