Author: Staff Writer

Bongi Ngoma, national head of audit (and previously CFO) of the Auditor-General of South Africa, has been named South Africa’s CFO of the Year at the 2021 CFO Awards. The CFO of the Year was announced on Wednesday 17 November at the conclusion of the annual gala event for finance executives, held at the spectacular Polo Room at the Inanda Club in Sandton, Johannesburg. Bongi was the big winner during the “Oscars for finance executives”, which celebrated its eighth edition this year. She walked away with three out of ten prizes, including the CFO of the Year, the Public Sector…

To enable digital transformation powered by Africans for Africa, Microsoft is doubling down on its investment in the continent with the establishment of the Africa Transformation Office (ATO), led by managing director Wael Elkabbany. Under Elkabbany’s leadership, the ATO will partner with public and private organisations to empower millions of Africans and foster economic prosperity. Elkabbany moves from leading enterprise sales for the company across the Middle East and Africa, and previously held roles at British Telecom and other leading businesses in the region. Hailing from Egypt, he holds a B.Sc. in communication engineering, and postgraduate studies in corporate governance,…

Cryptocurrency as a form of legal tender could be coming to the African country of Zimbabwe in the near future, with reports claiming that the country has started to look into how digital currency can be used as a legal payment service. The claims are said to have come from a senior official, with the country said to be considering utilizing Bitcoin (BTC) as a legal payment option to help meet the growing demand that is being felt by the country’s wider population. According to retired Brigadier Colonel Charles Wekwete, who is the permanent secretary and head of the office…

South African payments company Ozow has attracted Tencent, a world-leading internet and technology company, in its $48 million or R747 million Series B funding round. The investment round also includes Endeavor Catalyst and Endeavor Harvest Fund. Notably, Endeavor Catalyst’s investment committee approval was chaired by partner of Greylock, and co-founder and former executive chairman of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman. The latest fundraising will support Ozow’s efforts to transform the banking ecosystem and create greater financial access for the underbanked. It will also assist Ozow in cementing its position as one of the leading payment providers on the continent. Ozow has become…

MTN SA announced today it has finalised a passive tower infrastructure transaction with IHS Towers. MTN Group said the agreement with IHS Towers has been reached following a lengthy competitive process. The IHS Towers transaction will entail the sale and leaseback of 5 709 of MTN SA’s towers – comprising approximately 4 000 greenfield and 1 700 rooftop sites. The deal will also include the outsourcing of power and related services (power as a service, or PaaS) across the entire MTN SA site footprint of approximately 12 800 – thus incorporating an additional 7 100 third-party sites. The offer value…

Huawei and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) has kicked off the 2021 edition of their Seeds for the Future course, aimed at preparing ICT students for the future of work. Now in its sixth year, the course aims to inspire local talent, enhance knowledge sharing, promote a greater understanding of and interest in the ICT sector, and encourage participation in the digital community. In addition to courses on latest technologies of 5G, Cloud, AI and IoT, students are also introduced to Chinese culture and language, which aims to foster a cross cultural understanding. In this year’s curriculum,…

AURA, the African-based security and medical response marketplace, has secured R62 million in a Series A funding round, which was led by  MultiChoice Group (MCG), KLT Holdings and Buffet Investments. This positions AURA favourably for its global expansion plans. AURA is a marketplace that enables anyone to access the closest vetted private and public security and medical response unit to their location – anywhere, anytime – using a connected device. “South Africa has one of the most advanced private security and emergency response industries which has the capacity to ensure safety to a greater number of people who might not…

MTN’s popular WhatsApp and social media data bundles (Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter), have been revised and re-priced to offer more data and value. Available to both new and existing pre-paid customers. Launched in April 2018, MTN’s Social Bundles enable pre-paid customers to access their favourite social media platforms affordably. “Social Bundles uptake has been phenomenal over the three years with more customers choosing to stay connected with friends and families on these platforms. These enhancements are in line with our efforts to make data more affordable and accessible for South Africans” says Jacqui O’Sullivan, Executive: Corporate Affairs at MTN…

Since its introduction in July 2020, the My BMW App is used as a universal interface for seamless communication between the driver and the vehicle. At the same time, it provides customers a direct connection via smartphone to the BMW retailer and to the BMW brand. It can be used, for example, to plan travel routes and transfer them to the vehicle’s navigation system, arrange service appointments, request information on the vehicle status or find out the latest news on the BMW brand. In addition, remote services such as locking and unlocking the doors are also available, depending on the…

