The SA Director Betting Everything on AI Filmmaking
South African director Donovan Marsh, co‑founder of Dragon Studios AI, says generative AI can produce blockbuster‑level films at a fraction of traditional costs. He claims AI could cut a $40 million production like "Hunter Killer" by up to 100 times, and expects the first AI‑generated feature to debut by year‑end. Marsh warns that visual‑effects, music, and even acting are being automated, reshaping the economics of filmmaking. He views the disruption as a chance for South Africa to compete with Hollywood on a level playing field.
FNB CEO Harry Kellan Steps Down After Just Two Years
Harry Kellan will step down as FNB CEO at the end of 2026 after a two‑year tenure, making way for long‑time executive Lytania Johnson. The leadership change is part of FirstRand’s broader simplification strategy, which reorganizes FNB into three distinct...
The Staggering Cost of Connecting Every South African Household
South Africa requires between R108‑billion and R142‑billion (≈ $5.7‑$7.5 billion) to deliver 100 Mbit/s broadband to every household by 2035, according to a DBSA‑commissioned Digital Infrastructure Investment Study. The study, led by Networks Anonymous strategist Pieter Grootes, breaks costs into new‑build, replacement and...
Modernise Infrastructure with Next-Gen Compute Using HPE VM Essentials
HPE VM Essentials on HPE ProLiant Gen12 servers offers South African enterprises a clear path to consolidate legacy hardware, boost performance per core, and cut energy consumption. The solution pairs a streamlined virtualization stack with hardware‑level security via Silicon Root of Trust and...
Standard Bank Moved R164-Trillion in Payments in 2025
Standard Bank processed more than R164 trillion (about $9 trillion) in payments during 2025, confirming its status as Africa’s largest transactional franchise. The bank handled 2.3 billion transactions, a 9% increase, driven by electronic channels, merchant acquiring, and rapid adoption of instant and...
How Consumers Can Identify a True QLED TV
Samsung’s premium QLED televisions now carry the Real Quantum Dot certification from TÜV Rheinland, confirming a genuine quantum‑dot implementation. The technology delivers 100% colour volume, brighter and more accurate images, and eliminates cadmium for safer, longer‑lasting performance. Consumers should verify...
The Real Reason Absa Wrote Off R2.4-billion in Software
Absa Group booked a R2.4 billion (≈$126 million) software impairment for 2025, far exceeding the R179 million (≈$9 million) written off a year earlier. The write‑down reflects accelerated obsolescence as AI, cloud adoption and faster technology cycles render legacy platforms uneconomic. Absa’s IT spend...
MTN Invests in AI Network Start-Up Alongside Nvidia
MTN’s digital infrastructure arm has joined a $45 million Series‑A round for US‑based ORAN Development Company (ODC), alongside Nvidia, Cisco and other telecom giants. ODC’s AI‑RAN platform will embed AI processing into radio access networks, turning traditional cell towers into edge‑computing...
The Conflict of Interest at the Heart of PayShap’s Slow Adoption
PayShap, South Africa’s low‑cost instant payment rail, marks its third anniversary but still lags behind legacy cards and EFTs. Adoption stalls because major banks, which host the service, view it as a threat to their fee‑based revenue, creating a structural...
The R16-Billion Tech Giant Hiding in Plain Sight
Datatec, a JSE‑listed technology group with a market capitalisation of roughly $0.9 billion, has generated a 361% total shareholder return over the past five years, positioning it among South Africa’s top‑performing tech stocks. The company reported $4.1 billion in gross invoiced income...
War Kills Rate Cut Hopes as Reserve Bank Warns of Inflation Spike
The South African Reserve Bank kept its repo rate at 6.75% as the US‑Israel war sparked higher global energy prices, prompting inflation concerns. Inflation, which had fallen to the 3% target in February, is now projected to climb toward 4%...
Why Namibia Slammed the Door on Starlink
Namibia’s Communications Regulatory Authority rejected Starlink’s applications for a telecom service licence and spectrum access, citing failure to meet ownership and compliance criteria. The regulator found Starlink complied with only three of six statutory requirements, notably lacking the mandated 51 %...
