Author: Staff Writer
Elevated customer expectations and tighter budgets will make 2020 holiday shopping more competitive than ever for retailers, as nearly 90% plan to spend the same or less than last year according to new research conducted by SAS, the leader in analytics. Nearly three quarters (74%) of South African citizens reported they plan to spend less on end of year expenditure this year. This included nearly one in four (24%) who said they would be spending less than half their usual amount. As well as smaller customer budgets, retailers must prepare for high expectations when it comes service quality. A quarter of customers would ditch companies after just one poor experience, while 63% would abandon companies after just two-to-five poor examples of customer service, before moving to competing brands. The shift to online shopping…
Pan-African telecoms group Liquid Telecom has appointed Wole Abu as Chief Executive Officer for Liquid Telecom Nigeria and its new Africa Data Centre (ADC) in Nigeria, effective January 2021. The organisation had recently acquired a premium piece of land in Lagos to build the data centre, which will be the single largest data centre in Africa outside of South Africa. This new Data Centre in Nigeria once completed will address the growing demand for cloud storage and digital services on the continent, and Abu will be responsible for overseeing the strategic growth of ADC’s operations in this new market. “Abu…
Telkom will offer the new iPhone 12 lineup, including iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12, and iPhone 12 mini. With a beautiful all-new design, iPhone 12 models feature unparalleled new camera systems, edge-to-edge Super Retina XDR displays for a more immersive viewing experience, the biggest jump in durability with the Ceramic Shield front cover, and Apple-designed A14 Bionic chip, the fastest chip in a smartphone. Customers will be able to pre-order iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12, and iPhone 12 mini beginning on December 11, with availability on December 18. For complete pricing and…
Telkom Consumer and YahClick have signed an agreement which enables individual and business consumers to make high quality voice calls and access broadband data packages from anywhere in SA using only a satellite connection. For Phase 1, Telkom will commence with migrating a number of identified consumer customers first and launch to new customers in early 2021. This significantly expands access to affordable connectivity in rural areas nationally without access to fibre. YahClick Satellite Services will deliver the Telkom data and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) packages through its Satellite Platforms, using the latest Hughes Gateway and Ground Segment technology.…
There is little doubt that the rapidly evolving point-of-sale (PoS) landscape and the growing number of digital applications and mobile payment methods is exciting for many retailers. However, it is also challenging, as the PoS environment must be made more agile and flexible. This is due to the sheer pace of change in the digital era, which means that only those businesses capable of rapid evolution will ultimately succeed. According to Norman Frankel, MD for Europe and UK at fintech solutions company Stanchion, constant innovation has become a challenge to solve, especially in an environment where security, regulation and compliance…
Vodacom today announced the first winner of the Vodacom ShakeOff 2020 competition launched last month. The country’s leading network has introduced new interactive gamification and rewards campaign called Summer #ShakeOff 2020. Vodacom is giving away three Mini Coopers, R4.5 million in cash prizes and more. Today, Vodacom’s Chief Officer of the Consumer Business Jorge Mendes handed over a Mini Copper to Samantha Cross. By simply shaking their devices, customers can receive rewards to supplement their spending this summer, with discounted offers, cash prizes, cash vouchers and awesome vouchers through Vodacom’s extensive reward partner network consisting of leading retailers and food…
Vodacom Business Africa has partnered with Crayon Africa – a global Software Asset Management (SAM, Cloud and Volume licensing and associated consulting services – to deliver seamless and improved cloud solutions to businesses in Africa. According to a study from Vodafone Business, ‘future ready’ businesses (FRBs) can be identified by six unifying characteristics, including adaptability, an openness to technology, and clear transformation goals. It is no surprise that businesses around the globe have been migrating their operations online as digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) change the business landscape. The traditional notion of the sub-scale private cloud within…
An innovative partnership between the South African Public Colleges Organisation (SAPCO), the Department of Higher Education and Huawei has led to the opening of 33 ICT academies at TVET colleges across South Africa, in an initiative that will boost inclusive digital skills transfer for SA’s young people. The opening of the academies was announced today at the SAPCO national general council event in Ekurhuleni. The initiative sees 33 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges enrolled in the Huawei ICT Academy programme across all nine provinces, with more than 300 students and lecturers having already participated in Huawei ICT…
