Author: Staff Writer

GetWorth an innovator in South Africa’s pre-owned vehicle industry has been acquired by Motus, SA’s largest vehicle retailer. Thanks to this investment it is expected that GetWorth will become a formidable player in the pre-owned vehicle market while at the same time offering an innovative solution for motorists looking to sell their vehicle. “Going into business with a large dealer group like Motus was always a goal as it allows us to scale our business quickly and provide our customers with a world class option when the time comes to sell their vehicle,” says Jamie Surkont, co-founder and CEO of…

MTN today became the first African company to enter the metaverse by purchasing land in Africarare. Africarare which made its debut in South Africa in October 2021, is the first African Virtual Reality metaverse featuring digital land. This purchase will see MTN owning 144 plots of virtual land with an overall area of 12x12m. Bernice Samuels, MTN’s Group Executive for Marketing said, “This is an exciting moment for us as we lead businesses on the continent to enter the metaverse marketplace. This is exactly what our Ambition 2025 strategy is premised on – leveraging trends that amplify consumer’s digital experiences…

Safaricom Telecommunication Ethiopia Plc has selected VMware as its Telco Cloud Platform partner. Safaricom, as part of an international consortium named the Global Partnership for Ethiopia, was granted the second Unified Telecommunication Service License in July 2021. Currently, Safaricom Ethiopia is building a telecom network for commercial launch and to contribute to Ethiopia’s digital transformation and inclusion objectives. Pedro Rabacal, Chief Technology Officer at Safaricom Ethiopia, said, “Building a world-class network in Ethiopia will unlock its economic potential as well as build a positive future for people across the country. We aim to contribute to the country’s digital transformation and…

South African advertising agency, M&C Saatchi Abel, has purchased ‘land’ in the newly created Africarare metaverse – Ubuntuland – marking its move as the first South African and African agency to set up shop in this digital world. Africa’s first digital domain Africarare, is a 3D virtual reality immersive hub that houses a metaverse marketplace set in Ubuntuland.  Ubuntuland will showcase some of the best of African art, fashion, entertainment, sport, tech and creativity and will provide a platform for artists from across the continent to showcase their work. “The unique afro-themed metaverse establishes local representation in a growing global…

At the HUAWEI Spring 2022 Smart Office Launch, Huawei Consumer Business Group today announced the launch of seven new products, including: its latest flagship laptop, its first all-in-one PC, a new 2-in-1 laptop, its first E-Ink tablet, a new HarmonyOS tablet, the company’s first-ever printer, and a new portable speaker. These releases were part of a larger plan Huawei announced to create smart offices and fresh experiences for global consumers. The advanced collaboration and ecosystem capabilities allow users to create a smart office Super Device system. Under this system, users can drag icons from other Huawei devices onto their PC,…

At the Huawei Day0 Forum held the day before MWC22 Barcelona, Ryan Ding, Huawei’s Executive Director and President of the Carrier BG, gave a keynote speech entitled “Lighting up the Future”. Ding said that operators can work on three factors: connection density, computing diversity, and carbon reduction intensity, and called on operators to join Huawei in its GUIDE business blueprint to create a better digital economy together. The global digital economy is developing rapidly, and over 50% of global GDP will be digitalized in 2022. Many countries and regions, like China, South Korea, and the EU, have already announced huge…

It should come as no surprise that there has been a massive spike in interest and uptake of solar installations of various sizes. Load shedding and unplanned outages have affected businesses and households alike. This has had a massive impact on businesses as well as households, and so many have decided to install various systems to try to mitigate the effects of the unstable grid. However, concerns about the environment have changed the way many, if not most, people see energy and this trend is going to continue accelerating. At a global and national level, renewable energy is gaining traction…

Teraco Data Environments, a leading provider of colocation data centres and interconnection in Africa and a current member of Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), today announced it will offer connectivity directly through Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) FastConnect at its Isando Campus for the Oracle Cloud Johannesburg Region.  Oracle customers are enabled to harness the power of Oracle Cloud locally, including Oracle Autonomous Database, to help enable them to unlock innovation and drive business growth.  ­­­­ Oracle Cloud Infrastructure FastConnect, now also via Teraco’s Africa Cloud Exchange, may potentially provide higher -bandwidth options and potentially more reliable and consistent networking experience compared to…

