Author: Staff Writer
Avon Justine joins the global community to commemorate World Cancer Day on 4th February 2021 by reaffirming its commitment to work with organisations that support breast cancer survivors. As a company for women, Avon Justine has used the power of beauty and its brand to champion awareness and education about the importance of early detection, which has been clinically proven to improve the chances of successful treatment. Avon Justine has supported non-governmental organisations such as the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), Look Good…Feel Better, Journeysys and Wings of Hope by hosting events like the iThemba Walkathon, the biggest cancer…
JSE-listed Altron has announced the appointment of Nametsegang Maruping as Group Executive: Human Capital, with effect from 1 February 2021. Maruping is currently Head of Human Capital in Altron Rest of Africa, a position which she retains. Maruping joined Altron Rest of Africa in 2018 as the Head of Human Capital. She was responsible for leading and providing human capital strategic oversight across Africa and the Middle East with a key focus on Botswana; Kenya; Mauritius; Middle East, Mozambique; Namibia and South Africa. Prior to joining Altron, Maruping worked at companies such as Absa, Standard Bank and Unilever as well…
Aerobotics has brought on agricultural industry leader and technical agronomist Liaan Janse van Vuuren to further develop its intelligent tools for increasing and protecting yields. As an industry stalwart, Liaan is training Aerobotics’ artificial intelligence in the field to equip growers and their advisers with an eye in the sky that sees everything and misses nothing when it comes to crop performance. Aerobotics’ aerial imagery supports its industry-leading product suite, that includes insights on-farm health, tree canopy size, tree counts and missing tree counts. The company’s agricultural customer base use these insights to protect and increase the production of every…
Ukheshe announced on Thursday the appointment of Prins Mhlanga as a non-executive director of the digital FinTech platform provider. Mhlanga is a South African entrepreneur with a long career in the ICT space. He is currently the founder and CEO of the Ocean on 76 Group. Mhlanga is also a former Managing Executive of Digital Media at Vodacom. Since launching two years ago, Ukheshe has established itself as a leading payment technology specialist successfully collaborating with several blue-chip payment brands. The appointment of Mhlanga comes at a time when the company has refocused on the B2B sector and is streamlining…
The two most critical components in an organisation’s journey to becoming digitally transformed are data and analytics. According to Andreas Bartsch, Head of Service Delivery at PBT Group, it comes down to being able to leverage information as a critical asset that delivers business value. “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of embracing a digital way of thinking especially given the normalisation of the distributed work environment. But more than the tools required to keep employees productive regardless of their physical location, decision-makers must reassess how they view their organisation in this new world,” says Bartsch. Putting data first…
Clinicians can now self-register to get their COVID-19 inoculation, as government prepares for its historic vaccination rollout in the next coming weeks. Launching the Electronic Vaccine Data System (EVDS) on Wednesday, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said more than 34 000 frontline workers have already registered. Healthcare workers can register on http://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za. In line with the phased approach of the vaccine rollout plan, the Minister is calling on all health workers to self-register on the portal. According to Mkhize, those who have so far registered include clinical and non-clinical healthcare workers from both the public and private sectors. Mkhize said…
Cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, has been steadily increasing in its popularity as a speculative investment by South Africans and, it appears, is now squarely within the focus of the South African Revenue Service (SARS). This is according to Thomas Lobban, a legal manager for Cross-Border Taxation at Tax Consulting SA, who argues that when a taxpayer files a tax return, SARS may send a request for verification or “audit request” in which it seeks clarification or supporting documentation from a taxpayer. Lobban said the information sought by SARS is inevitably linked to the disclosures made by the taxpayer in that…
The Nigerian telecoms regulator has again extended the timeline for mobile phone operators to update SIM card registrations by eight weeks. The deadline was 9 February 20201. Last December, the regulator directed telecoms firms to stop selling SIM cards while it audits compliance with SIM registration rules. The regulator said in a statement that the ongoing National Identification Number (NIN) and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) integration exercise has been extended by 8 weeks, with a new deadline of April 6, 2021. It was reported that a total of 56.18 million NINs have been collected by the mobile network operators, the…
