Author: Staff Writer
Dark Fibre Africa (DFA) announced today that it has embarked on a R400 million fibre network infrastructure expansion project to enhance their provision of connectivity hardware. The investment will allow high-speed connectivity to more businesses and contribute to the country’s digital transformation efforts, enabling greater access to online services and improving economic growth. The project has been in trial phase since February and is now being rolled out at scale. The infrastructure upgrade, which will be carried out in three phases over an estimated period of 18 months, will ensure faster delivery of network services to customers and improved network…
Allmed Healthcare Professionals, a healthcare agency, has launched its Pay Slip App, designed to provide convenience and efficiency to its valued staff. The app, available for both Android and iPhone devices, revolutionises the pay slip distribution process, eliminating the need for staff to physically visit the office. The development of the Pay Slip App began in January 2022 with the vision of addressing the challenges staff faced while collecting their pay slips. “We saw that our staff were spending time and money to come to our offices, which led to inefficiencies and unnecessary expenses,” explained Zukisani Sirwaxa, Operations Manager at…
The National Credit Regulator (NCR) in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Government of Japan announces the launch of the NCR Onboarding TechSprint, also known as a hackathon. This collaboration seeks to leverage technological advancements to enhance resilience and regulatory compliance of small credit providers in South Africa. The NCR Onboarding TechSprint will bring together inventive software developers and tech companies, along with industry experts to ideate and build innovative digital solutions for the credit industry. The key focus of the TechSprint is centered on addressing the problem statement, “How can we leverage on technological innovation to…
South Africa’s automotive gig economy is seeing an uptick in activity thanks to tech startups like Screan, an innovative digital platform that connects prospective used car buyers and dealerships with second-hand car inspection experts nationwide. According to statistics 3.9 million South Africans already participating in the gig economy providing much needed income and employment for individuals who may face challenges in finding traditional full-time employment, such as those in rural areas or with limited access to formal job markets. While the gig economy is nothing new what has changed is that technology is now enabling more widespread, flexible and on-demand…
Vodacom announces the launch of the first-ever SME Summit, dubbed #SME Thrive Summit. This free impactful gathering aims to provide invaluable resources, knowledge, and networking opportunities to help small businesses thrive and contribute to the sustained growth of the South African economy. The day will be jampacked with activities to help SMEs grow their businesses. It will feature a series of informative sessions, exhibitions (exhibitors by small business owners), keynote presentations, live master classes as well as panel discussions. “SMEs remain a crucial foundation of the South African economy. We recognise their vital contribution in fostering innovation, creating jobs, and…
The data centre sector is at the heart of an increasingly digital world, and South Africa is witnessing a rush of construction of data centres in an otherwise stagnant economy. However, without diversity and greater representation of women in its workforce, meeting the growing demands of future digital lifestyles will become ever more challenging. It is also incumbent upon data center owners and operators — whose industry is responsible for between 1% and 2% of global energy consumption — to achieve sustainable, green, and efficient ICT operations within their sector. Energy efficiency and gender equality are both clear objectives of…
The go-to-market strategy implemented by 4Sight continues to deliver strong business performance, with the company maintaining its momentum from the previous financial year, again reporting double-digit growth in revenue and profit. Revenue for the six-month period under review increased by 37.1% to reach R451.3 million, compared to R329.2 million for the corresponding period in 2022, with revenue growth experienced from all business clusters. The company’s maiden dividend declared at 2,5c per share is another milestone achieved by the 4Sight team. “Since my appointment as CEO in November 2019, my focus remains driving innovation through product-focused digital transformation, with the support…
From AI hype to uncertain China’s reopening: join the international broker OctaFX as it compiles the 12 most important events that shaped the Forex market in the past year. The past year thoroughly shook the financial markets and had a lasting impact on the Forex market. As OctaFX celebrates its 12th anniversary, the company took this opportunity to compile a list of the most important events in the world of finance, along with their implications for investors and traders in 2023 and 2024. 1. The end of the U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate hike cycle. Starting in March 2022, the…
