Author: Chris Anu

Panel discussion with Digital Parks Africa and Oni-Tel during the Oni-Tel fibre network launch event Oni-Tel Fibre Networks, a fibre-optic cable infrastructure provider in South Africa, has launched an inter-data centre fibre network with Digital Parks Africa (DPA) serving as the inaugural point of presence. This high-speed fibre backbone connects all major data centres across Gauteng, enabling seamless, low-latency connectivity between facilities and unlocking new possibilities for enterprise and cloud infrastructure. This milestone marks a significant step forward for the region’s digital infrastructure, with Oni-Tel set to become: The first provider in this space to introduce new infrastructure access models…

Smartz Solutions’ Vanda Dickson and Henry McCracken TechCentral recently partnered with Smartz Solutions and Cloud On Demand to host a webinar titled “The human touch in digital CX – evolving with customers”. The webinar, which was moderated by Jaydev Chiba, brought together a panel of experts to discuss a strategic road map for blending intelligent automation with human-centric design. The panel featured Henry McCracken, CEO of Smartz Solutions; Vanda Dickson, business development executive for Smartz Solutions; and Kamil Hirjee, product architect from Cloud On Demand. After introducing the panellists and the partnership between their companies, which delivers an intelligent, scalable…

Cell C CEO Jorge Mendes. (Photograph by Nicola Mawson) Blu Label Unlimited, formerly Blue Label, has officially confirmed to shareholders that Cell C will be listing as a separate entity on the JSE, simultaneously creating an empowerment vehicle worth R2.4 billion.Cell C is expected to list towards the end of the year, ITWeb sources have indicated.After a complicated restructuring process ahead of the listing, Cell C’s listed shares will be issued to prospective shareholders via its The Prepaid Company (TPC) unit – which was the vehicle through which Blu Label Unlimited (BLU) acquired the company.This will run concurrently with a…

Cell C Holdings has announced its intention to list on the JSE, a move the mobile operator said will streamline its balance sheet, elevate its brand and support its next phase of growth. The listing announcement, which had been expected, said all of Cell C’s issued ordinary shares will be admitted to trading on the JSE in the telecommunications sector under share code CCD, subject to JSE approval and market conditions. The listing will be accompanied by an offer of existing shares by The Prepaid Company (TPC) – a wholly owned subsidiary of Cell C’s largest shareholder, Blu Label Unlimited…

Vodacom has been using the Please Call Me invention for 25 years. Vodacom and Nkosana Makate have settled the years-long ‘Please Call Me’ battle out of court.In an announcement to shareholders this evening, Vodacom says the legal dispute has been settled and, as part of the settlement process, a notice was sent to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) withdrawing Vodacom’s appeal.“Shareholders are hereby advised that on 4 November 2025, the Vodacom board approved a settlement agreement, and the matter was settled by the parties out of court,” says the statement.“The parties are glad that finality has been reached in…

Nkosana Makate in the constitutional court last year Vodacom said on Wednesday that it had reached an out-of-court settlement in a dispute with a former employee over his role in creating the company’s “please call me” callback messaging service. The legal battle with Nkosana Makate over “please call me” has dragged on for about 17 years, reaching South Africa’s highest court. “Shareholders are hereby advised that on 4 November 2025, the Vodacom board approved a settlement agreement and the matter was settled by the parties out of court,” Vodacom said in a statement to shareholders. Vodacom did not disclose the settlement…

#ITWebSS2026: The call for papers is open until 12 December. Cyber security professionals, researchers and industry leaders are invited to submit presentation proposals for ITWeb Security Summit 2026 by 12 December.Now in its 21st year, ITWeb Security Summit will once again bring together Africa’s top information and cyber security decision-makers to explore the future of security in an increasingly AI-driven world.With the theme: “Redefining security in the face of AI-driven attacks, fragile supply chains and a global skills gap”, the 2026 summit will take place in Cape Town (25-26 May) and Johannesburg (2-4 June).Lisa Lawlor, events director at ITWeb, says this…

Roelof Botha Roelof Botha, the South African venture capitalist who has enjoyed significant success in the US, is stepping down as managing partner of Sequoia Capital. The Financial Times reported on Wednesday (paywall) that his resignation followed a period marked by internal strife at the storied American venture capital firm. Sequoia, founded in 1972, is one of the world’s most successful venture firms, having backed Apple, Google, YouTube and Stripe, among many others. Botha was born in Cape Town in 1973 and studied actuarial science at the University of Cape Town In a letter to staff, Botha — the grandson…

Paymenow founders: Top from left: CDO Gerbrand Potgieter and CEO Deon Nobrega. Bottom from left: CTO Willem van Zyl and chief client officer Bryan Habana. Earned wage access platform Paymenow is on a growth trajectory, doubling its user base in the past two years, as it addresses the significant unmet need for cash-flow flexibility among South African employees.The financial wellness platform says it has rapidly scaled its footprint to serve more than 400 companies across SA, with over 600 000 employees using the platform. The company − founded in 2019 by former Springbok player Bryan Habana (chief client officer), Deon…

BMW Group South Africa CEO Peter van Binsbergen BMW Group South Africa CEO Peter van Binsbergen has cautioned that government’s slow pace in finalising an electric vehicle policy is putting the country’s automotive sector on the back foot just as export markets accelerate towards zero-emission mobility. Speaking on the TechCentral Show in an episode to be published this week, Van Binsbergen said South Africa needs “decisions now” to protect domestic manufacturing and secure its place in global supply chains as Europe and the UK move to end sales of new combustion-engine cars in the next decade. “We’re optimistic, but I’m…