https://techcentral.co.za/ This is the main feed for all of TechCentral's shows and podcasts, including TCS - The TechCentral Show and TCS Impact Series. Never miss anything we produce and publish by subscribing to this feed. Technology en Wed, 25 Jan 2017 13:10:45 +0200 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:16:08 +0200 30 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss iono.fm 2.5.2.0 NewsCentral Media no Yearly feeds@iono.fm (Feed Manager) https://cdn.iono.fm/files/p186/logo_2973_20250910_203513_1400.jpeg https://techcentral.co.za/ This is the main feed for all of TechCentral's shows and podcasts, including TCS - The TechCentral Show and TCS Impact Series. TechCentral episodic TechCentral duncan@techcentral.co.za false ZA https://iono.fm/e/1666326 https://iono.fm/e/1666326 That’s the view of DataGroupIT CEO Werner Lindemann, who joined Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show to unpack what business leaders should be doing about AI and information security.
Lindemann, who spent more than 30 years in senior roles at BCX and Clickatell before joining the security solutions distributor, says the African threat environment is no longer a watered-down version of what is happening elsewhere. Attackers are deploying the same AI-powered tools globally, and AI-enabled phishing campaigns now achieve click-through rates that traditional defences were never designed to withstand.
A bigger blind spot, he argues, is shadow AI – employees pasting sensitive data into unapproved AI tools without oversight. Lindemann says this is fast eclipsing the shadow IT problem of the past decade because the tools are free, frictionless and often invisible to security teams.
The conversation also tackles the credibility crisis facing identity verification. With AI now able to clone a CEO’s voice in real time or generate synthetic profiles that pass biometric checks, Lindemann believes traditional verification methods are fundamentally flawed. A big challenge is helping boards understand the issue in business rather than technical terms.
Lindemann also weighs in on the rise of the chief AI officer role, following Sanlam’s recent appointment, and on whether African organisations are equipped to adopt AI at the pace global peers are setting given the continent’s acute skills shortage.
The discussion closes on quantum computing. Lindemann challenges the conventional view that the quantum threat is a decade away, and outlines what business leaders should be doing now to prepare for the post-quantum cryptography world – even if the risk still feels distant. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:16:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Werner Lindemann on how AI is rewriting the infosec rulebook 0 0 TechCentral full 38:22 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1663406 https://iono.fm/e/1663406 Marsh, whose 30-year career includes directing the Hollywood submarine thriller Hunter Killer starring Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman, the Spud films and iNumber Number, is the latest guest on the TechCentral Show.
The economics, he tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod, are extraordinary: a single complex scene in a traditional production requires crews, equipment, locations and days of scheduling, while AI tools collapse much of that overhead into work that can be done at a desk.
But Marsh is clear that the creative work has not disappeared. He still directs shot by shot, much as he would on a conventional set, and uses a patchwork of different AI tools – no single product yet does everything. He has found that simpler prompts produce better results, saying over-prescription tends to degrade output quality.
Marsh acknowledges the disruption this implies for camera operators, lighting crews, set designers and extras. But he argues that AI filmmaking could prove liberating for smaller filmmaking markets like South Africa, where the budgets to make ambitious local movies have dwindled.
He has co-founded Dragon Studios AI with Ronnie Apteker and Stephen Cholerton, and is developing what he believes will be among the first AI-generated feature films. The tools are not quite there yet for a full 90-minute production, he says, but the gap is closing fast.
Marsh also weighs in on where the so-called “uncanny valley” still trips up generative video, the future of the acting profession and what AI filmmaking could look like by 2029. TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:21:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Donovan Marsh on AI and the future of filmmaking 0 0 TechCentral full 52:30 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1663099 https://iono.fm/e/1663099 In this episode of TCS+, TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod is joined in-studio by two members of the recently established Vodacom Business advisory board: Sannesh Beharie, managing executive of SME and mobile products at Vodacom Business, and Andrew Fulton, co-founder of data analytics firm Eighty20, a Vodacom Business partner.
Vodacom Business set up its advisory board last year to bridge the gap between enterprise-grade technology and the small businesses that need it most, bringing together tech leaders and external specialists to help companies – as well as SMEs – navigate digital transformation.
In the conversation, McLeod, Beharie and Fulton dig into what’s actually stopping small businesses from going digital, whether bundled connectivity and cloud offerings are genuinely good for SMEs or just a polite way of locking them in, and where AI fits into the picture for a 20-person business in South Africa.
They also tackle how Vodacom Business positions itself against the likes of AWS, Google and Microsoft in the SME market, where a small business owner should spend their first R10 000 a month on tech, and the most common mistakes SMEs make when they do invest in technology.
Don't miss the discussion on what a genuinely SME-first solution looks like – and whether the tech industry is guilty of designing for corporates and simply shrinking solutions down for smaller businesses.
* TCS+ episodes are sponsored by the party concerned TechCentral]]> Technology Sun, 05 Apr 2026 11:40:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Vodacom Business moves to crack the SME tech gap 0 0 TechCentral full 34:47 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1662032 https://iono.fm/e/1662032 In this episode of the TechCentral Show, TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod talks to Divyesh Joshi, chief commercial officer at MTN South Africa, about the thinking behind the launch and what it signals about the direction of the local telecommunications market.
Pi’s pricing is aggressive: R79/month for 500 voice minutes and R199/month for 20GB of mobile data, for example, alongside home fixed-wireless broadband plans.
McLeod asks whether Pi is essentially MTN’s fightback against Telkom, which has been quietly gaining prepaid market share with competitive data pricing – and whether the launch is also a response to mobile virtual network operators like Melon Mobile.
The conversation explores what Pi means for MTN’s margins, particularly on voice, and whether the aggressive pricing on calls is an admission that voice has become a commodity in a market where many consumers have shifted to WhatsApp for calls.
McLeod also asks whether Pi represents MTN’s attempt to get ahead of a structural shift in how people consume telecoms services – drawing a parallel with MultiChoice’s failure to adapt quickly enough to changing market demands in the video entertainment space.
A key question is what happens to MTN’s existing SuperFlex product, which targets a similar customer base. Is Pi going to cannibalise MTN’s own subscribers?
Finally, McLeod and Joshi discuss MTN’s new eSim-based roaming deals, which offer data at R12/GB in markets like China and France – though curiously, roaming in eSwatini, where MTN has a subsidiary, costs R85/GB.
Don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:47:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | MTN’s Divyesh Joshi on the strategy behind Pi 0 0 TechCentral full 21:46 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1660796 https://iono.fm/e/1660796 With some 5 500 jobs on the line, the big question is: is the Post Office worth saving? Rooplal spoke to TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu and was asked that question.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Rooplal talks about:
• The case for the bailout: The business rescue practitioners have already received R2.4-billion from government, while bailouts for the Post Office over the past decade amount to nearly R10-billion. Rooplal attempts to answer why this latest funding request is worth it.
• The current state of the Post Office: Rooplal outlines what the R2.4-billion tranche was used for and what the R3.8-billion request would do, if provided. He also details what the future state of the entity might look like and how, without much in terms of income, salaries are currently being paid.
• The need for a state-owned postal service: Even if national treasury were to agree to save the Post Office, does it have a place in a modern digital economy?
• External funding and asset sales: If the business case for the Post Office’s revival is so strong, why have the businesses rescue practitioners not sold or rationalised assets or gone to the open market for funding?
• Social grants and Post Bank: Rooplal explains what would happen to the many grant recipients processed via the Post Office should it not survive business rescue.
• Private sector partnerships: The department of communications & digital technologies in November issued a request for information seeking private sector partnership proposals. Rooplal explains the “chicken and egg” problem at the core those discussions.
• No more options: Chapter 6 of the Companies Act compels business rescue practitioners to file for liquidation if they see “no reasonable prospect” of rescue. Rooplal explains why he and his associate, Damons, are close to pulling the trigger.
Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:52:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Anoosh Rooplal on the Post Office’s last stand 0 0 TechCentral full 27:32 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1659091 https://iono.fm/e/1659091 Speaking on TechCentral’s Meet the CIO podcast series, brought to you by NTT DATA, Fatti said AI and cloud computing are already easing the administrative burden on doctors and medical professionals, allowing them to spend more time with patients rather than on paperwork and back-office tasks.
Fatti joined Healthbridge as CTO in February 2025, bringing experience from senior technology leadership roles at the South African Revenue Service, where he served as chief technology and innovation officer, as well as at Discovery, where he was chief digital officer, and data business Lightstone, where he was CIO.
Healthbridge, founded in 1999, positions itself as a technology partner that helps medical professionals run their practices so they can focus on patient care. The company’s offerings have evolved significantly since its early days – from a pre-cloud, pre-AI era to a modern cloud-based software-as-a-service platform built in partnership with Google Cloud.
In the interview, Fatti discusses how the company has structured its innovation efforts. He also addresses which parts of clinical workflows are ready for AI automation today and which must remain human-led, and how far the industry is from AI playing a decisive role in diagnosis.
On the shortage of medical professionals in South Africa, particularly in certain specialities, Fatti explores how AI and other modern tools can make doctors more productive – and whether practitioners are receptive to adopting them.
He also shares his views on how policymakers should be thinking about AI in healthcare, the new skills emerging inside his teams and his approach to disrupting Healthbridge’s own business model before a competitor does. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:14:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | Healthbridge CTO Anton Fatti on the future of digital health 0 0 TechCentral full 45:46 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1657872 https://iono.fm/e/1657872 In many organisations, the gap between security activity and real risk reduction remains stubbornly wide, even as threats become faster, more adaptive and harder to spot.
In this episode of TCS+, Clare Loveridge and Jason Oehley from Arctic Wolf unpack what the 2026 Arctic Wolf Threat Report reveals about how the risk landscape is shifting, both globally and in South Africa.
They discuss whether organisations are genuinely becoming more proactive, how AI is changing the game for attackers and defenders alike, and why familiar blockers continue to undermine even well-funded security programmes.
The conversation also explores what it means to "end cyber risk" in practical terms, why continuous improvement matters more than one-off projects, and how organisations should think about residual risk — the portion that remains even after controls are in place.
The episode closes with a look at Arctic Wolf's cybersecurity warranty in South Africa and what role warranties can play in risk management when prevention alone is not enough. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:20:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Arctic Wolf unpacks the evolving threat landscape for SA businesses 0 0 TechCentral full 29:32 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1655266 https://iono.fm/e/1655266 Vox recently launched Kiwi, a wireless connectivity solution promising a fibre-like experience with speeds of up to 200Mbit/s. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Theo van Zyl, head of wireless at Vox, provides more details about the Kiwi service and how it works.
Van Zyl delves into:
* The rationale behind building a wireless service that offer a fibre-like experience;
* Why customers should choose Kiwi over a 4G or 5G fixed-wireless solution;
* The technical innovations Vox took advantage of to get the speed and reliability Kiwi offers its customers;
* How Kiwi behaves in disruptive scenarios such as thunderstorms;
* The various tiers customers can subscribe to and the speeds they offer;
* The kind of spectrum Kiwi uses and how it does so efficiently;
* The installation process and the hardware involved; and
* Why the name Kiwi was chosen and its relevance to wireless technology.
Don’t miss in an interesting discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:53:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Vox Kiwi: a wireless solution promising a fibre-like experience 0 0 TechCentral full 15:54 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1655243 https://iono.fm/e/1655243 What unfolds is a rich conversation that challenges long-held assumptions about Africa's role in the global AI ecosystem — and reframes governance, ethics and constraint not as obstacles but as strategic advantages.
The discussion explores how deeply regulated environments sharpen one's appreciation for integrity, accountability and human impact — principles that are now indispensable in the design of trustworthy AI systems. This sets the tone for a broader conversation on why governance-by-design, representative data and bias mitigation are not "nice-to-haves" but foundational to sustainable AI adoption, particularly for public-facing systems operating in diverse and unequal societies.
A central theme is "flipping the narrative" — moving away from the idea that the Global South must simply catch up, and instead recognising its unique opportunity to shape AI differently. Rosén offers compelling insights into Africa's position as the youngest continent, cautioning that demographic advantage alone does not automatically translate into leadership. The discussion interrogates what must change — across policy, education, data strategy and governance — for Africa's youth dividend to become real AI leadership, and why the window to do so is open but narrow.
Listeners are taken deeper into Africa's distinct AI opportunity set: smaller, more context-specific language models; mobile-first innovation; and the potential to build systems that are locally relevant, linguistically inclusive and ethically grounded from inception. Rosén underscores that when AI systems — especially those interfacing directly with the public — are not sufficiently representative of the people and environments they serve, trust erodes quickly. Integrity, reliability and contextual relevance are therefore not abstract principles but practical necessities for AI systems that aim to endure and scale responsibly.
The episode closes by exploring practical use cases and forward-looking responsibilities, asking who must do what next — from policymakers and universities to business leaders and technologists — if Africa is to seize this moment. The conversation leaves listeners with a powerful message: the future of AI in the Global South will not be determined by scale alone but by the choices made now around governance, representation and trust.
Don't miss it! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:10:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Flipping the narrative on AI in the Global South 0 0 TechCentral full 39:14 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1652688 https://iono.fm/e/1652688 In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Antony Makins, acting CEO at TForge and chair of the special group on AI and robotics at the Institute of IT Professionals South Africa, unpacks the skills revolution unfolding alongside the AI one.
Makins delves into the patterns emerging across organisations and the broader labour market as AI adoption accelerates.
He also explores the mindset shift it’s imposing on the workforce, and which roles are being hit hardest by AI-driven changes to how we work.
He delves into the opportunities that exist despite the very real threat AI poses to jobs – and what government can do to create an enabling environment for workers to adapt to a labour market increasingly shaped by AI, machine learning and data analysis.
Don't miss it the conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:43:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Sink or swim? Antony Makins on how AI is rewriting the rules of work 0 0 TechCentral full 40:08 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1652230 https://iono.fm/e/1652230 In this episode of TechCentral's TCS+, Simo Kalajdzic, senior operations manager at Bolt South Africa, discusses findings from the report and how Bolt has used them to inform decision-making regarding its approach to safety on its platform.
Kalajdzic delves into:
* The rationale behind Bolt's commission of the report;
* Why market research firm Ipsos was chosen to conduct the research;
* Key findings from the report and the products Bolt has developed using those insights;
* The key drivers fuelling e-hailing adoption in South Africa and where safety ranks compared to other factors like reliability and cost;
* Scenarios that lead to South African's choosing e-hailing over other transport types;
* How e-hailing compares to other modes of transport in terms of safety perception;
* What survey respondents said about e-hailing's impact on drunk driving in their respective cities;
* Those features of e-hailing apps that make users feel safer compared to other types of transportation; and
* What users can do to maximise their safety levels when using the platform. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:26:00 +0200 0 0 Bolt ups the ante on platform safety 0 0 TechCentral full 13:30 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1641655 https://iono.fm/e/1641655 Meet the CIO is brought to you by NTT DATA, where global experience meets local impact.
Tsoaeli has spent his entire career in financial services technology, starting out as an application developer at Rand Merchant Bank before holding senior technology roles at Standard Bank, Investec, Nedbank, FirstRand and Sanlam. He became CIO of the JSE three years ago, bringing deep experience in large-scale, mission-critical systems to one of the most tightly regulated technology environments in the country.
In the conversation, Tsoaeli reflects on his early exposure to computing and how a formal grounding in computer science shaped his career path. While he is clearly a technologist at heart, he explains how his role has evolved beyond pure IT delivery to focus on strategy, resilience, regulatory compliance and enabling market growth.
A major theme of the discussion is the JSE’s technology stack and how it has changed over time. Tsoaeli explains how the exchange now works closely with Amazon Web Services, moving away from a purely on-premises model to leverage cloud infrastructure for scalability, resilience and performance. He also addresses the question many market participants ask: can the cloud really be trusted with mission-critical exchange workloads, especially in a world where outages at global providers can have far-reaching consequences?
Latency and real-time trading are central concerns for any exchange, and Tsoaeli provides insight into how the JSE’s infrastructure supports the full trading lifecycle – from pre-market activity through live trading to post-trade clearing and settlement. He also touches on the exchange’s networking architecture and how it is designed to deliver predictable, low-latency performance for brokers and market participants.
The episode also explores the JSE’s strategic technology partnership with Nasdaq. Tsoaeli explains how this relationship operates at a technology level and what it has delivered so far, including support for market modernisation and international interoperability. Closely linked to this is the modernisation of the JSE’s Broker Dealer Accounting system, a project Tsoaeli describes as critical to improving efficiency, resilience and future-readiness.
Given the highly regulated nature of financial markets, security and compliance are never far from the conversation. Tsoaeli outlines how the JSE balances innovation with stringent regulatory requirements, and what this means for data protection, operational risk and trust in the market.
Looking ahead, the discussion touches on cross-border capital flows, dual listings and the potential role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning in trading and market operations – along with the risks that come with them.
Finally, Tsoaeli shares his perspective on what success looks like for the JSE’s technology journey over the next three to five years, how he sees the role of the CIO evolving, and – in a lighter moment – his favourite productivity hack. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 02 Feb 2026 15:24:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | Inside the JSE’s tech engine with CIO Tebalo Tsoaeli 0 0 TechCentral full 47:08 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1640931 https://iono.fm/e/1640931 Consnet is an IT solutions firm that leveraged the Amazon Web Services distribution model to accelerate its own journey into the cloud, enabling the company to do the same for its customers.
In this episode of TCS+, Dion Kalicharan, MD at Consnet, and Xhenia Rhode, AWS partner development manager at Cloud On Demand, speak about the benefits of leveraging the support structures in the AWS partner network.
Rhode and Kalicharan delve into:
• What the AWS distribution model is and how it benefits partners in the ecosystem;
• Consnet’s 21-year history, the services it provides and how its journey into the cloud began;
• How Consnet being supported by Cloud On Demand gave it the know-how to support its own customers on their cloud adoption journeys;
• The technical and training support that helped guide Consnet to upskill its teams and gain cloud expertise;
• How Cloud On Demand “marked Consnet’s homework” by double-checking the quality and efficiency of its cloud deployments; and
• How Cloud on Demand strategically meets its partners where their needs are.
Don’t miss this informative conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:34:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Cloud On Demand and Consnet: inside a real-world AWS partner success story 0 0 TechCentral full 25:21 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1640878 https://iono.fm/e/1640878 Duncan McLeod and co-host William Kelly kick off by drooling over a wild new Toyota performance machine they say is real, street legal and due in 2027. It’s a 4l hybrid V8, rear-wheel drive “hypercar” with supercar proportions and serious numbers: 478kW and a quoted top speed of 320km/h or more. It’s the sort of car that feels entirely out of character for Toyota – and that’s exactly why they can’t stop talking about it.
From there, the conversation swings hard in the other direction: the all-electric Porsche Cayenne, which is shaping up as a huge statement from Stuttgart. The hosts discuss its performance claims – including a 0-100km/h sprint in the mid-2s range – and a range figure north of 600km.
They also debate the realities of EV depreciation and whether buyer anxiety around battery longevity is starting to fade as real-world data shows high-mileage EVs retaining strong battery health.
The episode then turns to Ford CEO Jim Farley’s candid admission that big, expensive EV trucks haven’t delivered as hoped – and why legacy car makers may need to refocus on smaller, more affordable models. The discussion touches on Ford’s partnership with Renault on EVs, and what that could mean for markets like South Africa.
But the meatiest local segment is BYD’s push into South Africa with an aggressive product and charging strategy. William and Duncan unpack their impressions of the BYD Sealion 5 plug-in hybrid – positioned as a direct rival to the Toyota Corolla Cross – and criticise the lack of technical detail shared at its launch. They also discuss BYD’s planned roll-out of a major charging network, including megawatt-scale sites, and what that could mean for shrinking range anxiety.
The episode closes with the show’s “Hot or Not” segment – and one clear takeaway: 2026 is shaping up as a pivotal year for electrification, even as petrolhead fantasies refuse to die.
Watch S1E3 of Watts & Wheels now – and don’t forget to subscribe. TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:51:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels S1E3: ‘BYD’s Corolla Cross challenger’ 0 0 TechCentral full 36:11 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1638226 https://iono.fm/e/1638226 There is also an update on Stellantis’s manufacturing plans and what they could mean for South Africa’s position in global automotive supply chains.
The discussion turns to plug-in hybrids, which are emerging as a key battleground. The Omoda C9 PHEV and Haval H6 GT PHEV are discussed as examples of how Chinese brands are targeting buyers not yet ready to go fully electric.
Duncan and William chat about two new vehicles in South Africa: the Leapmotor C10 (and why William hates the term REEV) and the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica (which William is prepared to give a kidney to own).
And then there’s the Toyota GR GT. Duncan explains why this supercar has him seriously questioning his principles – and why some petrol cars are still capable of making rational people do irrational things. TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 23 Jan 2026 14:27:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels S1E2: ‘China attacks, BMW digs in, Toyota’s sublime supercar’ 0 0 TechCentral full 38:10 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1636909 https://iono.fm/e/1636909 He tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the future of BMW’s Rosslyn manufacturing plant in Pretoria, which was established more than half a century ago, and the urgent need for new government policy to ensure the automotive industrial base in South Africa is future-fit and ready for the shift to electric mobility.
Van Binsbergen also discusses the rise of imported vehicles in the sales mix in South Africa – including the rapid expansion of Chinese brands. China is a market he knows well, having spent three years there with BMW.
In the interview, TechCentral Show viewers will also hear about:
• The state of the local automotive manufacturing industry;
• What South Africa needs to implement in policy reform to ensure the automotive industrial base in South Africa – and why this is urgent;
• How the country must adapt to the global shift to electric mobility;
• The role of BMW’s IT Hub in South Africa;
• BMW’s global EV strategy, and what that means for South African EV buyers; and
• BMW’s Neue Klasse vehicles, which run the company’s next-generation EV platform, and why they are significant to its future.
Don’t miss a fascinating discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:58:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | BMW CEO Peter van Binsbergen on the future of South Africa’s automotive industry 0 0 TechCentral full 30:00 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1636808 https://iono.fm/e/1636808 Once seen primarily as an IT problem, cybersecurity is now recognised as a material business risk with direct financial, operational and reputational consequences. But the discussion made clear that security, done well, can also signal organisational maturity to regulators, investors and partners – and increasingly, become a source of competitive advantage.
Collard likened strong security controls to having “good brakes on a fast car”. Without them, businesses cannot safely deploy emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence or scale digital platforms with confidence. Availability and resilience, she argued, are foundational: “Businesses are in business to stay in business.”
That foundation is under growing pressure. Zahela said South Africa’s threat landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by a criminal ecosystem that is itself adopting automation and AI. Phishing attacks have become far more convincing, while ransomware continues to disrupt cloud migrations, often exploiting misconfigured environments rushed into production.
Defenders, however, are also using AI. Vodacom Business has integrated AI-driven detection and response into its managed security services, reducing the time taken to detect and respond to threats from hours to minutes, or even seconds. Crucially, these systems are adaptive, learning continuously from global threat intelligence rather than relying on static rules.
Despite advances in automation, human behaviour remains central to security outcomes. Many breaches still involve simple mistakes. Collard argued that well-trained employees can act as an extension of the security function, providing judgment and context that AI cannot. The challenge is that organisations must now secure not only people, but also the AI tools and agents they use – all of which can themselves be manipulated.
