Author: Staff Writer

Google has announced the opening of applications for the 8th cohort of its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme. This cohort will have a strong focus on startups leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to address critical challenges and unlock new opportunities across the continent. Startups are the lifeblood of innovation, driving economic growth, creating jobs, and solving some of society’s most pressing challenges. In Africa, digital transformation is accelerating rapidly and startups play a vital role in shaping the continent’s future. from fintech and agritech to healthcare and education. The Google for Startups Accelerator Africa is a…

Phos, the global leader in software point-of-sale (SoftPoS) orchestration for businesses, has partnered with the leading cloud platform for global card processing, Silverflow, to help businesses leverage a best-in-class solution for accepting contactless payments directly to mobile devices.  “This partnership marks a significant step forward for our business. By combining our expertise with Phos, we’re providing a comprehensive and ready-to-deploy solution that streamlines the go-to-market process for our clients,” said Anne Willem de Vries, CEO and Co-founder of Silverflow. ” We’re confident that this collaboration will unlock tremendous growth opportunities within the omnichannel payments landscape.” The partnership combines Phos’ innovative…

The South African Breweries (SAB) today announced the first edition of the SAB Talent Challenge. The programme seeks to turn traditional talent attraction practice on its head through this progressive challenge, as a recruitment tool. Participants will engage in a multi-phased journey solving real-life business problems. All young graduates between the ages of 18 – 30 years are invited to take up the challenge and apply. The country is currently experiencing high levels of unemployment, which predominantly affects the youth. The StatsSA Quarterly Labour Force Survey from Q4 2023 indicates that over 44% or 4.7 million young people are unemployed.…

Jaguar will offer enthusiasts and collectors in South Africa an opportunity to own one of two exclusive limited-edition F-TYPEs, inspired by iconic 1960s racing E-TYPES. Just 150 examples of the F-TYPE ZP Edition will be the last internal combustion-engined sports cars designed by Jaguar. These 423kW supercharged petrol V8 F-TYPEs feature specially curated interior and exterior details by the personalisation experts at SV Bespoke. Janico Dannhauser, Product and Pricing Manager, JLR South Africa, said: “The E-TYPE has captivated drivers and fans for decades, securing iconic status with its proportions and performance. The F-TYPE is poised to become the future classic…

IBM unveiled the 2024 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index shedding light on a burgeoning worldwide identity crisis as cyber adversaries intensify their focus on leveraging user identities to infiltrate enterprises on a global scale. This pervasive trend extends to the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, where the predominant method of cyber assault against organisations involves the exploitation of valid local and cloud-based accounts, as reported by X-Force. This underscores the imperative for robust user access and control measures within enterprises. In 2023, cybercriminals increasingly favoured “logging in” over traditional hacking methods to breach corporate networks, marking a shift in tactics…

Africa Data Centres, a division of the Cassava Technologies group, today announced the launch of its exclusive channel partner programme, ADC Channel. This programme is designed to establish colocation and ecosystem partnerships, empowering members to expand their product portfolio & offerings alongside their market presence including an expanded data centre footprint. ADC Channel presents a unique opportunity for global carriers, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), system integrators, Data Centres, Mobile Network, Content Developer, telecommunications companies, network infrastructure operators, hyperscalers and others to deliver state-of-the-art, sustainable and cost-effective digital solutions to their clients. The primary objective of ADC Channel is to foster…

With the rise and convenience of e-commerce platforms, South Africa has seen a surge in online shopping – from tech gadgets and computers to clothes and kitchen appliances. This growth in online retail has paved the way for a new contender in the market: e-commerce megastore, Temu. Owned by the Chinese e-commerce giant Pinduoduo, Temu made its debut in the US in 2022, expanding into select European countries in 2023, and entering the South African market in 2024. Competing with established players such as Ali Express, Wish and Shein, Temu has become a forerunner in an already competitive e-commerce market,…

IBM today announced new storage capabilities that give clients choice and control in the data centre to maximise performance. A new IT life cycle management option called IBM Storage Assurance provides access to IBM FlashSystem hardware and software innovations to help protect clients’ investments from day one. IBM Storage Assurance supports the new IBM FlashSystem 5300 also announced today, as well as the FlashSystem 7300 and FlashSystem 9500. According to recent research from TechTarget’s Enterprise Strategy Group, 48% of companies expect to increase their IT spending in 2024. At the same time, IBM sees that organisations are looking for opportunities to maximise their spending without sacrificing…

IBM announced today plans to buy HashiCorp, a leading multi-cloud infrastructure automation company. The companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which IBM will acquire HashiCorp for $35 per share in cash, representing an enterprise value of $6.4 billion. HashiCorp’s suite of products provides enterprises with extensive Infrastructure Lifecycle Management and Security Lifecycle Management capabilities to enable organisations to automate their hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Today’s announcement is a continuation of IBM’s deep focus and investment in hybrid cloud and AI, the two most transformational technologies for clients today. “Enterprise clients are wrestling with an unprecedented expansion in infrastructure and applications…

Changan Mazda, a Chinese company receiving investment from Mazda, today, at Auto China 2024, unveiled the all-new electrified vehicle, Mazda EZ-6, and the Mazda Arata, the design concept model of electrified vehicle. The Mazda EZ-6, unveiled today, is the first of a series of new electrified vehicles (new energy vehicles) developed and manufactured by Changan Mazda in cooperation with Mazda and Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. (Changan Automobile), and will be launched in China by the end of 2024. In addition, the concept model Mazda Arata, unveiled at the same time, is scheduled to be mass-produced as the second new…

Paratus Botswana announces that the last leg of its fibre route has now been completed to create the new Botswana Kalahari Fibre (BKF) route. A total of 840 kms of fibre was laid between the Namibian border and Lobatse and was activated at the end of March 2024.  The new fibre route represents an investment of approximately Botswana Pula 70 million and is the largest significant investment in its own infrastructure by Paratus Botswana to date. The BKF completes the last leg of the Paratus built Trans Kalahari Fibre (TKF) route which runs from Johannesburg to Swakopmund in Namibia. The…

Talent on-demand platform Outsized has made a series of senior appointments to lead its global growth strategy. This follows a successful Series A funding round led by Knife Capital. Outsized connects top independent professionals with large enterprise clients across Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Currently, almost half of Fortune 500 companies use on-demand talent platforms to access highly-skilled workers. Outsized’s new appointments, set against the backdrop of the funding round, will allow the company to strengthen its operations and accelerate its growth strategy. In South Africa, Jannie Theron has been appointed as global Financial Director. Theron brings with him…

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…