TCS+ | Switchcom and Huawei eKit: networking made easy for SMEs

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The Wednesday Season 2 Official Woecast

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Here We Woe Again: Jenna Ortega, Creators Al Gough & Miles Millar 31:46

۸ روز پیش31:46

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31:46

BE WARNED! This podcast will contain spoilers for Wednesday Season 2, episodes 1-4. Join host Caitlin Reilly each week as she takes you deep into the twisted world of Wednesday with an amazing group of guests! And producer Thing will be helping out to make sure everything goes to plan - well, mostly, anyway... In this episode: Jenna Ortega peels back the layers on the new tension between Wednesday and Enid. And that terrifying vision! Plus… Series showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar reveal why they made Morticia Addams such a central character in this season, and what it means for Wednesday. Whether you’re a normie or an outcast, the Wednesday Season 2 Official Woecast will be the place for all things Nevermore! For more juicy details about Wednesday Season 2, head over to Tudum.com to get all of the latest updates. 1:15 Preparing for Season 2 3:25 Evolving Wednesday’s look for Season 2 4:12 Addams clan expands for Season 2 6:12 Joanna Lumley joining the cast 7:38 Wednesday and Enid's Friendship 9:00 Wednesday’s Vision 10:50 Jenna is a Producer 13:45 Al and Miles introduction 14:03 Wednesday takes down a Serial Killer 15:05 Intergenerational Relationships & the Addams Women 17:48 Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia in Season 2 20:48 Wednesday and Enid’s relationship 24:04 Steve Buscemi joining the cast 26:19 Wednesday’s popular! 27:45 Boy with the Clockwork Heart stop motion sequence…

حدود یک سال پیش 24:40

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Networking equipment wholesaler Switchcom Distribution has partnered with Huawei Technologies to bring new offerings to the South African market and elsewhere in Africa.
In the first episode of this series, Switchcom national sales manager Lynton Brits and Huawei account manager Tanki Lebatla told TCS+ about the rationale behind the partnership and some of the networking and backup power equipment the companies have on offer. That video is available here.
In this second episode of the series, Brits is back on TCS+, this time accompanied by Jan Keyser, CEO of Konnekt SP, a provider of networking solutions to small and medium enterprises.
In this episode of TCS+, Brits and Keyser delve into:
• Why networking solutions providers and small and medium enterprises are draw to the Huawei networking eKit distributed by Switchcom;
• The different types of networking equipment that comes with the eKit solution;
• The software support Huawei provides to make network configuration easier for engineers using the eKit;
• The advantages of purchasing a homogenous solution from the same brand in making network configuration easier for installers; and
• Tools for managing the software-defined networks deployed using the eKit as customer need evolve over time.
This insightful conversation is not to be missed, especially for SMEs looking for networking solutions and the vendors who install them. TechCentral

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#Business #South Africa #TechCentral #Tech

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TCS+ | Switchcom and Huawei eKit: networking made easy for SMEs

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published حدود یک سال پیش

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M4A•خانه قسمت

265 قسمت

#Business #South Africa #TechCentral #Tech

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TCS | Pick n Pay’s Enrico Ferigolli on building asap! and taking on Shoprite 49:30

۸ hours پیش49:30

49:30

Although Shoprite Group stole a march on many of South Africa’s retailers in on-demand online grocery delivery during the Covid-19 lockdowns, Pick n Pay has a clear plan to make up lost ground and compete aggressively for market share. Enrico Ferigolli, who co-founded the liquor delivery app Bottles – which was later acquired by Pick n Pay to form the basis of its online shopping push with asap! – joins the TechCentral Show to unpack the journey Pick n Pay is on, and how the e-commerce market is likely to develop in the coming years. Ferigolli tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about: * Why and how technology has become fundamental to modern retail; * The launch of Bottles and what led to the Pick n Pay acquisition; * The dynamics of on-demand delivery and what it takes to be a successful player; * How Pick n Pay is working to convince people to try asap! for their grocery needs; * The role of AI (and AI agents) in future omnichannel retail environments; How online shopping is likely to change the way Pick n Pay designs its physical stores; * Pick n Pay’s relationship with Takealot Group, and where that alliance is headed; * Pick n Pay’s plans to expand into townships and other underserved markets with on-demand deliveries; and * The threat posed by international e-commerce companies that don’t have a presence in South Africa but which ship goods to local consumers. It’s a great interview about the future of e-commerce in South Africa – be sure not to miss it! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Cassava’s Adil El Youssefi on data centre growth in Africa 30:07

1 day پیش30:07

30:07

In this episode of TCS+, Adil El Youssefi, newly appointed CEO of the colocation business at Cassava Technologies and CEO of Africa Data Centres, chats about the challenges and opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa. El Youssefi delves into: • His background prior to being appointed into the role and how it has influenced his career as a technologist; • His personal connection to the African continent and why growing its digital economy excites him; • The data traffic boom taking place in Africa and the drivers behind it; • The industries fuelling the demand for data centre capacity on the continent; • The infrastructural challenges dampening data centre growth and the different ways they are being surmounted; and • What the future of data centres looks like in sub-Saharan Africa; Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral…

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Watts & Wheels Ep 3: 'We drive the new Dongfeng Box' 46:08

۳ روز پیش46:08

46:08

The Dongfeng Box electric city runabout has landed in South Africa, and Watts & Wheels has taken the vehicle – one of the cheapest electric cars currently on sale in the country – for a test drive. One of China’s biggest and oldest motoring manufacturers, the state-owned Dongfeng Motor Corporation has identified South Africa as a key export market and, through E Auto Motor, has launched the brand in South Africa – starting with the Dongfeng Box, whose pricing begins at R460 000. Watts & Wheels hosts William Kelly and Duncan McLeod take the Box for a drive around Johannesburg and share their thoughts on this intriguing and relatively low-cost hatchback designed for urban and city driving. Also in this final episode of the three-part pilot season of Watts & Wheel, William and Duncan get animated about: • The state of the EV charging infrastructure market in South Africa – and is it getting overtraded?; • A new report on EV sales in South Africa over the next five years; • Chery’s reporting plans to build a car plant in South Africa; • The challenges at Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s East London production plant, especially in the light of US President Donald Trump’s tariff wars; • Tesla’s challenge to the like of Waymo – a look at Elon Musk’s determination to win in autonomous ride-hailing services; • Xiaomi’s beautiful YU7 and how it’s going toe-to-toe with Tesla in China; • What’s happening at Porsche; and • Christian Horner’s exit at Red Bull Racing. Don’t miss this episode. TechCentral…

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Watts & Wheels Ep 2: ‘We test drive the Riddara electric bakkie’ 49:15

10 روز پیش49:15

49:15

Enviro Automotive has launched the Riddara RD6, South Africa’s first fully electric 4x4 bakkie – and Watts & Wheels has taken it for a test drive. In episode 2 of Watts & Wheels – the brand-new South Africa motoring show from TechCentral (subscribe on YouTube) – hosts William Kelly and Duncan McLeod throw the Riddara around some corners and chat with Enviro Automotive’s Francois Malan about why the company has introduced the Geely Auto-owned brand in South Africa. If you miss Ep 1 of Watts & Wheels, catch it here. Also in this week’s episode of Watts & Wheels: • Ford’s beastly new Ranger Raptor vs BYD’s Shark 6 sprint to the chequered flag (can you guess which one won?); • What to expect at SA Auto Week in Gqeberha in October amid immense pressure on the local motor manufacturing industry; • Why William thinks Ashok Leyland’s new “no-frills” EV truck could prove to be a big hit in South Africa; • Huawei’s new supercar, the Maextro S800, developed in collaboration with JAC Group, and why we’re excited about it; • Why Xiaomi’s new SU7 Ultra sportscar should have Porsche and even Rimac concerned; and • The flying cars are here (well, kind of). Subscribe to the channel on YouTube and never miss an episode! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Zahir Cajee on Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold7, Flip7 and Watch8 line-up 18:47

14 روز پیش18:47

18:47

Folding phones are advancing at light speed. For consumers, the appeal is self-evident: on one hand, folding phones give them the option to have a larger, tablet-like interface that offers enhanced productivity and a better user experience. On the other hand, the fit-in-your-pocket design when folded maintains easy portability. Samsung pioneered the folding phone category in South Africa with the first-generation Galaxy Fold in 2019. The Z Fold series is now in its seventh generation, with the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 launched earlier this month. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Zahir Cajee, mobile experience lead for product and commercial services at Samsung South Africa, talks through the design elements and software features in the newest foldables. Cajee delves into: • What smartphone manufacturers like Samsung are trying to achieve with foldable phones; • The market segments Samsung’s Z Fold and Z Flip phones appeal to; • The latest features in the new Z Fold7 and Z Flip7; • The Z Fold7’s new 200-megapixel camera; • Samsung’s thinking behind the introduction of the lower-cost Samsung Flip7 FE; • The AI features in the new Galaxy Watch8; and • When the new devices are going to be available and how much they’ll cost. Don’t miss the discussion. TechCentral…

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Meet the CIO | How Marijke Guest steered Nedbank through an IT crisis 56:36

15 روز پیش56:36

56:36

When Nedbank realised early last year that its mammoth core banking overhaul and modernisation programme was going awry, it turned to Marijke Guest for help. Guest, CIO of Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) and payments and a veteran of the financial services group, tells TechCentral’s Meet the CIO about how the bank realised it was headed for trouble, and what it took to get the project back on track and delivered – all in little under a year. According to Nedbank, the project was thought to be 80% complete, but when it was reassessed in January 2024, it became clear that only around 20% of the actual scope had been delivered. “Designs were incomplete,” the bank said. “Engineering practices were out of date. Key components, such as the liability rates engine, product lifecycle workflows and real-time processing, were either broken or unbuilt. The programme was years behind its intended outcomes, and the bank’s reputation was at stake.” Guest, who has worked at Nedbank for the past 25 years, tells Meet the CIO’s Duncan McLeod about: • When and why Nedbank first decided it needed to modernise its core banking systems and what the project would entail; • What’s involved in an undertaking like this, and why there’s potential for things to go wrong that could lead to huge cost overruns – as has happened at other South African banks that have embarked on similar modernisation programmes; • What Nedbank’s core banking modernisation project aimed to achieve, and why it was at risk of being derailed; • What she did to get it back on track and motivate the IT teams involved; • What it took to get everyone to start pulling in the same direction and ensure the project was delivered on time with zero reputational impact to the bank; • How she coped with the immense pressure she and her teams were under from the board and top management to get the project done right, on time and within budget; • What Nedbank can do now that it couldn’t do before, and how that positions it next to its rivals – both the traditional banks and the new digital bank challengers that have emerged in recent years; and • What CIOs who are embarking on similarly complex IT projects can learn from Nedbank’s project – including the pitfalls they should watch out for, and what areas they should be careful not to neglect. Guest was ultimately awarded Nedbank’s Chief Executive Award for her leadership of the project. No one involved in IT management should miss this fascinating discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS | Britehouse MBO: Graham Parker on what’s next for software firm 25:17

15 روز پیش25:17

25:17

A recent management buyout of Britehouse from NTT Data – previously Dimension Data – has put the software development house on a new trajectory. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Duncan McLeod chats to Britehouse executive chairman Graham Parker about the MBO of Britehouse Mobility and what it means for the future of the business. Dimension Data acquired the 60% of Britehouse it didn’t already own in a 2015 transaction, buying out shareholders that included Remgro and Convergence Partners. The IT group had held a 40% stake since 2007 before buying out other shareholders eight years later. “Britehouse is embarking on a new era of innovation and independence following a management buyout transaction that effectively acquired the business from NTT Data,” a statement at the time said. “The acquisition from NTT Data marks a pivotal moment in Britehouse’s journey.” Following the deal, Britehouse Mobility will operate as a fully independent company. The Britehouse brand will cease to exist inside NTT Data, but the latter will retain the enterprise applications business, with specific focus on SAP and Microsoft, it said. “After several successful years of operating as part of the global NTT Data group, Britehouse is excited to return to its roots as an independent, South African-led business,” said Parker at the time. Parker tells the TechCentral Show about: • His history with Dimension Data and Britehouse; • The story of Britehouse; and • What the business looks like today, and management’s plans for growth. Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral…

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Watts & Wheels Ep 1: ‘BYD Shark 6 and the electric bakkie revolution’ 57:54

18 روز پیش57:54

57:54

This is Watts & Wheels, a new motoring show hosted by motoring journalist (and “buzzhead” – or is that “electronhead”?) William Kelly and TechCentral editor (and wannabe EV owner) Duncan McLeod. With a focus on the shift to electric motoring, the pilot season of Watts & Wheels consists of three episodes. The focus of the show is the “lived EV experience”, with the aim of helping “dispel some of the misconceptions” about owning and driving an EV in South Africa. What else can you expect from Watts & Wheels? We’ll look at the latest EV models – from mild hybrids to plug-in hybrids and full battery-electric vehicles – making their way to South African shores. We’ll also test drive many of them for the show. We’ll also look at the business of motoring, and the challenges and opportunities facing the local industry amid the tectonic shifts that are remaking the global automotive sector, including the rapid rise of Chinese EV brands. Whether you’re pondering your first EV purchase, are keen to understand the nuances of local charging networks or are simply fascinated by the future of sustainable transport, let Watts & Wheels be your guide. In episode 1, William and Duncan dive into: • The different types of new energy vehicles available in South Africa, explaining terms like EV, BEV, HEV, PHEV and REEV. What do they all mean, and how are prospective buyers to choose between these technologies? • Should consumers really be worried about long-term battery health in EVs? Spoiler alert: no! In fact, the data now shows battery endurance in EVs has been vastly underestimated. • The power of VTOL, or vehicle-to-load, technology and how it can be used to power everything from a kettle to your house. • The electrification of bakkies, including a look at BYD’s exciting new Shark 6 PHEV (and whether it can beat the monstrous 3l Ford Raptor from a standing start to 100km/h); Nissan’s sexy Frontier PHEV (not confirmed for South Africa); and Ford’s new PHEV Ranger (made in Silverton in Pretoria). • The controversial Jaguar Type 00 – and why William thinks why the critics have it completely wrong. If you like what you see, please subscribe to Watts & Wheels on YouTube – and share the word with family and friends. It’s also available as an audio podcast in your favourite podcasting app. In episode 2, out next week, look out for an exclusive look at – and first media test drive of – South Africa’s first 4x4 fully electric bakkie. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Lessons from South Africa’s biggest cyberattacks 15:59

20 روز پیش15:59

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IT security breaches are on the rise in South Africa and worldwide, and with AI tools at their disposal, criminals are scaling up their attacks. With the risk of attack so high, organisations are forced to look beyond beefing up security – they must prepare for the unfortunate event where their systems are, in fact, breached. One way to do this is to learn from those organisations whose systems have been breached in the past. This episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, the third in a series of three with First Distribution on how to manage cyber crises – watch episodes 1 and 2 here – sees Microsoft portfolio manager at First Distribution Kejen Pillay back to share more insight on this topic. Pillay discusses various lessons from: - The TransUnion breach of March 2022, where 5.2 million records were compromised and a US$15-million ransom demanded; - The CIPC hack of February 2024 and the media furore that ensued; and - The National Health Laboratory Services breach of June 2024. Don’t miss this important discussion. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | First Distribution’s guide to a bulletproof cyber crisis response strategy 11:41

22 روز پیش11:41

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In cybersecurity, prevention is always better than cure. However, organisations have to prepare for the worst-case scenario, one where their systems are breached by cybercriminals. This is the second in a series of three podcasts on how to manage cyber crises effectively when they happen. The first episode – watch it here – centred on defining what a cyber crisis is and the different ways cybercriminals exploit an organisation. In episode 2, Kejen Pillay, portfolio manager for Microsoft at First Distribution, discusses the strategies and tools organisations use to craft an effective crisis response plan. Pillay delves into: • The elements of an effective crisis response plan; • The Microsoft tools businesses can use to prepare for a cyber crisis; • Backups and other tools that aid in the speedy recovery of operations following a cyber crisis; • The importance of training non-IT staff on what to do in a cyber crisis; • How AI tools can help protect organisations; and • Advice for organisations wanting to begin crafting their cyber crisis response plan. Don’t miss the discussion. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | How cyberthreats turn into cyber crises 13:57

22 روز پیش13:57

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In today's hyperconnected society, a cybersecurity crisis isn’t just a technical glitch; it's a profound disruption that can bring businesses, governments and even entire countries to a halt. For organisations to protect themselves effectively, they must understand what cybercriminals are capable of, where the vulnerabilities in their own systems are and – most importantly – be prepared for the worst-case scenario where their systems are breached. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Kejen Pillay, Microsoft portfolio manager at First Distribution, discusses the anatomy of a cyber crisis and how businesses should prepare for it. Pillay delves into: • The difference between a cyberthreat and a cyber crisis; • How cybercriminals are using AI tools to develop increasingly sophisticated methods of attack; • How organisations can keep pace with the rapid changes in the threat landscape to keep their systems secure; • The difference between a crisis management plan and an incident response plan; • Some common errors businesses make when responding to a cyber crisis; and • What South Africa’s leading organisations are doing to prepare for a cyber crisis. This informative show is not to be missed. * TCS+ episodes are sponsored TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Vox’s Craig Blignaut on the data boom and the future of Wi-Fi 14:54

24 روز پیش14:54

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Data is like oxygen in the digital era, and people are using more of it. In 2025 alone, global mobile data usage is projected to reach 200 exabytes per month. That is 200 billion gigabytes of data consumed monthly by everything from high-definition video streaming to online gaming and IoT. This trend has implications for infrastructure – in the home, in business and even in shared outdoor spaces. For the people consuming the data, connecting with ease as they migrate between different environments is paramount; but so is the privacy and integrity of their personal data. In this episode of TCS+, Vox Wi-Fi product manager Craig Blignaut discusses the trends in data consumption, their drivers and how Wi-Fi technology is evolving to meet people’s needs. Blignaut delves into: • Why data has become the lifeblood of modern society; • How newer technologies like generative AI are shaping trends in data consumption; • The different ways people gain access to the internet; • How Wi-Fi has contributed to making the internet cheaper and more accessible; • How an enterprise’s Wi-Fi experience contributes to how visitors experience a company’s brand; and • The role is AI playing in enhancing network connectivity. Don’t miss an informative discussion. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Samsung unveils significant new safety feature for A-series phones 18:49

29 روز پیش18:49

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Samsung Electronics recently launched the latest line-up of its popular Galaxy A-series of midtier smartphones, with the A26, A36 and A56 replacing the older A25, A35 and A55 models. One of the most notable new features of the A-series is a curated artificial intelligence module, dubbed Awesome Intelligence, that brings powerful AI features previously exclusive to its top-tier Galaxy S-series phones to its midrange devices for the first time. Unique to the A-series is a new safety feature called Samsung SOS+, a free-to-use, 24/7 subscription service exclusive to owners of the new Galaxy A56, A36 and A26 devices. In an emergency situation – and on-demand – the service immediately geolocates the user and sends private security and medical emergency services to their location at the press of a button. In this episode of TCS+, Justin Hume, vice president for mobile at Samsung Electronics South Africa, tells TechCentral about how SOS+ works in the new Galaxy A-series line-up. Hume delves into: • The inspiration behind SOS+ and why Samsung has chosen the A series to pilot the service; • How the service works and its benefits for A-series smartphone users; • Why the service is currently limited to users of the A56, A36 and A26 devices and Samsung’s plans for expanded roll-out; • Key features that set the SOS+ service apart; and • Why Samsung has chosen Aura as its partner in providing the SOS+ service. Don’t miss a fascinating discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market 23:42

