Author: Staff Writer

The Wealth Today and Forensic Risk Alliance announce the Forensic & Restructuring (fore) Summit 2023, set to take place on Tuesday, June 6 in Dubai. The summit will delve into the rapidly evolving landscape of white-collar crimes, sanctions, and corruption, specifically focusing on the role of Big Data and Data Analytics in investigations and prosecution. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have been leveraging data analytics to detect and prosecute these crimes, and the same proactive approach is expected from companies. The Summit will also explore emerging trends in corruption, including the impacts of…

Eskom notes with concern various social media posts claiming that the country will soon experience a blackout or collapse of the national electricity grid. Eskom refutes these claims and would like to assure South Africans that there are measures in place to avoid the collapse of the power system. Loadshedding is one of these mechanisms. The risk of a national blackout, while inherent to the operation of a large power system, has an extremely low likelihood of materialising given the implementation of a number of control measures, including loadshedding. The grid is by no means at a higher or imminent…

MTN GlobalConnect announced an important step in the evolution of its business through the unveiling of its new name and positioning – Bayobab. The brand reveal took place at International Telecommunications Week (ITW) Conference in Washington DC, attended by over 6000 delegates from across the digital wholesale telecoms community. The new identity, Bayobab, represents the company’s strategic transformation journey to connect Africa with open next-gen digital solutions through its two distinct businesses, Bayobab Fibre and Bayobab Communication Platforms. “Building the largest and most valuable platforms is part of our Ambition 2025 strategic priorities,” MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita said. “The…

Born-in-SA insurtech platform Root has expanded into the UK and is enjoying promising growth in a receptive market. Root COO Charlotte Koep says the company’s first foray into global markets is proving encouraging “There is a real appetite across the UK insurance market for a platform like ours, which offers both the technical flexibility to support a myriad of product edge-cases and access to modern, accessible and embedded distribution possibilities – and at pace. “We’re establishing the business in the UK and building strong distribution partnerships. We find big organisations and we help them add value and create value –…

M-KOPA, an African Fintech platform that provides digital financial services to underbanked consumers, has secured $20 million in new funding. Since its inception in 2011, M-KOPA has provided over $1 billion in credit to more than 3 million customers, thereby avoiding 2.2 million tonnes of carbon emissions through clean energy products and allowing almost 2 million individuals to access high quality smartphones, positively impacting over 5.5 million lives on the continent. Having well-defined growth ambitions, M-KOPA has entrusted Standard Bank Group (through its subsidiaries, Stanbic Bank Kenya and Stanbic Bank Uganda) to act as mandated lead arrangers for two…

South African fintech specialist, e4, today announced its acquisition by a consortium of private equity investors, led by an independent private equity fund manager, Infinite Partners. The transaction will see e4 obtain the necessary capital for advancing to the next stage of its expansion. e4 is a  technology company that provides custom, innovative solutions and services, including software development and business automation. With a focus on software as a service (SaaS), e4 leverages its technology expertise to completely transform customer processes, positioning itself as a pioneer of digitalisation in South Africa. For over 20 years, e4 has been building on…

Newly launched Zarcare, an online healthcare platform, wants to provide patients with convenient access to top-notch healthcare services from the comfort of their own homes. Designed to help patients save time, money, and the hassle of in-person medical visits for non-emergency needs, this online healthcare platform offers the added convenience of online access to prescriptions, medical reports, and patient history. “It’s high time we remove the bandage from an unequal healthcare system in South Africa that isn’t adequately equipped to cater to every patient,” says Annie Gwerengwe, Managing Director of Zarcare. “We are on a mission to revolutionise the healthcare…

Woolworths, in partnership with DSV and Everlectric, is the first South African retailer to embark on an extensive rollout of electric panel vans (EVs) to deliver their customers’ online purchases.  This move is part of the company’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and promoting sustainability in the retail industry. “Last year we announced our commitment to electric delivery vehicles, and we are delighted to now have nearly half our fleet powered by the sun.  The new electric vehicles have been introduced on selected routes in Cape Town and Gauteng with further rollouts and extensions into KwaZulu Natal planned to…

