Author: Staff Writer
As South Africa prepares for its seventh democratic election set for 29 May, TikTok is announcing several initiatives with the local electoral commission and civil society organisations in order to combat misinformation and ensure that users have access to information from reliable sources. These initiatives are just one element of TikTok’s ongoing and long-standing commitment to maintain the platform’s integrity. In-App Election Centre In partnership with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and leading civil society organisations, TikTok’s in-app Election Centre represents a pivotal step towards safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process. Through this dedicated in-app centre available…
The small SUV Volvo EX30 has been honored with the prestigious Red Dot award: Best of the Best Product Design 2024. The award recognises excellence in design based on four basic principles of good design: the quality of function, the quality of seduction, the quality of use, and the quality of responsibility. The jury of 39 experts from all over the world selected the EX30 as the winner in a competitive field with a total score of 93/100. “The Volvo EX30 embodies Volvo Cars’ design values in a smaller format and is a showcase in premium Scandinavian design where form…
Cell C today announced the appointment of Bryan O’Donovan as Chief Data & Analytics Officer, effective May 2024. In this crucial role, O’Donovan will spearhead the management of the organisation’s data and analytics assets, championing data-driven decision-making processes, and leveraging data assets to propel growth and optimisation initiatives. Bringing to the table a wealth of experience spanning actuarial science, financial services, and telecommunications, O’Donovan boasts a remarkable history of 19 years in the industry. His career journey has been defined by exceptional problem-solving skills, strategic acumen, and analytical prowess. Prior to his appointment at Cell C, Bryan held key leadership…
MNT-Halan, Egypt’s first unicorn and the country’s leading and fastest growing fintech ecosystem, has won Global Finance’s award for Most Innovative Financial Technology Company in the Middle East, and Most Innovative Financial Technology Company in Africa. The only company to win two awards out of the 18 winners, MNT-Halan appears alongside Revolut, the Bank of America, HSBC and Santander, among others. Established in 1987 and headquartered in New York, Global Finance is a premier publication for international investors, whose awards have become a trusted standard of excellence for the global financial community. Mounir Nakhla, MNT-Halan’s Founder and CEO, said: “Being…
At the 21st Huawei Analyst Summit, Huawei’s rotating chairman, Eric Xu, urged developers to collaborate on the development of native apps for the company’s mobile operating system HarmonyOS. “We call on all app developers and owners in China to join our HarmonyOS-native app ecosystem as soon as possible, and work together to deliver a better experience to consumers,” said Xu. HarmonyOS is the company’s next-generation operating system that can run on a wide range of smart devices, e.g. smartphones, wearables, tablet computers and smart TVs. By the end of 2023, HarmonyOS had been deployed on more than 800 million devices.…
A web-based solution to improve data management in local government will undergo further development after being conceived by the winning team at a Kagiso Trust hackathon. A team of young coders dubbed Mzansi Innovators shared a R20,000 prize for their solution, which addresses several challenges municipalities face when it comes to understanding the people living within their boundaries and improving targeted delivery of services. The winning team’s work, completed during a two-day hackathon hosted by the Empire Partner Foundation (EPF) in Johannesburg, will form the foundation for the next phase of development at the EPF Innovation Campus (IC). Thirty-eight coders…
In an exciting collaboration poised to redefine automotive offerings in South Africa, GAC Motor and Salvador Caetano Group have joined forces to introduce a lineup of eagerly awaited models. The partnership marks a significant milestone in the automotive landscape, promising to deliver innovation, performance, and style to discerning South African consumers. Stay tuned as we delve into the details of these upcoming releases, exploring their cutting-edge features, design elements, and the potential impact they hold for the thriving automotive market in South Africa. “I believe that the South African market represents a compelling opportunity for GAC Motor with its dynamic…
Fidelis Moema, dubbed the “bursary swindler,” along with two accomplices, was granted bail of R50,000 each today at the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court. The two accomplices were Trevor Machimana and Lebohang Sigubudu. The prosecution says Moema defrauded the Auditing firm of over 16-million-rand. The fraudulent transactions in question were made between 2021 and 2022. Moema, a bursary specialist at KPMG, was arrested by the Hawks for allegedly diverting funds amounting to R16.5-million into private accounts of friends and ultimately his own account. Moema has worked for KPMG as a bursary specialist since August 31 2018. KPMG statement – Fidelis Moema…