This requires what Collard described as “digital mindfulness”: a security-aware culture led from the top. Executives must model good behaviour, while organisations adopt zero-trust principles that continuously verify identity and access rights across employees, partners and devices, enforcing least-privilege access by default.
To turn security into an enabler rather than a blocker, it must be embedded from the start. “Security by design” – integrating safeguards into systems, processes and digital initiatives upfront – avoids costly retrofits later and allows innovation to move faster with clearer risk boundaries.
The payoff can be tangible. A strong security posture can reduce cyber-insurance costs, improve business continuity and prevent expensive operational disruptions. More broadly, trust built through resilience and good governance can attract customers, partners and investors.
The key message for business leaders, the speakers agreed, is to stop treating security as reactive. The more powerful question is no longer, “How do we protect what we have?”, but rather, “How does security enable us to do what we couldn’t do before?”
Don’t miss this important conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:10:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Why cybersecurity is becoming a competitive advantage for SA businesses 0 0 TechCentral full 35:38 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1633100 https://iono.fm/e/1633100 The first episode of season 1 – you can catch our “season 0” episodes here – opens with a sharp focus on South African Auto Week, where the pressure on local vehicle manufacturers dominated discussions.
Original equipment manufacturers are facing a tough balancing act as imports rise while local assembly plants wrestle with costs, scale and uncertainty.
From policy to products, the show then shifts gears to tyre maker Bridgestone, which has launched new tyre offerings for the South African market. In an interview, Jacques Rikhotso, CEO of Bridgestone South Africa, unpacks how changing vehicle technologies – including heavier EVs – are influencing tyre design, durability and safety.
Chinese brands also feature prominently. A dramatic crash test involving the Chery Tiggo 9 Pro highlights the rapid strides Chinese manufacturers are making in safety engineering. Meanwhile, BYD continues to push the boundaries of EV infrastructure, announcing plans for a 1MW ultra-fast charging network, championed by BYD executive Stella Li.
Adventure meets electrification with a discussion on Volvo EX30 Cross Country, which recently tackled the iconic Sani Pass – a symbolic moment for EV capability in rugged African conditions.
On the new-car front, the team runs through arrivals and upcoming launches including the BYD Dolphin Surf and the forthcoming Volvo EX60.
The review spotlight falls on the Lexus GX550, described as the “anti-EV”: a traditional, petrol-powered luxury off-roader that doubles down on ruggedness rather than electrification.
Rounding out the episode is an interview with Andrew Kirby, CEO of Toyota South Africa, and we speculate on the electric vehicle models Toyota is likely to introduce into the local market in 2026. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:22:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels S1E1 - 'William, Prince of Wheels' 0 0 TechCentral full 1:14:40 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1628028 https://iono.fm/e/1628028 Yet many organisations still face challenges in converting these ambitions into measurable business outcomes. According to Cliff de Wit, group chief innovation officer at Accelera Digital Group, the success of AI-driven initiatives depends as much on culture and governance as it does on technology.
In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ podcast, De Wit outlines the practical steps leaders can take to reduce organisational friction, strengthen data foundations and enable cloud-led innovation at scale.
“Cloud is no longer an IT decision. It is the foundation on which every modern AI strategy is built,” says De Wit. And technical readiness alone is not enough. “The biggest barrier is not the tech, it’s whether the organisation is prepared to manage change at the pace AI requires.”
In this episode, De Wit discusses:
• The concept of organisational drag and how it affects AI progress;
● Approaches to strengthening culture and governance within digital programmes;
● The role of the C-suite in accelerating cloud and AI adoption while demonstrating clear return on investment;
● What an AI-ready data foundation looks like and why it is essential;
● How strong data management practices unlock new sources of business value; and
● Why African organisations are increasingly well positioned to advance rapidly through cloud-first strategies.
The discussion provides practical guidance for business and technology leaders seeking a clearer understanding of how cloud, data and culture intersect to enable enterprise-wide AI transformation. Don’t miss it! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 11 Dec 2025 18:05:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Africa’s digital transformation – unlocking AI through cloud and culture 0 0 TechCentral full 40:18 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1625675 https://iono.fm/e/1625675 In this episode of TCS+, Cloud on Demand’s Xenia Rhode and Developmenthub’s Odwa Ndyaluvane explain how the AWS distribution model benefits partners in the same ecosystem.
In this episode, Rhode and Ndyavulane discuss:
• An overview of the AWS distribution model and its ecosystem partners;
• Who Developmenthub is and how the company started;
• The support Cloud on Demand, an AWS select partner, provides to Developmenthub;
• The business outcomes that Developmenthub has achieved through the partnership;
• The business development support available within the partner ecosystem;
• The new market access opportunities Cloud on Demand was able to avail to Developmenthub; and
• New revenue streams that Developmenthub was able to tap into because of the Cloud on Demand partnership.
Don’t miss the discussion. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 04 Dec 2025 14:42:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | How Cloud on Demand helps partners thrive in the AWS ecosystem 0 0 TechCentral full 30:32 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1623293 https://iono.fm/e/1623293 Telkom’s resurgence has put pressure on both MTN and Vodacom, with MTN acknowledging it has “discernibly” lost prepaid market share.
This is one of the topics covered in this wide-ranging and exclusive TechCentral Show interview with MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita, who sat down earlier this week with TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod to discuss this and other major topics, including:
• The impact of online gambling on the telecoms sector;
• The need for further consolidation in South African telecoms, and why Mupita won’t completely rule out a deal with Telkom, provided the “stars align”;
• Vodacom’s acquisition of a co-controlling stake in Vumatel parent Maziv and how MTN will respond;
• The impact of low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity on the telecoms industry and how MTN plans to work with companies like SpaceX/Starlink and Amazon Leo – and whether he sees them as competitors or partners (or both);
• The spectacular turnaround in Nigeria and whether it’s durable;
• The future of MTN’s involvement in Iran, and the lessons learnt from the group’s exit from other Middle Eastern markets;
• Plans to shift MTN Group’s focus to East Africa in the coming years; and
• Why he’s fascinated by the impact that AI could have on telecoms in Africa.
Don’t miss a great discussion on the future of MTN and telecoms in Africa! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 28 Nov 2025 12:24:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita on competition, AI and the future of mobile 0 0 TechCentral full 57:23 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1620778 https://iono.fm/e/1620778 Cull says there is a discernibly different tone from Malatsi compared to his predecessors: more openness, more willingness to engage stakeholders and a stronger focus on evidence-based policymaking. However, while the intent is encouraging, South Africa’s ICT policy environment remains inconsistent, slow and fragmented.
In the podcast, Cull discusses:
• Malatsi’s policy colloquium and what came out of it
• The state of ICT policy and regulation in South Africa
• The biggest policy bottlenecks holding back growth in the ICT sector
• Why government doesn’t fully grasp the economic impact of digital infrastructure
• The latest on the next spectrum auction
• The EU’s decision to hand much of the 6GHz band to mobile operators – and why South Africa shouldn’t blindly copy it
• What’s needed to fix the Rica legislation
• Why Starlink isn’t coming to South Africa anytime soon
Cull also shares the top priority areas he’d focus on in 2026 if he was minister of communications.
It’s a great discussion – don’t miss it! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 21 Nov 2025 09:22:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Dominic Cull on fixing South Africa’s ICT policy bottlenecks 0 0 TechCentral full 1:04:43 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1619003 https://iono.fm/e/1619003 After a highly successful first season featuring CIOs from across the corporate landscape, we’re kicking off season 2 with a conversation with Khaya Mbanga, chief information and digital officer at BDO South Africa, where he also heads the firm’s growing BDO Digital division.
BDO is one of the world’s largest professional services firms, specialising in audit, tax and advisory. Headquartered in Belgium, its name comes from the three founding firms – Binder, Dijker and Otte – that merged to form the organisation.
In this wide-ranging episode, Mbanga reflects on his career journey through consulting, FMCG and mining; how he first got into technology; and the evolution of the CIO role into one that now straddles digital strategy, cybersecurity, AI and organisational change.
He also unpacks his passion for artificial intelligence, including his involvement in the IITPSA Special Interest Group on AI and Robotics, and offers his perspective on how AI will reshape auditing, tax and broader business functions in South Africa. From managing hallucinations in large language models to rethinking talent pipelines, Mbanga shares candid insights into both the opportunities and risks ahead.
Topics covered include:
• What it means to be the CIDO of BDO South Africa
• Career background across consulting, FMCG and mining
• His first computer and how he got into technology
• Robotic process automation in the mining sector
• How AI will transform auditing and tax
• Dealing with the risk of AI hallucinations in data-sensitive environments
• The broader impact of AI on South African business
• Technology talent shortages and what skills CIOs need today
• His favourite productivity hacks and tools
Don’t miss this great opener to the new season of Meet the CIO. If you missed any of the interviews from season 1, you can find them all on TechCentral. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:20:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | How BDO’s Khaya Mbanga is preparing the firm for the AI future 0 0 TechCentral full 34:38 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1615389 https://iono.fm/e/1615389 He tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the future of BMW’s Rosslyn manufacturing plant in Pretoria, which was established more than half a century ago, and the urgent need for new government policy to ensure the automotive industrial base in South Africa is future-fit and ready for the shift to electric mobility.
Van Binsbergen also discusses the rise of imported vehicles in the sales mix in South Africa – including the rapid expansion of Chinese brands. China is a market he knows well, having spent three years there with BMW.
In the interview, TechCentral Show viewers will also hear about:
• The state of the local automotive manufacturing industry;
• What South Africa needs to implement in policy reform to ensure the automotive industrial base in South Africa – and why this is urgent;
• How the country must adapt to the global shift to electric mobility;
• The role of BMW’s IT Hub in South Africa;
• BMW’s global EV strategy, and what that means for South African EV buyers; and
• BMW’s Neue Klasse vehicles, which run the company’s next-generation EV platform, and why they are significant to its future.
Don’t miss a fascinating discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 06 Nov 2025 11:16:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | BMW CEO Peter van Binsbergen on the future of South Africa’s automotive industry 0 0 TechCentral full 30:00 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1612029 https://iono.fm/e/1612029 In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Altron Group chief technology officer Bongani Andy Mabaso explains the rationale for the investment, what building the factory entailed and what the anchor tenants are using the platform to do.
Mabaso tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod:
• What an AI factory is exactly and why Altron has decided to build one;
• What’s involved in deploying AI infrastructure, especially from a power and cooling perspective – and why Altron decided to locate its AI factory at Teraco;
• What companies like Lelapa AI, MathU and Dataviue are using the Altron AI Factory to do;
• Why Altron partnered with Asus and HPE on the project;
• How the infrastructure can be used; and
• The advantages of hosting an AI factory in South Africa, as opposed to an offshore data centre – it’s not only about better network latency.
Don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:51:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Why Altron is building an AI factory 0 0 TechCentral full 26:32 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1611971 https://iono.fm/e/1611971 To unpack the decision to appoint an advisory board, TechCentral is joined in this episode of TCS+ by Videsha Proothveerajh, director of Vodacom Business, who explains that it’s all part of Vodacom’s shift from being a traditional telecommunications provider to a “techco”, or technology company.
In this episodes Proothveerajh chats about:
• The advisory board, who it is comprised of and the purpose it is meant to serve in the business services landscape in South Africa;
• The fact that the pace of technology change has accelerated coming out of Covid and how this influenced Vodacom Business’s approach to digital transformation;
• How the new advisory board influences Vodacom’s approach to guiding enterprise clients on digital transformation;
• The role the latest telecoms technologies, including 5G and the internet of things, are playing in the business-to-business environment in which Vodacom Business operates;
• How Vodacom Business tailors its digital transformation solutions to meet the needs of different industries or enterprise segments, or indeed of customers that might not be as advanced as others in their application of technology;
• The most common obstacles South African enterprises face when it comes to technology adoption and digital transformation; and
• The emerging trends and technologies that will have the biggest impact on the business market in the next few years.
Don’t miss an informative discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 28 Oct 2025 09:16:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Videsha Proothveerajh on Vodacom Business’s new approach to enterprise technology 0 0 TechCentral full 32:26 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1610680 https://iono.fm/e/1610680 The rise of generative AI has put hardware at the epicentre of the next wave of economic growth, with chip makers such as Nvidia and AMD reaching record valuations as demand for advanced chips far outstrips supply.
But as AI data centres expand, so, too, does their consumption of resources, with their demand for water and electricity rising exponentially.
FinalSpark is a Swiss biocomputing company exploring more efficient ways of computing – and it’s turned to human neurons as a potential solution.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Fred Jordan, co-founder and co-CEO of FinalSpark, gives insight into “wetware” (in effect, living hardware) and what it means for the future of computing.
Jordan delves into:
• What inspired him turn to living neurons as a means of processing;
• Parallels between his training as a signal processing engineer and his work with living neurons;
• Why FinalSpark uses human neurons and not any other like those from a cat on an octopus;
• How skin cells are used to “create” the neurons;
• How the neurons are fed, stored and kept alive;
• How long the neurons live for and the sort of computations FinalSpark has made them perform; and
• His views on the future of computing.
Don’t miss this intriguing discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 23 Oct 2025 14:11:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | The company building a ‘living computer’ with human cells 0 0 TechCentral full 19:31 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1610280 https://iono.fm/e/1610280 To manage communications effectively, businesses need to have a clear view of the entire Sim estate across the organisation. Monitoring usage and having the control needed to provide (or restrict) resources such as voice minutes and data quickly and easily are critical to managing costs effectively.
MSB Micro Systems is a company specialising in managed network connectivity for corporate entities. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, MSB Microsystems founder and CEO Danny Stemmet talks about the ins and outs of Sim management.
Stemmet delves into:
• MSB Micro’s history and how the company changed from being a software development house to a services company;
• How the rise of hybrid work environments and remote teams have affected demand for Sim management services, especially among mobile workforces;
• How MSB Micro Systems supports Sims that perform machine-to-machine communications and other internet-of-things functions;
• How MSB’s network-agnostic approach provides flexibility its resellers and, by extension, their clients;
• How MSB’s pricing model supports businesses at every stage growth, helping them scale appropriately when they need to;
• The key benefits for a company that chooses to use a managed connectivity service rather than managing their mobile estate directly with an operator; and
• Why MSB Micro is changing its business model from being a managed service provider to a platform business.
Don’t miss this informative conversation. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:55:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Managing Sims, saving money: how MSB Micro keeps businesses connected 0 0 TechCentral full 12:12 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1610152 https://iono.fm/e/1610152 Crypto payments specialist MoneyBadger recently signed a deal with fintech Scan to Pay allowing crypto wallet users pay at more than 650 000 stores nationwide.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, MoneyBadger CEO Carel van Wyk and Luno country manager for South Africa Christo de Wit tell TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about what the partnership means for crypto platforms, their users and the broader economy.
Van Wyk and De Wit delve into:
• The mindset shift that happens when users move from being crypto investors to day-to-day users of digital currencies;
• How crypto payments allow for immediate settlement in rands and what that means for merchants and users;
• How merchants benefit by supporting crypto payments at their stores;
• Why a crypto investor might want to consider using it to make payments;
• The tax implications that must be considered before investing in or using crypto for payments;
• The role cryptocurrencies play in promoting financial inclusion; and
• The role cryptocurrencies will play as the Reserve Bank modernises the National Payment System.
Don’t miss an interesting discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 22 Oct 2025 11:44:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Why South Africans are starting to spend crypto, not just trade it 0 0 TechCentral full 29:47 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1606160 https://iono.fm/e/1606160 Consider this analogy: if AWS is a powerful cloud engine, then the reseller acts as the skilled driver. But who manages the complexities of operating the vehicle, such as maintenance, refuelling, training and necessary pit stops? That administrative heavy lifting falls to the distributor.
In this episode of TCS+, Senzo Mbhele, MD at Cloud On Demand, explains the AWS distribution model and its advantages.
Mbhele discusses:
• The main business challenges that the AWS distribution model addresses;
• How distributors create financial value and improve return on investment for others in the ecosystem, including end customers;
• The support distribution partners provide to internal teams, enabling them to achieve more without the need to hire additional staff;
• The expertise distributors offer to help chief information officers and chief technology officers manage risk, security and governance throughout their cloud journey;
• Common misconceptions that may cause executives to hesitate before partnering with a distributor; and
• Indicators that suggest it might be time for a business to consider the services of a distribution partner, along with the benefits this can bring.
Don’t miss this engaging conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 10 Oct 2025 09:37:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Cloud On Demand's Senzo Mbhele on the benefits of the AWS distribution model 0 0 TechCentral full 51:26 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1604383 https://iono.fm/e/1604383 That’s the view of Frederik Zietsman, CEO of Naspers-owned Takealot Group – South Africa’s largest online retailer – who was speaking to TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show.
In the interview, Zietsman unpacks what’s driving the rapid adoption of online shopping in South Africa – Covid-19 was a key trigger – and what the future holds as international e-commerce giants step up their investments in the country.
He also discusses:
• How the competitive dynamics of the market have changed in recent years;
• The impact of the entry of international giants such as Amazon and Walmart and how this will reshape the market in the coming years;
• The decision to expand subsidiary Mr D’s focus from fast food to include new product categories;
• The township opportunity and how Takealot is working to crack that market;
• Takealot’s plans to move to electric vehicles in its logistics fleet, including a look at what’s needed to introduce electric motorbikes at scale;
• The challenge of crime in the logistics chain and what’s being done to fight it;
• Why Takealot is getting into the home loans business; and
• What’s going to drive the company’s growth in the next few years.
Don’t miss a fascinating conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 06 Oct 2025 11:45:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Takealot CEO Frederik Zietsman on township growth, EVs and the future of online retail 0 0 TechCentral full 35:15 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1603800 https://iono.fm/e/1603800 Dubbed Seacom 2.0, the cable system – which will have an expected design capacity of a staggering 2 000Tbit/s – will be larger than the company’s original system, which brought high-speed connectivity to Africa’s eastern coastline when it was launched in 2009.
The new system, which will include an “express route” from South Africa to Singapore and leg around South Africa to Lobito in Angola – and which will also cover much of the same East African coastline as the first system – will use the latest fibre-optic technology and 48 fibre pairs to deliver its extreme total capacity.
Alpheus Mangale, CEO of Seacom, sat down with TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod for an exclusive first interview with the TechCentral Show to unpack the announcement and provide much greater detail about the deployment – including its timelines and the technology that will be used.
In the interview, Mangale touches on a range of topics, including:
• What’s involved in building a submarine cable system of this magnitude;
• Why Seacom has chosen the routing for the cable that it has;
• The need for great redundancy around the African continent, and how this fed into Seacom’s planning for Seacom 2.0;
• The commercial model for the new system and what this means for the region;
• The assumptions Seacom is making about future internet demand and how that feeds into its return-on-investment forecasts;
• How the system will be funded and who is backing it;
• The risks inherent in building telecommunications infrastructure at this scale; and
• The terrestrial infrastructure that will be deployed to support Seacom 2.0, including landing stations and edge data centres.
Don’t miss a fascinating interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 03 Oct 2025 12:05:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Seacom 2.0: Alpheus Mangale unpacks all the details about the giant new subsea system 0 0 TechCentral full 44:03 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1600701 https://iono.fm/e/1600701 In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Stephen Linnell, CEO of PayInc, tells TechCentral’s Nkosinathi Ndlovu about the strategy behind the rebrand to PayInc and how that fits into the utility’s vision of the payments ecosystem in South Africa and the broader Southern Africa region.
Linnell delves into:
• PayInc’s new ownership structure with the Reserve Bank taking over 50% ownership from the private banks;
• How the Reserve Bank’s participation will help PayInc achieve its goals;
• An assessment of PayShap since its 2023 launch and what comes next;
• What the proposed inclusion of non-bank players including fintechs, retailers and telecommunications operators in the national payments and settlements system means for the economy;
• The efforts PayInc is making to implement instant payments at a regional level; and
• Emerging payment technologies like central bank digital currencies and stablecoins.
Don’t miss this informative discussion. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 25 Sep 2025 09:18:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | PayInc CEO Stephen Linnell on South Africa's payments revolution 0 0 TechCentral full 25:18 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1600061 https://iono.fm/e/1600061 Some are going as far as repatriating their infrastructure back into on-premises environments, perhaps because they understand it better and they find they can more reliably predict their costs there.
Deon Stroebel, chief innovation officer at cloud computing specialist LSD Open, argues against this move, saying that issues relating to cost and efficiency are better solved in the cloud than outside of it.
In this episode of TCS+, Stroebel delves into:
• The biggest mistakes companies make after migrating into the cloud;
• The real difference between just running an application on the cloud versus building it in a truly cloud-native way;
• The mindset shift that comes with cloud adoption and why on-premises thinking should not be applied in a cloud environment;
• How containerisation and DevOps help businesses make their cloud deployments more efficient;
• The cost and performance benefits of modernised cloud infrastructure;
• How to use observability tools to monitor cloud usage; and
• How ensuring their cloud environments prepare businesses to adopt new technologies like AI quickly.
This conversation is not to be missed! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 23 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | LSD Open: why repatriating from the cloud can be a costly mistake 0 0 TechCentral full 21:07 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1600042 https://iono.fm/e/1600042 In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Nicolas Riemer, co-founder and CEO of The Invigilator, joins TechCentral’s Nkosinathi Ndlovu to discuss how the start-up is going to use the cash injection to take on international markets.
He also gives insight into the app’s software and the company behind it.
In this episode, Riemer delves into:
• How The Invigilator app got started during the Covid-19 lockdown;
• The markets it plans to expand into internationally;
• The challenges of developing an app like The Invigilator in the South African market and why this may have set the company up for international success;
• How the app uses AI to minimise network and storage demands while improving outcomes;
• Barriers to The Invigilator’s adoption, like resistance from students, and how they were overcome; and
• The future technologies Riemer is most excited about in the ed-tech space.
Don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:19:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | From lockdown idea to global player: The Invigilator bags $11-million funding 0 0 TechCentral full 35:09 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1593803 https://iono.fm/e/1593803 Most of this computing has been happening in the cloud. However, the advent of the neural processing unit, or NPU, has made it possible to move AI computation to the edge, which not only improves speeds but also protects personal and company data.
In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, we were on location at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton where HP recently hosted its 2025 Future of Work event. The event brings together industry leaders, decision-makers and innovators and explores the evolving landscape of work in the age of artificial intelligence.
Ertug Ayik, vice president and MD for Middle East and Africa at HP, connects the dots between the company’s new AI-infused product line and broader concepts shaping the way in which work is being done.
Ayik delves into:
• HP’s shift from a product focused company to a solutions and services outfit;
• Why on-device AI processing capability has become a priority for HP;
• The advantages on-device AI have for performance, security and power efficiency;
• HP’s strategy for South Africa and the African continent;
• Key initiatives HP is driving across Africa; and
• What to expect from HP in the coming years.
Don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:31:00 +0200 0 0 TCS + | HP’s AI future - how on-device intelligence is redefining work in Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 27:11 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1593534 https://iono.fm/e/1593534 Paratus started life in Angola in 2003, evolving from a local internet service provider into a pan‑African telecoms powerhouse. Co-founded by Harmse with Schalk Erasmus, Rolf Mendelsohn, Martin Boese and Miles October, it grew rapidly and now has infrastructure across the region, including in Zambia, Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, the DRC and Namibia.
