Author: Staff Writer

Raisibe Morathi, group CFO at Vodacom, has been named South Africa’s CFO of the Year at the 10th Annual CFO Awards. The CFO of the Year was announced on Thursday,16 November, at the conclusion of the annual gala event for finance executives, held at the spectacular Polo Room at the Inanda Club in Sandton, Johannesburg. Raisibe was the big winner during the “Oscars of finance”, which celebrated its special 10th edition this year. She walked away with three of the ten prizes, including the CFO of the Year title, the Strategy Execution Award and the High-Performance Team Award. She was,…

MTN’s Fintech business today announced the appointment of Patrick Attoungbre as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fintech Côte d’Ivoire, effective November 2023. In assuming this role, Patrick will drive MTN’s Fintech business in Côte d’Ivoire, marking a significant milestone in the company’s expansion.  Bringing a wealth of experience in the telecommunications and fintech sectors, particularly within the African continent, Patrick has nearly two decades of expertise. His previous executive roles within the MTN Group have positioned him as a highly respected leader in the industry.  Serigne Dioum, Group Fintech CEO at MTN, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “We look forward to…

inDrive, a global mobility and urban services platform, announces the launch of a new venture and M&A arm aiming to invest up to $100 million in promising startups. Seasoned entrepreneur and investment professional Andries Smit joins inDrive as vice president of New Ventures. New Ventures investments will focus on rapid growth and positive community impact with the following investment criteria: A mission that challenges injustice, improving the lives of individuals and communities Local market startups with potential for global expansion Post-seed/pre-Series A companies with proven product market fit Rapid organic growth Healthy economics and cash flow “Once an underdog and…

The Embassy of Ireland in South Africa, in partnership with Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and Dogpatch Labs Ireland is thrilled to announce the selection of five tech startups for the prestigious Irish Tech Challenge South Africa 2023.  Now in its second successful year, the collaboration between the Irish Embassy in South Africa and the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct aims to forge mutually beneficial partnerships between South African entrepreneurs and Irish technology expertise, leveraging Ireland’s global tech hub status.  This year’s Challenge saw nearly 300 entries from South African-owned, growth-stage tech startups focused on…

Global payment company Paycorp has unveiled CryptoExpress, an app designed to simplify the conversion of cryptocurrencies to cash for South Africans. The CryptoExpress app seamlessly integrates with users’ crypto wallets, enabling them to effortlessly withdraw their cryptocurrency as cash at more than 3,000 crypto-enabled Cash Express ATMs nationwide. Cash Express ATMs are operated by Paycorp subsidiary, ATM Solutions. Available on both iOS and Android, CryptoExpress features state-of-the-art encryption technology and robust multi-layer security measures, ensuring the highest safety for users. The app also includes an ATM locator feature to help users easily find the nearest Cash Express ATM. To withdraw cash, users simply convert…

Standard Bank’s Jörg Fischer was crowned CIO of the Year, at the first annual CIO Awards on 15 November 2023, a glittering gala event, dubbed the Oscars of IT. The exquisite event took place at the Polo Room at the Inanda Club in Johannesburg. The CIO of the Year Award, which was presented by Ziaad Suleman, chief commercial officer at EOH, CIO South Africa Principal Partner, the award recognises a CIO who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation, contributing to the success of their organisation over a number of years. Jörg is proud of the “exceptional” relationship between IT and…

Seacom, Africa’s converged ICT services provider, today announced the appointment of Lucas Malamule Ndala as the new Group Chief Financial Officer (GCFO), succeeding Richard Schumacher, who previously held the role.  Ndala’s appointment as GCFO marks a pivotal moment in Seacom’s ongoing journey of growth and innovation. With a career spanning over two decades, Ndala brings a wealth of financial expertise and industry insight to the organisation. He has a remarkable track record, having served in various executive roles within the Telkom Group, including CFO, COO, Group Executive for the GCEO Support Office, and board member of the Telkom Group division,…

As part of AfricaCom 2023, Huawei this week hosted the Operations Transformation Forum Africa 2023 (OTF Africa 2023).  The forum brought together leading African operators, industry partners and organisations, and other top experts to discuss how the telecoms industry can use digital intelligence to unlock new opportunities. Held under the theme, “Embrace Digital Intelligence, Explore the New Blue Ocean” discussions at the event focused on using innovative digital services to explore a new blue ocean for growth in the consumer and home markets by building unique advantages for carrier operators through advanced infrastructure and network convergence. Operators also shared their…

