SpaceX is the Dutch East India Company of the space age

SpaceX is the Dutch East India Company of the space age

In August 1602, more than 1 100 investors – from wealthy merchants to ordinary craftsmen – subscribed to the world’s first initial public offering. The Dutch East India Company, the VOC, raised Gld6.4-million to build a maritime trade network stretching from Amsterdam to the East Indies. On 12 June 2026, SpaceX raised US$75-billion in the…

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Westcon-Comstor tackles Africa’s ID security space

Westcon-Comstor tackles Africa’s ID security space

Tidiane Lo, VP for the MEA region at Westcon-Comstor. (Image supplied) Westcon-Comstor has confirmed an Africa-wide distribution deal with identity security provider BeyondTrust. Tidiane Lo, VP for the MEA region at Westcon-Comstor, said the agreement enables a unified distribution strategy across 51 countries, expanding scale, partner reach and market coverage. The deal applies to all…

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Africa: Civic Space in Africa Is Not Only Constrained By Arrests, Vague Laws and Media Intimidation, but Also By Foreign Pressure and Various Forms of Dependence.

Africa: Civic Space in Africa Is Not Only Constrained By Arrests, Vague Laws and Media Intimidation, but Also By Foreign Pressure and Various Forms of Dependence.

Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) This statement was originally published on cipesa.org on 16 June 2026. Africa’s digital future is being negotiated away piece by piece – through opaque infrastructure deals, data-sharing arrangements, and political decisions that narrow the space for journalists, civil society, and other stakeholders to gather…

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Standard Bank Connect joins eSIM space

Standard Bank Connect joins eSIM space

Standard Bank Connect aims for eSIM to be a meaningful share of its subscriber base by the end of 2026. Mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Standard Bank Connect has introduced its eSIM offering. An eSIM is a digital SIM embedded directly into compatible smartphones and devices. It allows customers to activate mobile services digitally and…

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SA’s space agency seeks new board members

SA’s space agency seeks new board members

SANSA acts through a board consisting of a chairperson and 10 to 15 other members. (Image: 123RF, Wikipedia) The search for new board members of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has commenced, with interested parties invited to nominate their preferred candidates. SANSA is one of the entities within the portfolio of the Department…

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Africa: Civic Space in Africa Is Not Only Constrained By Arrests, Vague Laws and Media Intimidation, but Also By Foreign Pressure and Various Forms of Dependence.

Africa: AU-EU Space Partnership Revolutionises Weather Systems to Save Lives

The African Union Commission (AUC), in partnership with the European Union (EU), officially inaugurated the African Meteorological Satellite Application Facility (AMSAF) on 18 May 2026 at the AU Headquarters. This event marks a pivotal milestone in Africa’s efforts to strengthen its capacity to predict and respond to climate induced hazards through space -based technology under…

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Africa: Civic Space in Africa Is Not Only Constrained By Arrests, Vague Laws and Media Intimidation, but Also By Foreign Pressure and Various Forms of Dependence.

Africa Urged to Strengthen Space Governance for Global Space Economy Participation

Africa’s meaningful participation in the rapidly expanding global space economy will depend not only on technological advancement, but also on strengthening the continent’s legal, policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks for space governance. This was according to Nomfuneko Majaja, Chief Director of Space Affairs at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and Africa…

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Consortium Led by Axelspace Selected for Japan’s Space Strategy Fund Project “Technology to Enhance Capability of Next Generation Earth Observation Satellites”

Consortium Led by Axelspace Selected for Japan’s Space Strategy Fund Project “Technology to Enhance Capability of Next Generation Earth Observation Satellites”

Conceptual Diagram of the project. Under this Space Strategy Fund initiative, spectrometers will be newly developed and demonstrated in orbit. In the future, the project envisions the establishment of a satellite constellation capable of observations at different times of the day. Axelspace Corporation, Meisei Electric Co., Ltd., ANA HOLDINGS INC., and JIJ Inc. are pleased…

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SA firm opens Africa’s largest space hardware factory

SA firm opens Africa’s largest space hardware factory

Image: NewSpace Systems Somerset West-based spacecraft component maker NewSpace Systems has opened a 5 200sq m manufacturing facility that it claims is the largest commercial space hardware manufacturing plant in Africa. The purpose-built facility includes a 1 260sq m cleanroom and a 120sq m engineering lab, both designed from the ground up for space manufacturing. Capabilities include…

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