Category Archives: South Africa News

South Africa News

COP27 lays foundations for long-term investment opportunities in Africa

By Philippa Owen, ESG Lead at GraySwan After several days of focused negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh, this year’s COP27 closed with a sense of comfort that the needs of emerging and developing markets have not been overlooked. The agreement to create and implement a loss and damage fund to rescue and rebuild physical and social […]

South Africa: The latest developments in Just Energy Transition

Kieran Whyte, Partner and Head of the Energy. Mining & Infrastructure Group, Baker McKenzie, Johannesburg During the World Leaders’ Summit at COP 27 in November 2022, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the new Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET IP) for South Africa. It was at COP 26 in November 2021, that it was […]

Real-time data tracks considerable growth in Black Friday and Cyber Monday spend

CAPE TOWN – Hot on the heels of yet another interest rate increase adding more yet squeeze on businesses and consumers alike, South Africans showed they still have an appetite for retail spending, with data from leading omnichannel payment solutions provider Ecentric Payment System’s 2022 Black Friday Payment Gateway Dashboard showing whopping increases in both […]

Female Venture Capitalists are pioneering South Africa’s Silicon Valley

By Paula Mokwena, CEO at Fireball Capital The global venture capital (VC) ecosystem is no stranger to the common challenge that female entrepreneurs face – lack of funding. Research by the World Bank shows that for every $1 invested in women, $25 goes to men in the African startup space1. This is the case across all regions […]

South African assets may be cheap, but that’s not a good enough reason not to invest offshore

By Mart Marie de Jongh, Certified Financial Planner at GraySwan  and Gregoire Theron, Chief Investment Officer  The investment world’s fixation on global inflation and whether we are approaching the peak and heading towards a recession, has many investors sitting on cash, waiting for signals of a better market. Despite this, investing in South Africa presents […]

Background checks are worth their weight in gold in the mining sector

South Africa possesses ore reserves amounting to a value of more than US$2.5 trillion, with 16 commodities ranked in the top ten internationally. In such an important and high-value sector of the economy, it’s easy to see why the mining industry is a frequent target for malfeasance of all kinds – from deceptive suppliers to tender fraud. […]

Green is the new Black: Balancing the environmental cost of Black Friday

Black Friday has gone from being a uniquely American event to a near global phenomenon, and, like all consumption at scale, it has environmental consequences. The upside: There’s a new way for online retailers and consumers to reduce their environmental impact, says Steffen Burrows CURBON Co-founder and Director. In trying economic times, Black Friday offers some genuinely […]

What no one tells you about entrepreneurship

How one small business beat the odds and secured a coveted contract with Shoprite Checkers By Terrena Rathanlall, Fetola SME Media Portfolio Manager You could be forgiven for thinking that the Instagram story about the businessman with the flashy car and mansion in the background is a realistic depiction of entrepreneurship. It could not be […]

The rise of fin-fluencers: Gen Z turn to social media for share trading advice

One in five Gen Zers (21%) go to social media for investing advice. Older generations prefer online news and blogs for trading tips. Just 3% of South Africans use a Certified Financial Planner. Commentary from Finder.com’s investment editor Kylie Purcell. Social media is the go-to source for share trading advice among young adults in South […]

10 Top Lessons From Leading Entrepreneurs

Being an entrepreneur is no easy feat, but with a clear plan, passion and hard work – a lot is possible. As we enter Entrepreneurship Month, we speak to entrepreneurs from different fields and industries about their success and ask them their key tips on achieving greatness! From Ignite Fitness’ CEO, Schalk Hugo and internationally […]

Trends in global healthcare shifts the focus to innovative skills development

Over the past two years, global healthcare systems have faced significant disruption and strain due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. During this time, the skills and dedication of nurses and doctors – as frontline workers – have been highlighted. These skills now face a further, possibly bigger, challenge. How do we translate these skills into an […]

Breaking the ceiling: Women in business are leading the way to economic freedom

By Catherine Wijnberg, CEO of Fetola  Too often the subject of women entrepreneurs has an underlying condescending tone of reaching down to help them succeed. If we look at the data, the facts and the evidence we see a different story. This story tells us that when the playing field is levelled – especially through […]

