Author: Staff Writer
As Apple prepares to launch the iPhone 16, cybercriminals are already exploiting the hype with scams targeting eager fans. Widely regarded as the most anticipated tech event of the year, the release has fans poised to acquire the latest high-tech gadget. However, Kaspersky researchers have discovered that threat actors are luring users with fake pre-orders, early-adopter offers, and bogus technical support — all packaged in convincing websites that lead only to financial losses and disappointment. The new iPhone 16 is set to be unveiled during the “Glowtime” event on Monday, September 9, 2024, with official invites for the event sent…
South Africa faces a stark reality: a significant literacy gap hinders the nation’s progress. With eight out of ten children unable to read proficiently by age ten, the path forward demands innovative solutions and unwavering commitment to learning. Literacy is more than just the ability to decipher words on a page; it is the bedrock upon which individuals, communities, and nations are built. It is the key that unlocks a world of opportunity, empowering people to pursue their dreams, engage critically with the world around them, and contribute meaningfully to society. The consequences of illiteracy are far-reaching and devastating. Without…
Under Armour is all in on running, pushing the limits with cutting-edge tech and athlete-driven designs to fuel performance. Firm believers in getting in the trenches with athletes, this year is no different as Under Armour is announced as 2024’s OUTsurance Gun Run technical sponsor, with the official OUTsurance Gun Run shoe being the Under Armour Infinite Elite. An athletes aim for victory depends on more than just preparation and determination, it also relies on the technology on the soles of their feet. Over the last decade, there’s been a technological revolution in running, powered by shoe technology that can…
Nasdaq-listed Align Technology has partnered with the University of Pretoria’s School of Dentistry to introduce South Africa’s first university academic programme focused on clear aligners and digital dentistry. This collaboration aims to advance dental education and equip future professionals with cutting-edge skills in orthodontic treatment and digital technology. For over 25 years, Align Technology has been at the forefront of supporting universities, students, and doctors worldwide in the orthodontics and dental fields. Align supports the development of educational resources, including dedicated events and research grants. “This collaboration with the University of Pretoria represents a major milestone for dental education in…
Telkom’s enterprise and supplier development initiative, FutureMakers, as well as the Telkom Consumer and Small Business (CSB) Retail, announced today that they have strengthened their relationship with Delivery Ka Speed. Delivery Ka Speed is a 100% black youth-owned and township-based delivery service SME, by donating bikes to 10 drivers and investing further in the SME. It is an innovative township delivery platform that connects customers with local restaurants and merchants, is a strategic partner to bolstering Telkom’s job creation mandate. Initially, Delivery Ka Speed operated the 10 delivery bikes provided by Telkom in the Hammanskraal and Pretoria areas. The bikes,…
Herbert Theledi, a property development entrepreneur with over two decades of experience, has launched a new venture called Jeqe Management, where he will serve as Group CEO. Announcing the new entity, Theledi described Jeqe Management as a significant step towards innovation and growth in the South African property sector. “I believe the time is right to establish a new structure to pursue property asset management opportunities. This is a natural move to diversify our property interests,” said Theledi. Jeqe Management provides property management services for Nthoese Development and Shenge Property Group, with plans to expand and explore additional opportunities. Currently,…
In South Africa, it’s estimated 70% of travel sales revenue will come from online purchases by 2028. In this growing and competitive market, online travel agents (OTAs) that innovate to offer people new ways to book and pay for their holidays will come out on top, says Rahul Jain, CEO of Peach Payments. He believes new payment trends provide insight into what OTAs should consider when it comes to the path-to-purchase in their sector. Trend #1: Upfront payments It wasn’t until a few years ago that many OTAs and travel aggregators started managing prepayments. “It used to be that a…
Changa Energy is thrilled to announce the launch of its cutting-edge 1MW solar plant system which went live at the BT Industrial Group site in Benoni recently. This innovative project, which marks a significant milestone in Changa Energy’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions has been developed in collaboration with client, BT Industrial Group, partners Nuvo Africa and Candi Solar. The project not only underscores the dedication to environmental stewardship by BT Industrial but also aims to ensure energy security that cushions the client against the increasing cost of energy supply which ultimately impacts the increase in cost of production. In…
