tagresults
US e-commerce company Wish enters into partnership with South Africa Post Office
Global ecommerce platform Wish has announced a strategic partnership with South Africa Post Office (SAPO) to strengthen its logistics capabilities and customer experience for South African consumers.
FIS partners with Flutterwave to boost e-commerce in Nigeria and South Africa
In South Africa and Nigeria, FIS is offering domestic payment processing services through its previously announced agreement with payments technology company Flutterwave.
[South Africa] Karooooo lists on JSE’s Main Board
Karooooo, a software company, joined the JSE’s Main Board. Karooooo is the controlling shareholder of Cartrack, the previously JSE-listed fleet management and vehicle recovery specialists.
South Africa's Sasol to work alongside Linde, ENERTRAG and Navitas to explore potential of cleaner aviation fuels
Sasol announced it will work alongside a consortium comprising Linde, ENERTRAG and Navitas (LEN Consortium), to bid in concept for the production of sustainable aviation fuel under the auspices of the German Federal Government’s H2Global auction platform.
Sommet Education expands its global footprint with acquisition of South Africa's Invictus Education
Sommet Education together with Invictus Education Group announced that Sommet Education is acquiring a majority stake in Invictus Education alongside its historical shareholders.
[South Bank] Nedbank partners with Mastercard, Ukheshe to facilitate Whatsapp payments
A first in South Africa, the solution will enable merchants to send an invoice requesting a payment from any customer seamlessly through WhatsApp.
Azinam completes acquisition of 50% operated interest in Block 2B oil discovery offshore South Africa
Azinam South Africa Limited (ASAL), a Seacrest company, announced the completion of its acquisition of a 50% operated interest in Block 2B offshore South Africa.
KAS Africa secures $10 million investment to expand operations
KAS Africa, a contract manufacturer of personal, home, baby and oral care FMCG products, has received an investment with an aggregate value of $10 million from TRT Investments Limited.
Sasol, Toyota South Africa Motors announce green hydrogen mobility partnership
Sasol and Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) announced the formation of a partnership to commence exploration of the development of a green hydrogen mobility ecosystem in South Africa.
Panoro completes farm-in- to Block 2B offshore South Africa
Panoro Energy announced it has received governmental approval and closed the farmout agreement (“FOA”) on Block 2B offshore South Africa.
Grindstone Accelerator programme opens applications for 20 South African startups
Grindstone is an equity-free structured entrepreneurship development programme that assists high-growth innovation-driven SMEs in South Africa to become sustainable and fundable.
[Interview] Nick Treurnicht, Customer Engineer for Google Workspace, DigiCloud Africa, South Africa
Nick Treurnicht is the Customer Engineer for Google Workspace at DigiCloud Africa, Africa's Google Cloud Brokerage, specialising in Google Cloud products - including Google Cloud Platform, G Suite, Google Maps and Chrome.
South African Reserve Bank imposes administrative sanctions on Discovery Life
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB), imposed administrative sanctions on Discovery Life and directed the life insurer to take remedial actions.
[Africa Tech Review] Duncan Mochama: Twitter Opens First African Office in Ghana to Tap Fast-Growing Market
Twitter announced that it's finally coming to Africa. The microblogging site announced on Monday that it was opening a new office in Ghana, which it said was in line with its growth strategy.
South African digital health startup Quro Medical secures $1.1m seed funding to accelerate growth
Quro Medical, a South African digital health startup, emerged from stealth mode to announce the closure of its seed funding round to accelerate growth for Africa’s first technology-driven Hospital at Home offering.
African Bank Group appoints Kennedy Bungane as new CEO
The Board of Directors of the African Bank Group announced the appointment of Kennedy Bungane as the new CEO and as an Executive Director of the Bank and its holding company, African Bank Holdings (ABH), effective 14 April 2021.
[South Africa] Retailers need to meet online shoppers with an exceptional experience, Immersion Group
Consumers are embracing the e-commerce experience in growing numbers and corporate South Africa is taking serious notice, according to Geoff Hardy, Head of Digital, Immersion Group.
