Author: Staff Writer
Yesterday, Eskom and the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (SARETEC) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to formalise the collaboration to develop renewable energy artisan skills in South Africa, to support the implementation of the Eskom Just Energy Transition (JET) Strategy. Eskom has developed a comprehensive JET Strategy which places equal importance on the ‘transition to lower carbon technologies,’ and the ability to do so in a manner that is ‘just’. In support of this strategy, Eskom has a pipeline of clean energy projects at various stages of development and recognises that there is a dire lack of skills…
MTN Group today announced that Marvin Ncube has been appointed Executive: Business Finance, effective 1 September 2022. Ncube is a seasoned finance executive with more than 19 years’ experience in strategic business planning, business performance, capex management, statutory reporting and revenue assurance, said MTN. In his role, Ncube will lead three core finance sub-functions which impact and influence financial business performance for the Group. These are Group Financial Planning and Analysis, Regional and Manco Finance Business Partnering and Group Capital Management. “Given his vast experience, expertise and accomplishments, I am confident that (Ncube) will add immense value to these portfolios…
The Shoprite Group has finalised sustainability-linked loans totalling R3.5 billion for investments to expand its key environmental programmes as part of its wider sustainability strategy. These include a R2 billion loan from Standard Bank (the bank’s biggest in the retail sector to date), and a R800 million sustainability-linked loan and a R700 million green loan (a first in the retail sector) from RMB for investment in environmental projects. A further sustainability-linked loan is in the pipeline. The loans will be used to expand the Group’s investment in: Renewable energy and the increase of energy from renewable sources as a percentage of total electricity consumption; Recycling cardboard and plastic; Sustainable packaging, including reusable,…
More cardless ATMs with greater functionality are now available to more people thanks to the ongoing partnership between leading fintech enablement partner, Ukheshe, and leading global payments provider, Paycorp. The partnership sees ATM Solutions, a division of Paycorp, which owns and operates over 4000 Cash Express branded ATMs, add rich embedded functionality to its fleet of ATMs enabling customers to make cardless cash withdrawals. Says Clayton Hayward, CEO of Ukheshe: “Cardless withdrawals allow customers to access cash conveniently from their mobile wallet without using a card. Initiated securely in a mobile wallet such as MTN Momo or OzowMe, a transaction…
The Reach Group, a specialist provider of communications infrastructure management solutions to landlords, property managers and telecoms providers throughout South Africa, has acquired 100% of Jasco Property Solutions. This acquisition will enable the Reach Group to broaden their services offering platform and deliver more value to customers through the new consolidated Reach Property Solutions business. The Reach Group are experts in both the real estate and telecommunications management industries and have a proven track record in property leasing and professional infrastructure lease management services. The augmented offering enabled by the acquisition now allows Reach Property Solutions to compressively offer a…
Opera, the company behind the eponymous web browser, together with MTN, is providing South Africans with 3GB each of free data per month within Opera browsers to enable internet access for everyone. In July 2022 alone, Opera and MTN delivered in total 17.7 petabyte of free data to 5.9 million users. The need to communicate and access the internet is fast becoming a basic human right in South Africa, according to the non-profit group Media Monitoring Africa. Data access is now considered nearly equal to utilities like water and electricity – an intrinsic and essential commodity that every home needs.…
Applications for the Vodacom bursary programme aimed at first, second, and third-year university students in South Africa, who are pursuing further education within STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, are now open. Each year, the Vodacom Foundation’s bursary programme offers deserving students an opportunity to further their studies. The students are selected based on merit and their neediness for financial assistance. More specifically, the Vodacom bursary 2023 will cover the following fields of study: Information Technology Information Systems Computer Engineering Computer Science Electronics Engineering Mathematical Sciences Data Analytics/Sciences The bursary covers the cost of full-time education and will pay…
In a first for retail in South Africa, the Shoprite Group has acquired over 100 of the most fuel-efficient trucks in Southern Africa. The Scania Euro V trucks have a proven fuel saving of around 10% along with lower CO2 and NOx emissions. The Group’s world-class supply chain – which includes 29 distribution centres covering 673 843m2 – provides it with a competitive advantage in the retail industry to consistently deliver on its business promise of everyday low prices. Key to its supply chain is a highly sophisticated transport route planning and scheduling system which optimises energy efficiency and deliveries…
Since launching Airfibre in March last year, Supersonic by MTN SA has seen staggering growth and now covers over 3.4 million households across the country with the service. After passing 10,759 homes in the first month after launching in March 2021, the rate of growth increased rapidly to reach 3.1 million homes in one year. This has continued to reach over 3.4 million in May this year. “We are continuing to see impressive growth as demand for Airfibre as an alternative to traditional fibre continues. Our aim is to continue delivering and innovating so that more homes are covered and…
Tiger Brands will soon begin rolling out solar power at its manufacturing sites. This kicks off a multi-million-rand investment with the goal to have 65% of the business’ electricity requirements at a manufacturing level across South Africa sourced from sustainable energy solutions by 2030. This will be done through the procurement of Power Purchase Agreements from Independent Power Producers, as well as other renewable energy options. Onsite solar power, and other renewable energy solutions, will be installed at 35 Tiger Brands manufacturing sites across South Africa by 2030, beginning with 4 sites, which will generate 2 megawatts of power, providing…