Author: Staff Writer

South Africa’s student accommodation marketplace DigsConnect now boasts over a million listed beds. DigsConnect was launched in early 2018 and despite challenges brought about by the pandemic, has experienced meteoric growth. Most recently, the startup entered into an agreement with the world’s largest student accommodation website, Student.com, propelling DigsConnect.com into 30 new markets. CEO Alexandria Procter says that in the most recent season, the company placed nearly 17 times more students than in the season prior,  with booking growth at 150% week on week. “When we founded DigsConnect, a key motivator for Greg Ramsay-Keal  (COO) and I was a series…

South Africa’s Discovery has teamed up with AIA Group to establish a new health InsurTech business, to be named Amplify Health. The company informed investors today that the partnership will operate as a joint venture (JV) in Asia, excluding China, Hong Kong and Macau, in which Discovery has an exclusive partnership with the Ping An Group, through its shareholding in Ping An Health Insurance. The JV is built upon and will extend the very successful partnership between Discovery and AIA, which will continue to operate alongside the new JV. The JV combines Discovery and AIA’s distinctive and complementary strengths, bringing together…

South Africa’s universities are transforming their offerings to be future-ready, according to Altron Systems Integration. The company has surveyed the state of digital transformation in higher education institutions in South Africa and identifies how institutions are changing. Universities and colleges are heavily reliant on government funding. But they face rising costs of providing education while fees and grants remain under pressure. They need to attract new students, optimize costs and find new revenue streams in order to be sustainable. As an example, earlier this year, the University of Cape Town announced a new virtual high school, extending its brand into…

Dark Fibre Africa (DFA) today announced the appointment of Dr Heydon Hall as its Chief Information Officer. The key focus of his role at DFA is to develop and oversee the implementation of a robust and integrated information-technology strategy, as well as the company’s overall digital transformation and enterprise architecture. With over 20 years’ senior IT-leadership experience, Hall has led teams in digital transformation and business re-engineering turnarounds for numerous large organisations and has been involved in several successful technology start-ups. DFA CEO, Andries Delport, welcomed Hall’s addition to the company’s executive leadership. “Heydon joins DFA at a time when…

As demand for world-class digital solutions expands exponentially, MTN SA is on the lookout for 150 digital experts to ensure it keeps pace with growing demand. The move ties in with MTN Group’s 2025 ambition to become Africa’s leading digital platform business by 2025. “We intend to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world and are therefore looking to expand our teams to ensure we keep challenging what we do to always do better,” says Tebogo Maenetja Chief of Human resources at MTN South Africa “As we recover from the devastation of COVID-19, exciting job openings for young…

The ability for local businesses, NGOs, call centres and others to finally be able to port their heavily-advertised and much-valued 0800, 0860 and 087 phone numbers to new service providers from the ICASA-stipulated date of 7 March 2022, in fact, presents a golden opportunity for them to adopt a completely new telecoms technology entirely. “The traditional model of signing onerous contracts just to be supplied with business phone numbers is dead in the water, and the finalisation by ICASA of number portability after 16 years is in fact too late.  That ship hasn’t just sailed, it’s sinking because you can…

MTN Business today launched the MTN Made for Skhokho prepaid packages tailored for small and informal businesses. The MTN Made for Skhokho prepaid plans, which are the first prepaid bundles to launch in South Africa targeted specifically for business in the informal sector, provide greater value and flexibility to help businesses navigate the current tough economic conditions. “Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and business in the informal sector play an important role in South Africa’s economy by providing employment opportunities as well as driving much-needed growth. Added to the recent negative impact brought on by COVID-19, SMEs continue to face…

Seacom, the pan-African telecommunications service provider, today announced it will acquire selected infrastructure assets from Africell in Uganda. The acquisition marks a significant step for Seacom and is a testament to the company’s commitment to providing, competitive end-to-end connectivity and ICT solutions across the region. “East Africa has been an important market for Seacom ever since we first arrived on the shores of Mombasa in 2009,” explained Tejpal Bedi, Managing Director and Regional Head of Sales for Seacom ENEA. “By officially establishing ourselves in Uganda through proprietary facilities and resources, we are prioritising widespread connectivity and opening up opportunities to…