[South Africa] SYSPRO rebrands to enhance secured digital future for global manufacturers and distributors
SYSPRO, an industry-built ERP software solution designed to make things possible in key manufacturing and distribution industries, has unveiled its re-energized brand, visual identity and positioning to the market.
Agility opens new Logistics Park in Maputo, Mozambique
Agility, the global logistics and warehouse provider, opened a new Agility Logistics Park in Maputo, adding to its growing network of international-standard warehouse parks serving key African markets.
Sasol, Air Liquide launch renewable energy procurement programme for South African operations
Sasol and Air Liquide are inviting bidders to participate in a Request for Proposal (RFP) process for the supply of renewable energy to Sasol’s South African operations.
ThinkMarkets launches South African shares & ETFs offering
Brokerage company ThinkMarkets announced the launch of its South African shares and ETFs offering. The new, advanced technology is designed to deliver an accessible entry to investing into shares of companies listed on the JSE to local investors.
South African Reserve Bank imposes administrative sanctions on Deutsche Bank
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB), imposed administrative sanctions on Deutsche Bank AG - Johannesburg Branch (Deutsche Bank) and directed the bank to take remedial actions.
[South Africa] VBS Mutual Bank completes transfer of guaranteed retail deposits to Nedbank
The VBS Mutual Bank (VBS) liquidator, Anoosh Rooplal, announced that qualifying retail depositors, who had up to R100 000 in their VBS accounts, to redeem their funds at any Nedbank branch up until 8 July 2021.
South Africa ranked top global business services sector location for 2021
In a boost to business confidence, South Africa has won an award as the top global location for business process services, in a sector that is rapidly expanding locally and exporting call-centre and related services to other parts of the world.
Anglo American demerges South Africa thermal coal operations
Anglo American announced the demerger of its thermal coal operations in South Africa, subject to the approval of Anglo American’s shareholders on 5 May 2021.
Vodacom partners with AUDA-NEPAD on Covid-19 vaccine roll-out across Africa
The roll-out of mVacciNation, developed by Mezzanine, a member of the Vodacom Group, is the first project in a public-private partnership that has been formed between Vodacom Group and AUDA-NEPAD.
[South Africa] JSE welcomes listing of Sygnia’s global, sustainability-linked ETF
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) welcomed the listing of Sygnia’s Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), Sygnia Itrix S&P Global 1200 ESG ETF, on the Main Board.
[South Africa] Canadian software group Volaris makes a cash offer to acquire Adapt IT
The offer will be made by way of a scheme of arrangement to be proposed by Adapt IT to their shareholders.
NDB approves $1billion COVID-19 emergency program loan to South Africa
The New Development Bank (NDB) approved a $1 billion COVID-19 Emergency Program Loan to the Government of the Republic of South Africa for supporting South Africa’s economic recovery from COVID-19.
[Interview] Stephan Eyeson, fondateur et PDG, Survey54
L'entrepreneur Britanique-Ghanéen, Stephan Eyeson, est actuellement PDG et fondateur de la société panafricaine de collecte de renseignements sur les consommateurs, Survey54.
[South Africa] Nedbank enables business continuity and employee remote work with Nutanix
To ensure that the banking industry was able to provide its services and meet customer needs, Nedbank had to find a way for employees to work safely and productively from home.
West Africa welcomes data centers developments
While South Africa is home to the largest concentration of data centers on the African continent, the appeal of West Africa seems to be growing, with new developments planned for both Senegal and Nigeria.
ZTE implements Africa's first 3G/4G/5G Tri-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing solution in South Africa
ZTE Corporation, the international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet, announced it has implemented Africa's first live 3G/4G/5G Tri-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing solution.
[South Africa] Mazule Fuels Growth with Infor SunSystems and Sapphire Anywhere
Infor, the industry cloud company has announced that mineral and energy trading company Mazule has selected Infor SunSystems.
Vodacom Group, Vodafone Foundation contribute €4.2 million to support Covid-19 vaccine roll-out across Africa
The contribution will buy cold-chain technology and provide logistics support to help to ensure the safe delivery of Covid-19 vaccines that need to be stored at extremely cold temperatures.