Huawei Cloud has moved to help South African businesses overcome soaring costs and licensing challenges in the virtualisation space, offering secure, seamless and highly cost-effective alternatives to legacy virtualisation solutions. A roadshow staged in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban recently highlighted Huawei Cloud’s compelling offerings for local businesses caught in a virtualisation ‘dead end’, beset with high costs and inflexible infrastructure. Steven Chen, Managing Director of Huawei Cloud South Africa, said: “Unlike service providers that focus primarily on virtualisation, Huawei Cloud offers freedom and flexibility with a wider range of services, including container orchestration and serverless computing.” Chen noted that…
The fully electric Volvo EX90 is ready and on the road in initial markets. The first batch of our flagship SUV is being shipped to retailers in the United States and Europe right now, and the first customers in these markets will receive their cars before the end of September 2024. We will ramp up deliveries, including to more markets, between the fourth quarter of this year and the first quarter of 2025. On that note, Volvo Car South Africa expects the new EX90 to launch locally early 2025, with the first customer vehicles scheduled to arrive in South Africa…
Daniel Mtimkulu, a former engineer at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of fraud and forging his qualifications. Mtimkulu, who held a prominent position within the agency, was exposed for fabricating his engineering credentials, leading to his conviction and the severe sentence. His case highlights significant issues within PRASA and raises concerns about the vetting processes for key positions within the organisation. Mtimkulu (49) was sentenced today in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, following his conviction on January 31, 2022. The court found Mtimkulu guilty…
30 women entrepreneurs and government leaders have now completed a course in advanced technologies, as part of the Huawei Women in Tech Digital Skills Training Programme. Not only did these tech-curious women get to upgrade their technical knowledge and work on their leadership skills, but they also built strong networks and camaraderie at the first in-person edition of the programme. Huawei Women in Tech, now in its fourth year, has established itself as a modern incubator that accelerates the progress of tech curious women entrepreneurs, over 300 of whom have participated in the programme since its launch in 2021. This…
This week, the Telkom Foundation hosted a technology-focused career expo at Kgola Thuto Secondary School in Phuthaditjhaba, Free State, specifically aimed at empowering female learners in Grades 8 and 9. The event sought to tackle South Africa’s widening digital skills gap by inspiring more young women to explore careers in technology. It also offered a valuable opportunity for these students to connect with female leaders in the tech industry and discover educational resources that can support their pursuit of STEM-related careers. “The tech world needs more women. Their perspectives, ideas, and problem-solving skills are essential to building a future that…
ISPA says smart young South Africans aspiring to careers in the ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) industry can submit their applications for consideration for the fifth instalment of the ISPA Inspires educational sponsorship from Monday, 2 September 2024. ISPA is South Africa’s official internet Industry Representative Body (IRB) and the ISPA Inspires sponsorship opportunity helps showcase promising future ICT sector entrants to ISPA’s 235 members while creating industry access points for young people with a passion for ICT. “South Africa’s most forward-thinking tech and telecoms firms are very likely to be ISPA members and this membership base remains dedicated to…
Sungrow, a global leader in PV inverters and energy storage solutions, has unveiled its latest Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Energy Storage System (ESS), the PowerStack 200CS, at Intersolar Europe. This innovation comes at a crucial time for South Africa, where energy reliability and efficiency are top priorities. Addressing South Africa’s Energy Challenges South Africa faces significant energy challenges, including frequent load shedding, an unstable grid, and the need for increased renewable energy integration. The PowerStack 200CS is designed to address these challenges directly by providing a robust, efficient energy storage solution that can help stabilize the grid and enhance energy…
An impressive 21 used car searches took place every second in South Africa during the first half of 2024. This is one of many fascinating insights to emerge from the 2024 AutoTrader Mid-Year Car Industry Report. The theme of this year’s report is #RethinkAutoSales, and – as George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader, explains – traditional car selling methods are becoming outdated. “Hence, new data points and innovative strategies are needed. Successful dealers have embraced the #RethinkAutoSales strategy. They are creating efficiencies, emphasising transparency, and meeting consumer needs by utilising market intelligence, which is available thanks to AutoTrader technology and data analytics,”…
