Author: Staff Writer

Strive Masiyiwa’s Cassava Technologies (Cassava), a global technology powerhouse of African heritage, has announced key leadership appointments as it enters a new phase of accelerated growth and competitiveness. Following the successful conclusion of its equity round and the strategic reorganisation of its business into a fully integrated digital solutions platform, Cassava is reinforcing its executive team. The newly appointed leaders bring extensive expertise to bolster the company’s offerings in Broadband Connectivity, Co-location (data centres), Cloud, Cyber Security, Compute (AI), and Payment services across more than 30 markets spanning Africa, the Middle East, India, and Latin America. Established in 2021, Cassava…

The City of Cape Town’s premier accelerator programme for start-up entrepreneurs, #YouthStartCT, is back for its ninth year! This dynamic initiative is designed to drive skills development, spark innovation, and create job opportunities in the Mother City. Applications close March 16, 2025 – entrepreneurs with existing businesses or groundbreaking ideas are encouraged to apply now! This year’s competition will support entrepreneurs in Agriculture & Farming, Information Technology, Finance & Business Services, Tourism, and Manufacturing—offering coaching, mentoring, and seed funding for top performers. ‘#YouthStartCT has helped hundreds of young business owners turn their ideas into reality. Thriving businesses create jobs, boost…

McDonald’s South Africa has announced a leadership change as Greg Solomon steps down as CEO after nearly three decades with the company, including 15 years at the helm. Leadership changes are natural for any organisation and while Greg has built a strong foundation that has been established, now is the time to welcome new leadership. “Greg has guided the company through both its most successful milestones and its greatest challenges,”said Daniel Padiachy, Chief Marketing Officer. McDonald’s South Africa. “Over the past 15 years as CEO, he has spearheaded the addition of 230 new restaurants resulting in a total portfolio of…

As South Africa continues to grapple with unemployment, businesses must embrace data-driven hiring practices to make informed decisions and secure top talent.  The country’s official unemployment rate stood at 32.1% in the third quarter of 2024, marking a decline from 33.5% in the previous quarter1. However, unemployment remains a major challenge despite this improvement,  making it crucial for businesses to implement data-backed hiring processes. Concerningly, about 27% of South Africans have considered emigrating, with higher consideration among the wealthiest (42%), the most educated (38%), those holding full-time jobs (36%), and the youth (32%)2. This potential talent drain exacerbates the challenge…

Melio AI, a leading AI startup, today announced the launch of Highwind, Africa’s first AI marketplace, offering businesses quick, affordable, and scalable AI solutions. Traditional AI projects require months of development, large budgets, and specialised teams. Starting at just $50 (R900), Highwind changes that by offering ready-to-use AI solutions through flexible subscription plans, pay-as-you-go pricing, and enterprise licensing options. This allows businesses to integrate expert-built models in minutes—without hiring a data science team. Highwind simplifies AI adoption by packaging data, models, and features into ready-to-use APIs and a simple user interface, covering use cases from document processing and fraud detection…

TikTok has been reinstated on U.S. app stores, with Apple and Google restoring the short-form video platform nearly a month after its removal, reported TechCrunch. The app, along with ByteDance-owned CapCut and Lemon8, was initially taken down in compliance with a national security law banning TikTok in the U.S. The law, signed by former President Joe Biden, required ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations to a non-Chinese entity by January 19, 2025, or face a ban. Failure to comply would have resulted in severe financial penalties for app store operators. ByteDance challenged the decision, but the Supreme Court upheld the…

Small businesses are the driving force behind the South African economy, and they will be eagerly listening to next week’s Budget Speech. They want to hear how they will be meaningfully empowered to succeed this year. Looking at the turnover data and cashflow insights that Lula has access to, this sector is clearly under immense pressure.  “Our latest data shows that South African SMEs are facing immense pressure with a 50% drop in turnover year-on-year. The highest interest rates in more than 15 years have restricted consumers’ ability to spend and this has had a massive impact on turnover across…

Securi-Tech Pty Ltd is concerned over the lack of enforcement of the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act (RICA). This concern is heightened even further by the new revelation that unregistered SIM cards are used in almost two-thirds of extortion attempts. This alarming statistic was disclosed recently in a parliamentary response by the Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu to Democratic Alliance MP Kabelo Kgobisa-Ngcaba.  The RICA Act was established to ensure that all SIM cards are registered to their users, making it easier for law enforcement to trace criminal activity and protect law-abiding citizens. However,…

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, Kaspersky privacy experts are shedding light on the fine line between care and control in digital relationships. Kaspersky’s global research shows that nearly half of respondents (47%) expressed concerns about their partners violating their digital privacy. By helping individuals recognise these red flags, set healthy online boundaries, and foster trust without invasion, we can empower couples to build relationships rooted in respect, security, and true digital freedom.  In modern relationships, the line between care and control in digital spaces can be subtle. Stalking, particularly online stalking, is often misunderstood as an expression of intense interest or concern. However,…

DKMS Africa made history with the Marketing Achievement Awards qualifier status for 2025. The nonprofit organisation dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders is the first nonprofit organisation to achieve the qualifier status as an independent entrant. In addition, the qualifier status marks the first time the organizations’ marketing campaigns receive recognition by the marketing community at an award level. DKMS Africa achieved qualifier status in three categories, namely,  Excellence in Integrated Marketing, Excellence in Purpose-led Marketing, and Excellence in Resourceful Marketing. The qualifier status emphasises the powerful impact of marketing in raising awareness, fostering education, and…