Author: Staff Writer

Financial services group RMB today announced the appointment of Judy Kobus as CEO of Corporate, where she will lead the bank’s corporate client business and help drive its next phase of growth. “Judy combines strategic thinking with disciplined execution and a strong commitment to clients. She has built a high-performing team by empowering her people, setting high standards and delivering meaningful results. Those qualities position her well to lead Corporate as we continue to build a leading corporate bank across our markets,” says Emrie Brown, CEO of RMB. Judy joined RMB in 2008 through the Class Of Programme, the bank’s…

Eskom has reached an important milestone in its nationwide Load Reduction Eradication Programme, with five of South Africa’s nine provinces now free from load reduction. To date, 1 104 225 customers have been removed from load reduction schedules, representing 65.17% performance towards the programme’s load reduction eradication target. Originally implemented to address overloaded local networks and protect electricity infrastructure, the programme has removed 545 feeders from load reduction nationally, with the remaining load reduction areas concentrated largely in Gauteng followed by KwaZulu-Natal. This milestone follows the successful elimination of load reduction in Mpumalanga, joining the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Free…

Refiant, an AI optimisation company, today launched Protea – its suite of long-context AI models – with a 10 million-token context window, one of the largest ever made publicly available, accessible immediately via refiant.ai. Until now, AI has been constrained by how much it can see at once. The most capable models struggle with more than a few hundred thousand tokens in working memory, forcing elaborate workarounds to compensate for what the model can’t access. Protea removes those constraints. Entire regulatory archives, enterprise codebases, decades of clinical trial data – datasets that previously had to be broken apart and fed to…

South African health technology company Healthbridge has launched a Beta version of Practice Agent, an AI-powered platform designed to help medical practices identify chronic patients who have fallen out of care and reconnect them to funded consultations, tests, and preventative screenings. Embedded within the company’s cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) platform, Practice Agent continuously monitors patient populations, identifies missed care opportunities, and automates patient outreach on behalf of healthcare providers. The launch comes as Healthbridge’s macroeconomic data modelling reveals a significant gap in chronic disease management across South Africa. “In feedback from doctors across our client base, common challenges emerge:…

July is National Savings Month, an initiative driven by the South African Savings Institute (SASI) to build healthier financial habits across the country. This year, that message lands differently. Interest rates have risen, inflation is sitting at the upper end of the Reserve Bank’s target range, and household budgets that were already stretched are now being asked to do more with less. For many South Africans, “just save more” can feel like advice from a different economic reality. But that’s exactly why this discipline matters now, not despite the pressure, but because of it. Saving isn’t about deprivation or waiting…

Float, the card-linked instalment platform founded in South Africa, has expanded into the United Kingdom. The launch has been supported by the UK Government’s Global Entrepreneur Programme, which brings high-growth international businesses into the UK market. The South African fintech lets shoppers split any purchase into up to 24 interest- and fee-free monthly instalments, using the credit they already have on their existing Visa or Mastercard credit card. There is no new credit issued, no additional sign-up process, and no app download required. The shopper gets more time to pay with their credit card, and also keeps their regular loyalty…

Digital evidence has quickly become the smoking gun in white collar crime, but it’s worthless in court if handled by the wrong people in the wrong way. “As with a physical crime scene, digital evidence must be managed by forensic professionals who know how to preserve its integrity and prevent contamination,” says David Loxton, CEO and Senior Attorney at Loxton Forensics. Yet, many organisations make the fatal mistake of assigning critical digital evidence gathering, protection and analysis duties to IT personnel who know nothing of forensic science. The value of digital evidence Decades ago, white collar crime investigations focused on paper…

On the surface, South Africa’s digital credentials tell only part of the story. The country ranks 46th out of 147 economies in Microsoft’s Global AI Diffusion Report for Q1 2026, ahead of every other African country measured, and its generative AI usage has risen to 23.1% of the working-age population. Yet for the majority of South Africans, the conversation about artificial intelligence is happening in a world they cannot fully access. Only 16% of adults own a computer, and many have never used one. When a Laptop Costs More Than a Month’s Wages The reality, however, is more complicated. According…

Season 2 of Marvel Animation’s “X-Men ‘97” is now streaming exclusively on Disney+. The Emmy-nominated first season is one of the most-watched Disney+ Original animated series (based on hours streamed globally) and was a hit with fans and critics alike. Season 2 currently has a 100% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, as of today. “X-Men ‘97” Season 2 continues with the heroic mutant team of X-Men, divided and thrown across different eras in time as they struggle to navigate their return home. Meanwhile, back in the 1990s, suspicious foes and new strains of mutant intolerance are on the rise in…

