Author: Staff Writer
Mediclinic Southern Africa is taking a bet on precision medicine with the acquisition of an 80% shareholding in Artisan Biomed, a subsidiary of the Centre for Proteomic & Genomic Research (CPGR) which owns the remaining 20%. “This acquisition of Artisan Biomed launches Mediclinic Precise, a bundle of DNA-based diagnostic and clinical interpretation services offering a new approach to healthcare, based on an individual’s genetic profile to customise their wellness, disease prevention and health management plan,” said Greg van Wyk, Chief Executive Officer of Mediclinic Southern Africa. Artisan Biomed was launched through the CPGR’s accelerator programme to stimulate the creation of…
Lulalend, South Africa-based digital lender catering to underserved small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has finalised a $35 million or R600 million Series B funding round. The online funder will use the capital to scale its business and address South Africa’s enduring SME credit gap, which is estimated to be more than $20 billion per year, according to the International Finance Corporation. “We are excited to utilise these funds to grow and evolve our products so we can better serve the needs of South Africa’s SMEs,” Trevor Gosling, co-founder and CEO of Lulalend, says. “We hope that our impact on this…
The HUAWEI Mate50 Pro is that it is now available for purchase in selected South African retail stores, and from the HUAWEI online store. It comes in two different types of rear cover, glass and vegan leather. The glass cover is available in two colours, Silver and Black, while the vegan leather version comes in Orange. The HUAWEI Mate50 Pro is available in South Africa from all network providers and is priced from R24 999 for the 256 GB and R26 999 for the 512 GB. You can also purchase the smartphone from the HUAWEI online store. The HUAWEI Mate50…
Kaspersky uncovered three new variants of Prilex malware, made by a group of cybercriminals, that was named after the most advanced Point-of-Sales (PoS) malware back in 2022. The discovered Prilex modifications can now block contactless near-field communication (NFC) transactions on infected PoS-terminals, forcing customers to use their physical credit cards, enabling cybercriminals to steal money. While currently it is most active in Latin America, the expansion of Prilex into the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa region is possible in the coming months. Prilex is a notorious threat actor that gradually evolved from Automated Teller Machines (ATMs)-focused malware into a unique…
As the month of love, affection and romance blooms, Avon has introduced a little new black number that promises breath-taking impressions of you at the dinner table and a never-to-be-forgotten scent long after the occasion is over. The hot little number is not from the rail of a haute couture or flou collection nor is it tapered, and it doesn’t dazzle with eye-grabbing accessories. It’s an Eau de Parfum named Little Black Dress Lace by Avon, and, just like the name suggests, it exudes timeless elegance. “The Little Black Dress Lace is an alluring draping of classic scents of oriental…
Teraco: A Digital Realty Company, a carrier-neutral data centre and interconnection services provider in South Africa, today announced the conclusion of a syndicated loan facility worth R11.8 billion, of which R5.7 billion will be used to finance the company’s continued growth and R6.1 billion will refinance and extend the average maturity profile of existing drawn debt. The new facilities mature in December 2028, providing a 2.9-year extension of the weighted average tenor. The growth funding is for the expansion of Teraco’s key interconnection hubs located within the Isando, Bredell, and Cape Town campuses, and a significant renewable energy generation programme…
The Independent Communicatiosn Authority of SA (ICASA) today named Tshiamo Maluleka-Disemelo As CEO, replacing Willington Ngwepe. Her appointmnent is effective February 1, 2023, for a contract period of 5 years. Prior to her appointment as CEO, Maluleka-Disemelo served as the Chief Audit Executive (CAE) of ICASA, a position she has held since 2020. In addition to her other qualifications, Maluleka-Disemelo holds a Master of Business Administration Degree from Milpark Business School. “She brings nearly two decades of governance, audit, and risk management experience, as well as advanced skills in spearheading executive efforts,” notes Dr Charley Lewis, Acting Chairperson of ICASA.…
Network International, a Middle East and Africa’s digital payment company, has announced that its cloud-based, integrated payment suite for merchants, banks, fintechs and MNOs will be hosted and operated in South Africa from June 2023. The new digital payments platform is highly configurable and customisable. It currently processes over four million transactions per day and over $60 billion of digital transactions a year. “Network International’s digital payments technology is already deployed and trusted by over 200 banks, fintech’s and MNO’s across the Middle East and Africa,” says Chris Wood, Regional Managing Director, Southern Africa at Network International. “What we are…
Retail banking in South Africa is increasingly competitive, with fintechs, neobanks and digital players disrupting the banking value chain with new and emerging technologies. For banks to keep up with the rapid pace of change and be loved by their customers in the future, they must reimagine customer service and leverage data to personalise engagement and better predict and exceed customer needs, according to a new article by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The article, I love my bank – how the digital revolution in banking is transforming the customer experience, shows that South African customer preferences and the ways they…
Audi South Africa, in partnership with Rubicon, has brought 43 additional electric vehicle (EV) charging stations online across the country. These chargers can accommodate a total of 57 EV cars simultaneously, at varying capacities, regardless of model or brand ownership. This is in addition to the brand’s contribution of 70 EV charging connection points nationwide a year ago, when Audi was the first to bring ultra-fast chargers to South Africa. The latest rollout includes the very first DC 200kW ultra-fast charger in South Africa, which is installed at the largest shopping mall ever built in a single phase – Mall…