Author: Staff Writer
Dell Technologies announced the global availability of Dell NativeEdge, the edge operations software platform that simplifies how customers deploy, manage and secure their edge infrastructure and applications. Dell is also growing its partner and OEM customer ecosystem to help organizations use Dell NativeEdge to simplify the orchestration and expansion of their edge environments. “Dell NativeEdge brings to life our expertise in creating solutions that simplify processes and fuel real-time decision-making at the edge,” said Gil Shneorson, senior vice president of edge solutions, Dell Technologies. “Our partners are an integral part of customers’ success, and together we can make the edge…
BMW Group South Africa announces the appointment of Carmen Myles as Head of MINI South Africa, effective 1 September 2023. With over 17 years of experience in sales, Carmen has built and maintained strong business relations across BMW Group South Africa and its retailer network. In her current role as BMW Group South Africa Manager: Transaction Pricing and Product Offers, she has been responsible for transaction pricing in the new direct sales model for BMW Group South Africa, MINI and BMW Motorrad for the past three years. Carmen is a resourceful and skilled sales professional, having previously filled roles such…
The Deaf-and-hard-of-hearing community will use September Deaf Awareness Month to continue celebrating the Government’s decision to make SA Sign Language (SASL) the 12th official language. Cebisile Ndebele, Chairperson of the Neema Foundation for the Deaf, says SASL being an official language is a monumental victory for the Deaf community. It will ensure that their rights to equality, dignity and social inclusion are not only recognised but implemented. “As we celebrate, we must realise that the battle for equality, dignity and social inclusion for Deaf people is far from over,” says Ndebele. Ndebele says the struggle for Deaf equality and inclusion…
The management of data quality is a common struggle across companies and industries. Prioritising fraud prevention and having insight into data can have a ripple effect on the economy. Everything is hyper-personalised by tracking people’s engagements, clicks, and movements. Insights into this invaluable data can enable rapid instant information with various benefits. To explore the value of Data Streaming, we took a deep dive into some of South Africa’s Top Financial Services, Insurance, and Retail companies. Earlier this month, Synthesis hosted Confluent Round Tables in both Johannesburg and Cape Town, moderated by Colin Iles. We invited our clients; Standard Bank,…
Shareholder demand for innovation – often taking companies into high-risk, uncharted waters and even cannibalising existing business models – can do more harm than good. Sometimes real innovation is about exploring how to revolutionise existing processes or simply harnessing data to more fully understand the customer. “First digital transformation, and now artificial intelligence, is causing seismic shifts in how we do business and sometimes resulting in the disruption of entire value chains. Companies are only just discovering how much data they have and the value of the insights it can deliver. Using new AI tools to deliver these insights can…
MTN Group today announced the promotion of Marina Madale to Group Executive: Sustainability & Shared Value, effective 1 September 2023. Prior to this, Marina served as the General Manager: Sustainability and Shared Value, MTN Group. In her new role, she will be responsible for setting the strategic direction for the management of Sustainability and Shared Value and the work of our foundations across MTN Group markets. Marina has a wealth of experience across multiple sectors globally, including oil & gas, energy, banking, and property development across multiple countries such as Qatar, Mozambique, Botswana, Gabon, South Africa, and Australia. She played…
The Embassy of Ireland in South Africa, in collaboration 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 now accepting applications for the Irish Tech Challenge South Africa 2023. This initiative aims to foster mutually advantageous partnerships between local technopreneurs in South Africa and the technological expertise of Ireland, leveraging Ireland’s status as a prominent global high-tech centre. The Irish Tech Challenge 2023 is on the lookout for the most compelling growth-stage tech startups based in South Africa that are in alignment with the United…
In a first of its kind in South Africa, Vodacom signed a Virtual Wheeling agreement with Eskom earlier today that will help accelerate efforts to solve the country’s energy crisis. In addition to adding capacity to the nation’s power grid, this agreement – a Vodacom innovation which has been co-developed with Eskom – will also play a significant role in moving Vodacom closer to its goal of sourcing 100% of its electricity demand from renewable energy sources by 2025. This agreement will now enable Vodacom to execute the next phase of this innovative solution – securing Independent Power Producers (IPPs)…