This week, it officially launched the first privately owned mobile network operator in Namibia, which will compete directly with the state-owned incumbents.
Today the business works closely with the likes of Starlink, Google and Meta Platforms and plays a significant role in long-distance, metropolitan and access networks across the region. It also helped land Google’s Equiano cable on the Namibian coast.
In this lively interview with TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod, Harmse unpacks the Paratus story, touching on:
• What building telecoms infrastructure across the vast reaches of Southern Africa has entailed, including memorable moments along the way;
• The company’s financial backers, and its capital-raising plans – including a possible future listing in New York;
• Why it built a network of long-distance fibre across Southern Africa;
• Paratus’s relationship with Elon Musk’s Starlink, and why it’s a key role player in the launch of the low-Earth orbit satellite provider’s offering across the region;
• The launch of the mobile network in Namibia and why it’s a significant development in the Paratus story; and
• The opportunities still ahead for Paratus Group.
Don’t miss a great interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 03 Sep 2025 15:23:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Barney Harmse on building Paratus Group – and working with Starlink 0 0 TechCentral full 56:37 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1590607 https://iono.fm/e/1590607 Poised for a big injection of cash and assets from Vodacom, which is buying a 30% co-controlling stake in the business, it has unveiled big plans to deploy fibre in townships and other underserved parts of the country.
In this exclusive podcast interview, CEO Dietlof Mare unpacks Maziv’s ambitious plans with the TechCentral Show, telling TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about:
• The painful three-and-a-half years it took to get the deal over the line with the competition authorities and how these delays undermined investment in new fibre builds in South Africa;
• Why regulators need to reflect on the time it took to conclude the transaction, and why they need to be quicker in adjudicating M&A activity to grow the economy;
• How the merging parties eventually secured the approval of the Competition Commission, which had initially recommended that the transaction be blocked on competition grounds;
• Vumatel’s deployment plans – where it’s going to focus next with its new fibre builds and why;
• The economics of rolling out fibre into townships and into low-income communities, a key focus for the business over the next five years;
• What the conclusion of the deal means for the sector, including the potential for further consolidation of fibre network operators;
• The policy and regulatory changes Maziv would like to see to help it speed up the deployment of fibre in South Africa; and
• How the Maziv business is expected to change in the coming years.
Don’t miss a great discussion about the future of broadband internet infrastructure in South Africa! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:58:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Maziv goes massive: CEO Dietlof Mare on Vumatel’s big roll-out plans 0 0 TechCentral full 52:01 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1590073 https://iono.fm/e/1590073 In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ ,Clare Loveridge, vice president and GM for Europe, Middle East and Africa (Emea), and Johnny Ellis, senior director of Emea channel sales, both at Arctic Wolf, go beyond the buzzwords to confront the uncomfortable truth: despite billions spent on security tools, cyber losses are still mounting.
Arctic Wolf’s answer is a different model, one that combines its artificial intelligence-powered Aurora Platform with human expertise in a concierge delivery approach. It’s a strategy that tackles the industry’s “effectiveness gap” head-on by integrating people, processes and platforms to deliver outcomes, not just alerts.
The conversation is blunt about the shifting threat landscape: AI has overtaken ransomware as the top emerging risk, and no single tool can fix it. What organisations need is visibility at every layer – from endpoints and cloud to people.
Equally compelling is Arctic Wolf’s commitment to channel-first partnerships in South Africa, ensuring trusted local expertise underpins global innovation.
From the acquisition of Cylance Endpoint to the launch of Incident Response 360, the company is pushing to redefine what operationalised security means. But the biggest takeaway is simple: cyberattacks are no longer an “if” but a “when” – and every organisation needs a plan.
Watch or listen to the full discussion to explore why Arctic Wolf believes security must move beyond tools to become a living, breathing business function – and how leaders can finally start sleeping better at night. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 25 Aug 2025 09:57:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Arctic Wolf on cybersecurity in the age of AI 0 0 TechCentral full 33:39 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1589536 https://iono.fm/e/1589536 Nedbank described the deal as a “significant milestone” in its strategy to target small and medium enterprises.
iKhokha co-founder and CEO Matt Putman is TechCentral’s guest in this episode of the TechCentral Show. He unpacks the deal with TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod, explaining how it came about and what it means for the company’s further growth.
Founded in Durban in 2012, iKhokha provides mobile point-of-sale solutions to SMEs. Its products include card machines and a mobile app that allows merchants to accept card payments, with added business management tools.
It was founded by Putman, Ramsay Daly and Putman’s father Clive.
Putman tells the TechCentral Show about:
• How the deal with Nedbank happened;
• The origins of iKhokha and its growth over the past 13 years, leading to the sale to Nedbank – a deal that is still subject to regulatory approval;
• How iKhokha will work with Nedbank (it will remain an independent brand within the banking group), including a possible expansion into new markets in Africa; and
• The exit of iKhokha’s backers, including Crossfin Technology Holdings, Apis Partners and the International Finance Corporation.
Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 22 Aug 2025 11:12:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | The story behind Nedbank’s R1.65-billion iKhokha deal 0 0 TechCentral full 26:43 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1589052 https://iono.fm/e/1589052 Kinetic Skunk is an Amazon Web Services-certified partner offering cloud solutions with a specialisation in fintech start-ups. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Donovan Mulder, CEO at Kinetic Skunk, explains the ins and outs of cloud adoption for fintech companies.
Mulder delves into:
• The importance of timing when it comes to cloud adoption and when the best time is to plan for a migration into the cloud.
• Common errors fintechs that have already migrated to the cloud make that can cause costs to balloon out of control.
• Why developers are often not the right people to handle cloud infrastructure architecting and provisioning (hint: it’s a completely different skill set).
• How gaps in cloud infrastructure architecture can lead to security holes.
• The cost optimisation tools available in the AWS cloud environment.
• How tools such as the AWS well-architected framework help fintech’s comply with regulations such as Popia and Fica.
• Advice for South African fintechs before their next cloud bill arrives.
Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 21 Aug 2025 10:25:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Kinetic Skunk: fintechs risk cloud bill shock without proper planning 0 0 TechCentral full 37:38 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1587071 https://iono.fm/e/1587071 Speaking to the TechCentral Show this week, Knott-Craig – who has led a range of well-known tech businesses, including Mxit, World of Avatar, Project Isizwe and iBurst – talks about why he believes there’s money to be made in wiring up townships with fibre and how Fibertime (stylised as “fibertime”) hopes to reach millions of data-poor South Africans who, until now, have had to rely on expensive mobile data for connectivity.
In the interview, with TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod, Knott-Craig also chats about:
• What’s been involved in building Fibertime;
• The Fibertime business model and the economics of township fibre;
• The network’s footprint and where the company plans to build next (it is currently deploying infrastructure in Alexandra in Johannesburg);
• Why fibre beats wireless for township internet services;
• The difficulties of working in township settings, including the threat posed by crime;
• Plans to list the business, possibly in 2027; and
• The recently approved Vodacom/Maziv deal, and what that means for the telecoms sector.
Don’t miss a fascinating interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 15 Aug 2025 11:37:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Alan Knott-Craig unveils Fibertime’s big bet on township fibre 0 0 TechCentral full 22:19 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1586748 https://iono.fm/e/1586748 Enrico Ferigolli, who co-founded the liquor delivery app Bottles – which was later acquired by Pick n Pay to form the basis of its online shopping push with asap! – joins the TechCentral Show to unpack the journey Pick n Pay is on, and how the e-commerce market is likely to develop in the coming years.
Ferigolli tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about:
* Why and how technology has become fundamental to modern retail;
* The launch of Bottles and what led to the Pick n Pay acquisition;
* The dynamics of on-demand delivery and what it takes to be a successful player;
* How Pick n Pay is working to convince people to try asap! for their grocery needs;
* The role of AI (and AI agents) in future omnichannel retail environments;
How online shopping is likely to change the way Pick n Pay designs its physical stores;
* Pick n Pay’s relationship with Takealot Group, and where that alliance is headed;
* Pick n Pay’s plans to expand into townships and other underserved markets with on-demand deliveries; and
* The threat posed by international e-commerce companies that don’t have a presence in South Africa but which ship goods to local consumers.
It’s a great interview about the future of e-commerce in South Africa – be sure not to miss it! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:00:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Pick n Pay’s Enrico Ferigolli on building asap! and taking on Shoprite 0 0 TechCentral full 49:30 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1586086 https://iono.fm/e/1586086 El Youssefi delves into:
• His background prior to being appointed into the role and how it has influenced his career as a technologist;
• His personal connection to the African continent and why growing its digital economy excites him;
• The data traffic boom taking place in Africa and the drivers behind it;
• The industries fuelling the demand for data centre capacity on the continent;
• The infrastructural challenges dampening data centre growth and the different ways they are being surmounted; and
• What the future of data centres looks like in sub-Saharan Africa;
Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 13 Aug 2025 09:43:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Cassava’s Adil El Youssefi on data centre growth in Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 30:07 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1585357 https://iono.fm/e/1585357 One of China’s biggest and oldest motoring manufacturers, the state-owned Dongfeng Motor Corporation has identified South Africa as a key export market and, through E Auto Motor, has launched the brand in South Africa – starting with the Dongfeng Box, whose pricing begins at R460 000.
Watts & Wheels hosts William Kelly and Duncan McLeod take the Box for a drive around Johannesburg and share their thoughts on this intriguing and relatively low-cost hatchback designed for urban and city driving.
Also in this final episode of the three-part pilot season of Watts & Wheel, William and Duncan get animated about:
• The state of the EV charging infrastructure market in South Africa – and is it getting overtraded?;
• A new report on EV sales in South Africa over the next five years;
• Chery’s reporting plans to build a car plant in South Africa;
• The challenges at Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s East London production plant, especially in the light of US President Donald Trump’s tariff wars;
• Tesla’s challenge to the like of Waymo – a look at Elon Musk’s determination to win in autonomous ride-hailing services;
• Xiaomi’s beautiful YU7 and how it’s going toe-to-toe with Tesla in China;
• What’s happening at Porsche; and
• Christian Horner’s exit at Red Bull Racing.
Don’t miss this episode. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 11 Aug 2025 15:23:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels Ep 3: 'We drive the new Dongfeng Box' 0 0 TechCentral full 46:08 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1582982 https://iono.fm/e/1582982 In episode 2 of Watts & Wheels – the brand-new South Africa motoring show from TechCentral (subscribe on YouTube) – hosts William Kelly and Duncan McLeod throw the Riddara around some corners and chat with Enviro Automotive’s Francois Malan about why the company has introduced the Geely Auto-owned brand in South Africa.
If you miss Ep 1 of Watts & Wheels, catch it here.
Also in this week’s episode of Watts & Wheels:
• Ford’s beastly new Ranger Raptor vs BYD’s Shark 6 sprint to the chequered flag (can you guess which one won?);
• What to expect at SA Auto Week in Gqeberha in October amid immense pressure on the local motor manufacturing industry;
• Why William thinks Ashok Leyland’s new “no-frills” EV truck could prove to be a big hit in South Africa;
• Huawei’s new supercar, the Maextro S800, developed in collaboration with JAC Group, and why we’re excited about it;
• Why Xiaomi’s new SU7 Ultra sportscar should have Porsche and even Rimac concerned; and
• The flying cars are here (well, kind of).
Subscribe to the channel on YouTube and never miss an episode! TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 04 Aug 2025 14:19:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels Ep 2: ‘We test drive the Riddara electric bakkie’ 0 0 TechCentral full 49:15 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1582287 https://iono.fm/e/1582287 Samsung pioneered the folding phone category in South Africa with the first-generation Galaxy Fold in 2019. The Z Fold series is now in its seventh generation, with the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 launched earlier this month.
In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Zahir Cajee, mobile experience lead for product and commercial services at Samsung South Africa, talks through the design elements and software features in the newest foldables.
Cajee delves into:
• What smartphone manufacturers like Samsung are trying to achieve with foldable phones;
• The market segments Samsung’s Z Fold and Z Flip phones appeal to;
• The latest features in the new Z Fold7 and Z Flip7;
• The Z Fold7’s new 200-megapixel camera;
• Samsung’s thinking behind the introduction of the lower-cost Samsung Flip7 FE;
• The AI features in the new Galaxy Watch8; and
• When the new devices are going to be available and how much they’ll cost.
Don’t miss the discussion. TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 01 Aug 2025 10:17:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Zahir Cajee on Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold7, Flip7 and Watch8 line-up 0 0 TechCentral full 18:47 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1581438 https://iono.fm/e/1581438 Guest, CIO of Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) and payments and a veteran of the financial services group, tells TechCentral’s Meet the CIO about how the bank realised it was headed for trouble, and what it took to get the project back on track and delivered – all in little under a year.
According to Nedbank, the project was thought to be 80% complete, but when it was reassessed in January 2024, it became clear that only around 20% of the actual scope had been delivered.
“Designs were incomplete,” the bank said. “Engineering practices were out of date. Key components, such as the liability rates engine, product lifecycle workflows and real-time processing, were either broken or unbuilt. The programme was years behind its intended outcomes, and the bank’s reputation was at stake.”
Guest, who has worked at Nedbank for the past 25 years, tells Meet the CIO’s Duncan McLeod about:
• When and why Nedbank first decided it needed to modernise its core banking systems and what the project would entail;
• What’s involved in an undertaking like this, and why there’s potential for things to go wrong that could lead to huge cost overruns – as has happened at other South African banks that have embarked on similar modernisation programmes;
• What Nedbank’s core banking modernisation project aimed to achieve, and why it was at risk of being derailed;
• What she did to get it back on track and motivate the IT teams involved;
• What it took to get everyone to start pulling in the same direction and ensure the project was delivered on time with zero reputational impact to the bank;
• How she coped with the immense pressure she and her teams were under from the board and top management to get the project done right, on time and within budget;
• What Nedbank can do now that it couldn’t do before, and how that positions it next to its rivals – both the traditional banks and the new digital bank challengers that have emerged in recent years; and
• What CIOs who are embarking on similarly complex IT projects can learn from Nedbank’s project – including the pitfalls they should watch out for, and what areas they should be careful not to neglect.
Guest was ultimately awarded Nedbank’s Chief Executive Award for her leadership of the project. No one involved in IT management should miss this fascinating discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 30 Jul 2025 12:44:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | How Marijke Guest steered Nedbank through an IT crisis 0 0 TechCentral full 56:36 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1581317 https://iono.fm/e/1581317 In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Duncan McLeod chats to Britehouse executive chairman Graham Parker about the MBO of Britehouse Mobility and what it means for the future of the business.
Dimension Data acquired the 60% of Britehouse it didn’t already own in a 2015 transaction, buying out shareholders that included Remgro and Convergence Partners. The IT group had held a 40% stake since 2007 before buying out other shareholders eight years later.
“Britehouse is embarking on a new era of innovation and independence following a management buyout transaction that effectively acquired the business from NTT Data,” a statement at the time said. “The acquisition from NTT Data marks a pivotal moment in Britehouse’s journey.”
Following the deal, Britehouse Mobility will operate as a fully independent company. The Britehouse brand will cease to exist inside NTT Data, but the latter will retain the enterprise applications business, with specific focus on SAP and Microsoft, it said.
“After several successful years of operating as part of the global NTT Data group, Britehouse is excited to return to its roots as an independent, South African-led business,” said Parker at the time.
Parker tells the TechCentral Show about:
• His history with Dimension Data and Britehouse;
• The story of Britehouse; and
• What the business looks like today, and management’s plans for growth.
Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 30 Jul 2025 10:47:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Britehouse MBO: Graham Parker on what’s next for software firm 0 0 TechCentral full 25:17 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1580422 https://iono.fm/e/1580422 With a focus on the shift to electric motoring, the pilot season of Watts & Wheels consists of three episodes. The focus of the show is the “lived EV experience”, with the aim of helping “dispel some of the misconceptions” about owning and driving an EV in South Africa.
What else can you expect from Watts & Wheels? We’ll look at the latest EV models – from mild hybrids to plug-in hybrids and full battery-electric vehicles – making their way to South African shores. We’ll also test drive many of them for the show.
We’ll also look at the business of motoring, and the challenges and opportunities facing the local industry amid the tectonic shifts that are remaking the global automotive sector, including the rapid rise of Chinese EV brands.
Whether you’re pondering your first EV purchase, are keen to understand the nuances of local charging networks or are simply fascinated by the future of sustainable transport, let Watts & Wheels be your guide.
In episode 1, William and Duncan dive into:
• The different types of new energy vehicles available in South Africa, explaining terms like EV, BEV, HEV, PHEV and REEV. What do they all mean, and how are prospective buyers to choose between these technologies?
• Should consumers really be worried about long-term battery health in EVs? Spoiler alert: no! In fact, the data now shows battery endurance in EVs has been vastly underestimated.
• The power of VTOL, or vehicle-to-load, technology and how it can be used to power everything from a kettle to your house.
• The electrification of bakkies, including a look at BYD’s exciting new Shark 6 PHEV (and whether it can beat the monstrous 3l Ford Raptor from a standing start to 100km/h); Nissan’s sexy Frontier PHEV (not confirmed for South Africa); and Ford’s new PHEV Ranger (made in Silverton in Pretoria).
• The controversial Jaguar Type 00 – and why William thinks why the critics have it completely wrong.
If you like what you see, please subscribe to Watts & Wheels on YouTube – and share the word with family and friends. It’s also available as an audio podcast in your favourite podcasting app.
In episode 2, out next week, look out for an exclusive look at – and first media test drive of – South Africa’s first 4x4 fully electric bakkie. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 28 Jul 2025 10:08:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels Ep 1: ‘BYD Shark 6 and the electric bakkie revolution’ 0 0 TechCentral full 57:54 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1579898 https://iono.fm/e/1579898 With the risk of attack so high, organisations are forced to look beyond beefing up security – they must prepare for the unfortunate event where their systems are, in fact, breached. One way to do this is to learn from those organisations whose systems have been breached in the past.
This episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, the third in a series of three with First Distribution on how to manage cyber crises – watch episodes 1 and 2 here – sees Microsoft portfolio manager at First Distribution Kejen Pillay back to share more insight on this topic.
Pillay discusses various lessons from:
- The TransUnion breach of March 2022, where 5.2 million records were compromised and a US$15-million ransom demanded;
- The CIPC hack of February 2024 and the media furore that ensued; and
- The National Health Laboratory Services breach of June 2024.
Don’t miss this important discussion. TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 25 Jul 2025 10:35:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Lessons from South Africa’s biggest cyberattacks 0 0 TechCentral full 15:59 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1579460 https://iono.fm/e/1579460 This is the second in a series of three podcasts on how to manage cyber crises effectively when they happen. The first episode – watch it here – centred on defining what a cyber crisis is and the different ways cybercriminals exploit an organisation.
In episode 2, Kejen Pillay, portfolio manager for Microsoft at First Distribution, discusses the strategies and tools organisations use to craft an effective crisis response plan.
Pillay delves into:
• The elements of an effective crisis response plan;
• The Microsoft tools businesses can use to prepare for a cyber crisis;
• Backups and other tools that aid in the speedy recovery of operations following a cyber crisis;
• The importance of training non-IT staff on what to do in a cyber crisis;
• How AI tools can help protect organisations; and
• Advice for organisations wanting to begin crafting their cyber crisis response plan.
Don’t miss the discussion. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 24 Jul 2025 10:03:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | First Distribution’s guide to a bulletproof cyber crisis response strategy 0 0 TechCentral full 11:41 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1579098 https://iono.fm/e/1579098 For organisations to protect themselves effectively, they must understand what cybercriminals are capable of, where the vulnerabilities in their own systems are and – most importantly – be prepared for the worst-case scenario where their systems are breached.
In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Kejen Pillay, Microsoft portfolio manager at First Distribution, discusses the anatomy of a cyber crisis and how businesses should prepare for it.
Pillay delves into:
• The difference between a cyberthreat and a cyber crisis;
• How cybercriminals are using AI tools to develop increasingly sophisticated methods of attack;
• How organisations can keep pace with the rapid changes in the threat landscape to keep their systems secure;
• The difference between a crisis management plan and an incident response plan;
• Some common errors businesses make when responding to a cyber crisis; and
• What South Africa’s leading organisations are doing to prepare for a cyber crisis.
This informative show is not to be missed.
* TCS+ episodes are sponsored TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 23 Jul 2025 12:56:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | How cyberthreats turn into cyber crises 0 0 TechCentral full 13:57 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1578549 https://iono.fm/e/1578549 This trend has implications for infrastructure – in the home, in business and even in shared outdoor spaces. For the people consuming the data, connecting with ease as they migrate between different environments is paramount; but so is the privacy and integrity of their personal data.
In this episode of TCS+, Vox Wi-Fi product manager Craig Blignaut discusses the trends in data consumption, their drivers and how Wi-Fi technology is evolving to meet people’s needs.
Blignaut delves into:
• Why data has become the lifeblood of modern society;
• How newer technologies like generative AI are shaping trends in data consumption;
• The different ways people gain access to the internet;
• How Wi-Fi has contributed to making the internet cheaper and more accessible;
• How an enterprise’s Wi-Fi experience contributes to how visitors experience a company’s brand; and
• The role is AI playing in enhancing network connectivity.
Don’t miss an informative discussion. TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 22 Jul 2025 09:59:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Vox’s Craig Blignaut on the data boom and the future of Wi-Fi 0 0 TechCentral full 14:54 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1576757 https://iono.fm/e/1576757 One of the most notable new features of the A-series is a curated artificial intelligence module, dubbed Awesome Intelligence, that brings powerful AI features previously exclusive to its top-tier Galaxy S-series phones to its midrange devices for the first time.
Unique to the A-series is a new safety feature called Samsung SOS+, a free-to-use, 24/7 subscription service exclusive to owners of the new Galaxy A56, A36 and A26 devices.
In an emergency situation – and on-demand – the service immediately geolocates the user and sends private security and medical emergency services to their location at the press of a button.
In this episode of TCS+, Justin Hume, vice president for mobile at Samsung Electronics South Africa, tells TechCentral about how SOS+ works in the new Galaxy A-series line-up.
Hume delves into:
• The inspiration behind SOS+ and why Samsung has chosen the A series to pilot the service;
• How the service works and its benefits for A-series smartphone users;
• Why the service is currently limited to users of the A56, A36 and A26 devices and Samsung’s plans for expanded roll-out;
• Key features that set the SOS+ service apart; and
• Why Samsung has chosen Aura as its partner in providing the SOS+ service.
Don’t miss a fascinating discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 16 Jul 2025 11:22:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Samsung unveils significant new safety feature for A-series phones 0 0 TechCentral full 18:49 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1575263 https://iono.fm/e/1575263 However, brands looking to take advantage of this boom and add mobile services to their offerings are not guaranteed success. There are several critical decisions regarding strategy, process and choosing the right technology platform that are key to building a critical mass of loyal MVNO customers.
In this episode of TCS+, Daniel Swart, chief commercial officer at MVNX, an MVNO enablement specialist, discusses the opportunities and threats facing MVNOs in South Africa today.
Swart Delves into:
• The services MVNX, as an MVNO enabler, offers to brands looking to launch MVNO services in South Africa;
• How South Africa’s MVNO market has developed since its inception in 2006 with the entry of now-defunct Virgin Mobile;
• The markers of success separating successful MVNOs from those that have struggled to gain a foothold in the market;
• The benefits MVNO brands reap from using an enablement platform to launch and distribute their mobile services;
• The importance of understanding the competitive dynamics of the MVNO market and how new MVNOs should position themselves;
• The regulatory aspects of running an MVNO; and
• International MVNO trends Swart believes are likely to be emulated in South Africa.
This discussion is not to be missed. TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 11 Jul 2025 12:03:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market 0 0 TechCentral full 23:42 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1573742 https://iono.fm/e/1573742 Founded by a group of well-known businesspeople, The Lekker Network was launched in March and offers members access to a business directory, a jobs portal (for employers and job seekers), a social platform with “likeminded individuals” and events around the world for people, including non-South Africans, to meet up.
Renier Lombard, a co-founder of The Lekker Network, is our guest on this episode of the TechCentral Show. He said the platform, whose ambassadors include well-known journalist and speaker Bruce Whitfield and former Springbok and now businessman Bob Skinstad, is designed to “forge connections between South African businesses and businesspeople, regardless of their location”.
In this episode of TCS, Lombard unpacks:
• Who founded The Lekker Network and why;
• Who it is aimed at and who can join;
• How much it costs and what members get for the fee;
• The markets where The Lekker Network is focused – not surprisingly, the attention is on countries where there are a large number of South African expats;
• How (and why) non-South Africans can join the network; and
• The importance of the tech sector, including start-ups, to The Lekker Network community.
Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 07 Jul 2025 16:13:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network 0 0 TechCentral full 20:39 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1573057 https://iono.fm/e/1573057 In this episode, we highlight some of the biggest technology news stories from South Africa and the world over the last week, as covered by TechCentral.
Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources, AI can and will occasionally make mistakes.
In this episode, we look at:
• Takealot’s talks about hiring thousands of retrenched Post Office employees to support its e-commerce expansion plans;
• Why South Africans’ use of cash is costing the economy billions of rand a year, according to the Reserve Bank;
• City Power’s plan to roll out electric vehicle charging stations in Johannesburg;
• The Internet Service Providers’ Association’s view of communications minister Solly Malatsi’s plan to introduce equity equivalence in licensing in the ICT sector;
• Intel’s pivot to the “14A” manufacturing technology and what it means in its fight with TSMC for foundry customers;
• Bank Zero’s sale to Lesaka Technologies; and
• The mental health impact of AI chatbots.
Again, this podcast is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature? Is there anything you’d like us to improve? Is it too short or too long? Drop us a line at nexus@techcentral.co.za. TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 04 Jul 2025 13:15:00 +0200 0 0 TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan 0 0 TechCentral full 19:21 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1570499 https://iono.fm/e/1570499 Preegan Chetty, Azure product manager at First Distribution, returns to TechCentral’s TCS+ to discuss some of the latest and most exciting features available in the Azure cloud environment and how businesses are leveraging those capabilities to facilitate growth.
This is the third in a series of three episodes with Chetty and First Distribution. Episode one covered cloud cost optimisation in Azure and episode two looked at how businesses can manage the complexities of data residency in hybrid cloud environments.
In this episode, Chetty delves into:
• The benefits cloud-based IT environments offer over on-prem installations and how they help companies experiment and adopt new technologies faster;
• How businesses can ensure they are able to keep pace with new technologies so they are not left behind;
• How South African businesses are using the newest AI tools in Azure to build new products and services;
• How to approach responsible AI development in the cloud;
• How cloud AI tools can help with code modernisation;
• How small businesses can take advantage of cloud technology; and
• Emerging cloud technologies to keep an eye on.
This discussion is not to be missed. TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:45:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies 0 0 TechCentral full 11:08 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1570491 https://iono.fm/e/1570491 But managing this invaluable asset has never been more challenging. Hybrid IT environments – where some organisational data sits in the cloud other data resides in on-premises infrastructure – only adds to this complexity.
In this second episode in a series of three delving into the ins and outs of Azure cloud deployments, Preegan Chetty, Azure product manager at First Distribution, discusses the data governance procedures that ensure organisational data is stored in the most useful, cost-effective and compliant ways.
The first episode centred on effective cost management techniques for the Azure cloud environment. You can watch that episode here.
In this episode, Chetty delves into:
• Why the complexity of data governance increases when organisations migrate from on-premises to hybrid cloud environments;
• The factors organisations should consider when deciding which data they should keep where;
• What Dora legislation is and how it affects the hybrid data strategies of South African organisations;
• Other legislation impacting data governance in South Africa;
• The tools Azure provides to help data architects structure distributed data in ways that do not have a negative impact on performance;
• Data governance for disaster recovery; and
• The impact data governance decisions have on an organisation’s cloud costs.
Don’t miss an informative discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:11:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | First Distribution on data governance in hybrid cloud environments 0 0 TechCentral full 12:32 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1570145 https://iono.fm/e/1570145 Many businesses find their cloud bills spiralling out of control, eroding the very benefits they sought in the first place.
In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Preegan Chetty, Microsoft Azure product manager at First Distribution, discusses the tools Azure provides for effective cost management and how businesses can take advantage of them to get the most out their cloud deployments without breaking the bank.
Chetty delves into:
• Some of the common pitfalls or hidden costs that organisations encounter when moving their workloads into the cloud and how to mitigate against these;
• The different pricing models available in Azure and how organisations can leverage them;
• What FinOps is and how businesses can benefit from it;
• How organisational KPIs can be leveraged to manage cloud spending effectively;
• How tagging can aid in cost centre management;
• How to manage costs in more complex hybrid cloud environments; and
• The AI tools Azure offers to aid businesses in managing their costs.
This episode is not to be missed. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 26 Jun 2025 11:48:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | First Distribution on cloud cost management in Microsoft Azure 0 0 TechCentral full 13:17 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1568862 https://iono.fm/e/1568862 South African-made social media platform Sociable hopes to solve this problem by combining online engagement with in-person meetups, connecting people based on shared interests.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Sociable co-founder and CEO Jason van Dyk tells TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about the importance of community and how Sociable is helping drive its development.
In the show, Van Dyk delves into:
• How community builders benefit from using the Sociable platform;
• The features Sociable provides to communities and their members to enhance engagement;
• How meeting spaces including coffee shops, bars and restaurants benefit from the in-person component of Sociable’s community meetups;
• Sociable’s approach to safety for its users;
• How Sociable positions itself against large social media platforms like Facebook;
• Some of the most popular communities on the platform; and
• The impact of AI on the social media landscape.
Don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 23 Jun 2025 14:44:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | South Africa’s Sociable wants to make social media social again 0 0 TechCentral full 23:32 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1568757 https://iono.fm/e/1568757 Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources, AI can and will occasionally make mistakes.
In this episode, we highlight some of the biggest technology news stories from South Africa and the world over the last week, as covered by TechCentral.
In this episode, we look at:
• Takealot Group’s strong top-line performance;
• The profit surge at Prosus and what’s driving it;
• The over-capacity crisis hitting China’s motoring industry;
• How Oracle, a dowdy database developer, got a new lease on life;
• Jaltech’s decision to back solar specialist Wetility; and
• The State IT Agency hits back at its critics in government;
Again, this podcast is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature? Is there anything you’d like us to improve? Is it too short or too long? Drop us a line at nexus@techcentral.co.za. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 23 Jun 2025 11:02:00 +0200 0 0 Nexus S0E3: Behind Takealot’s revenue surge 0 0 TechCentral full 16:26 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1567729 https://iono.fm/e/1567729 Speaking to the TechCentral Show, Blake Raubenheimer took the publication’s editor, Duncan McLeod, through the retailer’s plan to compete directly with the likes of Shoprite Holdings’ Sixty60, which gained an early market lead during the Covid lockdowns.
Spar has every intention of becoming a meaningful player in app-based on-demand deliveries, according to Raubenheimer, who unpacked the retailer’s plan to gain market share in the increasingly competitive but fast-expanding segment with Spar2U.
South Africa’s grocery sector has become increasingly competitive as price-conscious consumers look for value, convenience and distinctive products.
Shoprite and Woolworths are keeping their rivals on their toes as they continue to sign up customers. Pick n Pay, which is also coming from behind, is aggressively targeting the space, too.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Raubenheimer discusses:
* How Spar’s business model – the vast majority of stores are run by franchisees – has complicated its move into the on-demand grocery game, and how it's working to turn this to its advantage;
* How Spar is working to convince consumers to try Spar2U over other on-demand services;
* The group’s broader omnichannel strategy, where the retailer is positioned in the market, where it wants to get to, and how it plans to do it;
* Its focus on the township and rural markets through partnerships with companies like KasiD and Delivery Ka Speed – and why it’s important;
Spar’s partnership with Uber Eats;
* How Spar’s SAP enterprise software implementation in KwaZulu-Natal went awry and how it impacted the retailer; and
* What Spar is working on from a technology perspective.
Don’t miss a fascinating discussion about how technology is transforming the retail industry in South Africa. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 19 Jun 2025 10:48:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U 0 0 TechCentral full 22:36 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1567219 https://iono.fm/e/1567219 In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Helen Hulett, newly appointed chief sustainability officer at geospatial information science specialist AfriGIS, tells Duncan McLeod about the Resolve Water project that she leads and how she and her team are working with businesses and municipalities to try to address a problem that has reached crisis levels in some parts of the country.
AfriGIS’s technology is able to have a real-world impact on this crisis, according to Hulett, who specialises in industrial water risk, water-related governance and social issues, and sustainability.
Hulett, who has consulted with leading companies on the topic – they include the likes of Coca-Cola, Illovo Sugar Africa, Sappi, Aspen Pharmacare and Sasol – said AfriGIS offers advanced mapping and data analytics tools to address water scarcity, improve resource management and support businesses in need.
In this episode of TCS+, Hulett also unpacks:
• Her background and why she took the role of chief sustainability officer at AfriGIS;
• What the field of geospatial information science involves and why it makes sense to apply it to this crisis;
• AfriGIS’s involvement in the Resolve Water project;
• How serious the water crisis really is in South Africa and what it will take to address it;
• The impact of the Resolve Water project so far, and how it’s using GIS technology to achieve its goals – including mapping, real-time data analytics and collaborative partnerships; and
• The role of artificial intelligence.
The interview with Hulett, who is passionate about the topic of water security in South Africa, is not to be missed. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 18 Jun 2025 09:57:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | AfriGIS’s Helen Hulett on how tech can help resolve South Africa’s water crisis 0 0 TechCentral full 26:29 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1566526 https://iono.fm/e/1566526 Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources, AI can and will occasionally make mistakes.
In this episode, we highlight several key developments in South Africa's ICT sector, including the intense capex competition among Vodacom, MTN and Telkom that reveals a fierce battle for network supremacy and market share within the mobile telecommunications sector.
Concurrently, the surge in mobile virtual network operators is reshaping the South African mobile market, also fostering increased competition and delivering specialised offerings for consumers.
Also this week: an uproar over home affairs' proposed database fee increases; the proliferation of Starlink and other low-Earth orbit satellites present a significant threat to radio astronomy in the Karoo; and AI comes to Wimbledon.
Again, this is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature? Is there anything you’d like us to improve? Is it too short or too long? Drop us a line at nexus@techcentral.co.za. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 16 Jun 2025 13:36:00 +0200 0 0 TechCentral Nexus S0E2 (beta): South Africa's digital battlefield 0 0 TechCentral full 27:01 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1564131 https://iono.fm/e/1564131 Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources (human-generated articles from TechCentral and other reliable media sources), AI can and does make mistakes.
Again, this is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature on TechCentral? Is there anything you'd like to improve? Drop us a line at info@techcentral.co.za - we'd love to hear from you. TechCentral]]> Technology Sun, 08 Jun 2025 16:29:00 +0200 0 0 Nexus S0E1 (beta): Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom 0 0 TechCentral full 59:31 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1563832 https://iono.fm/e/1563832 To make sense of these developments – and others – TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod sat down this week with Nomvuyiso Batyi, CEO of the Association for Comms & Technology (ACT), an industry body that represents South Africa’s six largest telecommunications operators: MTN, Telkom, Vodacom, Rain, Liquid Intelligent Technologies and Cell C.
In the interview, for the TechCentral Show, Batyi unpacked communications minister Solly Malatsi’s draft policy directive to communications regulator Icasa on so-called “equity equivalents” and why ACT believes there needs to be fairness in the licensing process. If the new rules apply to satellite operators, she said, they should apply to all licensees in the sector equally, including the big telecoms operators ACT represents.
In the show, she also discussed:
• Whether Starlink – and other low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite internet companies pose a threat or an opportunity for South Africa’s network operators;
• The role of LEO satellite operators in South Africa’s future telecommunications mix – and can they help bridge the digital divide?;
• The latest on the planned switch-off of 2G and 3G networks in South Africa, and why 3G will be the first to go;
• Whether national treasury’s recent move to cut ad valorem tax on basic smartphones goes far enough – and what other measures ACT would like to see to get smartphones in the hands of everyone in South Africa; and
• What is happening regarding the next spectrum auction.
Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 06 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Nomvuyiso Batyi on Starlink, BEE reform and spectrum 0 0 TechCentral full 50:39 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1563667 https://iono.fm/e/1563667 That’s the view of Kagiso Mothibi, CEO of Fintech at MTN South Africa, who was sharing his views in a recent interview with TechCentral’s TCS+ (watch it below) in which he discusses the broader fintech vision for the network operator and its role in driving innovation across the group.
But what is it about mobile money services that is attracting South African consumers to products like MTN’s MoMo, and what role do these platforms fulfil in the broader financial services ecosystem?
Mothibi unpacks this in detail in the interview. He also discusses:
• Why South Africa has proved to be a tougher mobile money market to crack than many other countries in Africa;
• How the South African market differs from others in which MTN operates;
• Who the target market is for MoMo – is it the unbanked and underbanked, or does MTN also have plans to serve well-heeled customers, too?
• What’s driving the growth in MoMo services in South Africa and why;
• What MTN’s fintech portfolio houses today and the company’s plans to expand this in the coming years;
• The recent launched of MoMo Pay, how it works and how MTN is onboarding merchants;
• What pain points MoMo Pay addresses in the payments ecosystem; and
• What the future holds for the fintech business in South Africa – and how product innovation locally is being deployed in other MTN markets across the continent.
Don’t miss an exciting interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:47:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | The future of mobile money, with MTN’s Kagiso Mothibi 0 0 TechCentral full 38:07 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1562797 https://iono.fm/e/1562797 Malan oversees the solution consulting team, engaging with prospects and clients to understand their challenges and demonstrate how Workday’s technology can enable them to achieve their vision.
Both Moodley and Malan, who coincidentally joined Workday on the very day its South African office launched in 2018, brought seven years of frontline experience to the discussion, proving that AI isn't just a buzzword – it's already shaping our world.
TCS+ host Jaydev Chiba sat down with the two men to discuss the topic of “Human by design: real-world AI, real human impact”.
Experts note that AI, like other technologies, might be overestimated in the short term but underestimated in the long term. Overcoming initial apprehension requires understanding what AI is, and understanding helps reveal its potential to allow humans to be more productive and efficient. AI is not a silver bullet; its value is realised when it’s embedded, understood and utilised effectively.
The conversation highlighted several use cases, both personal and within business. Examples ranged from leveraging tools like Grok, ChatGPT and Gemini for productivity, and even a 10-year-old programming Alexa to tell a puppy it’s mealtime. Another use case included using AI for creating a training curriculum and visuals. Moodley and Malan noted that AI is already embedded in daily life through GPS, search and recommendations.
For businesses, a key trend is using AI to improve employee productivity by automating repetitive and mundane tasks, giving people more time for higher-value work. Industries show different levels of adoption, from logistics using AI for warehouse safety, to healthcare for diagnosis and treatment development, and insurance for fraud detection and client profiling. This shift shows value emerging as industries figure out where AI provides maximum benefit.
A significant portion of the discussion focused on the critical need for ethical and responsible AI use. With organisations facing pressure to adopt AI, establishing AI governance is foundational.
This involves potentially creating AI governance roles, executive sponsorship, governance committees and risk matrices to manage data privacy, bias and transparency. The Workday executives stressed the importance of AI functioning within a larger technology framework, requiring organisations to address data quality, security and accessibility.
Critically, the concept of keeping the human in the loop was emphasised, ensuring humans make final decisions based on AI-surfaced insights. Workday itself champions transparency, providing fact sheets or model cards to explain its AI models and how data is leveraged and bias mitigated. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:12:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | AI is more than hype: Workday execs unpack real human impact 0 0 TechCentral full 41:25 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1562392 https://iono.fm/e/1562392 Sha and Du Toit are our guests in this episode of the TechCentral Show, where they tell TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the acquisition and their plans for the business.
As part of the acquisition – which is still subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions, which should be concluded by the end of June – Altron Nexus will be rebranded as Sentiv, a portmanteau of “sentient” and “intuitive”.
Sha will serve as Sentiv’s executive chairman while Du Toit will be CEO.
“Together they will steer Sentiv’s transformation into a future-orientated technology partner offering intelligent, context-aware, mission-critical communications and industrial internet-of-things solutions,” according to a statement from the acquiring parties.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Du Toit and Sha explore:
• How the deal came about;
• The assets and businesses housed in Altron Nexus; and
• The plan to turn the loss-making business around.
Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 03 Jun 2025 12:02:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Sentiv, and the story behind the buyout of Altron Nexus 0 0 TechCentral full 23:49 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1560443 https://iono.fm/e/1560443 Philip Short, global portfolio manager at Flagship Asset Management – which counts Blue label as its sole South African investment – and Dylan Bradfield, portfolio manager at Sharenet, tell TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod that they believe the turnaround taking place at Cell C is real, and will have a meaningful impact on Blue Label shares.
Blue shares, which have already rallied strongly – which have more than doubled in the past six months – could still have plenty of room to run, according to Short.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Short and Bradfield unpack:
• Blue Label’s announcement earlier this month that it is considering a JSE listing for Cell C;
• Why Cell C’s restructured operating model and strategy makes sense, and why that’s good news for Blue Label shareholders;
• The role of Cell C CEO Jorge Mendes in the turnaround – and what the opportunity is for the mobile operator with its new “asset-light” model of running its network – management of its radio access network has effectively been outsourced to partners (and competitors) MTN and Vodacom;
• Which operators would be most vulnerable to a resurgent Cell C;
• The importance of Cell C’s strategy around mobile virtual network operators and the significance of its relationship with Capitec;
• The move by Blue Label to sell Comm Equipment Company to Cell C – good move or not?
• Whether Cell C can compete with Telkom, Vodacom and MTN in the business market, something Mendes has signalled his desire to do;
• What the listing of Cell C could look like, what management’s focus should be before the listing and what kind of valuation the business could attract; and
• How much more value could be unlocked for Blue Label shareholders.
Don’t miss a fascinating discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 28 May 2025 08:49:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Signal restored: Unpacking the Blue Label and Cell C turnaround 0 0 TechCentral full 35:59 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1559762 https://iono.fm/e/1559762 Dewald van Eck, networking engineer at Switchcom parent company CMVAS, and Kurt Anthony, support engineer at CMVAS, tell TechCentral’s TCS+ about their hands-on experience working with Huawei eKit in customer implementations.
In this episode, Anthony and Van Eck delve into:
• How the Huawei eKit benefits the network operations manager when implementing networking projects;
• The problems the eKit solution solves for SMEs;
• How the eKit streamlines the network setup process for SMEs;
• Real-world examples of the how the eKit has helped SMEs on the ground; and
• Some of the common challenges faced when supporting SMEs during project implementations.
Don’t miss an informative discussion. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 26 May 2025 14:28:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Switchcom Distribution, and Huawei eKit in the hands of installers 0 0 TechCentral full 22:03 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1559730 https://iono.fm/e/1559730 CEO Tertius Zitzke is our guest in this episode of the TechCentral Show. He tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the turnaround he’s leading – not to mention the mess he inherited when he took over leadership of the business in December 2019, months before Covid hit.
4Sight has been operating largely below the radar, but the investment community has begun paying attention – and, although the shares been moving sideways for the past year, over three years they have climbed by 250%.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Zitzke unpacks:
• What motivated the decision to move to the JSE’s main board;
• His background, including his leadership AccTech Systems, its acquisition by 4Sight and how he became CEO of the group;
• Why the business was listed originally, and how its focus has changed under his leadership;
• How the turnaround was achieved – and what still needs to be done;
• Where 4Sight fits into the ICT market in South Africa;
• The recent acquisition of XFour Group and plans for more acquisitions; and
• What’s next for 4Sight.
Don’t miss an interesting discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 26 May 2025 12:35:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Tertius Zitzke on 4Sight’s big turnaround 0 0 TechCentral full 39:12 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1558844 https://iono.fm/e/1558844 In this discussion, Roberts unpacks the focus of the company’s segment, which covers the dynamic food and beverage industry across 24 African nations, encompassing about 1 800 manufacturers.
The sector is driven by converging trends, notably in smart manufacturing and a strong emphasis on sustainability, including waste reduction and energy efficiency. Simultaneously, evolving consumer preferences for healthier options, ingredient transparency and diverse dietary needs demand agility and resilience from these manufacturers. Cost management remains a critical focus.
The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation, as manufacturers focused on automation and better system integration to ensure business continuity. Further challenges, such as load shedding and water curtailment, shifted the focus towards power resilience, prompting investments in solutions such as industrial UPS systems.
Sustainability is a key concern, particularly for EU-headquartered companies. Manufacturers are actively working to reduce their scope-1, -2, and -3 emissions through initiatives like integrating distributed energy resources, optimising energy use and implementing variable process control.
Changing consumer behaviours, driven by social media and e-commerce, are demanding rapid access to goods and direct engagement with brands. This requires efficient supply chains and agile digital systems for both inventory and logistics management. Manufacturers will need flexible production and advanced tracking capabilities to meet the demand for visibility and diverse product options.
Economic recovery post-Covid-19 relies on the continued adoption of digital transformation to enhance efficiency and predictability in manufacturers’ processes. Schneider Electric is focused on providing hardware-agnostic integration, supported by organisations like the Universal Automation Organisation, to help manufacturers integrate existing equipment for unified control and accelerate digital transformation initiatives.
Government policies, like the sugar tax, directly influence product innovation and reformulation, often requiring significant investment. Despite challenges, growth opportunities exist for companies that prioritise product quality, traceability and building consumer trust, potentially also allowing them to command premium prices.
Roberts emphasised the value of early engagement with companies like Schneider Electric for expert guidance. He stressed that sustainability should be integral to operations and invited stakeholders to explore Schneider Electric’s offerings. The anglophone African food and beverage sector is a dynamic industry, and embracing technological advancements, prioritising consumer needs and ensuring product integrity are key to future success, he said in the interview.
Don’t miss it! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 22 May 2025 15:57:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Schneider Electric's Clive Roberts on driving digitisation in the CPG sector 0 0 TechCentral full 40:23 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1558814 https://iono.fm/e/1558814 The South African Reserve Bank is hosting this year’s TechSprint in collaboration with the Bank for International Settlements.
Lyle Horsley, head of fintech at the Reserve Bank, joined TechCentral’s Nkosinathi Ndlovu on the TechCentral Show to talk about the competition and other initiatives spearheaded by Bank under the G20 banner.
In this episode of the show, Horsley delves into:
The history of the G20 TechSprint and some of the solutions developed in previous iterations of the competition;
The problem statements entrants are required to centre their solutions on;
How central banks balance the often-opposing concerns of innovation on one hand and strong regulation on the other;
How digital identity and the principles of open finance are critical to digitised financial systems;
How the global central banking community will help winners develop and scale their solutions; and
Details about the format of the TechSprint, how to participate and the prizes up for grabs.
Don’t miss an interesting discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 22 May 2025 15:21:00 +0200 0 0 Reserve Bank fintech head Lyle Horsley on the G20 TechSprint 0 0 TechCentral full 28:20 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1558245 https://iono.fm/e/1558245 Dalene Steyn, head of Capitec Connect, tells the TechCentral Show (TCS) that the MVNO – or mobile virtual network operator – market in South Africa is poised for further expansion as banks, retailers and other brands muscle into the mobile business through wholesale partnerships with network operators.
According to Steyn, although Capitec Connect is not a loss leader for the bank, the focus for now is building a critical mass of subscribers from Capitec Bank’s customer base – Capitec Connect users must be bank clients to sign up for the service.
In the interview, Steyn tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about:
• Why Capitec Connect recently cut its prices, matching another MVNO, Afrihost AirMobile, as the cheapest MVNO provider in South Africa – spoiler: it’s all about building scale;
• Why Capitec is pulling ahead in the MVNO market and how big the bank wants to be in mobile – and why it’s so important to its business;
• Capitec Connect’s plans to introduce post-paid contracts later this year and how this aligns with its push into business banking services;
• The company’s plans for device financing;
• Its relationship with Cell C, whose network it uses to provide mobile services to its clients, and why it’s pleased with the relationship; and
• The unconfirmed market talk that Capitec might buy a strategic equity stake in Cell C.
Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 21 May 2025 10:56:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Dalene Steyn on Capitec’s ambitious mobile gameplan 0 0 TechCentral full 18:52 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1555254 https://iono.fm/e/1555254 Visser, an engineer, joined Cell C 13 years ago – during the tenure of former CEO Alan Knott-Craig – as an executive in the company’s programme management office, where he helped lead a renewal of its radio access network.
TechCentral’s guest in the latest episode of the publication’s Meet the CIO podcast, Visser tells host Duncan McLeod about his career journey in telecoms before delving into his work in helping transform Cell C’s technology stack – with a focus on recent years as the operator moved to shut down its own radio access network in favour of partnerships with other mobile operators.
In the interview, Visser chats about:
• Where his interest in technology began;
• His time with Telkom and Vodacom, including his experience helping build Vodacom’s network in Mozambique;
• The changes that have occurred at Cell C in recent years and why they’re significant – including a look at the network partnership with MTN and Vodacom, and what that’s allowed the company to do differently;
• His day-to-day role as head of technology at Cell C;
• The role of technology in supporting what is essentially a technology business;
• The changes he has brought to Cell C’s technology stack and why;
• The recent ransomware attack – what happened, and what’s been done to address it; and
• What’s exciting him about what’s coming down the line in telecoms technology.
Don’t miss a great interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 13 May 2025 10:02:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | Schalk Visser on Cell C’s big tech pivot 0 0 TechCentral full 39:33 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1553462 https://iono.fm/e/1553462 Co-founder and CEO Kiaan Pillay is our guest in this episode of the TechCentral Show, where he tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the funding round, which was led by QED Investors with participation from a range of new and existing investors.
The latest round brings Stitch’s total funding to date to nearly R2-billion, or $107-million.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Pillay unpacks:
• His background and why and how Stitch was founded;
• How well-known South African comedian Trevor Noah became one of the participating funders in the latest funding round;
• What Stitch is doing differently to other fintech and payment start-ups that has allowed to raise the quantum of funding that it has;
• The significance of Stitch’s recent acquisition of Exipay – and why it’s important for Stitch to be a player in the in-person payments market;
• Stitch’s plans in the cryptocurrency space; and
• Why the company is focused (for now) on the South African market.
Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 07 May 2025 13:46:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Kiaan Pillay on fintech start-up Stitch and its R1-billion funding round 0 0 TechCentral full 37:50 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1552895 https://iono.fm/e/1552895 In the first episode of this series, Switchcom national sales manager Lynton Brits and Huawei account manager Tanki Lebatla told TCS+ about the rationale behind the partnership and some of the networking and backup power equipment the companies have on offer. That video is available here.
In this second episode of the series, Brits is back on TCS+, this time accompanied by Jan Keyser, CEO of Konnekt SP, a provider of networking solutions to small and medium enterprises.
In this episode of TCS+, Brits and Keyser delve into:
• Why networking solutions providers and small and medium enterprises are draw to the Huawei networking eKit distributed by Switchcom;
• The different types of networking equipment that comes with the eKit solution;
• The software support Huawei provides to make network configuration easier for engineers using the eKit;
• The advantages of purchasing a homogenous solution from the same brand in making network configuration easier for installers; and
• Tools for managing the software-defined networks deployed using the eKit as customer need evolve over time.
This insightful conversation is not to be missed, especially for SMEs looking for networking solutions and the vendors who install them. TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 06 May 2025 13:36:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Switchcom and Huawei eKit: networking made easy for SMEs 0 0 TechCentral full 24:40 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1551205 https://iono.fm/e/1551205 Dunsdon did not feel the deal made much sense for Adapt IT – a fast-growing enterprise software services provider whose share price, like many others at the time, had been knocked lower by the uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
The Huge Group approach was opportunistic, said Dunsdon.
So, instead of entertaining the approach from Huge Group, she set about engineering a very different deal: one involving Canadian-listed Constellation Software: Constellation subsidiary Volaris Group would buy out Adapt IT and delist it from the JSE.
Dunsdon, who was recently appointed as acquiring group leader at Omegro – a portfolio company within Volaris Group that houses Adapt IT – joins Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show for an update following the conclusion of the sale.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Dunsdon also discusses:
• Adapt IT’s performance since its acquisition and delisting;
• The Huge Group hostile approach and how that played out inside Adapt IT;
• The timeline of events that led to the acquisition by Volaris Group; and
• What’s next for Adapt IT and Omegro.
Don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:13:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | How Covid sparked a corporate tug-of-war over Adapt IT 0 0 TechCentral full 38:03 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1549858 https://iono.fm/e/1549858 To unpack the details of the new fund and why it’s being established, New GX Capital founder and CEO Khudusela Pitje joined TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod in the latest episode of the TechCentral Show for a wide-ranging conversation.
In the interview, Pitje chatted about the fund – called the Airnegize Capital Fund – and its plans to invest in renewable energy and water and gas infrastructure across Africa.
New GX Capital and RMB Ventures have described the fund as “one of the largest of its kind on the continent”.
The fund has secured R2.4-billion in initial commitments, with the companies targeting a further R1.6-billion before financial close in the coming months.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Pitje expands on:
• His career background and the formation of New GX Capital;
• The role his father, the late HM Pitje, a businessman and former mayor of Mamelodi, played in his life and career choices;
• His role in helping build Dark Fibre Africa and CIVH;
• Why he feels the decision by the competition authorities to block the acquisition by Vodacom of a 30% co-controlling stake in Maziv – a subsidiary of CIVH that houses Vumatel and DFA – was wrongheaded;
• The role New GX Capital plays today, as well as its investment philosophy;
• What led to the creation of the Airnegize Fund with RMB Ventures; and
• The role and future of black economic empowerment in South Africa.
Don’t miss a fascinating conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 25 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | From fibre to clean tech: Khudu Pitje on New GX Capital’s next chapter 0 0 TechCentral full 48:23 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1549114 https://iono.fm/e/1549114 --
Yosheen Padayachee was named as one of the top 100 most influential women in technology in 2024 and has been recognised among the Cyber 50 leaders in cybersecurity in Africa.
Padayachee, who serves as group IT director at workplace management solutions company Tsebo Solutions Group, is TechCentral’s guest in this episode of Meet the CIO.
Previously CIO for Africa at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings, Padayachee is pursuing a doctorate in technology innovation. She shares her story in this interview.
She unpacks:
• How her career pivoted from healthcare into IT and IT management;
• Her career journey so far, which has included roles in the banking sector at Nedbank and FNB, and important lessons she’s learnt along the way;
• The role of IT at Tsebo Solutions Group;
• The big technology projects she’s currently helping lead;
• Her insights on cybersecurity in modern organisations, and why security must be embedded at the foundation of all digital innovation;
• The impact of AI on the ability of companies to protect themselves from cyber adversaries; and
• Why gender diversity in the male-dominated technology industry is vital – and what needs to be done to encourage more young women to choose technology as a career.
Don’t miss this insightful conversation. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 23 Apr 2025 14:27:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | Yosheen Padayachee's unconventional journey into tech leadership 0 0 TechCentral full 52:03 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1545838 https://iono.fm/e/1545838 Indeed, when a big consumer brand changes its brand positioning, it’s always a big deal – not only because of the work involved behind the scenes but also because it helps shift the narrative for that brand in small but important ways in the public consciousness.
For a handful of times in its storied, 31-year history, MTN has refreshed its brand image. And it’s just hit the “play” button on the latest overhaul.
In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology podcast, MTN South Africa GM for residential and post-paid services Bertus van der Vyver unpacks the company’s latest brand identity and why it made the decisions it did.
In the podcast, Van der Vyver chats about:
• Whether brand ends up influencing strategy, or the other way around;
• How the new brand positioning – the payoff line is Together We Make Moves – aligns with MTN’s ongoing efforts around customer experience, network innovation and its service offerings;
• How consumers will experience the brand refresh;
• How the changes tie into MTN’s social and business commitments; and
• How MTN’s new brand identity will allow the company to differentiate itself in the market, including in relation to its competitors.
Don’t miss this fascinating conversation about the value and importance of branding. TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 11 Apr 2025 08:28:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Inside MTN's big brand overhaul 0 0 TechCentral full 31:11 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1541012 https://iono.fm/e/1541012 Its newly developed Milkor 380 System unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) – in essence, a giant drone – has a cruising altitude of 10 000ft, a wingspan of 18m and a maximum payload of 220kg.
The drone has a flight time of up to 35 hours and can be used for border surveillance, maritime surveillance, strategic reconnaissance and information gathering operations, among other things.
To talk about the UAV, Milkor communications director Daniel du Plessis sat down with Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show recently and shared more details about its capabilities.
Other than the Milkor 380, the interview also covers topics including:
* Milkor’s founding in the 1980s, and how the company shifted focus in the democratic era – it got its start, and may still be best known for, manufacturing the world’s first six-shot 40mm grenade launcher, which is widely used around the world;
* The company’s other products – for land, air and sea operations – as well as what’s involved in conducting advanced R&D and manufacturing in a market like South Africa;
* The people who work for Milkor, and the sort of skills the company is looking for (and how it’s finding them);
* The role of UAVs in modern warfare and defence operations; and
* Why Milkor has entered the cybersecurity space.
Don’t miss a fascinating interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 28 Mar 2025 08:16:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | How South Africa's Milkor became a global player in drone innovation 0 0 TechCentral full 59:19 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1539268 https://iono.fm/e/1539268 Kallner, an actuary who joined Discovery in its early days as a medical insurance company and who has held various senior leadership roles over the years, tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the group’s decision to launch a bank when it did. He shares how the business is doing – spoiler: it’s trending well ahead of schedule – and what comes next.
He tells the TechCentral Show about:
• How Discovery Bank is doing financially and how it’s tracking against its business plan;
• Its client base – who they are and who the bank is targeting as its clientele (the answer may surprise you);
• Why Discovery launched a bank into what was already a competitive market and what it’s doing differently to its rivals to attract people to switch;
• The learnings from Discovery Health and Discovery Vitality, and how Discovery Bank has leveraged these in its products and services;
• Discovery Bank’s technology stack, why it chose the IT solutions it did, and why it built much of its banking solution in-house;
• What’s next from Discovery Bank in terms of solutions; and
• The bank’s plans with AI – and why it believes AI could be a gamechanger.
Lastly, Kallner, a prolific reader, shares two of his favourite non-fiction books with the TechCentral audience.
Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Sun, 23 Mar 2025 16:31:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Discovery Bank CEO Hylton Kallner on tech, AI and the future of banking 0 0 TechCentral full 37:06 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1536543 https://iono.fm/e/1536543 Charging infrastructure along South Africa’s national routes is now so commonplace that a cross-country trip in an EV is a daily occurrence.
But this was not always the case, and drivers in the early days of EVs in South Africa often had to rely on their wits and the kindness of strangers to keep their batteries charged on long-distance trips.
Maidment is one of South Africa’s original EV enthusiasts.
As the proud owner of what was once officially recognised as the highest-mileage BMW i3 in Africa – it now has 365 000km on the clock – he dared to travel across the length and breadth of South Africa long before charging infrastructure was commonplace.
Maidment tells the TechCentral Show’s Nkosinathi Ndlovu about:
• What inspired him in 2017 to take his first drive from Johannesburg to Cape Town in an EV;
• How he planned the trip, knowing that at the time there were not enough charging stations along the way;
• Some anecdotes from his travels, including the interesting people he met along the way;
• What his travels have taught him about the best way to drive an EV;
• How much mileage he is getting out of his i3 compared to when it was new; and
• His thoughts on the future of electric mobility in South Africa.
Maidment’s insights on EVs are based on years of personal experience. This episode of the show is not to be missed. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 13 Mar 2025 14:27:00 +0200 0 0 Across South Africa in an EV: how one man did it before charging stations 0 0 TechCentral full 40:35 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1535108 https://iono.fm/e/1535108 Kerissa Varma, who was recently appointed as chief cybersecurity advisor in Africa for Microsoft, previously served as group CISO at Vodacom and before that as group CISO at Old Mutual. She understands what it takes to be a leading CISO.
She tells Meet the CIO about what’s involved in being a leader in enterprise cybersecurity, why she is passionate about developing female talent in the industry – she heads the South African chapter of Women in Cybersecurity – and what it takes to “make it” in what is very much still a male-dominated industry.
Varma chats about her experience as group CISO at Old Mutual and Vodacom. She also unpacks:
• How she became a leader in the enterprise security space;
• The role of a CISO in the modern enterprise – and why interpersonal skills are just as key as understanding technology;
• The top functions and priorities of today’s CISO;
• Strategies to fight the cybercrime scourge – including a look at how South African companies should be dealing with ransomware;
• Artificial intelligence and how it is transformation the infosec space – the impact, the threat and the opportunity;
• Quantum computing and the impact it could have in years to come;
• The gender imbalance in the infosec space and why it’s a concern to her;
• Skills development in cybersecurity in South Africa; and
• Her new role at Microsoft.
Don’t miss a fascinating conversation. And if you missed any of the previous episodes of Meet the CIO, you can find them here. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 10 Mar 2025 15:34:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | Kerissa Varma on what it takes to be a top CISO 0 0 TechCentral full 43:57 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1533109 https://iono.fm/e/1533109 --
Snode evolved from a consultancy to a product-focused company almost by accident. The product was developed on the ground, which led to the philosophy of customer-led design, emphasising solutions that directly addresses the problems customers are experiencing.
In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, founder and CEO Nithen Naidoo unpacks the importance of stepping out of one’s comfort zone and not letting fear dictate decisions.
He believes South Africans are more than capable of building world-class technology and that the cyber landscape offers opportunities to innovate without requiring large investments.
He stresses the importance of adopting technology securely to propel businesses forward. Nithen has learnt the importance of collaboration and acknowledges that there are still many problems in the cybersecurity industry that are yet to be solved.
What Snode does today
Snode has grown to cover over eight million devices and protect systems and companies across six continents with a team of 60 staff. The company’s mission is to “solve cyber”. It has developed a platform that is highly automated and is moving towards autonomous security operations. This platform is designed to address the high costs of managing cybersecurity and the need for better automated solutions.
Snode’s technology uses metadata around packets instead of the data packets themselves for threat detection, which allows for privacy preservation. It leverages advances in machine learning and AI for innovation-driven security solutions. They also use mathematics as a fast and accurate method for threat detection. Furthermore, they use digital twin technology to simulate different types of scenarios, enabling predictive and prescriptive analytics for customers. This technology automatically classifies assets and understands their value to a business by using data from both internal and external sources.
The company’s solutions extend to both IT and OT (operational technology) environments, with a focus on the convergence of the two. Snode’s technology is protocol-independent and can eavesdrop on communications without needing proprietary information, which is beneficial in environments like industrial IoT and medical IoT.
Snode’s focus on continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) moves beyond traditional risk and vulnerability management. It looks at a company’s security through the lens of the asset, enriching available siloed data with the much-needed context to manage a company’s exposure holistically.
What the future holds
Snode aims to be a leader in the cybersecurity industry, acknowledging that the sector still has valuable problems to solve. Its vision is not just for South Africa, but for the whole of the African continent.
Naidoo says he wants to create a secure environment for African entrepreneurs to drive innovation. Snode already has a global reach, with a presence across six continents, and is working with the defence and critical national infrastructure sectors in a number of countries.
Snode plans to expand its approach to cybersecurity, using predictive capabilities for broader applications such as preventative maintenance in the OT environment and improving safety in various industries. It aims to change the traditional view of cyberthreats, moving towards a unified approach across threat management, vulnerability management and penetration testing.
Read more on techcentral.co.za.
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This episode is sponsored. TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:32:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Snode CEO Nithen Naidoo on the cybersecurity opportunity 0 0 TechCentral full 37:08 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1531649 https://iono.fm/e/1531649 To unpack the provisional report, which was published on Monday, Competition Commission senior analyst and technical lead Donnavan-John Linley joined the TechCentral Show to discuss the findings.
He chats about how the commission is attempting to assist local publishers deal with the rise of competing social media platforms owned by US tech giants and why the regulator is determined to intervene in the market to support the funding of journalism in South Africa in the digital age.
Linley tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about:
• Why the Competition Commission decided to initiate its probe into digital platforms and the impact these platforms are having on South Africa’s news media;
• The findings contained in the provisional report and why the commission reached the conclusions it did – including its recommendation that Google pay as much as R500-million/year in “compensation” over a three- to five-year period in an effort to level the playing field;
• The likely reaction from Big Tech to the commission’s proposals, and what might happen if they don’t agree to play ball;
• The risk of provoking a backlash from the Donald Trump administration – already Trump has accused the EU of using antitrust fines levied on US tech companies as a form of taxation and threatened retaliation in response;
• How the proposed compensation of the local news media might work, and who would be eligible to receive the funding from Google;
• The impact of artificial intelligence on the South African media industry and how the commission has dealt with this in its provisional report; and
• Whether the commission’s findings amount to regulatory overreach – are the proposals it has made really warranted, or is the media industry simply experiencing capitalism’s “creative destruction” that will ultimately drive innovation in news media?
Don’t miss a great interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 27 Feb 2025 11:02:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Why the CompCom wants Google to pay up 0 0 TechCentral full 23:38 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1527585 https://iono.fm/e/1527585 CEO JP Schmidtke joined the TechCentral Show earlier this week to share exclusive details about the company’s growth plans and to talk about the business opportunity for fibre companies in South Africa’s vast township economy.
Schmidtke said Wire-Wire Networks – like other industry players such as Vumatel, Fibertime and Frogfoot – believes townships present the next big expansion opportunity for fibre network operators, though the business model is rather different to the one used to deploy infrastructure in the suburbs.
Wire-Wire is offering uncapped fibre – delivered over a meshed Wi-Fi network from fibre endpoints in each home or dwelling, starting at R5 for an hour of uncapped internet access at 100Mbit/s (limited to a single device). Other price plans, which are all uncapped and offer 100Mbit/s, include:
• R9 for a one-day plan that connects one device
• R39 for a one-week plan that connects one device
• R119 for a one-month plan that connects one device
• R449 for a one-month plan that supports eight devices
• R1 120 for a one-month plan that supports 12 devices
Subscribers can connect anywhere in Thembisa where Wire-Wire has coverage and so are not confined to connecting to the network in the vicinity of their own homes.
There are no contracts or connection charges, and Wire-Wire provides a “free-to-use” Wi-Fi router and UPS (designed to keep the internet working even during load shedding and other power outages). The fibre is trenched, not delivered aerially, as it the case in many township deployments.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Schmidtke unpacks how Wire-Wire was formed, talks about its future plans and explains how it hopes to make low-cost fibre broadband profitable in township settings.
Wire-Wire’s leadership team consists of Schmidtke as well as fibre industry expert Hendrik Opperman, head of projects (external) Succeed Bvuma, head of technical David Radebe and head of projects (internal) Susan Hattingh.
Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 14 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | New player in township fibre market offers 100Mbit/s for R9/day 0 0 TechCentral full 22:25 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1526871 https://iono.fm/e/1526871 Working with Stellenbosch-based EV charging and software company Zimi Charge, Bakers’ deployment points a potential future in South Africa in which planet-warming trucks are replaced with electric alternatives.
Michael Maas, CEO of Zimi Charge, recently joined Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show to talk about the company’s solutions, its deployment for Bakers SA and its expansion plans.
In this episode of the show, Maas unpacks:
• The projects with Bakers SA, what Zimi Charge supplied and how it works in practice;
• The background to Zimi Charge and its focus on deploying both EV charging stations and building the software stack around them;
• The current state of EV charging infrastructure in South Africa and what more needs to be done to support the growing number of EVs on South African roads; and
• The market opportunity for Zimi Charge.
Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:09:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Zimi Charge CEO Michael Maas on electrifying SA’s logistics fleets 0 0 TechCentral full 25:34 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1525457 https://iono.fm/e/1525457 Stocks like Nvidia, Google and Microsoft cratered on the news as it raised serious questions about whether the tens of billions – if not hundreds of billions of dollars – that Big Tech is pouring into AI infrastructure makes sense and whether China is further ahead than many people had realised.
To unpack the potential implications of DeepSeek and the rise of Chinese AI models, TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod spoke to South African AI expert and keynote speaker Dean Furman to unpack the subject is greater detail – including what it could mean in the South African context.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Furman discusses:
• Whether China – and DeepSeek specifically – just upended the economics of AI;
• Whether American Big Tech firms should be worried;
• DeepSeek’s strengths and weaknesses in relation to AI tools from the likes of Google, Meta Platforms and OpenAI;
• Chinese government censorship of DeepSeek’s results and whether this matters to users outside China;
• The significance of DeepSeek’s models being released using an open-source licence and what this means for the future development of AI; and
• How far the world is from AGI, or artificial general intelligence.
It’s a fascinating discussion – be sure not to miss it! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 07 Feb 2025 13:51:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Deep impact: Dean Furman on the implications of China's DeepSeek 0 0 TechCentral full 48:30 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1524249 https://iono.fm/e/1524249 In this episode of the TechCentral Show, we are joined by Environ Automotive executives Gideon Wolvaardt and Francois Malan to unpack the new Chinese EV and why they believe the S5 Mini is a gamechanger for South Africa’s motoring industry.
The four-seater compact SUV features a 31.7kWh ternary lithium battery, offering a range of about 300km and a top speed of 115km/h, making it ideal for urban commuting.
The vehicle has a modern interior equipped with a touchscreen infotainment system, multifunction steering wheel and a digital instrument panel. Convenience features include central locking, electric windows and air conditioning that can be operated remotely via an app, allowing drivers to start the vehicle before entering.
In this episode of TCS, TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod takes the car for a test drive and shares his views on the build and ride quality – and much more! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 04 Feb 2025 14:50:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | We test drive South Africa’s cheapest electric car 0 0 TechCentral full 34:24 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1522258 https://iono.fm/e/1522258 The CEO of iqbusiness, a digital integrator in the Reunert stable formed recently though the merger of IQbusiness and +OneX, is our guest in this episode of the TechCentral Show.
Craker – whose career has seen him working for the likes of Accenture, Merchants, Dimension Data and Super Group – tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about his plans for iqbusiness post-merger, how it fits in with Reunert’s overall growth plans and why the transaction made sense.
He also unpacks:
• His take on the government of national unity and why he remains bullish about South Africa’s prospects;
• The news that government is considering listing some of South Africa’s state-owned enterprises on the JSE;
• His biggest concerns about the country’s future; and
• What needs to be done to save Joburg – and the role of the Jozi My Jozi initiative.
Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 29 Jan 2025 10:11:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | 'Activist CEO' Adam Craker on iqbusiness, the GNU and fixing Joburg 0 0 TechCentral full 35:56 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1521481 https://iono.fm/e/1521481 To unpack this in more detail, Preegan Chetty, Microsoft Azure product manager at First Distribution, and Silicon Overdrive Microsoft business executive Jody Roberts join TechCentral’s business technology show TCS+.
In the episode, they unpack:
• The relationship between First Distribution and Silicon Overdrive;
• Silicon Overdrive’s market focus;
• What Azure SQL is and how it’s helping companies with their digital transformation initiatives;
• Why many South African businesses run SQL Server databases, usually on-premises, and what the advantages are of moving these databases into the Microsoft Azure cloud;
• The cost advantages of shifting, and what’s involved in doing so;
• The security considerations of shifting from on-premises SQL Server to Azure SQL;
• The features that make Azure SQL particularly secure;
• Use cases of businesses leveraging Azure SQL; and
• Azure SQL Database vs SQL Managed Instance vs SQL Service on Azure virtual machines – the differences between these options, and why businesses should choose one over another.
Don’t miss the discussion.

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TCS+ episodes are sponsored. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 27 Jan 2025 12:36:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Shifting Microsoft Azure SQL into overdrive 0 0 TechCentral full 24:37 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1513486 https://iono.fm/e/1513486 If you missed episode 1 in the series, you can find it here – or dive straight into this interview.
Preegan Chetty, who is Microsoft Azure product manager at First Distribution, unpacks:
• What makes Azure SQL a secure choice for companies today, including features such as data encryption (when data is at rest or in transit), threat detection and firewall protection;
• Why companies shouldn’t simply assume that the cloud is secure because it’s being managed by a hyperscale cloud services provider;
• Azure SQL’s performance, and the optimisations that can be done to make the system fly; and
• The role of AI in cloud database management.
Don’t miss any of the episodes in this insightful series. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 19 Dec 2024 09:25:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Just how secure is your cloud database? 0 0 TechCentral full 12:17 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1513275 https://iono.fm/e/1513275 In this two-part series, we delve into greater detail on what’s involved in a cloud database migration.
First Distribution’s Microsoft Azure product manager Preegan Chetty is our guest in the studio for this episode. He unpacks:
• The risks and opportunities involved in the migration;
• What companies need to be aware of before they even embark on a migration to Azure SQL;
• How Microsoft helps companies with their migration projects; and
• The top motivating factors driving companies to migrate away from an on-premises SQL Server solution to Azure SQL.
Don’t miss this informative discussion – and be sure to catch episode 2 in this series with First Distribution. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 18 Dec 2024 13:40:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Moving from SQL Server to Azure SQL – what you need to know 0 0 TechCentral full 14:34 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1513246 https://iono.fm/e/1513246 In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Matric Live CEO Kagisho Masae and chief technology officer Lesego Finger tell TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about their journey as a start-up and the growth Matric Live has gone through in the last few years.
They delve into:
• The inspiration behind the Matric Live app and the problem it seeks to solve for students;
• The journey from app idea to full-fledged live system and the challenges faced along the way;
• How the application is being monetised while keeping access to the platform free for its users;
• The impact Matric Live has had on South African students;
• Some success stories about students who have used the app;
• Upcoming features to look forward to on the application;
• The vision Masae and Finger have for the future of their business; and
• The significance of winning the App of the Year award.
Masae and Finger tell an inspiring story of battling against the odds and succeeding at solving one of the most foundational problems confronting South African society: the dissemination of quality education to all corners of the country. Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 18 Dec 2024 12:19:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Meet the team behind Matric Live, South Africa’s App of the Year 0 0 TechCentral full 27:14 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1512854 https://iono.fm/e/1512854 This complexity is compounded by the nuances of operating in different areas. Municipal districts have different permitting requirements, while competitive elements from other transport sector players, like taxi associations, presents further challenges.
Fulfilling a ride request in the Cape Flats at 11pm is a different proposition to one in Sandton at 2pm.
Simo Kalajdzic, senior operations manager at Bolt South Africa, tells TechCentral’s business technology show, TCS+, about how Bolt is approaching these challenges. He delves into:
• The overall problem that Bolt is trying to solve for South Africans;
• Bolt’s strategic approach to safety on the platform;
• The £100-million investment into safety Bolt has pledged at a global level;
• The technological solutions baked into the Bolt app for both drivers and passengers;
• The industry-wide collaborations Bolt has undertaken to address safety from an ecosystem perspective;
• How drivers and riders are empowered to be safe on the platform;
• Feedback from a recent stakeholder engagement meeting held in Cape Town; and
• Bolt’s long-term vision for safety in the South African context.
This episode is not to be missed! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 17 Dec 2024 09:50:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Bolt doubling down on safety for riders and drivers 0 0 TechCentral full 13:23 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1511790 https://iono.fm/e/1511790 Masie, who chairs JSE-listed Altvest Capital – a key player in the consortium making the bid – joins the TechCentral Show with Altvest CEO Warren Wheatley to unpack the plan and what spurred it, and to explain why tech is central to the bid.
The bid comes after member unions of SA Rugby last week rejected a plan to sell a 20% in the commercial rightsholder to US-based Ackerley Sports Group for US$75-million. Ackerley has until the end of the year to submit a revised offer, but Wheatley and Masie told TechCentral that they do not expect a deal with the American firm will succeed.
The South African consortium is made up of Altvest as well as EasyEquities, RainFin and 27four Investment Managers.
In a statement, the consortium explained that if its bid is successful, it will list the special purpose vehicle that has been created to do the deal on the JSE and allow investors to buy shares.
This is not dissimilar to Altvest’s business model, which sees it taking stakes in companies on behalf of public shareholders who participate in the economic benefits thereof.
“Worth thinking about for the tech community is that our platform allows for ‘crowdfunding’ in a regulated environment that allows for participation in a funding round to anybody with disposable income – from first-time users or customers, all the way through to regulated institutions and pension funds,” Wheatley explained.
In this episode of TCS, Masie and Wheatley unpack:
• The background to their consortium’s Springboks bid – and why the consortium members came together;
• How the bidders will work with SA Rugby to commercialise the rights, assuming their bid is successful;
• How the deal could affect broadcast partners; and
• Why they believe the deal could be used as a platform for technology innovation in South Africa.
It’s an interesting discussion – don’t miss it! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 12 Dec 2024 20:02:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Springboks rugby deal: the tech plan behind the audacious bid 0 0 TechCentral full 49:25 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1511249 https://iono.fm/e/1511249 In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), Tim Masela, head of the National Payments System department at the Reserve Bank – he has been with the Bank for the past 30 years – tells TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about the efforts it is making to create a “cash smart” society not only in Southern Africa but across the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region.
Masela unpacks:
• Why the introduction of non-bank fintechs into the national and regional clearance and settlements systems is important;
• The importance of designing “fit for purpose” regulations that allow fintech to remain nimble and innovative;
• A detailed explanation of how the payments and settlements system worked historically, including how it has evolved in the digital era;
• The efforts the Reserve Bank and its regional counterparts are undertaking to standardise financial legislation and regulation across Sadc;
- The importance of the Transactions Cleared on an Immediate Basis (TCIB) platform, which facilitates PayShap-style instant payments across borders;
- The challenges that currency conversion poses in facilitating instant payments across borders;
- Findings from the National Payments Study conducted by the Reserve Bank and released in September;
- What a “cash light” and “cash smart” society are and why the Reserve Bank believes this is desirable; and
- Where the Reserve Bank stands on crypto assets and the road to their incorporation into South Africa’s National Payments System.
Do not miss this insightful and informative episode. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:08:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Reserve Bank’s big payments shake-up – an interview with Tim Masela 0 0 TechCentral full 50:22 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1509847 https://iono.fm/e/1509847 Bernard Montel, technical director at exposure management company Tenable for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, recently unpacked this for TechCentral’s audience in an episode of TCS+ (watch or listen to the interview below).
Montel unpacked what the three risk factors are that make up the Toxic Cloud Trilogy – critical vulnerabilities, excessive permissions and public exposure – and how to deal with each of them effectively.
Tenable recently published its 2024 Tenable Cloud Risk Report, which examines findings by the Tenable Cloud Research team based on telemetry from millions of cloud resources across multiple public cloud repositories.
In this episode of TCS+, Montel discusses:
• Tenable, its history and its focus areas in the information security industry;
• Why companies should take the Toxic Cloud Trilogy seriously, and how it amplifies risk for organisations;
• The key findings in Tenable’s Cloud Risk Report and what they mean in practice, including addressing the Toxic Cloud Trilogy; and
• How Tenable Cloud Security can help companies overcome the Toxic Cloud Trilogy.
If you’re involved in protecting your organisation’s data and assets in the cloud, don’t miss this important discussion. TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 06 Dec 2024 13:24:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Beware the Toxic Cloud Trilogy – a discussion with Tenable 0 0 TechCentral full 22:47 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1509486 https://iono.fm/e/1509486 Company founder Darryl Theron saw a gap in the market for a company that provides leading solutions in this space, stemming from his many years of experience in the pan-African infrastructure market.
This episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology podcast, hosted by Jaydev Chiba, delves into how Trace Network Operations supports its customers in the areas of network management and network monitoring as a service (NMaaS) with Theron and his colleague, Gert van Deventer.
The company’s solutions are built around a product called StableNet, a carrier-grade network management and monitoring system that is built from the ground up. Trace Network Operations also uses other technologies, including the Red Hat Ansible automation platform, Cubro, Sophos, NetWitness and FNT.
The company’s solutions are designed to help businesses solve problems such as:
• Lack of visibility into network activity: Many businesses lack the tools and expertise to monitor their networks effectively. This can lead to problems such as security breaches, performance issues and outages.
• Difficulty in troubleshooting problems: When problems do occur, it can be difficult to identify the root cause and resolve them quickly.
• Lack of automation: Many network management tasks are still performed manually, which is time-consuming and prone to errors.
Trace Network Operations addresses these issues by providing a comprehensive suite of NMaaS solutions that includes:
• Network monitoring: StableNet provides real-time visibility into network activity, allowing businesses to identify and resolve problems quickly.
• Network management: The company’s solutions help businesses to automate many network management tasks, such as configuration management, change management and fault management.
• Security monitoring: It integrates solutions such as NetWitness and Cobra to provide comprehensive security monitoring and management.
Trace Network Operations offers its solutions on a flexible basis, allowing businesses to tailor the level of service that best meets their needs.
The interview also includes a few case studies of how Trace Network Operations’ solutions have been used to provide value and benefits for companies. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 05 Dec 2024 14:01:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Why your company needs network monitoring as a service 0 0 TechCentral full 33:02 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1509079 https://iono.fm/e/1509079 But too often companies don’t do it right, leading to headaches and lost productivity.
To unpack the topic, Muggie van Staden, MD at open-source enterprise software specialist Obsidian Systems, joins TechCentral’s TCS+ to discuss the latest trends in ITSM and what they mean for South African organisations.
Van Staden unpacks:
• The concept of ITSM and what it involves;
• How successful companies utilise ITSM to better manage customer experience, free up IT resources, align IT with business goals, enhance security and risk mitigation, foster scalable growth, and accelerate digital transformation;
• The emerging trends in ITSM that are shaping how organisations manage their IT services and IT infrastructure;
• The role of artificial intelligence and automation in ITSM;
• The shift to Agile and DevOps integration; and
• Where Obsidian fits into the ITSM picture.
Don’t miss a fascinating conversation with a leader in the ITSM space in South Africa. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:51:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Obsidian’s Muggie van Staden on the power of ITSM 0 0 TechCentral full 24:57 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1508871 https://iono.fm/e/1508871 In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), Datafree chief commercial officer Kruben Pillay tells Duncan McLeod about the company’s plan to build a software-as-a-service-based APN – or “access point name” – to sell to businesses. An APN is a gateway that allows a mobile device to connect to the network and the internet.
Datafree describes itself as a specialist in “mobile data optimisation” that “identified the opportunity to empower inclusive mobile connection by removing the data cost barrier to engage mobile audiences”.
To do this, it uses reverse-billing technology for data, not dissimilar to the way toll-free numbers work for phone calls.
Although many people use or are at least aware of MoyaApp, much less is known about Datafree. In this episode of TCS, Pillay tells McLeod more about the business. He also unpacks:
• His history in the telecommunications industry, including his time at Vodacom and Telkom;
• How MoyaApp is doing;
• Datafree’s R1-billion/year APN opportunity; and
• How APNs work, why companies use them (and why they sometimes run into issues) and Datafree’s APN services for business.
Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 04 Dec 2024 08:53:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Datafree’s plan to make R1-billion/year from ‘free data’ 0 0 TechCentral full 24:18 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1506545 https://iono.fm/e/1506545 In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, four senior executives from Veeam unpack the latest trends in data resilience and protection, and explore how African organisations can better protect themselves against a data disaster.
To unpack this in detail, TCS+ is joined in this two-parter episode by Veeam’s:
• Mena Migally, regional vice president, Europe, the Middle East and Africa;
• Brendan Widlake, regional director and country manager, Africa;
• Ian Engelbrecht, head of technical sales, Africa; and
• Lisa Strydom, senior manager for channel and alliances, Africa.
Topics covered in the discussion include:
• The unique challenges that businesses in Africa face when it comes to securing and managing their data;
• The role of data resilience in helping African businesses maintain continuous availability of their data in the face of growing cyberthreats.
• Securing on-premises and cloud-based environments and the challenges involved in doing so;
• How Veeam works with local partners to ensure African businesses optimise their data protection strategies and build resilience;
• How Veeam helps companies deal with ransomware attacks, both before and after they happen; and
• The emerging trends and innovations in data resilience and protection.
For more information on Veeam’s portfolio of data resilience solutions, including backup, recovery, cloud data management and disaster recovery, visit Veeam’s data resilience portfolio. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:20:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | How to stop a data disaster – a discussion with Veeam 0 0 TechCentral full 43:17 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1506313 https://iono.fm/e/1506313 According to Themba Khumalo, MD of The Eswatini Posts & Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC), the landlocked territory will draw lessons from leaders in national fibre roll-out in other markets as it deploys infrastructure to the population.
In this episode of TCS+, filmed on-site in Cape Town during Africa Tech Week, Khumalo delves into:
• The role of EPTC Eswatini;
• Features unique to Eswatini that make the challenge of a national fibre roll-out a little easier than it might be in other territories;
• EPTC’s national fibre strategy;
• How the population will benefit from the speed upgrades that a fibre roll-out will enable;
• The proposed timelines for the competition of the national fibre roll-out; and
• The role government will play in accelerating infrastructure roll-out.
Don’t miss the conversation. TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:29:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Inside Eswatini’s big fibre roll-out plans 0 0 TechCentral full 6:32 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1503898 https://iono.fm/e/1503898 Digicloud Africa is Google Cloud’s enablement partner on the continent, and the company’s CEO, Gregory MacLennan, and head of technical operations Louis van Schalkwyk return to the show to chat about what Google Cloud software can do for businesses that deploy it.
In episode 1 of this series, we had a look at Digicloud, what it does, and its relationship with Google. In episode 2, we looked at the company’s reseller partner model, what it involves and how it works with its reseller partners. (LINKS TO SHOWS TO BE INSERTED WHEN AVAILABLE.)
In the final episode, MacLennan and Van Schalkwyk unpack:
• The Google Cloud advantage relative to other cloud and enterprise software solutions;
• How companies can use Google Cloud to innovate and grow their businesses;
• The importance of using open IT infrastructure like Google’s – and what this means for collaboration and information security;
• What Google Cloud offers in specific sectors, including education;
• Examples of African enterprises and government agencies doing interesting things with Google Cloud technology;
• How Digicloud Africa works with resellers to offer Google Cloud solutions to companies, educational institutions and government – and how Digicloud supports those resellers in client engagements and deployments; and
• Becoming a Google Cloud reseller through Digicloud and what’s involved.
Don’t miss insightful interview, and the others in this series! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 19 Nov 2024 12:36:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | What Google Cloud solutions mean for companies in Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 29:59 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1503856 https://iono.fm/e/1503856 The company, which represents some of the leading brands in the artificial intelligence space, is working closely with its vendors and channel partners to help local companies embrace the potential of the technology and expand employee productivity.
Jacques Visage, GM for AI and Services at Pinnacle, is the man leading this charge, and he’s TechCentral’s guest in this episode of TCS+.
He unpacks why Pinnacle sees AI as a strategic imperative and how it is positioning itself as an AI leader in the distribution space.
In the discussion, Visagie chats about:
• Pinnacle’s go-to-market strategy around AI and how it is working with its channel partners to provide AI solutions to businesses;
• The company’s key partners and technology providers;
• How conversations around AI in corporate South Africa have changed since the launch two years ago of OpenAI’s ChatGPT;
• What South African companies are doing with AI – and what they want to do with it in future; and
• The top-of-mind issues around AI in the C-suite and the biggest use cases we’re seeing so far in corporate South Africa.
Don’t miss this important and insightful conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:45:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Pinnacle’s Jacque Visagie – AI will transform SA business 0 0 TechCentral full 26:38 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1502119 https://iono.fm/e/1502119 Through a series of upgrades – from the Commodore 64 to early Apple machines and eventually his first PC – Soares developed a passion for gaming and technology.
Meet the CIO is presented by Wipro
That passion led him to co-found a mobile gaming company and eventually to pursue a career in IT management.
Our guest in the latest episode of Meet the CIO, Soares tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the journey that led him to The Capital Hotels group.
Soares also discusses:
• The assets owned by the group and why it’s focus is a little different to other companies in the hospitality industry;
• What the group’s IT stack looks like, and the big projects Soares is leading;
• How the internet and modern technology have transformed the hospitality industry;
• His strategic priorities as head of IT;
• The role of artificial intelligence in the hospitality industry, and how The Capital Hotel is approaching AI;
• The qualities that make for a good CIO; and
• The importance of developing the next generation of IT talent.
Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 13 Nov 2024 15:06:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | The Capital Hotels’ José Soares – from gamer to director of IT 0 0 TechCentral full 57:09 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1502094 https://iono.fm/e/1502094 In this episode of TCS+, Hannes Wessels, GM for South Africa at Binance, explains the role cryptocurrencies are playing in the digitisation of cash as well as the potential that blockchain technology offers in enhancing the security of digital transactions.
In this episode, Wessels delves into:
• The trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the future of digital banking in South Africa;
• How Binance is capitalising on the growth of mobile banking and other advancements in financial technology;
• Examples of how blockchain technology can enhance transaction security;
• How decentralised finance can make financial services accessible to everyone in Africa; and
• How Binance is contributing to the digital cash revolution.
Don’t miss this exciting episode of TCS+. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:19:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Binance on the role of cryptocurrencies in digitising money 0 0 TechCentral full 14:35 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1501514 https://iono.fm/e/1501514 Digicloud is Google Cloud’s chosen enablement partner for Africa and works closely with the US technology giant to deliver its services across the continent – through a network of resellers.
In this episode of TCS+, Digicloud Africa CEO Gregory MacLennan and head of technical operations Louis van Schalkwyk unpack what’s involved in becoming a reseller partner to Digicloud Africa and Google Cloud.
The two men chat about:
• Digicloud Africa’s role as the African enablement partner for Google Cloud;
• Google Cloud’s go-to-market strategy in Africa and how it works through Digicloud Africa to support a network of resellers across the continent;
• How the relationship between Google Cloud, Digicloud and its resellers partners operate in the context of serving end-user customers;
• How IT companies can sign up to become Google Cloud resellers through Digicloud – the requirements and what’s involved;
• How Digicloud supports specialisation by its reseller partners; and
• The challenge of managing a network of resellers across a continent as vast as Africa.
Don’t miss the interview, or the others in this insightful series with Digicloud Africa. TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 12 Nov 2024 09:32:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | How to become a Google Cloud reseller in Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 23:30 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1499295 https://iono.fm/e/1499295 Two of Digicloud’s top executives recently sat down for an interview with TechCentral’s TCS+ to unpack the business, its relationship with Google, and how it serves its reseller partners and their clients in adopting Google Cloud services.
Gregory MacLennan, Digicloud’s CEO, and Louis van Schalkwyk, the company’s head of technical operations, tell TechCentral about the business and why Google Cloud services are seeing strong demand across Africa.
In this first of a succinct three-part series with Digicloud, MacLennan and Van Schalkwyk discuss:
• The history of Digicloud and how it became Google Cloud’s enablement partner for Africa;
• How the partnership with Google Cloud works, and why Google chooses to work through reseller partners in smaller markets like those in Africa;
• The solutions on offer from Google via Digicloud; and
• How companies can become Google Cloud resellers through Digicloud Africa – and why the company is encouraging more entities to sign up and go through the process of accreditation (and what’s involved).
Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 05 Nov 2024 13:48:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Introducing Digicloud, Google Cloud’s partner in Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 15:32 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1499229 https://iono.fm/e/1499229 The conversation begins by focusing on the critical role of security operations in ensuring business continuity. Every organisation requires a certain level of security, which can vary based on what employees are doing and what the organisation is focused on. Security operations are about finding the right balance between the actual security level and the required level – enough to be protected but without overspending.
The speakers then explore the challenges of building an in-house SOC. The biggest challenges they see with customers trying to build a SOC are skills shortages, identifying and integrating the right security tools, and a lack of comprehensive visibility across the organisation's attack surface. They find that organisations often struggle to find the right skills and tools, and even if they do, it can be difficult to retain skilled security professionals. Customers also experience alert fatigue from too many alerts from their security tools.
Partnering with a provider like Arctic Wolf can help address these challenges. Arctic Wolf will work and integrate with the customer's existing security tools and team, providing 24/7 monitoring and threat detection. This removes the burden of building and managing an SOC from the customer, allowing them to focus on business risk and strategic security management.
