Author: Staff Writer

COVID-19 presented businesses across the board with the opportunity to re-evaluate both their operational models and costs. Proactive organisations found themselves navigating the wake of reinvention by establishing variable cost structures as well as employing agile operations in terms of energy supply. Confronted by plummeting sales and revenue along with rising inflationary costs, businesses have found themselves under immense financial pressure to rapidly recover from the pandemic at hand. In order to do so, business leaders have sought to reduce unnecessary expenses as much as possible by investing in cutting edge technologies to bring about improved energy savings. In March…

A record 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of electronic waste was generated worldwide in 2019, up 21 per cent in just five years, according to the UN’s Global E-waste Monitor 2020. It is estimated that by 2030 this number will reach 74 Mt! Only 17.4 per cent of 2019’s e-waste was collected and recycled. International E-Waste Day was developed in 2018 by the WEEE Forum with the support of its members. The day is used to raise the public profile of e-waste recycling and encourage consumers to recycle their e-waste with the resulting increase in e-waste recycling rates on the day…

Econet, through its subsidiaries Liquid Telecom Group (LTG) and Cassava Fintech International (CFI) has today launched a network of #SasaiWiFiFinder hotspots in Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Rwanda, providing locals with most affordable internet access. This partnership unlocks the ‘African Missing Network’ that will accelerate sustainable economic development through digital inclusion for all Africans. The partnership creates a Wi-Fi marketplace that helps ISPs, franchisees and digital service providers unlock new revenue streams by creating job opportunities. Backed by best-in-class broadband infrastructure, this service is enabling more people in Africa to access the digital and financial benefits of the internet. “We firmly…

DataProphet, a South African in AI that enables manufacturers to step towards autonomous manufacturing, has been awarded the 2020 European Prescriptive for Autonomous Manufacturing Technology Innovation Leadership Award by international research firm Frost & Sullivan. For DataProphet, this is the fourth prestigious international recognition in a row as the company has also been named a 2019 World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer, received the AIconics Award for Innovation in Deep Learning and was recognised by CBInsights as one of 100 Most Innovative Artificial Intelligence Startups 2020. This award is a further testament to DataProphet as a thought leader in the field…

Prestigious, independent school, Bridge House and award-winning EdTech company, Digemy, have joined forces to create ConnectEd – the first Independent Examinations Board (IEB) curriculum online high school in Africa to utilise a dynamic adaptive learning platform. The school will launch initially for Grades 10 and 11, with other grades to follow next year and into 2022. Bridge House and Digemy have an aligned vision to change the traditional teaching model and, in the process, enable a first-rate education to be accessible to a much wider audience. “A key issue with the current education system is that all students are expected…

Avo, launched at the height of the national lockdown, has surpassed the 100 000 customer mark in September 2020 and continues to evolve alongside its market. Focusing on the balance of the platform strategy, Avo Business has signed up over 1 600 merchants as demand from customers has increased. “The growth we have seen on the Avo super app has not only been exponential but also inspiring in terms of South Africans robust appetite for digitisation and innovation,” says Ray Naicker, Chief Digital Officer of Nedbank Group. “Listening to our user base is key to our success. Data is an invaluable currency…

Statistics South Africa says almost two-thirds of South African households now have at least one person who accesses the Internet. Add this to the fact that October marks Cybersecurity Awareness Month in many countries, including SA, and it’s clear web users are ready for anti-fraud advice. That’s according to ZA Central Registry NPC (ZACR) which says that there are many ways whereby Internet users can help to prevent domain name fraud in South Africa. “SA web users are not powerless in the face of local and foreign fraudsters who prefer to direct the awesome potential of the web towards nefarious…

Telkom is looking for fresh local content creators to contribute content to and have it featured on its new video service called TelkomONE – the streaming platform that celebrates local talent. TelkomONE is the latest product offering by Telkom expected to launch in November 2020 and will boast a bouquet of local content including music, education and series. “TelkomONE is a proudly local and South African service and naturally, we want to host and showcase outstanding content by content producers from our very own shores, including filmmakers, videographers, writers and directors on the platform,” said Wanda Mkhize – Telkom Executive…