Global cloud communications company Infobip announces it is rolling out its ESOP (employee stock option plan) to all employees across the staff base ensuring everyone shares in the value they help to create. Culture and talent have always been the driving force behind Infobip’s success, and today’s announcement demonstrates commitment to a philosophy of inclusion that forms the basis for its future as a company. The move comes after a period of expansion following acquisitions of US voice provider Peerless Network, US messaging company OpenMarket, the Shift Conference franchise and SMS firewall provider Anam – all marking important milestones in…

AI-BO, a research platform that allows businesses to survey their targeted audience through WhatsApp, aims to democratise research by delivering insights and survey data to small businesses in just 2 – 3 days. AI-BO was founded in April in collaboration with The Delta, a local venture builder. At its core, AI-BO’s mission is to help lower the barriers to entry for SA’s startup ecosystem when validating business and product ideas. WhatsApp is the most popular app in South Africa, with 58% of South African mobile phone owners using the app. Because their surveys run through WhatsApp, AI-BO quickly and easily…

Spotify announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Findaway, a global leader in digital audiobook distribution. “It’s Spotify’s ambition to be the destination for all things audio both for listeners and creators. The acquisition of Findaway will accelerate Spotify’s presence in the audiobook space and will help us more quickly meet that ambition,” said Gustav Söderström, Spotify’s Chief Research & Development Officer. “We’re excited to combine Findaway’s team, best-in-class technology platform, and robust audiobook catalog with Spotify’s expertise to revolutionize the audiobook space as we did with music and podcasts.” Findaway works across the entire audiobook ecosystem with…

The increase in cyberthreats recorded by Kaspersky in the first half of this year across South Africa amounted to 31.5 million. Comparatively, Kenya experienced a similar situation with 32.8 million cyberthreats recorded, while these numbers are almost double the number of attacks in Nigeria (16.7 million). All three countries have also experienced an increase in the number of attacks compared to the previous year, which is indicative of how significant the danger has become to organisations and users in the connected world. “Threats can be categorised as criminal (80% of attacks), targeted (19.9%), and advanced (0.01%). The advanced grouping is…

Huawei Technologies hosted the Digital Africa Summit, which took place during AfricaCom, earlier this week , with expert speakers engaging on Africa’s digital transformation, the strides made during the Covid 19 pandemic and the path still ahead. While Africa has come far in the past 18 months in its digital transformation, there is still much potential to fully embrace digital transformation and equip the continent’s youth with the skills they need to thrive in a digital economy. Achieving this transformation, however, means going beyond simply adapting and evolving new technologies to old ways of doing things. It requires a full…

Kia today revealed the first official images of the Kia Concept EV9, an all-electric SUV concept that embodies the company’s commitment to become a sustainable mobility solutions provider. Following the launch of EV6, the Kia Concept EV9 is an intriguing glimpse into the future direction of the all-electric SUV, combining progressive design, state-of-the-art tech, and an advanced all-electric powertrain in one pioneering package. The first visuals of the concept SUV show an ultramodern exterior design, the schematics of which hint at a contemporary recreational treatment that’s brought to the fore by an upright and capable stylistic stance. The renderings illustrate…

Africa Data Centres is investing $200 million or R3 billion in building data centres in Nairobi, Kenya. The company is owned by Liquid Intelligent Technologies, which is held by Econet Group and controlled by billionaire and philanthropist Strive Mayiwa. The company has begun development of a second data centre of up to 20MW of IT load and is securing land for a third facility. This $200+M investment will double the country’s data centre capacity and serve the development of Kenya as a key digital hub, allowing Kenyan data to stay in Kenya by providing the reliable digital infrastructure it needs.…

An innovative local software development partnership between 4Sight Holdings and Bidvest Advisory Services has created 4MIA powered by ALICE TM, a first-of-its-kind AI-powered automated digital transformation advisor. Developed on the ALICE TM platform, the intelligent predictive solution Monitors, Investigates and Advises (MIA) business and technology executives on critical aspects related to their digital transformation roadmaps. Decision makers can now leverage the 4MIA’s automated proactive monitoring and reporting to gain greater visibility into their IT environment with real-time insights related to digital transformation readiness. “As digital technologies and competitor capabilities rapidly evolve, business leaders and executives must constantly assess and evaluate…

