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[South Africa] Realness Institute and Netflix Extend 2022 Episodic Lab and DET Entry Deadline For African Writers
Realness Institute in partnership with Netflix has extended calls for submissions calls for the 2022 Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship (DET) programmes from African writers.
Eco (Atlantic) announces strategic acquisition offshore South Africa and Namibia
Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas, the oil and gas exploration company focused on the offshore Atlantic Margins, announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to acquire 100% of Azinam, including Azinam's entire offshore asset portfolio.
[Column] Wale Arewa: Eliminate Risk with Data Erasure
Data erasure is the software-based method of securely overwriting data from any data storage device using zeros and ones onto all sectors of the device.
[Column] John Mc Loughlin: The greatest asset becomes the biggest risk
Companies deploy multiple security, intelligence and productivity monitoring tools in the hopes of working smarter and safer. However, none of these solutions focus on the humans driving day-to-day operations.
The MultiChoice Bursary Scheme is now open for the 2022 academic year
MultiChoice South Africa has opened applications for its R20 million bursary scheme for the 2022 academic year. The MultiChoice South Africa Bursary Scheme aims to help approximately 200 students.
Digital Realty to acquire majority stake in Africa’s largest data centre services provider Teraco
Based in Johannesburg and established in 2008, Teraco is Africa’s largest data centre services provider. The company offers vendor-neutral colocation and other related services in secure and resilient data centres.
South Africa E-commerce industry to reach $7.9 billion by 2027, research
The South Africa E-Commerce market is poised to reach $ 7.9 Billion by 2027 from $4.5 Billion in 2021 according to a recent report by Research and Markets.
Africa ranks highest at 273% in streaming services, report
Streaming services in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and other parts of Africa, ranked highest at 273 per cent ahead of other regions of the world.
South Africa’s office and work-from-home plans have changed for 2022
In June 2021, an estimated 50% of the South African workforce was working from home full-time, with the Covid-19 pandemic fundamentally changing views on where and how people work best.
[South Africa] Survey shows less than 5% GDP growth for 2021
SA’s recovery from its deepest economic contraction in almost three decades risks stalling due to the fallout from a fourth wave of coronavirus infections driven by the Omicron variant.
South Africa agriculture sector ends difficult year on good note
South Africa’s agricultural sector will end 2021 on a “positive note” following bumper harvests and increased exports.
[Column] Cameron Beveridge: How South African organisations are using tech to succeed despite disruptions
South African small, medium and large enterprises are using technology at an unprecedented scale to help manage the uncertainty and disruption caused by the pandemic and broader changes in the business and consumer landscape.
IFC, Nedbank issue green bond to fund green residential developments in South Africa
To help improve access to certified green homes in South Africa, IFC and Nedbank have announced the issuance of a green residential development bond under Nedbank's domestic medium-term note program, with IFC as the anchor investor.
[South Africa] SAA signs interline agreement with CemAir to extend route network reach
South African Airways (SAA) has signed a co-operation agreement with local and regional carrier CemAir, to extend the route network reach of both operators and offer customers a seamless check-in experience.
[Column] Mamolefe Molefe: Five reasons why Android users should download AppGallery
Released globally in April 2018, HUAWEI AppGallery is now available in more than 190 countries, including, South Africa. In such a short space of time, it has already become one of the top used App platforms in the world.
[Column] Ryan Mer: Payment fraud – top five scams to look out for
Fraudsters are constantly finding new ways to exploit vulnerabilities and attack corporate payment systems and it’s critical that we all work together and share information to remain one step ahead of scammers.
IFC to support RH Bophelo to attract new investors to fund healthcare expansion plan
IFC announced a partnership with RH Bophelo, a South African healthcare investment holding company that invests in the healthcare sector with a focus on low- and middle-income earners in South Africa.
South Africa's Alexander Forbes appoints Daniel Mminele as Board Member and Chair Designate
Aaron Daniel Mminele has been appointed as an independent Non-Executive Director and Chair Designate of the Board of Directors of Alexander Forbes and member of the nominations and remuneration committees of the company, effective 1 January 2022.
