Author: Staff Writer

Maziv, the parent company of Vumatel, welcomes the decision by ICASA to approve the licence transfer application of Herotel. This follows the approval of Vumatel’s (Vuma) acquisition of Herotel by the Competition Tribunal in December last year. The ICASA approval marks a definitive step forward in strengthening South Africa’s fibre ecosystem and accelerating the collective mission of building connected lives, communities, and societies. As the pioneer of open access offering high-speed fibre-to-the-home in South Africa, Vuma has revolutionised digital access by reaching over two million homes. By combining Vuma’s national scale and metropolitan expertise with Herotel’s specialised rural and underserved…

A new generation of South African innovators is building technology solutions that address the country’s most pressing social and economic challenges. The top finalists in the Huawei Developer Competition Code4Mzansi have developed solutions rooted in the realities people move through every day, children buying food from spaza shops, households stretching social grants, young people locked out of work experience, patients struggling to access healthcare, communities dealing with electricity theft, and small businesses trying to survive and grow. The competition attracted 1,041 participants in South Africa, the highest number in any Huawei Cloud Developer Competition market globally. South Africa also recorded…

Discovery Bank today announced a major expansion of its AI-powered’ banking capabilities, alongside new security and servicing enhancements, streamlined access to life insurance, and a rewards partnership with DStv, as it continues to build a single, intelligent digital banking platform for everyday spending, protection and rewards. Hylton Kallner, CEO of Discovery Bank, says, “We are entering the next phase in Discovery Bank as we deepen the integration of banking, protection, rewards and investments into a single digital experience. At its core, this is about building a platform that works more intelligently for our clients – connecting payments, data and security…

Salesforce hosted an intimate media roundtable at WeWork Oxford Road in Rosebank for a candid, unvarnished conversation about AI’s mounting impact on the South African workforce. Bringing together senior Salesforce leaders and an enterprise change practitioner from Standard Bank Group, the session produced a collective message that left little room for equivocation: AI is already reshaping how work is designed, delivered, and measured — and South African organisations cannot afford to wait. Why localisation is everything Opening the discussion, Linda Saunders, Country Manager & Snr. Director Solution Engineering Africa at Salesforce, grounded the conversation in a reality specific to the…

Lulapay has partnered with leading cloud distributer Cloud on Demand to introduce integrated cash flow flexibility for ICT resellers and managed service providers across South Africa. Lulapay is a buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) offering powered by Lula.  Through the partnership, qualifying Cloud on Demand partners will now have access to structured 30-day payment flexibility, helping them better align supplier payments with customer billing cycles, and easing one of the most persistent pressures facing profitable technology SMEs. Cloud on Demand is a major player in South Africa’s ICT ecosystem, enabling resellers to procure and manage subscription-based cloud and software solutions at scale. But…

One month after launching into Exclusive Books stores across South Africa, FinMaster, the locally created board game teaching families, teenagers and young adults how to think differently about money, has recorded its strongest end-user sales month to date. For co-founders Elijah Djan and Danei Rall, the milestone is more than a commercial result. It’s the latest chapter in a story that began with a rough prototype made from a pizza box, a university challenge to solve a problem made worse by Covid, and a deeply personal belief that financial literacy should not be reserved for people who grow up around…

New York Stock Exchange-listed Energy Vault Holdings, a global leader in sustainable, grid-scale energy storage and AI compute infrastructure solutions, today announced a Strategic Development Agreement with Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned electricity utility, to deploy a long-duration gravity energy storage system (GESS). The first GESS plant will be built at Eskom’s Hendrina Power Station in Mpumalanga, South Africa, one of the utility’s oldest operating stations. The system is expected to provide 25MW of capacity with four hours of storage, equivalent to 100MWh, and is designed to be fully scalable, up to 4GW. This landmark agreement establishes a partnership between the…

South African insurance platform, Naked, has become the first company in the world to successfully develop and deploy a native app in ChatGPT that can provide a final, binding car insurance quote. The launch also appears to make Naked the first South African company to release a native app in ChatGPT, representing an early step towards a future where consumers will use AI assistants to understand, compare and manage financial products on their behalf. Naked’s ChatGPT app connects directly to the same live underwriting and rating engine that powers quoting and buying on its website and app. This means the…

In many communities, food is not just nourishment. It is structure, survival, and dignity. Each day, across towns and cities, a quiet system of food production already exists. Local restaurants prepare meals before sunrise. Street vendors set up at key movement points. Informal kitchens serve workers, students, and families throughout the day. The system is active. The demand is constant. Yet access remains inconsistent. In places like the Vaal, particularly Vanderbijlpark and surrounding communities, this reality is visible. Food businesses already exist within the local economy restaurants, vendors, and small informal enterprises built on resilience, necessity, and consistency. They feed…

