Author: Staff Writer

World Cup-winning Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi, globally recognised for his meteoric rise from adverse poverty to lifting the Webb Ellis trophy in November 2019, has been named as the newest addition to the Mercedes-Benz family. Negotiated via Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports. The partnership will see Kolisi collaborating with the luxury carmaker on a range of projects in the coming 12 months. Kolisi, who led the Springboks back to the number 1 rugby rankings in 10 years and making history as the first black test player to captain the team in its 129-year history, dedicated significant time during the Covid19…

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the global economy to a standstill and put millions of people under financial stress. Understandably, people from all walks of life started looking for alternative income streams. In honour of Women’s Month this August, a global peer-to-peer bitcoin marketplace, Paxful, is shining a spotlight on women who have started successful side hustles powered by bitcoin. Not only are these side jobs providing women with additional income, they are also giving individuals an opportunity to develop new skills in the bitcoin and blockchain space. Blockchain skills are in high demand internationally and may unlock new career…

IBM has unveiled its list of Women Leaders in AI, recognising South African, Itumeleng Monale from Standard Bank as one of 35 exceptional female business leaders from 12 countries who are using artificial intelligence to drive transformation, growth and innovation across a wide variety of industries. Itumeleng Monale is the Executive Head of Enterprise Information Management Personal & Business Banking at Standard Bank South Africa. As Data Officer for Retail Banking Operations of Standard Bank South Africa, Itumeleng was acknowledged for her commitment to strong data governance and management as she leads the proliferation of AI for enhanced customer experience.…

JSE-listed Blue Label Telecoms said management remains optimistic that the planned recapitalisation of Cell C will be successful. On 2 August 2017, Blue Label Telecoms, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Prepaid Company, acquired 45% of the issued share capital of Cell C for a purchase consideration of R5.5 billion. As at 31 May 2019, Blue Label Telecoms investment in Cell C was impaired to nil. It remains at nil as at 31 May 2020. Based on the following facts available, Blue label Telecoms informed investors on Thursday that management believes that Cell C will continue as a going concern for…

JSE-listed Blue Label Telecoms reported tentative signs of recovery after writing down of Cell C, which was a drag on its financials. As the carrying value of Blue Label’s investment in Cell C was fully impaired for the year ended May 2019, the financial results of Cell C did not have any impact on Blue Label’s earnings for the current year, the company informed investors. The comparative year reflected the negative contributions to core headline earnings by Cell C of R2.6 billion. Blue Label Telecoms disclosed that revenue fell 10% to R21.1 billion in the year to end-May 2020. Headline…

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) terminated a tender to supply students with laptops after corruption allegations. NSFAS Administrator, Dr Randall Carolissen, says a new tender for the supply and delivery of laptops will be submitted to Government Printing Works on Friday for publication on 4 September 2020. NSFAS was informed on 4 June 2020 by Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Blade Nzimande, that the scheme would manage the procurement process of laptops for NSFAS funded students, currently registered at universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges for the 2020 academic year. “NSFAS then prepared…

Today sees the launch of a new mini-documentary and case study series about very young African entrepreneurs designed to enable high-school and university educators to engage students meaningfully about entrepreneurship as a career path. #ItStartsWithYou sheds light on eight very young Africans whose passions, commitments and grit showcase what it means to embark on an entrepreneurial journey at a young age. The documentaries reveal new role models for other youth who might be considering entrepreneurship. Through the series, the Anzisha Prize is intentional in highlighting the importance of support from parents, educators, investors and policymakers if young people are to…

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has called on its approved beneficiaries of the R350 COVID-19 grant to change their payment methods from the post office to a bank account. SASSA  said in a statement published on Tuesday that it will once again open its system for approved applicants to change their preferred method of payment for the special COVID-19 SRD grant. The window period is scheduled for Monday 31 August to Sunday 06 September 2020, 24 hours a day. During this period, beneficiaries can change from receiving their grants at the post office to receiving them through their…

Mauritius has been a popular holiday destination for South Africans for many years, but the government’s recent concessions have made it more accessible and affordable for South Africans to retire, live and work than ever before. In June 2020, the Mauritian government’s changes to investment thresholds, the extension of work, residence, retirement permits, and attractive property acquisition options, led to renewed interest from South Africans, says Marisa Jacobs, Director at Xpatweb. “Skilled professionals and business owners with families in South Africa are taking note of Finance Minister Renganaden Padayachy’s changes and adjustments for foreigners. It is now easier to buy…

Enygma Ventures announced on Tuesday that it has made a R 4.2m investment into Job Crystal, South Africa’s recruitment company.  “Never has there been a more critical time to get South African’s back into work,” says Sarah Dusek, managing partner and co-founder of Enygma Ventures. “We see the recruitment industry as vital in South Africa’s economic recovery enabling employers to navigate finding the right talent, quickly and efficiently, getting more people back to work sooner.” This investment into Job Crystal will enable this female-led company to develop incredible technology to speed up the process of recruitment making it easier for…