Author: Staff Writer

Rather than merely waiting for the slower pace of legislative alignment across provinces, the online betting industry is looking toward “technical harmonisation” as a precursor to legal change. In this scenario, technology serves as the bridge that allows both sides to meet in the middle. While the global iGaming landscape often struggles with fragmented rules that polarise stakeholders, there’s a unique trend in the South African market which a recent survey at the 2026 SiGMA Africa iGaming conference at GrandWest casino found: a shared desire for technical harmonisation across industry players and regulators alike. According to the SOFTSWISS SiGMA Africa…

Vuma, a Maziv company, has reached a significant national milestone, connecting 1,000 schools across South Africa to fibre, unlocking digital resources and new opportunities for teaching and learning. The milestone was marked today at Molamo Primary School in Limpopo, where government leaders, educators and industry stakeholders gathered to reflect on the role connectivity is playing in shaping the future of education in South Africa. This initiative represents one of the most meaningful private-sector contributions to school connectivity in the country. By connecting schools to fibre, it’s helping unlock access to digital tools, information and platforms that were previously out of…

Rental agencies operate in one of real estate’s tightest financial windows. In a matter of days, they must collect rent, reconcile it to the correct lease, pay suppliers and municipalities, and get landlords their money before bond debit orders hit. Traditional bank transfers – which can take 48 hours and stall over weekends or public holidays – make that window even narrower. Rental property management platform Reos is changing that – becoming the first in South Africa to make all outgoing EFTs instant by default, without the premium price tag. “Beyond the obvious cash flow benefits, moving away from legacy…

AI Diagnostics, a South African medtech company, has raised R85 million in a pre-Series A funding round to accelerate deployment of its AI-powered Ostium digital stethoscope, enabling early tuberculosis (TB) screening without specialist equipment or infrastructure. The round was led by The Steele Foundation for Hope, with participation from the iFSP Group, and Global Innovation Fund, and follow-on from key early angel investors. Previous rounds included industry leaders, Africa Health Ventures and Savant. Funding supports clinical research and validation, continued development of the product and AI model, and the operational infrastructure required to scale a medical device business in South…

SITA’s 2025 Air Transport IT Insights report finds that, while the air transport industry invested a record $50.8 billion in technology in 2025, a common obstacle keeps emerging: where data does not flow freely between systems and partners, that investment cannot fully deliver what it was designed to unlock. The cost of this data coordination gap is higher than ever now that the conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt the industry at a global scale. Operators investing in closing that gap are building foundations that will outlast the current disruption. “We are publishing this research at a moment…

Globalstar satellites, radio frequency spectrum, and operational expertise will enable Amazon Leo to add Direct-to-Device (D2D) services to future generations of its low Earth orbit satellite network. New Amazon Leo D2D system will help mobile network operators extend voice, text, and data services to customers beyond the reach of terrestrial cellular networks. Amazon and Apple enter agreement for Amazon Leo to power satellite services for supported iPhone and Apple Watch models, allowing users to text emergency services, message friends and family, request roadside assistance, and more. Today Amazon.com, Inc. and Globalstar, Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive…

The recent influx of new automotive brands and models into South Africa has significantly revitalised the local industry – a trend clearly reflected by the robust growth in monthly sales figures. However, this market enthusiasm isn’t reserved solely for entirely new entrants. Updates and facelifts to established product lines generate a similar level of anticipation among consumers. While the appeal of the latest safety and convenience technologies is undeniable, price-conscious buyers often view the arrival of an updated model as the perfect window for strategic bargain hunting. But is choosing a ‘run-out’ or discontinued model a risky compromise? The most…

The City of Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Directorate continues to install Smart Speed Signs (SSS) on request from wards across Cape Town. The City has noticed a 25% reduction in vehicles that exceed the speed limit at some of the locations where these signs have been installed. There are currently 10 smart speed signs in Cape Town and another four are in the planning process. The City’s Transport Network Technology team implements the roll-out of these signs on request from wards who fund these.  The smart speed signs detect the speed of a vehicle and then displays the measured speed…

Jonathan Smit, the founder and former Managing Director of Payfast, has announced his acquisition of iVeri, one of Africa’s longest-standing payment technology providers. The move marks a significant shift in the continent’s fintech landscape, bringing together iVeri’s nearly 30-year legacy of robust payment infrastructure and the vision of one of South Africa’s most accomplished entrepreneurs. “Payments keeps drawing me back because it is infrastructural in nature,” Smit explains. “Trends come and go, but the need to move money never does, and that is exactly where I want to be. The acquisition is a return to those roots. For decades, iVeri…