Global network gear maker Cisco announced today it has appointed Smangele Nkosi as the General Manager for South Africa. As general manager Smangele’s focus is on leveraging the company’s technology leadership to support the country innovation, prosperity and social inclusion. Her role will include working in close collaboration with government bodies and public and private enterprises to develop a healthy technology and partner ecosystem. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the table with over 20 years’ experience working in versatile and challenging roles within the ICT sector. Most recently, she was the acting chief commercial officer at Telkom, responsible…

A new Cisco study finds that  South African workers are demanding universal access to high-performance broadband to succeed with hybrid work. The 2022 Cisco Broadband Index, which provides global workforce insights on access to internet services concluded that broadband connectivity is much more than just the ability to access the Internet. It powers an individual’s access to basic needs, including healthcare and education, as well as empowers them to participate in the global economy. The global survey consists of almost 60 000 workers across 30 markets, including South Africa, indicating their home broadband access, quality and usage, economic and societal…

Remote biometric digital facial authentication and automated onboarding technology company, iiDENTIFii, has secured a coveted spot in the JSE Enterprise Acceleration Programme. The prestigious accelerator programme is open to founder-led, entrepreneurial companies with an annual turnover of R20-million that are looking to scale up through growing market share, accessing funding and improving their competitiveness. iiDENTIFii is one of only 12 highly innovative businesses handpicked for the programme. As a participant iiDENTIFii will benefit from specialised local and international mentors offering expert coaching through structured group sessions, master classes and webinars. Lance Fanaroff, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, says iiDENTIFii’s solution…

The Department of Employment and Labour is negotiating a possible out-of-court settlement with Huawei South Africa. The Department of Employment and Labour and Huawei Technologies South Africa (Pty) Ltd, have entered into talks to reach a settlement agreement and have agreed to stay court proceedings instituted by the department against Huawei on 11 February 2022 pending the outcome of the negotiations, Huawei said in a statement on Wednesday. “During the meeting, Huawei demonstrated its extensive ICT skills transfer and training programs that are aimed at reducing the ICT skills gap and fostering a strong digital talent ecosystem for South Africa…

Clickatell, the CPaaS innovator and Chat Commerce leader, today announces it has secured $91 million in their Series C round. This round was led by Arrowroot Capital, with participation from Kennedy Lewis Investment Management, Endeavor Global and Harvest. Clickatell, which has delivered double-digit profitable growth for several years, will use the Series C capital to scale and expand three key areas: (i) Accelerated development and innovation of its Chat Commerce offering, (ii) Expansion of its footprint in the U.S., and (iii) Scaling of sales and marketing efforts on the back of growing demand from leading brands. The new capital will…

Naspers, through its tech investment vehicle Naspers Foundry, announced a R15 million investment in Floatpays, an on-demand earned wage access platform that helps customers build financial wellness. Floatpays provides customers with real-time access to a portion of their earned but not yet paid income at any time during the month, giving them an alternative to using credit to cover unplanned expenses. This is Naspers Foundry’s third fintech investment and its ninth transaction since its launch in 2019. “We’re excited to invest in and support Floatpays in its aim to help people avoid debt and provide support to South Africans during…

BMW Group South Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa announces the appointment of Julia Modise as the new Director of Human Resources and Klaus von der Osten-Sacken as the Director for Digital and Global Solutions. Von der Osten-Sacken and Ms Modise assumed their new roles as of 1 January 2022 and 1 February 2022, respectively. With 23 years of human resource (HR) expertise, including 13 years at an executive level, Modise brings invaluable and vast experience to the BMW Group, gained across the retail, manufacturing, listed property, media and entertainment, as well as consulting sectors. She joins the automotive manufacturer holding a…

US-based CRM specialist Salesforce today announced that it has pushed forward with expansion plans in South Africa by establishing its first legal entity in the country. Additionally, the company announced the appointment of its first two South African leaders: Zuko Mdwaba as Head Of Sales and Linda Saunders as Head of Solution Engineering. South Africa is a rapidly developing and youthful market with enormous potential. Salesforce has established its presence in the country over the last decade through its growing ecosystem of partners and customers which IDC estimates will generate 31,800 new jobs and $5.1 billion in new revenue in…

