Author: Chris Anu
FNB is investigating glitches on its mobile app. Big-four bank FNB is suffering glitches on its mobile application on Black Friday.According to Downdetector, a site that monitors website outages, South Africans started reporting issues with access to the FNB app from 9am.When trying to log in to the app, earlier this morning, FNB customers received an error message reading: “Request cannot be processed. We are unable to process your request at the moment. The cause is being investigated. We apologise for the inconvenience caused. Please try again later.”The FNB app outage on Black Friday is significant because it disrupted the…
Cell C’s share price moved sharply higher on its second day of trade on the JSE on Friday, closing 12.7% up at R31, as investors continued to digest the mobile operator’s long-awaited listing. Cell C Holdings listed on the JSE’s main board on Thursday under the share code “CCD” following a secondary share sale by majority shareholder The Prepaid Company, a subsidiary of Blu Label Unlimited Group. The offer was priced at R26.50/share, implying a market capitalisation of about R9-billion based on 340 million ordinary shares in issue. Tuesday’s market moved pushed its market value to R10.5-billion. The performance in…
André Steyn, format acceleration VP at Massmart. Walmart is betting on its omni-channel retail strategy to attract South African customers, rolling out a Walmart Africa mobile app built on the same global technology stack that powers the US retail giant’s global operations.The US multinational retailer, which operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores and grocery stores worldwide, opened its first South African store on Saturday, at Clearwater Mall, Roodepoort.Its second store opens today – Black Friday − in Fourways, Johannesburg. See also The retailer offers groceries, apparel, imported toys and electronics, among other categories.In an interview, André Steyn, format…
South Africa’s big three telecommunications operators have all reported numbers in recent weeks, and the theme is clear: competition in prepaid has intensified sharply. Telkom’s resurgence has put pressure on both MTN and Vodacom, with MTN acknowledging it has “discernibly” lost prepaid market share. Watch the interview This is one of the topics covered in this wide-ranging and exclusive TechCentral Show interview with MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita, who sat down earlier this week with TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod to discuss this and other major topics, including: The impact of online gambling on the telecoms sector in South Africa; The…
Nkosikhona Nkosi, chief information officer of the CCMA. (Photograph by Lesley Moyo) The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) plans to deploy a WhatsApp chatbotfor labour dispute referrals, as it eyes tapping into generative artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. This is according to Nkosikhona Nkosi, chief information officer of the CCMA, in an interview with ITWeb TV. Nkosi joined the podcast channel to discuss the nearly 30-year-old statutory body’s digital transformation strategy, the impact of emerging technologies on its processes and the labour market, SA’s labour law landscape, discrimination in the workplace, the gig economy and remote workers. See also…
Eskom’s Kendal coal-fired power station. Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters Eskom on Friday reported profit after tax of R24.3-billion for the six months to the end of September, roughly 37% higher than the same period last year. In September Eskom reported its first full-year profit in eight years after a sudden turnaround in the performance of its coal-fired power station fleet. The company’s power cuts, which have held back the economy for more than a decade, have become much less frequent since last year. Read: Eskom eases rooftop solar registration rules Eskom said in a presentation on Friday that power cuts were only…
Eshmael Mpabanga, country head and SVP at Intellect Design. SA-India co-operation is shifting from diplomacy to delivery, with the recent G20 Leaders’ Summit pushing both countries into a more action-driven partnership.This is according to Eshmael Mpabanga, country head and SVP at Intellect Design, who adds that both countries now recognise that real progress lies in practical collaboration, particularly in digital public infrastructure (DPI), fintech and cross-border financial modernisation.“India’s success with population-scale digital systems has become a blueprint for emerging markets. South Africa, with a sophisticated banking sector and strong regulatory environment, is now actively exploring how similar frameworks can unlock inclusion, competitiveness…
Communications regulator Icasa this week issued a notice in the Government Gazette signalling its intention to review the process of telecommunications licensing in South Africa. This follows a policy directive from communications minister Solly Malatsi in August to this effect. The directive asked Icasa to launch an inquiry into the process for granting individual electronic communications network (I-ECNS) licences. “The purpose of the inquiry is to consider whether or not the implementation of the framework in the Electronic Communications Act, which allows for the transfer of I-ECNS licences has been effective and efficient with regard to the promotion of competition…
Cell C CEO Jorge Mendes addresses the audience at the JSE as the telco lists. (Photograph by Nicola Mawson) As Cell C listed on the JSE this morning, almost 4 000 shares traded within minutes of the market opening, with the stock debuting at R27 – a 50c per share improvement on the final pre-listing price offer as of last Friday.In a packed auditorium at the JSE in Sandton, Cell C CEO Jorge Mendes blew the kudu horn, which symbolises unity, strength and renewal. It is a ceremonious event that takes place to mark milestones, such as the listing of…
Ride-hailing has become an essential service for some users. A majority (90%) of surveyed South African ride-hailing users consider ride-hailing services safer than conventional transport modes, such as buses and traditional taxis.This is according to anew Safety Index report released by Ipsos, commissioned by ride-hailing platform Bolt. The survey was conducted among a sample size 750 South Africans of all ages.It targeted active ride-hailing users who had used ride-hailing apps within the past 12 months, where major urban centres where ride-hailing services are most active in SA: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria.The report findings highlight a significant shift in…