[South Africa] JSE drives more transparency and liquidity, provides access to real-time market-making scheme
In an effort to increase liquidity and price transparency for Index Option contracts in the options market, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), will now be providing access to real-time, on screen pricing for its JSE Top 40 Index Options contracts.
[Nigeria] Africa Data Centres confirms build of 10MW Lagos data centre
Africa Data Centres, Africa’s largest network of interconnected, carrier- and cloud-neutral data centre facilities, has confirmed a significant investment into the construction of a new data centre facility in Lagos, Nigeria.
[Column] Shanon Ramdaw: Nine reasons to move asset management to the cloud
Shanon Ramdaw, Business Development Manager at iOCO, within iOCO Software Distribution, the local Infor Master Reseller, outlined Infor’s nine essential reasons for moving to the cloud.
[South Africa] Vodacom drops data rates to drive digital inclusion for all
Vodacom is reducing pricing on certain 30-day data bundles by up to 14% as part of its ongoing commitment to reduce the cost to communicate and connect more people to the digital economy.
[Africa Tech Review] Duncan Mochama: Women key to Africa’s digital transformation
Connecting women to the digital economy is critical to driving further economic growth and innovation on the African continent.
[South Africa] Government Appoints Cell C Among Preferred Mobile Communication Service Providers
Cell C has been appointed as one of the preferred service providers to the South African government for the delivery of mobile communication services. This is for the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2026.
Mastercard Foundation, DHL roll out e-Commerce platform Ananse Africa
The Mastercard Foundation and logistics market leader DHL, have partnered to roll out the most comprehensive, pan-African e-Commerce platform, Ananse Africa, to support creative entrepreneurs like fashion designers and artists.
[South Africa] Kusile Unit 3 achieves commercial operation, brings half the project to completion
Eskom announced that Unit 3 of the Kusile Power Station has achieved commercial operation status, bringing to three the number of generation units that have achieved commercial status at the project.
[South Africa] National Treasury appoints MTN as mobile communication provider to Government
South Africa’s National Treasury RT15 bid evaluation committee has appointed MTN SA as a service provider to government, through its new mobile communication services contract, known as RT15-2021.
[South Africa] Nedbank launches platform to unlock youth potential
YouthX has several components. The first is six prominent changemakers, who are all young people below the age of 35, who have seen success in their respective industries.
JSE lists first Social Bonds on its Sustainability Segment in South Africa
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), welcomed the first listed Social Bonds in South Africa to its Sustainability Segment.
South African security response platform AURA, announces UK launch
South Africa’s security response platform, AURA, has announced it will expand its footprint into the UK. AURA will offer its security response services to support and complement the UK’s response network.
[Nigeria] Access Bank receives nod to acquire South African Grobank
Nigeria’s Access Bank has announced that it has received the approvals of the South African and Nigerian regulatory authorities to its proposed acquisition of the South African-based Grobank Limited.
[Interview] Stephan Eyeson, Founder & CEO, Survey54
British-Ghanaian entrepreneur, Stephan Eyeson, is current CEO and Founder of pan-African consumer intelligence gathering firm, Survey54.
[South Africa] Liquid Intelligent Technologies increases access to digital services and high-speed connectivity
The completion of this fibre network will support the surging demand for high-speed internet as an increasing number of local businesses continue their digital transformation journeys.
HiiL opens applications for Justice Accelerator for Southern Africa startups
The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) has opened applications for this years HiiL Innovating Justice Challenge.
[Column] René Schoeman: Innovation Drives Compliance, Enhances Performance
South African businesses operate in a highly legislated landscape. With this comes immense pressure to ensure compliance or face heavy penalties.
[Column] Quinton Swart: Why boxed water is better? Thinking inside of the box when it comes to packaging water
Packaged water in South Africa is a growing market, commonly bottled in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. While this material is recyclable, more than half of plastic waste is not recovered, most of it ending up in landfill or in waterways.
Karpowership SA appointed as preferred bidder under the RMIPPPP
Karpowership SA (KPSA) has been announced by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), as a Preferred Bidder for projects in the Ports of Coega, Saldanha and Richards Bay, to provide power to South Africa’s national electricity grid.