۵ weeks پیش23:42

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For years, mobile telecommunications was dominated by a handful of large operators, or MNOs. Now, with almost 30 MVNOs, or mobile virtual network operators, serving niche consumer bases in banking, retail and education, among other sectors, the MVNO market is thriving. However, brands looking to take advantage of this boom and add mobile services to their offerings are not guaranteed success. There are several critical decisions regarding strategy, process and choosing the right technology platform that are key to building a critical mass of loyal MVNO customers. In this episode of TCS+, Daniel Swart, chief commercial officer at MVNX, an MVNO enablement specialist, discusses the opportunities and threats facing MVNOs in South Africa today. Swart Delves into: • The services MVNX, as an MVNO enabler, offers to brands looking to launch MVNO services in South Africa; • How South Africa’s MVNO market has developed since its inception in 2006 with the entry of now-defunct Virgin Mobile; • The markers of success separating successful MVNOs from those that have struggled to gain a foothold in the market; • The benefits MVNO brands reap from using an enablement platform to launch and distribute their mobile services; • The importance of understanding the competitive dynamics of the MVNO market and how new MVNOs should position themselves; • The regulatory aspects of running an MVNO; and • International MVNO trends Swart believes are likely to be emulated in South Africa. This discussion is not to be missed. TechCentral…

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TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network 20:39

۵ weeks پیش20:39

20:39

The Lekker Network is a recently launched global business platform designed to help South African expatriates find business and investment opportunities around the world, including at home. Founded by a group of well-known businesspeople, The Lekker Network was launched in March and offers members access to a business directory, a jobs portal (for employers and job seekers), a social platform with “likeminded individuals” and events around the world for people, including non-South Africans, to meet up. Renier Lombard, a co-founder of The Lekker Network, is our guest on this episode of the TechCentral Show. He said the platform, whose ambassadors include well-known journalist and speaker Bruce Whitfield and former Springbok and now businessman Bob Skinstad, is designed to “forge connections between South African businesses and businesspeople, regardless of their location”. In this episode of TCS, Lombard unpacks: • Who founded The Lekker Network and why; • Who it is aimed at and who can join; • How much it costs and what members get for the fee; • The markets where The Lekker Network is focused – not surprisingly, the attention is on countries where there are a large number of South African expats; • How (and why) non-South Africans can join the network; and • The importance of the tech sector, including start-ups, to The Lekker Network community. Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral…

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TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan 19:21

۶ weeks پیش19:21

19:21

This is the fourth episode of a new podcast series curated by TechCentral’s editorial team and generated by artificial intelligence tools. It’s an experiment that’s in beta for now, but if it works well, we’ll consider making it a regular feature by launching a season 1. In this episode, we highlight some of the biggest technology news stories from South Africa and the world over the last week, as covered by TechCentral. Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources, AI can and will occasionally make mistakes. In this episode, we look at: • Takealot’s talks about hiring thousands of retrenched Post Office employees to support its e-commerce expansion plans; • Why South Africans’ use of cash is costing the economy billions of rand a year, according to the Reserve Bank; • City Power’s plan to roll out electric vehicle charging stations in Johannesburg; • The Internet Service Providers’ Association’s view of communications minister Solly Malatsi’s plan to introduce equity equivalence in licensing in the ICT sector; • Intel’s pivot to the “14A” manufacturing technology and what it means in its fight with TSMC for foundry customers; • Bank Zero’s sale to Lesaka Technologies; and • The mental health impact of AI chatbots. Again, this podcast is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature? Is there anything you’d like us to improve? Is it too short or too long? Drop us a line at nexus@techcentral.co.za. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies 11:08

۷ weeks پیش11:08

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The pace of innovation in the cloud space is breathtaking. Gone are the days when the cloud was just about virtual machines and storage; today, it is a dynamic ecosystem, constantly introducing features that are fundamentally transforming how businesses operate, from the smallest start-ups to the largest enterprises. Preegan Chetty, Azure product manager at First Distribution, returns to TechCentral’s TCS+ to discuss some of the latest and most exciting features available in the Azure cloud environment and how businesses are leveraging those capabilities to facilitate growth. This is the third in a series of three episodes with Chetty and First Distribution. Episode one covered cloud cost optimisation in Azure and episode two looked at how businesses can manage the complexities of data residency in hybrid cloud environments. In this episode, Chetty delves into: • The benefits cloud-based IT environments offer over on-prem installations and how they help companies experiment and adopt new technologies faster; • How businesses can ensure they are able to keep pace with new technologies so they are not left behind; • How South African businesses are using the newest AI tools in Azure to build new products and services; • How to approach responsible AI development in the cloud; • How cloud AI tools can help with code modernisation; • How small businesses can take advantage of cloud technology; and • Emerging cloud technologies to keep an eye on. This discussion is not to be missed. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | First Distribution on data governance in hybrid cloud environments 12:32

۷ weeks پیش12:32

12:32

Data is the lifeblood of every organisation, driving innovation, enhancing customer experiences and influencing strategic decisions. But managing this invaluable asset has never been more challenging. Hybrid IT environments – where some organisational data sits in the cloud other data resides in on-premises infrastructure – only adds to this complexity. In this second episode in a series of three delving into the ins and outs of Azure cloud deployments, Preegan Chetty, Azure product manager at First Distribution, discusses the data governance procedures that ensure organisational data is stored in the most useful, cost-effective and compliant ways. The first episode centred on effective cost management techniques for the Azure cloud environment. You can watch that episode here. In this episode, Chetty delves into: • Why the complexity of data governance increases when organisations migrate from on-premises to hybrid cloud environments; • The factors organisations should consider when deciding which data they should keep where; • What Dora legislation is and how it affects the hybrid data strategies of South African organisations; • Other legislation impacting data governance in South Africa; • The tools Azure provides to help data architects structure distributed data in ways that do not have a negative impact on performance; • Data governance for disaster recovery; and • The impact data governance decisions have on an organisation’s cloud costs. Don’t miss an informative discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | First Distribution on cloud cost management in Microsoft Azure 13:17

۷ weeks پیش13:17

13:17

Organisations are flocking to the cloud for its agility, scalability and innovation potential. But while the cloud promises big things, it also presents a set of financial challenges. Many businesses find their cloud bills spiralling out of control, eroding the very benefits they sought in the first place. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Preegan Chetty, Microsoft Azure product manager at First Distribution, discusses the tools Azure provides for effective cost management and how businesses can take advantage of them to get the most out their cloud deployments without breaking the bank. Chetty delves into: • Some of the common pitfalls or hidden costs that organisations encounter when moving their workloads into the cloud and how to mitigate against these; • The different pricing models available in Azure and how organisations can leverage them; • What FinOps is and how businesses can benefit from it; • How organisational KPIs can be leveraged to manage cloud spending effectively; • How tagging can aid in cost centre management; • How to manage costs in more complex hybrid cloud environments; and • The AI tools Azure offers to aid businesses in managing their costs. This episode is not to be missed. TechCentral…

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TCS | South Africa’s Sociable wants to make social media social again 23:32

۷ weeks پیش23:32

23:32

The digitisation of social interactions has made it easier for people to maintain contact and build online communities. However, there has been a decrease in in-person interaction that has contributed to a sense of disconnect. South African-made social media platform Sociable hopes to solve this problem by combining online engagement with in-person meetups, connecting people based on shared interests. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Sociable co-founder and CEO Jason van Dyk tells TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about the importance of community and how Sociable is helping drive its development. In the show, Van Dyk delves into: • How community builders benefit from using the Sociable platform; • The features Sociable provides to communities and their members to enhance engagement; • How meeting spaces including coffee shops, bars and restaurants benefit from the in-person component of Sociable’s community meetups; • Sociable’s approach to safety for its users; • How Sociable positions itself against large social media platforms like Facebook; • Some of the most popular communities on the platform; and • The impact of AI on the social media landscape. Don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral…

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Nexus S0E3: Behind Takealot’s revenue surge 16:26

۷ weeks پیش16:26

16:26

This is the third episode of a new podcast series curated by TechCentral’s editorial team and generated by artificial intelligence tools. It’s an experiment that’s in beta for now, but if it works well, we’ll consider making it a regular feature by launching a season 1. Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources, AI can and will occasionally make mistakes. In this episode, we highlight some of the biggest technology news stories from South Africa and the world over the last week, as covered by TechCentral. In this episode, we look at: • Takealot Group’s strong top-line performance; • The profit surge at Prosus and what’s driving it; • The over-capacity crisis hitting China’s motoring industry; • How Oracle, a dowdy database developer, got a new lease on life; • Jaltech’s decision to back solar specialist Wetility; and • The State IT Agency hits back at its critics in government; Again, this podcast is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature? Is there anything you’d like us to improve? Is it too short or too long? Drop us a line at nexus@techcentral.co.za. TechCentral…

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TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U 22:36

۸ weeks پیش22:36

22:36

Spar Group is determined to play a significant role in the on-demand grocery delivery space in South Africa despite coming from behind, its omnichannel executive for Southern Africa has told TechCentral. Speaking to the TechCentral Show, Blake Raubenheimer took the publication’s editor, Duncan McLeod, through the retailer’s plan to compete directly with the likes of Shoprite Holdings’ Sixty60, which gained an early market lead during the Covid lockdowns. Spar has every intention of becoming a meaningful player in app-based on-demand deliveries, according to Raubenheimer, who unpacked the retailer’s plan to gain market share in the increasingly competitive but fast-expanding segment with Spar2U. South Africa’s grocery sector has become increasingly competitive as price-conscious consumers look for value, convenience and distinctive products. Shoprite and Woolworths are keeping their rivals on their toes as they continue to sign up customers. Pick n Pay, which is also coming from behind, is aggressively targeting the space, too. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Raubenheimer discusses: * How Spar’s business model – the vast majority of stores are run by franchisees – has complicated its move into the on-demand grocery game, and how it's working to turn this to its advantage; * How Spar is working to convince consumers to try Spar2U over other on-demand services; * The group’s broader omnichannel strategy, where the retailer is positioned in the market, where it wants to get to, and how it plans to do it; * Its focus on the township and rural markets through partnerships with companies like KasiD and Delivery Ka Speed – and why it’s important; Spar’s partnership with Uber Eats; * How Spar’s SAP enterprise software implementation in KwaZulu-Natal went awry and how it impacted the retailer; and * What Spar is working on from a technology perspective. Don’t miss a fascinating discussion about how technology is transforming the retail industry in South Africa. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | AfriGIS’s Helen Hulett on how tech can help resolve South Africa’s water crisis 26:29

۸ weeks پیش26:29

26:29

Many municipalities in South Africa are struggling to maintain a reliable supply of clean water to households and industries. Thankfully, technology is here to help. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Helen Hulett, newly appointed chief sustainability officer at geospatial information science specialist AfriGIS, tells Duncan McLeod about the Resolve Water project that she leads and how she and her team are working with businesses and municipalities to try to address a problem that has reached crisis levels in some parts of the country. AfriGIS’s technology is able to have a real-world impact on this crisis, according to Hulett, who specialises in industrial water risk, water-related governance and social issues, and sustainability. Hulett, who has consulted with leading companies on the topic – they include the likes of Coca-Cola, Illovo Sugar Africa, Sappi, Aspen Pharmacare and Sasol – said AfriGIS offers advanced mapping and data analytics tools to address water scarcity, improve resource management and support businesses in need. In this episode of TCS+, Hulett also unpacks: • Her background and why she took the role of chief sustainability officer at AfriGIS; • What the field of geospatial information science involves and why it makes sense to apply it to this crisis; • AfriGIS’s involvement in the Resolve Water project; • How serious the water crisis really is in South Africa and what it will take to address it; • The impact of the Resolve Water project so far, and how it’s using GIS technology to achieve its goals – including mapping, real-time data analytics and collaborative partnerships; and • The role of artificial intelligence. The interview with Hulett, who is passionate about the topic of water security in South Africa, is not to be missed. TechCentral…

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TechCentral Nexus S0E2 (beta): South Africa's digital battlefield 27:01

۸ weeks پیش27:01

27:01

This is the second (and beta) episode of a new podcast series curated by TechCentral’s editorial team and generated by artificial intelligence tools. It’s an experiment for now, but if it works well, we’ll consider making it a regular feature by launching a season 1. Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources, AI can and will occasionally make mistakes. In this episode, we highlight several key developments in South Africa's ICT sector, including the intense capex competition among Vodacom, MTN and Telkom that reveals a fierce battle for network supremacy and market share within the mobile telecommunications sector. Concurrently, the surge in mobile virtual network operators is reshaping the South African mobile market, also fostering increased competition and delivering specialised offerings for consumers. Also this week: an uproar over home affairs' proposed database fee increases; the proliferation of Starlink and other low-Earth orbit satellites present a significant threat to radio astronomy in the Karoo; and AI comes to Wimbledon. Again, this is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature? Is there anything you’d like us to improve? Is it too short or too long? Drop us a line at nexus@techcentral.co.za. TechCentral…

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Nexus S0E1 (beta): Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom 59:31

10 weeks پیش59:31

59:31

This is the first (and beta) episode of a new podcast series curated by TechCentral's editorial team and generated by artificial intelligence tools. It's an experiment for now, but if it works well, we'll make it a regular feature. Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources (human-generated articles from TechCentral and other reliable media sources), AI can and does make mistakes. Again, this is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature on TechCentral? Is there anything you'd like to improve? Drop us a line at info@techcentral.co.za - we'd love to hear from you. TechCentral…

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TCS | Nomvuyiso Batyi on Starlink, BEE reform and spectrum 50:39

10 weeks پیش50:39

50:39

What should one make of the noise surrounding the licensing (or non-licensing) of Starlink in South Africa? And what of the plans to reform the rules around black economic empowerment in the sector? To make sense of these developments – and others – TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod sat down this week with Nomvuyiso Batyi, CEO of the Association for Comms & Technology (ACT), an industry body that represents South Africa’s six largest telecommunications operators: MTN, Telkom, Vodacom, Rain, Liquid Intelligent Technologies and Cell C. In the interview, for the TechCentral Show, Batyi unpacked communications minister Solly Malatsi’s draft policy directive to communications regulator Icasa on so-called “equity equivalents” and why ACT believes there needs to be fairness in the licensing process. If the new rules apply to satellite operators, she said, they should apply to all licensees in the sector equally, including the big telecoms operators ACT represents. In the show, she also discussed: • Whether Starlink – and other low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite internet companies pose a threat or an opportunity for South Africa’s network operators; • The role of LEO satellite operators in South Africa’s future telecommunications mix – and can they help bridge the digital divide?; • The latest on the planned switch-off of 2G and 3G networks in South Africa, and why 3G will be the first to go; • Whether national treasury’s recent move to cut ad valorem tax on basic smartphones goes far enough – and what other measures ACT would like to see to get smartphones in the hands of everyone in South Africa; and • What is happening regarding the next spectrum auction. Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS | The future of mobile money, with MTN’s Kagiso Mothibi 38:07

10 weeks پیش38:07

38:07

Mobile money has an increasingly vital role to play in South Africa’s economy, despite the fact that the country boasts an advanced financial services sector. That’s the view of Kagiso Mothibi, CEO of Fintech at MTN South Africa, who was sharing his views in a recent interview with TechCentral’s TCS+ (watch it below) in which he discusses the broader fintech vision for the network operator and its role in driving innovation across the group. But what is it about mobile money services that is attracting South African consumers to products like MTN’s MoMo, and what role do these platforms fulfil in the broader financial services ecosystem? Mothibi unpacks this in detail in the interview. He also discusses: • Why South Africa has proved to be a tougher mobile money market to crack than many other countries in Africa; • How the South African market differs from others in which MTN operates; • Who the target market is for MoMo – is it the unbanked and underbanked, or does MTN also have plans to serve well-heeled customers, too? • What’s driving the growth in MoMo services in South Africa and why; • What MTN’s fintech portfolio houses today and the company’s plans to expand this in the coming years; • The recent launched of MoMo Pay, how it works and how MTN is onboarding merchants; • What pain points MoMo Pay addresses in the payments ecosystem; and • What the future holds for the fintech business in South Africa – and how product innovation locally is being deployed in other MTN markets across the continent. Don’t miss an exciting interview! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | AI is more than hype: Workday execs unpack real human impact 41:25

10 weeks پیش41:25

41:25

Forget the hype, embrace the revolution! In this episode of TCS+, TechCentral speaks with Workday South Africa country manager Kiv Moodley and manager of solutions consulting Jannie Malan to dissect the critical intersection of artificial intelligence and human potential. Malan oversees the solution consulting team, engaging with prospects and clients to understand their challenges and demonstrate how Workday’s technology can enable them to achieve their vision. Both Moodley and Malan, who coincidentally joined Workday on the very day its South African office launched in 2018, brought seven years of frontline experience to the discussion, proving that AI isn't just a buzzword – it's already shaping our world. TCS+ host Jaydev Chiba sat down with the two men to discuss the topic of “Human by design: real-world AI, real human impact”. Experts note that AI, like other technologies, might be overestimated in the short term but underestimated in the long term. Overcoming initial apprehension requires understanding what AI is, and understanding helps reveal its potential to allow humans to be more productive and efficient. AI is not a silver bullet; its value is realised when it’s embedded, understood and utilised effectively. The conversation highlighted several use cases, both personal and within business. Examples ranged from leveraging tools like Grok, ChatGPT and Gemini for productivity, and even a 10-year-old programming Alexa to tell a puppy it’s mealtime. Another use case included using AI for creating a training curriculum and visuals. Moodley and Malan noted that AI is already embedded in daily life through GPS, search and recommendations. For businesses, a key trend is using AI to improve employee productivity by automating repetitive and mundane tasks, giving people more time for higher-value work. Industries show different levels of adoption, from logistics using AI for warehouse safety, to healthcare for diagnosis and treatment development, and insurance for fraud detection and client profiling. This shift shows value emerging as industries figure out where AI provides maximum benefit. A significant portion of the discussion focused on the critical need for ethical and responsible AI use. With organisations facing pressure to adopt AI, establishing AI governance is foundational. This involves potentially creating AI governance roles, executive sponsorship, governance committees and risk matrices to manage data privacy, bias and transparency. The Workday executives stressed the importance of AI functioning within a larger technology framework, requiring organisations to address data quality, security and accessibility. Critically, the concept of keeping the human in the loop was emphasised, ensuring humans make final decisions based on AI-surfaced insights. Workday itself champions transparency, providing fact sheets or model cards to explain its AI models and how data is leveraged and bias mitigated. TechCentral…

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TCS | Sentiv, and the story behind the buyout of Altron Nexus 23:49

10 weeks پیش23:49

23:49

Altron Group announced last week that it was selling its Altron Nexus business in a management buyout led by Nexus MD Louis du Toit and BriteGaze founder and technology entrepreneur Reshaad Sha. Sha and Du Toit are our guests in this episode of the TechCentral Show, where they tell TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the acquisition and their plans for the business. As part of the acquisition – which is still subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions, which should be concluded by the end of June – Altron Nexus will be rebranded as Sentiv, a portmanteau of “sentient” and “intuitive”. Sha will serve as Sentiv’s executive chairman while Du Toit will be CEO. “Together they will steer Sentiv’s transformation into a future-orientated technology partner offering intelligent, context-aware, mission-critical communications and industrial internet-of-things solutions,” according to a statement from the acquiring parties. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Du Toit and Sha explore: • How the deal came about; • The assets and businesses housed in Altron Nexus; and • The plan to turn the loss-making business around. Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral…

