https://techcentral.co.za/ We are South Africa's market leader in business technology news. We produce ethical and responsible tech journalism that you can trust. Other en Thu, 11 Sep 2014 08:31:06 +0000 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:16:00 +0200 30 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss iono.fm 2.5.2.0 NewsCentral Media feeds@iono.fm (Feed Manager) https://cdn.iono.fm/files/p186/logo_186_20250908_202246_1400.jpeg https://techcentral.co.za/ We are South Africa's market leader in business technology news. 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/1666325 https://iono.fm/e/1666325 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. ]]> Technology Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:15:00 +0200 0 0 Werner Lindemann on how AI is rewriting the infosec rulebook 0 0 TechCentral full 38:22 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1663405 https://iono.fm/e/1663405 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. ]]> Technology Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:20:00 +0200 0 0 Donovan Marsh on AI and the future of filmmaking 0 0 TechCentral full 52:30 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1663098 https://iono.fm/e/1663098 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 ]]> Technology Sun, 05 Apr 2026 11:38:00 +0200 0 0 Vodacom Business moves to crack the SME tech gap 0 0 TechCentral full 34:47 TCS+ 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/1662031 https://iono.fm/e/1662031 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! ]]> Technology Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:46:00 +0200 0 0 MTN’s Divyesh Joshi on the strategy behind Pi 0 0 TechCentral full 21:46 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1660795 https://iono.fm/e/1660795 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:50:00 +0200 0 0 Anoosh Rooplal on the Post Office’s last stand 0 0 TechCentral full 27:32 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1659090 https://iono.fm/e/1659090 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]]> Management Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:13:00 +0200 0 0 Healthbridge CTO Anton Fatti on the future of digital health 0 0 TechCentral full 45:46 Meet the CIO 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/1657871 https://iono.fm/e/1657871 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. ]]> Technology Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:19:00 +0200 0 0 Arctic Wolf unpacks the evolving threat landscape for SA businesses 0 0 TechCentral full 29:32 TCS+ 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/1655265 https://iono.fm/e/1655265 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:52:00 +0200 0 0 Vox Kiwi: a wireless solution promising a fibre-like experience 0 0 TechCentral full 15:54 TCS+ 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/1655242 https://iono.fm/e/1655242 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:09:00 +0200 0 0 Flipping the narrative on AI in the Global South 0 0 TechCentral full 39:14 TCS+ 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/1652687 https://iono.fm/e/1652687 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! ]]> Technology Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:38:00 +0200 0 0 Sink or swim? Antony Makins on how AI is rewriting the rules of work 0 0 TechCentral full 40:08 TCS - The TechCentral Show https://iono.fm/e/1652232 https://iono.fm/e/1652232 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. ]]> Technology Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:37:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Bolt ups the ante on platform safety 0 0 TechCentral full 13:30 TCS+ 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/1644418 https://iono.fm/e/1644418 The episode opens with the latest EV news, including fresh import duty statistics from Donald MacKay of XA Global Trade Advisors and a closer look at BAIC’s claims of local manufacturing – with the hosts questioning just how “made in South Africa” its vehicles really are, given a reported seven-to-one difference factor in jobs created.
Also in the news segment: Zero Carbon Charge's latest fundraising efforts, the launch of Uber Go Electric – a notably affordable option powered by Valternative – and the latest developments in autonomous driving technology.
The show features two review segments this week. First up is the Riddara RD6 electric bakkie, followed by a hands-on driving experience with one of Valternative’s electric Uber vehicles – Duncan McLeod plays Uber driver and gives a lift to a grumpy Prince William. The Valternative segment is complemented by an interview with the company’s CEO, Mahomed Jeewa, who discusses the firm’s ambitions in the electric ride-hailing space.
A major talking point is the announcement of the 2026 Car of the Year semi-finalists. The hosts run through the full list, highlighting the growing presence of Chinese brands among the contenders – a notable shift in a competition won last year by the BMW X3. They close by pondering who might take the 2026 Car of the Year crown.
