Author: Staff Writer
FlexClub, the innovative global vehicle subscription marketplace, has partnered with the sole distributor of Bajaj Auto in South Africa, to offer motorcycle subscriptions to individuals and businesses in South Africa. The partnership means that safe, reliable and highly economical vehicles are now accessible and affordable for the many thousands of independent delivery drivers in South Africa. According to Darren Venter, Head of Operations in South Africa at FlexClub, the fuel-efficient 125cc Bajaj CT motorcycles are a compelling and economical transport option for independent couriers who contract for food and goods delivery companies like Uber Eats, Mr D, Bolt, OneCart, Checkers,…
A new artificial intelligence (AI) platform has been unveiled by Telkom, in collaboration with Enlabeler, which could have a far-reaching impact on the education, health and business sectors. The new AI platform translates speech into text from English and local languages. It has a unique ability to interpret South African accents. The platform, izwe.ai, has been officially launched at the AI Expo Africa 2021, the largest business-focused Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Process Automation and 4IR trade event in Africa, running from September 7-9. Izwe.ai offers transcription and translation across a range of languages, as well as a number of text classification…
For the first time in South Africa, car buyers can enjoy a complete end-to-end digital vehicle shopping experience, saving them vast amounts of time and energy, through the new Avo virtual vehicle mall feature. This is the latest in the evolution of the super app, Avo by Nedbank, which was launched in May 2020, changing the way people interact with e-commerce. ‘While there are already quite a few websites and aggregators where people can browse vehicles, the existing options are still very limited,’ says Julie Vetter, Avo Executive at Nedbank. ‘While these online portals are offered to a client to…
Wits University today invited Africa’s research community to join its newly formed AI Africa Consortium which aims to develop a collaborative network focussed on the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and the application of AI in research and innovation. Addressing the virtual opening of AI Expo Africa 2021, the largest business-focused AI event in Africa, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University, announced the ambitious partnership, saying AI and machine learning (ML) “offers huge opportunities for development and progress in Africa”. “For us to fully participate in the 21st Century, we must use this ‘scientific renaissance’ to drive…
Forge Academy, South Africa’s first fully inclusive artificial intelligence laboratory, is offering 33 interns the opportunity of a lifetime. Selected interns will grow their digital skillsets and gain valuable experience in the 4IR disciplines of software development, user experience (UX) design, 3D graphics, game design and much more. The internship programme, which is sponsored by Nokia, will begin with selected applicants completing a four-week evaluation bootcamp. From this bootcamp, the final 33 interns will be chosen to work at Forge Academy for a 12-month period. Each student will have an accredited qualification to assist in securing career opportunities. Interns will…
The headwinds and economic strain of the past 18 months have left many businesses with little option but to evaluate costs. However, a recent PwC report states that while 52 percent of companies plan to curb or defer investments, only 9 percent will make those cuts in digital transformation. “Clearly, effective processes, combined with strong risk discipline and using FinOps to optimise cloud costs is more important than ever before. Managing through turbulence and disruption has become an essential skill for CIOs and IT decision makers,” notes Marilyn Moodley, Country Leader for South Africa and WECA (West, East, Central Africa)…
Xiaomi’s new Air Fryer, the Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L, is now available in South Africa and will initially be sold exclusively on Mobile in Africa’s ecommerce store. The smart product connects over Bluetooth 4.0 and WiFi and is supported by the Mi Home App. It also works with Google Assistant and Alexa. According to Google Trends, which tracks popular search data, air fryer related queries grew by more than 5,000% in South Africa over the past twelve months. What’s more, in 2020, there was a 57% increase in people talking about healthy living on social channels over the previous year. Globally, the…
Jaguar South Africa is celebrating World EV Day on 9 September by giving away special one-on-one all-electric I-PACE driving experiences to ten lucky winners of an EV-themed quiz to be hosted on its Facebook page. Be warned, this is not your average social media-style quiz designed for maximum engagement with quickfire, easy-to-answer questions. Contestants will need some genuine interest in electric vehicles, the future of mobility and all-electric Formula E motorsport to succeed and scoop the prizes. The quiz will run over seven consecutive days, with one question published per day, beginning on World EV Day on 9 September. To qualify…