“Our business would not survive another 12 months with constant rolling blackouts. We had to find an alternative solution,” said Harvard-trained entrepreneur, Nhlanhla Dlamini, who founded Maneli Pets in 2016. The small, Johannesburg-based pet foods manufacturer uses refrigeration and dehydration machines that run on 24 to 48-hour cycles. During stage 5 and 6 loadshedding, the factory had to close, with raw materials going to waste, affecting their bottom line and ability to provide consistent work to all 60 employees. “It became clear we needed a long-term sustainable power solution. We started installing solar panels in 2018 but required funding to…
The used car market in South Africa during March performed slightly better than its new counterpart. Toyota was the top-selling used brand last month, the Ford Ranger was the top-selling model and Kia delivered an astonishing performance. According to data released by AutoTrader, 27,274 used cars were sold in South Africa last month. This compares to 31,128 in March 2023 and 28,658 in February 2024. This amounts to a -12% decline year-on-year and a -5% month-on-month reduction. A similar trend emerges when one studies the accumulated value of the used car market. It was R11,264 billion in March 2024 –…
Chinese-invested enterprises in South Africa, including Huawei, gathered at the Gallagher Convention Centre for Job Fair 2024 on 16 April. The event was supported by the Chinese Embassy and run by the South Africa-China Economic and Trade Association (SACETA). Building on the achievements of the previous job fair in 2022, this edition emphasised the two countries’ shared goal of creating high-quality jobs and promoting sustainable economic development within South Africa. Huawei is proud to play its role at this job fair as one of the 60 Chinese-invested companies that met with youth and recruited for job vacancies across ICT, finance,…
The Intel Liftoff Hackathon for African AI Startups is back. The second edition of this event will be held online from 27 – 31 May 2024, themed Hack and Connect, and is designed to bring together aspiring tech entrepreneurs, software developers, and AI enthusiasts to collaborate, innovate, and create solutions to concrete African challenges. Intel Liftoff Hackathon for startups is open to early-stage AI and machine learning startups. This year’s Intel Liftoff Hackathonpartners include Modus Africa; University Mohamed VI Polytechnic- Morocco; TUT Hub of Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa; Prosper Africa; UM6P Ventures; FAST Accelerator; Innov8 Technology Hubs and…
Volvo Car South Africa’s position at the forefront of the fast-growing new-energy vehicle space has been cemented, this time by the fact that the XC40 Recharge was the country’s most sold used electric vehicle in 2023, according to data from AutoTrader. The XC40 Recharge accounted for 20% of all EV sales through that platform. AutoTrader’s figures furthermore show that the XC40 Recharge experienced a 1,550% year-on year increase in used car sales moving from the ninth most sold used EV in 2022 to most sold in 2023. “The XC40 Recharge’s dominance of both the premium C-SUV EV segment and the…
Today, the Linux Foundation AI & Data announced the Open Platform for Enterprise AI (OPEA) as its latest Sandbox Project. OPEA aims to accelerate secure, cost-effective generative AI (GenAI) deployments for businesses by driving interoperability across a diverse and heterogeneous ecosystem, starting with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). At Intel Vision 2024, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger outlined the industry challenges and declared the intention to create an industrywide open platform for enterprise AI. Today is the next step in that journey and Intel is in on the ground floor. Initially in this effort, Intel plans to: Publish a technical conceptual framework. Release…
Tarsus Distribution has signed a distribution agreement with iiDENTIFii, a Cape Town-based innovator in biometric technology. The partnership brings the latest in identity verification solutions to the African continent. As a leading provider of integrated information and communications technology (ICT) solutions in Africa, Tarsus Distribution is excited about the partnership’s potential to significantly enhance identity verification processes across the region. This strategic collaboration underscores both companies’ commitment to improving security and accessibility in Africa’s evolving digital landscape. iiDENTIFii is at the forefront of face authentication technology, offering innovative solutions that cater to the diverse and unique requirements of the African…
ISPA, South Africa’s official internet Industry Representative Body (IRB), questions recently announced aggressive reductions in fixed call termination rates. ISPA furthermore calls for implementation of the planned convergence of mobile and fixed call termination rates towards eventual parity. Call termination rates are fees charged by telecoms networks to ensure calls originally placed by a subscriber on one network can reach, or terminate, a subscriber on another network. These costs are worthy of interrogation as they are almost always passed on to the end telecoms consumer. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has decided not to align South Africa’s…
Today, Volkswagen Group Africa announced a R4 billion investment in its manufacturing plant in Kariega, Eastern Cape Province. The investment will be used to upgrade facilities in various areas in preparation for the addition of a third model to its production line-up from 2027. Most of the R4 billion investment will be allocated to capital expenditure for production facilities, manufacturing tooling, local content tooling and quality assurance. Nearly R877 million will be spent to enhance automation in the Body Shop. In the Press Shop, an estimated R418 million will be utilised to procure new press tooling. The first phase of…
