Southern Africa
South African Luno Users to Earn Interest on Bitcoin and Ethereum
South African-founded Luno will let customers earn interest on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDC – allowing users to earn passive income on their cryptocurrencies. These cryptos are now available in the platforms savings wallet. Users can expect up to 4% interest per annum on Ethereum and 7.6% per annum on USDC. The interest will be earned and paid in cryptocurrency. “Luno research last year showed that over a third of those surveyed (35%) were not earning any interest on their traditional cash savings at all, so growing savings options and making saving simple and accessible is a priority for us,” says Luno Africa GM, Marius Reitz. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_5e5.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_5e5.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } “The same research from last year found 54% are not e...
Ukheshe and Infobip Launch the First WhatsApp Payment Gateway in South Africa
Ukheshe has partnered with Infobip to launch South Africa’s first WhatsApp payment gateway which allows Telkom customers to send money to anyone with a mobile number quickly and securely with no need for another app or any additional software. The project and collaboration with Infobip forms part of Ukheshe’s objective of expanding its international reach as a solution-driven B2B provider of digital-first payment solutions that enable banks, telcos and fintechs to provide banking and payment services to their customers through a solution called ‘Chat Banking’. “We are thrilled that through various working associations we are able to assist organisations to address financial literacy and inclusion. The chat banking solution empowers end customers by giving them access to the Internet, ...
Microsoft’s Surface Book 3 to Rollout in South Africa
Microsoft is set to roll out its Surface device range in South Africa with the introduction of the Surface Book 3 – available from Incredible Connection stores. Surface Book 3 is a powerful tablet with a detachable touchscreen that adapts to all the ways users work and create best. It combines speed, graphics, immersive gaming and long battery life with the versatility of a laptop, tablet, and portable studio. “We are excited to expand our Surface family with the addition of Surface Book 3 – our most powerful laptop yet. It is a portable powerhouse that provides the performance to tackle any task, from intensive video and graphic files to high-octane gaming. Developers, designers and professionals can rely on it for coding, compiling workloads, and for gaming,” says Vithesh Reddy, Consumer...
New Online Retail Platform Launches in South Africa
Netcash has partnered with Ecwid E-Commerce to launch Netcash Shop. Powered by Ecwid E-Commerce’s platform, Netcash Shop is expected to allow merchants to create a digital eCommerce store where they can sell their products. And thanks to the tight integration with Netcash’s Payment Gateway, merchants can accept a wide range of payments options. According to the companies, merchants who use Netcash Shop will pay half as much as those using alternative eCommerce platforms and shopping cart options. For companies that already have a website, a Netcash Shop shopping cart or shop can easily be added to a site built on a content management system like WordPress, Wix or Joomla. /* custom css */ .tdi_3_fb7.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_3_fb7.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; } Tho...
IoT.nxt CEO Resigns Immediately
Image sourced from ITWeb IOT.nxt has revealed that co-founder and CEO, Nico Steyn, is stepping down from his role with immediate effect. He will, however, remain a shareholder and board member of the Vodacom company. “I will focus my time and effort on areas of the business that I most enjoy and where I can continue to add meaningful value. As a founder, making this decision is not easy,” says Steyn. “However, I know the exceptional executive team that we have assembled over the past 18 months is well-positioned to embrace the next phase of commercialisation and corporatisation that is required for IoT.nxt’s journey of globalisation.” “IoT.nxt has been my passion and my life for the past six years. My partners and the IoT.nxt board-backed my vision of creating a world-class product and com...
Sandton City Launches its Digital Mall Platform on Nedbank’s Avo App
Sandton City and Nedbank have partnered to launch an immersive ‘mall’ experience on the Avo app. This digital shopping platform is expected to give users the chance to shop items from multiple stores in Sandton City, pay for goods on the app, and then choose between home delivery or collection from the Avo lounge lockers at Sandton City. “We aspire to enable our app users to do life differently. The concept of a digital mall is broad and includes everything from gaming, clothing and groceries to tech, gadgets and home décor. Our insights show that people across Africa are willing to travel to shop, with Sandton City being a preferred destination,” says Vishal Maharaj, founding member of Avo. “We have onboarded more than 30 stores to date, and more are on the way, ensuring they are liv...