The episode wraps up with the popular Hot or Not segment, in which the hosts give their verdicts on the Riddara, Uber Go Electric and the Volvo EX60, which has been confirmed for a South African launch later this year. ]]> Technology Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:44:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels S1E4: ‘We drive an electric Uber’ 0 0 TechCentral full 1:21:49 TCS - The TechCentral Show https://iono.fm/e/1644416 https://iono.fm/e/1644416 The episode opens with the latest EV news, including fresh import duty statistics from Donald McKay of XA Global Trade Advisors and a closer look at BAIC’s claims of local manufacturing – with the hosts questioning just how “made in South Africa” its vehicles really are, given a reported seven-to-one difference factor in jobs created.
Also in the news segment: Zero Carbon Charge's latest fundraising efforts, the launch of Uber Go Electric – a notably affordable option powered by Valternative – and the latest developments in autonomous driving technology.
The show features two review segments this week. First up is the Riddara RD6 electric bakkie, followed by a hands-on driving experience with one of Valternative’s electric Uber vehicles – Duncan McLeod plays Uber driver and gives a lift to a grumpy Prince William. The Valternative segment is complemented by an interview with the company’s CEO, Mahomed Jeewa, who discusses the firm’s ambitions in the electric ride-hailing space.
A major talking point is the announcement of the 2026 Car of the Year semi-finalists. The hosts run through the full list, highlighting the growing presence of Chinese brands among the contenders – a notable shift in a competition won last year by the BMW X3. They close by pondering who might take the 2026 Car of the Year crown.
The episode wraps up with the popular Hot or Not segment, in which the hosts give their verdicts on the Riddara, Uber Go Electric and the Volvo EX60, which has been confirmed for a South African launch later this year. ]]> Automotive Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:43:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels S1E4: ‘We drive an electric Uber’ 0 0 William Kelly, Duncan McLeod full 1:21:49 Watts & Wheels 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/1641654 https://iono.fm/e/1641654 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]]> Management Mon, 02 Feb 2026 15:22:00 +0200 0 0 Meet the CIO | Inside the JSE’s tech engine with CIO Tebalo Tsoaeli 0 0 TechCentral full 47:08 Meet the CIO 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/1640930 https://iono.fm/e/1640930 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:33:00 +0200 0 0 Cloud On Demand and Consnet: inside a real-world AWS partner success story 0 0 TechCentral full 25:21 TCS+ 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/1640876 https://iono.fm/e/1640876 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. ]]> Automotive Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:49:00 +0200 0 0 S1E3: ‘BYD’s Corolla Cross challenger’ 0 0 William Kelly, Duncan McLeod full 36:11 Watts & Wheels 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/1638223 https://iono.fm/e/1638223 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. ]]> Automotive Fri, 23 Jan 2026 14:21:00 +0200 0 0 S1E2: ‘China attacks, BMW digs in, Toyota’s sublime supercar’ 0 0 William Kelly, Duncan McLeod full 38:10 Watts & Wheels 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/1636907 https://iono.fm/e/1636907 South Africa’s automotive industry is in a state of flux. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, BMW Group South Africa CEO Peter van Binsbergen unpacks the challenges – and opportunities – facing a sector under pressure.
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! ]]> Technology Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:51:00 +0200 0 0 BMW CEO Peter van Binsbergen on the future of South Africa’s automotive industry 0 0 TechCentral full 30:00 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1636806 https://iono.fm/e/1636806 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! ]]> Technology Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:08:00 +0200 0 0 Why cybersecurity is becoming a competitive advantage for SA businesses 0 0 TechCentral full 35:38 TCS+ 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/1633098 https://iono.fm/e/1633098 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. ]]> Automotive Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:17:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels S1E1: 'William, Prince of Wheels' 0 0 William Kelly, Duncan McLeod full 1:14:40 Watts & Wheels 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/1628024 https://iono.fm/e/1628024 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!