Cybercrime worries on the increase, but Africa’s mobile users loath to leave WhatsApp, KnowBe4
Africa’s mobile users are increasingly concerned about mobile risks and the potential for digital identity theft; however, this is not stopping them from using their favourite messaging platforms and applications.
[South Africa] Building a successful multicloud strategy unlocks IT business value, Routed
South Africa’s cloud market is showing good signs of growth and development as enterprise customers begin to take serious notice of multicloud and its benefits.
South African email marketing company Everlytic extends its channel partnership programme across Africa
Everlytic, South Africa’s provider of multi-channel bulk messaging and automation-driven marketing software, recently launched its Channel Partnership Programme with the aim of partnering with like-minded businesses and agencies.
[South Africa] Vodacom reduces water usage by 63%, commits to halving environmental impact
Vodacom is implementing water saving strategies across its property portfolio by introducing water-wise gardens and a rainwater harvest dam on its Midrand campus.
[South Africa] JSE lists Germany’s DKR to its Main Board
DEUTSCHE Konsum Reit-AG (DKR), a German property company, listed on the Main Board of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), becoming the third company to join the exchange this year.
Netcare, Standard Bank launch Africa’s first sustainability-linked bond
Netcare, operator of hospitals and healthcare services in South Africa and Lesotho, launched Africa’s first sustainability-linked bond, in partnership with Standard Bank.
SEI South Africa achieves Level 2 B-BBEE Rating
SEI announced that its South African business, SEI Investments South Africa, achieved a Level 2 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Rating, scoring more than 95 points on its B-BBEE Certificate.
[Africa Tech Week] Duncan Mochama: Digital adoption in Africa supersedes other regions globally
Africa has been described as the fastest-growing continents in the world. This growth, according to an article published on Forbes has been fueled by a young rapidly urbanizing population.
Covid-19 will end but workplace culture will never be the same, Immersion Group
The onset of Covid-19 had organisations across the globe scrambling to find solutions to the sudden and widespread shift to remote work.
[South Africa] Different sectors make the most out of the Internet of Things, IOTIC
There are several sectors in South Africa that are already taking fast, bottom line-growing advantage of the Internet of Things (IoT). These sectors have pulled on the capabilities of cheap sensors,
Motus acquires 49% stake in GetWorth, South Africa
Motus Holdings, South Africa’s automotive group, acquired a 49% stake in GetWorth, a pioneering innovator in South Africa’s pre-owned vehicle industry.
Nedbank’s ‘Tap-on-phone’ empowers SMMEs with safe and secure contactless payments
Nedbank became the first bank to offer small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) the ability to turn their cellphones into a payment acceptance device with the launch of its Tap-on-phone functionality in October 2020.
Ukheshe Technologies and Infobip collaborate to create South Africa’s first WhatsApp payment gateway
Digital fintech enablement provider, Ukheshe Technologies, together with Infobip have developed South Africa's very first WhatsApp payment gateway for use by Telkom, one of the country's largest mobile operators.
[Africa Cloud Review] Simon Ngunjiri: Cloud adoption is now a necessity
Compared with other Data Centre markets around the world, Africa is unique in the sense it has a population of over 1.3 billion people and with a total landmass of 30,365,000 km.
Isuzu Motors South Africa extends SAP landscape to drive sales and customer experience
Previously, Isuzu’s sales team were relying on Excel spreadsheets, CRM tools, emails and portals to log, track and manage customer enquiries. This left them without a complete view over each customer and unable to accurately track the progress of the sales pipeline.
RES4Africa, SAPVIA partner to strengthen collaboration for Africa’s energy transition
RES4Africa and South Africa Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen their cooperation in the promotion and implementation of sustainable energy solutions.
South Africa ranked top food secure country in Sub Saharan Africa, GFSI
South Africa has been ranked the highest in food security out of 28 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This according to the latest Global Food Security Index (GFSI) report, despite an overall decline in food security.
