Author: Staff Writer
With a goal to curb carbon emissions, South African startup Curbon, will make carbon-neutral online shopping possible through the launch of the country’s very first plugin created to help fight climate change. Curbon’s unique offering gives shoppers the opportunity to take direct, meaningful climate action with every online purchase. Using data from the world’s leading climate science institutions, the startup’s flagship product estimates the emissions of customers’ carts at checkout and empowers shoppers to neutralise the carbon footprint of their purchases on e-commerce stores in real-time. Dedicated to minimising the environmental impact of the entire e-commerce value chain, Curbon’s API…
A recent study focused on executives and knowledge professionals commissioned by Cisco and conducted by Dimensional Research showed that more than half (56%) of employees spend most of their time in meetings when working remotely with 33% saying that it takes up half of their workday. This has resulted in 95% of employees experiencing video meeting fatigue. The overall fatigue is attributed mainly to technological issues, which comprise of background noise, poor sound, and video quality. These elements have actively contributed to physical ailments with 81% of employees reporting headaches, neck and shoulder strains and eye strains over time. In…
Google Cloud announced a collaboration with Pepkor Group, one of the largest retailers in Southern Africa. The new collaboration involves Pepkor IT, a division of the Pepkor Group leveraging Google Cloud’s data analytics solutions to transform its in-house logistical processes, enabling the company to help more households across Africa access value-for-money products. With a consumer base of more than 28 million in-store customers and a footprint of 5,400 retail stores, Pepkor IT’s processes generate massive volumes of data every day. For a retailer that operates at such scale, a deep understanding of the data Pepkor IT generates is critical for…
The municipalities of Ekurhuleni and Emfuleni have entrusted Vodacom to help them streamline service delivery by keeping staff reliably connected. Vodacom has begun rolling out its world-class solutions for both municipalities as part of a three-year contract. “Vodacom is proud to be helping the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality and Emfuleni local municipality deliver on their purpose to grow and support their local economies,” says Poppy Tshabalala, Managing Executive of Public Enterprise for Vodacom Business. “To honour their purpose, it’s crucial for these municipalities to stay connected to the communities they serve, and to ensure that service delivery is not interrupted by…
When was the last time you didn’t have cash on hand to pay for the minibus taxi or were a few rands short on your taxi money? Never mind having to make sure you have enough cash on you. These days, cash isn’t always the best way to pay. Fortunately, Standard Bank is working on a way to help simplify minibus taxi payments for commuters and drivers. Carrying cash comes with risks. And it isn’t as convenient as we might think. From waiting in line at the ATM to having a wallet filled with coins, cash presents its fair share…
Ride-hailing platform Bolt has introduced driver scores and driver trip-sharing features in South Africa, which will improve the quality and safety of drivers on the platform. The launch features further enforce Bolt’s commitment to drivers’ well-being, giving them more control over their ride performance. The driver score feature is a transparent metric that allows drivers to understand their in-app performance better better, encourages improvements in driver habits and helps them offer the best possible rider experience. The feature is designed to increase the quality of service, thus being at the core of positive driver and rider experience. The driver trip-sharing…
Mercedes‑Benz Vans, full range provider of electric private and commercial vans, and electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian, have today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to initiate a strategic partnership. The partnership will enable the companies to cooperate on the production of electric vans. Subject to the parties entering into final binding agreements and to obtaining the relevant regulatory clearances, the companies intend to establish a new joint venture manufacturing company with the purpose of investing in, and operating, a factory in Europe to produce large electric vans for both Mercedes-Benz Vans and Rivian, starting in a few years.…
MTN SA today announced a review of its executive structure as the company gears up to deliver on its Ambition 2025 strategy to transform from a Telco to a TechCo. In line with this strategic shift, the company has appointed Ernst Fonternel into the role of Chief Consumer Officer and Divyesh Joshi into the role of Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer. Both appointments were recruited internally and are effective 1 October. The new executive structure also sees the introduction of two new roles including that of Chief Commercial Operations Officer and Chief Risk Officer. Active recruiting for these positions is…
Canada-based neobank Be Mobile has announced its official launch in South Africa to target the unbanked and underbanked in South Africa and offers ‘low to no-fee’ banking products through its app. According to Oxford Business School, an estimated 23.5% of the population is unbanked, and R12 billion or $1.04 billion, in cash is believed to be held outside of banks. The company aims to accelerate financial inclusion throughout Africa by delivering innovative digital banking solutions to serve these users. By opening a Be Mobile Africa account, customers can hold, send and receive funds in multiple currencies including USD and EUR,…
Binance, the world’s leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider, has announced that it is eliminating fees on South African Rand (ZAR) deposits for a time period as it continues to establish itself as the global leader in pricing. Just recently, Binance launched its fiat gateway, enabling users to instantly deposit South African Rands (ZAR) into their Binance wallet and buy crypto. From September 7, users can enjoy zero fees when making those deposits. Binance continues to drive financial accessibility through safe, secure and affordable payments across the industry. “Binance is, at its core, an inclusive platform designed with accessibility…