Author: Chris Anu

Junaid Hussain, head of digital services support at Ricoh South Africa. In an economy as complex and constrained as South Africa’s, businesses don’t always have the luxury of expansion. When margins are tight and costs are rising, growth depends on how efficiently companies use what they already have.Operational efficiency has become one of the few remaining levers leaders can pull. Companies can’t always hire more people. They can’t always raise prices. But they can improve how the business runs day to day.Research has shown that companies digitising over 70% of core processes saw 31% lower operational costs and 42% higher…

The capacity and reach of the undersea cable infrastructure connecting South Africa to the world is growing at a rapid pace, with a surge in AI workloads expected to drive further investment in infrastructure. The type of company investing in undersea capacity is changing, too, with so-called hyperscalers such as Google and Meta Platforms now coming to the fore and overtaking telecommunications operator consortiums in infrastructure investment, especially when it comes to the largest projects. “That Meta and Google are the major drivers behind these new cables is a significant factor. This is a big shift that began a few…

Tseliso Mohlomi, senior director at the Tshwane University of Technology’s Institute for the Future of Work. (Photograph by Lesley Moyo) South Africa’s 4IR Commission developed a 4IR strategy, with eight recommendations which include guidance on AI. However, poor implementation has left the strategy largely ineffective.This is according to progessor Tinyiko Maluleke, VC at Tshwane University of Technology, who delivered a keynote presentation at the fourth annual Future of Work Dialogue. The event was hosted yesterday by the Tshwane University of Technology’s Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW) in Pretoria.The institute is a platform for public-private collaboration to deliberate on…

BMW South Africa CEO Peter van Binsbergen South Africa and Europe should collaborate on building an alternative “value chain” for electric vehicle components such as batteries to reduce dependence on China, the CEO of BMW South Africa said, calling for a national-level strategy. South Africa, which accounts for 51% of Africa’s vehicle output, is seeking to position itself as a player in the global EV supply chain. But industry leaders say more policy clarity and investment are needed to unlock its potential. “South Africa, together with Europe, could put a strategy together to create an alternative value chain for EV…

Africa’s fastest-growing but least-served online markets are set to gain more affordable, reliable, and higher-speed internet access through a partnership between Raxio Group, the continent’s most expansive data centre operator, and Laser Light Africa, the regional unit of the U.S.-based operator of one of the world’s most advanced integrated digital networks. The landmark agreement pairs Raxio’s expanding network of world-class Tier III carrier-neutral data centres with Laser Light’s scale and reach to deliver the most advanced digital access in seven high-growth markets—Angola, DRC, Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda—home to a nearly half a billion people. By hosting and…

In a move set to expand both Digicloud Africa and Google Cloud’s footprint across Africa, Digicloud Africa has been appointed as a distributor of Google security operations (SecOps) products in Africa. Google SecOps cloud-native security operations platform offers a unified experience across SIEM (security, information and event management), SOAR (security, orchestration, automation and response), and threat intelligence, empowering security teams to better detect, investigate and respond to cybersecurity threats. Digicloud CEO Gregory MacLennan says the distributorship is an exciting development for Digicloud, which was the first Google Cloud distributor for Africa and remains the leading Google Cloud reseller enablement partner…

Communications and digital technologies minister Solly Malatsi. (Photograph by DCDT) As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more embedded in people’s lives, this shift also brings about new responsibilities, says communications minister Solly Malatsi.As a result, the speed and scale of AI adoption should serve as a reminder that innovation without ethical guardrails can deepen inequality, amplify bias and erode trust.Malatsi, who is minister in the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), was speaking yesterday at the opening of the G20 ministerial task force on AI, data governance and sustainable development, in Cape Town.The task force was established in line with…

Newly appointed Microsoft South Africa CEO Vukani Mngxati Microsoft has appointed Vukani Mngxati as the new CEO of Microsoft South Africa, effective immediately. Mngxati takes over from Lillian Barnard, who was recently named as chief of enterprise partners for Microsoft Middle East and Africa. In his new role, Mngxati will lead the company’s South African operations with a mandate to expand cloud infrastructure, build AI skills in local communities and forge partnerships that support the country’s national development priorities, Microsoft said in a statement on Wednesday. The timing of Mngxati’s appointment dovetails with Microsoft’s growing infrastructure push in South Africa…

Blu Label Unlimited Group’s 2025 annual report, published on Wednesday, again confirmed what has been talked in the market for months: Cell C is likely to soon find its way onto the JSE. The surprise is that the bigger story here may not be Cell C’s listing but what the move would mean for Blu Label. The annual report positions a listing as the “culmination of years of stabilisation, investment and governance-led transformation” at the mobile operator. Under a capital-light model that leans on roaming deals with partners – and rivals – MTN and Vodacom, instead of its own expensive…

From left to right: Manu Kashyap, senior vice president, cyber and intelligence solutions, EEMEA, Mastercard; Selin Bahadirli, executive vice president, services, EEMEA, Mastercard; Mark Straub, CEO, Smile ID; Dennis Gamiello, executive vice president and global head of identity, Mastercard; Çağrı Aydogan, Regional vice president, Mastercard Advisors; Can Elbeyli, vice president, security solutions, EEMEA, Mastercard; and Dustin Strydom, VP, Commercial, Smile ID, during the launch. (Photo: AETOSWire) Mastercard has extended its strategic commercial partnership with Smile ID, an identity verification provider in Africa to accelerate the rollout of secure digital identity solutions across the continent. This press release features multimedia. View…