Author: Staff Writer
New York-listed IHS Towers, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has completed the acquisition of 5,701 towers from MTN SA. Under the agreement, IHS Towers is also providing Power Management Services to MTN SA on approximately 13,000 sites, including the acquisition portfolio, across South Africa. The deal cash consideration is R6.4 billion on a cash and debt-free basis, excludes IFRS 16 lease liabilities estimated to be R4.6 billion. The acquired assets as well as the provision of Power Management Services across MTN SA’s portfolio are expected to…
International calling app Talk360, which enables people around the world to make reliable and affordable calls to any landline or mobile phone worldwide, has secured $4 million (R63 million) in funding as it prepares to launch a new pan-African payment platform in mid-2022. The seed round of funding was led by leading African venture capital investor HAVAÍC, 4Di Capital and several prominent fintech angel investors. While the Talk360 app is seeing rapid growth on the continent, with a growing number of paying users, accessibility has been an issue for the 500 million underserviced people. Users either don’t have online banking…
Comair has announced that regrettably it is obliged to suspend all British Airways (operated by Comair) and kulula.com flights pending successfully securing additional funding. The company’s business rescue practitioners (BRPs) have advised that the process to raise the necessary capital is in progress and that there is reason to believe such funding may be secured. Once received, the airline will be able to recommence operations, but regrettably under these circumstances, the practitioners have no choice but to voluntarily suspend all scheduled flights until the funding is confirmed. British Airways and kulula.com ticket sales have also been suspended with immediate effect. “We…
IoT.nxt, specialist Internet of Things (IoT) solutions provider and subsidiary of the Vodacom Group, appointed Vasin Govender as its Group CEO, effective 1 June 2022. Govender will take over the reins from Shane Cooper, who served as acting CEO since March 2021. “Vasin was appointed after an extensive executive search as we were looking for an individual who can accelerate IoT.nxt’s tech adoption around the globe. We have projects running in multiple countries in diverse industries but have only scratched the surface of what IoT.nxt’s award-winning technology can deliver,” says Wayne Fitzjohn, Chairman of IoT.nxt and CEO of Investment Holding…
Naspers, through its early-stage tech investment vehicle Naspers Foundry, announced a R40 million ($2.5 million) investment in LifeCheq, a FinTech platform empowering financial advisers to provide quality, holistic financial advice. The investment is part of Naspers’s R1.4 billion commitment to grow South Africa’s early-stage tech ecosystem and marks Naspers Foundry’s fifth fintech investment and eleventh tech transaction since its launch three years ago. LifeCheq plays a critical role in driving financial inclusion in South Africa by democratising access to financial advice – previously only accessible to high income earners. Accessible financial planning and advice are especially important during the current…
Vodacom subsidiary, Nexio today announced an exclusive strategic partnership with Poprush Cloud & Consulting, a differentiated cloud solutions provider. The partnership will further Nexio’s ambitions of becoming the leading cloud service provider in South Africa. With a deep understanding of the challenges of the modern cloud environment, Nexio assists organisations unlock the true value of their cloud investments. It offers complete migration and implementation services to modernise environments and optimise ecosystems. A properly managed multi-cloud architecture helps reduce time, cost, and risks of a company’s digital transformation, giving it the upper hand in a digital economy. Poprush Cloud & Computing…
4Sight’s Asset Simulation team, represented by its subsidiary Simulation Engineering Technologies (SET), has been chosen as one of two South African companies to run simulation projects at Australian Mining Company OZ Minerals’ Prominent Hill Mine. These projects are aimed at testing how simulation can help executives understand the impact of electrification on mine design and production, infrastructure and energy management. 4Sight’s Asset Simulation is now working to create a platform for developing and testing various layouts for the electrification of Prominent Hill’s mining operations. This Electric Mine Simulation crowd challenge was launched by the Electric Mine Consortium, which is made…
Viu South Africa has teamed up with Vodacom to offer customers Viu Premium subscription with Vodacom video data bundles. When signing up for Viu, subscribers will get the Viu Premium subscription plus mobile data at no additional cost, to easily binge-watch Viu content, creating a care-free experience on the go. Viu Daily Premium subscription starts from as little as R5 a day and is bundled with a free 250MB daily recurring video data bundle. The Viu Monthly Premium subscription is R69 per month and it comes with a free 3GB monthly recurring video data bundle. In addition, Viu Premium subscribers…