[South Africa] Vodacom launches Easy2Own to accelerate smartphone access in the prepaid market
To drive smartphone accessibility, Vodacom has launched the Vodacom Easy2Own proposition, for customers to purchase a smartphone and after a once-off deposit, pay it off in affordable monthly payments.
[Column] Andrew Cruise: Moving to the cloud – is it right for your business?
And though only around 5% of the South African enterprise market is fully on the cloud, according to Cruise, many more are now considering this option.
Africa Data Centres selects DPT to provide renewable energy for its data centres in South Africa
Africa Data Centres has selected Distributed Power Technologies (DPT) to provide renewable energy and storage solutions for its data centres across South Africa.
Kaspersky reports on next-level gamechangers in ransomware distribution and monetisation in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria
Nigeria saw an unexpected 40% decrease in cyber threats with South Africa and Kenya seeing a growth in the attacks of 23% and 6,9% respectively
South African proptech firm e4 expands to the UK
After 21 successful years in the South African PropTech industry, digitalisation specialist e4 is expanding into European markets.
UNICEF and Liquid Intelligent Technologies launch partnership to help Giga bridge the digital divide in Africa
UNICEF and Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a business of Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology group, announced a partnership in support of Giga’s work to connect every school to the Internet and every young person to information, opportunity, and choice.
South African tech company e4 announces international expansion to the UK
As one of the pioneers of property digitalisation, in South Africa e4 has established a significant client base including major South African lenders and law firms and has identified a similar opportunity in the UK market.
[South Africa] JSE approves listing of Transsec 5’s five social bonds
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has approved the listing of Transsec 5’s five social bonds aimed at improving access to public transport by funding SMMEs, primarily in the minibus taxi industry.
[South Africa] Mastercard and PayFast host masterclass to help SMEs start or grow a resilient online business
Under the theme ‘The New Age of Digital Entrepreneurs: Growth Re-loaded’, the masterclass brings together some of South Africa’s incisive business and management gurus who will share insights on how SMEs can start or grow their business online, mitigate risks, and take the “new normal” by storm.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies and The Beast join hands to building South Africa’s digital future
Liquid Intelligent Technologies South Africa joins hands with Tendai Mtawarira aka ‘The Beast’ to further fortify the company’s long-standing commitment of inspiring confidence, building trust and investment towards building a country that is digitally connected and leaves no South African behind.
[South Africa] SlipMate offers first Mastercard corporate prepaid cards for e-commerce
South African expense management solution SlipMate has announced that it has enabled e-commerce functionality for its Mastercard corporate prepaid cards, a first-of-its-kind integration for the South African market.
[Column] Michael Roberts: Understanding the value of data
Most CIOs are missing out on the competitive advantages that their data assets can generate, they don’t realise the value of these data assets and the opportunities to increase data value.
Digital identity is a crucial business requirement post-Covid, says iiDENTIFii
It is well-known that the Covid-pandemic has forced change in many industries and driven digitalisation at a pace faster than anyone could have anticipated, but it has happened at the cost of robust security and digital authentication.
CDC appoints Thithi Kuhlase-Maseko as Head of Office and Coverage Director in South Africa
CDC Group, the UK’s development finance institution (DFI) and impact investor, has appointment of Thithi Kuhlase-Maseko as its new South Africa Head of Office and Coverage Director.
African retailer Pick n Pay selects Clickatell to manage its WhatsApp customer communication channel
Clickatell, a player in mobile communications and chat commerce, has been selected by African retailer Pick n Pay, to manage its WhatsApp customer communication channel.
Kinetiko spuds third well on the Korhaan project in South Africa
Perth-based energy exploration company Kinetiko Energy announced it has commenced drilling the second of three wells on the Korhaan Project in South Africa.
South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria see a decrease of ordinary threats, report
According to Kaspersky’s latest research on the threat landscape trends, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria are facing a dramatic change in the threat landscape.
[Column] Marilyn Moodley: How software decisions can reduce business costs
As organisations rushed to enable remote working, many companies hastily procured software without being fully informed of their longer-term needs.