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TCS | Signal restored: Unpacking the Blue Label and Cell C turnaround 35:59

11 weeks پیش35:59

35:59

TechCentral’s guests in this episode of the TechCentral Show believe Blue Label Telecoms and its affiliate (and soon to be subsidiary) Cell C present a compelling investment case. Philip Short, global portfolio manager at Flagship Asset Management – which counts Blue label as its sole South African investment – and Dylan Bradfield, portfolio manager at Sharenet, tell TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod that they believe the turnaround taking place at Cell C is real, and will have a meaningful impact on Blue Label shares. Blue shares, which have already rallied strongly – which have more than doubled in the past six months – could still have plenty of room to run, according to Short. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Short and Bradfield unpack: • Blue Label’s announcement earlier this month that it is considering a JSE listing for Cell C; • Why Cell C’s restructured operating model and strategy makes sense, and why that’s good news for Blue Label shareholders; • The role of Cell C CEO Jorge Mendes in the turnaround – and what the opportunity is for the mobile operator with its new “asset-light” model of running its network – management of its radio access network has effectively been outsourced to partners (and competitors) MTN and Vodacom; • Which operators would be most vulnerable to a resurgent Cell C; • The importance of Cell C’s strategy around mobile virtual network operators and the significance of its relationship with Capitec; • The move by Blue Label to sell Comm Equipment Company to Cell C – good move or not? • Whether Cell C can compete with Telkom, Vodacom and MTN in the business market, something Mendes has signalled his desire to do; • What the listing of Cell C could look like, what management’s focus should be before the listing and what kind of valuation the business could attract; and • How much more value could be unlocked for Blue Label shareholders. Don’t miss a fascinating discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Switchcom Distribution, and Huawei eKit in the hands of installers 22:03

11 weeks پیش22:03

22:03

This episode of TCS+ is the third in a series of three focused on the relationship between Switchcom Distribution and Huawei eKit as well as the networking solutions the two companies are providing for SMEs in South Africa and the rest of Africa. Dewald van Eck, networking engineer at Switchcom parent company CMVAS, and Kurt Anthony, support engineer at CMVAS, tell TechCentral’s TCS+ about their hands-on experience working with Huawei eKit in customer implementations. In this episode, Anthony and Van Eck delve into: • How the Huawei eKit benefits the network operations manager when implementing networking projects; • The problems the eKit solution solves for SMEs; • How the eKit streamlines the network setup process for SMEs; • Real-world examples of the how the eKit has helped SMEs on the ground; and • Some of the common challenges faced when supporting SMEs during project implementations. Don’t miss an informative discussion. TechCentral…

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TCS | Tertius Zitzke on 4Sight’s big turnaround 39:12

11 weeks پیش39:12

39:12

4Sight Holdings has turned the corner and has signalled this with a recent move from the AltX to the main board of the JSE. CEO Tertius Zitzke is our guest in this episode of the TechCentral Show. He tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the turnaround he’s leading – not to mention the mess he inherited when he took over leadership of the business in December 2019, months before Covid hit. 4Sight has been operating largely below the radar, but the investment community has begun paying attention – and, although the shares been moving sideways for the past year, over three years they have climbed by 250%. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Zitzke unpacks: • What motivated the decision to move to the JSE’s main board; • His background, including his leadership AccTech Systems, its acquisition by 4Sight and how he became CEO of the group; • Why the business was listed originally, and how its focus has changed under his leadership; • How the turnaround was achieved – and what still needs to be done; • Where 4Sight fits into the ICT market in South Africa; • The recent acquisition of XFour Group and plans for more acquisitions; and • What’s next for 4Sight. Don’t miss an interesting discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Schneider Electric's Clive Roberts on driving digitisation in the CPG sector 40:23

12 weeks پیش40:23

40:23

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, we chat to Clive Roberts, the consumer packaged goods (CPG) segment leader for anglophone Africa at Schneider Electric. In this discussion, Roberts unpacks the focus of the company’s segment, which covers the dynamic food and beverage industry across 24 African nations, encompassing about 1 800 manufacturers. The sector is driven by converging trends, notably in smart manufacturing and a strong emphasis on sustainability, including waste reduction and energy efficiency. Simultaneously, evolving consumer preferences for healthier options, ingredient transparency and diverse dietary needs demand agility and resilience from these manufacturers. Cost management remains a critical focus. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation, as manufacturers focused on automation and better system integration to ensure business continuity. Further challenges, such as load shedding and water curtailment, shifted the focus towards power resilience, prompting investments in solutions such as industrial UPS systems. Sustainability is a key concern, particularly for EU-headquartered companies. Manufacturers are actively working to reduce their scope-1, -2, and -3 emissions through initiatives like integrating distributed energy resources, optimising energy use and implementing variable process control. Changing consumer behaviours, driven by social media and e-commerce, are demanding rapid access to goods and direct engagement with brands. This requires efficient supply chains and agile digital systems for both inventory and logistics management. Manufacturers will need flexible production and advanced tracking capabilities to meet the demand for visibility and diverse product options. Economic recovery post-Covid-19 relies on the continued adoption of digital transformation to enhance efficiency and predictability in manufacturers’ processes. Schneider Electric is focused on providing hardware-agnostic integration, supported by organisations like the Universal Automation Organisation, to help manufacturers integrate existing equipment for unified control and accelerate digital transformation initiatives. Government policies, like the sugar tax, directly influence product innovation and reformulation, often requiring significant investment. Despite challenges, growth opportunities exist for companies that prioritise product quality, traceability and building consumer trust, potentially also allowing them to command premium prices. Roberts emphasised the value of early engagement with companies like Schneider Electric for expert guidance. He stressed that sustainability should be integral to operations and invited stakeholders to explore Schneider Electric’s offerings. The anglophone African food and beverage sector is a dynamic industry, and embracing technological advancements, prioritising consumer needs and ensuring product integrity are key to future success, he said in the interview. Don’t miss it! TechCentral…

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Reserve Bank fintech head Lyle Horsley on the G20 TechSprint 28:20

12 weeks پیش28:20

28:20

One of South Africa’s responsibilities as president of the global Group of 20 (G20) nations in 2025 is to hosting the G20 TechSprint, an event that invites innovators from around the world to develop financial solutions that solve the most pressing challenges faced by central banks. The South African Reserve Bank is hosting this year’s TechSprint in collaboration with the Bank for International Settlements. Lyle Horsley, head of fintech at the Reserve Bank, joined TechCentral’s Nkosinathi Ndlovu on the TechCentral Show to talk about the competition and other initiatives spearheaded by Bank under the G20 banner. In this episode of the show, Horsley delves into: The history of the G20 TechSprint and some of the solutions developed in previous iterations of the competition; The problem statements entrants are required to centre their solutions on; How central banks balance the often-opposing concerns of innovation on one hand and strong regulation on the other; How digital identity and the principles of open finance are critical to digitised financial systems; How the global central banking community will help winners develop and scale their solutions; and Details about the format of the TechSprint, how to participate and the prizes up for grabs. Don’t miss an interesting discussion! TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS | Dalene Steyn on Capitec’s ambitious mobile gameplan 18:52

12 weeks پیش18:52

18:52

Boasting 1.6 million subscribers after less than three years in the market, Capitec Connect has quickly become South Africa’s largest MVNO – and it has an ambitious plan for further growth. Dalene Steyn, head of Capitec Connect, tells the TechCentral Show (TCS) that the MVNO – or mobile virtual network operator – market in South Africa is poised for further expansion as banks, retailers and other brands muscle into the mobile business through wholesale partnerships with network operators. According to Steyn, although Capitec Connect is not a loss leader for the bank, the focus for now is building a critical mass of subscribers from Capitec Bank’s customer base – Capitec Connect users must be bank clients to sign up for the service. In the interview, Steyn tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about: • Why Capitec Connect recently cut its prices, matching another MVNO, Afrihost AirMobile, as the cheapest MVNO provider in South Africa – spoiler: it’s all about building scale; • Why Capitec is pulling ahead in the MVNO market and how big the bank wants to be in mobile – and why it’s so important to its business; • Capitec Connect’s plans to introduce post-paid contracts later this year and how this aligns with its push into business banking services; • The company’s plans for device financing; • Its relationship with Cell C, whose network it uses to provide mobile services to its clients, and why it’s pleased with the relationship; and • The unconfirmed market talk that Capitec might buy a strategic equity stake in Cell C. Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral…

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Meet the CIO | Schalk Visser on Cell C’s big tech pivot 39:33

13 weeks پیش39:33

39:33

Schalk Visser has worked in telecommunications for more than 20 years, first at Telkom, then at Vodacom and now at Cell C, where he has served as chief information and technology officer since 2020. Visser, an engineer, joined Cell C 13 years ago – during the tenure of former CEO Alan Knott-Craig – as an executive in the company’s programme management office, where he helped lead a renewal of its radio access network. TechCentral’s guest in the latest episode of the publication’s Meet the CIO podcast, Visser tells host Duncan McLeod about his career journey in telecoms before delving into his work in helping transform Cell C’s technology stack – with a focus on recent years as the operator moved to shut down its own radio access network in favour of partnerships with other mobile operators. In the interview, Visser chats about: • Where his interest in technology began; • His time with Telkom and Vodacom, including his experience helping build Vodacom’s network in Mozambique; • The changes that have occurred at Cell C in recent years and why they’re significant – including a look at the network partnership with MTN and Vodacom, and what that’s allowed the company to do differently; • His day-to-day role as head of technology at Cell C; • The role of technology in supporting what is essentially a technology business; • The changes he has brought to Cell C’s technology stack and why; • The recent ransomware attack – what happened, and what’s been done to address it; and • What’s exciting him about what’s coming down the line in telecoms technology. Don’t miss a great interview! TechCentral…

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TCS | Kiaan Pillay on fintech start-up Stitch and its R1-billion funding round 37:50

14 weeks پیش37:50

37:50

Cape Town-based fintech start-up Stitch last month caught the attention of many people when it announced it was raising R1-billion (US$55-million) in a significant series-B funding round. Co-founder and CEO Kiaan Pillay is our guest in this episode of the TechCentral Show, where he tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the funding round, which was led by QED Investors with participation from a range of new and existing investors. The latest round brings Stitch’s total funding to date to nearly R2-billion, or $107-million. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Pillay unpacks: • His background and why and how Stitch was founded; • How well-known South African comedian Trevor Noah became one of the participating funders in the latest funding round; • What Stitch is doing differently to other fintech and payment start-ups that has allowed to raise the quantum of funding that it has; • The significance of Stitch’s recent acquisition of Exipay – and why it’s important for Stitch to be a player in the in-person payments market; • Stitch’s plans in the cryptocurrency space; and • Why the company is focused (for now) on the South African market. Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Switchcom and Huawei eKit: networking made easy for SMEs 24:40

14 weeks پیش24:40

24:40

Networking equipment wholesaler Switchcom Distribution has partnered with Huawei Technologies to bring new offerings to the South African market and elsewhere in Africa. In the first episode of this series, Switchcom national sales manager Lynton Brits and Huawei account manager Tanki Lebatla told TCS+ about the rationale behind the partnership and some of the networking and backup power equipment the companies have on offer. That video is available here. In this second episode of the series, Brits is back on TCS+, this time accompanied by Jan Keyser, CEO of Konnekt SP, a provider of networking solutions to small and medium enterprises. In this episode of TCS+, Brits and Keyser delve into: • Why networking solutions providers and small and medium enterprises are draw to the Huawei networking eKit distributed by Switchcom; • The different types of networking equipment that comes with the eKit solution; • The software support Huawei provides to make network configuration easier for engineers using the eKit; • The advantages of purchasing a homogenous solution from the same brand in making network configuration easier for installers; and • Tools for managing the software-defined networks deployed using the eKit as customer need evolve over time. This insightful conversation is not to be missed, especially for SMEs looking for networking solutions and the vendors who install them. TechCentral…

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TCS | How Covid sparked a corporate tug-of-war over Adapt IT 38:03

15 weeks پیش38:03

38:03

Shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Tiffany Dunsdon – at the time CEO of JSE-listed Adapt IT – found herself having to fend off an unwanted takeover bid from Huge Group. Dunsdon did not feel the deal made much sense for Adapt IT – a fast-growing enterprise software services provider whose share price, like many others at the time, had been knocked lower by the uncertainty caused by the pandemic. The Huge Group approach was opportunistic, said Dunsdon. So, instead of entertaining the approach from Huge Group, she set about engineering a very different deal: one involving Canadian-listed Constellation Software: Constellation subsidiary Volaris Group would buy out Adapt IT and delist it from the JSE. Dunsdon, who was recently appointed as acquiring group leader at Omegro – a portfolio company within Volaris Group that houses Adapt IT – joins Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show for an update following the conclusion of the sale. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Dunsdon also discusses: • Adapt IT’s performance since its acquisition and delisting; • The Huge Group hostile approach and how that played out inside Adapt IT; • The timeline of events that led to the acquisition by Volaris Group; and • What’s next for Adapt IT and Omegro. Don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral…

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TCS | From fibre to clean tech: Khudu Pitje on New GX Capital’s next chapter 48:23

16 weeks پیش48:23

48:23

New GX Capital, one of the principal investors in Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa parent CIVH, recently announced it was launching a R2.4-billion clean-tech investment fund in partnership with RMB Ventures. To unpack the details of the new fund and why it’s being established, New GX Capital founder and CEO Khudusela Pitje joined TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod in the latest episode of the TechCentral Show for a wide-ranging conversation. In the interview, Pitje chatted about the fund – called the Airnegize Capital Fund – and its plans to invest in renewable energy and water and gas infrastructure across Africa. New GX Capital and RMB Ventures have described the fund as “one of the largest of its kind on the continent”. The fund has secured R2.4-billion in initial commitments, with the companies targeting a further R1.6-billion before financial close in the coming months. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Pitje expands on: • His career background and the formation of New GX Capital; • The role his father, the late HM Pitje, a businessman and former mayor of Mamelodi, played in his life and career choices; • His role in helping build Dark Fibre Africa and CIVH; • Why he feels the decision by the competition authorities to block the acquisition by Vodacom of a 30% co-controlling stake in Maziv – a subsidiary of CIVH that houses Vumatel and DFA – was wrongheaded; • The role New GX Capital plays today, as well as its investment philosophy; • What led to the creation of the Airnegize Fund with RMB Ventures; and • The role and future of black economic empowerment in South Africa. Don’t miss a fascinating conversation! TechCentral…

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Meet the CIO | Yosheen Padayachee's unconventional journey into tech leadership 52:03

16 weeks پیش52:03

52:03

Yosheen Padayachee, group IT director at Tsebo Solutions Group, is our guest in this episode of TechCentral’s Meet the CIO. -- Yosheen Padayachee was named as one of the top 100 most influential women in technology in 2024 and has been recognised among the Cyber 50 leaders in cybersecurity in Africa. Padayachee, who serves as group IT director at workplace management solutions company Tsebo Solutions Group, is TechCentral’s guest in this episode of Meet the CIO. Previously CIO for Africa at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings, Padayachee is pursuing a doctorate in technology innovation. She shares her story in this interview. She unpacks: • How her career pivoted from healthcare into IT and IT management; • Her career journey so far, which has included roles in the banking sector at Nedbank and FNB, and important lessons she’s learnt along the way; • The role of IT at Tsebo Solutions Group; • The big technology projects she’s currently helping lead; • Her insights on cybersecurity in modern organisations, and why security must be embedded at the foundation of all digital innovation; • The impact of AI on the ability of companies to protect themselves from cyber adversaries; and • Why gender diversity in the male-dominated technology industry is vital – and what needs to be done to encourage more young women to choose technology as a career. Don’t miss this insightful conversation. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Inside MTN's big brand overhaul 31:11

18 weeks پیش31:11

31:11

The Better Connection. Everywhere You Go. Or simply just Y’ello. Brand identity matters, and MTN South Africa – one of South Africa’s most valued brands – is keenly aware of that fact. Indeed, when a big consumer brand changes its brand positioning, it’s always a big deal – not only because of the work involved behind the scenes but also because it helps shift the narrative for that brand in small but important ways in the public consciousness. For a handful of times in its storied, 31-year history, MTN has refreshed its brand image. And it’s just hit the “play” button on the latest overhaul. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology podcast, MTN South Africa GM for residential and post-paid services Bertus van der Vyver unpacks the company’s latest brand identity and why it made the decisions it did. In the podcast, Van der Vyver chats about: • Whether brand ends up influencing strategy, or the other way around; • How the new brand positioning – the payoff line is Together We Make Moves – aligns with MTN’s ongoing efforts around customer experience, network innovation and its service offerings; • How consumers will experience the brand refresh; • How the changes tie into MTN’s social and business commitments; and • How MTN’s new brand identity will allow the company to differentiate itself in the market, including in relation to its competitors. Don’t miss this fascinating conversation about the value and importance of branding. TechCentral…

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TCS | How South Africa's Milkor became a global player in drone innovation 59:19

20 weeks پیش59:19

59:19

A company with its headquarters in Pretoria has designed and built an advanced drone that can attain speeds of 250km/h, reach altitudes of up to 30 000ft and travel more than 4 000km before having to return to its base. The company, Milkor, is a South African defence equipment and cybersecurity specialist that was founded all the way back in 1981. Its newly developed Milkor 380 System unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) – in essence, a giant drone – has a cruising altitude of 10 000ft, a wingspan of 18m and a maximum payload of 220kg. The drone has a flight time of up to 35 hours and can be used for border surveillance, maritime surveillance, strategic reconnaissance and information gathering operations, among other things. To talk about the UAV, Milkor communications director Daniel du Plessis sat down with Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show recently and shared more details about its capabilities. Other than the Milkor 380, the interview also covers topics including: * Milkor’s founding in the 1980s, and how the company shifted focus in the democratic era – it got its start, and may still be best known for, manufacturing the world’s first six-shot 40mm grenade launcher, which is widely used around the world; * The company’s other products – for land, air and sea operations – as well as what’s involved in conducting advanced R&D and manufacturing in a market like South Africa; * The people who work for Milkor, and the sort of skills the company is looking for (and how it’s finding them); * The role of UAVs in modern warfare and defence operations; and * Why Milkor has entered the cybersecurity space. Don’t miss a fascinating interview! TechCentral…

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TCS | Discovery Bank CEO Hylton Kallner on tech, AI and the future of banking 37:06

21 weeks پیش37:06

37:06

Discovery Bank CEO Hylton Kallner believes technology is fundamental to the company’s success. Kallner, an actuary who joined Discovery in its early days as a medical insurance company and who has held various senior leadership roles over the years, tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the group’s decision to launch a bank when it did. He shares how the business is doing – spoiler: it’s trending well ahead of schedule – and what comes next. He tells the TechCentral Show about: • How Discovery Bank is doing financially and how it’s tracking against its business plan; • Its client base – who they are and who the bank is targeting as its clientele (the answer may surprise you); • Why Discovery launched a bank into what was already a competitive market and what it’s doing differently to its rivals to attract people to switch; • The learnings from Discovery Health and Discovery Vitality, and how Discovery Bank has leveraged these in its products and services; • Discovery Bank’s technology stack, why it chose the IT solutions it did, and why it built much of its banking solution in-house; • What’s next from Discovery Bank in terms of solutions; and • The bank’s plans with AI – and why it believes AI could be a gamechanger. Lastly, Kallner, a prolific reader, shares two of his favourite non-fiction books with the TechCentral audience. Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral…