Lipa Payments, a South African-based FinTech start-up, is bringing the “Tap to Pay” experience to Africa’s informal sectors with its software solution that enables merchants to accept contactless payments directly from a mobile phone. Lipa (pronounced Lee-puh) partners with banks and FinTechs to enable affordable, accessible, and fast payments for merchants, even if they have low-end mobile phones. It’s also safer and more hygienic than dealing in cash. Developed in 2019 by FinTech entrepreneurs Thando Hlongwane and Roger Bukuru, the Lipa Payments solution has secured a R10 million investment from Empowerment Capital’s Imvelo Ventures, which is backed by Capitec Bank.…

South Africans have an estimated R300 billion in Krugerrands hidden in drawers and safes, unaware that they could be using the value of their gold to fund day-to-day financial transactions. FinTech, Troygold, allows gold owners to upload and digitise their physical gold and then use it for transactions and finances. Customers receive an ownership certificate and can then save, spend and borrow against their gold bullion via a mobile app and Mastercard debit card. The gold storage and insurance are free of charge. Troygold was co-founded by brothers Bastiat and Dane Viljoen. “Gold is history’s most stable money in terms…

JUMO, a technology company building next-generation financial services for emerging market entrepreneurs, today announced the appointment of Nichola Pease as Non-Executive Chair. Nichola has more than 35 years’ experience in the financial services industry, including at chief executive level. She brings a wealth of leadership skills and in-depth knowledge of global financial ecosystems to the JUMO Board. “We are delighted to welcome Nichola to the JUMO Board as Chair. She is a great leader and I am excited to have the opportunity to work closely with Nichola,” Andrew Watkins-Ball, JUMO Founder and CEO, said. ” Her appointment will help…

Hijacking remains a common and terrifying reality in South Africa. Stats provided by the national police commissioner for Q3 of 2021 showed a total of 4,973 hijackings were reported in 2021, a 3.5% increase from the same period in 2020. The country’s leading security and medical response marketplace, AURA, recently released its very first Crime Trend Report which noted hijackings and attempted hijackings as one of the top ten reasons people called on AURA for help. With crime on the rise, AURA says the need for greater access to inclusive and affordable on-demand emergency services is more urgent than ever.…

Just two years after entering the African market by opening an office in Johannesburg, Sonum International will be making another commitment to its EMEA growth by opening a Cape Town office in March. According to Adrian van der Merwe, one of the founders of Sonum Africa, when the company started in Johannesburg, it immediately implemented some very appealing projects for large companies, which formed a solid basis and led to the search for new opportunities. “Cape Town is home to sectors such as insurance, food and clothing retail which we are primed to address,” says Adrian. “Our presence in Cape…

Forget cash. The rise in digital payment tech, and a big push by businesses to go contactless, has changed the way South Africans pay and get paid. The shift in behaviour has been a major catalyst in growing the FinTech sector in the country, helping to increase the usage of much of the payment innovation that people use every day. This has given rise to several payment providers, who all have one thing in common – to make it easier and more convenient for people to transact. Simply put, it’s about access to simple payment solutions… for everyone. To be…

Vodacom announced today that it has invested over R450 million into the network and power backup upgrades across the Mpumalanga region during the 2021/2022 financial year. Vodacom said this significant investment into the network has helped the region expand connectivity in deep rural areas and townships that had no connectivity before. “This has enabled hundreds of thousands of people to participate in the digital economy for the first time,” the company claims. “This coupled with a concerted effort to drive down the cost to communicate through innovative platforms such as Just4U and Just4YouTown, has lowered voice and data rates across…

Small and medium-sized enterprises make up more than 98% of South Africa’s business landscape, but they only earn a 40% share of the country’s GDP[1] – which is why giving entrepreneurs the skills to scale their businesses is not only good for their businesses, it’s good for the economy. The Stellenbosch Network Entrepreneurial Mentorship Programme aims to give entrepreneurs the support and skills they need to grow their businesses, through an eight-month initiative that will feature extensive coaching and guidance from experienced businesspeople. The programme is based on a wealth of research that shows mentorship has a direct impact on…

Jaguar Land Rover has formed a multi-year strategic partnership with NVIDIA, the leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and computing, to jointly develop and deliver next-generation automated driving systems plus AI-enabled services and experiences for its customers. Starting in 2025, all new Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles will be built on the NVIDIA DRIVE™ software-defined platform—delivering a wide spectrum of active safety, automated driving and parking systems as well as driver assistance systems. Inside the vehicle, the system will deliver AI features, including driver and occupant monitoring as well as advanced visualisation of the vehicle’s environment. This full-stack solution is based on NVIDIA…