Author: Staff Writer

JSE-listed Metrofile, a leading document and electronic information management specialist in Africa and the Middle East, posted a 1% rise in headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the six months to end-December 2021. HEPS is South Africa’s main profit gauge. Metrofile said revenue increased by 4% to R474 million. The company said MRM Middle East has demonstrated significant growth over the past 18 months and is now its largest region outside of South Africa for both revenue and operating profit contribution. Secure storage contributed 58% to group revenue and was down 5% year-on-year due to a 5% reduction in paper…

Sony Group Corporation (Sony) and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda) today announced they are planning to form a strategic alliance that aims to create a new era of mobility and mobility services. The New Company plan to engage in the joint development and sales of high value-added battery electric vehicles (EVs) and commercialise them in conjunction with providing mobility services. “Sony’s Purpose is to ‘fill the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology’, said Kenichiro Yoshida, Representative Corporate Executive Officer, Chairman, President and CEO, Sony Group Corporation. “Through this alliance with Honda, which has accumulated extensive global…

As the world looks to avert the worst of the climate crisis, it will be crucial for companies in all industries to make use of the latest innovations to ensure that they operate as sustainably as possible. For those in the ICT and digital spaces, making use of green optical networks will be crucial to their ability to do so. That was among the key messages at the Green All-Optical Network Forum 2022 hosted by IDATE, a well-known French research and analysis organisation. At the summit, all parties called for accelerating the construction of green optical networks. Huawei’s Richard Jin,…

Under the remit of its recently established Africa Transformation Office (ATO), Microsoft has announced new initiatives to accelerate the growth of 10,000 African startups and fast-track investment in Africa’s startup ecosystem over the next five years. Microsoft’s recently launched global Founders Hub will now be available to African startups through the ATO. The Founders Hub is a self-service hub that provides startups with a wide range of resources, including access to mentors, skilling content, tools like Microsoft Azure and GitHub, and go-to-market and business support. Microsoft is also creating new partnerships with accelerators and incubators across Africa, including Grindstone, Greenhouse,…

South Africa may be behind the curve when it comes to electric vehicle adoption, but as the shift to mainstream EV acceptance edges closer, more and more motorists are weighing up the pros and cons of electric versus petrol and diesel. While there’s no denying internal combustion engine (ICE) cars still enjoy many inherent benefits, there’s one contest where EVs have an indisputable advantage. They’re simply cheaper to run per kilometre. Much cheaper in fact. To prove the point, Jaguar South Africa sent one of its senior driving instructors on a week-long mission to record and report the electricity consumption…

Netflix announced today that it is buying Next Games, a developer and publisher of mobile games based in Helsinki, Finland. Netflix would acquire Next Games for total value of €65 million ($72 million). The board of Next Games has unanimously decided to recommend that shareholders accept the deal. “Next Games has a seasoned management team, strong track record with mobile games based on entertainment franchises, and solid operational capabilities,” said Michael Verdu, Vice President of Games, Netflix. “We are excited for Next Games to join Netflix as a core studio in a strategic region and key talent market, expanding our internal game…

Investing in property is one of the biggest financial decisions a person is likely to make. New and increasingly sophisticated scams and incidence of fraud are on the rise and affect developers, buyers, sellers, estate agents, conveyancing attorneys, and other property professionals. “As property transactions typically involve substantial sums of money, they are a natural target for fraudsters. Tactics range from impersonating estate agents to intercepting emails with instructions on where to make payment for transactions as well as notices of change of banking details instruction, says Ryan Mer, CEO, eftsure Africa, a Know Your Payee (KYP) platform provider. While…

South African FinTech group Capital Appreciation Limited (Capprec) is on an acquisition spree in South Africa and the Netherlands. Capprec announced today it has acquired Responsive Technology group for the purchase price of c.R48,68 million. Capprec is a financial technology company with proprietary and licensed platforms, solutions, products and applications targeted at the B2B market. Its client base includes all major banking institutions in South Africa, as well as many niche banks, large financial services institutions and other financial services companies. In recent times, the company has also successfully diversified into the Retail, Telecoms and Healthcare sectors. The acquisitions include three South African companies:…

At the 2022 Mobile World Congress (MWC), Huawei launched innovative gigabit fibre-to-the room (FTTR) solutions. The solutions extend fibre to every room and aims to build an all-optical base for smart homes and digital enterprises, enabling gigabit Wi-Fi 6 coverage in each room and creating a brand-new digital life experience. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, global digital transformation has accelerated. Home broadband services have shifted from HD video-based entertainment to multi-centre services such as immersive XR experience, online office, and whole-house intelligence. Enterprise services have also migrated to the cloud. User experience is poor due to disadvantages of the traditional…

Corteva Agriscience has officially introduced PowerCore technology to South Africa’s maize farmers. The solution is a new high-performing, herbicide-resistant seed trait that effectively helps protect crops from damaging above-ground insects, such as the maize stalk borer and spotted maize stem borer. The company’s leading seed brands, Pannar and Pioneer will be offering PowerCore technology as part of new, high-yielding genetics within their respective maize portfolios. “South Africa’s agricultural, food and beverage exports hit a record high of $12.4bn (approximately R191.4bn) in 2021, with maize being a significant contributor, reaching its largest export volume since 1994/1995. What’s more, maize is a…