Author: Staff Writer
Last week power utility Eskom announced that it had achieved 100 consecutive days without loadshedding. As positive as this news is for the country without loadshedding, the solar market has experienced a significant decline in growth. Is there still a case for solar in South Africa and will the industry survive? To put things into perspective, this year, Jaltech, which provides long-term solar finance through power purchase agreements, issued more than 400 solar proposals to businesses along with its solar installer partners. These proposals were valued at over R4.1 billion, averaging more than R120 million per week over the past…
On 28th June, Huawei announced a new plan to train an additional 150,000 talents in Sub-Saharan Africa over the next three years. The plan comes on top of the ICT leader’s initial goal to equip over 100,000 people in the region with digital skills by 2025. Huawei has already exceeded its initial goal by 120%, 10 months ahead of schedule, training over 120,000 individuals over the past 26 months. Both announcements were made at the LEAP Summit 2024: ICT Talent and Sustainable Development for Sub-Saharan Africa. LEAP stands for leadership, employability, advancement and possibility. The event, co-hosted by Huawei and…
South African-born Thea Booysen, known as ‘Thea Beasty,’ has made a name for herself in the eSports industry and co-owns an eSports team. She teamed up with Volvo Car South Africa and local designer Fikile Sokhulu to model a custom-made A/W ’24 Ready-to-Wear garment using upholstery from Volvo’s latest electric car and AI technology in the design process. “The aim was to use material from the car, combined with a design that was influenced by AI. It was a first in South Africa,” points out Volvo Chief Financial Officer Marishka Govender. “We wanted to inspire the public to view sustainability…
Huawei Africa Connect 2024 Sub-Saharan Africa kicked off at the Sandton Convention Centre, with attending Huawei senior leaders declaring a new era for the enterprise-focused annual event. Previously called Huawei Eco Connect, this year’s edition reaffirmed the company’s commitment to sub-Saharan Africa and providing innovative solutions to partners in these markets. Opening the event, David Wang, Executive Director of the Board and Chairman of the ICT Infrastructure Managing Board for Huawei, commented that it was exciting to see so many governments and businesses in the region racing to go digital and many pioneers were already deploying intelligent applications. “We have…
Huawei has announced the launch of its Huawei Cloud Stack 8.3 offering at the Huawei Africa Connect 2024 conference, which took place in Johannesburg, South Africa. The launch of the offering was announced in a keynote speech delivered by Hu Yuhai, Vice President of Huawei Hybrid Cloud. Titled, “Leap to Cloud to Accelerate Industrial Intelligence”, the speech also saw Hu provide details on how Huawei Cloud Stack provides trusted cloud infrastructure, innovative cloud service abilities and extensive industry know-how to help government and enterprise customers in Africa accelerate cloud adoption. In line with this, Huawei Cloud has ramped up investments…
“Intelligent technologies are fast approaching, driving us to constantly innovate networking technologies so as to better embrace business changes.” That was the message from Leon Wang, President of Huawei’s Data Communication Product Line during his keynote at Huawei Africa Connect 2024, which took place in Johannesburg this week. The event, which was themed “Accelerate Industrial Intelligence” also saw Huawei introduces the Xinghe Intelligent Network Solution based on the Net5.5G target architecture, with the aim of accelerating industrial intelligence and building, “a solid bridge to the intelligent world.” Today, intelligent transformation initiatives and upgrades are gaining momentum across the globe, with…
From ancient modes of transport, the advent of trains, ships and trucks to the recent rise of e-commerce, the logistics industry has undergone incredible advancements. In recent years, GPS tracking, route optimisation algorithms, and real-time delivery updates have fueled the evolution of last-mile delivery. Today, we find ourselves in an era where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving transformative change in last-mile delivery across the globe, delivering not just parcels but also increased efficiency, security, and sustainability: Efficiency in that AI-powered delivery management systems utilise machine learning algorithms to optimise delivery routes, considering traffic conditions, delivery time windows, and customer preferences…
South Africa’s minibus-taxi industry is a key part of the country’s economy, providing affordable, accessible mass transport. At the same time, the taxi fleet uses carbon-emitting internal combustion engines. Reducing South Africa’s environmental impact must consider the electrification of the minibus-taxi sector. However, this is a complex process, and electrification will introduce many challenges. A paper to be presented at the forthcoming Southern African Transport Conference (SATC) outlines some key considerations. The conference addresses the theme, ”Upskilling and reskilling the transport industry for current and future challenges”. The analysis of prospects for an electrified taxi industry underscores the importance of…