[Africa Tech Review] Duncan Mochama: Digital Payments are key to financial inclusion in Africa
Digital payments have become a very crucial service in Africa. Every day, millions of transactions are transacted across the continent leading to the rise of different payment technologies like Mpesa.
[South Africa] HUAWEI Mobile Services and MTN launch a new billing method
Known as Direct Carrier Billing (DCB), the service will allow users to make purchases in HMS, including HUAWEI AppGallery, HUAWEI Video and HUAWEI Mobile Cloud, using your MTN airtime.
UK PACT supports South Africa’s low-carbon, inclusive green growth ambition
The South Africa-UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (South Africa-UK PACT) programme announced that ten projects have been awarded a total of over £3 million.
[South Africa] Citi launches digitized documentation for cross-border payments
Global investment bank Citi has announced the launch of a new service for its institutional clients that speeds up the processing of their cross-border payments through the digitization of supporting documents.
[South Africa] eThekwini Municipality Pioneers a Smart City with Free Public Wi-Fi
The eThekwini government has launched a three-year public Wi-Fi construction plan to provide convenient and accessible Internet to the public, empowering more citizens to enjoy the beauty of the digital world.
Global payments platform Nium enables customers to remit funds into four major African markets
Nium, an advanced global payments platform, has announced that its clients are now able to send funds to their business partners located in Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania, with more countries in the pipeline.
Oil and gas sector welcomes merger of South Africa’s iGas, PetroSA and Strategic Fuel Fund
The South African Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), announced the merger of Central Energy Fund (CEF) subsidiaries iGas, PetroSA and the Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF).
IFC invests in Bolt to expand mobility solutions, facilitate inclusive transport in emerging markets
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is investing in the global mobility platform Bolt to help expand access to mobility and delivery services in underserved urban areas in Africa and Eastern Europe, including in South Africa, Nigeria, and Ukraine.
HUAWEI Women Developers program drives technological innovation
Huawei officially launched its HUAWEI Women Developers (HWD) program, which aims to empower women developers to create applications and tools that can change the world.
Galvanize extends HighBond regional cloud offering to Africa and South America with new AWS Regions
SaaS governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) software leader Galvanize has announced that it now provides regional hosting in Africa and South America via local AWS Regions.
30 years old and behind bars - The story of the internet, IDC
The internet has turned 30, and it is facing an uncertain future in Africa, and the rest of the world. In January 2021, Uganda placed restrictions on citizen use of the internet during the elections.
[Africa Tech Review] Duncan Mochama: Investment in African startups is now stronger than ever
Despite the global economic slowdown caused by COVID-19, the case for investing in African startups is stronger than ever with new opportunities being announced every day.
NERSA approves 40MW solar plant generation licence for mining operations in South Africa
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), approved the issuing of a generation licence to GFI Joint Venture Holdings Proprietary and Gold Fields Operations, to operate a 40MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant.
Enygma Ventures targets Southern Africa women entrepreneurs with funding opportunities
Enygma Ventures, is looking for passionate women entrepreneurs to invest in. The venture capital fund was established by two successful women entrepreneurs who now invest in women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa.
Petredec acquires Quest Petroleum in South Africa
Petredec, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) trading and shipping company, completed the acquisition of Quest Petroleum, a fuels distributor in the Eastern Cape, which will now become part of the Petrefuel Business Division in South Africa.
ENGIE acquires 100 MW Concentrated Solar Power plant in South Africa
ENGIE has acquired from Abengoa a 40% equity stake in Xina Solar One, a 100 MW Concentrated Solar plant, as well as 46% of the Operations & Maintenance Company.
[Column] John Mc Loughlin: Malware - The biggest threat
A research study conducted by Deep Instinct reports on the hundreds of millions of attempted cyberattacks that occurred every day throughout 2020 showing malware increased by 358% overall.
Imperial acquires South African e-Commerce logistics specialist ParcelNinja
Imperial Logistics announced it acquired 60% of e-Commerce logistics business, ParcelNinja. ParcelNinja offers an outsourced warehousing and fulfilment business to South African online shops.