HOSTAFRICA has unveiled its dedicated NVIDIA RTX PRO GPU servers at Digital Parks Africa’s (DPA) Samrand data centre, launching its fully localised GPU‑as‑a‑Service offering. The launch brought together industry leaders, tech partners and customers for a first-hand look at the platform in action, including live demonstrations of the high-performance infrastructure now available locally. Built to support organisations running Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, rendering, and other data-intensive workloads, the platform is powered by  NVIDIA RTX 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs with 96GB of GDDR7 memory. This enables the handling of large‑parameter models, high‑volume inference and enterprise‑grade AI applications within South African…

The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) announced today that it welcome the judgment delivered by the Gauteng Division of the High Court on 23 March 2026, which interdicted Fusion from issuing its construction guarantees and confirmed the FSCA’s longstanding position that registration under the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (NCA) by a party issuing guarantees does not exclude the application of the Insurance Act 18 of 2017 (“Insurance Act”) to those guarantees. Whether a guarantee falls under the Insurance Act depends on the facts of each guarantee, measured against the meaning of insurance business under the Act. In this…

The rise of AI is putting new pressure on infrastructure as organisations reconsider how they store, manage, protect and use data. Against this backdrop, Huawei’s annual IT Day focused on the growing need for intelligent storage and computing. The event drew more than 400 customers and partners, with Huawei showcasing its latest AI data infrastructure, all-flash storage and virtualisation. The conversation centred on the growing need for closer collaboration as businesses face cyber threats and the demands of AI. Kui Zheng, CEO of Huawei Enterprise Business Group in South Africa, said this year’s IT Day is built around a critical…

As climate pressures intensify and energy demand grows, Africa must cut carbon emissions while expanding access to reliable, affordable power that supports development, jobs and digital inclusion. Yet many sectors – from telecommunications and healthcare to mining, logistics and manufacturing – still depend on carbon-intensive, costly diesel generators due to weak grid infrastructure and unreliable electricity supply. Addressing this challenge at scale will require multi-sector collaboration, coordinated action across public and private stakeholders, and energy system reforms that unlock investment in renewable and decentralised energy solutions. It is against this backdrop that Vodacom Group has released a new white paper,…

Fraud has entered a new phase. What was once opportunistic cybercrime is now operating as a coordinated, technology-driven system. A new global threat assessment from Interpol warns that financial fraud has evolved into one of the fastest-growing forms of transnational organised crime, now sitting at the centre of criminal ecosystems enabled by AI, low-cost tools and global collaboration. “AI has fundamentally changed the economics of fraud,” says Matthew Renirie, Co-Founder of Certified AI Access. “AI has fundamentally changed the economics of fraud.” He warns that recent data points to a sharp acceleration: Deepfake fraud has increased more than tenfold globally…

OPPO today officially announced the launch of the OPPO A6, a powerful addition to its A6 Series, designed to deliver ultimate endurance, extreme durability and long lasting performance for South Africans who demand more from their devices. Built to handle demanding routines and unpredictable conditions, the OPPO A6 combines a massive battery, IP69 rated protection and optimised performance into a device that is engineered to go the distance, day after day, year after year. The A6 Series lineup also includes the A6 Pro and A6x, with the A6k set to arrive in South Africa in May, expanding the range to…

Sentiv (Pty) Ltd, a leader in mission critical communications and intelligent technology solutions, today announced the acquisition of a majority equity stake in Visiosoft, a South African technology company specialising in advanced IoT Hardware and data-driven solutions. The transaction marks a significant milestone in Sentiv’s growth strategy, reinforcing its commitment to building an integrated ecosystem that combines mission critical communications, IoT, and intelligent software platforms to deliver enhanced operational visibility, automation, and decision-making capabilities. As part of the transaction, Sentiv will work closely with Visiosoft through a strategic collaboration framework, providing operational, technical, and strategic support to accelerate product innovation,…

Industrial connectivity and digital transformation specialist Sedna Africa has strengthened its executive leadership team with the appointment of Shawn Nortje as Operations Director and Raymond Mhlongo as Technical Director, reinforcing the company’s ability to support the growing demand for advanced connectivity solutions across Africa’s mining, logistics, energy and heavy industry sectors. The appointments come at a time when industries across the continent are accelerating the adoption of industrial IoT, Mobile Private Networks and data-driven operational technologies to improve safety, productivity and operational visibility. According to Sedna Africa Managing Director Anton Fester, the appointments recognise the impact both leaders have already made…