Facebook Launches a Paid Events Tool for South African Content Creators
Facebook has launched a Paid Online Events tool that will allow content creators in South Africa to earn extra money. Paid Online Events is available in 20 countries and is expanding to 24 additional countries in the coming weeks, with South Africa being the first country in Africa where the tool is launching. “Since launching Paid Online Events in August 2020, it has grown tremendously, providing creators and businesses with another valuable way to earn money on Facebook,” says Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Head of Strategic Media Partnerships for Sub-Saharan Africa. “Many conference organisers, musicians, trainers, theatre producers, creators and businesses are losing revenue during the pandemic due to social distancing measures. Paid online events will help them to reconnect with their fans, mo...
INTERVIEW: Unpacking ESET South Africa’s Approach to Innovation in 2021
After a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic upended the way we live, work and socialize, Carey van Vlaanderen, CEO of ESET South Africa, has revealed to IT News Africa the innovations and challenges expected to impact businesses in 2021. Here’s what transpired: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced organisations to adapt to a new, remote way of working; How has ESET risen to this challenge? With the interrupted electricity supply affecting our business throughout the years, we had made the decision some time back to ensure that all employees were mobile and as off the grid as possible. This meant equipping all employees with laptops and backup power and connectivity, both at work and at home. This meant that when COVID-19 hit, we were able to adapt quite quickly. We also took learnin...
Only 49% of South Africans will take the COVID-19 Vaccine, Research Shows
Although COVID-19 infection rates seem to be declining and vaccines are slowly being rolled out in the country, most South Africans are wary of a third wave, further lockdowns and job losses. A survey by gig technology company, M4Jam asked South Africans about their main concerns as the country marked exactly one year since the first COVID-19 case in the country was diagnosed. Despite South Africa’s rejection of its first shipment of vaccines and widespread misinformation about the effectiveness of vaccinations, 49% of respondents (up from 32% in the January survey) said they would take the vaccine when it became available to them. 44% of respondents (down from 58% in the January survey) said they would adopt the approach of “wait and see” if the vaccine works for people they knew before m...
New eCommerce Platform to Rival Takealot Launches in South Africa
Image sourced from MyBroadband Everystore is officially South Africa’s newest eCommerce platform. The online store is owned by and brings together the brands of the JD Group (HiFi Corp, Incredible Connection, Bradlows and Russels). “With the support of our existing retail businesses we have partnered with some of South Africa’s most well-known and loved brands across a number of industries including specialist electronics & appliances, furniture, fashion, footwear and DIY to deliver true value to the South African shopper through the launch of a new online retailer,” says Everyshop. Today, the site offers more than 500 brands, in 10 main categories – entertainment, fashion, health and beauty, perfect home, work and study, projects and DIY, lifestyle and leisure, fitness, cellular,...
Airbnb and SnapScan Join Forces to Encourage Local Spending in South Africa
Image sourced from The Tyee Airbnb has partnered with SnapScan to launch ‘Support Jozi, Shop Local’, an initiative that aims to aid the recovery of SMEs by driving traffic to smaller businesses, and delivering a much-needed economic boost to local communities. Using the SnapScan app, locals and visitors alike can now buy goods and services in 20+ Jozi businesses, chosen and recommended by local Hosts on Airbnb. People using SnapScan in these locations will also earn cashback vouchers called ‘Jozibucks’, which can then be ‘spent’ in the shops throughout March, driving additional revenue for the local businesses. The vouchers are funded by Airbnb. The “Support Jozi, Shop Local” initiative aims to encourage an inclusive recovery of the sector, by providing a platform to showcase small local b...
Telkom Rolls Out New Uncapped Fibre Deals
Image sourced from Bandwidth Blog Telkom has announced that not only will double the speed of its fibre lines, it is also set to introduce new high-speed fibre packages for existing and new customers as well as price changes. From 5 March 2021, new customers can experience 25/5Mbps Uncapped fibre from R399 and 50Mbps at R699, while existing Telkom internet fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) customers get a free speed upgrade, in some Instances 2.5x times more the speed, to the new speed portfolio with no price increases while others get a price decrease. New FTTH Home Unlimited Bundles prices have been updated as below: 10/5Mbps moves to 25/5Mbps @ R399 10/10Mbps moves to 25/25Mbps) @ R449 20Mbps moves to 50Mbps at the 20Mbps price @ R699 50Mbps moves to 100Mbps at the 50Mbps price @ R899 ...
