Author: Staff Writer

As global demand for green hydrogen grows, South Africa is equipping its youth with cutting-edge skills to lead the clean energy revolution. The Chemical Industries Education & Training Authority (CHIETA) made history at the African Green Hydrogen Summit 2025 by unveiling the country’s first-ever NQF-aligned green hydrogen qualifications, a critical step in aligning education with emerging energy opportunities. During a high-level panel on “Jobs & Skills of the Green Hydrogen Economy,” Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, officially launched the groundbreaking qualifications. “These qualifications are more than a policy milestone, they’re a youth development breakthrough,” said the…

Once the domain of elite spies and con artists, social engineering is now in the hands of anyone with an internet connection – and AI is the accomplice. Supercharged by generative tools and deepfake technology, today’s social engineering attacks are no longer sloppy phishing attempts. They’re targeted, psychologically precise, and frighteningly scalable. Welcome to Social Engineering 2.0, where the manipulators don’t need to know you personally. Their AI already does. Deception at machine levels Social engineering works because it bypasses firewalls and technical defences. It attacks human trust. From fake bank alerts to long-lost Nigerian princes, these scams have traditionally…

As South Africa weighs the promise of satellite internet, telecommunications experts are warning that it could widen, instead of close, the digital divide. Despite global praise for services like Starlink, critics say the technology is too expensive, too limited, and too disconnected from the realities of rural life in South Africa. Among them is Sean Shipalana, a leading voice in infrastructure development, who warns that the excitement around satellite risks overshadowing real, workable solutions. “Satellite internet is not a solution for the rural poor. It’s a solution for the wealthy, for remote tourist lodges, and for niche cases. We cannot…

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has exposed shocking revelations that the South African Police Service (SAPS) spent R131.5 million on salaries for 618 officers on paid sick leave for over six months during the 2023/2024 financial year. The party is demanding immediate action from Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to investigate this misuse of public funds. In response to a parliamentary question, Minister Mchunu confirmed the staggering costs of extended sick leave within SAPS. The DA warns this irresponsible expenditure comes at a time when the police service faces severe operational challenges and rising crime rates, diverting critical resources from frontline policing.…

Diversified financial services group Alexforbes has established a R5 billion fund to invest in critical South African infrastructure projects, aiming to generate strong returns while supporting economic growth, reports the Sunday Times. The initiative comes as the government plans to spend over R1 trillion on infrastructure over the next three years to revitalize key sectors. Gyongyi King, Chief Investment Officer at Alexforbes Investments, told the Sunday Times that the fund will target renewable energy, affordable housing, water, transport, and ICT infrastructure. “Without good ports, stable electricity, water, housing, and roads, we cannot grow,” she said. The company has already committed…

South Africa’s newly approved National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP), which proposes quotas limiting foreign workers in certain sectors, is likely to face legal challenges, with experts warning that similar measures have previously been ruled unconstitutional, reports the Sunday Times. The policy, approved by Cabinet last month, aims to enforce stricter controls on foreign employment but may clash with existing constitutional protections. Labour law specialists argue that imposing employment quotas has already been deemed unlawful by the Constitutional Court. Imraan Mohamed, Director of Employment Law at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH), noted that while the government avoids calling them “quotas” under employment…

MultiChoice is testing weekly subscription plans in Uganda, aiming to ease financial pressure on customers struggling with monthly payments. If successful, the pay-TV giant may expand the model to other African markets as it fights to retain subscribers amid economic challenges, according to the Sunday Times. The company, which operates in 16 African countries, has seen its subscriber base shrink by 1.2 million in the past year, dropping to 14.5 million. Half of those losses came from South Africa, where high unemployment and rising living costs have forced households to cut discretionary spending, including DStv subscriptions. MultiChoice Group CEO Calvo…

South African mobile operators have told Parliament they would welcome Elon Musk’s Starlink as a competitor if the satellite internet provider enters the local market. However, they emphasized the need for regulatory fairness and highlighted ongoing industry challenges such as load-shedding, vandalism, and policy uncertainty, according to the Sunday Times. During a briefing with Parliament’s portfolio committee on communications and digital technologies, major players including Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, Telkom, and Rain discussed the state of the telecommunications sector. MTN SA CEO Charles Molapisi confirmed that the company already partners with Starlink in other African markets and sees satellite providers…

Huawei Digital Power Sub-Saharan Africa has been selected as the exclusive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner for the Palabora Mining Company (PMC) solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) project, a flagship initiative led by the Mzansi Energy Consortium and Journey 2 Green (J2G). The agreement was formalised at a signing ceremony at the 2025 SNEC Expo in Shanghai. The Mzansi Energy Consortium, led by Journey 2 Green, is the project development entity established to design, finance, and deliver the PMC renewable energy project with key technology and infrastructure partners. This landmark energy initiative will deliver South Africa’s first utility-scale…