Podcasters Push Back Against Regulatory Overreach
South African podcasters warned parliament that new sector‑specific regulations could stifle the industry’s rapid growth and deter investment. They argue existing courts and platform‑level moderation already address hate speech, defamation, and explicit content, making additional rules redundant. The debate intensified...
Why Most Cisco Partners Leave Money on the Table at Renewal Time
Cisco partners often wait until an Enterprise Agreement (EA) is about to expire before reviewing usage, support status, and pricing, turning renewals into reactive negotiations. While 90% of Cisco EAs renew globally, many partners leave margin on the table because...
Why South Africa’s Technology Leaders Choose TechCentral
TechCentral has become the go‑to source of technology‑business news for South Africa’s senior tech executives, including CIOs and CTOs. The publication distinguishes itself by delivering accurate, independent reporting and in‑depth analysis rather than click‑bait content. Its audience consists of decision‑makers...
The Post Office Is Out of Options
South Africa’s Post Office, under business rescue, has been denied permission to sell assets or borrow externally due to the Public Finance Management Act, leaving it financially stranded. The rescue team says an additional R3.8 billion (≈$210 million) is required on top...
Optasia Wants to Do for Banks What It Did for Telcos
Optasia, the South African fintech that pioneered AI‑driven credit vetting via mobile wallets, is expanding into formal banking. The company’s micro‑financing line now generates 63% of revenue and posted a blended default rate of 1.2% for 2025. FirstRand Group invested...
SA’s Digital Economy Is Booming – but so Is the Fraud that Comes with It
South Africa’s digital economy is expanding rapidly, but telecom‑linked fraud is surging, costing the country roughly R5.3 billion (about $286 million) each year. SIM‑swap attacks now account for nearly 60% of mobile‑banking fraud, and digital banking losses jumped 74% in 2024 to...
AWS Again Disrupted by Drone Attacks in Middle East
Amazon Web Services confirmed that its Bahrain region experienced a disruption caused by drone activity, marking the second such incident in a month amid the ongoing US‑Israeli war on Iran. The company has not disclosed whether the facility was directly...
GoMetro Puts a Date on Its Electric Minibus Taxi Launch
GoMetro will roll out its eKamva electric minibus taxis on Century City routes in Cape Town starting October 2026. After two years of local testing, the company identified 15 taxi associations serving more than 25,000 commuters for the initial launch....
Meet the CIO | HealthBridge CTO Anton Fatti on the Future of Digital Health
HealthBridge CTO Anton Fatti says AI and cloud computing are reshaping healthcare administration while keeping the doctor‑patient relationship central. He notes that AI already automates paperwork, allowing clinicians more face‑time with patients. Fatti, who joined in February 2025, highlighted HealthBridge’s...
Open Banking Is Growing in South Africa – but Not for Everyone
South Africa’s open‑banking ecosystem is expanding, driven by a market‑led approach that has enabled fintechs such as Yoco, Lulalend and MTN MoMo to reach new customers. A Reserve Bank working paper warns that this model favours middle‑aged, educated users and leaves...
Perfect Storm for South African Tech Buyers
South African tech buyers are confronting a perfect storm as the rand weakens to R17.23 per dollar, its lowest level in four months. Simultaneously, global AI‑driven demand is driving DRAM and SSD prices up roughly 130% by year‑end, inflating PC...
Cape Town BNPL Start-Up Happy Pay Raises R86-Million in Seed Funding
Cape Town‑based BNPL startup Happy Pay closed a US$5 million (R86 million) seed round led by Partech, with participation from several local investors. The company, which counts more than 600,000 registered users, operates a merchant‑funded, ad‑subsidised payments network that places instalment options...
SA Start-Up HyperDev Wants to Turn Your AI-Built App Into a Real Company
South African startup HyperDev has launched an AI‑powered development platform that adds business‑development guidance to low‑code app creation. Its proprietary “guided mode” walks entrepreneurs through market research, design, payment integration, security and deployment, while offering human‑in‑the‑loop support for technical or...
