Saturday, November 9African Digital Business Magazine

South Africa News

South Africa News

South Africa News

Why South African businesses should leverage trustworthy data for better procurement choices

Mitigating the risk of procurement fraud and other irregularities is possible by equipping organisations with the tools necessary to improve transparency, decision-making, and cost-effectiveness in procurement, says Sameer Kumandan, Managing Director at  SearchWorks – South Africa’s largest online data aggregation platform. The procurement department serves as a pivotal entity within an organisation, entrusted with the monumental task of procuring goods, services, and works from external suppliers. Its significance lies in ensuring that the company gets the best possible value for money by making informed decisions that positively influence operations and profitability, while navigating a world of commercial complexities and avoiding the pitfalls of fraud and other irregularities with the...
South Africa News

How effective budgeting can help you save and improve your financial health

Ans Gerber, Head Data Insights Experian Africa Taking control of your financial health through effective budgeting can be beneficial and liberating. By creating a budget and smartly managing your expenses, you can ensure that your hard-earned money lasts longer and works towards securing a prosperous future. That said, incorporating savings into your budget is just as important for long-term financial planning as tracking every cent you earn and spend, and grouping expenses into categories. This Savings Month, we encourage you to implement effective budgeting to help you establish a habit of saving. Planning a budget: The following steps will help you to create a budget that enables you to meet your financial commitments, maybe afford a little spoil now and then – and even save towards ...
Events, South Africa News, Tech

Unlocking the Future: South Africa – Swiss Blockchain Innovation Challenge

A New Horizon for Innovation: South Africa is on the cusp of a transformational journey as digital innovation surmounts barriers and blockchain technology opens up new frontiers. The Blockchain Innovation Challenge, a landmark event characterized by collaboration and visionary thinking, transcends the bounds of a conventional competition and emerges as a catalyst for change in a region ripe with untapped potential.  The SA Innovation Summit proudly presents the Blockchain Innovation Challenge. As ChatGPT disrupted the tech world, blockchain technology now stands poised as the next disruptor. This pioneering competition is a part of a holistic collaboration encompassing Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Education, Economy, Dialogue, and Networks, all aimed at exploring blockchain's potential t...
South Africa News

Gamifying Digital Marketing Maximises Engagement

In 2018, the global gaming industry generated just shy of $135 billion and is set to top $325 billion this year – with projected 7.7% year-on-year growth taking its valuation to $545.98 billion in 5 years. If if you still think gaming is only for younger people, the percentage of gamers aged 55-64 grew by 32% in the last two years.  Gaming and gamification are slightly different things, but the strongest link is that the surging popularity of gaming has made gamification in the digital marketing industry a red-hot commodity – one that South African full-service digital marketing agency Flume is tapping into with the establishment of Flume Gaming. A cutting-edge team at the forefront of gamification in digital marketing, Flume Gaming specialises in hyper-casual games that seamlessly inte...
Fintech, South Africa News

How Scan to Pay is unleashing the power of QR code payments in South Africa

The QR code payment industry has seen a surge in adoption in recent years, with estimates suggesting a global market value of USD$9.98 billion in 2022. QR codes are seeing a marked increase in popularity in South Africa as well, says Pieter Roux, President Payment Strategy at Ukheshe. From the brand evolution of Masterpass to Scan to Pay, Powered by Ukheshe, our Scan to Pay data shows a growing demand for mobile payments as more consumers use their mobile devices – from entry-level devices to high-end smartphones – for payments with an average of 12 million transactions per month. QR codes are a powerful method of digital enablement as they work on almost any mobile handset with a camera which allows almost anyone to scan a QR code. However, what makes Ukheshe’s Scan to Pay so unique is ...
South Africa News, Tech

Innovation through diversity: Empowering women in the SA tech sector

By Mia Odendaal, Marketing Manager at Ecentric Payment Systems In South Africa’s tech industry, significant strides have been made in recent years to drive innovation through diversity. However, the journey towards cultivating a truly inclusive and supportive environment for women is far from complete. Despite this progress, a pressing need exists for further advancements in creating a welcoming space that empowers and embraces women in our tech industry. While some women may lack the confidence that they can compete with their male counterparts, one should not forget the role that unconscious bias plays in how boys and girls are introduced to the tech industry from a young age. The former might be given opportunities to attend technology classes while the latter is often pigeon-holed in...
Events, South Africa News, Startups

SA Innovation Summit 2023: Igniting Africa’s Innovation Frontier Over 3000 innovators are expected to gather in Cape Town on 27 – 28th of September

Africa's tech landscape is ripe with opportunities for local startups, presenting the potential for tremendous growth and innovation. As AI, blockchain, renewable energy, and other cutting-edge advancements continue to shape the continent's future, African entrepreneurs find themselves at the forefront of groundbreaking solutions. To seize these opportunities and expand their impact, startups seek a platform that connects them with problem solvers, mentors, and stakeholders who can bolster their growth. In the heart of this thriving tech ecosystem, the renowned SA Innovation Summit celebrates its 16th edition, emerging as a vital catalyst for progress. From the 26th to the 29th of September 2023, thousands of visionaries, disruptors, and thought leaders will converge in Cape Town. The fou...
South Africa News

South African businesses demonstrate resilience in Q1 2023 – Experian Report

Businesses are finding ways to adapt to loadshedding South Africa narrowly missed a technical recession with surprise GDP growth Interest rate hikes led to increase of credit extension through unsecured lending  The Experian Business Debt Index (BDI), which reflects the relative ability for business to pay their outstanding suppliers/creditors, indicating the overall health of businesses in the economy, declined at a better-than-expected rate for Q1 of 2023. The decline to 0.721 from an upwardly revised 1.086 reading for Q4 2022, is attributed to a better-than-expected economic performance for the period. “Three months ago, one had been contemplating an economic scenario of substantial decline due to a significant intensification of load-shedding through Q1.  However, the impact ...
Business, South Africa News

Why you shouldn’t only be thinking ROI

By Arjen de Bruin, Managing Director at OIM Consulting  In its most literal sense, ROI – or return on investment – is a profitability metric that refers to the business value derived from spend. It involves dividing an investment’s profit by its cost and is generally expressed as a percentage. So, if my ROI is 1:20, it essentially means that for every rand I spent, I received R20 in profit; also known as a hella good investment! In theory, ROI could also include those metrics that are often less tangible and harder to quantify, such as value or benefit creation, which may or may not have a rands-and-cents figure attached to it. The challenge is that – in a behavioural change context – it is not always that easy to quantify these benefits without a clear framework in place, and so we all...
Virgin Atlantic Appoints Marc Harding As South Africa Country Manager
African News, Business, South Africa News

Virgin Atlantic Appoints Marc Harding As South Africa Country Manager

Virgin Atlantic is delighted to announce the appointment of Marc Harding as Country Manager for South Africa. Marc joined Virgin Atlantic 23 years ago and held various roles in the operations and commercial departments across Johannesburg and Cape Town. For 13 years, Marc's core position has been part of the commercial team from Account Manager to Sales Manager, leading the South African Sales team, focussing on customers, driving and delivering revenue, leading to his new appointment. Marc's passion and commitment to Virgin Atlantic over the past 23 years have been made evident by the numerous accolades and awards from trade partners and within the business, with a career highlight as Global Sales Person of the Year in 2019. Earlier this year, Liezl Gericke was appointed Head of Interna...