MTN Group today announced the appointment of Tumi Chamayou as Group Executive: Enterprise Business Unit (GEBU), effective 1 June 2022. Tumi joined the GEBU team in 2018, as General Manager for Large Enterprise Sales, and has been Acting Executive for the function since July 2020, until now. During this time, she has added immense value, overseeing client segment teams as well as the overall strategy and operational alignment with EBU teams in MTN’s Opcos. Jens Schulte-Bockum, Group Chief Operating Executive said, “Tumi has the expertise and track record to assist in bolstering the leadership capability of MTN Group. Critical…
While every business, irrespective of size, is vulnerable to payment fraud worrying gaps in South African motor dealerships’ payment systems put the entire sector at risk. Ryan Mer, CEO at eftsure Africa, a Know Your Payee™ (KYP) platform provider, says the most common thread in cases of fraud is the human element which can involve sophisticated fraudsters or unscrupulous employees. In either case, strengthening processes and protocols can mean the difference between being an easy target and stopping fraud in its tracks. Scenario 1: The external risk of a walk-in criminal A client wants to sell their car. They present…
SearchWorks has announced a relaunch of its brand identity. South Africa’s most innovative data aggregation platform says it has evolved its brand identity in a manner that pays homage to its roots as a data offering of e4, and now through impressive growth, become its own entity with an extensive list of unique offerings and capabilities. Established in 2012 the SearchWorks platform allows users to conduct live, accurate searches on individuals and companies and administer in-depth KYC checks online. The brand refresh is also a nod to the vibrant and ever-changing tech environment in which relevant products, services, and data…
JSE-listed retailer Pepkor, which owns household brands including PEP, Ackermans, Tekkie Town, The Building Company and Incredible Connection, delivered another strong set of interim results underpinned by a robust growth strategy. During the period under review, Pepkor also opened 144 new stores and completed its strategic acquisition of well-established Brazilian value retailer, Grupo Avenida, which currently operates 130 stores. The group generated R4.1 billion cash during the period. Like many other companies, Pepkor’s performance over the last two years has been deeply distorted by a myriad of interruptions and crises, such as COVID-19 related restrictions, loadshedding, on-going supply chain challenges,…
Attacq, the JSE-listed REIT and developers of the iconic Waterfall City precinct, announced the appointment of David Oosthuizen as Development Executive and Lourens Du Toit as Head of Sustainability, Infrastructure and Land. Both new appointments are as a result of internal promotions, an indication of the strength of the talent pipeline that has been built. Jackie van Niekerk, Attacq CEO, says, “Attacq has promoted two individuals who embody the characteristics, qualifications, and skills needed to carry out our broader corporate strategy. Promoting from within has allowed us to develop and retain core competencies. David and Lourens have an excellent understanding…
Commvault, an enterprise leader in intelligent data services across on-premises, cloud, and Software as a Service (SaaS) environments, has partnered with Logicalis for them to be an integrator for Metallic SaaS platform Via the Microsoft Market Place in the region. They will be the first Microsoft/ Commvault partner to launch this service on Microsoft Market Place. Gerhard Fourie, Channel Lead at Commvault Africa, explains the deal stems from Commvault’s drive to select partners that are aligned with its ethos and go to market strategy, underpinned by Logicalis’ global alliance footprint with major players such as Microsoft and Cisco. “This, as…
A South African business outsourcing provider has announced the appointment of a new director who will be responsible for bringing in new clients and delivering growth across the country’s domestic market. Sigma Connected South Africa, which offers expertise in customer contact and collections across South Africa’s utilities, retail, financial services and telecommunications sectors, has appointed Nompumelelo Nyawo as New Business Development Director based in Johannesburg. Reporting to Managing Director David Neale, Nompumelelo’s role will be to identify new business development opportunities, support the growth of the company’s product offering, and expand Sigma’s presence across South Africa’s public and private sectors…
Africa Day was established to celebrate and acknowledge the progress that Africa has made in the last 58 years. It’s an important milestone on the South Africa calendar, and with good reason. Although the continent doesn’t have as many unicorns and successful businesspeople and ideas as the developed world can claim, South Africa’s entrepreneurs are ahead of the fray when it comes to promoting economic growth and building platforms that increase access to Africa’s vibrant and promising markets. Two South African Fintech businesses that have scaled, or are planning to, beyond our borders and into the continent are MFS Africa…
Volvo Car SA reported its highest ever premium segment share in April 2022, demonstrating the local market’s growing appetite for electrified vehicles from the Swedish marque. In March 2022, Volvo Cars South Africa announced all model ranges within its local line-up had gained some option of electrification – comprising mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric variants – in line with Volvo’s global ambitions of transforming into a fully electric car company by 2030. The very next month, Volvo Car SA achieved a record of over 12% share of South Africa’s premium segment, up from the 10.7% figure reported a year prior…