M-Pesa has reached 50 million monthly active customers, cementing its position as Africa’s largest FinTech platform. Launched more than 14 years ago in Kenya, M-Pesa is today available in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Ghana and Egypt. The number of active M-Pesa customers has doubled in the past five years. The milestone also comes just 18 months after Safaricom and Vodacom launched the M-Pesa Africa joint venture to accelerate growth of the service across the continent. M-Pesa Africa has been delivering digital platforms as part of its focus to be the largest fintech and digital ecosystem…
Effective today, Pick n Pay Clothing fashion ranges will be available for purchase on Zando, extending accessibility beyond its physical stores across the country and online at www.pnpclothing.co.za. “Pick n Pay Clothing customers will have more access to our clothing ranges through Zando, and we look forward to welcoming new customers who we know will enjoy the quality and affordable pieces of highly desirable fashion that we offer,” says Hazel Pillay: GM Pick n Pay Clothing. Through Zando, which is well-established in online fashion and clothing retail, Pick n Pay will be able to diversify its customer base, reaching more…
The concept of vehicle sharing is a reality in Sandton, so the thrilling prospect of driving a MINI can be available to more South Africans (including non-MINI drivers). MINI knows that MINI’s drivers and fans are forward-thinking, innovative and perhaps primed more than any other bunch of people to “get” the possibilities of the sharing economy, and embrace new ways of accessing authentic urban lifestyles. “MINI drivers are always ahead of their time and, with MINI Sharing, we will enable a group of MINI fans to participate in the burgeoning sharing economy in this country,” says Shaun Willis, Head of…
Telkom announced today that it has cut the price of the 1GB + 1GB All networks data bundle to R79 and also introduced a new 1,5GB + 1,5GB All networks data bundle at R89. These deals will initially only be available on the *180# USSD menu and from 20 September 2021 may be accessed on all other channels. Wondering if you’re eligible to get the slice on MONATE? Don’t fret, because all-networks data bundles are available for purchase to all new and existing customers (Prepaid, Post-paid and Top-up or Hybrid). While deciding on which data allocation is best for you,…
The BMW i Vision Circular concept is the German carmakers’ idea of an electric compact car in 2040, geared toward reducing components and using recycled material. The German carmaker said the four-seater is fully electrically powered and offers a generous amount of interior space within its around four-metre-long footprint. It has furthermore been designed according to circular economy principles across the board and therefore symbolises the BMW Group’s ambitious plan to become the world’s most sustainable manufacturer in the individual premium mobility space. The Vision Vehicle is one of five different concept vehicles with which the BMW Group is presenting how…
The Transport Sector Retirement Fund (TSRF) was the first institutional investor in Heritage Capital, a 100% black women-owned and managed private equity firm. Heritage Capital was established in 2015 and is managed by passionate and highly skilled business partners Philile Maphumulo and Xolisile Ntanzi. The private equity firm has more than R300 million in assets under management. In 2017, TSRF committed R100 million into Heritage Capital’s maiden fund as an initial investment. An additional R50 million was later committed in 2019 to Heritage Capital to increase the investment to R150m. “We are very proud they are doing well under difficult circumstances,” said…
The Transport Sector Retirement Fund (TSRF) has a bold vision for its first integrated and sustainable township investment. The TSRF plans to build a new township that would bring development, economic upliftment, a better life for all, and growth in the fund’s assets. Construction of the new R2.7 billion township, known as Lethabong, will restore dignity to the people of the Vaal through building decent houses. The new township is being built in Sebokeng near the industrial cities of Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging. A South African National Treasury report shows city performances were being held back by various structural constraints. These…
Avon Justine has launched an attractive and compelling performance-based rewards programme that seeks to enhance women’s earning opportunities, and ensure that they reap the benefits of the growth of the beauty and cosmetics industry. Avon Justine has benchmarked its new rewards programme against that of peers. The programme has been designed to give its army of Sales Representatives a competitive edge, as well as reward them for their loyalty to the brand. “We are excited to introduce the new Avon Justine Rewards programme’s which have been designed to reflect how much we value our relationship with our Sales Representatives and…
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a new Mercedes-Maybach EQS concept, a luxurious all-electric SUV based on the modular architecture for luxury- and executive-class electric vehicles. The German automaker said that with the Concept EQS, Mercedes-Maybach is providing a clear preview of the first fully electric series-production model for the tradition-steeped luxury brand. This concept car takes the exclusivity of Maybach into a locally emission-free future. The near-production one-off shows identifying features that are characteristic of Maybach – such as the elaborate two-tone paint finish – but with its innovative drive technology, also takes a step towards a significantly more progressive way of…
