Author: Staff Writer

Fairbairn Consult, a leading financial advisory firm, and a member of the Old Mutual Group, launched its second Fairbairn Café at N1 City Mall on 1 December 2023.   This launch follows the success of the pioneering store in Kenilworth Centre which opened its doors earlier this year, marking a significant leap in the company’s mission to make financial advice accessible, approachable, and enjoyable for all. Nassief Mohamed, founder and owner of the first two Fairbairn Cafés, says his vision was inspired by the communities’ need for accessible, professional financial advisory services in a unique, relaxed setting. Mohamed says, “Customers…

Telkom is expanding its network of consumer touchpoints with the roll-out of a T-Connect electric vans, providing a range of services across South Africa, in a disruptive retail innovation. As part of the Telkom commitment to constantly improving customer engagement within communities, this festive season will see the deployment of six Telkom T-Connect vans. These vehicles will bring digital services to events, beachfronts, office parks and gated communities in Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal. Locally manufactured by South African company MellowVans, the electric vehicles are driven by previously unemployed youths who earn commissions from sales and sign-ups. All drivers…

Khoi Tech’s ground-breaking Afriwatch1 smartwatch is now available online and at selected Telkom stores.  Khoi Tech – an innovative,100% BEE, Soweto-based company – created the Khoi Afriwatch1 health and fitness smartwatch in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. They pitched their concept to Telkom, who were thrilled by the potential and provided R500,000.00 grant through their FutureMakers programme. Through dedicated research, development and clinical trials with leading Soweto healthcare provider, Vilakazi Health Care, Khoi Tech refined the technology achieving an incredible 94% accuracy on average for vital health data. The Khoi Afriwatch1 smartwatch offers users real-time information on key health metrics…

Proparco, the French development finance institution, and 27four, a South African investment manager, led R550m investment in Divercity Urban Property Group alongside reinvestment from its existing shareholders. The investment is intended to fund portfolio growth and balance sheet optimization. “This significant investment in Divercity will enable us to develop over 2,500 new apartments,” Carel Kleynhans, CEO of Divercity, said:. “This helps us to demonstrate the impact and commercial viability of this economically-productive, sustainable and fundamentally empowering urban development model.” The majority of affordable housing in South Africa is located at the urban periphery, far from economic opportunities and essential amenities.…

In an informal online shopping survey conducted by PayPal among South African’ residents*, 74.5% of respondents indicated that their reason for shopping from international online stores, is to obtain unique products that are unavailable in South Africa. Some of the most commonly purchased items fall into the categories of books and media (25%), electronics (20%) and beauty and skincare (14.7%). Clothing and fashion items, however, is a clear frontrunner with over two thirds of respondents (76%) indicating that they purchase these items, several times a year, from international online stores. “Given the rise in sites such as Etsy and Shein,…

Solar solutions have taken centre stage in South African homes. The quest for an “always on” lifestyle has propelled consumers into a crucial crossroads: should you rent or buy your solar system? As we navigate the landscape where cost saving and uninterrupted power supply meets environmental consciousness, understanding the differences between owning and renting a solar system becomes precious. After all, the end goal remains the same – harnessing the sun’s power to electrify our homes. Renting vs. buying: The key differences “When you decide to rent a solar system, you agree with a solar service provider to use their…

Dell Technologies has released 2024 predictions by Dell’s John Roese, Global Chief Technology Officer, highlighting emerging trends that are set to shape the technology industry in 2024 and beyond. “The center of the universe for 2024 is AI. Next year will be all about putting AI into practice at the edge, diversifying the hardware pool and securing it through Zero Trust. We’re entering an AI era so need to recognise that long term, AI will drive architectural change across the entire IT ecosystem for many years to come,” said John Roese, Global Chief Technology Officer. ”Actively think of AI but…

MTN Business, in collaboration with Huawei and Verteco, has launched the Power-M inverter and battery solar solution tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Huawei Power-M is designed to provide a space-efficient and digital backup power solution for SMEs. With its versatility, Power-M can cater to the power requirements of various business setups, ranging from small offices to larger establishments. For more than a decade, loadshedding has adversely affected businesses throughout the country, leading to substantial disruptions, decreased productivity, and financial setbacks. The frequency of loadshedding days has escalated in recent years, reaching record levels and further exacerbating the difficulties…