Huawei South Africa and the Department of Communication and Digital Technologies (DCDT) have officially launched partnership programmes aimed at enhancing broadband deployment as a foundation for a digital economy and providing digital skills training for SMMEs. The programmes were launched at an official event attended by Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele. They additionally form part of a wider cooperation agreement between the two parties that was signed earlier this month, and which will see Huawei share global best practices for the planning of digital economy policies and technology rollouts, among other things. Africa Analysis and Digital Coucil…
Today’s blend of young women is breaking barriers. They are not holding back on taking up careers in industries and fields that are traditionally male-dominated. In technology, in particular, many young women are blazing the trail set alight by global tech leaders like former META COO and author of the book Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg. This is despite the fact that women make up less than 28% of the global technology workforce and just 17% of CEOs. While the stats may not reflect the strides women are making in tech, the sector is not short of women who are leading…
TymeBank, South Africa’s fastest growing digital bank, has become the latest bank to offer PayShap. It also promised to be the first South African bank to offer the new real-time interbank digital payments service to its 7.6-million customers for free for all payments up to the R3,000 limit made to a cellphone number (ShapID). This reinforces the bank’s commitment to making banking affordable for South Africans across the economic spectrum. PayShap, which aims to reduce South Africans’ dependence on cash and build trust in digital payment methods, makes payments safer, faster, and more cost-effective. “With the aim of digitising cash…
Vodacom Western Cape plans to invest R570 million this financial year into the region’s network as part of the company’s commitment to building an inclusive digital society. Of this investment, R470 million is allocated to improve the quality, capacity and reach of the broadband network infrastructure in urban and rural areas. This network investment will continue to focus on further expansion of the 5G footprint, ongoing modernisation of the existing network infrastructure, and upgrading of base station sites with more LTE capacity throughout the province. This will provide an improved data experience for our consumers and ideal connectivity for businesses…
Embarking on an innovation-fueled journey, the tech world stands at a crossroads: smashing barriers for diversity and gender equality isn’t just crucial, it’s the rocket fuel that is propelling us toward progress. While men have long held the spotlight, a dazzling surge reveals women claiming their stake in tech’s boundless domain. “In recent times, the tech industry is proving to be an enabler for greater gender equality,” says Bronwen Rohland, Retail and CPG Consulting Head at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) South Africa. “The sector is making strides to bridge the gender gap parity, create more inclusive opportunities and invest in…
In a resolute response to the challenges faced by Township communities, the Empire Partner Foundation (EPF), in collaboration with Township Distribution Model (TDM) and with generous sponsorship from the Chemical Industries Education & Training Authority (CHIETA), today announced the successful recruitment, selection and onboarding of 50 previously unemployed youth onto EPF’s self-employment initiative. This pivotal EPF initiative stands as a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of community-driven economic development, which as its foundation, creates a circular economy of nurturing local talent to provide direct services to the community, while creating self-employment opportunities in that community. The…
TechCrunch, American global online newspaper focusing on high tech and startup companies, have selected Omnisient, the South African data analytics fintech that is accelerating financial inclusion, as one of 200 early-stage tech start-ups that are most likely to have a positive impact on the world. TechCrunch reviewed close to 3,000 nominated early-stage startups from around the world to choose the final 200 to participate in their Startup Battlefield 200 competition at the annual TechCrunch Disrupt event in San Fransisco, USA. The Startup Battlefield 200, is the world’s preeminent startup competition where 200 startups are trained and invited to pitch in…
MTN SA’s business activities in 2021, which include capital infrastructure investments, operating expenses, and tax revenue contribution to the country, contributed to GDP and have been pivotal in driving economic growth. “These contributions resulted in the creation of approximately 146 487 direct, indirect, and induced jobs across the ICT value chain and other sectors,” according to KPMG study published last week. The recent True Value assessment, conducted by KPMG, underscores MTN’s commitment to our nation. According to the report, the measurable Social Value of Jobs stood at an encouraging R1.9 billion, which refers to quantified impact of jobs created beyond…
With ecommerce in South Africa breaching the R55 billion a year barrier, home delivery has become a way of life for the country’s consumers. Yet delivery isn’t the right fit for every retailer’s customer base or business model. Each merchant should balance the potential revenue gains against the costs and drawbacks of home delivery. That’s according to Gerhard Le Roux, head of capital growth at Capital Connect, a fintech that offers fast and flexible business funding to South African retailers. He says that fleets of delivery bakkies and scooters have changed the shape of fast-food and grocery retail since the pandemic, contributing…