Tyme Group has announced a series of leadership changes as it embarks on the next chapter of its growth strategy. This follows TymeBank’s rapid growth in South Africa, where the bank is becoming entrenched as the credible alternative to legacy banks as it continues to make a real difference in the lives of consumers with its low-cost banking offering, high levels of customer satisfaction and the successful introduction of several products and services since launching in February 2019. At the same time, Tyme Group, which has always aspired to be a multi-country business, is strengthening its position as an international…
Swift action by the Shoprite Group following the July 2021 unrest and the April 2022 floods in KwaZulu-Natal meant its supermarket operations were back up and trading in record time – and Shoprite Technology played a critical role in making this happen. After last month’s devastating floods, Shoprite Technology managed to get stores and the Group’s distribution centre – critical to its operations in the area – back online within hours. A field technician even braved extreme conditions to successfully install a 3G link after the Group lost all connectivity when its fibre and wireless links were both destroyed. Swift…
TinSky Connect has successfully completed the installation of 15 OneWeb antennas and customer provided equipment at a Satellite Network Portal (SNP) or gateway facility in Accra, Ghana. OneWeb is a global communications network powered through space, enabling connectivity for governments, businesses, and communities. Tinsky Connect was selected as OneWeb’s technical engineering partner for its first west African SNP. The gateway is located in Tema on the outskirts of Accra, Ghana on a site of six hectares. The site is owned and run by ComSys who will continue to host the gateway on behalf of OneWeb. Alan Geldenhuys, Executive Director of…
Distributed Power Africa (DPA), a business of Cassava Technologies, and Électricité de France (EDF), a world-leading electricity company, entered into a partnership to develop hybrid energy solutions for businesses in South Africa. Through a 50% shareholding in DPA operations in South Africa, EDF will fuel the development of distributed energy solutions, starting with a pipeline of more than 75 MW, and enable DPA to provide an improved offering to its Commercial & Industrial (C&I) customers in South Africa. In addition, this investment will allow DPA to generate hundreds of new construction jobs in the country, adding a much-needed boost to…
Cash is still king in South Africa. But according to Anton van der Merwe, COO of leading pan-African fintech enablement partner, Ukheshe Technologies, its long reign is increasingly under threat as businesses and consumers begin counting the real, hidden costs behind cash transactions. Whether its via cash, credit card, QR, crypto, or a smartphone wallet, financial transactions all take place within a complex system. Some parts of that system make use of coins, notes, or physical cards, while other parts of the system digitally move money between buyers, sellers, banks and other parties. Every payment method comes with its own…
The pandemic has created a Covid-19-apocalypse of unemployment. In the first quarter of 2021, Statistics South Africa reported these alarming figures for youth unemployment: • Youth account for 60% of total unemployment • 46.3% of youth aged 15-43, and over 63% aged 15-24 are unemployed • 40% of graduates aged 15-24, and 15% of graduates aged 25-34 are unemployed • 32.4% of youth aged 15-24 are not in employment, education or training At the same time, the youth population in Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to double to over 830 million by 2050, bringing unprecedented opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation. With…
Johannesburg based FinTech company, Bitventure, a provider of state-of-the-art real-time automated verification and payment solutions, has acquired industry leading smart payment provider EasyDebit. The acquisition is set to bolster the company’s efforts to protect businesses against fraud while facilitating payment collections to increase cashflow and optimise onboarding processes. Bitventure CEO Junior Biola points out that fraud has become a growing concern in the post-pandemic world. “With online commerce growing significantly, cybercrime and fraud has become a real challenge for many companies. Consider, for example, that according to the 2022 PWC Global Economic Crime and Fraud survey, 46% of companies interviewed…
African insurtech aYo Holdings has taken the next step in its ongoing technology transformation by rolling out a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to underpin its ambitious growth plans across the continent. aYo, which is 100% owned by MTN, has more than 16 million enrolled customers using its microinsurance products across Uganda, Ghana, Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire, with a vision of growing into the largest financial services technology platform in Africa by providing a range of affordable and accessible micro financial services products. The company’s new Oracle NetSuite ERP system replaces its previous on-premise solution, which was battling to…