Author: Staff Writer
Ring is a company on a mission to make families feel safe and allow them to watch over their most prized possessions. Cycling has become a hugely popular hobby in South Africa and more and more consumers are purchasing bikes for their weekend rides. Ring has sleek, smart cameras that allow car and bike enthusiasts to keep watch over their vehicles and garages even when they are not at home. A popular device used for this function is the Ring Spotlight Cam Battery. Positioned outside your garage, it provides you with a bright light for entering and leaving your garage.…
MyBroadband Insights has released the Q2 2022 Mobile Network Quality Report, which shows that MTN has the best mobile network in South Africa. The report is based on 325,863 speed tests which were performed by 9,386 MyBroadband Speed Test App users across South Africa between 1 April 2022 and 30 June 2022. The research shows that South Africa had an average mobile download speed of 49.92Mbps and an average upload speed of 14.84Mbps. MTN had the highest average download speed at 79.27Mbps, followed by Vodacom on 44.24Mbps, Telkom on 30.79Mbps, Cell C on 24.04Mbps and Rain on 14.55Mbps. MTN’s exceptional…
In partnership with chordCash, Digital Music and Commerce Exchange Limited (DMCE) announces the launch of a new product— Orin Fund. Orin Fund is an e-commerce marketplace holding various forms of financial products for artists across Africa. Its first product which has the name of the fund itself is in partnership with chordCash, an American company that provides a patented technology to help artists get advances on their streaming royalties. In three simple steps, any African artiste can acquire the funds they need for their project between 7-14 days. Within the next few months, Orin Fund is expanding its products to…
On 8 June 2022, the Minister of Home Affairs announced a complete overhaul of South Africa’s immigration system. The first area of change is long term visa applications by foreign nationals wishing to stay for over three months in South Africa. However, these changes have already caused a backlog in processing visa applications. Visa submissions by this group previously went through Visa and Permit Facilitation Centres (VFS Centres) or through South African Missions. Then, one of the two centres would process applications and send the outcomes directly to the foreign national. Going forward, these visa applications will be processed through…
A household food basket in South Africa currently costs South Africans R4 688.81. This is a year-on-year jump of R560.57 (a 13.6% increase from June 2022 vs June 2021) affirming how financially stretched many South Africans are feeling. Add that petrol and diesel have just recently shattered the R25 per litre ceiling for the first time, electricity woes and rising inflation across the board, pockets are being seriously pinched. In this climate, Capitec’s Live Better Programme is making a massive difference. As of July 2022, the bank has helped its clients save R639 million. By December 2022, it aims to help…
Standard Bank is launching a new virtual internship initiative to help students gain practical skills and experience that mirrors the work they will do in the world of banking. Through its investment in education and skills development, Standard Bank supports access to inclusive, quality education and lifelong learning opportunities, and helping Africa harness the opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution. Standard Bank’s Virtual Experience Programmes provide access to critical components of workplace experience by way of content, case studies and assessments. There are no due dates to the programmes, registration is free for students, and they are open to all.…
South African businesses need to believe in broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) again if they’re going to make the most of their investments and the biggest impact on the country’s economy, says the founder of local venture builder and business incubator Aions Creative Technology, Mitchan Adams. For most businesses, B-BBEE has become about saving as much money as possible while getting the maximum points. That’s not surprising, as enterprise and supplier development (ESD) can comprise up to 40% of the B-BBEE scorecard. But in the rush to get their points and be compliant, they’re missing opportunities to be both cost-effective…
The Shoprite Group is offering all-inclusive bursaries for the 2023 academic year to high-performing students enrolled for degrees in Accounting, Information Technology, UI Design, Food Science and more. Every year the Group supports on average 300 students, at an investment of more than R17 million, with bursaries which cover tuition fees and on-campus accommodation. Bursary holders also have access to Shoprite’s employee wellness programme which includes access to medical advice, counselling services, financial coaching, legal advice and more. With a work-back agreement upon graduation, bursary holders are guaranteed employment and will benefit from invaluable practical experience and strong career growth…