South African online retailers have learned to meet the demands of Black Friday and the Christmas season, with nine out of ten saying they coped with extra staffing demands and more than two-thirds saying their technology could handle the increased traffic at the end of 2021. The single biggest challenge facing the sector was managing customer queries and challenges, cited by just over half (53%) of respondents. These were key findings of the second phase of the Online Retail in South Africa 2021 study, conducted at the end of last year by World Wide Worx, with the support of Mastercard…

At a virtual Google for South Africa event today, Google unpacked its support for startups, SMMEs and nonprofits in a bid to accelerate digital transformation and help South Africa’s economy recover. This follows announcements made at the virtual Google for Africa event in October last year where Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, announced Google’s plan to invest $1 billion over five years to support Africa’s digital transformation. The focus of these investments is on enabling fast, affordable internet access for more Africans; building helpful products; supporting entrepreneurship and small business; and helping nonprofits to improve lives across Africa. As…

When I was a recently qualified chartered accountant stepping onto the JSE floor on 1 February 1972 as a runner, I didn’t dare to dream of the amazing career I’ve had, the incredible people I’ve worked with, and of the dramatic ebbs and flows of the markets as they’ve responded to history in the making each day. I still choose to learn new things every day, but in the last five decades of working in what’s got to be one of the most exciting jobs around, I’ve learned a few key things that have stayed true through the years, no…

TopAuto has launched a new Driving Cost Calculator, which makes it easy to work out how much you will pay in fuel and toll fees to drive between two towns or cities in South Africa. To calculate the total driving cost, users only have to fill in three fields – their starting point, their destination, and their vehicle. The calculator then provides the user with detailed information for their trip, including: The distance to their destination How long the journey will take The fuel cost How much they have to pay in toll fees The total cost of the trip…

CBI-Electric today announced it has contracted Terra Firma Solutions to install a state-of-the-art 1.1MW Solar PV (Photovoltaic) system at their head office in Gauteng. Both companies form part of the Reunert, a JSE listed industrial group with international operations across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the USA. Established in 1949, CBI-Electric: low voltage is a manufacturer and supplier of quality low voltage electrical distribution, protection, and control equipment. Previously known as Circuit Breaker Industries or CBI, the company specialises in the design, development, and manufacturing of circuit breakers, residential current devices, surge protection, wiring accessories, and metering products. As a…

Cisco announced the appointment of Hani Raad as Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa. A 15 year Cisco veteran, Raad brings over 25 years of diverse experience in ICT and Executive Leadership to the region. He currently leads Cisco’s Small and Medium Enterprise Business sales and strategy across the Middle East and Africa. In his new role, he will be shaping Cisco’s strategic direction in sub-Saharan Africa, with a strong focus on leveraging technology to support digitization, innovation and social inclusion. Raad is succeeding Garsen Naidu, who has been appointed as Leader of the Sales Specialist Organisation at Cisco Middle East…

Cassava Technologies today announced that it has appointed Tesh Durvasula as the new CEO of Africa Data Centres (ADC) effective 7 February 2022. He will be responsible for driving the growth, innovation and strategy of Cassava Technologies’ data centres to meet Africa’s accelerating demand for data and digital infrastructure. Durvasula is an experienced technology and real estate industry executive with a 25-year track record of successful leadership and value generation in the digital infrastructure sector. He will lead the ADC team as the organisation rapidly expands its footprint of hyperscale data centres throughout Africa with a plan to add an…

Diversified tech group 4Sight is expanding its regional office in Windhoek, Namibia, as part of its strategy to grow its brand globally. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s AltX-listed company said it plans to make its full range of technology offerings available to the Namibian market. “Namibia is a stable, growing economy and close to South Africa, so it is an obvious choice for advancing our growth agenda on the continent,” Tertius Zitzke, Group CEO, 4Sight Holdings, says. “Internationally, we have strategic partnerships with key vendors like Sage, Microsoft, Aspentech, Simio and Acumatica, to mention a few, but our unique selling…

Applications for the Shoprite Group’s bursary programme are now open for the 2022 and 2023 academic years. These bursaries offer students in the fields of accounting, food sciences and information technology an opportunity to further their studies – and then go on to work for Africa’s largest retailer. The Group’s employees are at the forefront of one of the continent’s most technologically advanced retail organisations which pioneered various initiatives in the past year. This environment of rapid innovation is particularly well suited to IT students who thrive in an environment where complex problem solving is the norm. Shoprite Group bursary-holders…