Cabinet is calling on all mining houses to register their tailing dams or mine residue deposit dams on the Department of Water and Sanitation database in order to ensure compliance with dam safety regulations. The Deputy President, Paul Mashatile, conducted an oversight visit in Jagersfontein, Kopanong Local Municipality in the Xhariep District of the Free State. The Deputy President focused on the efficient and equitable supply of water and resettlement of community members who were affected by the Jagersfontein Development Project Dam collapse, causing one death and injuring scores of people. In a Cabinet statement released on Thursday, Minister in…

Ukheshe has announced details of the brand evolution of Masterpass to Scan to Pay. Scan to Pay will continue to provide seamless instant payment technology to banks, merchants, PSPs and consumers that add to the ever-evolving cashless commerce and digital payments landscape. Scan to Pay enables seamless QR code transactions between merchants and consumers. Merchants benefit from effortlessly creating and managing static or dynamic QR codes to receive payments, while consumers enjoy the convenience, safety, and security of making payments using their mobile devices, without the need for cash or physical cards. Scan to Pay, Powered by Ukheshe is now…

ORT SA welcomed teachers from the Mbongeni Mgugudu Secondary School in Tsakane last week for the launch of the Coding and Robotics Tablet project in partnership with Astron Energy. Currently in its third year of implementation, the Coding and Robotics programme is part of ORT SA’s initiative to take ICT and STEM skills to schools and communities through a coding programme that brings these 21st-century skills to learners eager to absorb need-to-know tech knowledge at school and beyond. The committed teachers from the Mbongeni Mgugudu Secondary School demonstrate a high level of engagement and approach their tasks with professionalism. The…

SAS, the leader in analytics, will invest $1 billion over the next three years to further develop advanced analytics solutions targeted at the unique needs of specific industries. In banking, government, insurance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, energy and more, SAS will build upon its decades long focus on providing tailored solutions to industry challenges. This industry commitment and the rapid time-to-value these solutions deliver are key SAS differentiators. All industry solutions will run on SAS® Viya®, SAS’ cloud-native, massively parallel AI and analytics platform. “Businesses face many challenges, from the threat of economic recession and stressed supply chains to workforce shortages…

Africa’s super app ayoba today announced the achievement of a significant milestone – surpassing the 25 million monthly active users’ mark as we celebrate our fourth anniversary. This is up from 20 million monthly active users in December 2022. The platform is available globally but has a strong a focus on the African continent. Among key territories are Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Uganda and The Republic of Congo. “25 million is a significant milestone to pass on our fourth birthday,” says CEO Burak Akinci. “Our journey has been transformative, and the positive response from our users fuels…

Who still uses passwords like Pass.123, your spouse’s name followed by an @, or even the dreaded 1111? Or you have a strong password, but it’s written on a post-it note stuck to the bottom of your laptop? If this is you, you’re not just putting your personal information at risk – you could be offering criminals an easy way into your corporate network. In a recent ‘State of email’ survey, more than half of the local companies that responded believe that insufficient employee awareness of cyber threats is their greatest security challenge in 2023. Right near the top of…

Technology investment firm Iziko2.0, with supporting funding from RMB Ventures, has acquired a minority share in cybersecurity startup Port443, for an undisclosed amount, the companies have announced.   “The funding will be used to expand Port443’s reach further into the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region by adding key software development personnel, and supporting our marketing, sales and product enhancements for early adopters of next generation automations in cybersecurity,” says Port443 co-founder and director ML Conradie.   Cybersecurity research by Fortinet indicates that 91% of organisations expect increased security budgets in the next year to deal with increasing cybersecurity threats. It is…

The Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC), has announced a significant investment in revolutionary healthcare technology company Quro Medical. Through its venture capital initiative, Khulisani Ventures, MIC has invested R25 million in the startup, which is changing the way healthcare is delivered in South Africa. MIC Khulisani Ventures is geared towards unlocking the high-growth potential of scalable, innovative, Black-owned businesses. Quro Medical is a leading digital healthcare company transforming the healthcare landscape by making premium healthcare solutions accessible and affordable for everyone. The company’s innovative Hospital at Home Program is the first of its kind in Africa, offering patients high-quality medical care…

South African healthtech company Guidepost has provided an AI-powered chatbot to help South Africans living with diabetes better manage their condition. One in nine South Africans are affected by diabetes, which is also the number one killer of women and the second cause of death in the country. Daily self-management is critical to control diabetes and prevent devastating medical complications. Yet many people battle to cope. To assist with this dilemma, the new Guidepost chatbot supports patients by providing information specific to their unique challenges in a continuous and customised manner including personalised coaching. It also connects patients with Guidepost’s…

