Author: Staff Writer
Generation Z are rapidly stepping onto the world stage. They are graduating from high school, entering the workforce and studying at tertiary education institutions. Referred to as digital natives, this generation grew up with technology and have no knowledge of life without it. They are globally connected, incredibly mobile, entrepreneurial and crave autonomy – especially when it comes to education where they want flexibility on how, where and when they learn. Are our South African universities equipped to engage with and stimulate these digitally immersed learners? Wits University’s Emeritus Professor Barry Dwolatzky, who serves on the Computer Science Advisory Board…
As an increasingly vaccinated world starts fighting its way back to a semblance of normality, it’s almost time again for the eagerly-anticipated annual Mandela Remembrance Walk and Run (MRWR), taking place this year on Sunday 5 December 2021. The event, which honours and remembers iconic global statesperson Nelson Mandela, will again take place in hybrid fashion, with the physical form at Tshwane’s Union Buildings for a restricted number of 1000 people, and the virtual form being open to participants globally who wish to take part in this special event. COVID restrictions forced the bulk of the event to take place…
Huawei has announced the winners of the 2021 edition of the Huawei HMS App Innovation Contest (Apps UP), with four African Apps being recognised and celebrated. Coresthetics walked away with one of the Best App Awards in the Middle East and Africa region, along with $15,000 in prize money. UniAPS bagged an Excellent Student Award, with $5,000 prize money, while Droppa and Secura received Honourable Mention Awards, which each come with $3,000 prize money. “The Apps UP contest is a great initiative from Huawei, and I hope that we continue to encourage app developers to make apps that are beneficial…
Xtra Savings members can now transact using their Xtra Savings cards following a significant update to the Shoprite Group’s Money Market Account. The Money Market Account, which has attracted 530 000 users since it launched just over a year ago, now provides customers with transactional banking functionalities, including sending money and making withdrawals. “The development and roll out of the account have been driven entirely by customer needs,” explains Jean Olivier, General Manager: Financial Services at the Shoprite Group. Customers indicated that they like transacting with their phones, but also with a card, and some raised concerns about how to…
The South African government plans to intervene in the impasse between mobile network operators and the country’s communications watchdog, ICASA, over the expiry of the temporary spectrum. “The minister [Khumbudzo Ntshavheni] is engaging with all parties to find an amicable solution in the matter,” Communications department spokesperson Tlali Tlali told the Business Times. He added that “the department’s view is that the courts should be an option of last resort to be explored only in the event all other efforts do not yield desirable outcomes”. The temporary radio frequency spectrum was first assigned by means of an expedited ITA during…
MTN SA today launched MTN Online School, a free online portal that provides a comprehensive digital curriculum for grades R-12 and additional features like video lessons, assessments and extra-tuition lessons for Grade 10 to 12 learners. The solution is aimed at increasing access to curriculum-aligned educational content, as endorsed and provided by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in SA for Grades R-12 and for Learners with Special Education Needs (LSEN), using a digital platform. The full content library will be added to the platform and made available over a period of three years, focusing on key subjects. “Our vision…
Sun International has used downtime during lockdowns to look at how it can improve and enhance its customer experience. In addition to introducing a speedy online booking platform, the company has also introduced a slick new App to streamline communication for its Most Valued Guest (MGV) programme. “The Covid-19 pandemic has catapulted the world into the digital era and has forever changed customer expectations and how we communicate with them,” Anthony Leeming, CEO of Sun International said. “Our MVG’s are no longer prepared to spend hours trying to access information about the best room rates or to confirm how many…
On the back of the findings of the Attacks From All Angles 2021 Mid-year Cybersecurity Report by Trend Micro, the remote workforce remains an organisation’s greatest vulnerability when it comes to cybersecurity. Zaheer Ebrahim, Cyber Security Consultant at Trend Micro, shares five ways businesses can ensure they are not compromised amidst a 47% year-on-year increase in cyber threats globally. From VPN vulnerabilities, cloud threats, email breaches and Covid-19 related scams, the pandemic and the consequential rise of the remote-workforce has given bad actors new opportunities to exploit weaknesses and vulnerabilities in individuals’ personal and organisations’ work-related cybersecurity systems. Modern ransomware…
