Thursday, November 28African Digital Business Magazine

South Africa News

South Africa News

Celebrity Marketing: No Longer Just for Big Brands
Business, South Africa News

Celebrity Marketing: No Longer Just for Big Brands

Celebrity influencer marketing is nothing new for big name brands: who could forget Cell-C’s adverts featuring Trevor Noah; or Tendai ‘The Beast’ Mtawarira shaving with a BIC razor; and more recently, Bouwer Bosch ‘skoffeling’ for King Price. "Having the famous and influential as ambassadors of your brand is a great way to build exposure, especially if you’re a multi-billion Rand company in a crowded market. But for most businesses – particularly those of the micro, small and medium range – significant financial and even administrative barriers have made it near impossible to enlist the help of someone famous…until now,” says Wouter Lombard, Co-founder and Head of Talent Management at myFanPark, South Africa’s leading celebrity engagement platform, connecting everyday people and businesses...
HAVAÍC expects bumper year for African tech startups
South Africa News, Startups

HAVAÍC expects bumper year for African tech startups

As one of South Africa’s most active Venture Capital investors, HAVAÍC says 2020 saw the commercial adoption of technology increase at unprecedented rates, as illustrated by the performance of HAVAÍC and its portfolio companies. 2020 saw HAVAÍC’s portfolio companies grow their revenue by a staggering 93%, and in the coming months, Ian Lessem, Managing Partner at HAVAÍC, believes the economic, social and commercial prospects for investing in the African technology sector looks promising, especially as the acceleration of technology adoption continues. According to the recent African Tech Startups Funding Report 2020, published by Disrupt Africa, the year produced a record for funding activity in the African tech startup ecosystem, owing to the increased number of active investors on the con...
Telephonic payment solution helps companies deal with Covid-19 challenges
Fintech, South Africa News

Telephonic payment solution helps companies deal with Covid-19 challenges

VerPay enables verbal commerce as businesses adapt to serve their customers in contactless ways The novel Coronavirus has necessitated the need for a sharp step change across nearly every facet of daily life; which has, in turn, rendered the payments landscape ripe for innovation.  “The pandemic has forced us all to do business in new ways, and not all companies have the means - or inclination - to go completely online", says Dana Buys, CEO of VerPay Pty Ltd, a Cape fintech company that specialises in cloud-based payment, "Many consumers still prefer dealing with a person, as opposed to solely an app or website.”  VerPay™, allows merchants to do business whilst speaking to a customer, making it ideal for the hospitality, ret...
Business, South Africa News, Tech

Avoiding common mistakes while crafting the ultimate customer experience

Creating a memorable customer experience is fast becoming a top priority for businesses – and for good reason, says Reynhardt Uys, Chief Experience Officer, Immersion Group. He notes that customers no longer base their loyalty on price or product alone. Instead, they stay and spend, with companies based on the overall experience they receive. “Quite simply, organisations who fail to adopt a customer-centric approach risk lagging behind competitors who have already become customer-obsessed.” While research shows 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience, Uys says there are several common mistakes that can derail efforts at personalisation and the customer journey. “Developing an unmatched customer experience involves applying the most appropriate methodologies an...
R500k up for grabs in the 2021 Joburg Smart City Innovation Challenge
South Africa News, Startups

R500k up for grabs in the 2021 Joburg Smart City Innovation Challenge

Are you a 4IR Start-up? Have you been in operation for 3-7 years? Are you a company developing Smart City technologies and/or innovative solutions? Do you have a pilot-ready solution for a challenge faced by our city? The City of Johannesburg’s Smart City Office, in collaboration with Tshimologong Innovation Precinct, invites you to submit proposals for smart city innovative solutions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and to share your innovative ideas on how we can go into the future together. The lockdown protocols have ignited new thinking about the future of our City and its residents. Therefore, the aim of the Smart City Innovation Challenge is to find and develop digital technology solutions that respond to urban and community challenges faced by the City in the new normal result...
AURA builds world’s first WhatsApp security chatbot in partnership with Tracker
South Africa News, Tech