By Accelera Digital Group ]]> Technology Thu, 11 Dec 2025 18:02:00 +0200 0 0 Africa’s digital transformation – unlocking AI through cloud and culture 0 0 TechCentral full 40:18 TCS+ 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/1625673 https://iono.fm/e/1625673 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.
This is the second podcast in a series of three with Cloud on Demand on the AWS distribution model. You can catch the first instalment here.
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. ]]> Technology Thu, 04 Dec 2025 14:26:00 +0200 0 0 How Cloud on Demand helps partners thrive in the AWS ecosystem 0 0 TechCentral full 30:32 TCS+ 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/1623292 https://iono.fm/e/1623292 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 28 Nov 2025 12:22:00 +0200 0 0 MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita on competition, AI and the future of mobile 0 0 TechCentral full 57:23 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1620775 https://iono.fm/e/1620775 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 21 Nov 2025 09:21:00 +0200 0 0 Dominic Cull on fixing South Africa’s ICT policy bottlenecks 0 0 TechCentral full 1:04:43 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1619000 https://iono.fm/e/1619000 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]]> Management Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:18:00 +0200 0 0 How BDO’s Khaya Mbanga is preparing the firm for an AI future 0 0 TechCentral full 34:38 Meet the CIO 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/1615387 https://iono.fm/e/1615387 He tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the future of BMW’s Rosslyn manufacturing plant in Pretoria, which was established more than half a centry 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! ]]> Technology Thu, 06 Nov 2025 11:15:00 +0200 0 0 BMW CEO Peter van Binsbergen on the future of South Africa’s automotive industry 0 0 TechCentral full 30:00 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1612028 https://iono.fm/e/1612028 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! ]]> Technology Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:47:00 +0200 0 0 Why Altron is building an AI factory 0 0 TechCentral full 26:32 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1611970 https://iono.fm/e/1611970 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! ]]> Technology Tue, 28 Oct 2025 09:14:00 +0200 0 0 Videsha Proothveerajh on Vodacom Business’s new approach to enterprise technology 0 0 TechCentral full 32:26 TCS+ 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/1610679 https://iono.fm/e/1610679 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! ]]> Technology Thu, 23 Oct 2025 14:06:00 +0200 0 0 The company building a ‘living computer’ with human cells 0 0 TechCentral full 19:31 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1610279 https://iono.fm/e/1610279 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. ]]> Technology Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:52:00 +0200 0 0 Managing Sims, saving money: how MSB Micro keeps businesses connected 0 0 TechCentral full 12:12 TCS+ 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/1610151 https://iono.fm/e/1610151 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! ]]> Technology Wed, 22 Oct 2025 11:43:00 +0200 0 0 Why South Africans are starting to spend crypto, not just trade it 0 0 TechCentral full 29:47 TCS - The TechCentral Show https://iono.fm/e/1609812 https://iono.fm/e/1609812 TechCentral]]> Tech News Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:54:00 +0200 0 0 Sample Certus AI call between customer and restaurant 0 0 TechCentral full 2:37 AI-generated content for TechCentral 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/1606159 https://iono.fm/e/1606159 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 10 Oct 2025 09:35:00 +0200 0 0 Cloud On Demand's Senzo Mbhele on the benefits of the AWS distribution model 0 0 TechCentral full 51:26 TCS+ 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/1604382 https://iono.fm/e/1604382 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! ]]> Technology Mon, 06 Oct 2025 11:43:00 +0200 0 0 Takealot CEO Frederik Zietsman on township growth, EVs and the future of online retail 0 0 TechCentral full 35:15 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1603797 https://iono.fm/e/1603797 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 03 Oct 2025 12:04:00 +0200 0 0 Seacom 2.0: Alpheus Mangale unpacks all the details about the giant new subsea system 0 0 TechCentral full 44:03 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1600700 https://iono.fm/e/1600700 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. ]]> Technology Thu, 25 Sep 2025 09:06:00 +0200 0 0 PayInc CEO Stephen Linnell on South Africa's payments revolution 0 0 TechCentral full 25:18 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1600060 https://iono.fm/e/1600060 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! ]]> Technology Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:58:00 +0200 0 0 LSD Open: why repatriating from the cloud can be a costly mistake 0 0 TechCentral full 21:07 TCS+ 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/1600040 https://iono.fm/e/1600040 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! ]]> Technology Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:14:00 +0200 0 0 From lockdown idea to global player: The Invigilator bags $11-million funding 0 0 TechCentral full 35:09 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1593802 https://iono.fm/e/1593802 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! ]]> Technology Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:30:00 +0200 0 0 HP’s AI future - how on-device intelligence is redefining work in Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 27:11 TCS+ 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/1593533 https://iono.fm/e/1593533 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! ]]> Technology Wed, 03 Sep 2025 15:19:00 +0200 0 0 Barney Harmse on building Paratus Group – and working with Starlink 0 0 TechCentral full 56:37 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1590606 https://iono.fm/e/1590606 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! ]]> Technology Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:57:00 +0200 0 0 Maziv goes massive: CEO Dietlof Mare on Vumatel’s big roll-out plans 0 0 TechCentral full 52:01 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1590072 https://iono.fm/e/1590072 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. ]]> Technology Mon, 25 Aug 2025 09:56:00 +0200 0 0 Arctic Wolf on cybersecurity in the age of AI 0 0 TechCentral full 33:39 TCS+ 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/1589535 https://iono.fm/e/1589535 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 22 Aug 2025 11:11:00 +0200 0 0 The story behind Nedbank’s R1.65-billion iKhokha deal 0 0 TechCentral full 26:43 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1589051 https://iono.fm/e/1589051 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! ]]> Technology Thu, 21 Aug 2025 10:24:00 +0200 0 0 TCS+ | Kinetic Skunk: fintechs risk cloud bill shock without proper planning 0 0 TechCentral full 37:38 TCS+ 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/1587070 https://iono.fm/e/1587070 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 15 Aug 2025 11:36:00 +0200 0 0 Alan Knott-Craig unveils Fibertime’s big bet on township fibre 0 0 TechCentral full 22:19 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1586744 https://iono.fm/e/1586744 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! ]]> Technology Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:59:00 +0200 0 0 Pick n Pay’s Enrico Ferigolli on building asap! and taking on Shoprite 0 0 TechCentral full 49:30 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1586085 https://iono.fm/e/1586085 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! ]]> Technology Wed, 13 Aug 2025 09:42:00 +0200 0 0 Cassava’s Adil El Youssefi on data centre growth in Africa 0 0 TechCentral full 30:07 TCS+ 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/1585356 https://iono.fm/e/1585356 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. ]]> Automotive Mon, 11 Aug 2025 15:16:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels Ep 3: 'We drive the new Dongfeng Box' 0 0 William Kelly, Duncan McLeod full 46:08 Watts & Wheels 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/1582981 https://iono.fm/e/1582981 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! ]]> Automotive Mon, 04 Aug 2025 14:15:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels Ep 2: ‘We test drive the Riddara electric bakkie’ 0 0 William Kelly, Duncan McLeod full 49:15 Watts & Wheels 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/1581868 https://iono.fm/e/1581868 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. ]]> Technology Thu, 31 Jul 2025 11:32:00 +0200 0 0 Zahir Cajee on Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold7, Flip7 and Watch8 line-up 0 0 TechCentral full 18:47 TCS+ 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/1581437 https://iono.fm/e/1581437 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]]> Management Wed, 30 Jul 2025 12:43:00 +0200 0 0 How Marijke Guest steered Nedbank through an IT crisis 0 0 TechCentral full 56:36 Meet the CIO 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/1581316 https://iono.fm/e/1581316 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! ]]> Technology Wed, 30 Jul 2025 10:45:00 +0200 0 0 Britehouse MBO: Graham Parker on what’s next for software firm 0 0 TechCentral full 25:17 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1580421 https://iono.fm/e/1580421 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. ]]> Automotive Mon, 28 Jul 2025 10:01:00 +0200 0 0 Watts & Wheels Ep 1: ‘BYD Shark 6 and the electric bakkie revolution’ 0 0 William Kelly, Duncan McLeod full 57:54 Watts & Wheels 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/1579897 https://iono.fm/e/1579897 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. ]]> Technology Fri, 25 Jul 2025 10:34:00 +0200 0 0 Lessons from South Africa’s biggest cyberattacks 0 0 TechCentral full 15:59 TCS+ 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/1579459 https://iono.fm/e/1579459 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. ]]> Technology Thu, 24 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0200 0 0 First Distribution’s guide to a bulletproof cyber crisis response strategy 0 0 TechCentral full 11:41 TCS+ 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/1579095 https://iono.fm/e/1579095 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. ]]> Technology Wed, 23 Jul 2025 12:47:00 +0200 0 0 How cyberthreats turn into cyber crises 0 0 TechCentral full 13:57 TCS+ https://iono.fm/e/1578548 https://iono.fm/e/1578548 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. ]]> Technology Tue, 22 Jul 2025 09:59:00 +0200 0 0 Vox’s Craig Blignaut on the data boom and the future of Wi-Fi 0 0 TechCentral full 14:54 TCS+ 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/1576756 https://iono.fm/e/1576756 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! ]]> Technology Wed, 16 Jul 2025 11:19:00 +0200 0 0 Samsung unveils significant new safety feature for A-series phones 0 0 TechCentral full 18:49 TCS+ 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/1575262 https://iono.fm/e/1575262 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. ]]> Technology Fri, 11 Jul 2025 12:01:00 +0200 0 0 MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market 0 0 TechCentral full 23:42 TCS+ 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/1573741 https://iono.fm/e/1573741 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! ]]> Technology Mon, 07 Jul 2025 16:11:00 +0200 0 0 Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network 0 0 TechCentral full 20:39 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1573056 https://iono.fm/e/1573056 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. ]]> Technology Fri, 04 Jul 2025 13:14:00 +0200 0 0 TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan 0 0 TechCentral full 19:21 TechCentral Nexus 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/1570498 https://iono.fm/e/1570498 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. ]]> Technology Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:44:00 +0200 0 0 First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies 0 0 TechCentral full 11:08 TCS+ 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/1570490 https://iono.fm/e/1570490 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:09:00 +0200 0 0 First Distribution on data governance in hybrid cloud environments 0 0 TechCentral full 12:32 TCS+ 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/1570144 https://iono.fm/e/1570144 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. ]]> Technology Thu, 26 Jun 2025 11:45:00 +0200 0 0 First Distribution on cloud cost management in Microsoft Azure 0 0 TechCentral full 13:17 TCS+ https://iono.fm/e/1569463 https://iono.fm/e/1569463 The tribunal last October shocked the merging parties – and the telecommunications industry – when it announced it had agreed with the Competition Commission’s recommendation that the proposed multibillion-rand acquisition of Maziv, which owns Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa, be blocked on competition grounds.
Vodacom, which has appealed the decision at the competition appeal court, had made an offer to buy 30% of Maziv – and possibly up to 40% of the business – to become a co-controlling shareholder alongside Remgro-controlled CIVH. The transaction was strongly opposed by a range of stakeholders, including internet service providers, which fretted about the impact on competition in South Africa’s internet access industry.
Key reasons cited by the tribunal for seeking to kill the deal include:
• Elimination of a competitive threat: Vodacom was identified as a potential future competitor to Maziv in fibre. Its entry would have forced Maziv to respond on price and value, benefiting consumers.
• Vertical foreclosure: Dark Fibre Africa holds a dominant position in the upstream dark fibre market (estimated 80-90% national market share for metropolitan dark fibre). The tribunal found that the merged entity would have both the ability and incentive to foreclose Vodacom’s mobile rivals by offering preferential terms, raising prices or degrading service quality.
• Anti-competitive bundling: The merger would create opportunities for Vodacom to bundle mobile and fibre services, leveraging its large subscriber base and Maziv’s fibre infrastructure, potentially entrenching dominance and hindering competition.
Regarding public interest, the tribunal found that most claimed benefits, such as accelerated fibre roll-out and 5G deployment, were not merger-specific and would likely occur without the transaction due to Vodacom’s existing licensing obligations and market dynamics.
The tribunal concluded, too, that the tendered remedies, including a divestiture for fibre overlaps and behavioural conditions for open access and non-discrimination, were insufficient, inadequate and incapable of effective monitoring and enforcement.
TechCentral journalists will be unpacking the findings document in the coming days. In the meantime, the above AI-generated podcast overview of the nearly 400-page document provides insight into some of the key findings. Please be aware that because it is generated by AI, there may be an occasional error of fact in the discussion as AI tools are still prone to “hallucinations”. TechCentral]]> Tech News Tue, 24 Jun 2025 20:06:00 +0200 0 0 Finally! Reasons the Vodacom fibre deal was blocked 0 0 TechCentral full 48:42 AI-generated content for TechCentral 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/1568861 https://iono.fm/e/1568861 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! ]]> Technology Mon, 23 Jun 2025 14:42:00 +0200 0 0 TCS | South Africa’s Sociable wants to make social media social again 0 0 TechCentral full 23:32 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1568756 https://iono.fm/e/1568756 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. ]]> Technology Mon, 23 Jun 2025 11:01:00 +0200 0 0 Nexus S0E3 (beta): Behind Takealot’s revenue surge 0 0 TechCentral full 16:26 TechCentral Nexus 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/1567727 https://iono.fm/e/1567727 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. ]]> Technology Thu, 19 Jun 2025 10:47:00 +0200 0 0 Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U 0 0 TechCentral full 22:36 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1567218 https://iono.fm/e/1567218 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. ]]> Technology Wed, 18 Jun 2025 09:56:00 +0200 0 0 AfriGIS’s Helen Hulett on how tech can help resolve South Africa’s water crisis 0 0 TechCentral full 26:29 TCS+ 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/1566525 https://iono.fm/e/1566525 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. ]]> Technology Mon, 16 Jun 2025 13:30:00 +0200 0 0 S0E2 (beta): South Africa's digital battlefield 0 0 TechCentral full 27:01 TechCentral Nexus 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/1564130 https://iono.fm/e/1564130 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. ]]> Technology Sun, 08 Jun 2025 16:03:00 +0200 0 0 S0E1 (beta): Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom 0 0 TechCentral full 59:31 TechCentral Nexus 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/1563831 https://iono.fm/e/1563831 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:59:00 +0200 0 0 Nomvuyiso Batyi on Starlink, BEE reform and spectrum 0 0 TechCentral full 50:39 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1563665 https://iono.fm/e/1563665 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! ]]> Technology Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:46:00 +0200 0 0 The future of mobile money, with MTN’s Kagiso Mothibi 0 0 TechCentral full 38:07 TCS+ 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/1562795 https://iono.fm/e/1562795 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. ]]> Technology Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:10:00 +0200 0 0 AI is more than hype: Workday execs unpack real human impact 0 0 TechCentral full 41:25 TCS+ 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/1562391 https://iono.fm/e/1562391 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 growth 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 tell McLeod about:
• How the deal came about;
• The assets and businesses housed in Altron Nexus; and
• The plan to turn the business around.
Don’t miss a great conversation! ]]> Technology Tue, 03 Jun 2025 11:59:00 +0200 0 0 Sentiv, and the story behind the buyout of Altron Nexus 0 0 TechCentral full 23:49 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1560439 https://iono.fm/e/1560439 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! ]]> Technology Wed, 28 May 2025 08:37:00 +0200 0 0 Signal restored: Unpacking the Blue Label and Cell C turnaround 0 0 TechCentral full 35:59 TCS - The TechCentral Show 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/1559761 https://iono.fm/e/1559761 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. ]]> Technology Mon, 26 May 2025 14:26:00 +0200 0 0 Switchcom Distribution, and Huawei eKit in the hands of installers 0 0 TechCentral full 22:03 TCS+