Author: Chris Anu

E-commerce turnover is expected to exceed R130 billion by the end of 2025, potentially capturing 10% of SA’s total retail market for the first time. Local remains lekker for South African online shoppers, as Naspers-owned e-commerce group Takealot maintains its grip on the market.This is despite international e-commerce retailers – such as Amazon, Shein and Temu − descending on local shores. This is according to insights in the 2025 Online Retail in South Africa study, conducted by World Wide Worx, in partnership with Mastercard, Peach Payments and Ask Afrika. The research examines online shopping data from 2023 to 2024.The findings…

Communications minister Solly Malatsi The department of communications & digital technologies has appointed BMI-TechKnowledge Group (BMIT) to develop a new funding model for the SABC in what could prove to be a decisive move for the future of South Africa’s struggling public broadcaster. BMIT, a longstanding ICT research and advisory firm, has been tasked with addressing the SABC’s most pressing question: how to pay for its public service mandate in a digital, on-demand world where audiences have largely abandoned the old TV licence system. The SABC’s financial woes are not new. Years of mismanagement, corruption scandals and political interference left…

Public broadcaster the SABC’s Auckland Park headquarters. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) has appointed BMIT Knowledge Group (BMIT) to develop a funding model for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). BMIT is an IT and telecoms research house located in Johannesburg. The DCDT says in a statement: “BMIT Knowledge Group is a long-standing South African ICT research and advisory firm with a proven track record of economic modelling, broadcasting market analysis and regulatory policy support. This appointment is in fulfilment of the commitment I [communications minister Solly Malatsi] made to prioritise the development of a funding model…

The price of the iPhone 17 series in South Africa will be lower than the iPhone 16 line-up was at launch — the second year in a row that Apple’s smartphones have reduced in price year over year. The iPhone 17 series, which was unveiled on Tuesday, is now available for pre-order through iStore, the Core Group-owned South African Apple retail chain, and will be shipped to consumers by 19 September, when they will also be available in-store. The lower prices are the result of a strengthening rand. At the launch of the iPhone 16 range on 13 September 2024,…

In this episodes of ITWeb TV, Tinyiko Simbine, co-founder and CFO of GirlCode, discusses the NPO’s mission to empower 10 million women and girls with tech skills by 2030. #CodingSince launching in 2014, non-profit organisation (NPO) GirlCode has empowered 100 000 women and girls with ICT skills.So said Tinyiko Simbine, co-founder and CTO of GirlCode, in an interview with ITWeb TV, during which she revealed that the since inception, the organisation’s ambitious target was to empower 10 million women and girls with coding skills by 2030.Starting off as a hackathon initiative, GirlCode was founded by Simbine and CEO Zandile Mkwanazi,…

Microsoft and OpenAI said on Thursday they have signed a non-binding deal for new relationship terms that would allow OpenAI to proceed to restructure itself into a for-profit company, marking a new phase of the most high-profile partnerships to fund the ChatGPT frenzy. Details on the new commercial arrangements were not disclosed, but the companies said they were working to finalise terms of a definitive agreement. This marks a step forward in OpenAI’s prolonged talks with Microsoft as the former seeks to raise capital under a more common governance structure and eventually go public to fund artificial intelligence development. Microsoft…

Rimini Street, Inc. (Nasdaq: RMNI), a Russell 2000® Company, is a global provider of end-to-end enterprise software support and innovation solutions and the leading third-party support provider for Oracle, SAP and VMware software. The Company offers a comprehensive portfolio of unified solutions to run, manage, support, customize, configure, connect, protect, monitor, and optimize enterprise application, database, and technology software. The Company has signed thousands of contracts with Fortune Global 100, Fortune 500, midmarket, public sector and government organizations who selected Rimini Street as their trusted, proven mission-critical enterprise software solutions provider and achieved better operational outcomes, realized billions of US…

Online retail now makes up nearly 10% of total retail sales in South Africa, and World Wide Worx has forecast the figure will breach that mark for the first time ever in January 2026. Online retail sales as a proportion of total retail revenue grew to 8% in the 2024 calendar year and is on track to reach double digits in the coming months. This is according to the Online Retail in South Africa 2025 report by World Wide Worx, which collated online shopping and consumer survey data for 2024. Total retail sales reached R96-billion in 2024 and are estimated…

Parking Guidance Systems, LLC (PGS), the U.S. leader in custom parking technologies, has announced a strategic merger with INDECT Electronics & Distribution GmbH (INDECT) and ParkZen. As the lead company in the merger, PGS is expanding beyond its U.S. base to deliver comprehensive parking solutions internationally. The combined business brings together INDECT’s world-class hardware, ParkZen’s agile software, and PGS’s proven execution in large-scale deployments, establishing the industry’s most complete parking technology company. Since its founding 12 years ago, PGS has built a reputation for exceptional service, cutting-edge innovation, and a focus on client satisfaction. PGS has installed some of the…

Pan-African telecommunications and network services provider Paratus Group has completed its expansion programme into East Africa. This expansion forms part of the group’s ongoing efforts to connect communities and businesses across sub-equatorial Africa with reliable digital infrastructure. Across East Africa, Paratus is providing reliable digital services to meet the needs of businesses and communities. Paratus Kenya has been operational since November 2024 as a licensed internet service provider and authorised Starlink reseller. Rwanda and Uganda have recently launched as ISPs, with Rwanda also providing Starlink services. Tanzania joined the network in 2025, delivering ISP services to enterprise and wholesale customers…