Standard Bank’s point-of-sale devices have been enabled for UnionPay International (UPI) contactless payments. The cooperation is a strategic move from UPI that follows the surging trend of the global contactless payment industry and accelerates the development of international mobile payment services. According to a survey conducted by RTI, around 30% of the respondents have started to use contactless payments since the pandemic began. And 70% of those users are likely to continue using contactless payments post-COVID-19. Contactless payments have emerged as an essential solution for all the businesses as it enables them to drive their business forward along with ensuring…

South Africa’s retail sector has entered the age of ecommerce, with total online retail sales expected to reach R42-billion by the end of 2021. From the rise of contactless payments to the boom in social commerce, the pandemic has significantly altered consumer expectations when it comes to making purchases online. To unpack the major trends in the digital retail industry and explore the legacy of Covid-19, online payment gateway PayFast has launched their second annual Ecommerce Performance (PEP) Index. “We saw a 178% increase in QR code payments, and a 55% growth in mobile usage for online shopping over 2021.…

The country’s communications watchdog, ICASA, plans to invite applications from infrastructure-based mobile network operators for provisional assignment of radio frequency spectrum under the new ICT COVID-19 National State of Disaster Regulations, 2021. The temporary radio frequency spectrum was first assigned by means of an expedited ITA during April 2020 on the initial declaration of the National State of Disaster, which in turn was occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. ICASA has since twice extended the duration of the temporary radio frequency spectrum assignment, with the last expiry date being 31 August 2021. South Africa’s operators are expected to give back temporary radio frequency…

South Africa will not win the war against corruption if it does not actively and adequately protect whistle-blowers, the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation said on 10 November 2021. “Corruption has become embedded in South African society and it robs the country of the ability to provide its citizens with employment, services and social support by damaging economic activity and growth and siphoning off taxes,” says Foundation CEO Piyushi Kotecha. On 1 November South Africa lost an upstanding citizen when Athol Williams fled the country in fear for his life after implicating 39 individuals and companies at the Zondo…

Vodacom announced today that it is buying a controlling stake in Vodafone Egypt, one of Africa’s premier telecom operators. Subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals, Vodacom will fund the acquisition of a 55% stake in Vodafone Egypt by issuing 242 million new ordinary shares at R135.75 per share and R8.2 billion ($548 million) in cash. This values the proposed transaction at circa R41 billion or $2.738 billion. “Acquiring a majority stake in Vodafone Egypt would cement Vodacom Group’s position as Africa’s leading techco by advancing our strategic connectivity and financial services ambitions while increasing our total population coverage on the…

Vodacom today announced that it has agreed on terms to acquire a strategic stake in Community Investment Ventures Holdings’ (CIVH) fibre assets that will transform its South African fibre business and accelerate the purpose-led group’s ambition of connecting people for a better future. Subject to regulatory approvals, Vodacom Group will hold a co-controlling 30% equity interest in a newly formed InfraCo entity into which all of the material assets currently owned by Dark Fibre Africa (DFA’ and Vumatel will be transferred in addition to certain Vodacom owned fibre assets. Vodacom has an option to acquire an additional 10% stake in…

Barrows, the provider of hotel investment and advisory services for hotels in the Middle East and Africa is preparing for a new digital revolution in making the hotel industry smarter. Anyone who thinks we are already there with digitization in the hospitality industry could not be further wrong. Service and Hospitality will innovate enormously over the years to come through numerous sleek technological applications and make buildings intelligent. By providing the hotel buildings with intelligent applications aimed at high-quality guest service during the construction phase, the use of smart technology in the workplace becomes a natural result. This concerns, for example,…

Pick n Pay is preparing to release its Black Friday deals this November and says customers can expect massive deals and some of the lowest prices reported this year. Andrew Mills, Group Executive: Marketing at Pick n Pay, expects more customers to be excited for Black Friday deals this year and says they have made extra provisions to bring customers the biggest ever Black Friday deals in stores and to their doorstep. Pick n Pay is planning thousands of deals. The majority of these deals will be Smart Price Black Friday deals meaning customers who swipe their Smart Shopper card…