Shoprite has introduced an innovative digital solution for its Cash & Carry stores, marking the wholesale brand’s first venture into ecommerce. Bulk-buying customers can now browse and purchase a wide range of goods at highly competitive prices through a fully automated online shopping system, with free delivery within a 50km radius. Spaza shops and smaller retail businesses often face significant obstacles, including high transportation and fuel costs, and difficulties in meeting demand within the informal sector. Overstocking can also result in high carrying costs, increased risk of theft and cash flow challenges. “We are committed to supporting small businesses by…
There is an increase in phishing and smishing attempts aimed at loading debit and credit cards onto criminals’ digital wallets. Phishing is a type of cybercrime in which people are duped into providing sensitive information such as login credentials, passwords, PINs, card details, or ID numbers by using deceptive techniques such as fake emails and websites. Smishing is the use of text messages – apparently from reputable institutions – to trick people into disclosing similar information. Criminals have realised that the process of loading a debit or credit card onto a digital wallet is similar to the process of making…
On 17 January 2024, Datacentrix announced that Convergence Partners, through its Convergence Partners Digital Infrastructure Fund (Convergence), alongside the existing Datacentrix management team, entered into a definitive agreement with Alviva Holdings to acquire 100% of Datacentrix. The agreement was subject to the fulfilment of conditions and regulatory approval. Datacentrix is pleased to announce that all conditions precedent have been met. The Competition Commission and Independent Communications Authority of South Africa have unconditionally approved the transaction. “We are delighted to be part of Datacentrix, one of the leading system integrators in South Africa. We are excited to embark on this journey…
In recent times, few technological advancements have gripped the public imagination like artificial intelligence (AI). As this technology becomes more commonplace, it presents an opportunity for South African businesses to rethink their operations to enhance existing revenue streams – or even create new ones. The TCS AI for Business Global Study, a comprehensive report on the state of AI adoption and its impact, shows that 69% of businesses are more focused on using AI to spur innovation and increase revenue, than on productivity improvement and cost optimisation. Globally, a staggering 86% of top business leaders worldwide are already using AI…
The new OPPO Reno12 FS 5G has landed in South Africa, adding to its popular, highly stylish and accessible AI phone. The Reno12 FS 5G features a brand-new Cosmos Ring Design, a dynamic Halo Light, and a 120Hz Smart Adaptive Screen, all protected by the robust All-Round Armour. It impresses with its stylish design and solid build. As an AI Portrait Expert, OPPO Reno12 FS 5G not only takes the lead in enhancing creativity in photography with advanced AI features like AI Eraser 2.0 and Smart Image Matting 2.0, but it also boosts productivity with AI tools including AI Recording…
Absa today introduced Absa Pay, a secure, simple, and fast payment option for our customers in South Africa. This new service allows online purchases without the need to provide bank card details. Absa Pay enhances our suite of world-class digital payment solutions. This service uses a new Application Programming Interface (API) to facilitate direct and secure communication between the customer’s bank and the merchant, significantly reducing the risk of fraud. “We are excited to introduce this payment solution to approximately 3 million digitally active customers. This is a significant development in the right direction for the bank as we continue…
Payments infrastructure company Stitch today announced that it will partner with Absa, one of South Africa’s leading banks, to make the newly launched Absa Pay available to Stitch merchants. Stitch will offer all available direct bank APIs, including Absa Pay, Capitec Pay and Nedbank Direct API, as part of its broader Pay by bank solution. With this addition, customers of Absa will be able to make payments directly from their Absa account to any Stitch merchant that integrates Absa Pay. Pay by bank is the fastest-growing payment method in South Africa, with rising demand from consumers due to its seamless…
Global technology brand HONOR has announced that the all-new HONOR 200 Lite 5G is now available for purchase in South African stores. Colour, Pricing and Availability The HONOR 200 Lite 5G is now available at your nearest retailer or network provider in two colours: Starry Blue and Midnight Black, and will retail for the recommended price of R9,999. All purchases will come with free gifts to the value of R2,499, including an HONOR SuperCharger plus cable and screen protector in the box, free postal repair pickup and delivery service, 3-year battery health protection and a 180-day screen accident warranty excluding…
TelCables Southern Africa, a subsidiary of Angola Cables, a global ICT solutions and services provider has upgraded its backbone network infrastructure to accommodate the rapidly growing data traffic across its network and to provide faster, more secure connectivity. Mahen Naidu, Head of Business Solutions at TelCables South Africa said that the improvements to the network will give local internet service providers, content delivery networks as well as African and international operators increased flexibility, scalability, and capacity to better manage their individual needs and requirements in terms of IP connectivity and services. “We have experienced double-digit growth in traffic over our…