MTN and Vodacom Dwarf South Africa’s Listed Tech Sector
MTN and Vodacom, South Africa’s telecom behemoths, each generate more than R1 billion in revenue within two to three days, dwarfing the daily earnings of all JSE‑listed technology companies. MTN’s daily run rate sits at roughly R621 million and Vodacom’s at R417 million,...
OpenAI Plans Desktop ‘Super App’
OpenAI confirmed plans to merge its ChatGPT desktop app, Codex coding platform, and web browser into a single desktop “super app.” President Greg Brockman will temporarily oversee the product overhaul and organizational changes, while chief of applications Fidji Simo will...
How a WhatsApp Bundle Exposed a Fault Line in SA Mobile
Telkom’s prepaid WhatsApp bundles now include unlimited voice and video calling, priced at R15 daily, R35 weekly and R100 monthly, attracting price‑sensitive users from larger rivals. The offering has contributed to a 2.3% drop in MTN’s prepaid revenue and a...
Eskom Must Build Renewables or Face Extinction: Mteto Nyati
South Africa’s state utility Eskom announced the creation of a dedicated renewables subsidiary, Eskom Green, as part of its unbundling strategy. Chairman Mteto Nyati warned that without new renewable capacity Eskom could disappear within decades, while emphasizing that coal and...
IT Leadership Series: Cullinan Holdings CIO Ryan Porter
Cullinan Holdings CIO Ryan Porter outlines his 2026 IT roadmap, emphasizing enterprise‑wide AI, robust cybersecurity, modern cloud platforms, data as a strategic asset, and talent development. He stresses governance and measurable business value as the backbone of AI scaling. Porter...
IOCO Scraps ‘Work From Home’ – and Says It’s Boosting Productivity
iOCO, the JSE‑listed technology services group, has eliminated its work‑from‑home policy, requiring all 4,300 staff to work full‑time from the office. CEO Rhys Summerton said the change has produced measurable gains in productivity, fewer errors and higher customer satisfaction. The...
Commission to Probe Showmax Closure
The Competition Commission announced a probe into Canal+'s compliance with the merger conditions attached to its takeover of MultiChoice, focusing on the recent shutdown of the Showmax streaming service. Regulators will assess whether Canal+ adhered to voting‑right caps and the...
Zimi, Charge Holdings Partner to Electrify Freight on N3 Corridor
Logistics aggregator Zimi Charge and Zero Carbon Holdings have signed a three‑year deal to electrify freight on South Africa’s N3 corridor between Johannesburg and Durban. Charge Holdings will launch two off‑grid, solar‑powered fast‑charging stations – Charge N3 Tugela in KwaZulu‑Natal and Charge N3 Roadside in the Free State...
IOCO Shifts to Offence with First Acquisition in Eight Years
JSE‑listed iOCO announced its first acquisition in eight years, agreeing to buy 100% of MySky Group for R47 million cash plus a share component. MySky is projected to contribute roughly R80 million in revenue and R10 million profit after tax in its first...
SA Is Off the FATF Grey List – Now It’s Time to Modernise Compliance
South Africa exited the Financial Action Task Force grey list in October 2025 after completing a 22‑point AML/CFT action plan. The removal lifts cross‑border restrictions and restores investor confidence, giving local banks a chance to expand. Analysts argue that compliance...
Zoyk: Cost-Effective Payment Processing for Small Businesses in Southern Africa
Zoyk has launched an integrated payment platform aimed at small businesses across Southern Africa, unifying mobile‑money, card and online transactions into a single gateway. The solution offers real‑time dashboards, QR‑code links and Android‑based POS hardware, eliminating the need for multiple...
Why Finance’s New KPI Is Decision Speed
Finance is evolving from a score‑keeping function to a decision‑speed engine, with CFOs now seen as "Chief Future Officers" who must turn uncertainty into actionable insight. Slow, rigid forecasting and budgeting cycles are the primary bottleneck, turning forecasts into historical...
MTN Initiates Share Buyback Programme
MTN Group announced a R6 billion share‑buyback programme targeting 1.7 %‑2 % of its equity over the next three years. The initiative is part of an enhanced shareholder remuneration framework that also guarantees a minimum 40 % free‑cash‑flow dividend, with a potential additional 20 %...
