Author: Gugu Lourie
SA’s MetroFibre Networx and Steyn City Properties have collaborated to bring Fibre Connectivity to residents of Steyn City Parkland. Connectivity Services is a joint venture between the parties, that will see ownership of the passive fibre infrastructure which resides with Steyn City Properties, while the operations, management, support and maintenance of the network will be performed by MetroFibre Networx. Connectivity Services will provide an open access fibre communications network, offering residents and business within the development offerings of multiple service providers, dependent on the needs of the customer. “Fibre is one of the fastest growing markets in the country and…
A Cape Town-based FinTech business, Electrum, has been providing local retailers and banks with the technology platform that they need in order to connect their systems to Value Added Services (VAS) providers and sell VAS. The tremendous growth of VAS has created substantial demand from South African retailers such as retailer Pick ‘n Pay and the country’s fastest growing bank Capitec for the technology to support the sale of these services. VAS include prepaid airtime, prepaid electricity, gift cards, bill payments, money transfers, e-tickets, and loyalty transactions. But it’s not as simple as selling a normal stock item that sits…
by Nox Makunga Children’s ideas about what their gender means for their intellectual capacity are formed before they have even turned six. One idea that’s particularly pervasive and dangerous is that, only boys are good at maths and science. Popular media only exacerbates the problem. Research has shown that girls hardly ever see adult women doing jobs that involve science, technology, engineering and maths on television programmes. Children’s programmes also rarely feature women doing anything scientific. These early stereotypes may lead to young girls developing a “fear” of these subjects throughout their schooling. This ultimately limits their career aspirations. They become…
by Staff Writer South African-based Internet of Things (IoT) firm IoT.nxt, which recently spreads its wings to the UK, has secured R100 million to pursue global expansion. The Pretoria-based IoT company has secured a further R100m from its dedicated investor and funding partner Talent Holdings. “We are grateful for the confidence Talent have shown with this latest round of funding and believe this will cause another shift in our growth,” IoT.nxt CEO, Nico Steyn, said on Friday. “We will apply these funds further step up innovation and at the same time extend the productization of the platform into specifically target market sectors.”…
by Zandile Mchiza Food advertising strongly influences the eating choices of adults, adolescents and children alike. But TV and magazine adverts often carry misleading health and nutrition claims. Advertisers use persuasive techniques to entice vulnerable viewers who can’t make informed decisions about the products they buy. Our study looked at how different groups in South Africa were exposed to food advertising in magazines. We found that more than half of the adverts in magazines that primarily target poor, black people were for unhealthy and starchy foods. Affluent, non-black groups were shown slimming foods and dietary supplements. Adverts also made false claims…
by Staff Writer South African-based IT group Business Connexion has been rebranded as “BCX” months after it was bought by telecoms giant Telkom. The acquisition was finalised in 2015. Founded in 1996, BCX emerged as one of the most innovative and profitable tech firms in South Africa with a massive footprint across the African continent, which is why Telkom came calling in an R2.7 billion deal. The company delisted on the JSE on 24 August 2015. “The launch of BCX is truly the beginning of a new chapter of digitalisation for Africa,” said Isaac Mophatlane, CEO of BCX. “This new…
By Shiona Blundell, head of banking, Africa, Wipro Limited and Gavin Holme, business head, Africa, Wipro Limited For most of us, banking is a ‘grudge purchase’. We don’t wake up in the morning and look forward to paying accounts, drawing cash from the ATM, or buying airtime. Our interactions with our bank’s call centres or branch staff generally relate to some type of problem that’s occurred. Since the collapse of the global economy in 2008, and the multibillion-dollar bailouts that ensued, our faith in banks has been shattered. Almost a decade later, they’re still struggling to regain lost trust.…
by Staff Writer Polish on-demand TV consumers are about to be flooded with a strong portfolio of local content catering for their needs. South Africa’s Naspers’ internet TV service ShowMax is launching in Poland. The new service will be branded ShowMax and utilise the current ShowMax platform and Polish language apps. This new service is closely tailored to local needs with a strong focus on Polish content including original productions commissioned by ShowMax. Poland has a vibrant TV and film production industry, and for launch ShowMax has acquired exclusive rights to a range of popular local shows including political satire Ucho…