Liquid Telecom South Africa announced today that Deon Geyser has been appointed as its new CEO. His appointment is effective from January 2021. Geyser will be responsible for overseeing the strategic repositioning of the company as Liquid Intelligent Technologies and the execution of the new strategic direction of providing an integrated technology capability that enables customers to transform their business through new intelligent technologies.  “We are delighted to welcome Deon to Liquid Telecom South Africa,” said Group Chief Operating Officer Ahmad Mokhles. “He is a proven leader and his strong knowledge of both the local market and the continent,…

The Shoprite Group is launching a rewards programme for its Shopite branded stores on Monday 12 October 2020. The new Shoprite Xtra Savings card will benefit customers with immediate cash savings and launches a year after the Checkers Xtra Savings rewards programme, with more than 5 million customers signed up for and which put more than a R1 billion back in the pocket of consumers through savings and discounts in the last year. Xtra Savings will – in time – become the country’s biggest rewards programme reaching the Shoprite’s Group 19.3 million shoppers across South Africa. It comes at a…

MyBroadband Insights has released the Q3 2020 Mobile Network Quality Report, which shows that MTN has the best mobile network in South Africa. The report is based on 334,257-speed tests performed by thousands of MyBroadband Speed Test App users across South Africa between 1 July and 30 September 2020. The research shows that South Africa had an average mobile download speed of 29.16Mbps and an average upload speed of 11.46Mbps. MTN had the highest average download speed at 55.11Mbps, followed by Vodacom on 29.80Mbps, Telkom on 23.60Mbps, Cell C on 17.82Mbps and Rain on 10.02Mbps. Over the last quarter, the…

Vodacom customer *Mbaa Malolo’s life has changed overnight!  The first lucky recipient of a R500,000 cash injection towards a Dream Home, Malolo didn’t quite believe it at first. As part of the VodaBucks Rewards Programme, Malolo says he would “Shake” his device every day, and continued to do so until he received a notification informing him he had won R500, 000 towards a Dream Home. ‘I didn’t believe it, until a representative from Vodacom called me to confirm my luck,’ he says. “I was struggling to complete my housing project, as I only qualified for a R10 000 loan from…

Beauty company Avon has launched a new brand movement, ‘Watch Me Now’ which embraces and celebrates those that have been underestimated and unexpected, reaffirming its positioning that Avon is more than just a Beauty company. Avon stands for beauty, innovation, optimism and, above all, women – and has been for over 135 years. Mafahle Mareletse, Managing Director of Avon Justine, says “WATCH ME NOW is a movement created to celebrate our consumers and Representatives rise. We are here to help you transform into the person you’re meant to be. When you beat the odds, defy expectations, and fulfil your potential, we’ll…

According to the World Bank, international remittances have declined by an estimated 20% worldwide. Compounded by job losses across sectors, reduced salaries and dwindling access to cash, South African residents have found it more difficult than ever to send money back home. The result is devastating, as those desperately dependent on receiving remittances are unable to buy basic goods and groceries, pay for school fees and cover household expenses. In the face of a stagnating economy and potentially irreparable damage done to the living standards of the population’s most vulnerable, SA’s largest international money transfer provider Hello Paisa has dropped…

Living immersed in the digital world has seen tasks we perform online become increasingly challenging from a security point of view. In the last few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed many businesses, to adapt to a more digitalised way of getting through their day-to-day activities. According to the CEO of LAWtrust, Maeson Maherry, as South Africa moves towards the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), the ability to conclude agreements electronically and on the go is becoming more important. “To unlock the potential digital solutions offered in terms of improved efficiency and cost savings, businesses should consider using electronic signatures (eSignature) to…

MTN today unveiled YelloBucks, its exciting new loyalty points currency that is set to heap more benefits and value on MTN customers through the invigorated MyMTN Rewards programme. YelloBucks will unlock incredible value, discounts and rewards for customers, just for being on the MTN network.  With competition fierce in the loyalty space, MTN is taking this step to drive value across its entire customer base – no matter which price plan or segment a customer is in – to brighten more lives in these demanding times. The new MyMTN Rewards programme will compete with the best-in-class loyalty programmes, with existing…