The Africa Fibre Forum 2023, hosted by Digital Council Africa (DCA) and co-sponsored by Huawei and the World Broadband Association (WBBA), took place in Cape Town and saw a multitude of stakeholders commit to accelerating the rollout of fibre across Africa.  Set against the backdrop of Africa Com, the continent’s largest technology conference, the event brought together more than 100 industry leaders and experts from 50+ organizations, and several media outlets. Among the consensus points reached during the event is that digitalisation and globalisation have made the fibre infrastructure industry more important and relevant than ever. As such, having the…

1K Africa and Ascension Capital today announced an investment in Consumer Profile Bureau (CPB), a South African payment profile hosting credit bureau. This strategic investment reinforces their commitment to bolstering CPB’s innovative solutions and expanding its market presence. CPB, known for its credit bureau services, including tracing, credit verification and debtor profiling, goes beyond the conventional by offering real-time credit solutions to a diverse client base. These solutions encompass reporting and analytics, digital identification, paperless FICA and online data analytics. CPB operates as a registered credit bureau under South Africa’s National Credit Act No. 34 of 2005. Established in 1981, CPB…

Legacy Africa Capital Partners’ (LACP) Fund 1 today announced a significant investment for a minority stake in Welltec, a leading Financial Wellness Technology (FinWellTech) firm. This investment strengthens Welltec’s position in the market, allowing them to expand their bespoke financial wellness programs targeted at financial and fintech organisations. This investment arrives at a pivotal moment, as South Africans navigate a landscape of financial stress marked by high debt levels and an ailing economy. In these challenging financial circumstances, many consumers are turning to personal loans as a crucial lifeline, supplementing their income with unsecured credit. Welltec’s FinWellTech software plays a…

Tracker’s vehicle crime statistics for the period January to June 2023 reveal that hijackings still dominate, accounting for 55% of all national vehicle crime incidents versus theft at 45%. However, while the hijacking to theft ratio for personal vehicles is relatively even at around a 50/50 split, a business vehicle has a far higher hijacking propensity at 65% versus theft at 35%. The Tracker Vehicle Crime Index aggregates information from Tracker’s more than 1.1 million subscriptions. Tracker’s data indicates that a business vehicle is 59% more likely to experience vehicle crime and 32% more likely to experience hijacking than a…

Pick n Pay asap! is on track to refunding its customers for 19 days’ worth of groceries as the Proteas entered the semi-finals, having beaten Afghanistan last Friday.  “This has unlocked a 1 in 4 chance for every qualifying asap! customers to recoup their grocery expenses,” says Vincent Viviers, Retail Executive: Omnichannel at Pick n Pay.  The retailer has strategically backed the Proteas to win as it aims to deliver South Africa’s most extensive free grocery giveaway. All qualifying Pick n Pay asap! orders will be refunded if South Africa emerges victorious in the Cricket World Cup.  This is elevating…

NAPAfrica, Africa’s leading Internet eXchange Point (IXP) and the sixth largest exchange globally, has welcomed social media platform TikTok to its growing community. At the same time, NAPAfrica announced a significant milestone in its growth journey by surpassing the 4Tbps (Terabits per second) traffic milestone, solidifying its position as the pivotal exchange for internet traffic across the African continent. NAPAfrica reached the 3Tbps traffic threshold in March 2023, representing a 33% growth in traffic volumes in under a year. “The presence of over 250 carriers and networks is the drawcard for content providers like TikTok to join the exchange,” says…

In 2023, competitive gaming and spending hours binge-watching a series is some of the most fun you can have with an internet connection. Both are wildly popular, and both transport us to weird and wacky locations where anything is possible, but which is better? Game On In May this year, the latest edition of the iconic Legend of Zelda game series sold 10 million copies in just three days. To put that into perspective, Drake’s latest album For All The Dogs sold the equivalent of 402 000 albums in its first week and is one of the best performing releases of 2023. Clearly, gaming is one…

Telkom today announced the Telkom Transformation and Innovation Awards, set for November 14, 2023. This annual event recognises Telkom’s support for technology-driven startups in South Africa. These awards highlight Telkom’s Enterprise and Supplier Development Programs, showcasing their significant impact on the local business ecosystem. The event also honors Telkom’s internal Transformation ambassadors, who drive positive change within the company by championing the Transformation & Innovation agenda across various business units. Dr Mmaki Jantjies, Group Executive for the Innovation and Transformation Office at Telkom, expressed her enthusiasm for the awards, stating, “One cannot emphasise enough, the importance of platforms such as…