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Across South Africa in an EV: how one man did it before charging stations 40:35

22 weeks پیش40:35

40:35

Shaun Maidment crossed South Africa in an electric car, a BMW i3, before there was a network of charging infrastructure along the national routes – and he has a heck of a story to tell about his adventure. Charging infrastructure along South Africa’s national routes is now so commonplace that a cross-country trip in an EV is a daily occurrence. But this was not always the case, and drivers in the early days of EVs in South Africa often had to rely on their wits and the kindness of strangers to keep their batteries charged on long-distance trips. Maidment is one of South Africa’s original EV enthusiasts. As the proud owner of what was once officially recognised as the highest-mileage BMW i3 in Africa – it now has 365 000km on the clock – he dared to travel across the length and breadth of South Africa long before charging infrastructure was commonplace. Maidment tells the TechCentral Show’s Nkosinathi Ndlovu about: • What inspired him in 2017 to take his first drive from Johannesburg to Cape Town in an EV; • How he planned the trip, knowing that at the time there were not enough charging stations along the way; • Some anecdotes from his travels, including the interesting people he met along the way; • What his travels have taught him about the best way to drive an EV; • How much mileage he is getting out of his i3 compared to when it was new; and • His thoughts on the future of electric mobility in South Africa. Maidment’s insights on EVs are based on years of personal experience. This episode of the show is not to be missed. TechCentral…

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Meet the CIO | Kerissa Varma on what it takes to be a top CISO 43:57

22 weeks پیش43:57

43:57

Being a chief information security officer (CISO) in 2025 is a daunting role, but one that TechCentral’s guest in this episode of the Meet the CIO relishes. Kerissa Varma, who was recently appointed as chief cybersecurity advisor in Africa for Microsoft, previously served as group CISO at Vodacom and before that as group CISO at Old Mutual. She understands what it takes to be a leading CISO. She tells Meet the CIO about what’s involved in being a leader in enterprise cybersecurity, why she is passionate about developing female talent in the industry – she heads the South African chapter of Women in Cybersecurity – and what it takes to “make it” in what is very much still a male-dominated industry. Varma chats about her experience as group CISO at Old Mutual and Vodacom. She also unpacks: • How she became a leader in the enterprise security space; • The role of a CISO in the modern enterprise – and why interpersonal skills are just as key as understanding technology; • The top functions and priorities of today’s CISO; • Strategies to fight the cybercrime scourge – including a look at how South African companies should be dealing with ransomware; • Artificial intelligence and how it is transformation the infosec space – the impact, the threat and the opportunity; • Quantum computing and the impact it could have in years to come; • The gender imbalance in the infosec space and why it’s a concern to her; • Skills development in cybersecurity in South Africa; and • Her new role at Microsoft. Don’t miss a fascinating conversation. And if you missed any of the previous episodes of Meet the CIO, you can find them here. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Snode CEO Nithen Naidoo on the cybersecurity opportunity 37:08

23 weeks پیش37:08

37:08

Nithen Naidoo, founder and CEO of Snode Technologies, shares valuable insights on Snode and the cybersecurity space with TechCentral’s TCS+. -- Snode evolved from a consultancy to a product-focused company almost by accident. The product was developed on the ground, which led to the philosophy of customer-led design, emphasising solutions that directly addresses the problems customers are experiencing. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, founder and CEO Nithen Naidoo unpacks the importance of stepping out of one’s comfort zone and not letting fear dictate decisions. He believes South Africans are more than capable of building world-class technology and that the cyber landscape offers opportunities to innovate without requiring large investments. He stresses the importance of adopting technology securely to propel businesses forward. Nithen has learnt the importance of collaboration and acknowledges that there are still many problems in the cybersecurity industry that are yet to be solved. What Snode does today Snode has grown to cover over eight million devices and protect systems and companies across six continents with a team of 60 staff. The company’s mission is to “solve cyber”. It has developed a platform that is highly automated and is moving towards autonomous security operations. This platform is designed to address the high costs of managing cybersecurity and the need for better automated solutions. Snode’s technology uses metadata around packets instead of the data packets themselves for threat detection, which allows for privacy preservation. It leverages advances in machine learning and AI for innovation-driven security solutions. They also use mathematics as a fast and accurate method for threat detection. Furthermore, they use digital twin technology to simulate different types of scenarios, enabling predictive and prescriptive analytics for customers. This technology automatically classifies assets and understands their value to a business by using data from both internal and external sources. The company’s solutions extend to both IT and OT (operational technology) environments, with a focus on the convergence of the two. Snode’s technology is protocol-independent and can eavesdrop on communications without needing proprietary information, which is beneficial in environments like industrial IoT and medical IoT. Snode’s focus on continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) moves beyond traditional risk and vulnerability management. It looks at a company’s security through the lens of the asset, enriching available siloed data with the much-needed context to manage a company’s exposure holistically. What the future holds Snode aims to be a leader in the cybersecurity industry, acknowledging that the sector still has valuable problems to solve. Its vision is not just for South Africa, but for the whole of the African continent. Naidoo says he wants to create a secure environment for African entrepreneurs to drive innovation. Snode already has a global reach, with a presence across six continents, and is working with the defence and critical national infrastructure sectors in a number of countries. Snode plans to expand its approach to cybersecurity, using predictive capabilities for broader applications such as preventative maintenance in the OT environment and improving safety in various industries. It aims to change the traditional view of cyberthreats, moving towards a unified approach across threat management, vulnerability management and penetration testing. Read more on techcentral.co.za. -- This episode is sponsored. TechCentral…

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TCS | Why the CompCom wants Google to pay up 23:38

24 weeks پیش23:38

23:38

The Competition Commission is girding itself for a fight with Big Tech companies like Google and Meta Platforms after publishing its provisional findings in its investigation into the impact that Big Tech has had on the South African news media sector. To unpack the provisional report, which was published on Monday, Competition Commission senior analyst and technical lead Donnavan-John Linley joined the TechCentral Show to discuss the findings. He chats about how the commission is attempting to assist local publishers deal with the rise of competing social media platforms owned by US tech giants and why the regulator is determined to intervene in the market to support the funding of journalism in South Africa in the digital age. Linley tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about: • Why the Competition Commission decided to initiate its probe into digital platforms and the impact these platforms are having on South Africa’s news media; • The findings contained in the provisional report and why the commission reached the conclusions it did – including its recommendation that Google pay as much as R500-million/year in “compensation” over a three- to five-year period in an effort to level the playing field; • The likely reaction from Big Tech to the commission’s proposals, and what might happen if they don’t agree to play ball; • The risk of provoking a backlash from the Donald Trump administration – already Trump has accused the EU of using antitrust fines levied on US tech companies as a form of taxation and threatened retaliation in response; • How the proposed compensation of the local news media might work, and who would be eligible to receive the funding from Google; • The impact of artificial intelligence on the South African media industry and how the commission has dealt with this in its provisional report; and • Whether the commission’s findings amount to regulatory overreach – are the proposals it has made really warranted, or is the media industry simply experiencing capitalism’s “creative destruction” that will ultimately drive innovation in news media? Don’t miss a great interview! TechCentral…

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TCS | New player in township fibre market offers 100Mbit/s for R9/day 22:25

26 weeks پیش22:25

22:25

South Africa has a new player chasing the township fibre broadband market: Wire-Wire Networks has deployed fibre to 15 800 homes in Thembisa (previously Tembisa), a sprawling township in central Gauteng. CEO JP Schmidtke joined the TechCentral Show earlier this week to share exclusive details about the company’s growth plans and to talk about the business opportunity for fibre companies in South Africa’s vast township economy. Schmidtke said Wire-Wire Networks – like other industry players such as Vumatel, Fibertime and Frogfoot – believes townships present the next big expansion opportunity for fibre network operators, though the business model is rather different to the one used to deploy infrastructure in the suburbs. Wire-Wire is offering uncapped fibre – delivered over a meshed Wi-Fi network from fibre endpoints in each home or dwelling, starting at R5 for an hour of uncapped internet access at 100Mbit/s (limited to a single device). Other price plans, which are all uncapped and offer 100Mbit/s, include: • R9 for a one-day plan that connects one device • R39 for a one-week plan that connects one device • R119 for a one-month plan that connects one device • R449 for a one-month plan that supports eight devices • R1 120 for a one-month plan that supports 12 devices Subscribers can connect anywhere in Thembisa where Wire-Wire has coverage and so are not confined to connecting to the network in the vicinity of their own homes. There are no contracts or connection charges, and Wire-Wire provides a “free-to-use” Wi-Fi router and UPS (designed to keep the internet working even during load shedding and other power outages). The fibre is trenched, not delivered aerially, as it the case in many township deployments. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Schmidtke unpacks how Wire-Wire was formed, talks about its future plans and explains how it hopes to make low-cost fibre broadband profitable in township settings. Wire-Wire’s leadership team consists of Schmidtke as well as fibre industry expert Hendrik Opperman, head of projects (external) Succeed Bvuma, head of technical David Radebe and head of projects (internal) Susan Hattingh. Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS | Zimi Charge CEO Michael Maas on electrifying SA’s logistics fleets 25:34

26 weeks پیش25:34

25:34

South African logistics firm Bakers SA recently deployed the first electric trucks to its fleet of more than a thousand vehicles. Working with Stellenbosch-based EV charging and software company Zimi Charge, Bakers’ deployment points a potential future in South Africa in which planet-warming trucks are replaced with electric alternatives. Michael Maas, CEO of Zimi Charge, recently joined Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show to talk about the company’s solutions, its deployment for Bakers SA and its expansion plans. In this episode of the show, Maas unpacks: • The projects with Bakers SA, what Zimi Charge supplied and how it works in practice; • The background to Zimi Charge and its focus on deploying both EV charging stations and building the software stack around them; • The current state of EV charging infrastructure in South Africa and what more needs to be done to support the growing number of EVs on South African roads; and • The market opportunity for Zimi Charge. Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS | Deep impact: Dean Furman on the implications of China's DeepSeek 48:30

27 weeks پیش48:30

48:30

China’s DeepSeek rocked US technology stocks last month after the company appeared to have developed an artificial intelligence model akin to OpenAI’s most advanced ChatGPT models at a tiny fraction of the cost. Stocks like Nvidia, Google and Microsoft cratered on the news as it raised serious questions about whether the tens of billions – if not hundreds of billions of dollars – that Big Tech is pouring into AI infrastructure makes sense and whether China is further ahead than many people had realised. To unpack the potential implications of DeepSeek and the rise of Chinese AI models, TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod spoke to South African AI expert and keynote speaker Dean Furman to unpack the subject is greater detail – including what it could mean in the South African context. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Furman discusses: • Whether China – and DeepSeek specifically – just upended the economics of AI; • Whether American Big Tech firms should be worried; • DeepSeek’s strengths and weaknesses in relation to AI tools from the likes of Google, Meta Platforms and OpenAI; • Chinese government censorship of DeepSeek’s results and whether this matters to users outside China; • The significance of DeepSeek’s models being released using an open-source licence and what this means for the future development of AI; and • How far the world is from AGI, or artificial general intelligence. It’s a fascinating discussion – be sure not to miss it! TechCentral…

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TCS | We test drive South Africa’s cheapest electric car 34:24

27 weeks پیش34:24

34:24

Enviro Automotive has launched South Africa’s most affordable electric car yet, the Dayun S5 Mini SUV – and TechCentral has taken the vehicle for a test drive. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, we are joined by Environ Automotive executives Gideon Wolvaardt and Francois Malan to unpack the new Chinese EV and why they believe the S5 Mini is a gamechanger for South Africa’s motoring industry. The four-seater compact SUV features a 31.7kWh ternary lithium battery, offering a range of about 300km and a top speed of 115km/h, making it ideal for urban commuting. The vehicle has a modern interior equipped with a touchscreen infotainment system, multifunction steering wheel and a digital instrument panel. Convenience features include central locking, electric windows and air conditioning that can be operated remotely via an app, allowing drivers to start the vehicle before entering. In this episode of TCS, TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod takes the car for a test drive and shares his views on the build and ride quality – and much more! TechCentral…

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TCS | 'Activist CEO' Adam Craker on iqbusiness, the GNU and fixing Joburg 35:56

28 weeks پیش35:56

35:56

Adam Craker has strong views on what’s needed to turn around South Africa’s fortunes and fix its biggest city, Johannesburg, which has fallen into a state of disrepair. The CEO of iqbusiness, a digital integrator in the Reunert stable formed recently though the merger of IQbusiness and +OneX, is our guest in this episode of the TechCentral Show. Craker – whose career has seen him working for the likes of Accenture, Merchants, Dimension Data and Super Group – tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about his plans for iqbusiness post-merger, how it fits in with Reunert’s overall growth plans and why the transaction made sense. He also unpacks: • His take on the government of national unity and why he remains bullish about South Africa’s prospects; • The news that government is considering listing some of South Africa’s state-owned enterprises on the JSE; • His biggest concerns about the country’s future; and • What needs to be done to save Joburg – and the role of the Jozi My Jozi initiative. Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Shifting Microsoft Azure SQL into overdrive 24:37

28 weeks پیش24:37

24:37

Microsoft Azure SQL is a fully managed and scalable cloud database service – and its myriad benefits mean your company should be considering it if it isn’t already using it. To unpack this in more detail, Preegan Chetty, Microsoft Azure product manager at First Distribution, and Silicon Overdrive Microsoft business executive Jody Roberts join TechCentral’s business technology show TCS+. In the episode, they unpack: • The relationship between First Distribution and Silicon Overdrive; • Silicon Overdrive’s market focus; • What Azure SQL is and how it’s helping companies with their digital transformation initiatives; • Why many South African businesses run SQL Server databases, usually on-premises, and what the advantages are of moving these databases into the Microsoft Azure cloud; • The cost advantages of shifting, and what’s involved in doing so; • The security considerations of shifting from on-premises SQL Server to Azure SQL; • The features that make Azure SQL particularly secure; • Use cases of businesses leveraging Azure SQL; and • Azure SQL Database vs SQL Managed Instance vs SQL Service on Azure virtual machines – the differences between these options, and why businesses should choose one over another. Don’t miss the discussion. -- TCS+ episodes are sponsored. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Just how secure is your cloud database? 12:17

34 weeks پیش12:17

12:17

In the second episode of this series about migrating to Microsoft Azure SQL, the focus turns to what’s involved in moving from SQL Server to Azure SQL, and First Distribution’s Preegan Chetty returns to unpack the key priority of securing databases in the cloud. If you missed episode 1 in the series, you can find it here – or dive straight into this interview. Preegan Chetty, who is Microsoft Azure product manager at First Distribution, unpacks: • What makes Azure SQL a secure choice for companies today, including features such as data encryption (when data is at rest or in transit), threat detection and firewall protection; • Why companies shouldn’t simply assume that the cloud is secure because it’s being managed by a hyperscale cloud services provider; • Azure SQL’s performance, and the optimisations that can be done to make the system fly; and • The role of AI in cloud database management. Don’t miss any of the episodes in this insightful series. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Moving from SQL Server to Azure SQL – what you need to know 14:34

34 weeks پیش14:34

14:34

Is your company thinking about modernising its IT infrastructure? Is it planning to migrate from an on-premises Microsoft SQL Server database to the cloud-based Azure SQL solution? Then this podcast is for you. In this two-part series, we delve into greater detail on what’s involved in a cloud database migration. First Distribution’s Microsoft Azure product manager Preegan Chetty is our guest in the studio for this episode. He unpacks: • The risks and opportunities involved in the migration; • What companies need to be aware of before they even embark on a migration to Azure SQL; • How Microsoft helps companies with their migration projects; and • The top motivating factors driving companies to migrate away from an on-premises SQL Server solution to Azure SQL. Don’t miss this informative discussion – and be sure to catch episode 2 in this series with First Distribution. TechCentral…

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TCS | Meet the team behind Matric Live, South Africa’s App of the Year 27:14

34 weeks پیش27:14

27:14

Matric Live is a study tool to help students in grades 10-12 supplement their in-class learning with additional exercises – and even get exam practice via a digital platform. And it recently won the FNB App of the Year award amid stiff competition from the likes of Checkers Sixty60 and TFG’s Bash. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Matric Live CEO Kagisho Masae and chief technology officer Lesego Finger tell TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about their journey as a start-up and the growth Matric Live has gone through in the last few years. They delve into: • The inspiration behind the Matric Live app and the problem it seeks to solve for students; • The journey from app idea to full-fledged live system and the challenges faced along the way; • How the application is being monetised while keeping access to the platform free for its users; • The impact Matric Live has had on South African students; • Some success stories about students who have used the app; • Upcoming features to look forward to on the application; • The vision Masae and Finger have for the future of their business; and • The significance of winning the App of the Year award. Masae and Finger tell an inspiring story of battling against the odds and succeeding at solving one of the most foundational problems confronting South African society: the dissemination of quality education to all corners of the country. Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Bolt doubling down on safety for riders and drivers 13:23

34 weeks پیش13:23

13:23

The operating environment in South Africa for ride-hailing services like Bolt is fraught with complexity, while the country’s crime problem only contributes to the challenge of getting passengers safely from A to B. This complexity is compounded by the nuances of operating in different areas. Municipal districts have different permitting requirements, while competitive elements from other transport sector players, like taxi associations, presents further challenges. Fulfilling a ride request in the Cape Flats at 11pm is a different proposition to one in Sandton at 2pm. Simo Kalajdzic, senior operations manager at Bolt South Africa, tells TechCentral’s business technology show, TCS+, about how Bolt is approaching these challenges. He delves into: • The overall problem that Bolt is trying to solve for South Africans; • Bolt’s strategic approach to safety on the platform; • The £100-million investment into safety Bolt has pledged at a global level; • The technological solutions baked into the Bolt app for both drivers and passengers; • The industry-wide collaborations Bolt has undertaken to address safety from an ecosystem perspective; • How drivers and riders are empowered to be safe on the platform; • Feedback from a recent stakeholder engagement meeting held in Cape Town; and • Bolt’s long-term vision for safety in the South African context. This episode is not to be missed! TechCentral…

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TCS | Springboks rugby deal: the tech plan behind the audacious bid 49:25