Lexus has launched the All-New Lexus RX 450h+ Plug-In Hybrid. Touted as the best of both worlds, the plug-in hybrid has truly come into its own in recent times. Driven carefully by maximising the range permissible on a single full charge, the new Lexus RX 450h+ should be viewed as a bona fide electric SUV in its own right. For example, if you have the ability to plug in overnight after returning home from work, you’ll find that most of your daily commute can be dispatched in complete electric silence. The Lexus RX 450h+ retails for R1,629,300 and as with…
Metrofile, the leading provider of document management and digital solutions in East Africa, is proud to announce the launch of its new cloud services. This offering marks a significant milestone in the company’s mission to deliver unparalleled data security, accessibility, and compliance with regulatory standards. The Metrofile cloud services are designed to cater specifically to the dynamic needs of Kenyan businesses, addressing the challenges of data volume growth, security threats, and the increasing demand for compliance with the Data Protection Act. “Our cloud services are not just about storage; they’re about empowering businesses to thrive in the digital era with…
VALR, the Pantera-backed crypto exchange headquartered in Johannesburg, announced that it has been granted both a Category I and Category II license by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa as a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP). This milestone makes VALR one of the first crypto asset platforms to receive regulatory approval in both categories in South Africa. The FSCA opened CASP license applications in June 2023, giving crypto asset providers six months within which to apply for a license to be compliant with South African regulations. The South African regulatory authority has established a regulatory framework for…
BDO Cyber Lab, a top-tier global network providing advisory services, and Darktrace, a leader in autonomous cyber defence, have today reaffirmed their strategic partnership. This collaboration is built on a shared commitment to combat the evolving landscape of cyber threats using cutting-edge AI technology and expert risk mitigation strategies. Together, they offer a robust value proposition to organisations seeking to fortify their defences against sophisticated cyber-attacks. The synergy between Darktrace’s AI-driven cyber defence solutions and BDO Cyber Lab’s comprehensive risk management expertise creates a formidable barrier against cyber threats, ensuring clients are well-equipped to identify, prevent, and respond to malicious…
SEACOM, Africa’s telecommunications and managed services provider, today announced the launch of its all-new low earth orbit (LEO) satellite service. Now available to SEACOM enterprise clients, the service marks an evolutionary shift in connectivity in South Africa and complements existing terrestrial broadband infrastructure and technologies. The launch comes after a two-year process of consultation with industry partners. During that time, SEACOM was part of the purchase order of the first shipment of LEO satellite equipment into South Africa. Upon delivery, the company proceeded to complete all necessary installations and test trials. LEO satellites orbit the Earth at an altitude of…
According to a research project conducted by the Elvey Group (a company in the Hudaco group of companies)[1], the current value of the South Africa security technology market is R5.84 billion, with a constant growth indicated prior to COVID-19, and then again from 2021. Confidence in the sector is apparent in the record number of visitors who attended Securex South Africa in June 2023. This year, the award-winning Securex South Africa 2024 will build on its reputation as Africa’s largest and most comprehensive showcase of security products and services from 11 to 13 June at Gallagher Convention Centre. “Taking place…
Digital healthcare provider Unu Health is revolutionising the South African healthcare landscape with the launch of its As-You-Go private healthcare app, designed to make quality healthcare accessible and affordable for everyone. Amidst a national landscape where many face challenges in accessing healthcare due to cost and convenience, Unu Health’s new digital platform emerges as a timely solution, offering services from as low as R179. The app caters to the modern South African consumer, providing flexible and on-demand healthcare services that align with today’s fast-paced lifestyle. By harnessing the power of digital technology, Unu Health aims to bridge the significant gaps…
Volvo Cars’ Taizhou manufacturing plant has switched to biogas, making it our first plant in China to achieve climate-neutral status. The plant’s switch from natural gas will result in a reduction of more than 7,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. Despite being a small share of our total Scope 1-3 emissions of 43 million tons, securing climate-neutral energy for our Taizhou plant is an important step towards our goal of having climate-neutral manufacturing operations by 2025 and reducing emissions across our global operations. This ambition is also part of our broader aim to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by…