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‘View Once’ WhatsApp feature back to desktop
The popular messaging app, WhatsApp has brought back it's “View Once” feature for images and videos on its web and desktop platforms. According to reports from WABetaInfo, the feature gives users the option to send temporary images and videos that disappear after being viewed by the recipient. Initially, the feature was removed by WhatsApp due
Load-shedding Threatens Food Chain in SA
The rotational power cuts by Eskom are proving to be a severe threat to South Africa's food chain, causing significant losses for farmers. The recent heatwave compounded with increased load-shedding stages has created a major challenge for the agriculture sector, with estimates of up to 50% loss in yields reported by farmers. Deidre Carter, Agri
Broadcasting Challenges: Overcoming Adversity
eMedia Holdings, the parent company of Openview and e.tv, expressed concerns about the challenging impact of multiple factors like load shedding, a weakened currency, higher fuel prices, inflation, high interest rates, and rising unemployment, which affected its performance in the first half of 2023. During this period, eMedia reported a 0.8% decline in revenue to
Huawei moving smart car operations to new JV
The Chinese company, Huawei has revealed that it is working towards moving it's core technologies and resources in its smart car unit, which has chalked up robust sales for a number of new vehicles, to a new joint company owned up to 40% by Changan Auto. In a press release, Huawei mentioned that the new
Nigeria struggles to reach oil target
Nigeria is unlikely to fulfill its own targeted 1.58 million barrels per day production level in 2024, according to projections by two consultancies tasked by OPEC+ to independently verify output capabilities. This poses challenges as the country lobbies for a higher quota amid OPEC+ supply cuts. Years of declining Nigerian volumes led OPEC+ to slash
Reserve Bank says high interest rates straining South African banks
The South African Reserve Bank has issued a warning, noting that persistent high interest rates, coupled with escalating living costs, are adversely affecting the health of bank loan portfolios. This strain is evident through a rise in defaults and missed payments, resulting in diminished capital and profits within the financial sector. In response to this
Volvo Unveils Armoured SUV in South Africa, Yours For R2.5 Million
Volvo Car South Africa has introduced a specially designed armoured variant of its flagship XC90 SUV to the lineup, with pricing starting at R2.5 million. This unique model provides customers with the discreet option of ordering ballistic protection directly from the Swedish luxury manufacturer. The armoured XC90 is equipped with certified 360-degree ballistic protection, adhering
Understanding ransomware attacks and how companies can protect themselves from being victims
As of recently, ransomware has been dominating the security conversation, and instead of things getting better, it just seems to be getting worse, and many people and organisations still don't understand how these attacks unfold. Business Tech Africa had the opportunity to sit down with the Veeam Team to find out what exactly is the
11 State Owned Companies Go For Sale In Kenya
Kenya's finance ministry said it will offer stakes in 11 state-owned companies to raise funds for depleted government coffers as tax revenues continue to fall below target. The move comes as the East African nation contends with surging inflation and a depreciating currency, leading to increased debt repayment costs. Among the 11 companies slated for
Three challenges CIOs currently face – and how to fix them
Across industries, as technology becomes more central to business operations the role of a CIO is increasingly broad. From digital transformation to the carbon footprints of data centres, CIOs are responsible for an ever-growing set of workstreams. This is backed up by Lenovo’s 2023 Global Study of CIOs, which found that 84% of IT leaders
Making sense of the funding landscape for SMEs in South Africa
Securing funding and loans can be a challenging, frustrating experience for small business owners in SA, especially for SMEs who may not have experience with the rigorous applications processes. “With demands like a solid business plan; extensive credit history checks; and scrutiny of your business bank account’s statements, trying to access small business funding can
ArcelorMittal South Africa Site Closures Put Thousands of Jobs at Risk
Shares of ArcelorMittal South Africa took a significant hit as the company announced the decision to place its major Newcastle and Vereeniging long steel operations in care and maintenance due to a lack of demand. The share price plummeted nearly 30% to 100 cents earlier on Tuesday, although it recovered some losses by midday, showing
SA's contact centres can lead with AI-powered voice assistants
Chat and conversational AI services have the potential to further elevate the local call centre and BPO market. What are those opportunities, and how can companies adopt them? South Africa's call centre industry is booming and is a preferred offshore customer-support destination for many international organisations. It attracts significant investment, generates employment, kickstarts careers, delivers
Why wellness is vital for SA's private security sector
As societal attitudes toward mental health continue to evolve, there is a growing recognition of the importance of addressing mental well-being in high-stress professions. In South Africa, the private security industry, comprising approximately 10,000 companies and nearly 2.7 million registered personnel, is undergoing a transformation to prioritize the physical, mental, and emotional health of its
R1.5-trillion energy plan approved by Mozambique’s government
The government of Mozambique has sanctioned a strategy to diminish the country's reliance on fossil fuels, estimating a cost of US$80 billion (R1.5 trillion) for implementation by 2050. This move is designed to attract financial support for economic development. The initial measures outlined in the Energy Transition Strategy, endorsed by the Council of Ministers on
The Limited Edition 25 Actros Trucks by Mercedes-Benz Launch In SA
The global debut of the Mercedes-Benz Actros truck range took place at the 1996 Hanover commercial vehicle expo, serving as the successor to the SK range and reaching South Africa two years later. In honour of the Actros's 25th anniversary in the local market, Mercedes-Benz Trucks SA has introduced the Limited Edition 25 Actros. These
MAHLE sets the global standard for wireless charging
Inductive – i.e. wireless – charging of electric vehicles is much more convenient as there is no need to fiddle with cables or search for a charging station with a suitable plug. MAHLE has developed a positioning system that allows an electric vehicle to be simply, reliably and precisely aligned above the charging coil in
Creating global opportunities for local digitally skilled graduates
Recognising that South Africa’s youth must be presented with avenues to participate in the global digital economy, impact sourcing specialist CareerBox Africa has created the CareerBox Africa Innovation hub in Umhlanga, Durban. The global digital economy plays an important part in giving rise to innovative new ventures that will create sustainable employment for young Africans.
Cape Town CBD to take back the power amid electricity crunch
In South Africa, where electricity is a precious resource, the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) is launching a new public campaign, "Switch on to Switch Off: It Just Makes Good Business Sense." The CCID, a private-public company managing the Cape Town CBD, urges stakeholders – including property owners, business operators, residents, and visitors
How to prioritise and manage your debt during difficult times
An emergency fund that is built over the year can easily be the lifeline one needs to deal with some of the issues that continue to plague South Africa’s economy such as load shedding, water reductions, increasing interest rate hikes and increasing individual and household debt. Many people find themselves facing challenging financial situations that