35 weeks پیش49:25

49:25

Well-known South African technology entrepreneur Stafford Masie is one of the key backers behind an audacious bid to buy a stake of up to 40% in the South African Rugby Union (Saru)-owned entity that owns the commercial rights to the Springboks brand. Masie, who chairs JSE-listed Altvest Capital – a key player in the consortium making the bid – joins the TechCentral Show with Altvest CEO Warren Wheatley to unpack the plan and what spurred it, and to explain why tech is central to the bid. The bid comes after member unions of SA Rugby last week rejected a plan to sell a 20% in the commercial rightsholder to US-based Ackerley Sports Group for US$75-million. Ackerley has until the end of the year to submit a revised offer, but Wheatley and Masie told TechCentral that they do not expect a deal with the American firm will succeed. The South African consortium is made up of Altvest as well as EasyEquities, RainFin and 27four Investment Managers. In a statement, the consortium explained that if its bid is successful, it will list the special purpose vehicle that has been created to do the deal on the JSE and allow investors to buy shares. This is not dissimilar to Altvest’s business model, which sees it taking stakes in companies on behalf of public shareholders who participate in the economic benefits thereof. “Worth thinking about for the tech community is that our platform allows for ‘crowdfunding’ in a regulated environment that allows for participation in a funding round to anybody with disposable income – from first-time users or customers, all the way through to regulated institutions and pension funds,” Wheatley explained. In this episode of TCS, Masie and Wheatley unpack: • The background to their consortium’s Springboks bid – and why the consortium members came together; • How the bidders will work with SA Rugby to commercialise the rights, assuming their bid is successful; • How the deal could affect broadcast partners; and • Why they believe the deal could be used as a platform for technology innovation in South Africa. It’s an interesting discussion – don’t miss it! TechCentral…

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TCS | Reserve Bank’s big payments shake-up – an interview with Tim Masela 50:22

35 weeks پیش50:22

50:22

The South African Reserve Bank is working with its peers in the Southern African region to drive financial inclusion by digitising cash and making instant payments across borders an everyday reality. In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), Tim Masela, head of the National Payments System department at the Reserve Bank – he has been with the Bank for the past 30 years – tells TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about the efforts it is making to create a “cash smart” society not only in Southern Africa but across the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region. Masela unpacks: • Why the introduction of non-bank fintechs into the national and regional clearance and settlements systems is important; • The importance of designing “fit for purpose” regulations that allow fintech to remain nimble and innovative; • A detailed explanation of how the payments and settlements system worked historically, including how it has evolved in the digital era; • The efforts the Reserve Bank and its regional counterparts are undertaking to standardise financial legislation and regulation across Sadc; - The importance of the Transactions Cleared on an Immediate Basis (TCIB) platform, which facilitates PayShap-style instant payments across borders; - The challenges that currency conversion poses in facilitating instant payments across borders; - Findings from the National Payments Study conducted by the Reserve Bank and released in September; - What a “cash light” and “cash smart” society are and why the Reserve Bank believes this is desirable; and - Where the Reserve Bank stands on crypto assets and the road to their incorporation into South Africa’s National Payments System. Do not miss this insightful and informative episode. TechCentral…

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TCS | Sandile Dube on Equinix and South Africa’s data centre boom 21:12

42 weeks پیش21:12

21:12

Nasdaq-listed Equinix has completed construction of the first phase of a new data centre in Johannesburg, part of a R7.5-billion commitment to building cloud infrastructure in South Africa and the rest of the continent over the next five years. The company’s South African MD, Sandile Dube – a former country manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and a former executive at Dimension Data (now NTT Data) – tells TechCentral Show host Duncan McLeod about the new Johannesburg data centre, which is located in Isando on the East Rand, and what type of clients it’s hoping to attract. In the interview, Dube chats about: • Equinix’s African investment plans and where it intends to build data centre facilities and why; • The Isando data centre and what it offers; • The Equinix company and its investment focus – including its investments in West Africa; • Whether there is an overbuild of data centres taking place in South Africa. Can market demand sustain the level of investment taking place?; and • How Equinix differentiates itself in an increasingly crowded market. Don’t miss a great interview! TechCentral…

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TCS | Lesaka’s Lincoln Mali on the fintech opportunity in South Africa 22:16

42 weeks پیش22:16

22:16

Lincoln Mali has been at the helm of Lesaka Technologies Southern Africa, a fintech with a sizeable footprint in Southern Africa’s informal markets, since 2021. One of his main tasks has been to turn the company’s finances around by reigning in business units that were haemorrhaging cash in the past. Lesaka’s latest set of financial results suggests it’s making progress. In this episode of TechCentral Show, Mali speaks to TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about: • Lesaka’s latest financial results, breaking down each of the group's key business units; • The resilience of Lesaka’s loans business; • The importance of data analytics in driving Lesaka’s merchant lending business; • The impact of the interest rate cycle on business; • How the digitisation of cash is progressing in the informal market; • Lesaka’s acquisition strategy, including the recent blockbuster purchase of Adumo; and • The rationale behind Lesaka’s primary listing on the Nasdaq in the US (it has a secondary listing on the JSE). Don’t miss this fast-paced episode of the TechCentral Show. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Switchcom and Huawei forge new alliance 9:08

43 weeks پیش9:08

9:08

Networking equipment wholesaler Switchcom Distribution has partnered with Huawei Technologies to bring new offerings to the South African market and elsewhere in Africa. In this episode of TCS+, Lynton Brits, national sales manager at Switchcom, and Tanki Lebatla, account manager at Huawei, tell TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology show about the partnership and what it means for the market. In the show, Brits and Lebatla delve into: • The networking and backup power solutions offered by Switchcom through its partnership with Huawei; • The training and implementation support Huawei provides to Switchcom and what that means for Switchcom’s reseller clients; • How the two companies are shoring up the supply chain to ensure that customers have enough stock; • The guarantees Huawei and Switchcom offer clients on the hardware, as well as the process for swap-outs and replacements; and • The hardware innovations and capabilities of Huawei’s networking and backup power products. This interview is not to be missed, especially for builders of networks or owners of large-scale infrastructure that cannot afford to be without power. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | CYBER1 Solutions on choosing a managed security service provider 48:52

43 weeks پیش48:52

48:52

In this episode of TCS+, TechCentral speaks to CYBER1 Solutions executives Jayson O’Reilly, the company’s MD, and Akeel Sayed, head of its managed services division, about the benefits and challenges of using a managed security service provider (MSSP). The conversation starts by discussing the growing complexity of cybersecurity and the financial motivations driving cybercriminals. With the underground economy expanding, MSSPs must constantly adapt to new attack methods. Early adopters of cutting-edge technology may take on higher risks, but they also build knowledge that benefits future clients, reducing their exposure to emerging threats. The proliferation of security operations centres in South Africa, now numbering more than 30, is driven by skill shortages and the need for assurance. Many organisations still lack visibility into their network environments, which the experts identify as a key issue. Understanding what’s connected to a network and which applications are in use is essential but often overlooked. MSSPs also help clients manage budget constraints and meet compliance requirements while keeping pace with fast-moving technological change. South Africa is seen as a testing ground for cybercriminals targeting the broader African market. Clients now prefer flexible, short-term investments over long-term contracts due to the evolving threat landscape. The experts stress the importance of MSSPs staying relevant by challenging vendors and adapting their offerings to new threats like artificial intelligence. A major concern is the lack of governance in many industries, especially those with strict compliance needs. Organisations are realising the need to think like attackers and continuously evolve their defences. AI is highlighted as a significant disruptor, with MSSPs now focused on securing AI algorithms and leveraging AI to enhance security operations. The podcast discussion compares MSSPs with in-house security teams, noting that MSSPs offer greater agility and a broader range of expertise. In-house teams often face resource constraints and difficulty staying up to date with new technologies. MSSPs, on the other hand, focus on governance and outcomes, allowing businesses to prioritise other critical needs. The experts underscore the need for collaboration across the cybersecurity industry. MSSPs can share anonymised insights across clients, helping create a unified defence against attackers. Ultimately, MSSPs provide value by evolving their offerings, focusing on outcomes and using collective experience to keep clients secure in an ever-changing threat landscape. Don’t miss a great discussion. TechCentral…

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TCS | The Solly Malatsi interview – BEE, SOEs and Starlink 43:00

44 weeks پیش43:00

43:00

Communications minister Solly Malatsi, a DA MP and the first non-ANC politician to hold the key technology portfolio in the democratic era, has been in the job for three months – sufficient time to get a broad handle on the big issues. In this first interview with the TechCentral Show, TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod asks Malatsi a range of questions about the sector, including his views on how he plans to address some of the more intractable problems in his inbox. The interview, which was recorded on Friday, 4 October – shortly before he announced he was issuing a policy direction to communications regulator Icasa that could see a big change to empowerment rules governing licensing in the sector – covers a wide range of topics, from Elon Musk’s Starlink to the ongoing feud between the SABC and Sentech. Other topics covered in the interview include: • The minister’s engagements with Starlink and the recent meeting in New York between Musk and President Cyril Ramaphosa; • His views on black economic empowerment and why his top priority is reducing the cost of data and ensuring more South Africans can connect affordably to the internet and online services; • His plan for private sector participation in the Post Office, and whether the company is really worth saving; • The war between the SABC and Sentech, and how it can be resolved; • Future funding models for the SABC and the future of TV licences in South Africa; • The problems at the State IT Agency, and what the focus should be of government’s central IT procurement and services provider; • The planned merger of Sentech and Broadband Infraco and why he believes it needs to happen; • Government’s 40.5% stake in Telkom and what should happen to it; • The road to digital migration and whether there is still a need for terrestrial television in 2024; • 2G and 3G switch-off in South Africa and whether this should be mandated by the government; and • The legislative programme for the department of communications & digital technologies. Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Hypa Fibre and its aspirations for the aspirational market 8:34

44 weeks پیش8:34

8:34

Hypa Fibre is a fibre internet service provider focused on underserved markets in South Africa’s townships. John Githinji, national head of sales at Hypa, which is a subsidiary of telecommunications provider Vox, tells TechCentral’s business technology show TCS+ that the company is using its presence in underserved markets to plug gaps beyond internet services. In this episode of TCS+, Githinji delves into: • What Hypa is and its relationship with Vox; • The death and disability benefit Hypa offers free of charge to its paying customers; • Why Hypa’s customers take advantage of its death benefits instead of opting for a traditional insurance company; • Who qualifies for Hypa’s death and disability benefit; and • The costs associated with the offering. This episode of TCS+ is not to be missed! TechCentral…

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Meet the CIO | Standard Bank Group’s Jörg Fischer – mission-critical IT 1:05:03

44 weeks پیش1:05:03

1:05:03

At more than R23-billion/year, Standard Bank Group has the biggest IT budget of any company in South Africa – and quite possibly in the whole of Africa. The man charged with ensuring the continent’s largest financial services provider is spending that money optimally is group CIO Jörg Fischer, who is TechCentral’s guest in this episode of Meet the CIO, the publication’s monthly interview series presented by Wipro, where, instead of focusing on the vendors of technology, we interview the end users of IT – banks, retailers, manufacturers and more – about how they’re using modern technology to grow their businesses and drive their strategic agendas. Meet the CIO is presented by Wipro In this episode of Meet the CIO, Fischer chats about the technology function at Standard Bank Group, the role of a CIO in the financial services industry, the big strategic IT projects which the bank is involved with – and much, much more. Among other topics, Fischer discusses: • The career trajectory that resulted in him becoming a top IT leader; • Why Standard Bank Group spends as much as it does on IT, and where that spending is directed; • How IT aligns with the group’s strategic focus areas; • The decision to migrate to SAP’s core banking solution, what was involved, the lessons learned and how the platform is working for the bank in 2024; • What Standard Bank’s technology stack looks like, and its investment in the cloud; • What makes a good CIO in 2024, including the skills that are important in the role; • How Standard Bank is approaching AI – and what it can actually achieve for the bank and its clients; • How technology is changing the banking industry; • Standard Bank’s approach to cybersecurity; and • How Standard Bank attracts and retains IT talent. Don’t miss a fascinating conversation that provides great insight into how IT has become mission critical in modern banking. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Network Platforms’ Warwick Ward-Cox – IP wrangler 27:58

45 weeks پیش27:58

27:58

Warwick Ward-Cox, chief technical officer at Network Platforms – a wholesale provider specialising in supporting internet service providers and IT managed service providers – is deeply immersed in the plumbing of the South African technology space, currently supporting over a 100 ISPs and MSPs. Ward-Cox, who has immersed himself in the world of technology for the past 30 years, is the guest in this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology show, in which he chats about the work that Network Platforms does and how the internet landscape in South Africa has been transformed over the past 10 years. In this episode, he discusses: • Network Platforms, what it does and how and why it’s focus has shifted over time; • What internet infrastructure in South Africa looks like in 2024, including national long-distance fibre and subsea cables; • Why some terrestrial fibre routes in South Africa are “challenging”, and why submarine cables along the coastline alleviate the problem; • Why IP transit to ISPs is a critical service; • Internet peering in South Africa, how it works and why it’s important; • The outlook for peering; and • Why ISPs and managed service providers should choose Network Platforms This is a great conversation about the development and state of the internet in South Africa, what it looks like and where it may be going. Don’t miss it! TechCentral…

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TCS | Donald Valoyi: South African on-demand e-commerce pioneer 48:53

45 weeks پیش48:53

48:53

Donald Valoyi saw the potential market for on-demand grocery delivery in South Africa early on, and his company Zulzi was a pioneer in the space. It even went on to help Shoprite Holdings launch the Checkers Sixty60 app. Zulzi was founded in 2013 as an “aggregator” of various shopping outlets to help consolidate online shopping for customers. Today the company provides support to Sixty60 and continues to operate as a separate entity through seven of its own “dark stores”, or warehouses. Zulzi founder Valoyi joins the TechCentral Show to chat about the company's journey, which began with his exit from corporate South Africa into entrepreneurship. He shares his views on the innovations reshaping the e-commerce sector and how South African businesses should equip themselves to handle competition from international players. Valoyi also chats about: • His entrepreneurial ambitions and why he chose e-commerce as his focus; • The early days of Zulzi, and how he built the business; • How Zulzi’s relationship with Shoprite and the Checkers Sixty60 app came about; • Why Valoyi believes the Post Office is key to driving e-commerce growth in South Africa; • Why the medical sector is ripe for e-commerce disruption; and • How technologies like artificial intelligence are changing the online shopping experience. Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | From gen AI to deepfakes – the latest infosec threats 18:34

45 weeks پیش18:34

18:34

Twice yearly, ESET publishes its Threat Report in which it unpacks the latest trends and developments in the world of information security. Adrian Stanford, group chief technology officer at ESET Southern Africa, is our guest in the latest episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, and he provides a succinct overview of the key trends identified in the latest ESET Threat Report, for the first half of 2024. Stanford provides a brief overview of the findings before delving into: • The threat posed by generative AI, including how bad actors are using the technology to break into systems and target victims; • The rise of deepfakes and the threat they pose, particularly in mobile; • The threat posed to Linux-based systems – and why there’s a misconception that malware doesn’t target Linux (or macOS); and • The latest on plug-in malware impacting WordPress-based websites. Don’t miss this informative discussion about the evolving world of cyberthreats and how they could impact you and your business. TechCentral…

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TCS | Bruce Mellado on the tech-led fight against air pollution in South Africa 35:03

47 weeks پیش35:03

35:03

South African scientists have launched a cost-effective air-quality monitoring system built using internet of things and artificial intelligence technologies. Bruce Mellado, professor of particle physics and director of the Institute for Collider Particle Physics at Wits University, is one of the key people behind the new initiative, which is aimed at improving air quality in South Africa and eventually other markets around the world. He recently joined Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show to discuss the project. Mellado, who also director at the iThemba Laboratories for Accelerator Based Sciences – a unit of South Africa’s National Research Foundation – takes TechCentral through the devices, how they were built and how they’re being deployed in South Africa to detect reportable problems with air quality. “We decided to create, for the first time in South Africa, a cost-effective air-quality monitoring system based on sensors, IoT and AI. We have named this system Ai_r.,” Mellado wrote in a recent article for The Conversation and published on TechCentral. “Our team of 25 people includes more than 20 years of experience as particle physicists in working with sensors, communications and AI,” he wrote. “There are only 130 big air-quality measuring stations in South Africa. They only measure the air quality in the vicinity of the station. This is why we need cost-effective, dense networks made up of Ai_r systems set up all around these stations, to measure air quality in a much wider area. Our vision is to place tens of thousands of these devices all over South Africa.” In this episode of TCS, Mellado chats about: • The latest developments in particle physics, some of the work he is involved in and how a particle physicist got involved in an air-quality monitoring project; • Where the idea for the Ai_r device came from, its development and how it works; • The role of IoT and AI in the device, and why the development team made the technology choices it did; • The data that’s been collected so far, and what it can be used for; • How much the solution costs, and how you can buy one to monitor your air quality at home. Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral…

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TCS | Rebooting Cell C: Jorge Mendes sets out his strategic plan 56:45

48 weeks پیش56:45

56:45

Jorge Mendes has been in the hot seat at Cell C for just over a year, and the turnaround at the long-troubled mobile operator is starting to gain traction. In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), Mendes sits down with TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod for a detailed interview in which he provides an update on what’s happened in the past year at Cell C, paints of a picture of the state of the business today, and sets out what comes next for the mobile operator. To signal the management team’s intentions, and to declare the business is on a new strategic footing and is in the market for the long term, Cell C recently refreshed its brand identity and signalled its intention to take back market share from its bigger rivals. In this episode of TCS, Mendes tackles a range of questions, including: • Why he left what seemed to be a plum job at Vodacom to take on the difficult challenge of turning around Cell C; • What went through his mind in the first few days on the job; • Cell C’s plan to recapture the title of third largest mobile operator from Telkom – and to take the fight to MTN and Vodacom; • Why Cell C has struggled to compete, how it accumulated huge amounts of debt and why the new strategy is its best but last chance of success; • The state of Cell C’s finances – and especially its balance sheet – following the recent recapitalisation led by its largest shareholder, Blue Label Telecoms; • His relationship with Blue Label founders and co-CEOs Brett Levy and Mark Levy; • The role of regulatory support, especially in call termination; • Why Cell C handed back the spectrum it secured in the 2022 spectrum auction, and its plans for participation in future auctions; • The role of mobile virtual network operators and wholesale services in Cell C’s recovery plan; and • Cell C’s strategy to capture more of the lucrative contract market. There’s plenty more in the interview with Mendes – don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral…

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Meet the CIO | Investec's Shabhana Thaver: 'It's not just about the tech' 56:39

48 weeks پیش56:39

56:39

Meet the CIO is presented by Wipro. --- There is much more to being a chief information officer than being an advocate of the latest technology. In fact, articulating a vision, and architecting it, is critical. That’s according to Shabhana Thaver, CIO at Investec Specialist Bank, who is the guest in the hot seat in episode 2 of TechCentral’s new interview series, Meet the CIO, which is presented by Wipro. According to Thaver, technology is changing banking and many other industries in fundamental ways, and CIOs need to play a big role in providing an holistic view to the rest of the C-suite of what those changes mean for their company and for their industry. “You have to be a risk officer, you have to be a compliance officer, you have to be a CIO, you have to understand the commercials and the revenue side of things… I'm a technologist, I love the fancy new stuff and dabbling and playing with it, but being in in a bank, which is systemic, you have to consider the impact of what you are doing, not just the change and the benefit.” In the interview, Thaver discusses: • Her career background in software development, and what led her to Johannesburg from Durban, her hometown, and then to Investec; • Her career at Investec, leading to her appointment as CIO; • The role of the CIO in a modern bank like Investec, and how the role of an IT leader differs in a bank compared to other industries; • What makes a good CIO – and the role the CIO should play in helping establish organisational strategy; • The big IT projects she is leading at Investec and the impact these will have on the bank; • Investec’s technology stack and how it compares to other banks in South Africa; • The likely impact of artificial intelligence – including generative AI – on Investec and its clients, including a look at how the bank is approaching AI; • How AI will impact the banking industry – as well as what it means for productivity and jobs; and • How else technology is changing the banking industry Don’t miss a fascinating interview. TechCentral…

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TCS | Dominic Cull on why 'Fair Share' is a non-starter in South Africa 26:45

49 weeks پیش26:45

26:45

The big mobile network operators in South Africa “have never shown a willingness to … accommodate smaller players”, so the notion that they should be entitled to “Fair Share” is “difficult to swallow for smaller operators who have been at the end of their [unfair] business practices”. That’s the view of Dominic Cull, a leading specialist South African ICT lawyer and regulatory adviser to the Internet Service Providers’ Association (Ispa), who was speaking to the TechCentral Show (TCS) in an interview (published below). Cull’s criticism of Fair Share – at least in the form being advanced by the large telecoms operators – comes as the Association of Comms & Technology (ACT), a lobby group that represents the country’s largest telecoms providers, agitates for its adoption by policymakers in South Africa. Fair Share is an idea that has gained traction among operators in Europe, where margins have been pressured in a competitive market. They argue that so-called OTT – “over the top” – companies, which include streaming video providers such as Netflix, Disney+ and TikTok, should contribute a “fair share” to the development of broadband infrastructure. Critics have said this is simply a move by infrastructure providers, which have experienced margin compression with the move from voice to data services, to try to claw back lost profits. Speaking at last month’s Datacentrix Showcase 2024 event in Sandton, ICT industry stalwart Andile Ngcaba – who founded Convergence Partners – said the move by ACT to pressure policymakers and regulators over “Fair Share” is not needed or wanted in the South African context. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” said Ngcaba, who is a previous policymaker in South Africa and who served as director-general of communications in the Nelson Mandela administration. In the interview with TCS, Cull echoed this view and said ACT’s lobbying for Fair Share is partly aimed at “catching the ear” of newly appointed communications minister Solly Malatsi and influencing what is included in forthcoming amendments to legislation that governs the ICT sector in South Africa. In this episode of TCS, Cull chats about: • Whether ACT has a point about Fair Share; • How big content players impact smaller operators and internet service providers, and why the call for Fair Share is coming from the industry’s biggest players; • The investments by the OTT players in both terrestrial and subsea fibre infrastructure, including Google’s investment in the Equiano cable and Meta Platforms’ involvement in 2Africa; • Whether mobile network operators doomed to become low-margin “dumb pipes” like other utility industries. Can they somehow avoid that fate? Don’t miss the discussion, and if you enjoyed it, check out our December 2023 interview with Dominic Cull on Starlink in South Africa. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Robert Jorge lifts the lid on Openserve’s network 36:47

49 weeks پیش36:47

36:47

What does it take to build and maintain South Africa’s largest wholesale telecommunications network? Robert Jorge, chief network officer at Openserve, unpacks what is involved in this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+. In the latest in a five-part series of interviews with Openserve executives – you can find the other episodes in the series here – Jorge shares what is involved in building a modern telecoms network and how the company makes the technology decisions it does. Jorge unpacks: • What sets the Openserve network apart from other networks in South Africa; • What the network looks like – from fibre to the home to national backhaul routes to international subsea cables; • How Openserve’s network teams measure success – including a look at how the company measures reliability and how it achieves high availability through network design principles; • The project to remove legacy copper infrastructure – which is outdated, expensive and prone to theft – from the Openserve network; • The impact of load shedding and load reduction on the company’s infrastructure, and what it has done to cope with unreliable electricity supply; and • What advances in technology mean for the future of the Openserve network – and what this means for businesses and consumers. It is a fascinating discussion – do not miss it! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Beware the Toxic Cloud Trilogy – a discussion with Tenable 22:47

36 weeks پیش22:47

22:47

Companies moving to the cloud – and those already there – need to be aware of the Toxic Cloud Trilogy, three pitfalls in cloud computing that must be avoided. Bernard Montel, technical director at exposure management company Tenable for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, recently unpacked this for TechCentral’s audience in an episode of TCS+ (watch or listen to the interview below). Montel unpacked what the three risk factors are that make up the Toxic Cloud Trilogy – critical vulnerabilities, excessive permissions and public exposure – and how to deal with each of them effectively. Tenable recently published its 2024 Tenable Cloud Risk Report, which examines findings by the Tenable Cloud Research team based on telemetry from millions of cloud resources across multiple public cloud repositories. In this episode of TCS+, Montel discusses: • Tenable, its history and its focus areas in the information security industry; • Why companies should take the Toxic Cloud Trilogy seriously, and how it amplifies risk for organisations; • The key findings in Tenable’s Cloud Risk Report and what they mean in practice, including addressing the Toxic Cloud Trilogy; and • How Tenable Cloud Security can help companies overcome the Toxic Cloud Trilogy. If you’re involved in protecting your organisation’s data and assets in the cloud, don’t miss this important discussion. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Why your company needs network monitoring as a service 33:02

36 weeks پیش33:02

33:02

Trace Network Operations, founded in 2016, provides bespoke network solutions in network management and network monitoring. Company founder Darryl Theron saw a gap in the market for a company that provides leading solutions in this space, stemming from his many years of experience in the pan-African infrastructure market. This episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology podcast, hosted by Jaydev Chiba, delves into how Trace Network Operations supports its customers in the areas of network management and network monitoring as a service (NMaaS) with Theron and his colleague, Gert van Deventer. The company’s solutions are built around a product called StableNet, a carrier-grade network management and monitoring system that is built from the ground up. Trace Network Operations also uses other technologies, including the Red Hat Ansible automation platform, Cubro, Sophos, NetWitness and FNT. The company’s solutions are designed to help businesses solve problems such as: • Lack of visibility into network activity: Many businesses lack the tools and expertise to monitor their networks effectively. This can lead to problems such as security breaches, performance issues and outages. • Difficulty in troubleshooting problems: When problems do occur, it can be difficult to identify the root cause and resolve them quickly. • Lack of automation: Many network management tasks are still performed manually, which is time-consuming and prone to errors. Trace Network Operations addresses these issues by providing a comprehensive suite of NMaaS solutions that includes: • Network monitoring: StableNet provides real-time visibility into network activity, allowing businesses to identify and resolve problems quickly. • Network management: The company’s solutions help businesses to automate many network management tasks, such as configuration management, change management and fault management. • Security monitoring: It integrates solutions such as NetWitness and Cobra to provide comprehensive security monitoring and management. Trace Network Operations offers its solutions on a flexible basis, allowing businesses to tailor the level of service that best meets their needs. The interview also includes a few case studies of how Trace Network Operations’ solutions have been used to provide value and benefits for companies. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Obsidian’s Muggie van Staden on the power of ITSM 24:57

36 weeks پیش24:57

24:57

Information technology service management (ITSM) is more than another buzzword. It’s a concept that helps organisations design and deliver IT services to customers and, when well executed, it can have a huge impact on productivity as well as customer and employee experience. But too often companies don’t do it right, leading to headaches and lost productivity. To unpack the topic, Muggie van Staden, MD at open-source enterprise software specialist Obsidian Systems, joins TechCentral’s TCS+ to discuss the latest trends in ITSM and what they mean for South African organisations. Van Staden unpacks: • The concept of ITSM and what it involves; • How successful companies utilise ITSM to better manage customer experience, free up IT resources, align IT with business goals, enhance security and risk mitigation, foster scalable growth, and accelerate digital transformation; • The emerging trends in ITSM that are shaping how organisations manage their IT services and IT infrastructure; • The role of artificial intelligence and automation in ITSM; • The shift to Agile and DevOps integration; and • Where Obsidian fits into the ITSM picture. Don’t miss a fascinating conversation with a leader in the ITSM space in South Africa. TechCentral…

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TCS | Datafree’s plan to make R1-billion/year from ‘free data’ 24:18

36 weeks پیش24:18

24:18

Datafree Technologies, the company behind popular zero-rated messaging tool MoyaApp, has an ambitious plan to build a R1-billion/year business by tapping to the APN market provided by the mobile operators. In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), Datafree chief commercial officer Kruben Pillay tells Duncan McLeod about the company’s plan to build a software-as-a-service-based APN – or “access point name” – to sell to businesses. An APN is a gateway that allows a mobile device to connect to the network and the internet. Datafree describes itself as a specialist in “mobile data optimisation” that “identified the opportunity to empower inclusive mobile connection by removing the data cost barrier to engage mobile audiences”. To do this, it uses reverse-billing technology for data, not dissimilar to the way toll-free numbers work for phone calls. Although many people use or are at least aware of MoyaApp, much less is known about Datafree. In this episode of TCS, Pillay tells McLeod more about the business. He also unpacks: • His history in the telecommunications industry, including his time at Vodacom and Telkom; • How MoyaApp is doing; • Datafree’s R1-billion/year APN opportunity; and • How APNs work, why companies use them (and why they sometimes run into issues) and Datafree’s APN services for business. Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | How to stop a data disaster – a discussion with Veeam 43:17

37 weeks پیش43:17

43:17

Veeam is helping organisations in South Africa and the rest of the African continent safeguard their most valuable asset: their data. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, four senior executives from Veeam unpack the latest trends in data resilience and protection, and explore how African organisations can better protect themselves against a data disaster. To unpack this in detail, TCS+ is joined in this two-parter episode by Veeam’s: • Mena Migally, regional vice president, Europe, the Middle East and Africa; • Brendan Widlake, regional director and country manager, Africa; • Ian Engelbrecht, head of technical sales, Africa; and • Lisa Strydom, senior manager for channel and alliances, Africa. Topics covered in the discussion include: • The unique challenges that businesses in Africa face when it comes to securing and managing their data; • The role of data resilience in helping African businesses maintain continuous availability of their data in the face of growing cyberthreats. • Securing on-premises and cloud-based environments and the challenges involved in doing so; • How Veeam works with local partners to ensure African businesses optimise their data protection strategies and build resilience; • How Veeam helps companies deal with ransomware attacks, both before and after they happen; and • The emerging trends and innovations in data resilience and protection. For more information on Veeam’s portfolio of data resilience solutions, including backup, recovery, cloud data management and disaster recovery, visit Veeam’s data resilience portfolio. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Inside Eswatini’s big fibre roll-out plans 6:32

37 weeks پیش6:32

6:32

Eswatini is on a mission to roll out high-speed fibre broadband infrastructure for its citizens. According to Themba Khumalo, MD of The Eswatini Posts & Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC), the landlocked territory will draw lessons from leaders in national fibre roll-out in other markets as it deploys infrastructure to the population. In this episode of TCS+, filmed on-site in Cape Town during Africa Tech Week, Khumalo delves into: • The role of EPTC Eswatini; • Features unique to Eswatini that make the challenge of a national fibre roll-out a little easier than it might be in other territories; • EPTC’s national fibre strategy; • How the population will benefit from the speed upgrades that a fibre roll-out will enable; • The proposed timelines for the competition of the national fibre roll-out; and • The role government will play in accelerating infrastructure roll-out. Don’t miss the conversation. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | What Google Cloud solutions mean for companies in Africa 29:59

38 weeks پیش29:59

29:59

In the final episode of a three-part interview series with TechCentral’s TCS+, Digicloud Africa executives unpack what Google Cloud’s solutions mean for end-user organisations in Africa. Digicloud Africa is Google Cloud’s enablement partner on the continent, and the company’s CEO, Gregory MacLennan, and head of technical operations Louis van Schalkwyk return to the show to chat about what Google Cloud software can do for businesses that deploy it. In episode 1 of this series, we had a look at Digicloud, what it does, and its relationship with Google. In episode 2, we looked at the company’s reseller partner model, what it involves and how it works with its reseller partners. (LINKS TO SHOWS TO BE INSERTED WHEN AVAILABLE.) In the final episode, MacLennan and Van Schalkwyk unpack: • The Google Cloud advantage relative to other cloud and enterprise software solutions; • How companies can use Google Cloud to innovate and grow their businesses; • The importance of using open IT infrastructure like Google’s – and what this means for collaboration and information security; • What Google Cloud offers in specific sectors, including education; • Examples of African enterprises and government agencies doing interesting things with Google Cloud technology; • How Digicloud Africa works with resellers to offer Google Cloud solutions to companies, educational institutions and government – and how Digicloud supports those resellers in client engagements and deployments; and • Becoming a Google Cloud reseller through Digicloud and what’s involved. Don’t miss insightful interview, and the others in this series! TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS+ | Pinnacle’s Jacque Visagie – AI will transform SA business 26:38

38 weeks پیش26:38

26:38

Pinnacle, one of South Africa’s leading technology distributors, is going all-in on AI. The company, which represents some of the leading brands in the artificial intelligence space, is working closely with its vendors and channel partners to help local companies embrace the potential of the technology and expand employee productivity. Jacques Visage, GM for AI and Services at Pinnacle, is the man leading this charge, and he’s TechCentral’s guest in this episode of TCS+. He unpacks why Pinnacle sees AI as a strategic imperative and how it is positioning itself as an AI leader in the distribution space. In the discussion, Visagie chats about: • Pinnacle’s go-to-market strategy around AI and how it is working with its channel partners to provide AI solutions to businesses; • The company’s key partners and technology providers; • How conversations around AI in corporate South Africa have changed since the launch two years ago of OpenAI’s ChatGPT; • What South African companies are doing with AI – and what they want to do with it in future; and • The top-of-mind issues around AI in the C-suite and the biggest use cases we’re seeing so far in corporate South Africa. Don’t miss this important and insightful conversation! TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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Meet the CIO | The Capital Hotels’ José Soares – from gamer to director of IT 57:09

39 weeks پیش57:09

57:09

José Soares, director of IT at The Capital Hotels, Apartments and Resorts, fell in love with computers when his dad brought home a Sinclair ZX81. Through a series of upgrades – from the Commodore 64 to early Apple machines and eventually his first PC – Soares developed a passion for gaming and technology. Meet the CIO is presented by Wipro That passion led him to co-found a mobile gaming company and eventually to pursue a career in IT management. Our guest in the latest episode of Meet the CIO, Soares tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the journey that led him to The Capital Hotels group. Soares also discusses: • The assets owned by the group and why it’s focus is a little different to other companies in the hospitality industry; • What the group’s IT stack looks like, and the big projects Soares is leading; • How the internet and modern technology have transformed the hospitality industry; • His strategic priorities as head of IT; • The role of artificial intelligence in the hospitality industry, and how The Capital Hotel is approaching AI; • The qualities that make for a good CIO; and • The importance of developing the next generation of IT talent. Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS+ | Binance on the role of cryptocurrencies in digitising money 14:35

39 weeks پیش14:35

14:35

The digitisation of money is helping drive financial inclusion and improve access to complex financial services in South Africa and the rest of the African continent. In this episode of TCS+, Hannes Wessels, GM for South Africa at Binance, explains the role cryptocurrencies are playing in the digitisation of cash as well as the potential that blockchain technology offers in enhancing the security of digital transactions. In this episode, Wessels delves into: • The trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the future of digital banking in South Africa; • How Binance is capitalising on the growth of mobile banking and other advancements in financial technology; • Examples of how blockchain technology can enhance transaction security; • How decentralised finance can make financial services accessible to everyone in Africa; and • How Binance is contributing to the digital cash revolution. Don’t miss this exciting episode of TCS+. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | How to become a Google Cloud reseller in Africa 23:30

39 weeks پیش23:30

23:30

In the second part of a three-part interview series with TechCentral’s TCS+, Digicloud Africa executives unpack how African ICT companies can become reseller partners for Google Cloud in Africa. Digicloud is Google Cloud’s chosen enablement partner for Africa and works closely with the US technology giant to deliver its services across the continent – through a network of resellers. In this episode of TCS+, Digicloud Africa CEO Gregory MacLennan and head of technical operations Louis van Schalkwyk unpack what’s involved in becoming a reseller partner to Digicloud Africa and Google Cloud. The two men chat about: • Digicloud Africa’s role as the African enablement partner for Google Cloud; • Google Cloud’s go-to-market strategy in Africa and how it works through Digicloud Africa to support a network of resellers across the continent; • How the relationship between Google Cloud, Digicloud and its resellers partners operate in the context of serving end-user customers; • How IT companies can sign up to become Google Cloud resellers through Digicloud – the requirements and what’s involved; • How Digicloud supports specialisation by its reseller partners; and • The challenge of managing a network of resellers across a continent as vast as Africa. Don’t miss the interview, or the others in this insightful series with Digicloud Africa. TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS+ | Introducing Digicloud, Google Cloud’s partner in Africa 15:32

40 weeks پیش15:32

15:32

Digicloud Africa has a big role to play in the African ICT ecosystem as Google Cloud’s enablement partner on the continent. Two of Digicloud’s top executives recently sat down for an interview with TechCentral’s TCS+ to unpack the business, its relationship with Google, and how it serves its reseller partners and their clients in adopting Google Cloud services. Gregory MacLennan, Digicloud’s CEO, and Louis van Schalkwyk, the company’s head of technical operations, tell TechCentral about the business and why Google Cloud services are seeing strong demand across Africa. In this first of a succinct three-part series with Digicloud, MacLennan and Van Schalkwyk discuss: • The history of Digicloud and how it became Google Cloud’s enablement partner for Africa; • How the partnership with Google Cloud works, and why Google chooses to work through reseller partners in smaller markets like those in Africa; • The solutions on offer from Google via Digicloud; and • How companies can become Google Cloud resellers through Digicloud Africa – and why the company is encouraging more entities to sign up and go through the process of accreditation (and what’s involved). Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Arctic Wolf – weighing up in-house vs outsourced SOCs 28:00

40 weeks پیش28:00

28:00

In this episode of TCS+, TechCentral speaks with Jason Oehley and Andre den Hond, regional sales manager and senior sales engineer, respectively, at Arctic Wolf, a company specialising in cybersecurity operations. They discuss the benefits of partnering with a cybersecurity provider versus building an in-house security operations centre (SOC). The conversation begins by focusing on the critical role of security operations in ensuring business continuity. Every organisation requires a certain level of security, which can vary based on what employees are doing and what the organisation is focused on. Security operations are about finding the right balance between the actual security level and the required level – enough to be protected but without overspending. The speakers then explore the challenges of building an in-house SOC. The biggest challenges they see with customers trying to build a SOC are skills shortages, identifying and integrating the right security tools, and a lack of comprehensive visibility across the organisation's attack surface. They find that organisations often struggle to find the right skills and tools, and even if they do, it can be difficult to retain skilled security professionals. Customers also experience alert fatigue from too many alerts from their security tools. Partnering with a provider like Arctic Wolf can help address these challenges. Arctic Wolf will work and integrate with the customer's existing security tools and team, providing 24/7 monitoring and threat detection. This removes the burden of building and managing an SOC from the customer, allowing them to focus on business risk and strategic security management. Arctic Wolf’s “concierge delivery model” helps customers continuously improve their security posture through a collaborative, partnership approach. This includes vulnerability management, security awareness training and incident response capabilities. This approach contrasts with a product-centric approach, which the speakers argue is not enough in today’s threat landscape. The speakers conclude by discussing future trends in cybersecurity. They predict a consolidation in the cybersecurity market, with smaller companies being absorbed by larger ones. They also believe that the threat landscape will become more complex as attackers leverage AI and other advanced techniques. They stress the importance of a proactive and comprehensive approach to security, and the value of partnering with a security provider that can help organisations stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape. Don’t miss this informative and important discussion! TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS | The story of Telviva, with David Meintjes and Rob Lith 41:28