Oracle today announced support of over R15 million for tech startups in Africa to help accelerate their digital initiatives with the latest cloud technologies and business resources. Led by Oracle for Startups, the multinational cloud computing company will provide extra resources and support to technology startups across Africa over the next two years. In addition, these businesses will also have access to hands-on technical support, executive mentoring, go-to-market resources, and customer engagements. “At Oracle for Startups, we help new businesses grow from grassroots through scaling. So far, enrolments from South African startups have grown by 91%, while enrolments from new…

The Huawei nova Y9a: An affordable smartphone that doesn’t compromise on specs. One of the most important criteria for youth-focused smartphones is the price. You’re simply not in a position to spend tens of thousands of rands on a device – there are university bills to pay, and the odd party to be had. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t want a smartphone that isn’t powerful, reliable and beautiful to look at and hold. Enter the Huawei nova Y9a, now available on shelves in South Africa. The latest addition to Huawei’s impressive nova range of smartphones, the Huawei nova…

SA is only seventh on the list of countries that have experienced the most number of ransomware attacks, despite it only having the 32nd largest gross domestic product in the world,” says Carlo Bolzonello, country manager for Trellix in South Africa. This was revealed in Trellix’s Advanced Threat Research Report: January 2022, examining cybercriminal behaviour and activity related to cyber threats in the third quarter of 2021. “There are several reasons why cybercriminals seem to prefer targeting South Africa, including that businesses may be paying the ransoms being asked of them, because they can’t afford the time or expertise to…

MTN Group announced today that it has raised gross proceeds of more than R4.3 billion through the sale of shares in its Nigerian operation. Following the sale, MTN Group’s shareholding in MTN Nigeria reduces from 78.8% to 75.6%. A further maximum of 4.27 million MTN Nigeria shares (0.02%) will be allocated to qualifying retail investors who hold the shares allocated to them until 31 January 2023, being twelve months following the Offer allocation. MTN Group will continue its work to deliver on its stated intention of broadening the local shareholder base in MTN Nigeria, subject to market condition and regulatory…

Standard Bank on Tuesday informed customers that it is currently experiencing slow responses to Internet Banking and the Banking App. The bank said customers attempting to sign onto these platforms may be experiencing delays. “Our technicians have been working tirelessly to restore full banking services,” said Standard Bank. The bank added that customers who are not able to transact can use Cellphone Banking by dialing *120*2345# and following the prompts. Standard Bank urged customers to register on the Service Status Page on https://statuspage.standardbank.co.za/. Once registered, customers will receive real time updates on digital services that may be experiencing problems. “We…

Samsung has announced the launch of its all-new portable screen and entertainment device, The Freestyle, which offers ground-breaking technology and flexibility to deliver optimal viewing and entertainment for customers looking to bring video and audio content wherever they go.   Targeted toward Gen Z and millennials, The Freestyle is a projector, smart speaker and ambient lighting device all rolled into one lightweight, portable device. When it comes to portability, The Freestyle weighs only 830 grams allowing to change any space into a screen with ease. Unlike conventional, boxy projectors, The Freestyle’s versatile cradle allows rotation of up to 180 degrees,…

Evolving technology and the impacts of COVID-19 have resulted in workplaces that are changing faster than ever. To keep pace with the rapid advances in the workplace and avoid skills shortages, almost half of employees will need to be reskilled with critical skills by 2025 As the workplace becomes increasingly more tech-driven, human contributions and soft skills are going to be increasingly sought after. And the best way to ensure these skills are retained within a company will be to reskill, says Jackie Kennedy, Founder of the LeadMe Academy. LeadMe is a cutting-edge, first of its kind learning and development…

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) today announced it has received six applications in respect of the International Mobile Telecommunications spectrum licensing process. ICASA said this marks an important and critical step towards the auctioning of high-demand spectrum in March 2022. The following applications were received by the closing date and time, in the order of submission: 1. Cell C 2. MTN 3. Vodacom 4. Telkom 5. Rain Networks 6. Liquid Telecoms In terms of the published timetable for this licensing process, ICASA said it will announce the qualified bidders on 21 February 2022. ICASA said this will…