Arctic Wolf’s “concierge delivery model” helps customers continuously improve their security posture through a collaborative, partnership approach. This includes vulnerability management, security awareness training and incident response capabilities. This approach contrasts with a product-centric approach, which the speakers argue is not enough in today’s threat landscape.
The speakers conclude by discussing future trends in cybersecurity. They predict a consolidation in the cybersecurity market, with smaller companies being absorbed by larger ones. They also believe that the threat landscape will become more complex as attackers leverage AI and other advanced techniques. They stress the importance of a proactive and comprehensive approach to security, and the value of partnering with a security provider that can help organisations stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape.
Don’t miss this informative and important discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 05 Nov 2024 11:26:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Arctic Wolf – weighing up in-house vs outsourced SOCs 0 0 TechCentral full 28:00 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1498198 https://iono.fm/e/1498198 And David Meintjes and Rob Lith of Telviva, a South African company specialising in cloud-based unified communications solutions for businesses, has been at the forefront of the technology changes that have swept through the industry in that time.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, the pair tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the journey from the early days of the business – when it was known as Connection Telecom – to the cloud-based telephony specialist it is today, as Telviva.
In the interview, Meintjes and Lith chat about:
• The evolution of Connection Telecom, its original mission, and how the business evolved into the unified communications as a service (UCaaS) provider it is today;
• How the telephony market in South Africa has changed beyond recognition over the past 20 years; and
• Telviva’s international expansion plans and its strategy around acquisitions.
There’s plenty more in this interview with two ICT industry legends – don’t miss it. TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:41:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | The story of Telviva, with David Meintjes and Rob Lith 0 0 TechCentral full 41:28 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1497786 https://iono.fm/e/1497786 That’s according to Andrew Middleton, co-founder and CEO of GoSolr, one of South Africa’s largest rooftop solar installation companies, who spoke to TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show (TCS) earlier this week.
According to Middleton, citing figures from Eskom, 749MW of rooftop solar capacity has been installed in South Africa this year, taking the total to 5.9GW. Some 162MW of new rooftop solar was added in the third quarter, down 267MW from the same three months in 2023, when load shedding was frequently at stage 4 or higher.
The figures are contained in the latest quarterly report published by GoSolr on the state of the industry.
In his interview with TCS, Middleton unpacks:
• The impact of the suspension of load shedding on the rooftop solar industry;
• What’s driving consumers to consider solar at home today;
• The impact of the adoption of electric vehicles on the demand for home solar – and what sort of solar installation consumers who own or are thinking of buying an EV need to consider;
• The state of play in the municipalities around feed-in tariff structures – an update on Cape Town, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay and more;
• The future role of embedded generation systems in communities – the way forward and the hurdles that might be encountered; and
• Why government was wrong to withdraw the tax rebate on solar panels and to impose higher taxes on their importation.
Don’t miss this insightful conversation about the state of South Africa’s rooftop solar industry. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 31 Oct 2024 10:46:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Andrew Middleton on the state of rooftop solar in South Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 27:57 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1495049 https://iono.fm/e/1495049 The company’s South African MD, Sandile Dube – a former country manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and a former executive at Dimension Data (now NTT Data) – tells TechCentral Show host Duncan McLeod about the new Johannesburg data centre, which is located in Isando on the East Rand, and what type of clients it’s hoping to attract.
In the interview, Dube chats about:
• Equinix’s African investment plans and where it intends to build data centre facilities and why;
• The Isando data centre and what it offers;
• The Equinix company and its investment focus – including its investments in West Africa;
• Whether there is an overbuild of data centres taking place in South Africa. Can market demand sustain the level of investment taking place?; and
• How Equinix differentiates itself in an increasingly crowded market.
Don’t miss a great interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 23 Oct 2024 13:52:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Sandile Dube on Equinix and South Africa’s data centre boom 0 0 TechCentral full 21:12 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1494929 https://iono.fm/e/1494929 One of his main tasks has been to turn the company’s finances around by reigning in business units that were haemorrhaging cash in the past. Lesaka’s latest set of financial results suggests it’s making progress.
In this episode of TechCentral Show, Mali speaks to TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about:
• Lesaka’s latest financial results, breaking down each of the group's key business units;
• The resilience of Lesaka’s loans business;
• The importance of data analytics in driving Lesaka’s merchant lending business;
• The impact of the interest rate cycle on business;
• How the digitisation of cash is progressing in the informal market;
• Lesaka’s acquisition strategy, including the recent blockbuster purchase of Adumo; and
• The rationale behind Lesaka’s primary listing on the Nasdaq in the US (it has a secondary listing on the JSE).
Don’t miss this fast-paced episode of the TechCentral Show. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 23 Oct 2024 09:51:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Lesaka’s Lincoln Mali on the fintech opportunity in South Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 22:16 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1492774 https://iono.fm/e/1492774 In this episode of TCS+, Lynton Brits, national sales manager at Switchcom, and Tanki Lebatla, account manager at Huawei, tell TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology show about the partnership and what it means for the market.
In the show, Brits and Lebatla delve into:
• The networking and backup power solutions offered by Switchcom through its partnership with Huawei;
• The training and implementation support Huawei provides to Switchcom and what that means for Switchcom’s reseller clients;
• How the two companies are shoring up the supply chain to ensure that customers have enough stock;
• The guarantees Huawei and Switchcom offer clients on the hardware, as well as the process for swap-outs and replacements; and
• The hardware innovations and capabilities of Huawei’s networking and backup power products.
This interview is not to be missed, especially for builders of networks or owners of large-scale infrastructure that cannot afford to be without power. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 16 Oct 2024 16:06:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Switchcom and Huawei forge new alliance 0 0 TechCentral full 9:08 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1492240 https://iono.fm/e/1492240 The conversation starts by discussing the growing complexity of cybersecurity and the financial motivations driving cybercriminals. With the underground economy expanding, MSSPs must constantly adapt to new attack methods. Early adopters of cutting-edge technology may take on higher risks, but they also build knowledge that benefits future clients, reducing their exposure to emerging threats.
The proliferation of security operations centres in South Africa, now numbering more than 30, is driven by skill shortages and the need for assurance. Many organisations still lack visibility into their network environments, which the experts identify as a key issue. Understanding what’s connected to a network and which applications are in use is essential but often overlooked.
MSSPs also help clients manage budget constraints and meet compliance requirements while keeping pace with fast-moving technological change. South Africa is seen as a testing ground for cybercriminals targeting the broader African market. Clients now prefer flexible, short-term investments over long-term contracts due to the evolving threat landscape. The experts stress the importance of MSSPs staying relevant by challenging vendors and adapting their offerings to new threats like artificial intelligence.
A major concern is the lack of governance in many industries, especially those with strict compliance needs. Organisations are realising the need to think like attackers and continuously evolve their defences. AI is highlighted as a significant disruptor, with MSSPs now focused on securing AI algorithms and leveraging AI to enhance security operations.
The podcast discussion compares MSSPs with in-house security teams, noting that MSSPs offer greater agility and a broader range of expertise. In-house teams often face resource constraints and difficulty staying up to date with new technologies. MSSPs, on the other hand, focus on governance and outcomes, allowing businesses to prioritise other critical needs.
The experts underscore the need for collaboration across the cybersecurity industry. MSSPs can share anonymised insights across clients, helping create a unified defence against attackers. Ultimately, MSSPs provide value by evolving their offerings, focusing on outcomes and using collective experience to keep clients secure in an ever-changing threat landscape.
Don’t miss a great discussion. TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 15 Oct 2024 12:03:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | CYBER1 Solutions on choosing a managed security service provider 0 0 TechCentral full 48:52 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1490459 https://iono.fm/e/1490459 In this first interview with the TechCentral Show, TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod asks Malatsi a range of questions about the sector, including his views on how he plans to address some of the more intractable problems in his inbox.
The interview, which was recorded on Friday, 4 October – shortly before he announced he was issuing a policy direction to communications regulator Icasa that could see a big change to empowerment rules governing licensing in the sector – covers a wide range of topics, from Elon Musk’s Starlink to the ongoing feud between the SABC and Sentech.
Other topics covered in the interview include:
• The minister’s engagements with Starlink and the recent meeting in New York between Musk and President Cyril Ramaphosa;
• His views on black economic empowerment and why his top priority is reducing the cost of data and ensuring more South Africans can connect affordably to the internet and online services;
• His plan for private sector participation in the Post Office, and whether the company is really worth saving;
• The war between the SABC and Sentech, and how it can be resolved;
• Future funding models for the SABC and the future of TV licences in South Africa;
• The problems at the State IT Agency, and what the focus should be of government’s central IT procurement and services provider;
• The planned merger of Sentech and Broadband Infraco and why he believes it needs to happen;
• Government’s 40.5% stake in Telkom and what should happen to it;
• The road to digital migration and whether there is still a need for terrestrial television in 2024;
• 2G and 3G switch-off in South Africa and whether this should be mandated by the government; and
• The legislative programme for the department of communications & digital technologies.
Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:14:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | The Solly Malatsi interview – BEE, SOEs and Starlink 0 0 TechCentral full 43:00 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1490337 https://iono.fm/e/1490337 John Githinji, national head of sales at Hypa, which is a subsidiary of telecommunications provider Vox, tells TechCentral’s business technology show TCS+ that the company is using its presence in underserved markets to plug gaps beyond internet services.
In this episode of TCS+, Githinji delves into:
• What Hypa is and its relationship with Vox;
• The death and disability benefit Hypa offers free of charge to its paying customers;
• Why Hypa’s customers take advantage of its death benefits instead of opting for a traditional insurance company;
• Who qualifies for Hypa’s death and disability benefit; and
• The costs associated with the offering.
This episode of TCS+ is not to be missed! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 09 Oct 2024 10:05:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Hypa Fibre and its aspirations for the aspirational market 0 0 TechCentral full 8:34 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1489484 https://iono.fm/e/1489484 The man charged with ensuring the continent’s largest financial services provider is spending that money optimally is group CIO Jörg Fischer, who is TechCentral’s guest in this episode of Meet the CIO, the publication’s monthly interview series presented by Wipro, where, instead of focusing on the vendors of technology, we interview the end users of IT – banks, retailers, manufacturers and more – about how they’re using modern technology to grow their businesses and drive their strategic agendas.
Meet the CIO is presented by Wipro
In this episode of Meet the CIO, Fischer chats about the technology function at Standard Bank Group, the role of a CIO in the financial services industry, the big strategic IT projects which the bank is involved with – and much, much more.
Among other topics, Fischer discusses:
• The career trajectory that resulted in him becoming a top IT leader;
• Why Standard Bank Group spends as much as it does on IT, and where that spending is directed;
• How IT aligns with the group’s strategic focus areas;
• The decision to migrate to SAP’s core banking solution, what was involved, the lessons learned and how the platform is working for the bank in 2024;
• What Standard Bank’s technology stack looks like, and its investment in the cloud;
• What makes a good CIO in 2024, including the skills that are important in the role;
• How Standard Bank is approaching AI – and what it can actually achieve for the bank and its clients;
• How technology is changing the banking industry;
• Standard Bank’s approach to cybersecurity; and
• How Standard Bank attracts and retains IT talent.
Don’t miss a fascinating conversation that provides great insight into how IT has become mission critical in modern banking. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 07 Oct 2024 10:56:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | Standard Bank Group’s Jörg Fischer – mission-critical IT 0 0 TechCentral full 1:05:03 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1488678 https://iono.fm/e/1488678 Ward-Cox, who has immersed himself in the world of technology for the past 30 years, is the guest in this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology show, in which he chats about the work that Network Platforms does and how the internet landscape in South Africa has been transformed over the past 10 years.
In this episode, he discusses:
• Network Platforms, what it does and how and why it’s focus has shifted over time;
• What internet infrastructure in South Africa looks like in 2024, including national long-distance fibre and subsea cables;
• Why some terrestrial fibre routes in South Africa are “challenging”, and why submarine cables along the coastline alleviate the problem;
• Why IP transit to ISPs is a critical service;
• Internet peering in South Africa, how it works and why it’s important;
• The outlook for peering; and
• Why ISPs and managed service providers should choose Network Platforms
This is a great conversation about the development and state of the internet in South Africa, what it looks like and where it may be going. Don’t miss it! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 03 Oct 2024 14:43:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Network Platforms’ Warwick Ward-Cox – IP wrangler 0 0 TechCentral full 27:58 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1488127 https://iono.fm/e/1488127 It even went on to help Shoprite Holdings launch the Checkers Sixty60 app.
Zulzi was founded in 2013 as an “aggregator” of various shopping outlets to help consolidate online shopping for customers.
Today the company provides support to Sixty60 and continues to operate as a separate entity through seven of its own “dark stores”, or warehouses.
Zulzi founder Valoyi joins the TechCentral Show to chat about the company's journey, which began with his exit from corporate South Africa into entrepreneurship.
He shares his views on the innovations reshaping the e-commerce sector and how South African businesses should equip themselves to handle competition from international players.
Valoyi also chats about:
• His entrepreneurial ambitions and why he chose e-commerce as his focus;
• The early days of Zulzi, and how he built the business;
• How Zulzi’s relationship with Shoprite and the Checkers Sixty60 app came about;
• Why Valoyi believes the Post Office is key to driving e-commerce growth in South Africa;
• Why the medical sector is ripe for e-commerce disruption; and
• How technologies like artificial intelligence are changing the online shopping experience.
Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 02 Oct 2024 10:30:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Donald Valoyi: South African on-demand e-commerce pioneer 0 0 TechCentral full 48:53 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1487798 https://iono.fm/e/1487798 Adrian Stanford, group chief technology officer at ESET Southern Africa, is our guest in the latest episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, and he provides a succinct overview of the key trends identified in the latest ESET Threat Report, for the first half of 2024.
Stanford provides a brief overview of the findings before delving into:
• The threat posed by generative AI, including how bad actors are using the technology to break into systems and target victims;
• The rise of deepfakes and the threat they pose, particularly in mobile;
• The threat posed to Linux-based systems – and why there’s a misconception that malware doesn’t target Linux (or macOS); and
• The latest on plug-in malware impacting WordPress-based websites.
Don’t miss this informative discussion about the evolving world of cyberthreats and how they could impact you and your business. TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:11:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | From gen AI to deepfakes – the latest infosec threats 0 0 TechCentral full 18:34 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1483675 https://iono.fm/e/1483675 Bruce Mellado, professor of particle physics and director of the Institute for Collider Particle Physics at Wits University, is one of the key people behind the new initiative, which is aimed at improving air quality in South Africa and eventually other markets around the world. He recently joined Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show to discuss the project.
Mellado, who also director at the iThemba Laboratories for Accelerator Based Sciences – a unit of South Africa’s National Research Foundation – takes TechCentral through the devices, how they were built and how they’re being deployed in South Africa to detect reportable problems with air quality.
“We decided to create, for the first time in South Africa, a cost-effective air-quality monitoring system based on sensors, IoT and AI. We have named this system Ai_r.,” Mellado wrote in a recent article for The Conversation and published on TechCentral.
“Our team of 25 people includes more than 20 years of experience as particle physicists in working with sensors, communications and AI,” he wrote.
“There are only 130 big air-quality measuring stations in South Africa. They only measure the air quality in the vicinity of the station. This is why we need cost-effective, dense networks made up of Ai_r systems set up all around these stations, to measure air quality in a much wider area. Our vision is to place tens of thousands of these devices all over South Africa.”
In this episode of TCS, Mellado chats about:
• The latest developments in particle physics, some of the work he is involved in and how a particle physicist got involved in an air-quality monitoring project;
• Where the idea for the Ai_r device came from, its development and how it works;
• The role of IoT and AI in the device, and why the development team made the technology choices it did;
• The data that’s been collected so far, and what it can be used for;
• How much the solution costs, and how you can buy one to monitor your air quality at home.
Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 18 Sep 2024 14:56:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Bruce Mellado on the tech-led fight against air pollution in South Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 35:03 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1480801 https://iono.fm/e/1480801 In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), Mendes sits down with TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod for a detailed interview in which he provides an update on what’s happened in the past year at Cell C, paints of a picture of the state of the business today, and sets out what comes next for the mobile operator.
To signal the management team’s intentions, and to declare the business is on a new strategic footing and is in the market for the long term, Cell C recently refreshed its brand identity and signalled its intention to take back market share from its bigger rivals.
In this episode of TCS, Mendes tackles a range of questions, including:
• Why he left what seemed to be a plum job at Vodacom to take on the difficult challenge of turning around Cell C;
• What went through his mind in the first few days on the job;
• Cell C’s plan to recapture the title of third largest mobile operator from Telkom – and to take the fight to MTN and Vodacom;
• Why Cell C has struggled to compete, how it accumulated huge amounts of debt and why the new strategy is its best but last chance of success;
• The state of Cell C’s finances – and especially its balance sheet – following the recent recapitalisation led by its largest shareholder, Blue Label Telecoms;
• His relationship with Blue Label founders and co-CEOs Brett Levy and Mark Levy;
• The role of regulatory support, especially in call termination;
• Why Cell C handed back the spectrum it secured in the 2022 spectrum auction, and its plans for participation in future auctions;
• The role of mobile virtual network operators and wholesale services in Cell C’s recovery plan; and
• Cell C’s strategy to capture more of the lucrative contract market.
There’s plenty more in the interview with Mendes – don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 13 Sep 2024 15:00:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Rebooting Cell C: Jorge Mendes sets out his strategic plan 0 0 TechCentral full 56:45 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1479402 https://iono.fm/e/1479402 ---
There is much more to being a chief information officer than being an advocate of the latest technology. In fact, articulating a vision, and architecting it, is critical.
That’s according to Shabhana Thaver, CIO at Investec Specialist Bank, who is the guest in the hot seat in episode 2 of TechCentral’s new interview series, Meet the CIO, which is presented by Wipro.
According to Thaver, technology is changing banking and many other industries in fundamental ways, and CIOs need to play a big role in providing an holistic view to the rest of the C-suite of what those changes mean for their company and for their industry.
“You have to be a risk officer, you have to be a compliance officer, you have to be a CIO, you have to understand the commercials and the revenue side of things… I'm a technologist, I love the fancy new stuff and dabbling and playing with it, but being in in a bank, which is systemic, you have to consider the impact of what you are doing, not just the change and the benefit.”
In the interview, Thaver discusses:
• Her career background in software development, and what led her to Johannesburg from Durban, her hometown, and then to Investec;
• Her career at Investec, leading to her appointment as CIO;
• The role of the CIO in a modern bank like Investec, and how the role of an IT leader differs in a bank compared to other industries;
• What makes a good CIO – and the role the CIO should play in helping establish organisational strategy;
• The big IT projects she is leading at Investec and the impact these will have on the bank;
• Investec’s technology stack and how it compares to other banks in South Africa;
• The likely impact of artificial intelligence – including generative AI – on Investec and its clients, including a look at how the bank is approaching AI;
• How AI will impact the banking industry – as well as what it means for productivity and jobs; and
• How else technology is changing the banking industry
Don’t miss a fascinating interview. TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 10 Sep 2024 11:20:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | Investec's Shabhana Thaver: 'It's not just about the tech' 0 0 TechCentral full 56:39 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1478770 https://iono.fm/e/1478770 That’s the view of Dominic Cull, a leading specialist South African ICT lawyer and regulatory adviser to the Internet Service Providers’ Association (Ispa), who was speaking to the TechCentral Show (TCS) in an interview (published below).
Cull’s criticism of Fair Share – at least in the form being advanced by the large telecoms operators – comes as the Association of Comms & Technology (ACT), a lobby group that represents the country’s largest telecoms providers, agitates for its adoption by policymakers in South Africa.
Fair Share is an idea that has gained traction among operators in Europe, where margins have been pressured in a competitive market. They argue that so-called OTT – “over the top” – companies, which include streaming video providers such as Netflix, Disney+ and TikTok, should contribute a “fair share” to the development of broadband infrastructure.
Critics have said this is simply a move by infrastructure providers, which have experienced margin compression with the move from voice to data services, to try to claw back lost profits.
Speaking at last month’s Datacentrix Showcase 2024 event in Sandton, ICT industry stalwart Andile Ngcaba – who founded Convergence Partners – said the move by ACT to pressure policymakers and regulators over “Fair Share” is not needed or wanted in the South African context.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” said Ngcaba, who is a previous policymaker in South Africa and who served as director-general of communications in the Nelson Mandela administration.
In the interview with TCS, Cull echoed this view and said ACT’s lobbying for Fair Share is partly aimed at “catching the ear” of newly appointed communications minister Solly Malatsi and influencing what is included in forthcoming amendments to legislation that governs the ICT sector in South Africa.
In this episode of TCS, Cull chats about:
• Whether ACT has a point about Fair Share;
• How big content players impact smaller operators and internet service providers, and why the call for Fair Share is coming from the industry’s biggest players;
• The investments by the OTT players in both terrestrial and subsea fibre infrastructure, including Google’s investment in the Equiano cable and Meta Platforms’ involvement in 2Africa;
• Whether mobile network operators doomed to become low-margin “dumb pipes” like other utility industries. Can they somehow avoid that fate?
Don’t miss the discussion, and if you enjoyed it, check out our December 2023 interview with Dominic Cull on Starlink in South Africa. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 09 Sep 2024 10:18:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Dominic Cull on why 'Fair Share' is a non-starter in South Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 26:45 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1478730 https://iono.fm/e/1478730 In the latest in a five-part series of interviews with Openserve executives – you can find the other episodes in the series here – Jorge shares what is involved in building a modern telecoms network and how the company makes the technology decisions it does.
Jorge unpacks:
• What sets the Openserve network apart from other networks in South Africa;
• What the network looks like – from fibre to the home to national backhaul routes to international subsea cables;
• How Openserve’s network teams measure success – including a look at how the company measures reliability and how it achieves high availability through network design principles;
• The project to remove legacy copper infrastructure – which is outdated, expensive and prone to theft – from the Openserve network;
• The impact of load shedding and load reduction on the company’s infrastructure, and what it has done to cope with unreliable electricity supply; and
• What advances in technology mean for the future of the Openserve network – and what this means for businesses and consumers.
It is a fascinating discussion – do not miss it! TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 09 Sep 2024 09:12:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Robert Jorge lifts the lid on Openserve’s network 0 0 TechCentral full 36:47 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1477306 https://iono.fm/e/1477306 The company has deployed Workday’s software, and Neil Greybe, its human resources information systems manager, tells TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology show about how it has derived significant value from the investment – including in improved consistency, simplification, integration, prioritisation and change management.
Greybe is joined on this episode of TCS+ by Workday South Africa MD Kiv Moodley, who expands on the relationship between the two companies.
In the discussion, the two chat about:
• Greybe’s role at Super Group and the company’s focus areas;
• Workday’s presence in South Africa and its strategic priorities for this market;
• The vision and strategy for Workday, and how that ties in with the Changemakers theme of this series of TCS+ interviews with Workday and its clients;
• Greybe’s top priorities in his role at Super Group, and how these tie in with the role technology can play in supporting and growing the business;
• Super Group’s relationship with Workday and how the company uses the software in its day-to-day operations;
• The value that Super Group has derived from its investment in Workday; and
• Workday’s role as a “trusted adviser” to its clients, including Super Group.
Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 04 Sep 2024 10:59:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | How Betway parent Super Group profits from Workday 0 0 TechCentral full 28:49 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1476897 https://iono.fm/e/1476897 Gibson, who also previously headed Dimension Data’s (now NTT Data’s) global digital practice, tells TCS about his appointment and why he decided to join Pragma, which develops a software platform in South Africa that it exports to companies around the world. Gibson plans to step up that internationalisation effort as CEO.
“Pragma’s software competes comfortably with the world’s top brands, such as SAP, Maximo and IFS Ultimo. I plan to use my experience growing software businesses to help Pragma achieve its international expansion goals,” he says.
Co-founder and outgoing CEO Adriaan Scheeres, who led Pragma for 34 years, will remain a shareholder and member of the board.
In the interview, Gibson chats about:
• Pragma’s history and what it does;
• The size of the business, and the opportunities he sees abroad for the company;
• Its clients;
• The trends in the enterprise software market; and
• The application of artificial intelligence.
Don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 03 Sep 2024 11:43:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Scott Gibson on his new role as Pragma CEO 0 0 TechCentral full 24:28 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1476544 https://iono.fm/e/1476544 In the latest podcast in a five-part series of interviews with Openserve executives, the company’s CEO, Althon Beukes, tells TechCentral’s TCS+ about these changes and what they have meant for the company and the broader market, including its internet service provider partners.
Beukes provides an overview of these changes, including the recent spinoff of Openserve into a separate subsidiary within Telkom.
In the interview, Beukes reflects on:
• The changing dynamics of the telecoms infrastructure market in South Africa;
• Why there’s been a slowdown in the roll-out of fibre-optic networks;
• How Openserve is performing considering the broader market context;
• How load shedding and load reduction have impacted Openserve, and the investments it has made to overcome the challenge;
• The shift away from legacy copper technologies and the big growth in next-generation services, and what’s driving that demand;
• The potential for industry consolidation – and why much depends on the outcome of the ongoing Competition Tribunal investigation into Vodacom’s acquisition of up to a 40% stake in Vumatel parent company Maziv;
• What Openserve would like to see flowing from the Competition Tribunal process; and
• Openserve’s future plans, including where it’s headed in the coming years.
Do not miss a fascinating discussion – and the rest of the interviews in the series. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 02 Sep 2024 10:32:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | The past, present and future of Openserve, with CEO Althon Beukes 0 0 TechCentral full 37:11 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1469761 https://iono.fm/e/1469761 Maritz, who returns to the TechCentral Show (TCS) – he was last a guest in 2021 – reflects on the past four-and-a-half months without load shedding, and what that’s meant for ESP – apart from giving himself and his business partner, Dan Southwood-Wells, to focus on other projects.
In this episode of TCS, Maritz unpacks the impact of the suspension of load shedding, what that’s meant for advertising and subscriptions on the platform, and what’s next for ESP.
He also chats about:
• How ESP is helping communities with load reduction;
• How they’re using generative artificial intelligence in the app; and
• The opportunities to launch the software in new markets.
Lastly, he reveals a few interesting statistics about ESP, including the number of times the app has been downloaded (it’s a staggering number). TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 12 Aug 2024 13:10:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | ESP's Herman Maritz on Eskom's miraculous turnaround 0 0 TechCentral full 28:32 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1469618 https://iono.fm/e/1469618 Gokhale, who has worked for various telecommunications operators around the world, came to South Africa more than a decade ago and liked the country so much he decided to make it his home.
In this interview – which forms part of a series of TCS+ interviews with Openserve executives – Pushkar chats about:
• His career history, and what brought him to South Africa – and to Telkom and Openserve;
• The highlights of his career so far, and why he is passionate about telecoms and the opportunities around digital services;
• His role at Openserve and what his daily work entails;
• How digital services, including Openserve’s new consumer app, are playing a role in the company’s core business as a wholesaler of infrastructure services;
• The digital transformation of Openserve’s operations – what was involved and how it is changing the way it does business; and
• How Openserve works with partners, both locally and globally.
Don’t miss an insightful interview about one of South Africa’s most important infrastructure providers. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 12 Aug 2024 10:15:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Pushkar Gokhale on Openserve's digital strategy 0 0 TechCentral full 23:23 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1468027 https://iono.fm/e/1468027 Africa Data Centres is in the midst of a major upgrade cycle at the facility known as JHB 2.
The colocation facility, which is one of the few tier-4 data centres in Africa, was originally designed to handle 10MW of IT load. When the upgrades are completed in 2025, the facility will house an additional 20MW.
VIDEO
In this informative discussion, Hay delves into:
- The drivers behind the upgrades at Samrand and how “hyperscalers” will benefit from them;
- The security standards at the facility and the implications for highly sensitive clients such as the financial sector;
- The energy redundancies that ensure continuous operations at the facility, even in the event of grid collapse;
- Innovations Africa Data Centres uses to manage the efficient use of energy at the facility; and
- Initiatives to minimise Africa Data Centres’ carbon footprint by investing in renewable energy sources.
Don’t miss this lively discussion in which Hay provides a behind-the-scenes peek into the inner workings of state-of-the-art data centres, the powerhouses of the modern internet. TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 06 Aug 2024 11:22:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Angus Hay on Africa Data Centres' big Samrand expansion 0 0 TechCentral full 32:10 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1467646 https://iono.fm/e/1467646 Openserve, which is a subsidiary of the Telkom Group, is South Africa’s biggest telecommunications infrastructure provider with more than 170 000km of national fibre footprint and fibre broadband connections into homes in all provinces across South Africa.
In this episode of TCS+, Dube unpacks:
• His role in Openserve, where he oversees the company’s market-facing activities such as business development, product lifecycle management, commercial economics, operations, and marketing and communications;
• The changes that Openserve has been through in the past 10 years, and what these mean for the market, including the company’s internet service provider partners;
• All the markets that the company is involved in, from home and business broadband to national long-distance links and subsea cables;
• The advantages and challenges associated with Openserve’s chosen go-to-market model of B2B2C, or business-to-business-to-consumer;
• Openserve’s plans to further expand and commercialise its network assets; and
• Why the company became a champion of the open-access model.
Don’t miss this opening interview in a fascinating series about one of South Africa’s most important infrastructure operators. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 05 Aug 2024 11:16:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | How Openserve learnt to love ‘open access’ 0 0 TechCentral full 22:23 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1467025 https://iono.fm/e/1467025 --
Bruce Paveley says that when he moved from a senior IT role at Standard Bank in 2017 to the then-nascent start-up digital bank TymeBank, it was “a really big shock”.
“You go from five buildings in the middle of Joburg, multiple floors, to an office in Rosebank that’s two floors, and that’s the bank, and you think, ‘Wow, is this really a bank? Can it work like this?”
That was before TymeBank had launched its first commercial services, and long before it would go on to become South Africa’s most successful digital banking start-up with nearly 10 million customers and R6-billion in deposits and R3-billion in loans.
Paveley’s love for computers started when his dad bought him a Sinclair ZX81 in the early 1980s when he was a youngster growing up in the small north coast town of Empangeni.
Today, as chief technology officer at Tymebank, Paveley is leading a team that’s building the technology underpinnings (cloud-based, of course) of a modern digital bank. And it’s a fascinating story about using technology to challenge established industry incumbents.
In this first episode of TechCentral’s new podcast series, Meet the CIO (presented by Wipro), Paveley chats to Duncan McLeod about what was involved in launching TymeBank from a technology perspective, the strategic choices it made and why, and what comes next in the bank’s journey.
Paveley tells Meet the CIO about:
• His upbringing in Empangeni and how he ended up pursuing a career in IT
• The mainframe era, and his experience as a Cobol programmer
• His IT career at Standard Bank, including his involvement in the bank’s big SAP project
• Why he joined TymeBank
• What was involved in building the new bank, and the role that technology played
• TymeBank’s technology stack, and why the bank migrated from an on-premises solution to the cloud – and why it made the technology choices it did
• Tyme Group’s internationalisation plans, and how technology is underpinning that expansion
• How he works with the rest of the bank’s management team, and where technology fits into strategic decision-making
• TymeBank’s approach to cybersecurity
• What keeps him awake at night
• And much, much more
Meet the CIO is a new podcast series produced and published by TechCentral and published monthly. We talk to IT leaders across South Africa about the role of technology in their organisations. Don’t miss an episode by subscribing to TechCentral at youtube.com/techcentral. TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 02 Aug 2024 08:26:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | TymeBank’s Bruce Paveley on building a digital bank 0 0 TechCentral full 37:31 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1465087 https://iono.fm/e/1465087 Apteker woke up early that morning – as millions of others did – to the sound of bombs and missiles raining down. After months of military build-up along Ukraine’s eastern flank, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin had ordered a full-scale invasion.
In this special edition of the TechCentral Show, we chat to Apteker – a pioneer in South Africa’s internet industry – about his life in Ukraine amid the ongoing war.
Apteker has a storied career as co-founder of Internet Solutions, one of South Africa’s first and most successful internet service providers. He is also well known as a producer and promoter of movies, including Material and Beyond the River.
In 2015 Apteker bought an apartment in Kyiv and started a new life in the city, attracted by the country’s diverse tech scene and its incredibly beauty.
He had established a new and promising life for himself in Ukraine – he married a local woman, Marta, with whom he has a young boy (affectionately called “the Bunster”). Both Marta and the Bunster are now refugees from the war, living in Poland.
Never in a million years did Apteker expect he would be caught up in a major conflict, never mind the biggest land war in Europe since World War 2.
Today his life involves moving between Poland and Kyiv, where he has friends as well as business interests in the tech sector which he continues to nurture despite the chaos caused by Putin’s aggression.
In this sometimes emotionally raw interview, Apteker tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about why he left South Africa to go and live in Ukraine, how the war started (he woke up early one morning to missiles raining down on Kyiv), what it’s like to live in a warzone, and how he’s coping with the daily hardships caused by the conflict.
Apteker, who is known for his wicked sense of humour – in a previous life he was even briefly a stand-up comedian – admits it’s been exceptionally difficult to stay positive about the future, but that he’s managed to keep going even us Putin’s war machine grinds on.
In the interview, Apteker chats about his daily life now and what it entails; the US election, and why Ukrainians fear another Donald Trump presidency; the new documentary film about the war that he’s been working on; his passion for moviemaking; and why love is the most important thing in the world.
Don’t miss the interview. TechCentral]]> Technology Sun, 28 Jul 2024 16:54:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | The Ronnie Apteker interview - his life in Ukraine 0 0 TechCentral full 1:19:47 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1463966 https://iono.fm/e/1463966 The vehicle, whose price starts at R792 000, offers a combination of price, performance and luxury tweaks that has attracted considerable appeal among South African consumers interested in making the switch to electric mobility.
But what is the Volvo EX30 like to drive?
TechCentral recently had the opportunity to spend time with the twin-motor version of the EX30 to put it through its paces. Apart from a few minor niggles, including the quality of materials used in the dashboard, we can confidently say this is a very compelling option for those interested in buying an EV in the sub-R1-million price category.
While it’s not as affordable as more entry-level EV models from the likes of China’s BYD, the vehicle offers many luxuries usually reserved for more expensive EVs, including a panoramic (non-opening) sunroof, high-end Harman Kardon audio and well-thought-out software features.
It’s easy to see where Volvo has compromised to get the price down, but the decisions it has made in this regard have mostly been carefully considered.
As for the driving experience, the power underfoot is extraordinary. The twin motor version TechCentral tested accelerated from 0-100km/h more quickly than a Porsche 911 – it really is a thrill to drive!
This is a sentiment shared by Greg Cress, who owns the EX30 and has been driving it since March, when he took delivery from Volvo. Cress joined TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show (TCS) recently to review the vehicle and to talk about the state of the EV market more broadly in South Africa.
Cress, who works for Accenture – where he is principal director of automotive and e-mobility – told TCS about his experiences with the vehicle and what he likes about it and what he doesn’t.
He unpacks his experiences so far, including with the regular software updates that Volvo has issued and why he settled on the EX30 over other EV options available in the South African market. He also shares details about a recent long-distance return trip he did from Pretoria to White River in Mpumalanga and how he found utilising the charging points along South Africa’s national roads.
Then, in the second part of the TCS interview, Cress shares his views on the state of the EV market in South Africa, what is hindering its wider adoption and the outlook for electric mobility in the country.
Don’t miss a hugely informative interview. TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 24 Jul 2024 13:22:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | The Volvo EX30 electric car, reviewed by an owner 0 0 TechCentral full 57:43 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1462982 https://iono.fm/e/1462982 That is one of the key messages coming out of a TechCentral TCS+ interview with executives from CYBER1 Solutions and iiDENTIFii.
CYBER1 Solutions security architect Christiaan Swanepoel and iiDENTIFii co-founder and chief technology officer Marco Wagener unpack the subject in greater detail in the interview.
They discuss:
• The background to iiDENTIFii and its relationship with CYBER1 Solutions;
• The current trends in identity theft, and why this type of theft is a growing concern for businesses;
• How iiDENTIFii’s software can play a big role in fighting the scourge of identity theft;
• What companies are doing right and wrong in fighting the problem;
• How businesses can enhance their identity verification process to mitigate against the risk of identity theft;
• iiDENTIFii’s solutions, and how they integrate with existing corporate systems; and
• The role that cybersecurity tools can play in protecting personal identities;
Swanepoel and Wagener also share their insights into future trends in the identity verification market and how businesses can prepare themselves.
This is an important discussion for anyone involved in IT, but especially for those involved in cybersecurity – don’t miss it! TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 22 Jul 2024 09:27:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | CYBER1 Solutions and iiDENTIFii on combating identity theft in 2024 0 0 TechCentral full 40:53 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1462502 https://iono.fm/e/1462502 This is the word from Nomvuyiso Batyi, CEO of telecommunications industry lobby group the Association for Comms & Technology (ACT) and an industry stalwart who served as a councillor at communications regulator Icasa for eight years and as special adviser to the minister of communications. She was speaking to TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show (watch or listen to the interview below).
ACT, which represents the six big telecoms operators in South Africa – MTN, Vodacom, Rain, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Telkom and Cell C – was founded two years ago as an interface between the industry and policymakers and regulators.
In the interview, Batyi unpacks a range of issues affecting ACT members. She discusses:
• Her first engagement with newly appointed communications minister Solly Malatsi, and her views on him;
• What her day-to-day work involves;
• Why government shouldn’t be setting deadlines for 2G and 3G switch-off in South Africa;
• Import taxes on cellphones, and why luxury taxes on 4G devices should be scrapped;
• How the load shedding problem has been replaced with the load reduction problem, and what the impact has been on operators;
• The scourge of theft and vandalism, and why urgent action is needed to address the problem; and
• South Africa’s upcoming spectrum auction, and why telecoms operators should get access to spectrum below 694MHz that has traditionally been reserved for broadcasting.
Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Fri, 19 Jul 2024 09:25:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Nomvuyiso Batyi on what needs fixing in SA telecoms 0 0 TechCentral full 1:01:57 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1460803 https://iono.fm/e/1460803 Higgins founded Bidorbuy (now Bob Shop) at the height of the dot-com boom in the late 1990s, and over the past 25 years has actively participated in the industry as it has mushroomed from those nascent beginnings.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), Higgins has a look back at the growth of the industry, and what’s likely to propel its future expansion.
In the show, Higgins unpacks:
• How Bob Group has done since it was created nearly two years ago through the merger of Bidorbuy and uAfrica, and what the future holds for the business;
• What is driving the rapid growth in South Africa’s e-commerce industry – did Covid lockdowns give it the spark for its current rapid expansion, or is there more at play?;
• The rise of on-demand deliveries in South Africa and what it means for online retailers;
• The rise of Chinese competitors – how much of a threat are Shein and Temu really, and is the South African Revenue Service right to crack down?;
• The Competition Commission’s intervention in the market and whether it is warranted;
• Whether Amazon’s South African launch was a flop; and
• What trends to look out for as the market develops further in the coming years.
Don’t miss a fascinating discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Tue, 16 Jul 2024 10:41:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | Andy Higgins on the outlook for online shopping in South Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 35:49 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1459607 https://iono.fm/e/1459607 In this episode of TechCentral’s business technology show, TCS+, Zuko Mdwaba, Salesforce area vice president/Africa executive and South Africa country leader, shares highlights from the event. He also provides insight into the company’s plans for South Africa and Africa.
More than 2 200 global and local leaders attended the Salesforce event in Johannesburg, demonstrating the huge interest in AI and digital transformation in South Africa, with organisations from across a range of sectors eager to learn more about new technologies that will allow them to leverage their data more fully and grow their businesses.
The Salesforce ecosystem of partners in the South African region has grown 34% year on year, but the most significant improvement is in the area of certifications, with an increase of 43% in the same period. These partners, Mdwaba explains in the TCS+ interview, are helping organisations across all sectors to raise employee productivity and transform with real-time insights and new levels of customer experience.
Mdwaba shares data from International Data Corp, which shows Salesforce and its partner ecosystem is being fuelled by AI- powered cloud solutions and will generate US$5.8-billion in net new business between 2022 and 2028.
In the interview, Mdwaba delves into:
• The economic impact that the Salesforce ecosystem is going to have on South Africa in the next few years.
• How the combination of CRM, cloud, data and trust is transforming organisations.
• How Salesforce is ramping up its skills development and talent programme in Africa to build the workforce that will help drive its aspirations for the continent.
Finally, he speaks about some of the infrastructural challenges on the continent and where the opportunities for technological innovation and business growth lie.
Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 11 Jul 2024 14:10:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Zuko Mdwaba on Salesforce and its SA and Africa growth plans 0 0 TechCentral full 21:45 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1459125 https://iono.fm/e/1459125 This might sound simple, but software purchases are complex and expensive. For companies to get their money’s worth, properly diagnosing the problem a new piece of software ought to solve and ensuring that the solution is futureproof are key to extracting the most value from a purchase.
In this episode of TCS+, Huxtable – MD at Braintree – and Van der Westhuizen, the company’s business applications sales manager, tell TCS+ about important considerations companies should take into account when looking to solve business problems through software.
Huxtable and van der Westhuizen delve into:
• How customers don’t really know what they want because they tend to hyperfocus on solving pain points instead of looking at the bigger picture;
• Balancing short-term vs long-term thinking in purchasing decisions;
• The importance of unlocking value versus thinking of software as a grudge purchase;
• The flexibility provided by the Microsoft suite of business applications;
• How to balance personalised solutions with maintaining a consolidated view in multi-faceted business; and
• How to deal with resistance from employees in implementation projects, especially where artificial intelligence is involved.
Huxtable and Van der Westhuizen are passionate about using software to drive value creation in business, and their energy comes through vividly in this interview. Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral]]> Technology Wed, 10 Jul 2024 11:33:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Braintree on the psychology of software purchases 0 0 TechCentral full 23:15 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1457356 https://iono.fm/e/1457356 To discuss this, and what’s holding South African organisations back from cloud modernisation projects, TechCentral was joined on the TCS+ business technology show by executives from NTT Data (formerly Dimension Data) and SAP: NTT Data Middle East and Africa head of enterprise applications and cloud Brent Flint and SAP Africa head of partner ecosystem (MEA South) Nazia Pillay.
Reasons for slow uptake, Flint and Pillay explained, include a perception that the costs involved are exceptionally high and the dire shortage of the right IT skills to handle these types of projects.
In this episode of TCS+, Pillay and Flint unpack:
• The history of the relationship between SAP and NTT Data and how the two companies work together today;
• Why there is a pressing need for companies to modernise their ERP systems and move to cloud-based solutions;
• The benefits of and costs associated with moving to SAP S4/HANA Cloud – what the software offers that legacy ERP systems can’t, and the benefits organisations can expect when migrating;
• How best to deal with the critical IT skills shortage in South Africa, especially around these types of business application modernisation projects;
• The risks associated with business application modernisation and how NTT Data and SAP help their clients address those risks upfront and during project implementation;
• The role SAP S/4 HANA Cloud can play in modernising enterprise IT infrastructure and help organisations stay competitive;
• The best practices companies should be aware of in achieving a successful migration to S4/HANA Cloud; and
• What’s coming next from S4/HANA Cloud that companies should get excited about.
If you’re in any way involved in enterprise IT, you don’t want to miss this discussion. TechCentral]]> Technology Thu, 04 Jul 2024 10:47:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Moving to SAP S/4 HANA Cloud? What you need to know 0 0 TechCentral full 38:49 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1456161 https://iono.fm/e/1456161 In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod chats to VezoPay founders Jake Pinkus and Lawrence Baker about the launch of the ring – it’s available in three variants at launch – and what was behind the idea.
In the interview, they not only explain why they decided to build a payment ring, but also why they’re entering what could soon become a highly competitive market globally, with both Samsung Electronics and Apple expected to launch their own smart rings later this year.
Pinkus and Lawrence unpack:
• How long they’ve been working on the payment ring, and where the idea came from;
• How much research and development was involved, and who’s backing the innovation;
• How the technology works, and what exactly is inside the ring;
• The various options available at launch;
• How it works without having to be charged;
• How the security features work (without giving the game away);
• How VezoPay is working with South African banks;
• Whether the ring can be used for ticketing (concerts, Gautrain, etc);
• How much it costs;
• The potential competition from Samsung and Apple; and
• VezoPay’s plans to expand beyond South Africa’s borders.
Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 01 Jul 2024 13:24:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | VezoPay on new South African-made payment ring 0 0 TechCentral full 40:46 TechCentral (main feed) https://iono.fm/e/1456123 https://iono.fm/e/1456123 2Africa’s eastern segment – known as 2Africa Gera – is largely complete, and traffic is already flowing across the section that connects Durban and Cape Town, thanks to a newly concluded agreement between 2Africa investor WIOCC Group and FirstNet Technology Services, an ISP in the First Technologies Group stable.
To discuss this development and unpack it in more detail, TechCentral invited WIOCC director of sales for South Africa Carlos De Almeida and FirstNet GM Sean van Niekerk onto the TCS+ business technology podcast.
In the show, De Almeida discusses the scale of the 180Tbit/s design capacity 2Africa cable, its state of readiness and WIOCC’s investment in the massive system, which, when completed, will stretch a staggering 45 000km and connect countries with a combined population of more than three billion people.
De Almeida and Van Niekerk discuss:
• Why FirstNet acquired capacity on 2Africa to carry network traffic between KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape – becoming the first company to do so;
• Why routing via a subsea cable, rather than using traditional terrestrial long-distance routes, should mean far fewer service interruptions for FirstNet customers;
• FirstNet’s focus as an ISP, and why it launched a brand called UrbanXConnect dedicated to the gaming community and their specific requirements around latency and network quality;
• The reliability, speeds and latencies possible on the 2Africa cable, and why this is critical for FirstNet; and
• Why, in WIOCC’s view, other ISPs could and should follow FirstNet’s lead in using the 2Africa cable for their national long-distance internet traffic.
Don’t miss a fascinating discussion about a pioneering agreement. TechCentral]]> Technology Mon, 01 Jul 2024 11:58:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | WIOCC and 2Africa: providing an alternative to national long-distance fibre 0 0 TechCentral full 22:56 TechCentral (main feed)