Author: Staff Writer

Bongi Ngoma, national head of audit (and previously CFO) of the Auditor-General of South Africa, has been named South Africa’s CFO of the Year at the 2021 CFO Awards. The CFO of the Year was announced on Wednesday 17 November at the conclusion of the annual gala event for finance executives, held at the spectacular Polo Room at the Inanda Club in Sandton, Johannesburg. Bongi was the big winner during the “Oscars for finance executives”, which celebrated its eighth edition this year. She walked away with three out of ten prizes, including the CFO of the Year, the Public Sector…

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To enable digital transformation powered by Africans for Africa, Microsoft is doubling down on its investment in the continent with the establishment of the Africa Transformation Office (ATO), led by managing director Wael Elkabbany. Under Elkabbany’s leadership, the ATO will partner with public and private organisations to empower millions of Africans and foster economic prosperity. Elkabbany moves from leading enterprise sales for the company across the Middle East and Africa, and previously held roles at British Telecom and other leading businesses in the region. Hailing from Egypt, he holds a B.Sc. in communication engineering, and postgraduate studies in corporate governance,…

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Cryptocurrency as a form of legal tender could be coming to the African country of Zimbabwe in the near future, with reports claiming that the country has started to look into how digital currency can be used as a legal payment service. The claims are said to have come from a senior official, with the country said to be considering utilizing Bitcoin (BTC) as a legal payment option to help meet the growing demand that is being felt by the country’s wider population. According to retired Brigadier Colonel Charles Wekwete, who is the permanent secretary and head of the office…

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South African payments company Ozow has attracted Tencent, a world-leading internet and technology company, in its $48 million or R747 million Series B funding round. The investment round also includes Endeavor Catalyst and Endeavor Harvest Fund. Notably, Endeavor Catalyst’s investment committee approval was chaired by partner of Greylock, and co-founder and former executive chairman of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman. The latest fundraising will support Ozow’s efforts to transform the banking ecosystem and create greater financial access for the underbanked. It will also assist Ozow in cementing its position as one of the leading payment providers on the continent. Ozow has become…

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MTN SA announced today it has finalised a passive tower infrastructure transaction with IHS Towers. MTN Group said the agreement with IHS Towers has been reached following a lengthy competitive process. The IHS Towers transaction will entail the sale and leaseback of 5 709 of MTN SA’s towers – comprising approximately 4 000 greenfield and 1 700 rooftop sites. The deal will also include the outsourcing of power and related services (power as a service, or PaaS) across the entire MTN SA site footprint of approximately 12 800 – thus incorporating an additional 7 100 third-party sites. The offer value…

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Huawei and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) has kicked off the 2021 edition of their Seeds for the Future course, aimed at preparing ICT students for the future of work. Now in its sixth year, the course aims to inspire local talent, enhance knowledge sharing, promote a greater understanding of and interest in the ICT sector, and encourage participation in the digital community. In addition to courses on latest technologies of 5G, Cloud, AI and IoT, students are also introduced to Chinese culture and language, which aims to foster a cross cultural understanding. In this year’s curriculum,…

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AURA, the African-based security and medical response marketplace, has secured R62 million in a Series A funding round, which was led by  MultiChoice Group (MCG), KLT Holdings and Buffet Investments. This positions AURA favourably for its global expansion plans. AURA is a marketplace that enables anyone to access the closest vetted private and public security and medical response unit to their location – anywhere, anytime – using a connected device. “South Africa has one of the most advanced private security and emergency response industries which has the capacity to ensure safety to a greater number of people who might not…

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MTN’s popular WhatsApp and social media data bundles (Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter), have been revised and re-priced to offer more data and value. Available to both new and existing pre-paid customers. Launched in April 2018, MTN’s Social Bundles enable pre-paid customers to access their favourite social media platforms affordably. “Social Bundles uptake has been phenomenal over the three years with more customers choosing to stay connected with friends and families on these platforms. These enhancements are in line with our efforts to make data more affordable and accessible for South Africans” says Jacqui O’Sullivan, Executive: Corporate Affairs at MTN…

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Since its introduction in July 2020, the My BMW App is used as a universal interface for seamless communication between the driver and the vehicle. At the same time, it provides customers a direct connection via smartphone to the BMW retailer and to the BMW brand. It can be used, for example, to plan travel routes and transfer them to the vehicle’s navigation system, arrange service appointments, request information on the vehicle status or find out the latest news on the BMW brand. In addition, remote services such as locking and unlocking the doors are also available, depending on the…

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Global cloud communications company Infobip announces it is rolling out its ESOP (employee stock option plan) to all employees across the staff base ensuring everyone shares in the value they help to create. Culture and talent have always been the driving force behind Infobip’s success, and today’s announcement demonstrates commitment to a philosophy of inclusion that forms the basis for its future as a company. The move comes after a period of expansion following acquisitions of US voice provider Peerless Network, US messaging company OpenMarket, the Shift Conference franchise and SMS firewall provider Anam – all marking important milestones in…

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