South Africa Archives - Page 9 of 30

12Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, Startups

Failing To Win

A new book from Burnet Media, Cape Town will inspire and guide the next generation of African entrepreneurs. Failing To Win by Mike Quinn is the authentic story of a uniquely African startup at the forefront of the continent’s fintech revolution. Inspired to become the “M-Pesa of southern Africa” after Kenya’s pioneering mobile money innovation, Zoona secured tens of millions of dollars in international investment and grew to serve two-million customers in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique while processing $2.5-billion in transactions. This is an ideal read for anyone doing business or investing in Africa, and in particular for purpose-driven entrepreneurs and impact or venture capital investors. ABOUT THE BOOK In 2009, Canadian entrepreneur Mike Quinn packed his backpack and moved to Lu...

8Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Business, Fintech

Mitigating the risks of payments fraud

Global losses from payment fraud have tripled from US$9.84 billion in 2011 to US$32.39 billion in 2020, according to Deutsche Bank’s 2021 report on the future of payments. And financial professionals are saying COVID-19 hasn’t helped matters, with 65% believing that the global pandemic is to blame for some of the accelerated rate in fraud activity, revealed by a 2021 survey by the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP). While these cybercriminals can target many areas of an organisation, the dangers are ultimately measured in financial terms. This means that Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) can no longer ignore cyber security simply because it is a complex issue outside their area of expertise. As custodians of the company’s monetary assets and financial data, CFOs are responsible ...

1Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Tech

Only 20% of companies reported not getting attacked in 2021 compared to 32% in 2020

Acronis, the global leader in cyber protection, has released its annual Cyber Readiness Report, providing a comprehensive overview of the modern cybersecurity landscape and the key pain points faced by businesses and remote employees worldwide amid the global pandemic. Acronis’ research from last year revealed more than 80% of global companies admitted they were not prepared to transition to remote work – exposing key vulnerabilities businesses must quickly plan and implement solutions for. Based on findings from this year’s independent survey of 3,600 IT managers and remote employees at small and medium-sized companies in 18 countries across the globe, including the South Africa. The report states that 53% of global companies have a false sense of security when it comes to supply chain ...

31Oct

By Giorgi MikhelidzeNo Comments

Forex, South Africa News

South Africans Are Moving To Forex Trading As A New Source Of Income

Forex (foreign exchange) is undoubtedly something you've heard or read about, which shows how widespread its use has become. However, there are a large number of people who are curious but do not have a thorough grasp of how the South African financial market operates or just do not know where to begin. As commodities, currency pairs serve as a representation of the value of two different national currencies in the forex market. The base currency is the first one stated in the pair, while the quotation currency is the second. FX trading is getting more popular as a result of the ever stringent financial reality we are all now confronted with, right? Here you may start making money without having to leave your house. To securely trade forex, you must choose a reputable broker that places ...

28Oct

By Udette KirschNo Comments

Fintech, Nigeria News, South Africa News

Cryptocurrency and herding behaviour

By: Udette Kirsch - behavioural economist & strategic marketing specialist Cryptocurrencies refuse to play by the rules. People rely on experts for all sorts of advice, but when it comes to cryptocurrencies, they seek advice from peers and the internet. So, what causes this behaviour, and what are the implications? Hint: it’s rooted in behavioural psychology. Recent studies suggest that crypto-currency investors rely less on expert advice and increasingly follow peer investor communities for guidance. The daily value of South African crypto trading recently exceeded $141 million for the first time, indicating that many South Africans consider the risks of this complex, unregulated market to be acceptable for the returns which it may deliver. Digital advocates have hailed cryptocurr...

28Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Events, Real Estate, South Africa News

JLL and Tétris Design and Build join forces to promote the growth of sustainable buildings

Organisations now see this as a critical decade for real progress to be made in decarbonising the built environment, according to JLL Global Research, requiring real estate to make complex changes in what will be a critical shift for the industry Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword. Climate change is the defining crisis of our time and there is a notable rise in public concern about this looming disaster. Sixty-four percent of people believe climate change is a global emergency, according to a recent survey by the United Nations Development Programme and Oxford University. With over half the world’s population believing the crisis requires urgent action, and 73% of investors saying that green strategies drive higher occupancy and higher rents, it is clear that the future of th...

22Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

South Africa News, Startups

SA Startup Act Meets With The President

This week, the Presidential Office held a special meeting with individuals from various organisations that are invested in the growth and support of local entrepreneurs and businesses to discuss what is needed to eliminate the red tape obstructing the growth of small and medium enterprises. Among them were representatives from the South African Startup Act Steering Committee. The Committee is comprised of representatives from AfricArena, Digital Collective Africa, Endeavor South Africa, i4Policy, Loudhailer, the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA), Silicon Cape, SiMODiSA, and Wesgro. President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “With regards to the South African Startup Act, I would like us to consider that... If we are serious about promoting entrepreneurship, we...

22Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Tech

ESET’s Intelligent Solutions Updated for Greater Online Protection

Heading into the festive season, it is more important than ever to ensure that computer and smartphone users are protected from increases in brute force attacks, instances of banking malware, and cryptocurrency threats. ESET, the global cybersecurity leader, has launched a new version of its consumer security line-up, which does just that along with its brand new ESET HOME feature. This web or Android-based platform is placed at the centre of the suite of ESET consumer solutions – allowing users to manage the security of all their Windows and Android devices from one seamless and convenient interface. Smartphones are central to people’s lives, with multiple internet-connected devices in their homes. Simple and efficient protection and management of these devices is critical amidst a ...

22Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News

Africa is perfectly placed to take advantage of new payment solutions

Digital innovation has evolved payments solutions at breakneck speeds. Everything from contactless payments, QR codes and digital wallets … consumers today have so many new ways to pay. The big challenge, however, is to ensure that the millions of South Africans who still use cash are able to access these services. “Unfortunately, cash still dominates as the main payment form for millions of South Africans,” says Thomas Pays, CEO and co-founder of Ozow. “This happens simply because of a lack of access to infrastructure, high data costs, and a general mistrust in financial institutions. All of these factors ultimately prevent many consumers from participating in the digital economy.” There is hope, though. A recently published South African Township Marketing Report found that while c...

22Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News

Municipal Payments Essential for South Africa’s Future Cities

The urban population in Africa has swelled from 15% of the total population in 1960, to over 40% in 2010 and is set to exceed 60% by 2050[ii]. It is anticipated that South Africa will follow suit. In fact, current projections indicate that an additional 19 to 24 million people will be added to the national population over the next three decades, and that the vast majority of this growth will be confined to cities and towns[iii]. But what is needed by the country’s municipalities to cope with and cater for this growth? “Municipal payments play a vital role in creating cities of the future,” says Nomvula Nyandeni, Business Development Lead at Pay@, one of Southern Africa’s leading payment solutions providers. “Municipal revenue collected from customers is integral to sustain cities f...