Author: Staff Writer

Fuel and petrochemicals company Sasol released its plan to bolster connectivity in Mozambique to enable its workers well-equipped and ready for the digital world. Mozambique has become a hotbed of investor activity after one of the largest gas finds in the world’s recent history located offshore in the Rovuma basin, near the Tanzanian border. About 20% of the gas Sasol produces in Mozambique is used for power generation there. The balance mainly feeds into an 860km pipeline to the company’s Secunda plant in SA, to be used in its production processes. As part of its connectivity strategy, Sasol announced on…

Volvo’s best-selling XC90 has been recharged to offer South Africa’s growing families a new six-seater configuration. The refreshed premium quality SUV boasts new wheels, more colour options, and some subtle styling enhancements. Pricing for the recharged Volvo XC90 for 2019 starts at R1 023 700 (T5 Geartronic AWD Momentum) The latest XC90 follows in the esteemed footsteps of the all-new XC90, which was launched globally in 2015. At the time, it was the first of Volvo’s cars to feature the company’s new more prominent iron mark, which has the iconic arrow elegantly aligned with the diagonal slash across the grille.…

MTN has announced the launch of new-and-improved premium MTN Sky plans – MTN Sky, MTN Sky VIP and MTN Sky Black – offering unlimited calls, unlimited SMSs and a significantly higher inclusive-data value from R999 PMx24. As part of the plan, customers will receive exclusive access to Priority VIP Help Desk and travel discounts on flights and accommodation in partnership with Travelstart. “Tailored for customers who spend a lot of time on their phones, the revamped proposition is underpinned by our commitment to give value back to our high-spend customers by developing plans that are innovative and offer premium benefits,”…

JSE Limited has agreed to acquire Link Market Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd (Link SA). The operator of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) – Africa’s largest, multi-asset class stock exchange – is buying the second-largest share registry business in South Africa for a cash amount of R224,5 million. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals. JSE Limited will acquire a 74.85% shareholding in Link SA with Link SA’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) shareholder retaining the remaining 25.15% and the Link SA CEO, Iqbal Haniff, remaining as CEO of the company. The acquisition will see Link SA being merged into the…

South Africa’s Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) remains concerned about the lack of transparency and ongoing delays in the introduction of full number portability. Consumers have received no word from ICASA (the Independent Communications Authority of SA) on why, 13 years after the launch of mobile number portability in 2006, we still cannot port non-geographic numbers used for toll-free, shared-cost, premium rate and general voice services (i.e. 0800, 0860, 0861, 0862 and 087). “ISPA members receive daily requests from consumers looking to port non-geographic numbers but are not able to accommodate these requests due to the delay in implementing the…

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) calls FinTech firms to submit their innovative and sustainable solutions to challenges identified within the financial services industry. Today SARB launched the 2019 Global Fintech Hackcelerator Southern Africa competition. The Global Fintech Hackcelerator, powered by KPMG Matchi, is a FinTech acceleration programme that creates a platform for FinTech firms to demonstrate their innovative solutions to complex financial challenges in the Southern African region. FinTech firms from anywhere in the world can apply to participate in the programme, to address problem statements constructed by the SARB. The SARB views such global FinTech acceleration programmes as…

Uprise.Africa, an equity crowdfunding platform, will facilitate fundraising for Reeva Steenkamp documentary. The company aims to raise R40 million. The documentary series dubbed ‘My Name is Reeva’, set to be produced by Director and Co-Producer Warren Batchelor and Co-Producer Tony Miguel. Reeva’s dreams were short-lived after she was brutally murdered on the 14th February 2013 by celebrity athlete Oscar Pistorius. As we commemorate Reeva Steenkamp’s birthday today, a law graduate, aspiring model and reality show contestant who was a household name in South Africa, let us remember her as an individual who had a voice, said Uprise.Africa. The documentary delves…

Rand Merchant Investment Holding (RMI), through AlphaCode, has awarded entrepreneurial packages valued at R16 million to eight of SA’s most promising financial services startups. All businesses are under two years old and at least 51% owned by black South Africans. Each business will receive a package valued at up to R2 million including R1 million in grant funding and R1 million in support services. This includes mentorship, monthly expert-led sessions, exclusive office space in Sandton, marketing, legal and other business support services as well as access to like-minded entrepreneurs, RMI’s extensive network of thought leaders, potential clients and capital. The…

Thanks to a partnership between Sasol, Mozambique Institute of Vocational Training and the Labour Studies Alberto Cassimo (IFPELAC), last week, twenty artisan learners graduated as professional welders from the Inhassoro Training Center in Inhambane province. The Inhassoro Training Centre, which has been in operation since 2014 and now offers training to young people in a variety of trades, including welding, scaffolding, steel fixing and painting. To date, over 320 artisans have been trained with a total of 460 expected to be trained within the coming years. Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Ovidio Rodolfo, Managing Director for Sasol in Mozambique said:…

Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the fastest-growing investment zones for financial technology companies according to new research says Forbes. The GSM Association says in its Mobile Economy, Sub-Saharan Africa 2019 report that the region will remain the fastest-growing worldwide. Predicting a total subscriber base of over 600 million by 2025, which represents approximately half the population, Sub-Saharan Africa will become a flagship for mobile disruption. One of the driving forces behind this growth, according to Mike Smits, co-founder, uKheshe, a microtransaction platform, is unbanked. “Mastercard reports that while around 1.2bn adults opened bank accounts for the first time over the…