TelCables South Africa, a local subsidiary of Angola Cables, and business-to-business ISP, TouchNet are set to advance and transform cloud connectivity for SMMEs, MSPs and enterprise businesses across southern Africa. This collaboration aims to enhance cloud connectivity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs), managed service providers (MSPs), and large businesses in southern Africa. By leveraging the Angola Cables global network, the partnership offers flexible and secure digital cloud solutions, enabling rapid expansion of digital infrastructure networks for corporate and enterprise clients. Sudhir Juggernath, CEO of TelCables Southern and East Africa said this collaboration is significant, “By leveraging the best of…

Following a series of continuous interest rate increases since November 2021, leading to a widespread debt and cost-of-living crisis in South Africa, Nedbank has stepped in to provide crucial assistance. The bank has extended support to nearly 2 million clients, enabling their rehabilitation. Additionally, Nedbank has aided 9,000 South Africans in retaining their homes, prevented over 80,000 individuals from losing their cars, and assisted more than 25,000 people in selling their vehicles and homes in the open market. All these interventions were made possible because individuals approached the bank seeking help. “Many South African consumers do not have to endure…

Google is rolling out its Search Generative Experience (SGE) in the SSA region as an opt-in experiment in Search Labs. This AI-powered experience is available in English.  With new breakthroughs in generative AI, Google is reimagining what a search engine can do and is bringing these powerful new capabilities to Search in a bold and responsible way. This powerful new technology can unlock entirely new types of questions that Search could not previously answer, and transforms the way information is organized in Search to help people sort through and make sense of what’s out there. Improving Search with generative AI …

In today’s digital landscape, two prominent players are set to reshape the decentralised payments scene in South Africa: MetaMask and Xion Global. Their collaboration is not just a fusion of strengths; it’s a vision, a roadmap to the future of payments in South Africa. Web3 Payments in South Africa MetaMask (MM), globally recognised as the world’s leading self-custody wallet with 30+ million users, serving as a bridge to the decentralised web and a primary wallet provider for web3 payments on Xion Global. With that in mind, Xion Global offers a user-friendly web3 payment solution, ensuring that both tech enthusiasts and everyday users can…

Volvo Car South Africa has announced Black November specials giving customers who purchase a new SUV through Volvo Car Finance* during November or December 2023 up to six months of instalments absolutely free**. Rather than limiting these new finance deals to Black Friday, the Swedish luxury automaker has opted to extend its promotions across the months of November and December, allowing local buyers ample opportunity to take advantage of these savings. Customers who purchase a new XC40 through Volvo Car Finance during the final two months of 2023 will receive their first four months of instalments free. Meanwhile, those who buy…

Bank Zero has confirmed that its commitment to Zero bank fees remains strongly in place. This announcement comes in the wake of the recent Mid-Term Budget, and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis in the country.  “We see our promise of Zero bank fees as central to our brand’s unique value proposition, as shown by our four-year track record,” says Michael Jordaan, Chair of Bank Zero. “Some believed this was a gimmick, but in fact it’s fundamental to who we are. There’s one pricing structure for all our customers, and those fees that are Zero will stay Zero.”  Bank Zero offers free…

Think Tank, a visionary technology solutions and social enterprise company is proud to announce the launch of vCampus, a cutting-edge digital learning platform designed to cater to individuals, universities, and businesses across diverse industry verticals.  vCampus – a paradigm shift in education Representing a transformative wave in the education sector, vCampus provides the intersection where digital technology meets the thirst for knowledge and skill enhancement. It offers a unique ecosystem for two essential roles: content creators and learners. Content creators, often subject matter experts in their respective fields, can now partner with vCampus to share their expertise with the world.…

eAgronom, the agriculture-focused climate tech company helping farmers adopt sustainable practices for the health of their farms and the planet, has achieved a major milestone in its outreach focused on the African continent. By the end of 2023, eAgronom will have onboarded 200,000 hectares of agricultural land on the continent into its carbon credit program. Using sophisticated soil health tracking technology and hands-on education in sustainable farming practices, eAgronom is making farms across Africa into carbon sinks that fight global emissions. These farms are spread across Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania. East and southern Africa are regions of enormous…

BlackBrick, Africa’s fastest-growing apartment hotel apartment network, has sold 80% of its Bedfordview urban resort, which is being developed in partnership with Growthpoint Properties and in association with BlackBrick Developments.   Set inside a 35,000sqm forest, BlackBrick Bedford is positioned perfectly between Sandton and OR Tambo International Airport. The development is enjoying brisk sales as it nears completion at the end of 2023. BlackBrick Co-Founder Jonathan Liebmann explains that Blackbrick Bedford is prime real estate because of its strategic location, great range of amenities and facilities, and mix of investment options with projected returns in excess of 11% for investors. BlackBrick Bedford is…