by Scott Shackelford Having access to the internet is increasingly considered to be an emerging human right. International organizations and national governments have begun to formally recognize its importance to freedom of speech, expression and information exchange. The next step to help ensure some measure of cyber peace online may be for cybersecurity to be recognized as a human right, too. The United Nations has taken note of the crucial role of internet connectivity in “the struggle for human rights.” United Nations officials have decried the actions of governments cutting off internet access as denying their citizens’ rights to free expression.…
by Staff Writer South African mobile and fixed-line telephone customers seem to be generally doing well, thanks to the number portability regulation giving them more options: to choose when to stay or dump either Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, and Telkom. But can you believe it, the average number of numbers ported every month is 45 521. This could indicate that consumers are happy with their network operator – Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, and Telkom. Consumers may be happy with the packages, data and call rates provided by the big four operators or are frustrated by the porting process. Number Portability is the process…
by Rachel Grieve Love is a complex and powerful force, one that plays out in a number of emotional, cognitive and social ways. When we love a person, we feel emotional arousal in their presence. We will also have a set of thoughts (or cognitions) about that person, and our previous experiences can shape our ideas about what we expect in our relationships. For example, if you believe in love at first sight, then you are more likely to experience it. But we use love in many different contexts. You might say that you love your partner, or your family, or…
By Brian Timperley, the MD of Turrito Networks In 2017, South Africa is expected to spend $10.5bn on information, technology, and communications (ICT). This is according to the International Data Corporation (IDC), and the figure makes it the highest ICT spender across the Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META) regions. Without a doubt, as a country heavily reliant on small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), a large portion of this spend will be traceable back to SMEs. And given that Internet connectivity has now become the lifeblood of any functioning business entity, much of the spend will be funneled towards simply…
by Staff Writer The Mercedes-Maybach family has just launched its first SUV with an electric fabric top. The new SUV called the Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet will will celebrate its world premiere and sales release at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2017. The market launch of the special series of the open-top four-seater will be limited to 99 units and will start in the autumn. This extrovert G‑Class thus represents a unique combination of luxurious chauffeur saloon and off-roader. While the driver and front passenger are accommodated under the closed roof, the rear passengers can revel in a maximum of comfort:…
by Sekete Patrick Maphopha, NetApp Africa CTO and Technology Evangelist There are an estimated 1 000 dating sites currently operating in South Africa – some of them stating membership numbers of up to several million. There is no doubt that the modern world and social norms have shifted, such that online and in-app algorithms are now an acceptable – and often encouraged – way to meet a future partner. It is user data that drives the success of these matches, helping to find that ideal partner, and this data has driven a genuine shift in modern dating habits. How can…
by Staff Writer Vodacom finally joins the bandwagon for on-demand television. The Vodafone-owned mobile phone firm and ShowMax have teamed-up to provide a new TV service available on smartphones and tablets. The new service with a strong focus on local content is optimised for lower data consumption on smartphones and tablets and is billed directly to a Vodacom account with no need for a credit card. ShowMax Select is a new internet TV service designed for use on smartphones and tablets. ShowMax Select has more than 10 000 TV show episodes and movies including local hits like Isibaya, Shaka Zulu,…
by Staff Writer A new IT skills development fund has been established for graduates from rural and semi-rural KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) to expose learners to the latest technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics, in order to pave the way for South Africa’s future in these areas, according to Saurabh Kumar, CEO at In2IT. The R2.6 million fund has been established by ICTmanaged solutions provider, In2IT, which has partnered with Nedbank and Moving Ahead Development Agency (MADA), a registered no- profit and public benefit organisation responsible for the implementation of National Skill Development, to create a new learnership programme. In2IT…