South African FinTech group Capital Appreciation Limited (Capprec) has been approved for a secondary listing on A2X Markets. Its shares will be available for trade on A2X from 18 December 2020. The company said in a statement that it will retain its primary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). Capprec is a financial technology company with proprietary and licensed platforms, solutions, products and applications targeted at the B2B market. CAPPREC’s client base includes all major banking institutions in South Africa, as well as many niche banks, large financial services institutions and other financial services companies. In recent times, the…
MTN today launches MTN Combo Bundles – all-new, all-in-one, convenient bundle solutions comprising voice and data bundles that offer prepaid customers convenience, savings and more value for money when compared to buying open market bundles. MTN Combo Offers are available in monthly, weekly and daily offers. Monthly bundles range from 500MB + 30min for R49 (comprising 200MB Anytime, 200MB Night, 100MB Video and 30 all-Net minutes) to 90GB + 800min for only R999 (comprising 30GB Anytime, 30GB Night, 30GB Video and 800 all-Net minutes). Weekly bundles range from 450MB + 30min for R25 (including 150MB Anytime, 150MB Night, 150MB Video…
Following on from its first successful hackathon, Empire Partner Foundation’s (EPF) Tech Hub will close out the year with a digital hackathon focused primarily on solving complex challenges that municipalities face today. This Digital Gauteng City Region (GCR) hackathon will take place over the 12th and 13th December 2020 in Illovo, Johannesburg. Municipalities today face a plethora of challenges in being able to effectively provide services to their residents while also increasing their own level of efficiencies. This hackathon will throw open to developers a number of problem statements allowing participants a free reign to innovatively solve these challenges in…
Truecaller today released findings from its Truecaller Insights report, a look into the top 20 countries affected by spam calls in 2020. With the pandemic breaking out earlier this year and countries going into various lockdowns there has been a significant change in communication behaviour and patterns of spam around the world. The fourth edition of the report reveals the significant shift in which countries are now receiving the most spam calls. A closer look at spam calls in South Africa Last year, South Africa ranked in as the sixth-highest spammed country in the world and this year is…
HP today announced the appointment of Bradley Pulford as VP & Managing Director for HP Africa, effective December 1, 2020. His responsibilities include supporting customers and partners across the region, country leadership and the profitable growth of HP’s Printing, Personal Systems and Services businesses. Pulford will also lead several ongoing strategic initiatives for HP in Africa. Among these are advancing the company’s diversity and inclusion vision across the continent, supporting education projects that remove barriers to doing business for young entrepreneurs, and broadly deploying future technologies and innovations, including VR and 3D solutions. Joining from Dell Technologies where he held…
Having run a successful classroom and teacher based High School for a number of years, whilst achieving 100% matric pass rate and culminating in an award for “top school in the district” Ivy Academy has now gone fully digital! “Our extensive experience, gained over many years, together with lessons learned, positions us uniquely in introducing a leading state of the art high school in the cloud that actually solves the various challenges associated with digital learning,” says Chief Executive Eli Katz. “This is achieved by providing the technology, teachers and proactive support to ensure student success. A key differentiator is…
The COVID-19 grant will only be paid until the end of January 2021. SASSA has determined a cut-off date for lodging appeals in respect of declined COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grants. The purpose is to strengthen administrative controls in the management of this grant and to give effect to a conducive environment for accounting. An opportunity to appeal a SASSA decision to decline your COVID-19 SRD grant application that was submitted to SASSA between the month of May 2020 – October 2020 will be closed with effect from 11 December 2020. Appeals for applications made during the extension period…
Christmas is a time of joyfulness and of time spent with family. Avon Justine has stepped in to make sure that it would be no different for patients at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital (NMCH). The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, (NMCF) in partnership with global beauty and cosmetics company Avon Justine, have bought some festive cheer to the children at its flagship project, NMCH, when they presented them with a Christmas hamper comprising of toys and goodies to the value of R50 000. The cheque handover and the donation of Christmas hampers took place at the hospital premises in Parktown, Johannesburg,…
