Author: Staff Writer
South Africa’s first online business lender specialising in small to medium enterprises is forging ahead in the financial technology space, hitting the R1-billion mark in just four years. Pollen Finance has lent over R1-billion to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) since it was established in 2015. CEO Louis du Plessis believes Pollen has barely scratched the surface when it comes to the funding requirements of South Africa’s vitally important SME sector. “What does a billion rand mean in our local economy? It means more SMEs are driving the economy,” he said. To start, a billion rand invested in the economy…
Public Display Technologies (PDT), a South African technology and communications company, focused on the delivery of turnkey solutions, has snapped up three awards for their work with Holographic 3D displays – delivered in partnership with HYPERVSN. The accolades were awarded at the tt100 Business Innovation Awards program, which was launched in 1991 to create an awareness of the role of technology and innovation in South Africa. PDT received the following awards: The Da Vinci Award for Best Innovation Concept The MTN Award for Excellence in the Management of Innovation The Greg Tosen Award for Excellence in the Management of Technology. “The…
Checkers has launched its exclusive on-demand one-hour grocery delivery service named Sixty60. It is South Africa’s first 60-minute grocery delivery service from a supermarket chain, as Checkers relentlessly innovates to respond to customers’ demands for hyper-convenience. The mobile app delivers groceries and drinks at the touch of a button and offers the same value for money for which Checkers is renowned. Users can track the status of their order and delivery in real-time. “Sixty60 will offer unrivalled convenience because it does all the hard work for you,” explains Neil Schreuder, Chief of Innovation and Strategy at Shoprite Checkers. “In our…
Avon Justine’s employer value proposition has once again been affirmed after the Top Employers Institute conferred the company with the much-sought-after Top Employer 2020 award. This is the third consecutive time the direct selling company has been awarded this coveted accolade and highlights its continued commitment to providing the very best working environment for employees through their progressive ‘people-first’ HR practices. “We are proud to once again be recognised as a Top Employer in South Africa. This is a testament that our employee-focused approach in line with our business strategy is paying a dividend” says Lerato Ndoro, HR Executive Director…
SA’s Wireless Application Service Providers’ Association is advising smartphone users alarmed by the ‘deepfake’ phenomenon that the expected promulgation of South Africa’s Cybercrimes and Cyberbullying Bill is imminent. Furthermore, there are practical ways web users can protect themselves from the growing trend to bully, shame and otherwise digitally harm people by overlaying their images onto unrelated photos and videos to concoct an untrue and alternative version of reality. In this fake reality made possible by ‘deep’ machine learning, reputations are destroyed and self-harm becomes a real possibility. “Local legislation offers some protection but with deepfake videos increasing by 84% since…
Seedstars World, the largest startup competition for emerging markets and fast-growing startup scenes is coming to South Africa for the 7th time, to hold 2 dynamic pitch events this time: 21st November 2019 at 4:00 pm in Cape Town, with the support of the local host Seedspace Capetown, 8 Spin Street Cape Town CBD. 28th November 2019, at 3:00 pm in Johannesburg at JoziHub, 44 Stanley Ave, Milpark, Johannesburg. After careful screening, the Seedstars team will shortlist up to 10 Startups per city of the best seed-stage startups in each city to give a 3 minutes pitch in English, in…
MTN today announced the first two winners of the MTN CakeCrush competition launched in October this year. As part of MTN’s big 25th birthday celebrations this summer, the competition gives customers a chance to win one of 25 VW Polo Vivos and their share of millions more in prizes. Ntombizamabele Oscarina Maganga from Kokstad, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Andile Angelo Manci from Bhizane, Eastern Cape are the two lucky winners of the VW Polo Vivos. The new cars are a fantastic festive season gifts for Ntombizamabele and Andile who are looking forward to many happy miles, road trips and brighter adventures…
Summer’s here and school holidays are upon us. “Millions of young South Africans will soon be experiencing the lazy, hazy days of summer and with them, plenty of free time to surf both the sea and the web,” says André van der Walt, chair of SA’s Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA). With smartphone penetration well over the 100% mark, it’s clear that many South African families now have multiple devices in the home. Unfortunately, coupled with the convenience of always-on connectivity is the constant threat of unsavoury web content. Good news for parents in the run-up to the summer holidays…
The limited fastest Mini ever has been revealed and is known as the MINI John Cooper Works GP. The new car packs more power and some serious aero. The MINI John Cooper Works GP name has been used by the BMW-owned brand in the past and embodies maximum performance and uncompromising dynamics. It follows on from the likewise limited-edition John Cooper Works GP small series of 2013 and 2006. This model is limited to just 3,000 units. The MINI John Cooper Works GP distils the racing essence of the modern MINI. Classic MINI icons such as the elliptical headlights and…
It is not enough for business to simply stick to the fundamental products and services they have always offered. In the digital age it’s disrupt or die. Caption: Lu Baoqiang, Vice President of Huawei Southern Africa Region According to the IDC, digital transformation is essential for an organisation to adapt quickly to changing markets. Business opportunities are fleeting, the IDC said, and if your business does not have the agility to seize them, your competition will. The IDC said that digitally transformed organisations can react quickly to changing market dynamics, and adapt their strategies quickly and on-demand. Companies that are…