Author: Staff Writer

Universal healthcare is a goal no South African would dispute, but how we achieve it is fast becoming one of the country’s most urgent and polarised policy challenges. At a recent Business Day TV roundtable hosted by Profmed, healthcare, finance, and policy leaders came together to debate the economic and structural realities of the NHI Act, which has been signed into law. For Craig Comrie, CEO of Profmed, the conversation must start with the health consumer. “We saw 75% of respondents in our 2025 State of Health Report believe the NHI will worsen healthcare access. And 90% have little or…

South African travel-focused fintech TurnStay has raised $2 million (over R34 million) in a seed round led by First Circle Capital, with participation from leading US and African VCs including  TLCom Capital, Enza Capital, Incisive Ventures, CVVC, and Equitable Ventures.  The round will fuel TurnStay’s rapid expansion across African markets and enhance its fintech infrastructure for travel and tourism operators. Founded by fintech tech veterans Alon Stern (ex-Prodigy Finance) and James Hedley (co-founder of Quicket, acquired by Ticketmaster), TurnStay is tackling the systemic inefficiencies in Africa’s travel space.  TurnStay addresses a structural challenge in African tourism: high transaction costs, failed international payments, and delays in settlement that impact…

In an ambitious effort to scale access to software engineering education for underserved communities, WeThinkCode_ has partnered with South Cape TVET College to support a cohort of 30 students at the Hessequa Campus in Riversdale. This initiative, backed by the DG Murray Trust and the Caterpillar Foundation, marks a critical step in WeThinkCode_’s broader strategy to replicate its innovative training model across South Africa. “WeThinkCode_ has long been committed to making software engineering education accessible to all, and partnering with South Cape TVET College allows us to refine how we support students in rural settings,” says Ruvimbo Gwatirisa, Director of Public…

With the United States’ decision to impose a 30% tariff on South African imports, the country must adapt quickly to a “turbulent trade environment”. “The decision by the United States to impose a 30% tariff on South African imports highlights the urgency with which we have to adapt to increasingly turbulent headwinds in international trade. “The US is South Africa’s second largest trading partner by country and these measures will have a considerable impact on industries that rely heavily on exports to that country and on the workers they employ, as well as on our fiscus,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said…

KPMG in South Africa today announced the appointment of Joelene Pierce as the new CEO of the firm in South Africa, effective 1 March 2026. The appointment is made as a result of current CEO Ignatius Sehoole’s imminent retirement, which will take place on 1 March 2026. Partners of the firm voted for the appointment on the 31st of July 2025, signaling not only the strength of expertise that Pierce brings to the firm, but also that the newly elected CEO offers unparalleled expertise in both leading the business, as well as understanding the unique and dynamic nature of the client…

South Africa’s leading crypto platform* Luno has launched tokenised stocks and ETFs, offering South Africans easy access to 61 of the world’s most valuable US-listed companies and indices (44 available today, with the remainder launching shortly). Users can invest directly using rands through the Luno app without transferring funds offshore, having to use a complicated exchange, or waiting for US trading hours.  Luno customers can invest in the largest listed global equities like Apple, Amazon, Google, Intel and the S&P 500 for as little as R20 with a simple buy or sell action.  “Until now, access to global financial markets has been…

The term “conspicuous consumption” has been around for decades, but it gained particular traction in the late 1980s and early 1990s, an era when greed was good, the stock market was booming, and yuppies were snapping up BMWs and Porsches in droves. While trends have evolved rapidly since then, many still equate wealth with flashiness, a stereotype fuelled by celebrity culture and social media influencers. With flashy jewellery and Lime Green Lamborghinis dominating our feeds, classic good taste often seems like a thing of the past. But a new trend, quiet luxury, is making a comeback. It prioritises quality, sophistication and subtlety…

 Following its exciting unveiling at Annecy International Animation Festival last month, Marvel Animation’s “Eyes of Wakanda” will now be available for fans to enjoy on Disney+ earlier than anticipated. The all-new series, which features four episodes, will debut on 1 August, 2025. The new action-adventure series, which was produced in partnership with Proximity Media’s Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian and Kalia King, follows the adventures of brave Wakandan warriors throughout history. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Disney+ (@disneyplusza) In this globe-trotting adventure, the heroes must carry-out dangerous missions to retrieve Vibranium artifacts from the enemies…

Altera Biosciences, Africa’s first dedicated cell and gene therapy biotech company, has announced the successful close of a groundbreaking R29 million pre-seed funding round. Led by founders Alexandra Miszewski and Professor Michael Pepper, this milestone positions Altera at the forefront of biotech innovation on the continent, with a mission to revolutionise healthcare through the development of a universal donor cell platform. The investment, secured from prominent venture capital firms including OneBio Venture Studio, and E Squared Investments, marks a turning point for Africa’s biotech industry. Their pioneering work on universal donor cells holds transformative potential for global healthcare, with the…

admyt, South Africa’s ticketless parking company, today announced the acquisition of SHôPING, an in-mall engagement platform, from Attacq – the developer of Waterfall City,and owner of Mall of Africa. This marks a significant step in admyt’s vision to create a seamless shopping experience that connects digital convenience with real-world retail environments. As part of this transition, SHôPING will be rebranded to mallpass and its functionality expanded to add more value to shoppers, retailers and landlords. mallpass will be a mobile-first platform offering features such as, digital vouchering, loyalty, navigation and personalised shopping experiences to malls across South Africa. Driving this…