Groblersdal Mall in Limpopo is undergoing a significant redevelopment, poised to become a modern, shopper-friendly destination that grows alongside its community. The project, led by Twin City in partnership with Patricio & Sons, will see the 37,000sqm mall fully refurbished by November 2025. Key upgrades include a redesigned food court, an enhanced tenant mix, and a refreshed brand identity that honors the region’s agricultural roots. This redevelopment marks a major investment in the area, creating new permanent jobs while sustaining over 1,000 existing positions. Construction began in February 2025. “Our investment builds on the excellent foundation of an extremely popular…

Huawei’s sixth annual Editors Xchange in Johannesburg brought delegates together under the theme “Ecosystems That Scale the Future” to explore how intelligent, integrated platforms are advancing South Africa’s digital development. Speakers from Huawei, government and business unpacked the shift from infrastructure as hardware to infrastructure as an enabler, where cloud, AI and collaborative platforms become the backbone of inclusive growth. In his opening address, Huawei South Africa Deputy CEO Charles Cheng emphasised the human purpose behind technology. “Digital ecosystems matter insofar as they enable a better, more fulfilling life,” he said. “They must be interconnected, adaptive and built to scale.”…

The Middle East & Africa’s air transport sector kept pace with global passenger surges in 2024, achieving remarkable baggage results despite increasing system demands. According to the newly released SITA Baggage IT Insights 2025, the region maintained one of the world’s strongest performances, reporting 6.02 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers, slightly up from 4.5 in 2023, but still among the best worldwide. The global picture also tells a story of progress. Despite an 8.2% increase in worldwide traffic in 2024, the overall mishandling rate dropped to 6.3 bags per 1,000 passengers, down from 6.9 the previous year and 67% lower…

Young drivers are most at risk on South African roads—Volvo encourages smarter, safer decisions this Youth Day. Young drivers face the highest risk on South African roads, with high fatality rates and low seatbelt use, especially close to home.  Volvo continues to prioritise safety, from pioneering the three-point seatbelt to advanced driver-assist technologies.  This Youth Day, Volvo reminds new drivers that their choices matter most, because no safety feature is more powerful than a responsible driver.  Youth Day in South Africa is a time to reflect, but also to look forward—a day that honours the bravery of the past while…

To commemorate Youth Month under the 2025 theme, ‘Skills for the Changing World – Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation’, Vodacom has launched a new data bundle for customers on the NXT LVL (pronounced next level) programme. Dubbed ‘Super Content’ and targeted especially for content creators, the new 25GB Super Content Bundle gives customers 5GB TikTok data; 5GB All Access data; 5GB YouTube data as well as 10GB of Night Owl data – all at R69 with a seven-day validity period. “This year, we saw it fitting to design and launch a bundle that not only aligns with the 2025…

The Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA), in partnership with the Karoo Hoogland Municipality, officially launched the Fraserburg Smart Skills Centre on 6 June 2025. This marks a significant step in bringing accessible, future-focused skills development to rural and underprivileged communities. The launch follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in January 2025, laying the foundation for a high-impact initiative aimed at closing the digital divide and equipping residents for opportunities in the digital and green economies. A Future-Ready Facility in the Heart of the Karoo The Fraserburg Smart Skills Centre is now fully operational, offering accredited digital…

 WeThinkCode_, a leading South African tech academy, has been awarded $2 million in funding from Google.org. This grant will enable WeThinkCode_ to dramatically expand its Artificial Intelligence (AI) training programs, empowering 12,000 learners in South Africa and Kenya with critical AI skills for the rapidly evolving job market. Africa faces a significant digital skills gap; a recent SAP report highlights that 90% of companies in Africa are negatively impacted by a lack of AI skills, experiencing project delays, failed innovation, and an inability to take on new work. WeThinkCode_ has long been dedicated to bridging this gap by training unemployed youth from…

Telkom Group today announced the appointment of Beauty Apleni as Chief Executive Officer of Openserve, South Africa’s leading provider of wholesale infrastructure connectivity, effective 1 July 2025. She will drive the continuing growth and adoption of Openserve’s fibre network in pursuit of Telkom’s data-led strategy. She has over 25 years of experience in the ICT industry with 15 years of that in executive leadership specializing in formulating strategy, driving execution and operational excellence.  Apleni held various roles at Telkom Group such as Telkom Consumer: Chief of Sales and Technology; Telkom Consumer: Chief Technology & Information Officer; Cybernest: Executive Service Delivery…

