Author: Gugu Lourie

Vodacom Business launched a much needed device-based security solution for businesses, particularly small businesses, which helps them protect mobile data and information using a Vodacom Business SIM card. Dubbed SecureNet, the solution housed on Vodacom’s core network, requires no large programs to be installed or managed. It eliminates the risk that users will fail to update or implement the protection, which can cause weak points, vulnerable to viruses and malware attacks. Vuyani Jarana, Chief Executive at Vodacom Business says “smart mobile devices have quickly become an important part of businesses, especially with the era of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD).…

South Africa’s Telkom and its recently acquired technology subsidiary Business Connexion (BCX) have been working quietly to develop and launch solutions for the corporate clients. By Gugu Lourie  But it seems MTN – the country’s second largest mobile phone operator – has also been quietly preparing to take the fight to Telkom BCX Business targeting big businesses. MTN Business, an enterprise unit of MTN, wants to position itself as a telco that understands corporate clients and is prepared to offer them “a new world of Business”, while Telkom BCX Business is positioning itself in this space as “Africa’s premium end-to-end digital…

Absa Life announced on Monday that it has received regulatory approvals, including approval from the South African Reserve Bank, to buy a controlling interest in the direct life insurer Instant Life.  Instant Life, an online life insurance distribution platform offering life, disability and critical illness cover to qualifying customers, will be rebranded and operate as Absa Instant Life. “The acquisition of Instant Life provides Absa with an advantage to scale its Life Insurance business for future growth and supports our continued efforts to provide a simpler and easier application process to improve our customers’ insurance purchasing experience,” says Jannie Venter,…

Social media is a double-edged sword, providing both benefits and drawbacks. By Ritesh Chugh In order to stay connected, many of us are becoming captivated by these pervasive tools. A social media report by Sensis in 2015 reported that nearly half of all Australians access one or more social networking sites every day. The report also found that Australians now spend an average of 8.5 hours a week on Facebook alone, with 24% checking social media more than five times a day. Seven in ten people used a smartphone to access their accounts. Spending excessive time, often repeatedly and aimlessly,…

By Johan Scheepers, Systems Engineer Director – MESAT at Commvault In an increasingly digital world where it is no longer only time that is money, but information as well, data has become the equivalent of a new currency. Protecting this data is a top priority for businesses of all sizes. However, in tandem with the growing importance of data, we are also witnessing an ongoing data explosion, with huge data volumes created at high velocity. This is changing customers’ requirements when it comes to data protection and data management, and organisations need to adopt a comprehensive approach to data protection…

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Friday that the National Treasury’s process to determine how much President Jacob Zuma may pay back for the Nkandla upgrades will be thorough and governed by the law. By Lizeka Tandwa and Ahmed Areff “Treasury will study the judgment and constitute a team… the process will thorough,” he told reporters in Pretoria. Following a unanimous Constitutional Court judgment on Thursday that Zuma had to pay back some of the money spent on the upgrades, in line with the remedial action by Modonsela in her report, National Treasury will now to figure out the exact cost.…

Connecting schools to the digital world through websites and emails for teachers is important in placing the school in a public platform, enabling parents and community members to see what the school is doing and can act as a central point for disseminating information to learners, educators, parents and other stakeholders. By Gugu Lourie Ten Gauteng schools are now online and connected to the world following the launch of the Schools Online Presence Project by ZADNA (.ZA Domain Name Authority). Selected by ZADNA with the guidance of the Gauteng Department of Education, the schools have been provided with websites built by…

KPMG has terminated its business relationship with the Gupta business empire due to the political storm surrounding the family’s friendship with President Jacob Zuma. By Matthew le Cordeur KPMG was the auditor for all Gupta-owned and -controlled businesses and performed a variety of other services for the Guptas, who are allegedly at the heart of what is termed “state capture”. This follows Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas and former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor’s claims in March that the Guptas offered them top cabinet positions. In an internal email circulated to staff and partners, KPMG Southern Africa CEO Trevor Hoole said…

IT industry veteran Dan Sommer, the senior director: market intelligence lead at Qlik, says that companies need to move beyond traditional BI and embrace the endless possibilities that connecting people with data and ideas will bring. Sommer was in South Africa to discuss business analytics market trends with particular reference to innovation and industrialisation. “Market dynamics and the competitive landscape are undergoing tectonic changes now, as tipping points cause a change in centricity around data, analytics, buying and selling. Love it or hate it, we are experiencing a shift from power to empowerment,” he said. In his view, the emergence…

Here are a selection of quotes from Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng’s judgment on whether President Jacob Zuma should pay back some of the taxpayers’ money spent on non-security upgrades at his private homestead in Nkandla. By Naledi Shange – “She is the embodiment of a biblical David, that the public is, who fights the most powerful and very well-resourced Goliath, that impropriety and corruption by government officials are. The Public Protector is one of the true crusaders and champions of anti-corruption and clean governance.” – Mogoeng describing Public Protector Thuli Madonsela as David who had to go against the mighty Goliath and came out victorious. -…