A life less ordinary: Professor Barry Dwolatzky launches exhilarating memoir Coded History: My Life of New Beginnings

Coded History guarantees that everything you thought you knew about Emeritus Professor Barry Dwolatzky is gladly reconsidered. Nothing about this book is what you would imagine possible in the life of Wits University’s unassuming and much-loved professor. Coded History: My Life of New Beginnings launched yesterday, 2 November 2022. This self-penned memoir by Wits University’s Emeritus […]

Entrepreneurs pertinent to the growth of the MICE industry

Much like entrepreneurs, exhibitions are economic enablers.  There is no doubt that entrepreneurship, collectively, is an essential driver of societal health, wealth creation, and a formidable engine of economic growth. In fact, according to the latest  Global Entrepreneurship Monitor South Africa report; the nascent entrepreneurial rate increased from 7,3% in 2019 to 10,5% in 2021, […]

Strong recovery and acceleration for global hospitality brand, Club Med

While still affected by the Covid-19 crisis, trends in business volume for pioneers of all-inclusive holidays, Club Med, has evolved differently in various geographical areas.  In the 1st half of 2022 (H1 22) Club Med saw its business volume increase by more than 300% compared to the 1st half of 2021 (H1 21) when ski […]

Retailers, banks & fintech players unpack SA’s ambitious fintech future

OPEN FINTECH FUTURE: Jean Olivier of Shoprite, John Singlam of Investec and Anand Naidoo of HelloPaisa shared their fintech journeys in discussion with financial journalist Refilwe Moloto at the dt (Direct Transact) Open the Future gathering in Joburg. Several local innovators came together to discuss the future of fintech for brands, retailers and banks in […]

Stellenbosch Network in search of smart township solutions for Kayamandi

Recent years have seen Stellenbosch emerge as one of the fastest-growing regions in South Africa. Spurred on by a thriving innovation ecosystem and growth in value-adding sectors, the town has witnessed sustained economic growth, declines in unemployment, and a rise in human development and service delivery. By 2020, the town’s reputation was cemented when it […]

Africa: Energy transition policies and regulatory developments light up across the continent

Across the continent, countries in Africa are gearing up for the energy transition by implementing policy and legislative frameworks that take into account the energy crisis and the need for a renewable, decarbonized, decentralized energy supply that addresses climate change and the commitments made under the Paris Agreement. Ahead of the United Nations Climate Change […]

COP27: A unique opportunity to set the stage for Africa’s future in clean energy, according to Wärtsilä report

The climate change conference COP27 offers a unique opportunity to increase energy access and lay the foundations for decarbonisation across Africa, but wealthy nations must deliver on their climate finance pledges to unlock the continent’s potential, according to a new report. ‘Pathways for Africa’s Energy Future,’ a report from the technology group Wärtsilä, provides power system […]

CURBON, a SA startup, is taking a bold offset and uplift approach to solving climate change

Curbon makes it easy to make a difference, both from a climate action and community empowerment perspective, says Steffen Burrows, CURBON co-founder and director. According to billionaire co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, it is unrealistic to expect to solve climate change by asking people to live greener lifestyles. Telling people to stop eating meat, drive less, and buy smaller […]

Local delivery service experiences 100% growth in demand and adoption

 According to Deloitte’s most recent Digital Commerce Acceleration report, the growth of online shopping in South Africa is on the rise. Accompanying it, is an increasingly discerning online shopper, who chooses their online stores based on a few key features, such as low delivery costs and clear and simple return or refund policies. In fact, companies with […]

Capital Appreciation Group and LayUp partnership Triumphs at the 11th Annual MTN Business App of the Year Awards

The mobile application for Africa’s first digital lay-by and recurring payments provider, LayUp, has won ‘Best Incubated Solution’ at the 11th annual MTN Business App of the Year Awards, which honours the work of the best of the best coders, tech enthusiasts, students, start-ups and lesser-known app developers in South Africa. The application was developed by the Capital […]