The South African Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), represented by Acting DG Ms Nonkqubela Jordan-Dyani, and Huawei represented by CEO Will Meng, have signed a partnership agreement on the sidelines of the BRICS Ministers of Communications Meeting which took place in Cape Town last week. Huawei’s wealth of technical expertise and global experience in digitisation and its application across the private and public sectors make the company well placed to take on an advisory as well as practical role in assisting South Africa reach its goals in respect of the BRICS ICT Development Agenda and Action Plan (DAAP), which…
After becoming the country’s first retailer to tap into the Roblox space in 2022, Game launches Season 2 of ‘the Game game’ on the platform on 4 August 2023, bringing with it a new first for South Africa – locally-inspired and designed user generated content (UGC). Within the first hour of the GAME Game going live, it amassed more than 10 000 plays, with all limited UGC items (over 1000 units) claimed within this time frame. I attached an image of this limited piece, which was a groove-powered jetpack – complete with a boom box. Comments from players included feedback…
Our youth will be tomorrow’s leaders. This is something we frequently hear, but how are we preparing them? South Africa is a nation with many issues, and the ongoing problems that South African youth face today are extremely troubling. In this article, we speak to industry experts and ask them how we can help prepare our children for the future. Future-proofing youth with software development skills The most in-demand expertise and one of the most challenging sets of skills to get on the South African market actually remain inside the software development field. Andrew Bourne, Regional Manager, Africa at technology…
Continued growth in used passenger car sales and the drop in the average used car price in July bodes well for consumer affordability and the sustainability of the used car market. Used car sales momentum continued to pick up in July with sales growing by 8% month-on-month. A total of 32,090 units were sold, reflecting an increase of 2,434 units over June, according to AutoTrader Used Car Sales data. The current value of these used cars sold to date swelled a further 7.3% month-on-month to a whopping R12,932,363,057. And year-on-year growth rose 7.8% over July 2022’s cumulative total…
Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are embracing the call from their CEOs and board members to take a more strategic role in the business – from being more involved in environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives – to spearheading digital transformation to shape the future of the business. However, the CFO’s traditional role of financial scorekeeping, regulatory reporting, and cost optimisation is just as crucial as ever in light of chronic inflation, slow economic growth, and a heavier compliance burden. Forward-thinking CFOs increasingly seek new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to co-pilot this complex…
Knife Capital reached final close for its $50 million or R941 million African Series B expansion fund, Knife Fund III. The Fund supports the expansion of African innovation-driven companies to fill a critical follow-on funding gap, as lead investor and through co-investment with other credible funders across the continent. The focus is on high-growth scalable South African B2B technology companies that have impact potential and show strong returns through exit optionality. The fund will also back entrepreneurs in other African countries who fit this investment profile in collaboration with experienced local partners. Support to African startups at the early growth…
MultiChoice Africa Holdings B.V (MAH) announced today that it had notified DStv subscribers of its withdrawal of services from Malawi with immediate effect. This follows the injunction issued by the High Court in Lilongwe in a matter between MultiChoice Malawi (MCM) and the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) prohibiting an adjustment to the DStv tariffs. MCM said it does not offer the DStv service to the public and therefore cannot set or adjust tariffs for this service, a point repeatedly made to MACRA. As a result, the order handed down to MCM is incapable of being implemented by them but…
On Sunday, August 6th 2023, The Women’s Netball World Cup Finals, one of the world’s biggest female sporting events, took place on African soil. On the sidelines of the court was a spread of female camerawomen, an initiative spearheaded by the event’s production partner, SuperSport, to have women lead editing, camera, and production crews. The impact that this may have had on young women and girls watching the event could be far-reaching. Research suggests that the creation of same-gender role models for youth is linked to career choices in previously male-dominated fields such as STEM, later in their lives. A…
The explosion of generative AI has accelerated the need for data literacy in what was already a fast-paced, data-driven world. Data literacy is no longer a nice-to-have skill but a must-have in any field. To help more people develop these critical skills, SAS has launched its second, free Data Literacy e-learning course, Data Literacy in Practice, that empowers individuals and professionals to explore and visualise data with confidence. “In a world overflowing with data, unlocking its power sets you apart. Data literacy is more relevant than ever for young learners and professionals wishing to upskill and reskill,” said Dr. Emily Pressman,…