AURA builds world’s first WhatsApp security chatbot in partnership with Tracker

AURA, South Africa’s leading security and medical response platform has launched the world’s first WhatsApp security chatbot in partnership with Tracker, one of the country's most trusted names in stolen vehicle recovery. Powered by AURA, Tracker’s unique Tracker CareGuard service offers rapid mobile emergency response anywhere, anytime within South Africa. The new cutting-edge solution enables subscribers to request immediate mobile armed response assistance wherever they are by sharing a location pin in WhatsApp. Warren Myers, Founder and CEO of AURA says the new WhatsApp service illustrates the power of technology in preventing and combating crime and the role it plays in enabling South African businesses to offer innovative security products and services to customers. “The Tracker Car...
IG South Africa’s Continued Commitment to Investment and Growth in South Africa
South Africa News

IG South Africa’s Continued Commitment to Investment and Growth in South Africa

IG, a global leader in online trading, has had a long commitment to South Africa which is set to increase further. The company  has operated in South Africa for ten years playing a key role in the growth of online trading in this sophisticated and growing market. IG is committed to robust local governance, and is pleased to announce that Mr. Ndabezinhle Mkhize has recently been appointed as Independent Chairperson to the Board of IG Markets South Africa Limited. Mr Mkhize brings over 20 years of local financial services experience to the Board, and is also joined by two Non-Executive Directors, providing diverse expertise and experience. Mr Mkhize joins IG as it embarks on a significant expansion in its operations in Johannesburg - more than 40 new, high-skilled, high-tech jobs are being c...
Deal making slows across Africa but post-pandemic opportunities look interesting
Ethiopia News, Ghana News, Kenya News, Main, Mauritius News, Mozambique News, Nigeria News, South Africa News

Deal making slows across Africa but post-pandemic opportunities look interesting

Deal making activity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) dropped in the second half of 2020 (H2 2020), when compared to the second half of 2019 (H2 2019) and year-on-year, deals were also down in both volume and value compared to 2019. As the continent gears up for post-pandemic recovery in 2021, the opportunities presented by free trade across the continent, foreign investment opportunities due to new partnerships and trade relationships, as well as the post-pandemic focus on technology, healthcare and renewable energy, will be key factors in attracting valuable mergers and acquisition (M&A) activity to the region. Further, South Africa’s deal volume and value both dropped in 2020, with the industrials and healthcare sector attracting the biggest investments. Ghana stood out as a country that...
Agriculture, South Africa News

South Africa’s Pork Industry is Set for a Revolution

Pork producers in South Africa are forging ahead with innovation and optimism in uncertain times. The industry has changed drastically over the last few decades – with dietary concerns, disease outbreaks, climate change and other factors all playing a role. Brent Fairlie, CEO at one of South Africa’s largest pork producers, Lynca Meats, lets us in on why, in a country where chicken has always been a firm favourite, pork is poised to make a strong comeback. 1South Africa’s pork industry is relatively large, contributing around 2.15% to the local agricultural sector as a whole but accounting for only 7% of the country’s total meat consumption. However, recent trends indicate that there is plenty of room for expansion, and South African producers are leading the way. “The pork industry has ha...
Egypt News, Ghana News, Kenya News, Main, Mauritius News, Nigeria News, South Africa News

African dealmaking decreases, the Africa’s Free Trade Agreement expected to boost recovery

Dealmaking activity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) dropped in the second half of 2020 (H2 2020), when compared to the second half of 2019 (H2 2019) and year-on-year, deals were also down in both volume and value when compared to 2019. According to Baker McKenzie’s analysis of Refinitiv data, M&A transactions dropped in SSA in H2 2020, down 4% compared to H2 2019 with 329 deals in the period. Deal value fell by 17% to USD8.9 billion in the second half of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. For the full year 2020, transactions dropped by 8%, with 625 deals in 2020, and deal value dropped by 33%, with deals valued at USD17.4 billion in total for 2020. However, as Africa gears up for its post-pandemic recovery, it appears that the opportunities presented by the recent launch of fr...