Your Airbnb Is Empty Half the Year – This SA Start-Up Has a Fix
AirhostSwap, a South African startup, tackles the chronic low‑occupancy issue in short‑term rentals by letting Airbnb hosts exchange unused nights through a points‑based system. The platform, which syncs directly with Airbnb calendars, supports both one‑to‑one swaps and point‑earned stays at...
Eskom Marks 300 Days without Load Shedding
Eskom announced 300 consecutive days without load shedding, highlighting a sustained recovery of its generation fleet. The utility's energy availability factor (EAF) averaged 65.85% for the fiscal year, surpassing the 70% mark on 83 occasions. Unplanned outages fell 53% to...
MTN South Africa Struggles as Competition Bites in Prepaid Market
MTN South Africa reported a 10.1% drop in EBITDA to R17.7 billion, driven by a shrinking prepaid base, higher bad‑debt provisions and a modest 2% rise in service revenue. Prepaid subscribers fell 0.7% and prepaid revenue contracted 2.3% (3.9% in Q4),...
Post Office on the Brink of Collapse
South Africa's communications minister Solly Malatsi called premature the rescue practitioners' intent to file for liquidation of the state‑owned Post Office. The practitioners argue that without a R3.8 billion funding tranche, the rescue plan cannot succeed, and the company has been...
New Policy Direction Targets South Africa’s Municipal Broadband Logjam
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has issued a draft policy direction to overhaul South Africa’s decade‑old facilities‑leasing regulations and introduce rapid‑deployment rules for broadband infrastructure. The directive tasks regulator Icasa with clarifying access rights, defining essential facilities, and setting tighter timelines...
TCS+ | Vox Kiwi: A Wireless Solution Promising a Fibre-Like Experience
Vox has introduced Kiwi, a wireless broadband service that promises fibre‑like speeds of up to 200 Mbit/s in South Africa, where fibre penetration remains low. The solution leverages licensed spectrum and proprietary radio‑link technology to deliver low latency and high reliability,...
TCS+ | Flipping the Narrative on AI in the Global South
In a TechCentral TCS+ interview, Dr. Josefin Rosén argues that Africa’s tightly regulated AI environment can become a strategic advantage rather than a hurdle. She emphasizes governance‑by‑design, representative data, and bias mitigation as essential for trustworthy public‑facing AI. The discussion...
AI Is Coming to Your Accounting Software
Sage, the London‑listed accounting software provider, unveiled Sage AI in Johannesburg, embedding artificial intelligence across its finance, payroll and HR products for small businesses in Africa and the Middle East. The platform relies on roughly 40,000 domain‑specific models and claims...
DStv’s High Entry Price Is Killing Subscriber Growth, Says Canal+
Canal+ Africa warned that DStv’s steep entry price is stalling subscriber growth in Anglophone Africa. Installation costs average €38 per household, nearly three times the €13 seen in Canal+‑run Francophone markets, contributing to a drop from 14.9 million to 14.4 million subscribers...
Standard Bank IT Bill Tops R14-Billion as Software Spending Shifts
Standard Bank Group reported a R14.1 billion spend on cloud, software and technology in 2025, an 8.7% year‑on‑year rise that lifted tech costs to roughly 14% of total operating expenses. At the same time, capitalised software outlays fell 28%, signalling a...
Vodacom Claims African First with 254Mbit/S 5G Uplink Test
Vodacom South Africa announced a 254 Mbit/s uplink test using its new “SuperUpload” 5G feature, marking what it claims as the first African achievement of this speed. The technology aggregates two separate uplink channels and dynamically selects the faster path, delivering...
UCT Astronomers Uncover Vast Hidden Supercluster Behind the Milky Way
University of Cape Town astronomers used MeerKAT and SALT to reveal the Vela Supercluster behind the Milky Way’s Zone of Avoidance. The structure extends about 300 million light‑years and contains mass equivalent to roughly 30 million billion suns, making it comparable to the...