Kenya Airways and South African Airways sign strategic partnership framework
Kenya’s national carrier, Kenya Airways (KQ), signed a Strategic Partnership Framework with South African Airways (SAA), a key milestone towards co-starting a Pan African Airline Group by 2023.
[South Africa] Africa Data Centres outlines capacity expansion plans in Johannesburg
In addition, Africa Data Centres says it plans to expand its hyper-scale and enterprise focused data centres at its existing campuses in Midrand and Samrand and is securing land for a third location.
[South Africa] Liquid Intelligent Technologies achieves B-BBEE Level 1 status
Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a business of Cassava Technologies, announced it has achieved B-BBEE Level 1 status. Liquid Intelligent Technologies has been working to achieve this status since the company expanded operations in South Africa.
MARCO acquires majority stake in Africa Communications Media Group
MARCO is expanding its communication capabilities across the African continent as ACG positions itself to service clients globally.
Bark Technologies expands online safety service to South Africa
Online safety company Bark Technologies announced its inaugural international expansion with the launch of its monitoring service and parental control tools in South Africa.
[South Africa] JIS partners with global investor relations firm Orient Capital to offer investor relations-focused services
Announcing the deal, JSE’s Director for Capital Markets, Valdene Reddy says Orient Capital will provide a broad range of investor relations-focused services including shareholder analytics and shareholder engagement tools for JIS clients.
[South Africa] Fintech firm Ozow raises $48 million Series B round
South African fintech firm Ozow has raised a US$48 million Series B funding round led by Chinese internet giant Tencent. Other investors Endeavor Catalyst and Endeavor Harvest Fund participating also participated in the round.
[Column] Nick Durrant: Personalisation becomes a top commerce priority
Behind every unique data set, is a human being creating digital experiences that transform a company, take data-driven decisions, continued experimentation and constant invention.
[South Africa] Capitec Bank taps SAP’s innovation to modernize operations
Prior to the implementation, Capitec had to contend with increased people overhead due to a reliance on manual data capturing, which reduced its capacity for information analysis and business optimisation.
[South Africa] Crypto Valley Venture Capital initiates an investment strategy to build a blockchain accelerator for African startups
The African contingent of incubatees is reflective of Crypto Valley Venture Capital’s (CV VC) global investment strategy, to invest in blockchains’ wider applicability to solving problems and creating new markets.
[South Africa] Ransomware attackers don't take holidays, Cybereason report
Cybereason, the leader in operation-centric attack protection, has published a global study of 1,200+ security professionals at organisations that have previously suffered a successful ransomware attack on a holiday or weekend.
Heineken set to acquire South Africa's Distell and Namibian Breweries
The Transaction will be implemented through a number of simultaneous and inter-conditional steps.
[Column] Carey van Vlaanderen: Deal or no deal? Online Security safety tips for Black Friday
Black Friday is a lucrative day not only for retailers, but also for cyber criminals. In 2019, the use of retail phishing URLs jumped by 275% the week before Black Friday.
[South Africa] Mastercard partners with Home Remitt to bolster affordable international money transfers
Through this partnership, Home Remitt integrated Mastercard Cross-Border Services into its money transfer service, providing migrants with an affordable means to send money to millions of bank accounts, mobile wallets and cash pick up locations in India, Bangladesh, Kenya and Pakistan, with other countries to be enabled in the near future.
[South Africa] IHS Holding acquires telecommunication towers from MTN
IHS Towers will also provide Power-as-a-Service. PaaS, to MTN at approximately 12,800 sites across South Africa (including the acquired 5,709 sites).
South Africa's CareerBox launches in Kenya to enhance employment opportunities
CareerBox announced its African expansion with the opening of a branch in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of efforts to reduce unemployment using demand-led training in order to create sustainable service industry job opportunities.
Verdant Capital closes four private equity-related transactions in South Africa
Verdant Capital announced it closed four private equity-related transactions in South Africa with fund raisings for Bridge Taxi Finance and Retail Capital, the sale of Nedan Oil and the sale of Baxi to MFS Africa.
South Africa's emergency marketplace startup AURA secures R62m Series A funding for global expansion
AURA, the African-based security and medical response marketplace secured R62 million in a Series A funding round, led by MultiChoice Group, KLT Holdings and Buffet Investments, positioning AURA favourably for its global expansion plans.
The 5G Spectrum Conundrum for South Africa and the GCC, IDC
There is a dire need to ensure that 5G spectrum policies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and South Africa include effective spectrum allocation and management strategies.
[Column] Garry Ackerman: Digital transformation - The greatest barrier to education
More than 70 percent of disadvantaged students lost learning due to limited or no access to digital devices, this is according to a report by Oxford University Press (OUP) titled Education.
[South Africa] Johannesburg Stock Exchange announces commitment to supporting net zero by 2050
These alliances encourage the financial sector to align with a target to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 oC and use their respective mandates in achieving this goal.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies launches OneVoice for Cloud PBX in six African markets
Liquid Intelligent Technologies launched OneVoice for Cloud PBX offering in six key African markets. This is part of the organisation’s investment as it partners with its customers in their digital transformation journeys.
[South Africa] HUAWEI IdeaHub Series Upgrade to Accelerate Smart Classroom and Smart Office Experience
Chinese tech giant Huawei has launched the IdeaHub Board Edu, a brand-new model from its Intelligent Collaboration product series.
South African fintech Jumo raises $120 million to expand into new African markets
The latest funding round brings JUMO’s total funding raised to date to c$200 million. Prior investment rounds have included Leapfrog, Goldman Sachs, Finnfund, Proparco, Vostok Emerging Finance and Brook Asset Management.
STL partners with Limpopo Connexion to expand its software business in Africa
To expand its software services in Africa, STL is partnering with Limpopo Connexion. This will boost broadband services and connectivity to government bodies and enterprises in the region.
Routed appoints Axiz Cloud Technologies to boost South Africa's cloud market
Cloud infrastructure provider and VMware Principal Partner, Routed, has appointed Axiz Cloud Technologies as a VMware cloud distribution partner.
Vodacom Group to acquire strategic stake in CIVH assets and create an InfraCo
Vodacom Group announces that it has agreed terms to acquire a strategic stake in Community Investment Ventures Holdings’ (CIVH) fibre assets that will transform its South African fibre business and accelerate the purpose-led Group’s ambition of connecting people for a better future.
RedCloud announces expansion of its open commerce marketplace in Nigeria and South Africa
RedCloud found that for brands, local supply chain infrastructures are inadequate or too hard to access, meaning that a typical FMCG company will only ever reach a tiny fraction of prospective merchants.
Meta launches Business Coach tool on WhatsApp to help SMBs in Africa grow online
Meta announced the launch of Facebook Business Coach, an innovative and easily-accessible way for owners of small-and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya and other English speaking countries.
IFC partners with Liquid Intelligent Technologies to boost Africa’s digital infrastructure
To support universal and affordable broadband access in Africa, IFC has partnered with Liquid Intelligent Technologies to expand data center capacity and the rollout of fiber-optic cable on the continent.
[South Africa] Fleet-tech startup KeyTec and LocoNav enter Africa's video telematics market
KeyTec, a disruptive fleet-tech startup, has partnered with LocoNav to capture the emerging and high-growth video telematics market throughout Africa.
[South Africa] David Myers appointed new COO for security marketplace AURA
AURA, South Africa’s leading security and medical response marketplace, has appointed David Myers as its Chief Operations Officer.
[South Africa] Fintech startup SOLMate launches prepaid debit cards for consumers
South African fintech startup SOLMate has announced the launch of its newly branded SOLMate prepaid debit cards.
[South Africa] Omnia divests from Umongo Petroleum for $68.5m
Diversified chemicals company Omnia Holdings (Omnia) and minority shareholder Autumn Storm have negotiated a deal to sell a majority stake in Umongo Petroleum.
[South Africa] Prosus increases stake in Delivery Hero
Prosus, a major subsidiary of South African Naspers, has entered into an agreement to acquire an additional 2.5% stake in Delivery Hero, subject to regulatory approval, through its subsidiary, MIH Food Holdings B.V.
Huble Digital becomes ISO/IEC 27001 accredited for its five business locations
Huble Digital, an International digital business consultancy, announced it is now officially accredited for ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Security compliance in each of its five international businesses in London, Chicago, Munich, Singapore and Cape Town.
AfDB approves $57.67 million loan to Eskom to boost electricity generation from renewable sources
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved a $57.67 million loan to Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd that will increase electricity generation from reliable and efficient renewable energy sources.
Mastercard Appoints Gabriel Swanepoel as the new Country Manager for South Africa
Mastercard has appointed Gabriel Swanepoel as the new Country Manager for Mastercard in South Africa. This serves as a promotion from his current role as the Vice President of Business Integration for Mastercard, Southern Africa.
Trends shaping the public cloud market in South Africa are setting the scene for business growth, says IDC
The most stand-out trend shaping the public cloud market today is the extremely rapid adoption of public cloud services thanks to the pandemic.
South Africa’s RecoMed concludes $1.5m funding round to scale its online healthcare marketplace
RecoMed, the online healthcare marketplace and booking platform in sub-Saharan Africa concluded a highly successful funding round of $1.5 million with a strong and diversified group of leading local and international investors.
[Column] Andrea Tucker: How business can harness the power of blockchain
The technology at the heart of bitcoin and other virtual currencies, blockchain is an open, distributed ledger that can record transactions between two parties efficiently and in a verifiable and permanent way.
Safaricom’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Steve Chege joins South Africa's Vodacom Group
According to a statement by Safaricom, Steve will be joining Vodacom as a Chief External Affairs Officer, reporting to Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub effective 15th November 2021.
National Institutes of Health awards nearly $75m to catalyze data science research in Africa
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is investing about $74.5 million over five years to advance data science, catalyze innovation and spur health discoveries across Africa.
Absa group board appoints Sello Moloko as Chairman-designate
The Absa Group Limited Board today announced the appointment of Sello Moloko as independent non-executive director and Chairman-designate with effect from 1 December 2021.
Temenos partners with Barko microfinance to launch digital bank for low-income South Africans
Temenos, the banking software company, announced that Barko, a microfinance company, plans to enter the retail banking market in South Africa with a new digital bank built on Temenos Transact and powered by The Temenos Banking Cloud.
[Column] Wale Arewa: The challenges of compliance
The world of compliance, approvals, standards and certifications can be confusing for those who don’t work in legal and compliance roles. For this reason, it is critical that data erasure products and service providers are certified.
[Column] Roger Hislop: Making a Digital Farm a Working Reality
The Internet of Things (IoT) is increasingly invaluable to this sector, largely because systems have come down so rapidly in cost and complexity
5G will usher in new tech advancement opportunities and innovation, but cybersecurity risk must be considered, says Kaspersky and Rocketnet
With 5G poised to replace existing 4G networks with improved speeds, coverage, and reliability, content distribution will be massively disrupted.
[South Africa] Ukheshe, Telkom and Engen partner on tipping solution for petrol attendants
When a petrol attendant’s QR code is scanned, and a tip is made it automatically is deposited into a Telkom Pay digital wallet.
African Development Bank appoints Bajabulile “Swazi” Tshabalala as Senior Vice President
The African Development Bank announced the appointment of Bajabulile “Swazi” Tshabalala as Senior Vice President, effective 1 November 2021.
[Column] Marilyn Moodley: The future of work / Technology stack
n what felt like the blink of an eye, the work landscape was transformed as the pandemic spread across the world in 2020.
South African carrier Airlink partners with Discovery Vitality to offer customers 75% discount on local and regional flights
From next year, Airlink and Discovery Vitality customers are in line for discounts of up to 75% on local and regional flights as a result of a new partnership which sees Airlink join Discovery’s Vitality Travel platform.
Kinetiko Energy commences exploration program in South Africa
Kinetiko Energy has been in the process of negotiations with a number of drilling and related contractors in both South Africa and Botswana and has completed an engagement with Torque Africa Exploration to drill on the Korhaan project.
