Author: Staff Writer

Uber has launched Women Drivers in South Africa, a product designed to empower women through choice. The product allows female riders to select female drivers, responding to the growing demand for safer, more inclusive mobility options while reinforcing Uber’s commitment to innovation, empowerment, and trust in the local market. The product draws on extensive testing in markets such as some cities in the USA and France, where it was adapted based on rider and driver behaviour. Uber has localised these insights to meet the specific needs of South African riders and drivers, where safety perceptions remain one of the most…

In South Africa, funerals are not just family affairs – they’re collective moments that draw entire communities together. When someone passes away, it’s not unusual for neighbours, relatives and friends to contribute financially, cook for guests, or simply show up to offer support. It’s a lived expression of Ubuntu – the belief that our lives are intertwined. But as funeral costs increase, fewer people carry cash, and more families are separated by geography, this tradition is evolving. South Africans are finding new, digital-first ways to uphold it – not by replacing cultural values, but by adapting them. At the heart…

Visa, in partnership with Absa, is proud to announce the winners of the second annual She’s Next South Africa competition, a flagship initiative designed to empower women-owned small businesses with access to funding, training, and mentorship. This year’s finalists represented diverse businesses, including farming to furniture, recycling, manufacturing, and clothing. With her Avo processing factory on wheels, this year’s overall winner is Christine Masaiti from Grandstage Trading, who has been awarded the grand prize of a R450 000 monetary grant. Zimkhita Duze from Uuka Bricks secured second place, earning R270 000, while third place and R150 000 went to the…

NetApp, a data infrastructure company, has appointed Axiz as a distributor across Africa in a landmark agreement that reflects NetApp’s renewed commitment to scale its presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets. This strategic collaboration aims to empower a broader channel ecosystem, unlock new partner-led opportunities, and deliver world-class data and cloud solutions to enterprises across Sub-Saharan Africa. “Collaborating with Axiz represents a pivotal step in NetApp’s Africa strategy,” said Farid Najjar, Commercial Sales Manager – MEA at NetApp. “Axiz’s reach, technical expertise, and strong multi-vendor ecosystem uniquely position them to drive the next phase of our growth…

Investec has been awarded an energy trading licence by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), marking another significant milestone in the liberalisation and transformation of South Africa’s energy sector. “This licence is more than a regulatory milestone landmark – it’s about unlocking competitive advantage for our clients,” said Mpho Modise, Head of Renewable Energy Trading at Investec. “As South Africa navigates rising energy costs and ongoing supply challenges, we are focused on providing innovative, cost-effective solutions that not only future-proof businesses but also accelerate the shift to renewable energy.” The newly awarded licence enables Investec to broaden its…

Disney+ today announced that, from 02 October 2025, the ESPN Africa linear channels will be available to South African customers at no extra cost. Fans will have access to the two 24-hour linear ESPN channels that showcase the very best live and studio sports programming from the US and around the world, spanning major leagues and iconic competitions. “At Disney, we are committed to delivering world-class sports and entertainment to customers across the region. The launch of the ESPN Africa linear channels on Disney+ in South Africa reflects our strategy to reach sports fans across multiple platforms and connect with…

JSE listed Balwin Properties, a developer that cares about environmentally responsible building practices and the delivery of high-quality apartments to its valued clients, yesterday launched the first of several vocational training centres that will be rolled out nationally. The first training centre at Mooikloof Smart City, east of Pretoria, will train more than 300 candidates annually in bricklaying, tiling, plastering, plumbing, electrical, first aid, firefighting, and working from heights. Steve Brookes, CEO and founder of Balwin commented: “The construction sector has lost a considerable number of vocational skills in the aftermath of the Pandemic. This initiative is aimed at empowering…

[Shanghai, China, September 18, 2025] HUAWEI CONNECT 2025 kicks off today in Shanghai. Eric Xu, Huawei’s Deputy Chairman of the Board and Rotating Chairman, gave a keynote themed “Groundbreaking SuperPoD Interconnect: Leading a New Paradigm for AI Infrastructure”. During the event, Xu unveiled the world’s most powerful SuperPoDs and SuperClusters. Xu noted, “Computing power is – and will continue to be – key to AI. This is especially true in China.” He reiterated that Huawei’s goal is to sustainably meet long-term computing demand by building SuperPoDs and SuperClusters with the semiconductor manufacturing process nodes that are practically available to the…

Telkom recorded a pleasing 153,4% increase in its enterprise and supplier development investment during the 2025 financial year, with its flagship Telkom FutureMakers Programme supporting 459 youth- and women-led enterprises, driving R859 million in procurement opportunities. Telkom FutureMakers celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year, having been launched in 2015 with a R250-million investment. The initiative aims to improve Telkom’s offerings and services by incubating ICT-based SMMEs through financial and non-financial programmes. To date, more than 2 600 black-owned SMMEs have gone through the programme. “Telkom FutureMakers has had a real impact on people’s lives for more than a decade,” says…

 Since its inception in 2017, Vodacom’s #CodeLikeAGirl (CLAG) programme has continued to break barriers and open doors for girls in South Africa, inspiring a new generation to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). What began with just twenty participants has grown into a national initiative, with over 10 000 girls having been trained in coding and digital literacy across all nine provinces in the country. #CLAG offers girls aged 14 to 18 from underprivileged communities access to both on-site and virtual coding bootcamps. These sessions introduce participants to programming languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and GitHub,…