South African-based mobile phone company Vodacom announced today that it has partnered with GSMA to drive the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities. Today, on International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), GSMA Assistive Tech has launched the ‘Principles for driving digital inclusion of people with disabilities,’ a framework for action aimed at increasing the digital inclusion of people with disabilities. “Vodacom’s vision of connecting everyone for a better future has enabled Vodacom to embrace the digital inclusion of consumers with disabilities for more than a decade. We are excited to join the GSMA’s Assistive Tech Programme by becoming a…
Vodacom Mpumalanga Region partnered with BPG Langfontein, a farming business that employs the majority of the people living in Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga province to create SA’s first smartphone only town. In September 2019, Vodacom deployed 3G and 4G sites in Wakkerstroom and later moved over 1500 farm workers from using 2G feature phones to 3G and 4G enabled smartphones. In fact, Vodacom’s commitment to accelerate network coverage for people who live in Wakkerstroom has already yielded a great number of results. Within months of Vodacom having moved farm workers in the area to faster 4G network, Wakkerstroom enjoys 100% internet…
Planet42, an Estonian car subscription company that helps individuals ignored by banks to get access to a personal vehicle, has announced a $10 million (R152 million) raise from US-based Lendable Inc, an institutional debt investor. To date, Planet 42 has bought and delivered over 2,000 second-hand cars in South Africa, its primary market. “Our ambition is to make mobility accessible to everyone who can afford it, including the people that banks deem ‘blacklisted’, which comprise more than 90% of our clientele,” says Eerik Oja, the CEO and co-founder of Planet42. “We’ve already signed up over 300 car dealerships across South…
African micro-insurance FinTech aYo Holdings has broken through the 10 million customer mark in under four years after starting operations. aYo’s new CEO Marius Botha says the milestone is set to trigger a period of further growth. MTN, Africa’s largest mobile phone group, has increased its shareholding in aYo through acquisition of additional shares. MTN now owns 75% of aYo, it was disclosed last week Monday. For more read: MTN INCREASES STAKE IN MOBILE MICRO-INSURANCE FIRM AYO In 2017, South Africa’s third-biggest insurer Momentum Metropolitan and MTN launched aYo. aYo provides you with a fast, convenient, and easy to use insurance right on your…
Telkom today announced the launch of a digital wallet officially dubbed Telkom Pay Digital Wallet or Telkom Pay. The company said Telkom Pay allows users to pay others and get paid themselves using their mobile phone through the WhatsApp messaging app to anyone on their contacts list. It also serves as a cashless Point of Sale (POS) payment option for businesses. “We are launching financial services solutions that cater to everyone and that are easy to access through one’s phone 24/7 at an affordable price for consumers and businesses. Our device insurance has been in the market for a number…
2020 marks the end of the UN Decade for Road Safety. South Africa joined other nations a decade ago as a part of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety to reduce road fatalities and injuries by 50% by 2020 due to the fact that it is a major public health threat across the globe, claiming 1.3 million lives every year and injuring about 20 to 50 million people more. Unfortunately, little progress has been made and South Africa’s road death statistics are unacceptably high. The number or road deaths peak during the Festive Season. Earlier this year…
Digital payments FinTech Ozow says it processed in excess of R1 billion in transactions in a month, for the first time in November 2020. This is thanks to a Black Friday surge where the single biggest transaction was more than R500,000 on a popular ecommerce site. After being founded in 2014, it took the company two years and nine months to process its first R1 billion. Since then, the growth has been exponential, says Ozow’s CEO and co-founder, Thomas Pays. “It’s astounding to see how popular instant payment solutions have become. A growing number of South Africans are using instant…
LocumBase, the independent online platform that brings medical practices and locum practitioners together through a simplified locum booking process, has secured funding from E ² Investments and Jozi Angels. Zulé Vuuren, LocumBase founder and Chief Energy Officer, says that as a market-first the platform is in a constant state of evolution as it aims to meet the needs of South Africa’s medical fraternity. “A product and service like LocumBase has not been done before on the African continent. There was a lot of learning to do before our product could address the needs of the market, which is why we…
The University of Pretoria (UP) officially opened its state-of-the-art Engineering 4.0 facility, which focuses on research on smart transport, cities and infrastructure. Situated on the Innovation Africa at UP campus in Hillcrest, Engineering 4.0 is a first for Africa. It is a collaboration with the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – an entity of the Department of Science and Innovation and York Timbers. “Through its focus on the development of integrated transportation and infrastructure systems, Engineering 4.0’s research is concentrating on the reduction of energy consumption levels in transportation, maximising productivity in industry…