Huawei recently launched its most stunning SuperCamera phone, the HUAWEI nova 8, in South Africa. The HUAWEI nova 8 is packed with a gorgeous display, a versatile quad-camera and an advanced processor for users to enjoy the most out of content viewing, capturing and sharing. The long battery life and fast charging support gives users peace of mind throughout the day and night. Huawei’s newest nova 8, which was launched last week on 26 August at The Galleria, raises the smartphone experience with a bold design, advanced camera capabilities and productivity-boosting features that have raised a lot of attention. Huawei…
Africa’s leading carrier-neutral co-location data centre provider, Africa Data Centres, has announced plans to build large hyperscale data centres throughout Africa, including the North African countries of Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt. The project will involve building 10 hyperscale data centres, in 10 countries, over the next two years – at a cost of more than $500 million or R7.2 billion. It is being funded through new equity and facilities from leading development finance institutions and multilateral organisations. Africa Data Centres CEO, Mr Stephane Duproz, explains that the finance for the roll-out has been provided by equity and loans to Africa Data…
As part of its commitment to enhancing South Africa’s educational and technological spheres, Exxaro Resources today announced a partnership with the University of Pretoria to establish the first-ever Exxaro Chair in Extended Reality (XR) Technology. Extended Reality technology refers to all real-and-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions generated by computer technology, including augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR). Through this partnership, the Exxaro Chair in XR Technology will offer a framework firstly on how the XR technology can be used to address mining industry challenges, and secondly on identifying the best available technologies for…
Franc is an investment app that was founded with a clear vision – to democratise investing in South Africa. It provides simple, easy accessibility to the money market and stock market via one’s mobile phone. It has fast become a loved and trusted local household name, growing 5x in registered users in the last year and a 24x in investors since being launched publicly in September 2019. What makes Franc stand out is how simple it is to use. They don’t try to confuse you with financial lingo, but rather genuinely help you feel empowered and in control of your…
Albert Einstein once said of problems; “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.” He would later add, “We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them”. Einstein might not have realised it at the time but his comments are the foundation of the field of data science today – i.e. thoroughly interrogate the problem and then think about solving it in new and innovative ways. “In the modern era, we have the ability to support human ingenuity with smart…
Recently announced research by the AI Media Group in Cape Town, points towards Johannesburg fast becoming the continent’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tech Capital of Africa Launched in early 2018 the AI Media Group set out to create a new hybrid analysis, trade & advisory operation to build one of the largest communities of technology practitioners discussing the application of AI / 4IR technologies in a business context on the African continent. Dr Nick Bradshaw, Founder and CEO of AI Media stated, “One of our key goals was to assess and showcase the growing emerging market opportunity in the Africa region for…
Discovery Bank, launched in 2018, is slowly gaining traction as more customers sign up to use its digital banking services. The bank is powered by the country’s largest medical aid provider, Discovery Health. Described as the world’s first behavioural bank, the fully digital bank promises to help clients bank healthier and leverages Discovery’s shared-value model. Discovery announced on Thursday that Discovery Bank continued to gain traction with 362 000 clients for the year ended-June 2021 versus 274 000 clients in July 2020. Discovery Health added that the band increased the number of accounts to 649 000 compared to 505 000 …
In just a few years since launching its remote biometric digital authentication and automated on-boarding technology platform, iiDENTIFii has attained Microsoft co-sell Partner status with its biometric digital authentication and automated onboarding solution hosted in Microsoft Azure. This coveted global status is a significant achievement for a South African-based digital identity verification platform, as it effectively positions iiDENTIFii and its end-to-end triangular digital authentication, an official Microsoft commercial marketplace value-add and part of the Microsoft Global Partner Network. “Being honoured with Microsoft Co-sell status is a key milestone for us. It provides recognition for iiDENTIFii as a proven innovative digital…