South Africa News Archives - Page 2 of 72

10Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News

State of the Retail Nation Q3: Consumer confidence starts to recover ahead of Black Friday

NIQ South Africa has released its latest State of the Retail Nation analysis for the first nine months of 2024, showing healthy revenue prospects for the FMCG and Tech & Durables retail sectors. The report highlights a positive shift in consumer sentiment throughout the year, setting the stage for healthy sales growth during the Black Friday and festive season periods. NIQ’s data shows that 42% of South African consumers believe they are in a better financial position than they were a year ago. However, higher costs of living, low wage growth and unemployment continue to be a challenge for many. Among the 33% that report they feel worse off, the reasons for this sentiment included increased living costs (80%), the economic slowdown (54%), and concerns regarding job security (39%). Z...

7Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Business, Events, South Africa News, Tech

Digital Marketing Conference back in Cape Town on 20 & 21 November 2024

Excitement is building as industry leaders, marketing professionals, and digital enthusiasts prepare to gather at the Digital Marketing Conference 2024 (DMC) in Cape Town this November. This not to be missed marketing event is set to take place on 20 & 21 November 2024 at CTICC, Cape Town. The conference will bring together marketing professionals from various industries to explore the latest trends, strategies, and innovations in the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing. Now is the time to sharpen your company’s digital marketing efforts. Continued marketing is critical to any business and online digital marketing is offering affordable opportunities to get your brand out there and noticed. As more people are spending more time online, savvy marketers are capitalising on th...

30Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Tech

AfricaCom 2024: French Companies Ready to Transform the African Digital Landscape

From November 12 to 14, 2024, Business France will showcase French expertise at the AfricaCom 2024 exhibition in Cape Town, South Africa. This essential event for telecommunications and digital transformation in Africa will gather over 15,000 visitors and 400 exhibitors from around the world. South Africa: A Strategic Market for Innovation With 4G coverage reaching 98% and rapid 5G deployment, South Africa is establishing itself as the digital hub of the continent. The country attracts significant investments in telecoms, with nearly €1.8 billion invested in 2023, and positions itself as a key player thanks to its 69 data centers and 9 submarine cables. An unprecedented growth in African telecommunications. The France Pavilion: A Gathering of Leading Companies in Digital Innovation Thi...

24Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Tech

Futuretech: Telkom, NRF launch tech research funding initiative

The programme will benefit historically disadvantaged academic institutions Telkom and the National Research Foundation (NRF) have announced the launch of the Future Technologies (FutureTech) programme, a new initiative to co-fund technology research grants and the studies of postgraduate students and postdoctoral Fellows, to help drive innovation. The FutureTech programme will support local universities in the research and development of future innovations, solutions and technologies. This will improve competitiveness in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector and other related fields. Commenting on the partnership, CEO of Openserve, Althon Beukes, said the company was pleased to contribute. ‘’Through the Futuretech programme we are investing in the future of South Afric...

17Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News

Is cash dead? If your answer is yes you’re missing the point… and millions of customers

By Cat Denoon-Stevens, Head of Product Incubation at Mukuru Is cash truly dead? With the rapid rise of fintech innovations and digital payment solutions, one might think so. Yet, despite the digital revolution sweeping across African societies, cash remains very much alive—and for millions, it is still the preferred way to transact. With the massive influx of fintech companies constantly innovating to bring accessible products and services to the underserved and unbanked in African societies, one might be tempted to declare that cash is dead, or that if it isn’t dead yet, it is on its very last legs. However, fintechs that are well-embedded in Africa and other emerging markets will be well aware that cash is, in fact, alive and well. In many instances, it is the primary form of tender....

15Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News, Startups

THE RISE OF FINTECH INNOVATION IN SA: GOING BEYOND PAYMENTS TO TRANSFORM ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STARTUPS

By Annelene Dippenaar Two decades ago, a startup or small business had limited options when it came to processing transactions, with cash being the only option for many. Startups by their very nature also lacked credit histories, making it difficult to apply for finance, and leaving them vulnerable to unaffordable loans when seeking financial support to fund their business needs. Today, the picture is very different, with access to digital finance platforms, management tools, and mobile banking transforming how these businesses can operate. According to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), digitalisation has enabled 700 million people in developing countries to gain access to formal financial services between 2011 and 2014, with 62% of adults having a bank or mobile...

15Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News

Aleph Group and MTN collaborate to create novel local advertising opportunities

Aleph Group has been appointed as MTN Ads' sales partner by MTN's Digital Services, Africa's largest mobile operator's advertising division. This essential association will empower publicists to use MTN's immense first party information to empower exact crowd focusing, while at the same time taking advantage of center telco channels like SMS and stages like Ayoba, an across the board super application created by the MTN Gathering. "It's a remarkable recommendation on the lookout; one that incorporates our rewards-free, data-free, and device-independent solutions. According to General Manager Jason Probert, "This combination enables businesses to drive immediate engagement regardless of content or user journey, with measurable attribution." At MTN South Africa, we have digital services. ...

15Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Tech

Securing South Africa’s public sector requires the right mindset alongside robust technology

South Africa’s public sector has emerged as a prime target for cybercriminals following a spate of cyber-attacks on state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and government institutions. Cybersecurity specialists at ESET Southern Africa, say more robust security measures and greater awareness among public sector workers are needed to help close the gaps in cybersecurity. One of the most significant issues in the public sector is the lack of comprehensive security management. The public sector, and municipalities in particular, remain one of the most unmanaged environments when it comes to cybersecurity. Although most entities have basic antivirus systems in place, these solutions are inadequate for the scale and complexity of their operations and often miss other critical elements which are necessar...

14Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Business, South Africa News

3 strategies to maximise your Return On Ad Spend this retail season

Use first-party data to get personal in all the right ways, says Flow founder South Africa’s year-end retail season has officially kicked off, and with Black Friday, the December holidays, and Back to School campaigns around the corner, brands are under pressure to cut through the digital noise. As global giants with enormous advertising budgets expand into the local market, it’s clear that old marketing strategies won’t cut it anymore. To stay competitive, local brands need to turn to a powerful tool – one that’s already at their fingertips, according to Daniel Levy, Co-Founder of ad and data-tech platform Flow. “When it comes to connecting directly with your customers,” he says, “first-party data is the biggest weapon in your arsenal.” What is first-party data and why is it gold? F...

14Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News

7 Myths You Should Know About Business Insurance

In our current struggling economy, businesses are looking to cut costs wherever they can in order to preserve their profits – or even just to stay in operation. If you’re a business owner, you may also be looking to cut expenses that aren’t the absolute essentials, like salaries and rent. More often than not, one of these perceived “non-essential” expenses is business insurance: according to a KPMG insurance survey from July 2023, only 50% of South African businesses have commercial insurance. “The irony, though, that a business may face even more risks than a larger corporation,” says Jaco Erasmus, Director of Insurance at Cornerstone Financial Services Group. “In addition, the financial strain of recovering from an unexpected event can be far more significant if your business has limite...