Author: Chris Anu

Prepaid mobile subscribers will be affected by increased verification costs, says the Association of Comms and Technology. South Africa’s mobile network operator umbrella body has slammed the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for its 6 500% increase in the cost of biometric verifications.It says the move is contrary to government’s own socio-economic endeavours.This comes as home affairs minister Dr Leon Schreiber told the National Council of Provinces – during his presentation of the department’s budget yesterday – that the increase, which forms part of an upgrade to the National Population Register (NPR), was “in the national interest”.In response to questions…

Gadjet Dov Halpern E-commerce websites like Takealot and Amazon have become crucial for third-party sellers, but figuring out how to maximise sales on these platforms can be tricky. That’s where a new service provider, Gadjet – which helps online sellers manage their opportunity better – has stepped in. According to Gadjet founder Dov Halpern, the platform helps address many of the pain points experienced by sellers on online marketplaces, with the holistic view of their business chief among them. Gadjet … offers features like real-time dynamic pricing, automated inventory management and sales analytics “Gadjet integrates directly with Takealot and offers…

Anna Collard, SVP, content strategy and evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA. Many businesses are overestimating their defence against cyber attacks, which creates a significant human risk blind spot. A new KnowBe4 report exposes a worrying disconnect between what leaders think about their cyber security readiness and what employees experience.According to the KnowBe4 Africa Human Risk Management Report 2025, based on insights from cyber security decision-makers across 30 African countries, despite high awareness, a critical gap exists in turning that awareness into actual readiness and resilient behaviour.This gap is significant because Africa has become an attractive target to cyber criminals, especially those…

This is the fourth episode of a new podcast series curated by TechCentral’s editorial team and generated by artificial intelligence tools. It’s an experiment that’s in beta for now, but if it works well, we’ll consider making it a regular feature by launching season 1. In this episode, we highlight some of the biggest technology news stories from South Africa and the world over the last week, as covered by TechCentral. Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources, AI can and will occasionally make mistakes. In this episode, we look at: Listen to S0E4 (beta): Again, this…

The ICT SMME Chamber does not support the proposed changes to the country’s black economic empowerment laws. The ICT SMME Chamber, which represents the interests of small businesses in South Africa, has slammed the proposed changes to the country’s black economic empowerment (BEE) laws.This, after in May, communications and digital technologies minister Solly Malatsi gazetted a draft policy direction on the role of equity equivalent investment programmes (EEIPs) in the ICT sector as a mechanism to accelerate broadband access.South Africa’s current Electronic Communications Act (ECA) mandates that foreign telecoms companies must allocate 30% local equity to historically disadvantaged individuals (HDIs)…

Something troubling is happening to our brains as artificial intelligence platforms become more popular. Studies are showing that professional workers who use ChatGPT to carry out tasks might lose critical thinking skills and motivation. People are forming strong emotional bonds with chatbots, sometimes exacerbating feelings of loneliness. And others are having psychotic episodes after talking to chatbots for hours each day. The mental health impact of generative AI is difficult to quantify, in part because it is used so privately, but anecdotal evidence is growing to suggest a broader cost that deserves more attention from both lawmakers and tech companies…

In this episode of ITWeb TV, Dr Stacey Ochse, psychiatrist member at the South African Society of Psychiatrists, talks about the alarming effects of excessive screen time on children’s mental health. She also shares expert tips on how to mitigate the risks. #ScreenTime #DigitalWellness #KidsAndTechnologySouth Africans spend more time on screens than almost any other nation, and the obsession is fuelling a growing mental health crisis among children and adolescents, warns Dr Stacey Ochse, psychiatric member the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP). Speaking during an ITWeb TV interview, Ochse said the average South African adult spends over nine hours…

In South Africa, Sim swap fraud has become one of the most damaging threats for both individuals and businesses. Criminals hijack your mobile number by fraudulently transferring it to a new Sim card, letting them intercept calls, SMS-based one-time Pins, and even compromise banking or social media accounts. For businesses, the fallout can be catastrophic: missed client calls, lost revenue and a reputation hit that takes years to repair. Yet while countless security tools try to patch the weaknesses of mobile networks, one solution bypasses the vulnerability entirely: moving your professional communication to a cloud-based VoIP provider like Voys, where…

SA’s National Business Initiative has received a R17 million grant to support youth-driven green skills development. The African Development Bank (AfDB), through the Fund for African Private Sector Assistance (FAPA), has awarded a $1 million (R17.6 million) grant to SA’s National Business Initiative (NBI).The grant, which aims to support green skills development for local youth, comes amid the country’s prolonged challenge of youth employment. Independent business movement NBI has been tasked with implementing the R17.6 million FAPA grant.According to a statement, NBI will use the grant to build a dynamic, demand-led skills ecosystem that enables young people to access emerging…

Image courtesy of Sasol Vodacom Business has deployed a mobile private network (MPN) at Sasol’s synthetic fuel facility in Secunda, Mpumalanga. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in leveraging advanced technology to enhance operational efficiency and connectivity in the industrial sector. “As part of Sasol’s digitalisation journey, there is a focus on utilising technology to improve processes that impact safety and efficiency across our facilities,” said Victor Bester, Sasol executive vice president of operations and projects. “This initiative allows us to accelerate these efforts through improved connectivity and control of the mobile network deployed at our Secunda production facility. Our…