Vukile Property Fund, a significant player both in South Africa and on the international stage, continues to set the benchmark in the listed property sector with its data-driven approach. Attracting 220 million shopper visits annually across its properties in South Africa and Spain, Vukile leverages advanced data analytics to enhance the shopping experience, support tenant success, and deliver sustained growth for all its stakeholders. Pioneering data-driven retail management Over the past 20 years, Vukile Property Fund has established itself as a leader in South Africa’s retail property sector. The key to Vukile’s success lies in its innovative use of data…
“A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.” This quote by Rosabeth Moss Kanter encapsulates the driving force behind Buhle Goslar’s journey in the fintech world, challenging long-held notions of the financial sphere as a ‘boys club’ and offering an inspirational vision of hope for the future. Goslar’s deep understanding of how capital allocation and technology drove economic inclusivity enabled her to rise to prominence in business and perfectly positioned her for the role as chairperson at SME services provider Lula. Her journey…
The Volkswagen AG is partnering with the gaming platform AirConsole to bring its unique in-car gaming experience to its drivers and passengers. In parallel to the ID.7, ID.5, ID.4 and ID.3 product lines (from ID. software 4.0), AirConsole will also be available for the new Passat, the new Tiguan, the new Golf and the new Golf Estate. The AirConsole gaming platform will provide enjoyable entertainment to people on the road, for example, when charging or during a break. The new games of the AirConsole gaming platform are available on the infotainment display, which is transformed into a games console. The…
Discovery Bank announced today that it has reached the milestone of one million clients, following its earlier achievement this year of surpassing two million active accounts. “This milestone of our first million clients is a special one. While it’s only the beginning for us, we are incredibly proud because it reflects the impact of our unique shared-value model that creates value as clients manage their money well and engage with our products and rewards, the ease of use and scalability of our digital banking app and platforms, and ultimately the trust that people are placing in the Bank,” Hylton Kallner,…
Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), has launched Sage Intacct in Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini, helping transform the way organisations operate by providing real-time financial visibility, advanced automation and data-driven insights. Sage Intacct helps to empower financial teams from repetitive tasks, enabling them to concentrate on higher-value, high-impact strategic activities. For example, instead of spending hours manually inputting data, financial professionals can analyse market trends and create strategic financial plans, as well as implement innovative solutions like predictive analytics. This helps to continuously improve a business’s financial health and competitive…
In the dynamic world of digital education, collaboration is emerging as a key part of innovation and success. There are many innovators in the online education space, but strategic partnerships between leading educational providers can build a higher level of education opportunities, and deliver the kind of rich, diverse learning experiences that can really change lives. It has become clear that education is more than a marketplace of competing offerings, a zero-sum game where some platforms or institutions can succeed, at the expense of others. There is room for multiple offerings, each with a focus on a particular area. Given…
Ask any patient what the most pressing need is in hospitals, and they’ll probably say that the food could be better. Ask hospital managers, administrators, and IT teams though, and they’ll most likely talk about the need to protect patient privacy while at the same time effectively monitoring them to ensure patient and their data security. In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, the delicate balance between privacy rights, security measures, and the delivery of quality healthcare services is crucial. With the advent of legislation like the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA; which includes the global Health Insurance Portability and…
First National Bank (FNB) has resolved the internal network connectivity issue that arose earlier today. In a post on X, FNB provided a downtime update, stating: “We can confirm that all functionality has been fully restored. We appreciate your patience and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.” Also read: Angry Customers Take To X Over FNB App Being Down Angry FNB customers took to the social media platform X on Friday to express their frustration over the banking mobile app being down and inaccessible. “We are aware that there are issues being experienced across our channels. Our IT teams are…
Under Armour might have been the sportswear underdog due to its narrow focus on training compression tops and shorts, but the tides have certainly changed. With their recent launch of UNSTOPPABLE gear (born on the pitch and made for the streets) the brand is hoping to gain market share ahead of some big streetwear players in the market. Unstoppable allows the brand to show up in a fierce new category, firmly positioning their product offering to a Gen Z target market. “We embrace the underdog mentality” says Under Armour. “Understandably, there is a pre-conceived notion that with our niche offering,…