by Jessica Su As you browse the internet, online advertisers track nearly every site you visit, amassing a trove of information on your habits and preferences. When you visit a news site, they might see you’re a fan of basketball, opera and mystery novels, and accordingly select ads tailored to your tastes. Advertisers use this information to create highly personalized experiences, but they typically don’t know exactly who you are. They observe only your digital trail, not your identity itself, and so you might feel that you’ve retained a degree of anonymity. But, in a paper I coauthored with Ansh Shukla,…
by Staff Writer IBM, global tech giant, is investing about R945 million ($70 million) in building much-needed digital, cloud, and cognitive IT skills to help support a 21st-century workforce in Africa. The initiative is known as “IBM Digital – Nation Africa” provides a cloud-based learning platform designed to provide free skills development programs. The company is targeting to train up to 25 million African youths over five years, enabling digital competence and nurturing innovation in Africa. The tech giant said that this is part of its global push to build the next generation of skills needed for “New Collar” careers. …
by Gugu Lourie Google has launched shopping ads in South Africa as the web giant looks to bring the best possible shopping experience to the consumers. The move means that retailers will be able to sell more products online. The Nasdaq-listed company, headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, wants to turn online browsing into online buying in South Africa. “Google launched shopping ads in South Africa today – three years ago when I was asked whether Google was bringing shopping to SA there weren’t enough advertisers with enough offers to make it work,” Luke Mckend, the country director of Google South…
by WhereIsMyTransport WhereIsMyTransport has announced that data for the entire public transport network of Cape Town is now available on its platform. Integrating data from both formal (i.e. officially provided) and informally-run (i.e. minibus taxis) transport for the South African city, this makes Cape Town the world’s first city to have both its formal and informally-run transport system data captured, integrated and openly available. To celebrate this achievement, the company has created a map of the city’s most active informally-run taxi routes, visualising data from the transport information company’s open platform. Informally-run transport accounts for 80-90% of public transport journeys for…
by SAP Africa Students, SAP Africa partners, customers and executives gathered at Eskom’s Megawatt Park in Sandton for the SAP Skills for Africa graduation ceremony which celebrated the completion of an intense three-month digital skills training programme. Now in its sixth chapter, the job creation initiative provides sustainable jobs to alleviate Africa’s unemployment crisis and included SAP partners and customers such as Eskom, Zimele Technologies, T-Systems, Britehouse, EOH, Accenture, Bosch, Clariba, Consnet, ICTWorx, Cornastone as well as MICT SETA, the government body which facilitates and accelerates the processes of quality skills development at all levels in the MICT sector. “Seven…
by Staff Writer Mercedes-Benz is launching its automotive springtime with attractive editions of its SL and SLC Roadsters. Customers can choose from the SLC RedArt Edition as well as the SL designo Edition. SL designo Edition with even more exclusivity The legendary Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster gains even more exclusivity with the new designo Edition. The special model is characterised by stylish elements and high-quality materials on the exterior and interior. The badges with the designo Edition logo placed laterally between the chrome badges subtly reference the Roadster’s special status. Expressive: Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 RedArt Edition The AMG RedArt Edition for…
by Gugu Lourie The stage to do battle for a connected user is being laid by tech firms – Comsol, Sigfox and Vula Telematix – in a lucrative race to connect homes, farmers, doctors, patients, cars, utilities, and other everyday devices such as fridges and washing machines, etc. to smartphones. In the meantime, telco’s are setting up their Internet of Things (IoT) platforms to lure customers. IoT, previously machine-to-machine (M2M), is a concept of connecting devices – ranging from refrigerators, geysers, smart electric meters, coffee makers, etc. – to the internet. Our smartphones, tablets, laptops and even refrigerators make up…
by David Glance Snapchat’s parent company Snap has filed for its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock exchange. Hoping to raise US $3 billion, the IPO would value Snap at between US $20 and $25 billion dollars putting it at almost twice the expected valuation of Twitter when it went public in 2013. Snap’s SEC filing reveals more details about the company and how CEO Evan Spiegel and CTO Robert Murphy plan to justify the valuation. Snap have positioned themselves as a “camera company” which has been misinterpreted by some as meaning that it will be somehow making…
A mobile phone-based solution for Agri-businesses to interact and transact with Smallholder Farmers. Connected Farmer is an easy to use mobile phone-based enterprise solution for Agri-businesses to interact and transact with Smallholder Farmers. For more read: The Connected Farmer: How Vodacom is Making Farming Cool