Airbus and BMW Group have jointly initiated a groundbreaking global Quantum Computing Challenge named “The Quantum Mobility Quest.” This challenge aims to address the persistent and formidable challenges in aviation and automotive sectors that conventional computers have struggled to overcome. Distinguished as the inaugural initiative of its kind, this challenge marks the collaboration of two major industry giants. “This is the perfect time to shine a spotlight on quantum technology and its potential impact on our society. Partnering with an industry leader like BMW Group enables us to mature the technology as we need to bridge the gap between scientific…

Sanlam Investments, one of South Africa’s largest black-owned asset managers in South Africa, reaffirms its commitment to sustainable investing through a new R46 million sustainable infrastructure deal. The Sanlam Investments Sustainable Infrastructure Fund is funding a portion of the joint venture (JV) between Alien Fuel Group and Sappi in Umkomaas, KZN, known as Mkomazi Alienfuel (MAF). This project will provide crucial baseload renewable energy derived from biomass to Sappi’s dissolving pulp manufacturing plant in Umkomaas, one of the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, where Sappi currently employs approximately 1,500 employees. Dissolving pulp is derived from cellulose from woodfibre and…

Huawei has teased its soon-to-be-released products, including the Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2”, and announced a new global product launch in Dubai on December 12th. This will be the largest tablet Huaweihas released to date, and it signals that the company is doubling down on the tablet category. This is exciting news for all tablet enthusiasts and marks a milestone in the evolution of Huawei’s tablets.  A decade of excellence in the tablet market The global tablet market has continued to shrink since 2016, as new large-screen smartphones and lightweight laptops have emerged to fill the market. Despite this move, Huawei…

Some call artificial intelligence (AI) the peak of human ingenuity. Although still in its infancy, the successes of AI are mounting. The technology’s ability to automate repetitive processes with intelligence makes it a decidedly disruptive power in many sectors. It is transforming businesses and entire industries, from healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics to banking, financial services, and insurance. Yet, research shows a marked decline in enthusiasm about AI and increasing outrage about its societal impact. An August 2023 survey from the Pew Research Centre found that 53% of Americans say AI is doing more to hurt than to help people keep their personal information private.…

Cape Town-headquartered Venture Capital (VC) firm HAVAÍC has announced its first investment in Sportable. The sole African institutional investor, HAVAÍC is contributing US$1 million as part of a US$15 million Series A investment round, also including renowned US-based sports investor Ryan Sports Ventures and Australian fund XV Capital led by Stirling Mortlock and James Godfrey. Founded by three South Africans in 2016, Sportable deploys Micro-Tracking (MT) technology to enhance data collection and analysis in ball and contact sports, particularly rugby, soccer, and American football. MT modules fitted in balls and on players are plotted by Radio Frequency (RF) beacons around…

After reporting a successful Black Friday, Pick n Pay asap! is keeping the online festive spirit alive with up to R30 million in mystery presents delivered to its customers over four weeks.  Every customer spending over R350 will get a guaranteed present – ranging from discount codes up to R100,000 in cash – until 24 December 2023. Over 20,000 presents have already been claimed.  Vincent Viviers, Executive Co-Head of Omnichannel at Pick n Pay, says they saw the enthusiasm of customers shopping online, particularly on-demand, during Black Friday to secure savings. “We know it has been a challenging few months…

Sungrow introduces residential solution designed to align with the specific load shedding landscape in  South Africa. The solution is a purpose-built system that caters to the backup needs at every stage of load shedding, delivering a reliable and noise-free power supply. It has High Voltage Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) Battery, which ensures high performance, enabling up to 30A continuous charging and discharging current with exceptional efficiency. The multi-stages protection design and extensive safety certifications guarantee a secure and reliable power source for homeowners. The organisation’s High Voltage LFP Battery allows for an extendable lifetime and support for 3-8 modules per…

It’s the festive season! Naturally, the roads are busier than usual and motorists want to reach their holiday destinations as fast and safely as possible. But there are a number of dos and don’ts when sharing the roads with trucks. “Truck drivers tend to have a bad reputation, and unfairly so. Many are some of the most experienced drivers on the road if you consider the number of kilometres travelled in their career, to the number of accidents,” points out Ryan Gaines, CEO of City Logistics, a leading privately-owned logistics company in South Africa. Here truck drivers share some guidelines they implore road users…

Topco Media hosted over 200 professionals and industry stakeholders at the Future of HR Summit & Awards 2023 recently in Sandton, Johannesburg. “Our role is to always seek to evolve as a collective. The Future of HR has been our focus since 2015, helping progressive companies and forward-thinking human resource specialists”, says Ralf Fletcher, CEO of Topco Media. “Good business, to us, encompasses human capital, diversity, equality, inclusion, sustainability, performance, innovation, and tech. Our programs cover these topics to create a new, impactful future,” he added. The summit, emceed by media personality and eNCA news anchor, Abigail Visagie, brought thought…