FTTsmB is a new category of business fibre from fibre ISP Atomic Access that’s up to 75% more affordable than legacy business fibre (FTTB). “FTTsmB or Fibre To The small/medium Business is the premium-economy version of high-speed business fibre, except for the fact that SMBs always receive first-class treatment,” says Nick Soper, Atomic Access MD. Dark fibre-based FTTB offers the fastest and most reliable internet for business. However, it’s usually very expensive, slow to install and requires long-term contracts. This often puts high-speed reliable business fibre out of reach of SMBs. “At around R2 000 per month as opposed to…
MTN’s Mobile Money offering, MoMo, is inviting skilled tech developers and innovators to participate in the MTN MoMo API Hackathon which is aimed at producing solutions that shape the future of demand-driven financial services. This exciting event is giving South Africans the opportunity to win $10,000 or R185 925.00 and to be part of making a real impact on financial services in the country. Spanning across 15 countries, each with its own prize pool, the MoMo Hackathon is now open to South Africans for the first time and is open from 31 July until 9 October 2023. “The MTN MoMo…
A new feature on the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport’s #PotholeFixGP App now allows users to report faulty traffic signals. This is in addition to the application allowing users to report potholes on Gauteng roads. At least 7418 potholes have been reported since its launch in 2022. “The added function is intended to enhance user experience of the people of Gauteng. It is ultimately set up to improve service delivery to the people of Gauteng. “The APP can provide a status update of the traffic signal and potholes ranging from reported, assigned to completed. It further allows for checking…
Telkom Group announced today that it has appointed highly regarded digital communications and media expert Randall Abrahams as Group Executive: Digital Solutions, in a move that will bolster the Group’s strong digital strategy. Abrahams will manage the Digital Platform business for Telkom within its technology function. His responsibilities will include driving digital strategy, as well as identifying and implementing innovative technologies to develop opportunities for the Group. Abrahams is well equipped to drive Telkom’s digital business, having worked in leadership and strategy roles in the digital content, music, broadcasting, television and online sectors. “We are excited to have Randall joining…
After becoming the country’s first retailer to tap into the Roblox space in 2022, Game launches Season 2 of ‘the Game game’ on the platform on 4 August 2023, bringing with it a new first for South Africa – locally-inspired and designed user generated content (UGC). By engaging with local designers to better understand what young South Africans are looking for from what is arguably the future of fashion and retail – virtual goods – the brand hopes to build on last year’s success, when the game was launched as part of its Black Friday campaign. Game’s Senior Manager for…
MTN South Africa has been successfully deploying its 5G private network communications solution within the mining sector and today it announces its drive to deploy the solution amongst a larger variety of industries. This development promises to usher in a new era of growth, innovation, and operational efficiency, needed to drive further industrialisation beneficial for South Africa’s much-needed economic growth. By incorporating high-performance 5G wireless communication, regardless of location, factory size, or public network challenges, MTN’s innovative private networks will redefine industries, empowering even remote areas to thrive. “Our 5G private network gives you control of your connectivity, by…
For hundreds of years banks have put financial excellence at the heart of their operations. But as traditional banks rush to compete with the nimbler fintechs and digital-only challenger banks, too many leaders are neglecting the human element of their digital transformation programmes and the result of this neglect could end up costing them far more than many imagine. A 2022 EY research report has found that businesses that put humans at the centre of their transformation efforts are 2.6 times more likely to succeed. For many banks, paying attention to the human element simply means designing the best possible…
+OneX, the new-age solutions and systems integrator in the Reunert Group, has onboarded over 300 clients and has grown its full-time employee headcount to around 320 people to enhance its value proposition. The company now aims to dramatically scale up its managed services capability and position itself as an end-to-end digital transformation partner that can help organisations across their digital consulting, cloud, unified communications, data, software, end-user computing and security needs. Speaking at the company’s inaugural +OneXplore event, CEO Rob Godlonton, said that +OneX has delivered strong growth since it was founded in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting…