Author: Chris Anu

Artificial intelligence is no longer a novelty for South Africans. In fact, it is rapidly becoming a practical tool woven into everyday life. According to a new study from Google and research agency Ipsos, 70% of South African adults have already used AI chatbots to upskill themselves, which is 25 percentage points higher than the global average. The study, called Our life with AI: helpfulness in the hands of more people, shows that South Africans are using AI to handle everyday administration, explore new opportunities and support learning, while remaining broadly optimistic about its impact on education, the economy and…

Lindiwe Matlali, founder and CEO of Swerfvalk. South African technology entrepreneur Lindiwe Matlali has established Swerfvalk, a Johannesburg-based deep-tech company focused on developing and deploying mission-ready drone, artificial intelligence (AI) and counter-drone systems for complex operational environments.Swerfvalk enters a local drone market that has matured rapidly over the past decade, with growing demand from infrastructure, security and industrial operators for compliant, scalable and data-driven aerial solutions. Matlali, who is also founder of non-profit organisation Africa Teen Geeks, says the company was formed in response to gaps in how drone technology is currently deployed in SA.The start-up focuses on integrated unmanned…

TechCentral’s electric car show Watts & Wheels is back for episode 3 of season 1, and while EVs remain the focus, the conversation takes a detour into something far less planet-friendly – and far more jaw-dropping. Duncan McLeod and co-host William Kelly kick off by drooling over a wild new Toyota performance machine they say is real, street legal and due in 2027. It’s a 4l hybrid V8, rear-wheel drive “hypercar” with supercar proportions and serious numbers: 478kW and a quoted top speed of 320km/h or more. It’s the sort of car that feels entirely out of character for Toyota…

Smart ID cards are key to the DHA’s modernisation programme. (Photograph by DHA) The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) issued over four million smart ID cards in 2025, the highest rate of delivery in the history of the department. For the 2025 calendar year, the department says a total of 4 002 964 smart ID cards were issued, representing a 17% increase on the 3 427 468 smart IDs issued during 2024. The 2025 performance is about 1.3 million more than the number of smart IDs issued during the 2023 and 2022 calendar years, it states. The improvement, it says,…

Frogfoot Networks has expanded its footprint in KwaZulu-Natal through the acquisition of fibre assets built and operated by Mitsol, bringing an additional 19 000 homes onto its network. Frogfoot said integrating Mitsol’s infrastructure into its national fibre platform will give customers access to its national pricing structure, support centre and a wider choice of internet service providers. “Mitsol is a meaningful acquisition for us,” said Richard Henn, Frogfoot’s head of mergers and acquisitions. He described Mitsol’s network as “well built and maintained”, adding that its fibre precincts fit neatly into Frogfoot’s existing footprint with limited overlap, expanding its presence across the…

National Gambling Board data shows about R1.5 trillion was wagered in SA’s gambling industry in 2024–2025. South Africans are diverting money they are supposed to spend on groceries to try their luck on online gambling.This is one of the biggest findings from a study conducted by Durban-based market research firm Trade Intelligence.The online survey attracted 700 respondents in December, revealing that the recent surge in popularity of online gambling has highlighted its dark side.According to Trade Intelligence, grocery spend is taking the biggest – or at least most widespread knock – from funds being diverted into online gambling.“We provided a…

The past year has marked a shift away from noisy, obvious scams towards attacks that look like ordinary business. In a recent KnowBe4 webinar, the company’s senior vice president of Threat Intelligence, Jack Chapman, described a landscape where the most dangerous messages are not the ones that scream “phish”, but the ones that blend into day-to-day workflows, pass technical checks and arrive with just enough context to trigger action. Compromised accounts doing the heavy lifting For the first time, most phishing e-mails are being sent from compromised accounts. That matters because these messages often come from aged, trusted inboxes that…

Research highlights growing AI literacy ambitions in SA. A new report from Google and Ipsos shows South Africans are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) at rates above the global average, using it for learning, career development and everyday tasks.The study, titled: “Our life with AI: Helpfulness in the hands of more people”, was conducted by research firm Ipsos on behalf of Google. It is based on a survey conducted online between 22 September and 10 October 2025, with responses from 1 000 adults aged 18 and above. It found that 70% of adults in SA have used an AI chatbot, a…

Microsoft South Africa and the public broadcaster, the SABC, have signed an agreement that will see AI and digitals skills programmes flighted on the SABC Plus streaming platform. The announcement was made during the Johannesburg leg of the Microsoft AI Tour 2026 on Thursday. “We have a responsibility as corporates – all of us – to build more skills in the country, whether these are in infrastructure, AI or any other kind,” Microsoft South Africa CEO Vukani Mngxati told TechCentral in an interview. The AI fluency programmes to be flighted on SABC Plus are aimed at developing the most basic…

Frogfoot has acquired the fibre assets built and operated by Mitsol. Open access fibre network operator (FNO) Frogfoot is continuing its expansion strategy, bringing fibre assets built and operated by Mitsol into the fold. This comes after it concluded a similar transaction in December.In a statement issued today, the company says the acquisition helps expand its footprint in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), as another 19 000 homes are brought onto the Frogfoot network.The company has not disclosed the value of the transaction, only stating Mitsol will be integrated into its national pricing structure, client support and access to several internet service providers…