The Spar Group has launched The Food Stall, which is rolling out across the deli service counters across many stores nationwide. The first Food Stall served customers in Ladysmith KwaZulu-Natal in April this year and since then, Greendale Superspar, Nqutu Superspar, Hillcrest KWIKSPAR and many more Spar stores have adopted this concept. According to Pianca Meintjies, Spar Group Home Meal Replacement Manager, The Food Stall will be a continuous focus for SPAR, with more being launched weekly. She adds that The Food Stall at Spar is community-focused and aims to provide customers with so many choices that they don’t have…
African insurtech aYo Holdings has launched a WhatsApp channel in its markets across Africa to make it easier for its customers to communicate with the company without the need for phone calls or in-person interactions. The new channel will allow aYo’s customers to submit documents as part of the claims process and access content like FAQs, videos, voice notes, and brochures using WhatsApp. Eventually, the company plans to build out the channel to the point where customers can sign up for cover and submit claims. The new WhatsApp channel is the result of a newly signed partnership with Clickatell, which…
How the customer is served has been one of the biggest evolutions in the retail industry’s digital transformation journey. Today’s customer wants omnichannel options, and each channel, whether in-store or online, must be a well-oiled machine delivering seamless, effective service. Today’s customer also prefers retailers to understand their needs and cater to them with greater personalisation than ever before. “Meeting these customer needs requires a connected, digitised supply chain,” says Lerato Motsoeneng, Managing Executive for Retail and Logistics at Vodacom Business. “Without the right digital infrastructure in place, retailers can’t evolve their user experience.” This infrastructure enables the creation of a…
The torrential floods that wreaked havoc in Kwa-Zulu Natal couldn’t have come at a worse time for the children of the Embo community in Hillcrest, whose nursery school was devastated by the rains that engulfed the province recently. Before the floods, the facility was already derelict and dilapidated due to shortage of funds to undertake regular maintenance. School Principal Ms Buyisiwe Ngongoma explains that the roof was caving in, the cupboards in the kitchen were mouldering, the only personal computer and printer were malfunctioning, the security doors were rickety, the playground was rundown, and the general appearance of the facility…
Companies looking for local software engineers might find they have lost them to Europe – without them leaving the country. This is because, while South African developers’ skills are increasingly in demand across Europe, they no longer need to emigrate to land these jobs. The past two years have been a massive learning experience for everyone, not least of all companies which have discovered that much of the work that they insisted could only be done from an office, could, in actual fact, be done remotely. Remote isn’t new, but it has changed things Europe has always been a popular…
Bang & Olufsen’s Beosound Level, a portable wireless home speaker that delivers impressive sound, unrivalled craftsmanship and a modular design that improves longevity. With its slim design and built-in recessed handle, portability is at the heart of Beosound Level. Whether standing upright in the kitchen, lying flat on a table or hanging gracefully on the wall, the speaker intelligently changes its tuning to deliver an exceptional music listening experience in any position, in any room. “Beosound Level is the ultimate speaker for people who want the flexibility and convenience of a portable speaker but don’t want to sacrifice on sound…
Audi South Africa has introduced the national availability of its new Audi connect plug and play device. This innovative technology solution is freely available to all customers whose vehicles have a model year introduction from 2008 onwards and that doesn’t currently offer Audi’s latest connected integrated technology. The Audi connect plug and play app (available on iOS/Android) lets your smartphone use Bluetooth and the Audi connect plug and play hardware to connect to your vehicle, turning it into a connected car in no time at all. “We understand that Audi customers are keeping their vehicles for a longer period of…
Volkswagen’s new T-Roc will retail from Volkswagen dealers on 5 July 2022. The T-Roc is positioned between the recently launched Taigo and the Tiguan in Volkswagen’s T SUV model range. Since market introduction in 2020, the Volkswagen T-Roc has sold 4 490 units in South Africa. The Design equipment line (available in the 1.4 TSI with 110kW and 2.0 TSI with 140kW) is offered with two-tone paintwork, chrome elements, background interior lighting and convenience seats. Standard features include LED headlights and taillights, a leather-wrapped multi-functional steering wheel (with paddle shift, Adaptive Cruise Control, High-Beam Control Light Assist and Autonomous Emergency…
Nkwe Platinum and South Africa Zijin Platinum, a wholly owned subsidiaries of mining company Zijin Mining Group, have joined hands with African telecommunications giant MTN and global ICT provider Huawei together, and signed a collaboration agreement to build the Southern Africa region’s first 5G-enabled smart metal mine. MTN and Huawei are to provide 5G-based ICT solutions for the smart mining requirements including, not only high-speed 5G broadband access, but also smart mining solutions like vehicle remote control, IoT, and enterprise digital transformation. Once complete, the mine will mark a significant step forward in the digital transformation of the local mining…
