For many CIOs and technology leaders, the greatest cloud challenge today is continuity. Across Africa’s banking, insurance, fintech and public sectors, digital services have become mission-critical. Customers expect real-time transactions, always-on access to apps and seamless digital experiences. Governments rely on cloud-based platforms to deliver citizen services, while businesses depend on cloud infrastructure to run…
Cross-border payments underpin the flow of value across the global economy. (Image: Lumepay) Lumepay has officially brought its cross-border payment solutions to market, purpose-built for African SMEs, corporates and financial institutions doing business and transacting globally. It arrives with a clear goal: to deliver end-to-end cross-border payment solutions powered by stable infrastructure, dependable rails and…
South Africa’s informal economy is heading for a wave of formalisation in which spaza shop owners become multi-store entrepreneurs and cash all but vanishes from the townships, according to Shop2Shop founder and CEO Peter Berry. Speaking on an investor call on Wednesday, hours after Pepkor announced it would merge its Flash business with Shop2Shop to…
South Africa is still a cash-based economy, says Optasia. (Image source: iStock) Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered fintech company Optasia is stepping up its push into South Africa, betting that AI-driven credit scoring can unlock financial services for millions of people who remain underserved by the country’s formal banking sector. Speaking to ITWeb in an interview yesterday,…
Thomas Mukoya/Reuters Airtel Africa announced on Thursday it had picked the London Stock Exchange for the listing of its mobile money business due later this year. “We believe a London listing will provide access to a broad international investor base and support our ambition to unlock the long-term value of one of Africa’s leading fintech…
Rogue AI cases will become more frequent and dangerous. (Graphic: Nicola Mawson | GenAI & Magnific) Artificial intelligence (AI) is mimicking dubious human behaviour – even if unintentionally – by escaping test environments to hack companies or blackmail people as the models seek to complete set tasks in any way possible. This unintentional rogue behaviour…
Airports Company South Africa is preparing to add AI chatbot functionality and augmented reality navigation to its mobile app as the state-owned airports operator works to turn the software into a genuine travel companion – and to get more travellers actually using it. Speaking to TechCentral in an interview on Thursday, Acsa chief technology officer…
The MyCiTi electric bus. (Image: supplied) Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis yesterday welcomed the city’s first fully electric MyCiTi bus. Named Evie, the electric bus is part of an initial 38 battery-electric bus fleet, in line with broader plans for a public transport system that is “cleaner and smarter”. According to the city, the electric…
Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub Vodacom, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and Amazon Web Services on Friday launched the Vodacom AI Lab, a partnership that puts postgraduate students to work on live industry problems – from cross-border fraud prevention to identity theft – using the same cloud and AI tools deployed by leading technology companies…
TIA and W&R SETA are joining forces to create more pathways for young people, entrepreneurs and emerging businesses to develop ideas, access support and contribute to SA’s digital economy. The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&R SETA) have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at linking…