Huawei is attending MWC Shanghai 2024 under the banner of “Advancing the Intelligent World” and offering “Commercial 5G-A Experience Tours”. At its booth in SNIEC Hall N1, Huawei is showcasing its latest products and solutions that support both commercial 5G-A deployment and AI devices required for the mobile AI era. Huawei has also announced that it has successfully reached six separate consensuses with pioneering 5G-A operators from around the world, and launched a joint initiative for high-quality mobile video development in the AI era alongside global operators, industry customers, and other relevant organizations. Over the next three days, Huawei is…
Only 10% of South Africans are reported to have life insurance in the FSCA’s 2022 Financial Sector Outlook Study. This is a concerning drop from the 12% reported in 2019, likely due to SA’s tough economy, challenging life cover application processes and continued complexity of life cover products. Capitec, South Africa’s digital bank, has launched Capitec Life Cover, a life cover solution that is “more affordable, transparent and simple, offering a quick and easy application process, three different payout types, and premiums that don’t increase annually”. Gerrie Fourie, CEO of Capitec, says Capitec wants to break the barriers, enabling more…
Global technology brand HONOR is known for being at the forefront of smartphone innovation. It is days away from launching the latest addition to the N series – the HONOR 200 Lite 5G. But, when it comes to the launch of a new device – while it is met with excitement and enthusiasm, it is also met with scepticism from a few consumers. The main questions that get asked are: “What makes this different from the previous generation?” “Is there really a difference, or are we just paying more for the same device?” “Are there even any new features?” Multiple…
Volvo Car South Africa is pleased to report that the new Volvo EX30 is already proving exceptionally popular with local buyers, having accounted for almost a third of total electric vehicle (EV) sales in the country over the first four months of 2024, while also claiming the title of SA’s best-selling electric car. Over the same period, the Volvo brand boasted a remarkable 46% share of the overall EV market in South Africa, thanks to the astonishing sales performance of the EX30 – which, starting at just R775 900, is one of the country’s most accessible fully electric cars – as…
Today at MWC Shanghai, Frore Systems introduced the latest innovation in thermal management technology: the waterproof AirJetMini Sport. Building on the success of its pioneering AirJet Mini, the World’s first solid-state active cooling chip, Frore Systems has enhanced the capabilities of its innovative solid-state active cooling chip to support devices with industry’s highest IP68 waterproof rating. In addition to its waterproof capabilities, AirJet Mini Sport retains all the intelligent features of the AirJet Mini Slim including dust resilience with self-cleaning, and thermoception. The AirJetMini Sport weighs only 7 grams, is just 2.5mm thick with a tiny 27.5mm x 41.5mm footprint,…
Mpilo Technologies today announced its new status as an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Select Partner, marking a significant milestone in the company’s mission to transform Africa’s technological landscape. This partnership comes as a pivotal moment in Africa’s journey towards becoming a major player in the global digital economy. The global perception of Africa often underscores the continent’s challenges, portraying it as a late entrant in the international economic arena. However, Mpilo Technologies’ executive team is steadfast in their commitment to changing this narrative. They see the advent of public cloud technologies like AWS as a unique opportunity to redefine Africa’s…
Breakthrough developments in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have sparked conversations about how it will impact society. There is optimism about what can soon be unlocked with AI: from image and data analysis that enables self-driving vehicles, to helping doctors speed up diagnosis and treatment for their patients. AI holds boundless potential for positive change. This sentiment was reflected and distilled by speakers at the fifth edition of Huawei’s ICT Editors Exchange. Stakeholders from the media came together with leading Huawei experts and youth advocates within the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector, under the theme of AI for Humanity: Innovating…
With the HONOR 200 Lite 5G just days away from being available in South African stores, there has never been a better time to consider a smartphone upgrade than now. HONOR’s latest smartphone offers some truly intelligent features that are designed to make your smartphone experience more immersive, especially for budget conscious technology enthusiasts. From stunning photography capabilities, AI features, display and durable design, the HONOR 200 Lite 5G ticks all the right boxes when it comes to a stellar smartphone upgrade. Here are 5 reasons why you should consider it. Durable Yet Beautiful Design to Always Stand Out No…