Drawing up a Will and Testament is often forgotten and, in most cases, passing on without a will can turn out to be an expensive and time-consuming process for beneficiaries. Old Mutual has simplified the will drafting process, by introducing an online platform that makes it possible for anyone over the age of 16 to create and amend a will from anywhere and at any time – and it’s free. However, there are additional value add services that attract fees, these include estate planning, collection, and storage of signed will and checking with the Department of Home Affairs’ records to…
The Shoprite Group’s Money Market Account, which previously only enabled customers to deposit funds to pay for utilities and buy groceries, now provides customers with new transactional banking options including sending money and making withdrawals. Money Market Accounts offer banked and unbanked consumers, many of whom are regular customers at the Group’s stores, access to basic transactional banking activities that are specifically aimed at their needs. The account gives them: Simplicity and transparency, as there are no fees and no physical forms (all digital); Low-cost banking with no unwanted fees (no monthly fees, no load fees, no transactional fees, only…
Bolt Food has launched its food delivery services in Johannesburg, giving the city’s residents access to food deliveries from more than 300 restaurants and fast-food outlets. This follows the success of Bolt Food in Cape Town, where more than 800 restaurants have been added to the food app since it launched in April 2020. “We piloted Bolt Food in Cape Town last year, with outstanding results,” says James Townsend-Rose, Country Manager for Bolt Food in South Africa. “Restaurants and their customers welcomed Bolt Food’s affordable prices and quick deliveries, and we are excited to bring this solution to Johannesburg, and…
Sikonathi Mantshantsha, a former journalist and current Eskom spokesperson, has launched a crowdfunding appeal for about R1 million to cover the costs of fighting a defamation suit filed against him by former Eskom CEO Matshela Koko. Mantshantsha, who is now Eskom’s spokesperson, had reported extensively on corruption at Eskom in 2017 and is being sued by Koko for tweets in which he predicted the arrest, conviction and jailing of the former executive. Koko says the tweets are defamatory and is claiming R600,000 in damages. Business Day reported that Mantshantsha says that the tweets were not defamatory and that Koko is…
Social media giant Facebook plans to rebrand itself with a new name next week. The Verge reported on Tuesday, citing a source with direct knowledge of the matter, stating that the name change is to reflect its focus on building the metaverse. The Verge further reported that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to talk about the name change at the company’s annual Connect conference on October 28th, but could unveil sooner. The Verge added that the name is meant to signal the tech giant’s ambition to be known for more than social media and all the ills that entail. The…
With the latest release of the AppleWatch 7, the iPad Mini, and the iPhone 13, we’re left with so much excitement after Apple’s keynote event last September. With Apple being one of the leading brands of the tightly competitive market of smartphones, it’s safe to say that there is a HUGE demand for iPhone 13, so much so that the company is likely to cut the production due to chip shortage. However, it’s still a huge price to pay, especially since data from Numbeo shows that the average salary of people in a region like Southeast Asia, for instance, is…
Suraya Hamdulay has been appointed as the vice president of regional strategy and engagement at 2U, Inc., a global EdTech (education technology) platform that partners with great universities to build, deliver, and support online degrees, short courses and bootcamps at scale. Hamdulay is responsible for internal and external communications & engagement activities, public affairs, corporate social responsibility and B-BBEE & Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategy in the region. With over two decades of experience in both the public and private sectors, Hamdulay has held executive roles both at Vodacom Group and BCX. She has a proven track record of generating…
As 5G becomes increasingly ubiquitous, it will dramatically change the way business operates across Africa. While most people are aware of the impact 5G will have on ordinary people’s mobile internet speeds, it will also provide and enable new solutions across a vast swathe of industries. That was the overriding message from day two of the Digital Council Africa Conext 2021 conference, currently taking place virtually and which focused on the release of 5G to business and how it will impact Africa. While 5G coverage is still in its infancy across the continent businesses will be much better placed to…
Tiger Brands has been approved for secondary listing on A2X Markets and its ordinary shares will commence trading on the stock exchange from 26 October 2021. Tiger Brands Limited will retain its primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and its issued share capital will be unaffected by its secondary listing on A2X. Tiger Brands is one of Africa’s largest listed manufacturers of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). It was founded in 1921 and holds leading positions in most categories with a growing market presence across Africa. Its portfolio includes iconic brands that are well-entrenched with consumers such as All Gold,…
