The Sustainable Choice for the AI Era
Dr Ayotunde Coker, CEO of Open Access Data Centres, warns that AI adoption will surge across sub‑Saharan Africa, generating unprecedented data‑processing demand. He argues that building on‑premises AI‑focused data centres is prohibitively costly and slow, making vendor‑neutral colocation the sustainable alternative. OADC’s extensive footprint—including over 30 edge sites—delivers low‑latency, high‑density capacity while leveraging energy‑efficient designs that lower power‑usage‑effectiveness. The provider also offers ISO 27001, PCI DSS and ESG certifications, removing compliance burdens for enterprises.
Indigenous Knowledge Innovation Platform Launched to Support Inclusive Bioeconomy Growth
UVU Bio, together with the CSIR‑hosted Regional Innovation Support Programme, has launched an Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Product Development Regional Innovation Platform in the Western and Eastern Cape. The platform helps indigenous knowledge holders and early‑stage bio‑entrepreneurs convert traditional practices...
Fraud Intelligence Platform Orca Raises R40m
Orca Fraud, a real‑time fraud intelligence platform, closed a $2.35 million seed round (R40 million) led by Norrsken22 with participation from OneDayYes, Enza Capital and CV VC Africa. The funding supports expansion of its transaction‑monitoring capabilities across Africa and other emerging markets....
Graduate Programme Launched to Train ICT Specialists
Axiz and SUSE have announced a 12‑month graduate programme aimed at creating ICT specialists across sub‑Saharan Africa, with the first cohort starting in February 2026. The curriculum blends technical instruction in enterprise Linux, cloud‑native infrastructure and cybersecurity with on‑the‑job placements...
Xsolla Celebrates International Women’s Day by Spotlighting Women in Games and Advancing Its Vision for Female Leadership
Xsolla reaffirmed its commitment to women in gaming by launching a series of community initiatives and industry events across emerging markets such as Dubai, Cyprus, and Türkiye. The company hosted a women‑founders gathering in Dubai and co‑organized a Women in...
Top ICT Tenders: Sentech Looks to IOT Opportunities
Senteic has issued a three‑year tender to build a comprehensive IoT ecosystem, inviting providers to deliver hardware, connectivity and platform solutions across nine categories, including smart metering, asset tracking, smart cities, e‑health, fleet management, smart grid, agriculture, and a generic...
Duxbury Lands Exclusive Milesight Surveillance Distribution Deal in SA
Duxbury Networking has secured an exclusive distribution agreement for Milesight’s AI‑enabled surveillance solutions in South Africa. The partnership expands Duxbury’s video‑security portfolio with a platform that promises rapid deployment and open integration with existing IT and security systems. According to...
Parly Committee Backs Payroll Reform Measures
South Africa’s Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service endorsed Treasury’s allocation to modernise the government payroll system and launch a national e‑government procurement platform. The move follows a ghost‑worker audit that has flagged 4,323 high‑risk cases of fraudulent payroll entries...
Trade Doesn't Flow on Roads − It Flows on Data
Africa’s trade potential hinges on overhauling its digital infrastructure, not just fixing ports or roads. Current IoT systems rely on permanent roaming SIMs and single‑core networks that crumble at borders, inflating costs and risk. Surveys show operators are shifting to...
Budget 2026: Govt Ups Digital Efforts to Root Out Payroll Fraud
South Africa’s 2026 budget earmarks R285.3 million to modernise the government payroll system and curb ghost‑worker fraud. An additional R98.9 million will fund a national e‑procurement platform under the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer. The Treasury has identified 4,323 high‑risk employees...
Budget 2026: SA Connect Phase Two ‘Comes to an End’
South Africa’s flagship broadband initiative, SA Connect, will complete its second phase in the 2025/26 fiscal year, according to the National Treasury’s Budget Review. Phase two delivered connectivity to 6,343 government facilities and installed 32,055 community Wi‑Fi hotspots, reaching an...
Budget 2026: Godongwana Talks up AI, Data Infrastructure
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana used the 2026 budget launch to declare data and artificial intelligence infrastructure as critical as electricity, ports and transport. He announced plans to expand data‑centre capacity, citing 55 existing facilities and R50 billion of investment expected over...
Vodacom Opens R1.5m Digital School in Eastern Cape
Vodacom Foundation, together with the Eastern Cape Department of Education, has launched a R1.5 million School of Excellence at Lavelilanga Secondary School. The investment, delivered over the first year, funds infrastructure upgrades, digital connectivity, ICT support staff and psychosocial services. The...