5FM, South Africa’s favourite youth radio station, is turning Youth Month into a launchpad for the future with Code Youth, a high-energy, hands-on digital skills bootcamp created to give young South Africans the most valuable skill sets of the 21st century. In partnership with WeThinkCode_, this nationwide CSI initiative brings coding, creativity and real digital confidence directly to the youth who need it most – completely free and designed for absolute beginners. Because 5FM isn’t only about the hottest tunes and the biggest vibes… we’re a station that Ampli5s the future of Mzansi’s most promising young talent. Running across Johannesburg…

As South African consumers continue to seek greater value, energy efficiency, and innovation in the home appliance category, Massmart is expanding its home appliance range with the introduction of Haier as a globally recognised home appliances brand, now available at Makro stores nationwide. The move forms part of Makro’s ongoing strategy to strengthen its position as a leader in appliance retail through continued investment in global sourcing, category innovation, and an expanded assortment of international brands that combine performance, innovation, and affordability for South African consumers. Through the collaboration, Makro customers will now have access to a curated range of…

Disney+ debuted the official trailer and key art for season two of the Original comedy series “Deli Boys,” premiering on Thursday, 28 May with all 6 episodes, exclusively on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally. Turns out inheriting a criminal empire was the easy part… and more money really does mean more problems. This season on “Deli Boys,” the Dars are drowning in dirty cash and Philly’s sketchiest crooks are circling. Enter Max Sugar: casino king, money launderer, and Lucky’s new crush who turns laundering into a chaotic situationship. Raj plots revenge on Ahmad, Mir tries to expand DarCo without blowing it up, and Philly D.A. Andrew Chadwater hopes one…

Meetable, the South African social discovery platform curating dinners between strangers, officially launches in Johannesburg this month, with its first Johannesburg dinner taking place on Thursday 14 May 2026. Originally launched in Cape Town, Meetable brings together four to six strangers for curated dinners at carefully selected restaurants across the city. The concept is intentionally simple: no networking agenda, no speed dating format, no awkward icebreakers. Just a good restaurant, a shared table, and the opportunity to meet people you otherwise never would have crossed paths with. Since launching in Cape Town, the platform has seen strong early momentum, with…

Despite higher demand driven by seasonal conditions, including a sharp rise in evening consumption as temperatures dropped, with peak demand at times reaching nearly 2 000MW above anticipated levels, the system has remained stable, Eskom said late on Friday. “This has been achieved alongside the natural tapering of solar generation at sunset, demonstrating enhanced operational resilience and improved capacity utilisation across the fleet, ” says Eskom. “This performance reflects the sustained impact of the Generation Recovery Plan and reinforces Eskom’s Winter Outlook projection of no loadshedding, supported by continued progress in reliability, disciplined maintenance execution, and cost optimisation.” For the financial…

Disney+ announced FX’s “The Bear,” the critically acclaimed, Emmy® Award-winning hit series, will premiere its fifth and final season on Friday, 26 June exclusively on Disney+. All eight episodes will be available to stream at debut. Key art for the season has also been released. The news comes on the heels of yesterday’s surprise release of “Gary,” a flashback episode of “The Bear” co-written by and starring Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jon Bernthal that follows Richie (Moss-Bachrach) and Mikey (Bernthal) on a work trip to Gary, Indiana. Fans can discover the episode by searching for “Gary” on Disney+.  Premiering on 26 June, the fifth…

Global markets are entering a renewed risk-on phase as easing inflation pressures, declining oil prices, and sustained demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure drive stronger investor appetite for equities and digital assets. According to research by Bitget Research, global equities continued to advance this week, led by technology and semiconductor stocks as investors reposition toward growth sectors amid improving macroeconomic conditions. Ryan Lee, Chief Analyst at Bitget Research, said recent market movements signal a notable shift in investor sentiment as geopolitical and inflation risks begin to moderate. “Markets are increasingly repricing both geopolitical and inflation-related risks simultaneously. The combination of…

“A declined home loan application can feel like a closed door, but it’s actually a starting point to rehabilitate your credit score, for a better outcome in the next few months,” says Bradd Bendall, National Head of Sales for BetterBond. “A rejection of a bond approval is often a signal to fix the part of your profile that the bank found too weak, whether that is affordability, credit history or documentation.” “In a housing market where approval rates are improving, buyers who take the time to reduce their debt, correct flagged credit issues and improve affordability can come back stronger,” says…