Every night at 20:00, every South African with a smartphone has the chance to win their share of R100 000 in cash and airtime with Expand, an exciting free-to-play digital game that is gripping the nation. Expand is the first digital game of its kind globally, and it has been made possible by a partnership between Expand, Nedbank and the Avo super app. Expand is unique in that it levels the gaming playing field by making it possible for anyone in South Africa over the age of 18 years to win a share of the R100 000 cash and airtime prizes…
Today Telkom has revealed new chat bundles available to customers and that give them access to eight chat media platforms, for as little as R3, namely; WhatsApp, Threema, WeChat, Viber, Telegram, LINE, Signal and Facebook Messenger. New and existing customers on Post-paid, Hybrid and Prepaid mobile qualify for the following offers: Daily Chat bundles – valid for 24 hours from date of activation. Weekly Chat bundles – valid for 7 days from the date of activation. Monthly bundles – valid for 31 days from the date of activation. “What informed the structure of these new chat bundles is our customer…
South African truck drivers are a critical front-line service for our communities, and face many challenges that ordinary road users may not have considered Fleet drivers during the pandemic, as well as risking their safety during recent periods of unrest, have demonstrated the important – and often brave – role that drivers play in protecting our country’s economy and supporting the livelihoods of communities In spite of the challenges they’ve faced, fleet drivers and managers have shown resourcefulness by finding new technologies and solutions to address these The truck accident in Johannesburg last month, in which a chemical tanker’s tyre…
With IT job vacancies continuing to climb as companies struggle to recruit and obtain critical skills in South Africa, there is an opportunity to upskill or reskill individuals to meet this demand. Prudence Mabitsela, founder and Managing Director of Dynamic DNA, a leading training and skills development company empowering Africa’s ICT generation, believes these skills are needed to build the economy of South Africa and to close the digital skills and gender divide in the country. As the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) kicks into gear and more companies speed up their digitisation strategies due to the global pandemic, now is…
Telkom Business has joined forces with South African MarTech company Mobiz, to bring dynamic SMS marketing to small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs). Together, the businesses aim to make rich content mobile marketing affordable, accessible, and scalable to all businesses, with packages starting from as low as R99 per month. This offering enables businesses to experience and benefit from the same technology used daily by MultiChoice, Incredible Connection, HomeChoice, and many more leading brands in SA. In earlier announcements, Telkom has pledged its support to SMMEs in their journey to adopt online software by introducing SaaS (software as a service)…
South Africa’s online student accommodation marketplace, DigsConnect.com has entered into an agreement with the world’s largest student accommodation site, Student.com, enabling the startup to expand its presence to approximately 30 new countries and 400 new cities in the next 6 months. DigsConnect was founded in 2018 and is a service to students and landlords, matching students to suitable accommodation in the areas around universities and colleges. The platform has to date connected more than 65,000 landlords and tenants. DigsConnect.com CEO and co-founder, Alexandria Procter, says that it’s an exciting time for the business, best known for its record-setting R12m seed…
Bang & Olufsen launches Beoplay HX, a powerful and authentic sound experience with digital ANC, up to 35 hours of play time and elevated comfort, exemplifying Bang & Olufsen’s expertise in sound, design, and craftsmanship. “Our dedication to create the best audio products has resulted in Beoplay HX which delivers an immersive and accurate sound experience, ultimate comfort and a refined user interface to meet our customers habits, values and needs. Whether working from home, travelling for business or pleasure, escape from the noise of everyday life and revolutionize your listening experience with our new headphones”, says Bang & Olufsen…
The recent court case against former cop, Rosemary Ndlovu, has put insurance fraud under the spotlight. Ndlovu is accused of plotting the murder of relatives so that she could claim several insurance policies. As key learnings, BrightRock’s head of the legal, Glenn Hickling, addresses some questions to educate consumers about insurance fraud and how it applies to them. What is insurance fraud and what are some of the most common frauds? Insurance fraud is a deliberate act of deceit – such as withholding material information or providing false information – to benefit unlawfully from an insurance policy. Insurance fraud…