Standard Bank Group’s Simon Just Standard Bank has come out in defence of a market-led approach to open banking in South Africa that the Reserve Bank recently criticised, while the fintech industry is calling for more regulation. In March, the Reserve Bank released a working paper (PDF) arguing that South Africa’s market-driven approach to open…
Bridging South Africa’s security technology divide. Across South Africa, the responsibility of protecting communities, infrastructure and businesses falls largely on our dedicated police services and private security organisations. These entities stand on the frontlines of safety, yet too often they do so with outdated systems, fragmented technologies and limited access to the digital tools required…
Organisations are learning from experience, and are turning to AI and automation to accelerate resilience. Everyone talks about detecting and preventing cyber attacks, yet the headlines tell a different story. Prevention and detection alone aren’t enough. Even the world’s most sophisticated enterprises are suffering crippling disruptions that ripple from IT to the boardroom — and…
Electricity and energy minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. A Limpopo village is set to receive a smart village micro-grid that will provide solar-powered electricity to rural communities through smart grids. The project will be launched on Friday by electricity and energy minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa at Madimbo Primary School near Musina. It aims to provide sustainable,…
Africa’s rising Gen Z movements are putting governments under pressure. Young people on the continent say they want a real place in shaping their countries’ futures, yet many feel excluded by leaders far older than them. Their frustration is spilling into streets from Madagascar to Morocco, and new survey data points to fast-falling trust in…
In South Africa, two people can live with the same chronic condition yet face vastly different realities. One may rely on a continuous glucose monitor that sends real-time readings to a smartphone, helping them keep their blood sugar in range. The other may test sporadically with strips – if they’re available – relying on symptoms…
Only about four in 10 citizens have the necessary access to devices, electricity, and the Internet. Key findings ° On average across 39 countries, only 18% of respondents personally own a computer, and a further 15% have access to a computer in their household. Fewer than half (47%) personally own a smartphone. ° Men, urban…
South African companies have taken widely divergent approaches to their work-from-home polices as the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns recede into memory. While some have embraced the remote work culture, others have adopted a hybrid approach in an effort to strike a balance between the social benefits of in-person interactions and the freedom of remote contribution….
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has urged African parliaments to take urgent steps to address the digital divide between countries and regions, citing the technological gap between the parliaments of Rwanda and Ghana as an example. He indicated that the uneven access to modern technology and digital tools across the continent was…
Jeeten Bhoora, founder of Siza AI. Jeeten Bhoora has launched Siza AI, an e-mail based AI platform designed to answer questions and assist with learning directly through e-mail. Bhoora says the platform offers a way for users in underserved and rural communities to interact with AI in their home language, without needing apps or a…