In late November, 40 skilled young graduates who’ve taken part in Huawei’s ICT Academy, got the invaluable opportunity to put themselves forward to prospective employers at Huawei’s annual ICT Talent Job Fair.  The annual fair is the culmination of the Huawei ICT Academy Programme, and aims to nurture ICT talent and empower women in technology, by promoting local Huawei-certified graduates to Huawei partners and offer them employment opportunities. Since launching the programme in 2017, more than 286 graduates have been placed in jobs at Huawei and its channel partners. At this year’s event, students had the opportunity to do onsite…

Liquid Intelligent Technologies (Liquid), a pan-African technology group, today announced the appointment of Lerato Pule as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for its South Africa operations, effective 1 February 2024.  “I am pleased to welcome Lerato to the executive team at Liquid South Africa. She is an accomplished and well-established CFO with an extensive understanding of the industry in which we operate,” Deon Geyser, CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies South Africa, said. “As a results-driven leader, she will be instrumental in overseeing Liquid South Africa’s financial strategy as the organisation continues to build on its vision of a digitally connected future…

In today’s contemporary work landscape, there is a myriad of tasks we can accomplish. Reech, an innovative startup, is set to officially unveil a groundbreaking service platform in 2024. Reech offers a visionary solution to multi-skilled and talented people who are able showcase their multiple profiles on one platform.  This offers less hassle in half the time at the click of a button.   The platform is safe and easy to navigate and registration to join and be a part of the network only takes a few minutes. Yentl Swartz is one of the first multi-faceted individuals who have already signed…

FBS, a global broker, has solidified its leading position in the realm of financial and trading services, being awarded for the Best Forex Broker Africa, Best Introducing Broker Program Global, and Best Client Support Asia by World Business Outlook. These achievements recognize FBS for its competitive trading conditions, quality services, and long-term commitment to providing swift access to financial markets to people globally. To prove its excellence, FBS had to withstand three rounds of careful jury evaluations and showcase its competitive offerings and unique value propositions. As a result, the World Business Outlook award committee has granted FBS mastery trophies…

Enter the Telkom Summer Campaign Competition 2023 for a shot at winning a portion of R200 million in weekly prizes. The Competition will run until 31 January 2024, encompassing all days in between. How to enter To enter the draw, simply recharge and spend R20 or more weekly OR sign up for any Telkom Mobile or Broadband contract. Your summer is waiting, Mzansi. “So don’t just show up, show up BIG with the best value network.” Prizes include: The Competition comprises of weekly prizes giveaways by means of random draws. Weekly prizes include: UPSs Inverters Fast food vouchers Internal Use…

MTN has announced its strategic collaboration with WIM Technologies, to implement an innovative solution called Unison FWA, designed to significantly enhance the Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) experience for MTN’s valued customers. This partnership underscores MTN’s unwavering commitment to delivering superior internet connectivity solutions and brings a wealth of benefits to its customers.  Unison FWA, the innovative solution now at the heart of this partnership, is set to bring MTN’s home internet packages to a new level of consistency and reliability. The solution ensures subscribers remain connected to designated mobile cells within their contracted geographic locations. This, in turn, mitigates network congestion…

Vodacom Mpumalanga Region will spend over R450 million on its network in the current financial year to ensure the delivery of best-in-class coverage and customer service while expanding connectivity throughout the region. This significant investment includes deploying more sites in urban, township and rural areas and increasing network capacity and resilience, particularly during loadshedding. “In achieving our purpose-led goal of ensuring digital inclusion for all, we are investing in network upgrades and deploying new sites to increase access to reliable connectivity. By keeping our customers connected to essential online services, from education and healthcare to financial services, we are helping to empower businesses,…

In response to an overwhelming demand for larger data bundles from customers, MTN today announced the launch of MTN Super data price plan, a tailored, data-rich offering for our Prepaid customers who live their lives “on the gig”. The Super Data bundle price plans offer rich data volumes ranging from 30GB to 200GB at an affordable price – meeting the needs of prepaid and residential customers who are heavy data users. “This aligns with our commitment to providing solutions that best meet customer needs and enable everyone to enjoy the benefits of a modern connected life,” says Seun Soladoye, General…