Author: Staff Writer
Vodacom announced today that it has invested over R450 million into the network and power backup upgrades across the Mpumalanga region during the 2021/2022 financial year. Vodacom said this significant investment into the network has helped the region expand connectivity in deep rural areas and townships that had no connectivity before. “This has enabled hundreds of thousands of people to participate in the digital economy for the first time,” the company claims. “This coupled with a concerted effort to drive down the cost to communicate through innovative platforms such as Just4U and Just4YouTown, has lowered voice and data rates across…
Small and medium-sized enterprises make up more than 98% of South Africa’s business landscape, but they only earn a 40% share of the country’s GDP[1] – which is why giving entrepreneurs the skills to scale their businesses is not only good for their businesses, it’s good for the economy. The Stellenbosch Network Entrepreneurial Mentorship Programme aims to give entrepreneurs the support and skills they need to grow their businesses, through an eight-month initiative that will feature extensive coaching and guidance from experienced businesspeople. The programme is based on a wealth of research that shows mentorship has a direct impact on…
Jaguar Land Rover has formed a multi-year strategic partnership with NVIDIA, the leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and computing, to jointly develop and deliver next-generation automated driving systems plus AI-enabled services and experiences for its customers. Starting in 2025, all new Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles will be built on the NVIDIA DRIVE™ software-defined platform—delivering a wide spectrum of active safety, automated driving and parking systems as well as driver assistance systems. Inside the vehicle, the system will deliver AI features, including driver and occupant monitoring as well as advanced visualisation of the vehicle’s environment. This full-stack solution is based on NVIDIA…
MTN Group’s Ambition 2025, aimed at “Leading digital platforms for Africa’s progress” has ushered in a new look that is aligned to our evolution from a telecommunications company to a technology company underpinned by one simple, consistent, yet striking brand. “Our commitment and focus to accelerate Africa’s progress sees MTN revealing a refreshed brand identity and campaign from 27 February,” MTN said in a statement. “The campaign is inspired by an insight that doing is a bridge between can and done, because all progress comes from action.” MTN’s current brand MTN remains the ‘Most Admired African Brand’ in the Brand Africa…
Mercedes has revealed a new Mercedes-AMG EQE 43 4MATIC and EQE 53 4MATIC+ with battery-electric drive. Both new Mercedes-AMG EQE models offer a performance-oriented drive concept with two electric motors. The powerful electric drivetrain (eATS), with a motor on each of the axles, also offers fully variable all-wheel drive, which optimally transmits the drive power to the asphalt under all driving conditions. The power spectrum ranges from 350 kW (476 hp) in the EQE 43 4MATIC to 505 kW (687 hp) in the EQE 53 4MATIC+ with optional AMG DYNAMIC PLUS Package and boost function. The maximum torque ranges from…
Exactly how far is an electric car able to travel on a single charge in real-world South African conditions at a steady 120 km/h? Well, a new benchmark evaluation answers this very question, putting three locally available electric vehicles (EVs) – the Jaguar I-Pace, BMW i3s and MINI Cooper SE – to the test in a first-of-its-kind, simulated open-road range assessment. This inaugural test which took place at the Gerotek High-Speed Oval in November 2021, sets a national benchmark for each of the three battery-powered variants. It lays down a historical reference point to look back on and allows consumers…
Within the 2021 Roland Berger Digital Inclusion Index (RB DII), Sub Saharan Africa placed last in each of the four categories – accessibility, affordability, ability and attitude – against all other regions globally. “Digital inclusion is the empowerment of individuals and societies to effectively use ICT, enabling them to contribute to and benefit from today’s digitalised economies and societies. It is crucial to create an equitable and sustainable digital society and to facilitate both personal income growth and macro-economic development.” This may be difficult to achieve in South Africa based on the latest ICASA State of ICT report, which illustrates that a little over…
SMEs make up an enormous 98.5 percent of all businesses in South Africa, according to estimates from McKinsey. “As the engines powering our economic growth, the challenges as well as the triumphs within the sector reverberate across the entire economy,” says Zunaid Miya, Managing Director of local fintech company, Hello Pay. The health of the SME sector is a reliable reflection of economic conditions in the country overall. “The pandemic has highlighted several long-standing challenges facing SMEs. With dangerously high levels of unemployment, creating jobs and generating growth has never been more important. Providing meaningful avenues for SMEs’ full financial…
Volvo Car South Africa has announced the local introduction of the highly anticipated XC60 T8 Recharge plug-in hybrid as the Swedish luxury firm continues its shift towards electrification. Positioned at the summit of the recently refreshed XC60 line-up above the B5 and B6 mild-hybrid variants, the all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid newcomer is available in distinctive R-Design guise as well as in luxury Inscription form. Pricing starts at R1 218 900. As with other derivatives in the XC60 range, the T8 Recharge features the firm’s latest Android-powered infotainment system, complete with built-in Google apps and services. Volvo was the first automaker to…
South Africa’s student accommodation marketplace DigsConnect now boasts over a million listed beds. DigsConnect was launched in early 2018 and despite challenges brought about by the pandemic, has experienced meteoric growth. Most recently, the startup entered into an agreement with the world’s largest student accommodation website, Student.com, propelling DigsConnect.com into 30 new markets. CEO Alexandria Procter says that in the most recent season, the company placed nearly 17 times more students than in the season prior, with booking growth at 150% week on week. “When we founded DigsConnect, a key motivator for Greg Ramsay-Keal (COO) and I was a series…