CDC backs first private equity fund from Summit Africa
With this capital, Summit will direct investments to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in rural and peri-urban areas across South Africa, focusing on the education, healthcare, and financial services sectors.
Shearwater GeoServices awarded 3D seismic exploration project in South Africa
Shearwater GeoServices announced the award of a 3D seismic survey contract for acquisition in South Africa.
Vantage Data Centers breaks ground on first South Africa Data Center
Just weeks removed from announcing two strategic acquisitions that expanded its footprint into the Asia-Pacific market, Vantage Data Centers is breaking ground on a new data center campus in Johannesburg, South Africa.
GE foundation announces grant to provide COVID-19 relief in South Africa
To mark World Food Day the GE Foundation announced a donation of $100,000 USD to provide immediate relief to South Africa’s communities experiencing food insecurity.
[South Africa] UN gives the nod to African alternative energy solution for mobile networks
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has recognised South African NEC XON’s alternative energy Hybrid Storage Solution (HSS) as an innovative technology for promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
Ethiopian Airlines enters into an interline agreement with South Africa’s Airlink
With the interline agreements between the two carriers, passengers can book through their itineraries on both airlines easily. The partnership attracts more customers providing ease of connectivity to their destinations served by both Ethiopian and Airlink.
[South Africa] Oracle To Build Its First African Data Centre In Joburg
Global software giant Oracle has announced that it has chosen Johannesburg as the site of its first African data centre.
Morocco becomes Africa’s new automotive manufacturing hub
Morocco is currently Africa’s first passenger car manufacturer. Morocco has surpassed South Africa as the biggest exporter of passenger cars on the continent with $7 billion exports made in the car industry at the end of 2018.
Oracle expands global cloud footprint to meet continued triple-digit growth
Oracle has announced plans to expand its cloud region footprint to support strong customer demand for Oracle Cloud services worldwide.
GE invests $2.5m to launch Next Engineers in Johannesburg, South Africa
General Electric (GE) announced a five-year, $2.5 million investment in Johannesburg, South Africa to launch Next Engineers, a global initiative focused on increasing the diversity of young people in engineering.
Kaspersky blocks over 30,000 mobile malware attacks in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa in 6 months
Significantly, for African countries monitored, Nigeria only trails Egypt (19 466) by the number of attacks blocked, pointing to how prevalent mobile threats have become in this highly connected country.
COLUMNS.
[Nigeria Business Week] Andrea Ayemoba: Nigeria sets course to unify industry benefits, lead Africa's 5G
Following a turbulent year of stock market fluctuations, restrictions related to an ongoing pandemic and varying economic instabilities, predictions on Nigeria’s performance last year ranged from inferior to mediocre to excellent ...read full column here
[Column] Andrew Bourne: What will online privacy and security look like in 2022?
In many ways, 2021 was a landmark year for online privacy. In April 2021, Apple rolled out an update allowing users to opt out of app tracking, with most iPhone users having done so by the end of the year ...read full column here
[Column] Tris Morgan: The future Chief Information Security Officer (CISCO) is a Chief Trust Officer
Right now, many businesses are at different stages of their digital transformation journey but, ultimately, one of their main goals remains the same - to have a flexible and secure infrastructure ...read full column here
INTERVIEWS.
[Interview] Janek Winand, Managing Director, Siemens Gamesa, South Africa
Janek Winand is the Managing Director of Siemens Gamesa South Africa, a leader in the renewable energy industry, working to provide the world's best offshore and onshore wind turbines and services … read full interview here
[Interview] James Claude, Chief Executive Officer, Global Voice Group, Africa
James Claude, the CEO of Global Voice Group (GVC). GVC assists governments to increase efficiency, revenue, and transparency and compliance, through intelligent big data solutions … read full interview here
[Interview] Alioune CISS, Chief Executive Officer, Webb Fontaine, Africa
Alioune CISS is the Chief Executive Officer at Webb Fontaine, a leading provider of solutions for Trade facilitation, powered by modern technology including artificial intelligence across different African countries … read full interview here