To assist in the transformation of South Africa’s smallholder agricultural segment and create a more inclusive agricultural economy for women, the Vodacom Foundation launched the Women Farmers Programme in August last year. The programme, in partnership with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and South African Women in Farming (SAWIF), introduces women farmers, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds, to technology as an effective tool in agricultural business. A year later, the programme has gone from strength to strength. Since the successful pilot of the programme in Limpopo in 2018, Vodacom has invested over R6.3…

Rand Merchant Investments (RMI) startup incubator AlphaCode has taken another step to find the next unicorn in financial services when it chose Oyi Medical Card and awarded it R450 000 at its first virtual demo day. Oyi is one of seven startups that were awarded entrepreneurial packages valued at R2 million each in 2019 as part of AlphaCode’s Incubate programme. The Oyi Medical Card is a savings card that can only be used for medical expenses and is supported by secure payments technology. Holders use this card to save for medical expenses. It removes the temptation to use the money…

Vodacom announced on Thursday that it is now a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s largest corporate citizenship initiative, joining over 12 000 companies from more than 160 countries on the world’s largest corporate sustainability platform. “We are pleased to announce that we have joined the UN Global Compact (UNGC).  This sustainability milestone underpins our purpose to connect for a better future,” says Takalani Netshitenzhe, Chief Officer of External Affairs for Vodacom South Africa. “The UNGC principles on human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption not only complement our social contract but also our purpose-led journey…

For the fourth year in a row, the Avon Justine iThemba Walkathon will partner with Gauteng’s leading adult commercial radio station Kaya FM, to host the 15th edition of the annual biggest breast cancer awareness walkathon which takes place on Saturday, 31 October. “The partnership with Kaya FM represents the meeting of the minds and will unlock the inherent synergies that both brands share. Avon Justine is a very aspirational brand that unashamedly harnesses the power of beauty to champion the empowerment of women and supports the causes that resonate with them, while Kaya FM listener is an urbane, sophisticated,…

A feast for the palate is awaiting discerning wine lovers – Vuya Wines has launched to the market with an inaugural selection of two wine varieties, namely Sauvignon Blanc and Red Blend. The winemaker for both wines is the acclaimed Christiaan Groenewald. Groenewald, who is the founder of the New Cape Wines Company, won the prestigious Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year Award in 2013 for Tannat Syrah 2011 and again in 2017 with Eagle’s Cliff Pinotage 2017.  He is one of only five winemakers to have received this award twice. Nosithembele Bhengu, the entrepreneur behind Vuya Wines, explains that…

Global beauty and personal care company Avon Justine will kickstart the commemoration of breast cancer awareness month in October with a webinar where medical experts will share insights on the medical journey that breast cancer patients go through and how chronic disease impacts many aspects of the lives of those infected and affected by this chronic disease. Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death among women across the world. According to the National Cancer Register, apart from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women of all races, with a lifetime risk of 1…

Applications are open for the next AlphaCode Incubate programme which aims to identify, partner and grow innovative financial services entrepreneurs. Successful applicants will receive funding, guidance from performance coaches and a panel of advisory experts, access to AlphaCode’s co-working space and opportunities to apply for further early-stage investment. The Incubate programme has disbursed R30 million in funding to 31 black-owned financial services businesses over the past five years and is viewed as South Africa’s most prestigious fintech startup initiative. “At AlphaCode Incubate we know how much determination is required to get an early-stage business or idea off the ground. Entrepreneurs…

In rural South Africa, a lack of access to healthcare is a daily reality for so many people. Even when a clinic is nearby, those in need of care still have to rely on an overburdened public healthcare sector – there is only one doctor per 4,500 people, and a single specialist for every 18,500 people. Access to medical specialists is virtually impossible if you live far from an urban centre. However, Vula Mobile, winner in the ‘Best Health App’ category of the 2019 MTN Business App of the Year Awards, has confirmed that where specialised expertise and technology combine,…

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the government has gazetted ministerial determinations that will enable the development of more than 11 800 megawatts (MW) of additional power generation. This follows commitments the government made to the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in February this year. South Africa currently has in the region over 30 000 MW of electricity available on the national grid each day. President Ramaphosa said reliable, secure and affordable energy supply is the lifeblood of any economy. “This new energy will be procured from diverse sources, including solar, wind, gas, coal and storage. While meeting our energy needs…