US motor giant Ford Motor Company on Tuesday announced R15.8 billion investment in its South Africa subsidiary, cementing its commitment to the local market. This marks the biggest investment in Ford’s 97-year history in South Africa. The investment is expected to create more than 1 200 jobs, increasing the local workforce to 5,500 employees, and adding an estimated 10,000 new jobs across Ford’s local supplier network, bringing the total to 60,000. It also represents one of the largest-ever investments in the South African automotive industry. “This investment will further modernize our South African operations, helping them to play an even…
Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct is calling for inquisitive graduates who enjoy exploring apps, understand basic software development and figuring out how it all works, to be part of its newly launched Software Tester Learnership Programme with the support of the Department of e-Gov and application testing specialists, IT Ecology. The programme aims to address the increasing need for quality software testers in the country, a gap only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Software testing is a process to evaluate the functionality of a software application and whether it meets the specified requirements. It is an opportunity to identify…
In the past, some software companies were unable to implement the infrastructure needed to deliver solutions to the market place. At the same time, local companies often did not have the training or capabilities to produce developers proficient in the ever-changing technologies demanded by all sectors of industry. Undeterred, Nexah – the Cameronian-based firm – believed it could change the way African software companies are viewed. Its biggest challenge was to create digital solutions for the African market – with the quality on par with international software companies. The company specialises in developing web, mobile, and entertainment services for the…
Tech distribution company Tarsus, which is being acquired by JSE-listed Alviva, announced on Tuesday that group CEO Miles Crisp and finance director Joanne Tanner have resigned to pursue fresh opportunities. The company said both have played a key role in leading Tarsus’s growth over the past decade and in positioning the group as one of the leading broad-based ICT distributors in South Africa. Crisp was appointed as Group CEO in 2014 with a mandate from the board and majority shareholder, Investec, to optimise operations, de-risk funding, strengthen governance and facilitate the sale of the group to a new owner, the…
Economists and experts agree that entrepreneurship has the potential to stimulate economic growth and generate much-needed economic opportunities. The increasing digitisation of the economy has opened up unprecedented opportunities for aspiring micro-businesses to leverage the ubiquity of online platforms to market their businesses beyond their geographical confines. As one of the leading beauty and personal care company, Avon Justine has been at the forefront of harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit of millions of women around the world and giving them the earnings opportunity for 135 years. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to stall economic growth, Avon Justine is once again allowing…
Although investment activity was subdued across the board in 2020, it was an extraordinary deal-making year for South African venture capital firm, Empowerment Capital Investment Partners. Empowerment Capital and its investment funds – Andzani Ventures, Imvelo Ventures and Thuthuka Nathi Ventures – approved and placed a total of R162 million into 13 South African start-ups between July 2019 and February 2021. Furthermore, R32.5 million is approved for placement in the coming weeks in three exciting new ventures. Started in 2015 by Anton Baumann and Mark Fitzjohn, Empowerment Capital is seeking aggressive growth as it enters the next phase of its business,…
Teraco, Africa’s largest interconnection hub and vendor-neutral data centre provider, announced on Tuesday that it has finalised a new R2.5 billion loan financing transaction to finance the building of its new data centre. Last November, the company announced the construction of a new 38-megawatt hyperscale data centre in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, South Africa. The new transaction cements Teraco’s commitment to continuing investment in the region’s digital infrastructure and expanding Africa’s largest data centre platform. Teraco’s newly appointed chief financial officer, Samuel Erwin, said that the shareholders and lenders of Teraco have a long-term vision for Africa’s digital transformation and…
Ford and Lincoln cars will be powered by Google operating system beginning 2023 as part of a six-year partnership announced Monday. To drive ongoing innovation, Ford and Google said they are establishing a new collaborative group, Team Upshift. Team Upshift will push the boundaries of Ford’s transformation, unlock personalized consumer experiences, and drive disruptive, data-driven opportunities. This may include projects ranging from developing new retail experiences when buying a vehicle, creating new ownership offers based on data, and more. “As Ford continues the most profound transformation in our history with electrification, connectivity and self-driving, Google and Ford coming together establishes…
