Author: Gugu Lourie

By Staff Writer Following the launch of the new Golf TSI and Golf GTI facelift in May, Volkswagen has introduced two more performance models in the Golf range namely the Golf R and Golf GTD. With over 350 000 Golf’s sold in South Africa since its launch four decades ago, the updated version of the seventh generation Golf is once again redefining its market segment by bringing ‘big car’ technology to the compact family car class. The Golf R’s popularity in South Africa continues to strengthen and together with the GTI makeup nearly 60% of Golf sales in South Africa.…

For years now South Africa’s mobile phone operators have been accused of milking customers with higher data prices while banking exorbitant profits. The data prices have come under sharp scrutiny from consumers leading to  #DataMustFall on social media and consumers calling for the boycott of mobile phone operators not dropping their prices. In a surprise move, Vodacom on Thursday promised its more than 39 million customers lower data prices. Vodacom, South Africa’s biggest mobile phone operator, announced on Thursday that its effective price for mobile data dropped 18.9% in the first quarter to end-June 2017. Shameel Joosub, Vodacom Group boss,…

Vodacom, a South African-based mobile phone operator, reported a 3.9% revenue growth to R20.7 billion in the first quarter to end-June 2017, buoyed by sales of smart data-enabled devices on its network in its home market. Led by Vodacom South Africa, the home market of the Vodafone-owned company, to a 7.8% rise in revenue brought by a 17% jump in equipment revenue, showing the successful delivery of the telco’s strategy of driving the uptake of data-enabled devices. The company, which is in a process of buying a 35% stake in Kenya’s Safaricom for R35 billion, said the sale of smartphones…

By Staff Writer Telkom’s Openserve on Wednesday announced a reduction in IP Connect (IPC) pricing and speed as well as price changes to its Openserve Fibre Broadband (OFB) access portfolio. The new pricing will be effective from 1 August 2017. “Openserve has been working to improve the country’s broadband eco-system, with the objective of continuously reaching more South African’s in more places with our broadband access.,” Alphonzo Samuels, Openserve’s Chief Executive Officer, says. In May Openserve announced price cuts, which took effect in June. “We are cognisant of the positive effect that accessible broadband services can have on the economy of…

PayFast  – with more than 80 000 registered merchants – is celebrating its 10th birthday amidst a flurry of FinTech players and crypto currencies such as Bitcoin set to challenge its business. The company was launched by Jonathan Smit in 2007 in South Africa. This South Africa’s Biggest Online Payment Gateways was set up make online transactions simple, secure and accessible to all South African sellers and buyers. Even though in 2007 online retailing in South Africa was still in its infancy, PayFast would revolutionize the local e-commerce landscape, starting with the launch of their proprietary product: Instant EFT. Instant…

Project Isizwe, which provides the Tshwane Free WiFi service, boasted on Tuesday that it had saved the City of Tshwane more than R1 billion in providing free WiFi to its citizens. Launched in 2013, Tshwane Free WiFi, currently has over 1050 free WiFi live sites and million unique users connected at speeds averaging 15mbps. The people of the City are able to enjoy 500MB per device per day and unlimited access to educational, employment-focused, entrepreneurship and entertainment content. “It’s not every day that you get to say you’ve saved a billion rand,” Project Isizwe said in a statement. “We all…

South Africa’s power utility Eskom on Sunday refuted media claims that it is facing a cash crisis and that it has only enough cash to last for the next three months. The Sunday Times reported that Eskom is sitting on its last R20-billion but wants bonuses to be paid to axed CEO Brian Molefe, suspended acting chief executive Matshela Koko and others. The Power utility said external auditors have confirmed it as a going concern, and as a result, the company sees “these reports as being inaccurate and misleading”. “It is important to reiterate that Eskom is not facing any…

Far too many urban residents spend hours stuck in traffic; no one can escape airborne pollution. “Mobility is also a critical economic factor, both and as the means of providing the goods and services that are the foundation of economic life. Finally, mobility matters to people, whether this is getting to work or school with ease, visiting friends and relatives, or simply exploring one’s surroundings,” according to a recent report by McKinsey & Company titled: “An integrated perspective on the future of mobility”. In relatively few places, however, does the reality of what is available match the public’s aspirations for…

By Staff Writer South African-based mobile phone operator MTN has agreed to pay R113 million ($8.5 million) administrative fine to settle its dispute with the Rwandan government, according to Rwanda Eye. On May 17, Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority (RURA)  imposed a massive fine worth $8.5 million as a result of non-compliance with the directives issued by the regulator prohibiting the inclusion of MTN Rwanda in the MTN South and East Africa (SEA) IT hub based in Uganda. “MTN Rwanda will be the one to pay the RURA fine not MTN Group.  The fine will affect cash flow not performance of…

By News Agency Staff Government has launched a broadband infrastructure project in the OR Tambo District, in the Eastern Cape, to empower youth and communities through technology and access to skills. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday said the project, which has been deliberately located in a rural area, is the beginning of a nationwide programme that has the potential to improve the quality of service delivery and rejuvenate rural economies. He was addressing the 20 years Commemoration of the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders at Bhisho Stadium in the Eastern Cape. “It is essential that traditional leaders are…