Tag: South Africa

Refreshi Helps South Africans Save R12.5 Million While Rescuing 200,000 Meals from Landfill in One Year

South African food-tech startup Refreshi has helped consumers save R12.5 million on groceries while rescuing 200,000 surplus meals from landfill in its first year. The company’s Grocery Savings Impact Report highlights rapid nationwide expansion, significant environmental benefits, and growing adoption of its circular economy marketplace, which connects consumers with discounted surplus food from supermarkets, restaurants, bakeries, and cafés across South Africa.

South Africa has too many ways to pay and not enough ways for consumers to understand them. Will these make Cards extinct?

South Africa’s payments landscape is evolving rapidly, with digital wallets, PayShap, QR codes, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), and instant bank transfers expanding consumer choice. However, widespread adoption remains constrained by limited consumer education, trust, and operational complexity for merchants. This article explores why payment cards continue to dominate despite the rise of alternative payment methods and explains what the industry must do to drive meaningful digital payment adoption.

The risk of AI tunnel vision in IT efficiency

The risk of AI tunnel vision in IT efficiency explores why focusing solely on AI’s energy consumption overlooks the much larger challenge of improving efficiency across the entire IT estate. As data centre power demand rises in South Africa, organisations must adopt an end-to-end approach that optimises infrastructure, cooling, software, workloads, and data management. The article argues that sustainable IT efficiency is achieved by designing energy efficiency into every layer of traditional and AI infrastructure, enabling greater resilience, lower costs, and scalable digital transformation.

Bridging South Africa’s Media Skills Gap with Industry‑Backed Learning 

The Advertising Media Association of South Africa (AMASA), in partnership with the AAA School of Advertising, has launched an updated Media Management Competence Certificate to address South Africa’s growing media skills gap. Combining industry-led training, practical learning, and a newly developed media planning textbook, the four-month hybrid programme equips professionals with the strategic, digital, and analytical skills needed to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape. The initiative supports the development of future-ready media talent as brands, agencies, and media owners adapt to increasingly complex consumer and technology trends.

South Africa Risks Turning BNPL into a Credit-Exclusion Trigger without Fairer Scoring Rules

South Africa risks turning Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) into a credit exclusion trigger if scoring systems fail to properly interpret short-term instalment data. Experts warn that integrating BNPL into traditional credit models could unfairly lower credit scores for responsible borrowers, particularly younger and lower-income consumers. Regulators have paused BNPL data integration as concerns grow over financial inclusion and scoring accuracy.

Brice & Burnett named South Africa’s Best Luxury Wine Retailer

Brice & Burnett, formerly Wine Cellar, has been named South Africa’s Best Luxury Wine Retailer by the Luxury Lifestyle Awards, recognising 25 years of excellence in fine wine curation and client service. The brand is celebrated for its premium selection of local and international wines, investment portfolios, brokerage services, and expert cellaring solutions. This award highlights its leadership in shaping South Africa’s luxury wine market.

Mezzanine and Open Access Energy Partner to Accelerate Virtual Wheeling Adoption Across South Africa’s Renewable Energy Market

South Africa’s renewable energy market is entering a new phase as Mezzanine and Open Access Energy (OAE) partner to accelerate the adoption of virtual wheeling. By integrating Mezzanine’s Virtual Wheeling Platform into OAE’s Energypro platform, the partnership simplifies renewable energy procurement for corporate energy buyers, independent power producers, and energy traders. The collaboration expands access to clean energy across Eskom- and municipally-connected customers, helping businesses reduce carbon emissions, manage energy costs, and participate in South Africa’s rapidly evolving electricity market.

Powering Beyond the Crisis: Unlocking South Africa’s Economic Revival Through Distributed Energy

South Africa’s energy crisis continues to weigh heavily on economic growth, industrial productivity, and household finances. In this opinion piece, Gerjo Hoffman, CEO of Open Access Energy, argues that distributed renewable energy and private power generation offer the fastest path to economic recovery. By reducing electricity costs, improving energy reliability, and enabling long-term savings through private Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), businesses can regain competitiveness and stimulate GDP growth. The article also highlights the role of financial institutions in accelerating renewable energy investment and calls for urgent regulatory reform to unlock South Africa’s full distributed energy potential.

Why Investors Are Looking at African Fintech Again

African fintech is regaining investor attention as the sector matures beyond venture-led growth into sustainable, revenue-generating businesses capable of attracting institutional capital. Recent IPOs by South Africa’s Optasia and Morocco’s Cash Plus, alongside expectations around Airtel Africa’s mobile money business and OPay, signal renewed confidence in African fintech’s long-term potential. With fintech revenues projected to reach $65 billion by 2030, the continent continues to benefit from rising smartphone penetration, mobile money adoption, and a young, urbanising population. Increased merger and acquisition activity, stronger local partnerships, and improved funding momentum in 2026 suggest African fintech is entering a new phase focused on scalability, profitability, and liquidity opportunities for investors.