SA daters warned as AI ‘pig butchering’ surges ahead of Valentines Day

SA daters warned as AI ‘pig butchering’ surges ahead of Valentines Day

AI-powered ‘pig butchering’ scams target South Africans ahead of Valentine’s Day. (Image source: 123RF) As millions of South Africans turn to dating apps like Tinder, Hinge and eHarmony this Valentine’s Day, law enforcement and cyber security experts are warning of a sophisticated new wave of AI-driven “pig butchering” scams. The warning follows Operation Contender 3.0,…

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Shoprite’s Sixty60 surges 34.6% as digital commerce dominates

Shoprite’s Sixty60 surges 34.6% as digital commerce dominates

Shoprite Holdings’ on-demand delivery powerhouse, Sixty60, continues to redefine South African retail, posting a 34.6% sales increase for the six months ending December 28, 2025. This rapid expansion significantly outpaced the group’s overall growth, signalling a permanent shift in consumer behaviour toward app-based, on-demand grocery shopping. Read: The Switch overtakes the DS as Nintendo best-selling…

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SA’s online holiday shopping surges nearly 50%

SA’s online holiday shopping surges nearly 50%

The VCA Retail Spend Monitor analyses retail sales activity over a seven-week period beginning on 1 November 2025. South African consumers significantly increased their online shopping during the 2025/26 holiday season, with e-commerce spending jumping 49.9% year on year, according to Visa’s latest Retail Spend Monitor. The annual report compiled by Visa Consulting and Analytics…

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Local online spending surges on Black Friday

Local online spending surges on Black Friday

Some online payment platforms and local banks reported double- and triple-digit growth in spending on Black Friday. South African consumers shopped their way to another strong performance over Black Friday 2025, with online spending surging past the 2024 bargain-hunting weekend period. Online payment platforms and local banks reported double- and triple-digit growth on some platforms,…

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