Fire at Cape Town International Airport Hits IT Services
A fire broke out on the landside of Cape Town International Airport on 24 Feb 2026, prompting ACSA to extinguish the blaze and confirm that all passengers and staff are safe. The incident disrupted the airport’s network and Wi‑Fi services, leading to...
Malatsi Throws Weight Behind Dell’s EEIP Application
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has recommended approval of Dell Technologies' Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP) renewal, extending the commitment for another ten years and pledging over R230 million into South Africa. The EEIP framework allows multinationals to meet B‑BEE targets through...
SOPA 2026: Lesufi Touts AI Office, Widespread WiFi
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced plans for a provincial artificial intelligence office to coordinate AI projects with the CSIR, state entities and private partners. The province highlighted recent AI factory launches by Altron and Cassava Technologies, positioning South Africa as a...
IT Grads Find Opportunity at Home Affairs Departments
Amazon Web Services has placed 20 unemployed IT graduates in Gauteng home affairs offices through the Youth Employment Services (YES) programme. The graduates will receive foundational AWS cloud training, certification, mentorship and compensation through December, directly supporting the department's digital...
Banks, Operators to Drive Africa’s Stablecoin Tipping Point
African banks and mobile network operators are poised to accelerate stablecoin adoption, turning the continent’s burgeoning mobile‑money ecosystem into a mainstream digital payments layer. Ripple’s Reece Merrick highlighted that once banks and telcos embed stablecoins in custody, payments and treasury...
Top ICT Tenders: SARS Mulls Tech Upgrades
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has issued three high‑profile ICT tenders aimed at overhauling its procurement ecosystem. One tender seeks an integrated strategic sourcing and e‑procurement platform that merges its current fragmented systems, integrates with existing ERP modules, and...
Cape Town Spearheads Public Engagement via Online Portal
Cape Town has launched a refreshed online collaboration platform that lets residents, workers and visitors submit ideas, join public consultations and comment on city projects. The digital hub supports English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa, expanding access across the metropolis. Users can...
ICASA Urges Telcos to Act Early on Licence Renewals
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has issued a reminder that all telecom licence holders must verify expiry dates and file renewal applications between 12 and six months before a licence lapses. The directive covers both Individual Electronic...
SA Maintains Mobile Network Quality Improvement
South Africa rose to 60th place out of 125 nations in Opensignal’s Global Network Excellence Index, up from 64th earlier in 2025. The index, released in February 2026, evaluates mobile performance on time spent on 4G/5G, Excellent Consistent Quality (ECQ)...
SA Developers Take Centre Stage as Code4Mzansi Kicks Off
Huawei’s Code4Mzansi developer competition has launched in South Africa, inviting university students, start‑ups and small‑business founders to build cloud‑first solutions. Partnering with the Department of Small Business Development and local universities, the programme offers access to Huawei Cloud tools, mentorship...
ZADNA Probe Exposes Costly Executive Spend Amid Cash Decline
The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies commissioned an investigation into ZADNA’s credit‑card spending, uncovering over R1 million in expenses for travel, entertainment and luxury vehicle rentals during the 2024/25 fiscal year. The report identified policy gaps, weak oversight and excessive...
Tech Gives Traffickers a Devastating New Weapon
Traffickers are exploiting artificial intelligence, digital platforms and generative AI to scale sexual exploitation, financial sextortion and online scams targeting women and children. The U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime reports 162 nationalities trafficked to 128 countries, with a 77%...
Old Mutual’s Dhesen Ramsamy to Present at ITWeb AI Summit 2026
Old Mutual’s Group Chief Technology and Data Officer Dhesen Ramsamy will speak at the ITWeb AI Summit 2026 on April 22. He will argue that robust data governance and sovereignty are prerequisites for trustworthy, high‑performing AI. Ramsamy highlights South Africa’s...
Africa’s Data Centre Capacity on Back Foot, Despite Investment Push
Africa’s data‑centre capacity remains under 1% of global supply despite a surge in investment, with active capacity at 360 MW and another 238 MW under construction. The Africa Data Centres Association report projects a total pipeline of 656 MW, but even full delivery...
SARS Turns Screws on Crypto Tax-Dodgers
South Africa’s tax authority, SARS, has released its domestic Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), outlining how crypto‑related transactions will be reported and shared with tax authorities. The framework mandates crypto‑asset service providers to gather detailed user and transaction data and...
Africa Must Build Its Own AI Future
Professor Mpho Primus, speaking at the ITWeb Data Insights Summit 2026, warned that Africa faces a choice between passively consuming foreign AI or shaping its own digital destiny through an Ubuntu‑centred governance model. She highlighted that the continent’s real data...