Author: Chris Anu

Linda Saunders, country manager and senior director of solution engineering for Africa at Salesforce. AI adoption among desk workers has skyrocketed, with daily usage increasing by 233% in just six months, according to the latest Slack Workforce Index released by US tech firm Salesforce.The global study by Salesforce and its company Slack surveyed 5 156 desk workers across Australia, France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US between 9 April and 1 May. It was conducted by research firm Qualtrics and did not target employees or customers of Slack or Salesforce.The research reveals that workers are now 154% more likely…

Shares of Bytes Technology Group, which is listed in London and Johannesburg, plunged more 27% on Wednesday after the IT firm said its operating profit for the first half of fiscal 2026 would be marginally lower due to delayed customer payments and longer-than-expected readjustments from internal restructuring. Trading in the first few months of the year was hurt by macroeconomic pressures, leading to deferred customer decisions, particularly among big companies, the firm said in an update to the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges ahead of its AGM. The stock fell as much as 27.43% to £3.69, the lowest since April…

Digital tools help Famous Brands adapt to changing consumer needs in a connected market. JSE-listed restaurant franchisor Famous Brands is ramping up its investment in consumer-facing technologies, with a focus on digital ordering, payment integration, loyalty platforms and delivery enhancements.According to its latest annual report, the company’s adoption of digital tools is helping its restaurant network adapt to changing consumer behaviour in an increasingly connected market.Its key brands include Steers, Wimpy, Debonairs Pizza, Mugg & Bean, Fishaways and Milky Lane.The company identifies consumer technology as a critical driver in the restaurant industry, noting it is leveraging these tools to improve…

The author, TymeBank chief commercial officer Cheslyn Jacobs When the South African government introduced the social relief of distress (SRD) grant in 2020, it was more than a pandemic lifeline. It became a stress test for the country’s financial and digital infrastructure. Millions of previously unbanked citizens suddenly needed a secure, reliable way to receive money. Today more than 7.5 million people still receive the monthly, R370 grant. For TymeBank, serving these South Africans isn’t a short-term profit opportunity but a nation-building mandate. But doing so comes with real, rising costs. Before issuing an account, banks must verify customer identity…

Civic technology came into focus at the Social Media Summit for Government. Civic technology solutions tend to be “vanity projects” that result in millions of public funds spent on tech that does not solve existing challenges.This was one of the takeaways during a panel discussion at the 2025 Social Media Summit for Government, convened by Decode Communications and the Centre for Data and Digital Communications at the University of Johannesburg. Now in its third year, the summit is designed to equip public sector communicators with the latest digital tools and strategies. It aims to give them access to ideas, technologies…

Cybercriminals and malicious hacker groups that successfully breached the IT systems of South African companies in the past year raised their ransom demands nearly sixfold in the same period. According to The State of Ransomware in South Africa Report 2025 by cybersecurity firm Sophos, the median ransom demanded rose shot up from US$165 000 (R2.9-million) in 2024 to a staggering R17-million in 2025. On average, South Africa firms that fell victim to a ransomware attack and engaged with the attackers ended up paying about 64% of the ransom demanded of them. Sixty percent of the attacks on South African companies led…

SAPS has started the e-recruitment process for 5 500 aspiring police officers to join its ranks. The South African Police Service’s (SAPS’s) e-recruitment system is live. Announced in June, the portal’s launch is part of the national police service’s shift from archaic paper-based applications, marking a first for the organisation.The portal also features a QR code for applicants to download SAPS vacancies.For this latest recruitment round, the SAPS is looking for 5 500 aspiring police officers to join its ranks. It is targeting men and women aged 18 to 35 for entry-level police trainee posts for the 2025/26 financial year.SAPS…

Cape Town’s residential property landscape continues to evolve with developments that truly understand the needs of modern urban dwellers. The Signal, an exciting new studio development nestled in the heart of Pinelands, sets a fresh benchmark for convenient, community-driven living as it combines an unbeatable location, lifestyle-rich amenities and exceptional value. Located in one of Cape Town’s fastest-growing precincts, The Signal offers 263 thoughtfully designed studio apartments that cater perfectly to young professionals, first-time buyers, students and investors. With 93 of these studios priced under R1-million, the development offers unmatched affordability for a prime urban lifestyle, making it an appealing…

With new features like in-app emergency tools and rider ID verification, the e-hailing company is committed to making its platform safer for all. With increasing incidents of hijackings, attacks on e-hailing drivers and growing tensions in the transport industry, Bolt is introducing multi-layered safety features, including AI-powered dashboard cameras (dash cams), in-app emergency tools and new mandatory rider ID verification. This was announced on Saturday when Bolt South Africa hosted its Driver Safety Summit in Johannesburg. The event was attended by driver-partners, regulators, safety officials and law enforcement stakeholders.“This summit represents something deeply important, not just to Bolt, but to…

South Africans’ heavy reliance on cash, instead of using advanced digital payment rails, costs the economy more than R30-billion/year. This is according to Tim Masela, head of the National Payments System at the Reserve Bank, whose commentary in the Payments Association of South Africa’s (Pasa’s) annual report notes that positive strides taken to digitise the payments ecosystem have been overshadowed by South Africans being slow to adopt digital payment methods. “In collaboration with the payments industry, the Sarb has advanced the provision of seamless, safer, convenient, affordable and faster digital payment offerings,” Masela said in the report. “While it is…