41 weeks پیش41:28

41:28

The world of telephony might not be particularly sexy, but it is an industry that has changed fundamentally in the past 20 years. And David Meintjes and Rob Lith of Telviva, a South African company specialising in cloud-based unified communications solutions for businesses, has been at the forefront of the technology changes that have swept through the industry in that time. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, the pair tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the journey from the early days of the business – when it was known as Connection Telecom – to the cloud-based telephony specialist it is today, as Telviva. In the interview, Meintjes and Lith chat about: • The evolution of Connection Telecom, its original mission, and how the business evolved into the unified communications as a service (UCaaS) provider it is today; • How the telephony market in South Africa has changed beyond recognition over the past 20 years; and • Telviva’s international expansion plans and its strategy around acquisitions. There’s plenty more in this interview with two ICT industry legends – don’t miss it. TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS | Andrew Middleton on the state of rooftop solar in South Africa 27:57

41 weeks پیش27:57

27:57

South Africa’s rooftop solar installation industry has a bright future and is on track for its second-best year on record, despite the suspension of load shedding in March. That’s according to Andrew Middleton, co-founder and CEO of GoSolr, one of South Africa’s largest rooftop solar installation companies, who spoke to TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show (TCS) earlier this week. According to Middleton, citing figures from Eskom, 749MW of rooftop solar capacity has been installed in South Africa this year, taking the total to 5.9GW. Some 162MW of new rooftop solar was added in the third quarter, down 267MW from the same three months in 2023, when load shedding was frequently at stage 4 or higher. The figures are contained in the latest quarterly report published by GoSolr on the state of the industry. In his interview with TCS, Middleton unpacks: • The impact of the suspension of load shedding on the rooftop solar industry; • What’s driving consumers to consider solar at home today; • The impact of the adoption of electric vehicles on the demand for home solar – and what sort of solar installation consumers who own or are thinking of buying an EV need to consider; • The state of play in the municipalities around feed-in tariff structures – an update on Cape Town, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay and more; • The future role of embedded generation systems in communities – the way forward and the hurdles that might be encountered; and • Why government was wrong to withdraw the tax rebate on solar panels and to impose higher taxes on their importation. Don’t miss this insightful conversation about the state of South Africa’s rooftop solar industry. TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS+ | How Betway parent Super Group profits from Workday 28:49

49 weeks پیش28:49

28:49

Super Group, the New York-listed parent of Betway and other online betting brands, has achieved significant gains in efficiency and productivity through its partnership with Workday, the cloud-based enterprise software company. The company has deployed Workday’s software, and Neil Greybe, its human resources information systems manager, tells TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology show about how it has derived significant value from the investment – including in improved consistency, simplification, integration, prioritisation and change management. Greybe is joined on this episode of TCS+ by Workday South Africa MD Kiv Moodley, who expands on the relationship between the two companies. In the discussion, the two chat about: • Greybe’s role at Super Group and the company’s focus areas; • Workday’s presence in South Africa and its strategic priorities for this market; • The vision and strategy for Workday, and how that ties in with the Changemakers theme of this series of TCS+ interviews with Workday and its clients; • Greybe’s top priorities in his role at Super Group, and how these tie in with the role technology can play in supporting and growing the business; • Super Group’s relationship with Workday and how the company uses the software in its day-to-day operations; • The value that Super Group has derived from its investment in Workday; and • Workday’s role as a “trusted adviser” to its clients, including Super Group. Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS | Scott Gibson on his new role as Pragma CEO 24:28

49 weeks پیش24:28

24:28

Former Britehouse CEO Scott Gibson was recently appointed as chief executive of enterprise asset management company Pragma. He is the guest in this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS). Gibson, who also previously headed Dimension Data’s (now NTT Data’s) global digital practice, tells TCS about his appointment and why he decided to join Pragma, which develops a software platform in South Africa that it exports to companies around the world. Gibson plans to step up that internationalisation effort as CEO. “Pragma’s software competes comfortably with the world’s top brands, such as SAP, Maximo and IFS Ultimo. I plan to use my experience growing software businesses to help Pragma achieve its international expansion goals,” he says. Co-founder and outgoing CEO Adriaan Scheeres, who led Pragma for 34 years, will remain a shareholder and member of the board. In the interview, Gibson chats about: • Pragma’s history and what it does; • The size of the business, and the opportunities he sees abroad for the company; • Its clients; • The trends in the enterprise software market; and • The application of artificial intelligence. Don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS+ | The past, present and future of Openserve, with CEO Althon Beukes 37:11

49 weeks پیش37:11

37:11

Openserve, South Africa’s biggest telecommunications infrastructure provider, has been through enormous changes in the nine years since it became a separate brand and a subsidiary of the Telkom Group in 2015. In the latest podcast in a five-part series of interviews with Openserve executives, the company’s CEO, Althon Beukes, tells TechCentral’s TCS+ about these changes and what they have meant for the company and the broader market, including its internet service provider partners. Beukes provides an overview of these changes, including the recent spinoff of Openserve into a separate subsidiary within Telkom. In the interview, Beukes reflects on: • The changing dynamics of the telecoms infrastructure market in South Africa; • Why there’s been a slowdown in the roll-out of fibre-optic networks; • How Openserve is performing considering the broader market context; • How load shedding and load reduction have impacted Openserve, and the investments it has made to overcome the challenge; • The shift away from legacy copper technologies and the big growth in next-generation services, and what’s driving that demand; • The potential for industry consolidation – and why much depends on the outcome of the ongoing Competition Tribunal investigation into Vodacom’s acquisition of up to a 40% stake in Vumatel parent company Maziv; • What Openserve would like to see flowing from the Competition Tribunal process; and • Openserve’s future plans, including where it’s headed in the coming years. Do not miss a fascinating discussion – and the rest of the interviews in the series. TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS | ESP's Herman Maritz on Eskom's miraculous turnaround 28:32

1 year پیش28:32

28:32

Herman Maritz, one half of the pair that developed the ESP load shedding app (formerly known as EskomSePush), is grateful that Eskom may finally have load shedding licked – even if that means fewer people are using the app. Maritz, who returns to the TechCentral Show (TCS) – he was last a guest in 2021 – reflects on the past four-and-a-half months without load shedding, and what that’s meant for ESP – apart from giving himself and his business partner, Dan Southwood-Wells, to focus on other projects. In this episode of TCS, Maritz unpacks the impact of the suspension of load shedding, what that’s meant for advertising and subscriptions on the platform, and what’s next for ESP. He also chats about: • How ESP is helping communities with load reduction; • How they’re using generative artificial intelligence in the app; and • The opportunities to launch the software in new markets. Lastly, he reveals a few interesting statistics about ESP, including the number of times the app has been downloaded (it’s a staggering number). TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS+ | Pushkar Gokhale on Openserve's digital strategy 23:23

1 year پیش23:23

23:23

Openserve chief digital and strategy officer Pushkar Gokhale is TechCentral’s guest in this episode of the TCS+ business technology show, where he unpacks the role of digital services on the Telkom subsidiary’s growth ambitions. Gokhale, who has worked for various telecommunications operators around the world, came to South Africa more than a decade ago and liked the country so much he decided to make it his home. In this interview – which forms part of a series of TCS+ interviews with Openserve executives – Pushkar chats about: • His career history, and what brought him to South Africa – and to Telkom and Openserve; • The highlights of his career so far, and why he is passionate about telecoms and the opportunities around digital services; • His role at Openserve and what his daily work entails; • How digital services, including Openserve’s new consumer app, are playing a role in the company’s core business as a wholesaler of infrastructure services; • The digital transformation of Openserve’s operations – what was involved and how it is changing the way it does business; and • How Openserve works with partners, both locally and globally. Don’t miss an insightful interview about one of South Africa’s most important infrastructure providers. TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS+ | Angus Hay on Africa Data Centres' big Samrand expansion 32:10

1 year پیش32:10

32:10

In this episode of TechCentral’s business technology show TCS+, Africa Data Centres regional executive for South Africa Angus Hay discusses the significant upgrades taking place at the company’s Samrand facility in Gauteng. Africa Data Centres is in the midst of a major upgrade cycle at the facility known as JHB 2. The colocation facility, which is one of the few tier-4 data centres in Africa, was originally designed to handle 10MW of IT load. When the upgrades are completed in 2025, the facility will house an additional 20MW. VIDEO In this informative discussion, Hay delves into: - The drivers behind the upgrades at Samrand and how “hyperscalers” will benefit from them; - The security standards at the facility and the implications for highly sensitive clients such as the financial sector; - The energy redundancies that ensure continuous operations at the facility, even in the event of grid collapse; - Innovations Africa Data Centres uses to manage the efficient use of energy at the facility; and - Initiatives to minimise Africa Data Centres’ carbon footprint by investing in renewable energy sources. Don’t miss this lively discussion in which Hay provides a behind-the-scenes peek into the inner workings of state-of-the-art data centres, the powerhouses of the modern internet. TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS+ | How Openserve learnt to love ‘open access’ 22:23

1 year پیش22:23

22:23

In this first in a series of interviews with Openserve executives, TechCentral’s TCS+ speaks to the company’s chief commercial officer, Phila Dube, about its business model, how it works with partners and why it has embraced the concept of “open access”. Openserve, which is a subsidiary of the Telkom Group, is South Africa’s biggest telecommunications infrastructure provider with more than 170 000km of national fibre footprint and fibre broadband connections into homes in all provinces across South Africa. In this episode of TCS+, Dube unpacks: • His role in Openserve, where he oversees the company’s market-facing activities such as business development, product lifecycle management, commercial economics, operations, and marketing and communications; • The changes that Openserve has been through in the past 10 years, and what these mean for the market, including the company’s internet service provider partners; • All the markets that the company is involved in, from home and business broadband to national long-distance links and subsea cables; • The advantages and challenges associated with Openserve’s chosen go-to-market model of B2B2C, or business-to-business-to-consumer; • Openserve’s plans to further expand and commercialise its network assets; and • Why the company became a champion of the open-access model. Don’t miss this opening interview in a fascinating series about one of South Africa’s most important infrastructure operators. TechCentral…

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Meet the CIO | TymeBank’s Bruce Paveley on building a digital bank 37:31

1 year پیش37:31

37:31

Meet the CIO is presented by Wipro. -- Bruce Paveley says that when he moved from a senior IT role at Standard Bank in 2017 to the then-nascent start-up digital bank TymeBank, it was “a really big shock”. “You go from five buildings in the middle of Joburg, multiple floors, to an office in Rosebank that’s two floors, and that’s the bank, and you think, ‘Wow, is this really a bank? Can it work like this?” That was before TymeBank had launched its first commercial services, and long before it would go on to become South Africa’s most successful digital banking start-up with nearly 10 million customers and R6-billion in deposits and R3-billion in loans. Paveley’s love for computers started when his dad bought him a Sinclair ZX81 in the early 1980s when he was a youngster growing up in the small north coast town of Empangeni. Today, as chief technology officer at Tymebank, Paveley is leading a team that’s building the technology underpinnings (cloud-based, of course) of a modern digital bank. And it’s a fascinating story about using technology to challenge established industry incumbents. In this first episode of TechCentral’s new podcast series, Meet the CIO (presented by Wipro), Paveley chats to Duncan McLeod about what was involved in launching TymeBank from a technology perspective, the strategic choices it made and why, and what comes next in the bank’s journey. Paveley tells Meet the CIO about: • His upbringing in Empangeni and how he ended up pursuing a career in IT • The mainframe era, and his experience as a Cobol programmer • His IT career at Standard Bank, including his involvement in the bank’s big SAP project • Why he joined TymeBank • What was involved in building the new bank, and the role that technology played • TymeBank’s technology stack, and why the bank migrated from an on-premises solution to the cloud – and why it made the technology choices it did • Tyme Group’s internationalisation plans, and how technology is underpinning that expansion • How he works with the rest of the bank’s management team, and where technology fits into strategic decision-making • TymeBank’s approach to cybersecurity • What keeps him awake at night • And much, much more Meet the CIO is a new podcast series produced and published by TechCentral and published monthly. We talk to IT leaders across South Africa about the role of technology in their organisations. Don’t miss an episode by subscribing to TechCentral at youtube.com/techcentral. TechCentral…

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TCS | The Ronnie Apteker interview - his life in Ukraine 1:19:47

1 year پیش1:19:47

1:19:47

The 24th of February 2022 is a day Ronnie Apteker – and millions of his countrymen in his adopted home of Ukraine – will never forget. Apteker woke up early that morning – as millions of others did – to the sound of bombs and missiles raining down. After months of military build-up along Ukraine’s eastern flank, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin had ordered a full-scale invasion. In this special edition of the TechCentral Show, we chat to Apteker – a pioneer in South Africa’s internet industry – about his life in Ukraine amid the ongoing war. Apteker has a storied career as co-founder of Internet Solutions, one of South Africa’s first and most successful internet service providers. He is also well known as a producer and promoter of movies, including Material and Beyond the River. In 2015 Apteker bought an apartment in Kyiv and started a new life in the city, attracted by the country’s diverse tech scene and its incredibly beauty. He had established a new and promising life for himself in Ukraine – he married a local woman, Marta, with whom he has a young boy (affectionately called “the Bunster”). Both Marta and the Bunster are now refugees from the war, living in Poland. Never in a million years did Apteker expect he would be caught up in a major conflict, never mind the biggest land war in Europe since World War 2. Today his life involves moving between Poland and Kyiv, where he has friends as well as business interests in the tech sector which he continues to nurture despite the chaos caused by Putin’s aggression. In this sometimes emotionally raw interview, Apteker tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about why he left South Africa to go and live in Ukraine, how the war started (he woke up early one morning to missiles raining down on Kyiv), what it’s like to live in a warzone, and how he’s coping with the daily hardships caused by the conflict. Apteker, who is known for his wicked sense of humour – in a previous life he was even briefly a stand-up comedian – admits it’s been exceptionally difficult to stay positive about the future, but that he’s managed to keep going even us Putin’s war machine grinds on. In the interview, Apteker chats about his daily life now and what it entails; the US election, and why Ukrainians fear another Donald Trump presidency; the new documentary film about the war that he’s been working on; his passion for moviemaking; and why love is the most important thing in the world. Don’t miss the interview. TechCentral…

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TCS | The Volvo EX30 electric car, reviewed by an owner 57:43

1 year پیش57:43

57:43

The Volvo EX30 is undoubtedly one of the most exciting electric cars to be launched in South Africa in 2024. The vehicle, whose price starts at R792 000, offers a combination of price, performance and luxury tweaks that has attracted considerable appeal among South African consumers interested in making the switch to electric mobility. But what is the Volvo EX30 like to drive? TechCentral recently had the opportunity to spend time with the twin-motor version of the EX30 to put it through its paces. Apart from a few minor niggles, including the quality of materials used in the dashboard, we can confidently say this is a very compelling option for those interested in buying an EV in the sub-R1-million price category. While it’s not as affordable as more entry-level EV models from the likes of China’s BYD, the vehicle offers many luxuries usually reserved for more expensive EVs, including a panoramic (non-opening) sunroof, high-end Harman Kardon audio and well-thought-out software features. It’s easy to see where Volvo has compromised to get the price down, but the decisions it has made in this regard have mostly been carefully considered. As for the driving experience, the power underfoot is extraordinary. The twin motor version TechCentral tested accelerated from 0-100km/h more quickly than a Porsche 911 – it really is a thrill to drive! This is a sentiment shared by Greg Cress, who owns the EX30 and has been driving it since March, when he took delivery from Volvo. Cress joined TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show (TCS) recently to review the vehicle and to talk about the state of the EV market more broadly in South Africa. Cress, who works for Accenture – where he is principal director of automotive and e-mobility – told TCS about his experiences with the vehicle and what he likes about it and what he doesn’t. He unpacks his experiences so far, including with the regular software updates that Volvo has issued and why he settled on the EX30 over other EV options available in the South African market. He also shares details about a recent long-distance return trip he did from Pretoria to White River in Mpumalanga and how he found utilising the charging points along South Africa’s national roads. Then, in the second part of the TCS interview, Cress shares his views on the state of the EV market in South Africa, what is hindering its wider adoption and the outlook for electric mobility in the country. Don’t miss a hugely informative interview. TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS+ | CYBER1 Solutions and iiDENTIFii on combating identity theft in 2024 40:53

1 year پیش40:53

40:53

Identity theft is a massive and growing problem that requires smart risk mitigation strategies. That is one of the key messages coming out of a TechCentral TCS+ interview with executives from CYBER1 Solutions and iiDENTIFii. CYBER1 Solutions security architect Christiaan Swanepoel and iiDENTIFii co-founder and chief technology officer Marco Wagener unpack the subject in greater detail in the interview. They discuss: • The background to iiDENTIFii and its relationship with CYBER1 Solutions; • The current trends in identity theft, and why this type of theft is a growing concern for businesses; • How iiDENTIFii’s software can play a big role in fighting the scourge of identity theft; • What companies are doing right and wrong in fighting the problem; • How businesses can enhance their identity verification process to mitigate against the risk of identity theft; • iiDENTIFii’s solutions, and how they integrate with existing corporate systems; and • The role that cybersecurity tools can play in protecting personal identities; Swanepoel and Wagener also share their insights into future trends in the identity verification market and how businesses can prepare themselves. This is an important discussion for anyone involved in IT, but especially for those involved in cybersecurity – don’t miss it! TechCentral…

TechCentral (main feed)

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TCS | Nomvuyiso Batyi on what needs fixing in SA telecoms 1:01:57

1 year پیش1:01:57

1:01:57

South Africa’s telecommunications industry is facing a barrage of threats, from crime and vandalism to power cuts and overreach by politicians. This is the word from Nomvuyiso Batyi, CEO of telecommunications industry lobby group the Association for Comms & Technology (ACT) and an industry stalwart who served as a councillor at communications regulator Icasa for eight years and as special adviser to the minister of communications. She was speaking to TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show (watch or listen to the interview below). ACT, which represents the six big telecoms operators in South Africa – MTN, Vodacom, Rain, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Telkom and Cell C – was founded two years ago as an interface between the industry and policymakers and regulators. In the interview, Batyi unpacks a range of issues affecting ACT members. She discusses: • Her first engagement with newly appointed communications minister Solly Malatsi, and her views on him; • What her day-to-day work involves; • Why government shouldn’t be setting deadlines for 2G and 3G switch-off in South Africa; • Import taxes on cellphones, and why luxury taxes on 4G devices should be scrapped; • How the load shedding problem has been replaced with the load reduction problem, and what the impact has been on operators; • The scourge of theft and vandalism, and why urgent action is needed to address the problem; and • South Africa’s upcoming spectrum auction, and why telecoms operators should get access to spectrum below 694MHz that has traditionally been reserved for broadcasting. Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral…

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TCS | Andy Higgins on the outlook for online shopping in South Africa 35:49