Endeavor South Africa has announced the close of Harvest Fund III at R230 million. This venture fund brings together both entrepreneurs and institutional investors focused on backing and scaling the next generation of high-growth technology businesses across South Africa – and paying their successes forward. Harvest Fund III is a rules-based co-investment fund that invests alongside qualified lead investors, with the bulk of capital allocated to Series B and later-stage companies. The fund builds on the momentum of Harvest Fund II, and reflects growing confidence in the sector. Harvest Fund III reached its final close following a first close of…

Eskom today announced the successful redemption of its ES26 bond, marking a decisive milestone in the utility’s journey toward financial independence. First issued in March 2007 as a R500 million tranche at a coupon of 7.85%, the ES26 bond grew to an outstanding amount of approximately R38 billion over its 19-year tenure. This growth reflects strong and sustained support from investors. “The redemption of the ES26 bond is a testament to the utility’s turnaround trajectory and our commitment to rigorous financial governance,” said Eskom Group Chief Executive, Dan Marokane.. “This achievement is a result of the structured support provided under…

Dar es Salaam, April 2nd, 2026: Vodacom Tanzania today announced the successful transformation of its M-Pesa platform following a $28 million strategic investment, marking one of the most significant fintech infrastructure upgrades in the country’s history. The move transitions M-Pesa from its legacy G2 system to a next-generation financial technology platform built for scale, resilience, and innovation, positioning Vodacom to meet the accelerating demand for secure and seamless digital financial services across Tanzania. “This investment is about futureproofing one of Tanzania’s most important financial platforms. We are strengthening the foundation of M-Pesa to ensure it remains secure, reliable, and ready…

Maziv, South Africa’s leading open-access fibre infrastructure provider, has announced a landmark R9 billion investment pledge at the sixth South Africa Investment Conference. This significant capital commitment, spanning the next five years, is set to accelerate the country’s high-speed digital rollout and includes a dedicated pledge to create 10,000 direct and indirect job opportunities over 7 years, reinforcing Maziv’s role as a primary driver of South Africa’s digital economy and infrastructure development. The pledge follows the approval of Vodacom’s acquisition of a 30% stake in Maziv by the Competition Commission and ICASA and marks a transformative chapter for Maziv and…

A study by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the National Planning Commission (NPC) has laid bare the scale of investment required to connect every South African household to high-speed broadband by 2035. The newly completed South Africa’s Digital Connectivity Investment Roadmap to 2035 provides a comprehensive assessment of the country’s progress toward universal broadband access. It identifies critical investment gaps, priority actions, and partnership opportunities needed to expand reliable high-speed infrastructure and accelerate the shift toward an inclusive digital economy. The research translates national digital policy ambitions into a rigorous, costed, and fiscally aligned investment roadmap for Digital Connectivity…

After just two years at the helm, Harry Kellan is stepping down as CEO of FNB, with Lytania Johnson appointed as his successor as part of a sweeping restructuring across FirstRand’s banking operations. Kellan, who took over as FNB CEO in April 2024 after serving a decade as FirstRand group CFO, will retire early at the end of 2026—bringing a 22-year career with the group to a close. Johnson brings 25 years of experience at FNB to her new role, having led the personal banking segment for the past three years. She will now serve as FNB CEO while also…

Healthbridge, South Africa’s leading health technology company, has acquired Nora, an ambient AI medical scribe that converts doctor–patient conversations into structured clinical notes, reducing administrative burden and saving doctors up to three hours a day, allowing more time for patient care. The deal marks a significant AI acquisition in South African healthtech. Developed by Nora AI, a London-based healthtech start-up, the transaction concludes an 18-month incubation partnership in which Healthbridge held a minority shareholding and signals the company’s commitment to embedding AI capabilities directly into the core of its Healthbridge Clinical platform. The numbers behind the deal are hard to…

Huawei South Africa showcased its Xinghe portfolio of AI-driven networking solutions at its IP Club 2026 event. AI-driven networking is moving from theory to deployment, and Huawei South Africa is leaning into that future. A key part of that is its Xinghe portfolio – a suite of AI-driven solutions designed to secure and optimise enterprise networks – showcased at IP Club 2026. The event drew more than 450 customers, partners and industry stakeholders. This shift is driven by growing pressure from increasingly sophisticated, AI-driven cyber threats. As these threats evolve, traditional security models are falling short. Companies now need systems…