Author: Chris Anu

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is poised to launch an investigation into the State IT Agency after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation authorising the corruption-fighting unit to probe the entity. The SIU will investigate allegations of maladministration and corruption focusing on the procurement of a turnkey asset management software solution. “The SIU will assess whether the procurement process adhered to national treasury guidelines or if it was tainted by irregularities, lack of transparency or wasteful expenditure. Additionally, the investigation will examine any unlawful or improper conduct by Sita employees, suppliers or other entities involved in the contract. Evidence of…

SAVCA CEO Tshepiso Kobile. Tshepiso Kobile, CEO of Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA), has left the organisation to pursue new professional opportunities. According to a statement released by SAVCA, Kobile was appointed during a time of transition, and “provided stability and strategic direction as SAVCA reoriented itself for the future”.“She led the recruitment and onboarding of a new executive team, helping to build internal capacity and position the organisation to serve an increasingly complex and evolving investment environment,” the statement continued.In July last year, the SAVCA VC Industry Survey 2024 – the organisation’s annual research initiative…

Elon Musk. Carlos Barria/Reuters Elon Musk has sharply attacked South Africa’s black economic empowerment legislation, describing the country’s BEE laws as “utterly wrong and improper”. Speaking to a journalist at Bloomberg’s Qatar Economic Forum in Doha, the South African-born billionaire — and the world’s richest person — lashed out at the “racist laws in South Africa” in what was an often-tense encounter. Musk was responding to a question about whether he recognised that there was a conflict of interest over his access to the White House and his demands that he shouldn’t have to comply with South African BEE equity…

Asokan Moodley, head of GenAI and industry advisory for Middle East and Africa at NTT Data. Technology services provider NTT Data has appointed Asokan Moodley as head of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and industry advisory for Middle East and Africa (MEA).According to a statement, in this strategic role, Moodley will spearhead NTT Data’s AI initiatives across the MEA region, focusing on client-facing offerings, AI-driven delivery, thought leadership and enterprise-wide skilling. He will also help implement AI solutions for key clients and provide technical leadership in AI technologies, including machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing and GenAI.Moodley will serve as…

The subscription economy has crept into household finances, slowly eating away at South Africans’ disposal income. According to data from Standard Bank, household subscription spending has risen sharply, with high-income males over 40 reportedly spending more than R1 000/month on streaming and software subscriptions. “We all deserve to spend a portion of our incomes on things that bring us joy and comfort. But as incomes rise, so do expenses – often unconsciously,” said Doret Jooste, head of money management and advisory at Standard Bank. This ‘lifestyle inflation’, including growing subscription costs, can delay emergency savings “This ‘lifestyle inflation’, including growing…

Surita du Plessis, Vendor Alliances Manager: Microsoft at Mecer Inter-Ed. (Image: Supplied) AI, including generative AI and agentic AI, offers exciting opportunities for organisations and individuals to streamline outdated processes and drive innovation. By adopting these tools, businesses can unlock new levels of efficiency and focus on what truly matters.Transform your business processes and gain essential AI skills for an AI-driven future. Don’t miss the free Microsoft Copilot training hosted by Mecer Inter-Ed. Join industry experts and Microsoft MCTs as they demonstrate practical applications of Copilot on Microsoft 365 Applications, showcasing how automation and smart suggestions can empower you to…

Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub JSE-listed Vodacom Group is doing rather well, despite a difficult macroeconomic picture in its home – and most important – market, South Africa. The pan-African telecommunications operator, which is controlled by the UK’s Vodafone Group, on Monday hiked its dividend, increased its earnings guidance and said it was targeting 260 million subscribers by 2030, up from about 211 million now. TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod and senior journalist Nkosinathi Ndlovu sat down with Joosub over a video call following the publication of the annual results to discuss these topics and more. This is an edited and…

With flight tracking for scheduled rides, Bolt customers can get updates on the selected flight’s status. Bolt South Africa has introduced a flight tracking feature for scheduled rides, to enable customers to sync their flight details when scheduling an airport pick-up. According to a statement, the new feature allows users to book a ride in advance and provides an update on the selected flight’s status (delayed, early, or on time).The driver and rider will be notified of any changes and can adjust their pickup time accordingly.If a flight is cancelled, Bolt says it will automatically cancel the ride at no…

Capitec Connect’s Dalene Steyn Capitec Connect, South Africa’s largest MVNO, is working to launch a post-paid offering by the end of the year as it moves aggressively to grow its market share. Launched nearly three years ago by Capitec Bank, Capitec Connect is now South Africa’s largest mobile virtual network operator by subscribers – and CEO Dalene Steyn has told TechCentral that the MVNO is just getting started. Speaking on an episode of TechCentral Show to be published later this week, Steyn said the company is looking to “challenge the post-paid market in South Africa” with the introduction of mobile…

Transnet seeks information on an advanced technology rolling stock supersite. It’s a busy week on National Treasury’s eTenders Portal, with well over 600 new advertisements published on the platform. This boost in activity will be particularly welcomed by the ICT industry, as recent weeks predominantly produced request for quotation opportunities. Despite the rise in tender numbers, Transnet takes this week’s spotlight with a request for information on an advanced technology rolling stock supersite, using advanced condition assessment, artificial intelligence, robotics and machine vision technologies. In its documentation, the company reveals that Transnet Freight Rail has traditionally relied on manual processes…