[South Africa] AURA partners with The Courier Guy for drivers and customer packages safety
AURA has partnered with The Courier Guy to ensure the safety of drivers and customer packages via a unique mobile panic app as well as a cutting-edge Internet-of-Things (IoT) linked panic button.
South African Educators develop mobile app for learning institutions
The Invigilator mobile app was developed in South Africa by lecturers who recognised the challenges of infrastructural limitations and academic integrity with assessments faced in our new learning environments.
IFC invests in Liquid Telecom bond to support broadband connectivity in Africa
IFC invested in a bond issued by a subsidiary of Liquid Telecommunications Holdings, which will allow the telecoms and technology solutions company to expand access to broadband Internet and digital and cloud services across Africa.
[South Africa] Honeywell And IDEMIA Partner to Develop Intelligent Building Offering
Honeywell and IDEMIA, today announced a strategic alliance to create and cultivate an intelligent building ecosystem that provides a more seamless and enhanced experience for operators and occupants alike.
South African TymeBank secures $110m investment from Apis Growth Fund II
South African digital bank TymeBank, secured an investment amounting to $110 million from Apis Growth Fund II, attracting new investors from the UK and Philippines.
Hyperscaler, Neutral Carrier, Cloud Player, the 2021 Datacentre Trends, IDC
There has been a revolution in behaviours and approaches that is shifting investment and innovation, and how datacentres provide services and provision for data and compliance.
[South Africa] Sibanye-Stillwater enters battery metals sector through investment agreement with Keliber
Sibanye-Stillwater entered into an investment agreement with Keliber, expected to be implemented in March 2021, subject to the approval by the South African Reserve Bank.
Standard Bank Group unveils Africa's first Hedera network node to enable digitization of cross-border trade processes
Standard Bank Group, the largest African bank by assets, has partnered with Hedera Hashgraph, an enterprise-grade distributed public ledger, and joined the Hedera Governing Council.
Comair resumes Johannesburg, Harare flights
British Airways operated by Comair, South Africa’s premium full-service airline, announced the reopening of bookings for daily regional flights between Johannesburg and Harare.
Two-thirds of South African SMEs struggle for tech talent, report
Two-thirds (67%) of South African small businesses struggle to source the right tech talent, according to research from the global small business platform Xero.
[South Africa] Tarsus Technology Group Appoints Anton Herbst New CEO
Tarsus Technology Group (TTG) has appointed Anton Herbst as its CEO with effect from 1 March 2021. Herbst takes over from Miles Crisp, who resigned earlier this month to pursue new interests.
platforms
COLUMNS.
[Column] Richard Rattue: How technology has shaped financial services
Going forward, capturing millennial and Generation Z investors will be no easy task for advisors who will need to be positioned to capitalise on those who are hungry for non-traditional personal finance solutions, with on-demand access ...read full column here
[Column] Wayne Miller: The role of the pandemic in transforming healthcare
Despite the many challenges of 2020, healthcare organisations have gained considerable insights and experience that will transform the sector well into the future ...read full column here
[Column] Sangji Lee: The case for a green economy
As countries develop revised national climate pledges, known as Nationally Determined Contributions, they’re doing so in the context of multiple historic crises: climate change, rising inequality, and the health and economic impacts of COVID-19 ...read full column here
INTERVIEWS.
[Interview] Nick Treurnicht, Customer Engineer for Google Workspace, DigiCloud Africa, South Africa
Nick Treurnicht is the Customer Engineer for Google Workspace at DigiCloud Africa, Africa's Google Cloud Brokerage, specialising in Google Cloud products - including Google Cloud Platform, G Suite, Google Maps and Chrome ...read full interview here
[Interview] Naike Moshi, Country Director, CVPeople Tanzania
CVPeople Tanzania is a talent acquisition and recruitment company that has for 6 years established itself as a frontrunner in the executive search and headhunting for clients across banking, telecom, and NGO sectors ...read full interview here
[Interview] Stephan Eyeson, Founder & CEO, Survey54
British-Ghanaian entrepreneur, Stephan Eyeson, is current CEO and Founder of pan-African consumer intelligence gathering firm, Survey54 ...read full interview here