Author: Staff Writer
The DA notes reports that beneficiaries of South African Social Security Agency’s (SASSA) R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grants are struggling to verify their identities with SASSA’s new biometric identification system. The new system requires beneficiaries who have been identified by SASSA for identity verification or those that need to change their contact details to be supplied with a verification link from the Department of Home Affairs via SMS in order to submit a photo of their face. “There are however numerous beneficiaries who have not received this link due systems allegedly being down at Home Affairs at the…
Developing Markets technology systems integrator Cassava Technologies (Cassava) has announced that its AI activities will now operate as a separate business unit, Cassava AI. Since the advent of Generative AI, Cassava has forged strategic partnerships with industry giants such as Microsoft, Google, AWS, Anthropic, Oracle, Atlas AI, Cerebras and Palo Alto Networks. These partnerships enable it to offer superior systems integration and support to enterprise customers across strategic international markets. Cassava already provides services such as Data Centres, Cloud, Cyber Security, Fibre Connectivity, and Renewable Energy to large multinational and local companies. The organisation has already trained and deployed more…
Google today announced the 8th cohort of its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme. This year’s cohort features ten innovative startups from Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa, selected from nearly 1,000 applications, highlighting the remarkable talent and creativity in the African tech ecosystem. Startups play a pivotal role in driving economic development and technological innovation in Africa. By addressing local challenges with tailored solutions, these startups are not only creating jobs but also enhancing the quality of life across the continent. Despite the current “funding winter” in Sub-Saharan Africa, where investment flows have slowed, the resilience and ingenuity of…
IBM today released its annual Cost of a Data Breach Report revealing the average cost of a data breach in South Africa reached R53.10 million in 2024, as breaches grow more disruptive and further expand demands on cyber teams. Globally, 70% of breached organizations reported that the breach caused significant or very significant disruption. Lost business and post-breach customer and third-party response costs drove the year-over-year cost spike worldwide, as the collateral damage from data breaches has only intensified. The disruptive effects data breaches are having on businesses are not only driving up costs but are also extending the after-effect…
Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC), a 100% black-owned broad-based investment holding company, announced a partnership with Grindstone, a global growth-engineer, respected for the pivotal role it plays in creating impact through engineering growth for startups. With a total of sixteen cohorts completed to date, Grindstone continues to expand its impact footprint and is excited about this next cohort in collaboration with MIC. This strategic collaboration marks the initiation of a new chapter of GrindstoneX, a specialised accelerator programme that fosters the growth of high-growth, innovation-driven, woman-owned startups. From the first cohort to the sixteenth, Grindstone’s alumni companies have raised over R2.2…
Shoprite Group’s Checkers Sixty60 on-demand delivery service has maintained its leading position in the South African market, showcasing an impressive 58.1% growth in the 2024 financial year, as reported on Tuesday. Checkers and Checkers Hyper reported sales growth of 12.3% with online sales from our Checkers Sixty60 on-demand platform increasing by 58.1%.. Shoprite and Usave reported sales growth of 10.7% and LiquorShop sales increased by 20%. Shoprite also reported that supermarkets RSA opened a net 201 stores versus 301 stores in 2023 including the stores acquired from Massmart) during the year to total 2 322 stores. Of these net new…
Residential estates with high-end fibre connectivity are valued by owners and tenants alike. This is especially true of estates with open access fibre infrastructure that provides a neutral platform for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to compete with each other. “First prize should be competition at the fibre infrastructure level that allows for non-exclusive fibre connectivity,” says Sasha Booth-Beharilal, chair of ISPA, South Africa’s official internet Industry Representative Body (IRB). “More than one fibre provider is ideal. At the very least, homeowners’ associations, body corporates and property developers should reject any potential fibre installation that does not allow for multiple Internet…
Cape Town will host an important gathering on digital identity initiatives and innovation in the SADC region at the end of September. Local digital identity start-up, DIDx is proud to announce that they, together with the renowned Internet Identity Workshop (IIW), will host DID:UNCONF AFRICA, a groundbreaking event set to revolutionise the digital identity landscape in the SADC region. This two-day open space ‘unconference’ will take place on 25 to 26 September at the Hasso Plattner Design School at UCT, following in the footsteps of its inspiration, the Internet Identity Workshop (IIW), held twice a year in Silicon Valley since…
Volvo Car South Africa is pleased to announce the arrival of a limited number of new XC60 Black Edition units, each boasting an eye-catching all-black design. With just 23 examples set aside for South Africa, the distinctive new Black Edition versions of Volvo’s popular luxury midsize SUV will reward their lucky owners with not just a fresh take on the brand’s understated Scandinavian design but also an extremely high level of exclusivity. The Black Edition treatment combines a stealthy Onyx Black exterior paint finish – a deep metallic hue with a brilliant sparkle in strong daylight and a solid darkness…
Growthpoint Properties has commenced construction on a green office refurbishment of its 36 Hans Strijdom Building, the Cape Town headquarters of Ninety One, in a move that reinforces both companies’ commitment to the Cape Town CBD and to sustainability. Ninety One, a global investment manager with South African roots, has been based at the Growthpoint-owned building in the Cape Town Foreshore for over two decades. Ninety One evaluated a number of options for its offices, including new construction, as its co-tenant in the building prepared to move to new premises. Its decision to remain at 36 Hans Strijdom was strongly…