Author: Gugu Lourie

The Empire Partner Foundation (EPF) continues to make significant strides in creating an environment where innovation thrives, and visionaries are empowered to shape Africa’s future. With a powerful presence at the 2024 EPF Tech Awards, Joanna Govender, CEO of EPF Tech Fund and EPF, emphasised the organisation’s commitment to supporting young African innovators and expanding its footprint across southern Africa. In her opening remarks, Govender drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s focus on youth empowerment and education, emphasising that “by investing in our youth, we invest in the future of Africa.” This vision aligns with EPF’s broader mission to create opportunities…

Justin Hughes, HR Executive for HR Operations at Openserve, shares his thoughts on why SATNAC is important. In the latest episode of TFS Bag of Words, Justin Hughes talks about how Openserve’s involvement in SATNAC helps improve Africa’s telecommunications infrastructure. SATNAC 2024, hosted by Telkom, will be held from 6–9 October at the Skukuza Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park. This year’s theme is “The AI-Driven Hyperconnected Future: Co-creating Shared Value,” focusing on how AI is changing the industry. In this episode, Hughes also discusses Openserve’s commitment to supporting research and development in the ICT sector through SATNAC. You…

For over 27 years, Telkom’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) programme has been a beacon of progress in South Africa’s ICT industry, playing a critical role in developing the nation’s talent pool and addressing crucial technological gaps. Established in 1997, the CoE initiative is designed to empower students by fostering research, innovation, and skills development, particularly in the fields of Computer Science and Engineering (CS&E). By enabling access to advanced education and research opportunities, Telkom’s CoE programme has significantly contributed to the creation of a future-fit, skilled workforce that is driving South Africa’s digital transformation. A visionary programme rooted in collaboration…

Tune in to the latest episode of TFS Bag of Words, featuring Uri Zisser, Regional VP Customer Business Executive at Amdocs, as he explores how Amdocs supports talent development through the Southern Africa Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference (SATNAC). Returning to the African tech scene, SATNAC 2024, hosted by Telkom, will take place from 6–9 October at the Skukuza Rest Camp in the heart of the Kruger National Park. This year’s theme, “The AI-Driven Hyperconnected Future: Co-creating Shared Value,” will bring insightful discussions and innovative research on the transformative role of AI. In this episode, Zisser explains how Amdocs leverages…

The long-running legal battle between Vodacom and Nkosana Makate, the inventor of the “Please Call Me” (PCM) service, will reach the Constitutional Court on 21 November 2024. In a notice of set down, the top court said: “Please take notice that the above matter has been set down for hearing on Thursday, 21 November 2024 at 10h00.” Vodacom is seeking to appeal a previous ruling that ordered the company to pay Makate “fair compensation” for his idea, which was developed in 2001 while he was employed at the company. Despite the service generating significant revenue, Makate has been fighting for…

StarSat, operated by OnDigital Media (ODM), confirms that earlier today, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), accompanied by the South African Police Service (SAPS), entered its Midrand offices and disconnected services. During this process, not only were ODM’s services impacted but also those of StarTimes Media’s pan-African broadcast. As the service provider to ODM and a subsidiary of the larger StarTimes Group, StarTimes Media holds a valid individual electronics communication network service (ECNS) licence for transmissions across Africa. “While we acknowledge ICASA’s mandate to shut down ODM’s South African services, we are appalled by the manner in which…

Numeral has announced the opening of Numeral Biotechnologies in South Africa, which is fully owned by the company. The company continues to focus on biotechnology and is actively looking for acquisitions in this field. This announcement is made in line with the Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM ) Listing Rules and the Securities Act of Mauritius, as well as the JSE Listings Requirements. Numeral is listed on the SEM and also has a secondary listing on the Alternative Exchange of the JSE. Numeric Biotech is a biopharmaceutical company fully dedicated to cure rare diseases in the field of age-relating diseases.…

RMB served as the sole mandated lead arranger for the acquisition of Octotel, the leading Open Access fibre network operator in Cape Town and the Western Cape. This significant transaction reflects RMB’s dedication to supporting investment in South Africa’s next-generation telecommunications infrastructure. Octotel has been acquired by a consortium comprising African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), one of Africa’s largest infrastructure-focused private equity fund managers and a division of Old Mutual Alternative Investments, STOA, a prominent impact fund focused on infrastructure and energy in developing markets, and Thebe Investment Corporation, a leading South African black-owned and managed investment firm. In March,…

TymeBank, Africa’s first digital bank to achieve profitability, has reached a significant milestone by surpassing 10 million customers, less than six years after its 2019 launch. Karl Westvig, who officially took over as CEO on 1 October 2024, expressed gratitude to the bank’s customers, stating: “We’d like to thank our 10 million customers for choosing us. This achievement is a testament to our team’s dedication to providing equitable banking that meets the evolving financial needs of South Africans and empowers them to achieve financial freedom.” He further highlighted: “Among our most significant achievements has been getting the business to break…

French broadcaster Canal+ and MultiChoice made a joint merger control filing with the South African Competition Commission. The French media giant has offered R125 in cash for every MultiChoice share it does not already own and has invested nearly €1.2bn for a 45.2% stake in the company. The filing is part of the process for the offer, signaling the next steps in their merger. As per the Competition Act, the transaction is categorised as a “large merger,” which requires approval from the Competition Tribunal. The Competition Commission will now review the filing and submit its recommendations to the Tribunal. Both…