The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has issued an alert regarding individuals impersonating Brokstock SA (Pty) Ltd, an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP No. 51404). Fraudulent Activity Details Scammers: Zibu Masotobe Sibiya (WhatsApp: +27717684632) and Mike Mabuyakhulu (WhatsApp: +27794293027) Platforms: Operating via Telegram and WhatsApp groups named “Brokstock Beginner/s” Fake Banking Details: Account Name: Brockstockshares Bank: FNB Account Number: 62871907790 Email: [email protected] These fraudsters are luring victims to deposit funds into their fraudulent account under false pretenses. “Brokstock SA has confirmed these individuals are NOT associated with them, and any claims otherwise are entirely false,” the FSCA stated. How to Protect Yourself The FSCA urges the public to: Verify FSP authorization before investing—check the FSCA database. Confirm the FSP…

Many businesses have operations in South Africa and the UK; however, communication costs can quickly get out of hand and even become prohibitive if multinational businesses do not have a solution to comply with local, in-country call rates, explains Telviva Chief Commercial Officer Rob Lith. South African businesses face significant challenges when communicating in the UK, he says, especially in light of recent telecommunications regulatory changes in South Africa, which caused international call termination rates to increase 27-fold overnight. “As one can imagine, this made international communication prohibitively expensive for many businesses with teams sitting in multiple countries,” he says.…

The impact of non-compliance of relevant regulations can have a detrimental effect on all credit providers in South Africa. “The penalties and fines for non-compliance can ultimately cripple a business,” says Vaughn Hechter, Head of Customer Services: NuPay and Delter at Altron FinTech. “There is also the reputational risk, because nobody wants to do business with reputation of being a loan shark or a predatory lender.” Keeping up with complex local and global regulations like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2) and FICA (Financial Intelligence Centre Act) is…

Durban entrepreneur Shaun Naidu is suing Nedbank for R40 billion after being listed as a suspected fraudster for eight years, severely damaging his business and personal life, according to the Sunday Times report. Fraud Listing Discovery Naidu told the Sunday Times he first discovered the listing in 2015 when he tried to open a bank account and was flagged on the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) database. “I was told I was flagged by Nedbank on the Shamwari database… Due to this listing, I couldn’t open a bank account at any banking institution,” Naidu said. Despite obtaining a police clearance certificate confirming no criminal record, Nedbank initially denied submitting the fraud indicator. Failed Resolutions & Legal…

Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane is under intense scrutiny amid suspicions that her Sector Education and Training Authorities (Seta) “panel” may be imaginary, plunging her deeper into controversy. According to a Sunday Times report, Nkabane—once hailed as one of the ANC’s rising stars—now faces a political firestorm over her aborted plan to appoint politically connected chairs to Setas. ANC Cronyism Allegations The scandal erupted when it was revealed that Nkabane’s proposed list was packed with ANC loyalists, including the son of Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy. The move sparked outrage, raising concerns about nepotism and lack of transparency in key government appointments. Defiant Stance in Parliament During a…

National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi has backtracked on her claim that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had been “infiltrated,” following an urgent meeting with Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi. According to the Sunday Times, Kubayi summoned Batohi after her infiltration remarks raised serious concerns. The minister revealed that Batohi admitted to using “the wrong word” and clarified that her concerns were about individual prosecutors allegedly sabotaging cases: not systemic infiltration. Minister Kubayi’s Intervention Kubayi told the Sunday Times: “After the interviews of the NDPP, I met her yesterday [Friday] urgently, because if somebody says the NPA is held from doing its work I need to understand. It’s my…

A senior SAPS Crime Intelligence official, sought by the NPA over a multi-million Rand property scandal, has reportedly gone missing. The unit allegedly spent R45 million on irregular property purchases without proper approvals, triggering an investigation by the Inspector-General of Intelligence (IGI) – initiated after DA pressure. Major-General Philani Lushaba, Crime Intelligence’s CFO, failed to report for duty and is unreachable, just as the NPA’s Investigating Directorate sought to question him. The IGI’s probe focuses on two suspicious transactions: a R22.7m Pretoria boutique hotel and a R22.8m Durban commercial property, allegedly approved by Lushaba and Crime Intelligence head Maj-Gen Dumisani…

As the world faces a growing cancer burden, Life Healthcare continues to advance its treatment offering, with new technology constantly being introduced to diagnose, treat and manage cancer. The latest innovations offer patients renewed hope in treating brain tumours, enabling more precise removal, reducing the need for repeat surgeries, and increasing the chances of long-term survival and improved quality of life. “Life Healthcare is dedicated to providing cancer patients with the most advanced and compassionate care possible, placing patients at the centre of care,” said Life Healthcare Chief Medical Officer, Dr Karisha Quarrie. “Our investment in innovative oncology technology such…