Meltwater in partnership with Absa Bank, is delighted to announce the opening of applications for the highly anticipated MEST Africa Challenge Startup Pitch Competition. Early-stage technology startups operational in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, and South Africa are invited to participate in this prestigious competition to showcase their innovative businesses and entrepreneurial prowess. The application period begins today and will close on 9th October 2023. The MEST Africa Challenge offers exceptional benefits to participating startups. The winner will receive a substantial equity investment of USD 50,000, providing crucial financial support to accelerate their business growth. In addition, the winner and other…
For a couple of remarkable young women, exposure to sought-after technological skills isn’t just a chance to improve their own career prospects – it also allows them to act as role models and bring about positive change in their communities. Two young women, Ntombifuthi Mwale and Samukelisiwe Dube, are both beneficiaries of Huawei’s bursary programme which offers students, from disadvantaged backgrounds, an opportunity to flourish and accomplish their aspirations and academic goals while also ensuring they are equipped to enter the workplace. The programme is open to second, third, and fourth-year students studying across a broad range of fields, including…
Members of the South African team which took a top spot in the 2022-2023 Huawei Global ICT Competition held in Shenzhen, China recently are still riding high following their success. The two University of KwaZulu Natal graduates, Lutho Sigidi and Nqubeko Asanda Shabalala and University of Johannesburg graduate Terry-Anne Fredericks have all been employed by Huawei and, recently were singled out for praise by South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa when he visited the Huawei Campus. The remarks came during President Ramaphosa’s official opening of the Huawei Innovation Centre, which showcases Huawei’s latest and most innovative digital technologies and solutions such…
MTN SA has announced the expansion of its innovative eSIM functionality to prepaid customers, a game-changing feature that enhances the way customers connect and communicate. The eSIM, which is a digital version of the physical SIM card, is now available to all customers and will provide seamless connectivity and linkability to a range of devices. With the expansion of the eSIM functionality, MTN is reinforcing its commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences and staying at the forefront of digital innovation in the telecommunications industry. This advanced technology eliminates the need for physical SIM cards and unlocks a host of benefits…
Transformation in the workplace, specifically as it pertains to gender equality, has been an ongoing issue in South Africa. As August is national women’s month, TrendER/infoQuest, a leading online South African research supplier, conducted a survey with working women to assess their perceptions of the progress made in this regard. The research was conducted at the beginning of August 2023 and 160 employed women were interviewed across all industries and all job levels. Decision-making in the workplace One in two (51%) women believe that the decision-making power of women in the workplace has improved, while 64% claim that in their…
Vodacom today announced that customers will receive 30% more airtime when they recharge through the VodaPay super app. This value-added airtime lasts 365 days – keeping customers connected for longer. Customers can use this airtime to make calls, buy voice bundles, SMSs or convert it into data bundles to access the internet. “We are excited to give customers additional value in the form of airtime, particularly at a time when the cost of living is high with South Africans facing persistent price pressures. Our goal is to exceed customer expectations by providing value and convenience. With the 30% more airtime,…
MTN South Africa has unveiled MyMTN Prepaid Funeral Khava, aimed at offering South Africans an accessible and budget-friendly insurance coverage when they may need it most. South Africans can now protect their families from financial burdens after a loss for as little as R75 per year. Under its new Khava brand, MTN’s prepaid funeral insurance is the first of a range of insurance products designed for the local market. Backed by Sanlam and facilitated by aYo Intermediaries South Africa, the funeral insurance offering aims to cater to the unique needs of the SA market. MyMTN Prepaid Funeral Khava offers a…
Retail Capital, a division of TymeBank, recently announced the launch of ChatSME, a Large Language Model (LLM) designed to empower and revolutionise how South African entrepreneurs grow their businesses. This generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) model aims to provide easy access to valuable knowledge and resources, fostering growth and success in the vibrant, and crucially important SME (small medium enterprises) community. In a world inundated with search engines, online learning platforms, and digital tools, accessing business information has become easier, but not necessarily safer. For many business owners, concerns about the risks associated with OpenAI platforms and potential leaks of proprietary…