Author: Staff Writer

Koa Academy, an online school that combines online learning and the flexibility of home-schooling for grades 4 – 12, in South Africa has bagged R4 million investment from Enygma Ventures. “The education sector has been in need of an overhaul for a long time and the Covid-19 pandemic further highlighted this need for innovative solutions in the space” said Sarah Dusek, Co-founder and Managing Partner for Enygma Ventures. “The Koa team brings with them years of experience in education, combined with an innovative and exciting approach to tackle this challenge.” Koa was launched in October 2020 with a vision to…

TymeBank, South Africa’s fastest-growing challenger bank, has scored high in the latest digital banking SITEisfaction report, with a positive shift – from fourth to third place – in how respondents rate TymeBank’s mobile banking offering. This achievement places the challenger bank ahead of some of the country’s legacy banks. The 2021 index also shows the bank maintained its status as one of the country’s top three providers of digital banking, as rated by customers. It is only the second time TymeBank has featured in the survey, which measures customer experience across a combination of internet and mobile banking platforms since…

The government has issued a stern warning to those inciting violence and disregard of the law with inflammatory messages on social media. This warning was on Tuesday relayed by Ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention, and Security (JCPS) cluster during a media briefing amid a flurry of public violence flare-ups in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Chaotic scenes have been playing out in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, leaving many businesses gutted and looted by protesters, who are reportedly calling for the release of former President Jacob Zuma from jail. The Cybersecurity Act states that any person who “unlawfully makes available, broadcasts…

As violent looting and damage to businesses and infrastructure continue in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, police had by Monday evening arrested 489 people. Of these, 166 were in KwaZulu-Natal and 323 in Gauteng. The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) on Tuesday welcomed the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in support of the operations of the South African Police Service (SAPS). The NATJOINTS said it had intensified deployments in all the affected areas in the two provinces and this would be augmented by SAPS recalling operational members from leave and rest days. This will increase the…

One of South Africa’s most prominent tech solutions providers, Altron Systems Integration (Altron SI), has officially partnered with Teraco Data Environments (Teraco), Africa’s largest vendor-neutral colocation data centre provider. Through this partnership, Altron SI and its customers have the advantage of deploying within the most interconnected cloud ecosystem in Africa. Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Altron SI, Vaugn Naidoo believes this marks the beginning of a beneficial partnership for his business and its customers. “The interconnection density present within Teraco’s facilities is not available elsewhere in Africa.” He says Teraco’s diverse ecosystem is home to all major cloud on-ramps…

Telkom officially shut down all its stores in KwaZulu-Natal yesterday – in light of recent unrest and protests across the country that are especially concentrated in that province – and had closed stores in some parts of the country, in the interest of the safety of its customers and staff alike. Please note that from 13 July 2021 all Telkom stores across the country will be closed until the situation can be assessed fully and it can be established that it is completely safe to resume business activities. Everyone is encouraged to use the self-service channels in the meantime by…

The construction industry hasn’t changed in centuries and is ultimately still laying bricks and building buildings. Construction giant Stefanutti Stocks has not only been able to transform the face of their IT department as an early adopter of the cloud but has also managed to face work from home disruptions without missing a beat with the migration of their VMware cloud environment from Europe to South Africa. Stefanutti Stocks is a major listed player in the South African and Sub-Saharan African construction market. It employs 7,500 people and earns billions in annual revenue with projects running from Cape Town to…

The new Samsung Galaxy device is available for purchase through Telkom’s online channel and in stores across the country on FreeME Plans from 10 July 2021. Qualifying customers for the deal include; new and existing Telkom Mobile and Business subscribers as well as Prepaid and Post-paid subscribers. The Samsung Galaxy A22 offers exceptional value for money as the successor to the Galaxy A21. First off, it features an immersive display and versatile camera which are bound to catch the eye. This world-class smartphone also gives users the opportunity to experience next-generation performance, demonstrating Samsung’s commitment to providing accessible devices without…

Vantage Capital, Africa’s largest mezzanine fund manager, announced today the successful first close on its fourth mezzanine fund. With $207 million or R2.9 billion of commitments from European and US-based commercial investors as well as development finance institutions (DFIs), including IFC, CDC Group and SIFEM, Vantage Mezzanine Fund IV is on track to reach its target total fund size of $350 million. The fund will provide mid-sized African businesses with flexible capital that will enhance job creation and facilitate much-needed economic opportunities and growth – especially necessary for post-Covid-19 recovery. “Vantage is proud of the continued support received from its…

There is no doubt that South Africa currently faces a massive power challenge, with load shedding a disruptive reality that all but a few off-grid citizens have to deal with. At the same time, it’s growing increasingly clear that the country needs to drastically reduce its carbon emissions. According to The Global Carbon Atlas, South Africa is the 12th biggest emitter of greenhouse gases on the planet and the biggest in Africa. There is a strong and urgent need to accelerate the growth of renewable energy across the region to ensure sufficient, affordable, reliable energy supply for individuals, businesses, and…