Woolworths Financial Services (WFS) has launched MyDifference PLUS, an exciting addition to the Woolworths MyDifference loyalty programme, designed to help Woolies Credit Card and Store Card customers get more value. MyDifference PLUS rewards customers for shopping and for the way in which they manage their accounts. “Loyalty programmes are no longer defined by generic rewards, they are becoming intelligent, personalised ecosystems that recognise each customer’s unique preferences, behaviours and aspirations,” says Maré Louw, Chief Customer Officer of Woolworths Financial Services. “With MyDifference PLUS, we’re empowering customers to unlock greater value on their own terms through completion of actions that result…

As countries around the world race to secure leadership in quantum technologies – an emerging field expected to transform computing, healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture and cybersecurity – the University of Pretoria (UP) has been selected to play a significant role in South Africa’s next step into the quantum era. The University will host a new node of the South African Quantum Technology Initiative (SA QuTI), establishing UP Quantum Science and Technology (UPQuST – pronounced UPQuest) as one of six nationally funded quantum research hubs. Supported by the national Department of Science, Technology and Innovation over the next five years, the initiative…

Packard Bell has announced the launch of its first-ever smartphone, the Daytona G16 Pro, marking a significant expansion for the iconic technology brand. Blending premium performance with intelligent features, the Daytona G16 Pro debuts alongside a groundbreaking, fully AI-generated advertising campaign — an industry first for the company. The Daytona G16 Pro is engineered for creators, professionals, and everyday users who demand speed, style, and smart functionality at a competitive price. Powered by Android 15, with up to 128GB storage and equipped with an advanced triple-lens camera system, the device delivers seamless multitasking, enhanced photography, and all-day battery performance. “Our…

Vodacom Group today announced the completion of its acquisition of an additional 20% effective stake in Safaricom PLC, following the staying of a conservatory order by the Court of Appeal of Kenya on 26 June 2026 and the fulfilment of all remaining conditions precedent. This means that Vodacom’s shareholding in Safaricom has increased to about 55%, allowing consolidation of one of Africa’s foremost telecommunications, financial services, and technology businesses. The transaction, valued at $2.1 billion (R35 billion), was first announced in December 2025 and sees Vodacom acquire a 15% stake from the Government of Kenya, and an effective further 5%…

Fake or altered photos depict evidence, from crash scenes to receipts, to support fraudulent claims. Insurance fraud, unfortunately, is inevitable. A certain amount of fraud is priced into the product. The goal for insurers is to find the right balance – focusing on fraud prevention for the biggest cases without alienating trusted customers. But the AI age has introduced a new source of fraud that threatens that balance by making fraud simpler, easier and more widespread: images that have been altered, or even completely synthetically generated, using AI for the purpose of filing a fraudulent insurance claim. A fast-growing threat Insurance fraud costs…

ISPA’s Perception Survey gauges ISPs’ perceptions of FNO performance across a range of metrics and the most recent results reveal smaller FNOs are outshining the established competition. SA’s official internet Industry Representative Body (IRB) says several smaller FNOs including Lightspeed (Cybersmart) (7.1), Open Fibre (7.0), Lightstruck (7.0), Evotel (6.9), Seacom FibreCo (6.9) and WECOM (6.6) had achieved average scores (in brackets above) placing them above most of the country’s major eight networks. To illustrate, large operator Octotel scored a commendable 7.5. The next large operator, Openserve, scored 6.5. If we look at the smaller FNOs scores above, all of them…

The first week of Disney+ Quiz Nights officially launched yesterday, bringing fans together for an evening of trivia, entertainment, and friendly competition across Tiger’s Milk venues nationwide. Hosted simultaneously at Tiger’s Milk GrandWest and Green Point (Cape Town), Bryanston and Appletons (Johannesburg), and Pavilion in (KwaZulu-Natal), the opening night saw enthusiastic teams put their knowledge to the test – spanning the vast range of content found on Disney+ from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic and Hulu. With a lively atmosphere and packed venues, the debut quiz nights marked the perfect start to a six-week national rollout, designed to…

Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a business of Cassava Technologies, a global technology leader, is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its Innovation and Digital Skills Centre (IDSC) in Mthatha. To date, 515 learners have completed programmes at the IDSC, achieving a 96% pass rate, and 149 have secured employment directly as a result of their training. “The IDSC is a powerful example of what public-private partnerships can achieve. When the right partners come together, i.e. industry players, government, and community institutions, the impact goes beyond skills training. The result is the creation of real economic pathways for young people and laying the…

Omnisient, a South African-founded fintech and data analytics company, has won the “Best Technology Provider – Data, Analytics & Infrastructure” category at Britain’s Credit Awards, an annual programme run by the industry publisher Credit Strategy, the company said. Omnisient, selected ahead of a shortlist that included Experian, a FTSE 100 credit-data company that employs about 23,300 people across 32 countries, and SAS, a privately held analytics software firm with annual revenue of more than $3 billion, has developed a secure and privacy-compliant method for credit lenders to access and analyse grocery retail data directly from the retailer. Lenders can then…

Stocks & Strauss has announced the final close of the University Technology Fund II at R400 million, taking total capital across its university-linked early-stage investment platform to more than R700 million and deepening a dedicated pathway for commercialising innovation emerging from tertiary institutions. Investors in UTF II include the SA SME Fund, Stellenbosch University, Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies, Sanlam, Fireball Capital, the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the University of Pretoria, Wits University and the University of Cape Town. The close comes as universities and their alumni networks are increasingly being recognised as critical sources of investable technology, intellectual property…

Prosus today announces a €400 million (US$460 million) investment into the European health and insurance tech leader, Alan, valuing it at €5.5 billion (US$6.3 billion). The investment will consist of both primary and secondary equity. Prosus is joined in this round by existing investors Teachers’ Venture Growth (TVG) and Index Ventures, and new investor Dara Holdings. AI has fundamentally changed how people access and experience healthcare. Alan has built an AI-native healthcare platform that brings together insurance, care and prevention in a single, personalised experience. With a best-in-class product, a platform built for scale and a highly efficient cost of…

South Africans should be netting at least R20,000 per month for a 40-hour work week if they wish to achieve a decent, albeit humble, standard of living and level of dignity. This latest living wage figure was announced by the Living Wage South Africa Network (LWSAN), a registered non-profit organisation, that champions the drive to implement the concept locally. “We encourage businesses and government entities to adopt this living wage voluntarily as a matter of human decency and social sustainability,” says Professor Ines Meyer, chairperson of the LWSAN. It is important to highlight that the living wage describes take-home earnings…

South Africa’s commercial crime statistics paint a concerning picture. Every year, reports of fraud, corruption, procurement irregularities, cybercrime, and financial misconduct continue to place pressure on both public and private institutions. Yet many governance professionals, investigators, and risk specialists would argue that the real scale of white-collar crime in South Africa is likely far greater than what official numbers reflect. “One of the biggest reasons is underreporting” says Elani Vogel, Senior Forensics Manager at Loxton Forensics. Many organisations choose not to report incidents externally, even after internal investigations confirm serious misconduct. In some cases, leadership fears reputational damage or shareholder concern.…

Bring the runway to your living room with 20th Century Studios’ “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” streaming exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu on 29 July. Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci return to the fashionable streets of New York City and the sleek offices of Runway Magazine in this stylish sequel, which Tony Bravo from the San Francisco Chronicle said is “as delicious as the first film.” Celebrate the box office smash, which took the worlds of fashion and media by storm when it opened in theaters this past May, on its way to grossing more than $676 million…

Hotels now have access to a seamless, end-to-end payment experience that follows the guest from booking through to checkout. Already live across the Red Carnation Hotel Collection’s South African portfolio – including the Oyster Box, Bushman’s Kloof Reserve & Wellness Retreat and The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa – it marks a significant step forward for a sector where manual processes and fragmented payment workflows have long been the norm. “For hotel groups, the ability to scale a single, consistent payment solution across a portfolio is significant,” says Jonathan Smit, one of South Africa’s most accomplished fintech entrepreneurs and executive…

A young South African network engineer has achieved Huawei’s highest-level ICT certification, strengthening his ability to train and mentor students for careers in networking, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure. Neo Rameetse, Senior Network Administrator at the University of Johannesburg and Huawei ICT Academy instructor, recently achieved the Huawei Certified ICT Expert (HCIE) certification, a milestone that reflects his professional growth and the growing importance of practical digital skills for young South Africans entering the technology sector. His achievement comes as South Africa marks Youth Month, a period that places renewed focus on the opportunities, skills and support young people need to…