South Africa has officially received its first shipment of one million Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. The Emirates cargo carrying the first batch of the lifesaving jabs from India touched down at OR Tambo International Airport on Monday afternoon. President Cyril Ramaphosa, together with his Deputy David Mabuza, who chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Vaccines, witnessed the momentous occasion. Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, flanked the two leaders. Plastic-wrapped bundles of the in-demand vaccine were off-loaded from the plane into the unmarked refrigerated trucks. The jabs were then transported to a cold room lab where they will undergo quality checks, which may…
AlphaCode announced on Monday the top ten businesses for R10 million FinTech support programme. Almost 200 fintech businesses applied for the AlphaCode Incubate programme which aims to grow innovative financial services entrepreneurs and find the next OUTsurance or Discovery. The 12-week intensive pre-incubation programme is valued at R500 000, including R150 000 in grant funding for each participant. This jump-start programme has just begun and focuses on achieving a viable business. It culminates in a demo day, where participants will compete for a place in a 6-month step-up programme. Step-up offers grant funding of R500 000 for each startup and…
Digital FinTech platform provider Ukheshe has announced the conclusion of a new agreement with the Kenya-based lender KCB Bank Kenya. The deal is aimed at boosting East African payment services Through the agreement, KCB will sponsor Ukheshe’s Bank Identification Number (BIN) number, which will allow Ukheshe to immediately issue both physical and virtual cards across East Africa where KCB has an extensive footprint. According to Victor Ndlovu, VP of Ukheshe Africa, the deal will include other innovative digital products such as QR issuing and acquiring. “By joining forces with KCB we are well-placed to address several open loop market opportunities…
Regulators are no longer afraid to protect peoples’ rights to privacy against tech giants. In recent years, we have seen the likes of Google and Facebook receive large amounts of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) fines. Head of Legal and Chief Privacy Officer at LAWtrust, Rian Schoeman says with the 28th of January being Global Data Privacy day, it is time to look thoroughly at South African business and how far they are with their Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) compliance journey. “POPIA in South Africa came into effect on 1 July 2020, and if you have not started…
Government will use an electronic system to keep track of everyone who gets the COVID-19 vaccine as South Africa gears up for its historical mass vaccination. The Department of Health’s Acting Chief Operating Officer (COO), Milani Wolmarans, said the Electronic Vaccine Data System (EVDS), will allow the department to capture all relevant data associated with the administration of the vaccine. “The system is a data-secure platform built with an enterprise architecture that complies with national and international security standards,” Wolmarans explained. The COO announced this during a public health webinar chaired by Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, on COVID-19 vaccine…
Spot Money has introduced open banking offering in South Africa, in a move that followed the 2020 acquisition of Virgin Money South Africa by a local private equity firm, in partnership with the local executive management team Virgin Money has been rebranded into Spot Money. Spot Money’s app is now live on all major app stores: Apple, Huawei and Google Play Store. Andre Hugo, who continues at the helm of the Spot Money business as CEO, said the app was a significantly revised offering which would introduce Spot’s entry into Open Banking. He said this also heralds the beginning of…
Musica is dead. We’ve known is coming for some time. Clickcs Group informed investors on Wednesday that it will close the music retailer’s stores countrywide. The music retailer was founded 29 years ago. The JSE-listed company informed investors that its board has taken a decision to close the group’s heritage entertainment brand Musica with effect from 31 May 2021. “Musica has closed 19 stores since the start of the 2021 financial year and is currently trading from 59 outlets,” the company said. “The remaining stores will be closed as leases expire over the next four months when the majority…
Telkom announced on Wednesday it has chosen three talented content producers to feature on its video streaming service, TelkomONE. After the call for submissions through the #OpenUpTheIndustry competition: joint prize-winners Lisa Marie Pyanee and Gosiame Ntshole in the Comedy category; Brandon Olifant (Mobivela) and Patty Monroe (Lifestyle), will each receive a R100 000 cash injection to produce a full web-series. Final projects are to be screened on the TelkomONE platform. “We were looking for content producers that stood out in how they shared their stories as well as relatable, authentically South African content that moved us, made us laugh and kept…
Twelve young South Africans have been selected by MultiChoice to participate in a continental first Scriptwriting Incubator to find the next generation of storytellers. Starting in February, the full-time MultiChoice Talent Factory South Africa (MTFza) Scriptwriting Incubator will host the 12 interns who will be mentored by Tshedza Pictures’ Phathutshedzo Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon, the International Emmy-Nominated producers of The River, Giyani: Land of Blood, The Republic and Legacy, and the head writers of Gomora, the Queen, Igazi and many other of South Africa’s favourite television shows. The SETA-accredited learnership will include structured learning with the Wits University Film &…