From a student digs kitchen in Stellenbosch, to a majority investment from PSG Group, ButtaNutt’s growth story is one of calculated risk and local focus. Founded in 2013, the business started with a single product: macadamia nut butter. Today, ButtaNutt is one of South Africa’s leading plant-based milk brands, with expansion into plant-based milks since 2020 and with consecutive triple-digit growth to match. That growth, coupled with a bold move to cut plant-based milk prices by 25% during a high inflation period, has positioned ButtaNutt as a serious challenger in a category still in its infancy locally. Plant- based milk…

Pineapple, the South African digital insurance provider, has been named an Endeavor Outlier. This exclusive, invite-only designation is reserved for the top 10% of high-performing companies in the global Endeavor network. The Outliers programme recognises a select group of Endeavor Entrepreneurs whose companies meet strict, annually updated benchmarks across revenue, growth, and capital raised. Selection also considers a founder’s ability to scale in complex or volatile markets, alongside a commitment to Endeavor’s pay-it-forward ethos. What is Endeavor? Endeavor is a global organisation that selects and supports high-impact founders building scalable companies in emerging and complex markets. Its rigorous multi-stage selection…

Discovery Vitality today cements its position as the world’s most scientifically driven wellness programme by launching the proprietary Vitality Sleep Score and a new Vitality Sleep Rewards programme. This historic launch marks the first time in almost 20 years that Vitality has added a new core pillar to the programme, placing Sleep alongside Screening, Physical Activity and Nutrition, and taking a significant leap forward in how Vitality helps members live longer, healthier lives. Backed by the groundbreaking ‘The Sleep Factor’ research,an analysis of over 47 million sleep records, the launch introduces a clinically meaningful metric that quantifies how sleep directly…

A quick trip to the shops, or a short ride across a residential estate. These everyday journeys are exactly where a new generation of electric scooters is beginning to reshape how people move around cities. Core has announced the official launch of Pure Electric in South Africa, introducing the globally recognised electric scooter brand to the market and expanding access to a new category of personal mobility. Through the partnership, Core will hold exclusive distribution rights for Pure Electric in South Africa. Founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Adam Norris, father of Formula One World Champion Lando Norris, Pure Electric was…

Dis-Chem today unveiled the Melrose Arch Health Hub, marking a significant step forward in its ambition to reduce the cost of healthcare, increase access and improve health outcomes for South Africans. More than a new store, the company says the hub represents a fundamental shift in how healthcare is delivered through retail. The format is anchored in a clinic, pharmacy and cover services trifecta, marking a significant step in Dis-Chem’s evolution from a pharmacy-led retailer to an integrated health partner and retailer. “South Africans have long had to navigate their healthcare alone, moving between disconnected providers and fragmented systems. This…

For over 20 years, Tableau has defined how the world sees and understands data. Now, as organisations shift from viewing data to asking AI to act on it, raw data, on its own, is no longer enough. In the traditional world of analytics, humans looked at dashboards and brought their own experience and context to the table to make a decision. Today, as we move into the agentic era, AI agents require that same level of “knowledge” to provide the trusted, accurate answers required to drive autonomous action.  The foundation of this shift is knowledge: not just giving AI access…

The University of Cape Town (UCT) has collaborated with HyperionDev, a global leader in online tech education, in a strategic partnership to deliver a portfolio of high-impact, career-focused online programmes designed to equip students with in-demand digital and leadership skills. The collaboration marks a significant step forward in bridging the gap between higher education and industry, combining UCT’s academic excellence with HyperionDev’s expertise in scalable, outcomes-driven online learning. UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mosa Moshabela said: “As a university, we are deeply committed to expanding access to high-quality education that is both academically rigorous and socially responsive. This partnership reflects our role…

Miami Beach, Florida  HotelPORT® today announced the launch of EnGAIgeVIEW™, an AI-powered guest engagement platform anchored in PropertyVIEW™, the hospitality industry’s source of truth for verified hospitality content. Developed by BIG Tech Group, the platform introduces a new standard for real-time, intelligent guest interaction across voice, text, and chat. “This isn’t an incremental upgrade. It’s a category reset,” said Fred Bean, Founder of HotelPORT. “The industry has been built around listening after the experience. We’ve built a platform that engages during the experience—when it actually matters.” From Feedback to Real-Time Engagement EnGAIgeVIEW™ is designed to replace static surveys and delayed…