Payment24, the global platform provider specialising in payment and loyalty solutions, today announced that the organisation is enjoying continued growth, has significantly expanded operations and acquired several new logo clients as it diversifies its business beyond a provider of solutions for the fuel industry and banks only. In support, the company has also announced the significant global expansion of its operations into North America and Europe and ongoing product innovation with the launch of Cloud Switch, the expansion of its loyalty platform, the inclusion of artificial intelligence (AI) across its products, and a bold move into the electric vehicles (EV)…

Capitec, has leveraged WhatsApp’s rapidly evolving messaging technology to introduce an innovative chatbot education solution called MoneyUp Chat. The solution makes financial education available for free, in a fun format, on South Africa’s most widely used messaging platform. Jean Rossouw, Head of Social Responsibility at Capitec, says the solution is part of Capitec’s digitally led approach to providing financial education to South Africans. “MoneyUp Chat makes essential financial education widely accessible on an easy and familiar platform.” It delivers free conversational learning through interactive short courses and challenges. Users interact with ‘Moola’, a friendly chatbot, to learn more about topics…

Huawei South Africa has lent its support to a pioneering fibre optic technologies skills training programme targeting young women from three Johannesburg townships. The cohort of 19 selected participants, who all have a background in maths and science, spent a day at Huawei’s flagship Customer Solutions Innovation Centre in Woodmead, Johannesburg. Here the students were introduced to technology solutions in 5G networks, Cloud/AI, and big data among others and learned about digital solutions for specific business verticals.  They also had a formal training session relating to fibre deployment and a typical fibre project was unpacked and evaluated from start to finish.…

Property development partners, JSE listed Attacq Limited (Attacq) and Tricolt today host the grand opening of The Luna Cub, an exclusive multi-concept lifestyle destination for its residents with premium wellness, fine dining, business and leisure services. The Luna Club boasts retailers that include well-known fine dining restaurant, Olives and Plates, offering creative food concepts and exceptional services. Life Day Spa Waterfall and Trifit Wellness, are also set to open in the precinct. The lifestyle club further emphasises the excellent value Ellipse Waterfall has offered its investors leading to R 2.3 billion in sales to date. In 2020, the joint partners…

Telecommunications operator rain has announced that it has entered the mobile market for the first time. They are launching a new 4G mobile network, with high definition voice calls, data, SMS and national 4G mobile coverage. Up to now rain has primarily focused on the home internet market. rain began by launching South Africa’s first 4G data only network in 2018, and South Africa’s first commercial 5G network in 2019. Their 5G network has since expanded from metros to smaller towns and regions, covering over 7 million households. This makes one of the largest 5G network in the country and…

Eskom said due to lower weekend demand and the return to service of some generating units, Stage 3 and 4 loadshedding will be implemented this weekend. Please refer to the loadshedding table below: Eskom said it will publish a further update as soon as any significant changes occur. Breakdowns are currently at 17 245MW of generating capacity while the generating capacity out of service for planned maintenance is 4 468MW. Since yesterday morning, a generating unit each at Hendrina, Lethabo and Tutuka power stations have returned to service. “Over the past 24 hours a generation unit each at Camden, Kendal,…

Huawei has called on players across the solar industry to come together to develop high-quality solar PV benchmarks. The call, which was issued by Mr. Xia Hesheng, President of Huawei Sub-Saharan Africa’s Digital Power Business at Solar Show Africa 2023, comes at a pivotal time for the industry. With Africa home to 60% of the world’s best solar resources, solar PV has the potential to be a game-changer in providing affordable, clean energy to households, enterprises, and the wider electric grid. As Hesheng pointed out in his keynote speech at the conference, carbon neutrality, energy independence and business value are…

The Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) phenomenon is sweeping the local retail industry, with customer numbers surging as South Africans discover the joy of spreading the cost of their purchases across three months of interest and fee free, while receiving the goods immediately. But who’s using BNPL? And what are they buying with it? Interestingly, BNPL is not only used by lower income consumers, says PayJustNow CEO Craig Newborn. Around 4 in every 10 users are at least above average earners, if not high-income earners. They’re using it as a tool for improving their buying power, with many seeing it…