Vodacom Limpopo Region has invested more than R460 million into the network to increase coverage and meet the need for online access. This investment aims to boost socio-economic development in the region, as Vodacom strives to bridge the digital divide by making affordable connectivity accessible to all. “Our investment in network technology aims to expand broadband coverage and provide quality network service to our customers. As a result, we are enabling citizens across the region to reap the benefits of connectivity and not be left behind in a digitised society,” says Miguel Simoes, Managing Executive for Vodacom Limpopo Region. From…
LG Electronics (LG) today announced it has acquired South Korean electric vehicle (EV) charger solutions provider, AppleMango Co., Ltd., jointly with GS Energy and GS Neotek. The acquisition is expected to accelerate the growth of LG’s EV charging solution business and enable the company to take advantage of future business opportunities. This strategic move, combined with LG’s own expertise and wealth of experience in both B2C and B2B segments, will enable the company to create fully-featured charging stations boasting a user-friendly interface and real-time control/management. LG continues to strengthen its EV charging solution business leveraging its exceptional digital signage technologies…
Over the past 24 hours, Eskom experienced protests at nine of its power stations and other operating facilities, by some of its employees who have embarked on unprotected strike action following a deadlock in wage negotiations on Tuesday. These protests included incidents of intimidation of working employees and blockading of roads leading to power stations and other facilities, inhibiting the free flow of personnel and commodities required for the generation of electricity and smooth operations. The increased unavailability of plant has necessitated an extensive usage of emergency generation reserves, which are depleting faster than can be replenished. Eskom cautions the…
Vodacom, South Africa’s largest mobile phone operator, wants to connect a million unemployed South African youth to the gig economy. A gig economy is a free market system in which temporary positions are common and organisations hire independent workers for short-term commitments. The term “gig” is a slang word for a job that lasts a specified period of time. Traditionally, the term was used by musicians to define a performance engagement. In a bid to give youth a fighting chance in this tough economy, Vodacom said in a statement today that it has launched Get-a-Gig through NXT LVL with a three-year…
When the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) recently proposed linking biometric data to SIM cards, privacy concerns quickly cropped up. Would this mean constant surveillance or an increased potential for identity theft? A resounding no, and no, says Gur Geva, Co-Founder and CEO of iiDENTIFii, the leader in remote biometric digital facial authentication and automated onboarding technology. “Because biometric technology only started making its way into the mainstream relatively recently, consumers are still unsure of what the technology entails and how it may be used. This, naturally, leads to some misconceptions and fears. The reality is that opt-in…
The Shoprite Group has launched Shoprite Next Capital, a business division dedicated to capacitate and grow commercially-viable SMMEs to further the Group’s continued efforts to give small suppliers access to its consumer market. As drivers of growth, job creation and innovation, SMMEs are crucial to the recovery of the South African economy, and Shoprite Next Capital is the formalisation of the key role the Group plays in the success of SMMEs by giving them access to its consumer market. “With Shoprite Next Capital our aim is to further enhance the participation of small and emerging suppliers in our business.…
MTN is ranked first among South Africa’s mobile operators with a median 5G download speed reaching 213.37 Mbps in Q1 2022, followed by Vodacom, a report by speed test service Ookla revealed on Wednesday. Ookla, which owns and operates the popular speedtest.net Internet speed testing service, has published its latest Speedtest Global Index rankings for South Africa for the first quarter of 2022, said median upload speed suffered a nearly 40% decrease, going from 46.05 Mbps to 27.32 Mbps. “When we examined the State of 5G Worldwide in 2021, we concluded that it’s common to see new mobile access technologies…
BMW Group Plant Rosslyn, which builds the BMW X3 Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) for South Africa and around 30 export markets, has added 16 African countries to its portfolio. BMW Group Plant Rosslyn, situated outside Pretoria, has produced vehicles since 1968 and was established as the first BMW Group production facility outside Germany. Plant Rosslyn first produced the BMW X3 in April 2018, after a R6.2 billion investment to prepare it for production after close to 35 years of BMW 3 Series production. The investment – one of the biggest in the local automotive industry at the time – was…