1 year پیش35:49

35:49

Andy Higgins, founder of e-commerce solutions company Bob Group, knows more about e-commerce in South Africa than most people. Higgins founded Bidorbuy (now Bob Shop) at the height of the dot-com boom in the late 1990s, and over the past 25 years has actively participated in the industry as it has mushroomed from those nascent beginnings. In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), Higgins has a look back at the growth of the industry, and what’s likely to propel its future expansion. In the show, Higgins unpacks: • How Bob Group has done since it was created nearly two years ago through the merger of Bidorbuy and uAfrica, and what the future holds for the business; • What is driving the rapid growth in South Africa’s e-commerce industry – did Covid lockdowns give it the spark for its current rapid expansion, or is there more at play?; • The rise of on-demand deliveries in South Africa and what it means for online retailers; • The rise of Chinese competitors – how much of a threat are Shein and Temu really, and is the South African Revenue Service right to crack down?; • The Competition Commission’s intervention in the market and whether it is warranted; • Whether Amazon’s South African launch was a flop; and • What trends to look out for as the market develops further in the coming years. Don’t miss a fascinating discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Zuko Mdwaba on Salesforce and its SA and Africa growth plans 21:45

1 year پیش21:45

21:45

Customer relationship management software giant Salesforce recently showcased the power of its latest artificial intelligence and cloud-based solutions to customers, partners and associates at Salesforce World Tour Essentials Johannesburg, held at the Kyalami Convention Centre in Midrand. In this episode of TechCentral’s business technology show, TCS+, Zuko Mdwaba, Salesforce area vice president/Africa executive and South Africa country leader, shares highlights from the event. He also provides insight into the company’s plans for South Africa and Africa. More than 2 200 global and local leaders attended the Salesforce event in Johannesburg, demonstrating the huge interest in AI and digital transformation in South Africa, with organisations from across a range of sectors eager to learn more about new technologies that will allow them to leverage their data more fully and grow their businesses. The Salesforce ecosystem of partners in the South African region has grown 34% year on year, but the most significant improvement is in the area of certifications, with an increase of 43% in the same period. These partners, Mdwaba explains in the TCS+ interview, are helping organisations across all sectors to raise employee productivity and transform with real-time insights and new levels of customer experience. Mdwaba shares data from International Data Corp, which shows Salesforce and its partner ecosystem is being fuelled by AI- powered cloud solutions and will generate US$5.8-billion in net new business between 2022 and 2028. In the interview, Mdwaba delves into: • The economic impact that the Salesforce ecosystem is going to have on South Africa in the next few years. • How the combination of CRM, cloud, data and trust is transforming organisations. • How Salesforce is ramping up its skills development and talent programme in Africa to build the workforce that will help drive its aspirations for the continent. Finally, he speaks about some of the infrastructural challenges on the continent and where the opportunities for technological innovation and business growth lie. Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Braintree on the psychology of software purchases 23:15

1 year پیش23:15

23:15

Braintree’s Grant van der Westhuizen and Heath Huxtable tell TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology show about how to acquire software that solves present and future business needs. This might sound simple, but software purchases are complex and expensive. For companies to get their money’s worth, properly diagnosing the problem a new piece of software ought to solve and ensuring that the solution is futureproof are key to extracting the most value from a purchase. In this episode of TCS+, Huxtable – MD at Braintree – and Van der Westhuizen, the company’s business applications sales manager, tell TCS+ about important considerations companies should take into account when looking to solve business problems through software. Huxtable and van der Westhuizen delve into: • How customers don’t really know what they want because they tend to hyperfocus on solving pain points instead of looking at the bigger picture; • Balancing short-term vs long-term thinking in purchasing decisions; • The importance of unlocking value versus thinking of software as a grudge purchase; • The flexibility provided by the Microsoft suite of business applications; • How to balance personalised solutions with maintaining a consolidated view in multi-faceted business; and • How to deal with resistance from employees in implementation projects, especially where artificial intelligence is involved. Huxtable and Van der Westhuizen are passionate about using software to drive value creation in business, and their energy comes through vividly in this interview. Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Moving to SAP S/4 HANA Cloud? What you need to know 38:49

1 year پیش38:49

38:49

A 2023 report by International Data Corporation (IDC) found that an astonishing 96% of CIOs in South Africa plan to modernise their ERP applications using cloud services. Yet actual implementation has stalled. To discuss this, and what’s holding South African organisations back from cloud modernisation projects, TechCentral was joined on the TCS+ business technology show by executives from NTT Data (formerly Dimension Data) and SAP: NTT Data Middle East and Africa head of enterprise applications and cloud Brent Flint and SAP Africa head of partner ecosystem (MEA South) Nazia Pillay. Reasons for slow uptake, Flint and Pillay explained, include a perception that the costs involved are exceptionally high and the dire shortage of the right IT skills to handle these types of projects. In this episode of TCS+, Pillay and Flint unpack: • The history of the relationship between SAP and NTT Data and how the two companies work together today; • Why there is a pressing need for companies to modernise their ERP systems and move to cloud-based solutions; • The benefits of and costs associated with moving to SAP S4/HANA Cloud – what the software offers that legacy ERP systems can’t, and the benefits organisations can expect when migrating; • How best to deal with the critical IT skills shortage in South Africa, especially around these types of business application modernisation projects; • The risks associated with business application modernisation and how NTT Data and SAP help their clients address those risks upfront and during project implementation; • The role SAP S/4 HANA Cloud can play in modernising enterprise IT infrastructure and help organisations stay competitive; • The best practices companies should be aware of in achieving a successful migration to S4/HANA Cloud; and • What’s coming next from S4/HANA Cloud that companies should get excited about. If you’re in any way involved in enterprise IT, you don’t want to miss this discussion. TechCentral…

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TCS | VezoPay on new South African-made payment ring 40:46

1 year پیش40:46

40:46

A new smart payment ring has been launched in South Africa – and it’s built by South Africans for South Africans. In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod chats to VezoPay founders Jake Pinkus and Lawrence Baker about the launch of the ring – it’s available in three variants at launch – and what was behind the idea. In the interview, they not only explain why they decided to build a payment ring, but also why they’re entering what could soon become a highly competitive market globally, with both Samsung Electronics and Apple expected to launch their own smart rings later this year. Pinkus and Lawrence unpack: • How long they’ve been working on the payment ring, and where the idea came from; • How much research and development was involved, and who’s backing the innovation; • How the technology works, and what exactly is inside the ring; • The various options available at launch; • How it works without having to be charged; • How the security features work (without giving the game away); • How VezoPay is working with South African banks; • Whether the ring can be used for ticketing (concerts, Gautrain, etc); • How much it costs; • The potential competition from Samsung and Apple; and • VezoPay’s plans to expand beyond South Africa’s borders. Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | WIOCC and 2Africa: providing an alternative to national long-distance fibre 22:56

1 year پیش22:56

22:56

The 2Africa submarine communications cable, which will be the longest such system in the world when it’s completed, is already helping one South African internet service provider find an alternative route for its data traffic between KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. 2Africa’s eastern segment – known as 2Africa Gera – is largely complete, and traffic is already flowing across the section that connects Durban and Cape Town, thanks to a newly concluded agreement between 2Africa investor WIOCC Group and FirstNet Technology Services, an ISP in the First Technologies Group stable. To discuss this development and unpack it in more detail, TechCentral invited WIOCC director of sales for South Africa Carlos De Almeida and FirstNet GM Sean van Niekerk onto the TCS+ business technology podcast. In the show, De Almeida discusses the scale of the 180Tbit/s design capacity 2Africa cable, its state of readiness and WIOCC’s investment in the massive system, which, when completed, will stretch a staggering 45 000km and connect countries with a combined population of more than three billion people. De Almeida and Van Niekerk discuss: • Why FirstNet acquired capacity on 2Africa to carry network traffic between KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape – becoming the first company to do so; • Why routing via a subsea cable, rather than using traditional terrestrial long-distance routes, should mean far fewer service interruptions for FirstNet customers; • FirstNet’s focus as an ISP, and why it launched a brand called UrbanXConnect dedicated to the gaming community and their specific requirements around latency and network quality; • The reliability, speeds and latencies possible on the 2Africa cable, and why this is critical for FirstNet; and • Why, in WIOCC’s view, other ISPs could and should follow FirstNet’s lead in using the 2Africa cable for their national long-distance internet traffic. Don’t miss a fascinating discussion about a pioneering agreement. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Asokan Moodley on Nedbank’s journey into AI 26:12

1 year پیش26:12

26:12

Asokan Moodley is leading Nedbank’s drive into the world of AI – and it is already starting to have a meaningful impact on productivity in the bank. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Moodley – Nedbank Group Technology’s head of end user and communication experience, infrastructure and operations – unpacks what the bank is doing with Copilot for Microsoft 365 and the lessons learnt so far from the deployment of the technology. Nedbank, which is one of the first organisations in South Africa to deploy Copilot for Microsoft 365, has made the technology available to select employees, including senior management, ahead of a planned wider deployment. In the interview, Moodley discusses: • Why Nedbank decided to be a relatively early adopter of Copilot for Microsoft 365; • Which employees the technology has been deployed to initially and why they were chosen; • The business challenges the bank is hoping the technology will address; • The important lessons learnt so far, and how other companies should be approaching their deployments; • The potential pitfalls of using advanced AI tools in a highly regulated industry like banking; • The security concerns, and how Nedbank is addressing these; and • How the bank helped employees embrace AI tools in their day-to-day work, and the feedback they have provided regarding their use of the technology. Moodley also shares his views on whether AI tools, including Copilot for Microsoft 365, provide a competitive edge in both the short and the long term. If your organisation is thinking of deploying AI technology to its employees – and especially if it’s considering Copilot for Microsoft 365 – this is a conversation you shouldn’t miss, especially as Moodley shares his views on how leaders in other organisations who have embarked on a similar journey should approach this. TechCentral…

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TCS | Kartik Mistry on Standard Bank Connect and SA's MVNO industry 25:21

1 year پیش25:21

25:21

Kartik Mistry, recently appointed head of Standard Bank Connect, believes there is still strong growth ahead for South Africa’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) market. Standard Bank, which recently rebranded its MVNO from Standard Bank Mobile to Standard Bank Connect and shifted its network partner from Cell C to MTN South Africa, has launched a new value proposition in cellular communications for its customers. TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod is joined by Mistry on the TechCentral Show, where he explains the bank’s decision to partner with MTN and why it decided to engage directly with a mobile network operator rather than working through an “enablement” partner as it had done previously. Kartik, who has experience in both telecommunications – he has previously served as chief operating officer at Rain – and in banking, talks about the state of the MVNO market in South Africa, where Standard Bank Connect is positioning itself strategically, and why the market might be primed for consolidation. Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Yesh Surjoodeen unpacks HP’s Amplify Partner Program 37:21

1 year پیش37:21

37:21

HP, long been a leader in the technology space, launched the Amplify Partner Program in 2021. The programme has since gone from strength to strength. Through its dynamic nature, it stands out as one of the most powerful partner programmes in the technology space. In this episode of the TechCentral’s TCS+ series, HP Southern Africa MD Yesh Surjoodeen discusses Amplify in more detail, and explains how it is taking HP partners across the globe to new heights. Surjoodeen unpacks the origin of the programme along with the latest updates announced in Las Vegas earlier this year at HP’s Amplify Partner Conference. Additionally, he explains how the programme is helping partners drive AI readiness and technology adoption among customers, alongside empowering partners to make a positive impact in sustainability and environmental awareness. HP has set itself apart in the way it supports the channel and end-user customers. Watch or listen to the interview with Surjoodeen to learn more about HP’s Amplify Partner Program. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Telco or ISP? Tired of load shedding chaos? This is for you 16:47

1 year پیش16:47

16:47

Alan Kemp, director at Iris Network Systems, has a long history in South Africa’s internet service provider industry. So, he knows all too well how load shedding can play havoc with internet and telecommunications networks, and the teams employed to ensure their smooth functioning. Iris Network Systems is a specialist South African service provider that specialises in network monitoring and management, with a historical focus on ISPs and operators, and currently entering the Enterprise market. Being in this space in South Africa presents several real challenges, not least of them dealing with the chaos caused by Eskom’s rolling power cuts. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology show, Kemp tells Duncan McLeod about the impact of load shedding on networking monitoring and management, and the solution Iris has developed to lessen the aggravation caused to network support teams. Kemp unpacks how Iris assists companies impacted by load shedding as well as the company’s full solution set. If you’re an ISP or network operator, you’ll not want to miss this discussion. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Check Point dissects the complexities of cloud security 21:57

1 year پیش21:57

21:57

Promoted | Check Point’s Rudi van Rooyen explains why cloud security is not as straightforward as organisations might assume. The software security landscape is in a constant state of flux. According to research undertaken by Check Point Software Technologies – an AI-powered, cloud-delivered cybersecurity platform provider protecting over 100 000 organisations worldwide – African organisations have been attacked on average 2 508 times a week in the last six months. This compares to 1 379 per organisation globally. Some 70% of malicious files impacting African organisations were delivered via e-mail in the last 30 days, while the most common vulnerability exploit type is “information disclosure”, impacting 75% of organisations. The race is therefore on between threat actors looking to exploit organisations and cybersecurity experts who protect sensitive organisational data. In this episode of TCS+, Rudi van Rooyen, security engineer at Check Point Software Africa, offers a deep dive into the ins and outs of software system security for organisations of any size. Van Rooyen unpacks: • Why cloud migration is not a cure-all for software security issues in an organisation, and how security in a cloud setting should be approached. • How Check Point manages to maintain a prevention-first approach to cybersecurity despite new types of attacks being developed daily. • How AI is helping the chief information security officer cope with skills shortages and overwork by simplifying security operations. • How Check Point’s virtual CISO function assists security leads in addressing their cybersecurity concerns. • Insights into how much cybercrime impacts the South African economy. • What Check Point recommends organisations do to better protect themselves against cybercriminals. Insightful, important and sometimes technical, this discussion is critical for any information security expert or business owner looking to better protect their enterprise against cyber threats. * This promoted content was paid for by the party concerned TechCentral…

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TCS | MultiChoice declares war on piracy - the man leading the fight 30:40

1 year پیش30:40

30:40

MultiChoice Group has been involved in two major enforcement actions against piracy kingpins in as many weeks. Frikkie Jonker, of MultiChoice subsidiary Irdeto, is the man leading the charge against these pirate operations, and he tells the TechCentral Show (TCS) that, despite recent arrests, the broadcaster’s war on streaming piracy is just getting started. More arrests and other enforcement actions are on the cards. On 5 June, MultiChoice revealed it had succeeding in nailing the streaming piracy platform Waka TV in an operation that involved Western Cape police investigators. It described the dismantling of Waka TV as “a significant victory in the fight against internet streaming piracy”. The broadcaster said it was involved in a “meticulously planned raid” on 31 May, which led to the arrest of a “key suspect involved in one of the most extensive pirate operations in Africa”. A day later, on 6 June, the broadcaster announced that through Irdeto – and working with law enforcement agencies – it had acted against another pirate streaming operation, this one in Gauteng, where a suspect was arrested for the “illegal sale of internet streaming pirate devices that allowed individuals to access MultiChoice content”. Jonker, who is antipiracy director in broadcasting and cybersecurity at Irdeto, takes TechCentral’s audience into some detail about the two law enforcement operations and what transpired. And he explains why MultiChoice is stepping up its battle against content thieves and pirate streaming operations in South Africa and the rest of the African continent. In the interview, Jonker unpacks: • How serious content piracy has become on the continent; • Why it’s often associated with organised criminal syndicates, and why consumers are putting themselves at risk by signing up to pirate streaming platforms as well as encouraging further criminal activity; • Why MultiChoice is now warning that, in addition to targeting the pirate platform operators, it may go after consumers who sign up to these platforms, too; and • How the broadcaster is working with law enforcement authorities. Don’t miss a fascinating conversation. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | ESET’s Adrian Stanford: how AI will transform cybersecurity 44:58

1 year پیش44:58

44:58

Artificial intelligence technologies will be used by both threat actors and those fighting cybercrime, and will bring about fundamental changes in the information security industry. This is the view of Adrian Stanford, group chief technology officer at ESET Southern Africa, who was speaking to TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology show this week. Stanford, who is immersed in the world of infosec, unpacks how cyberattackers are using – and will expand their use of – generative AI tools to achieve their nefarious objectives, and how cybersecurity professionals can utilise the same technologies to fight back and improve defences. He unpacks: • The key trends shaping the infosec landscape in 2024, including supply-chain attacks, deepfakes and nation state involvement; • How AI factors into cybersecurity, including what threat actors are doing with the technology, and how AI will help companies like ESET fight the scourge of cybercrime; • How future developments in AI will impact the infosec field, both good and bad; and • The role of ESET in protecting internet users from harm as the AI arms race hots up. Don’t miss this important discussion on a critically important topic to all organisations – big and small – in 2024. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Pinnacle CEO on how AI is going to transform SA business 35:22

1 year پیش35:22

35:22

Pinnacle CEO Tim Humphreys-Davies and his management team are early adopters in South Africa of generative AI tools in the workplace. He joins TechCentral’s TCS+ to talk about the experience, and the impact the technology is likely to have on business operations. Pinnacle, which is one of South Africa’s top ICT distributors, is testing the technology with the aim of assisting its channel partners with the shift to AI tools and deploying these in end-user organisations. Humphreys-Davies explains what Pinnacle’s experience of generative AI has been to date, and he shares his views on the likely impact on productivity of deploying the technology. In the discussion, he unpacks: • Pinnacle’s objectives in using generative AI internally; • The company’s learnings so far; • The challenges encountered; and • The impediments to deploying the technology effectively, including data availability issues, the skills gap, and the risk and complexity involved. He also discusses Pinnacle’s exclusive distribution agreement with Nvidia – whose chips are fuelling the generative AI boom – and the industries which he believes will be impacted by AI to the greatest degree. Lastly, Humphreys-Davies explores where the technology might be going, and how he sees Pinnacle using it in the years ahead. TechCentral…

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TCS Legends | Mark Todes: technologist and monopoly slayer 1:12:00

1 year پیش1:12:00

1:12:00

Mark Todes has a fascinating story to tell. The South African technologist and entrepreneur is TechCentral’s guest in the final episode of season 1 of the popular TCS Legends podcast. Todes, who is perhaps best known for helping fight Telkom’s attempts in the 1990s to extend its telecommunications monopoly to the internet, has a storied career that began in the mid-1970s in the pre-PC era of mainframes and minicomputers. In this episode of TCS Legends, Todes tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the founding of Compustat with his long-time business partner Mendel Karpul and how they went on to develop a word processor called GhostWriter (the name of which Microsoft later tried to wrestle away from them). In the show, Todes chats about: • How he and Karpul got their start selling a bureau-based accounting solution for pharmacies – and how they got their first big break. The solution was developed in Fortran using punch cards and ran on a minicomputer from Digital Equipment Corporation; • Their development of Survey 2000, a cadastral land surveying system – their first product for personal computers (developed by Hewlett-Packard, prior to the launch of the original IBM PC); • The development of GhostWriter, which became an early DOS-based competitor to the likes of MultiMate, WordStar and WordPerfect. • The launch of Internet Africa, a pioneering South African internet service provider that was later sold to Datatec (and later to Naspers); • The early days of the internet industry in South Africa, the formation of the Internet Service Providers’ Association and the existential fight with Telkom over whether the telecommunications operator’s government-sanctioned monopoly included the provision of internet services; • Working with Naspers, Mweb and the late Antonie Roux; • The launch of Korbitec (and its later sale to Naspers); and • How he and Karpul became early pioneers in the CD-ROM business. There’s much more than this to Todes’s story, making him one of the true legends of South Africa’s technology industry. Don’t miss this concluding episode of season 1 of TCS Legends. The series will return for season 2 in 2025. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Workday and Altron on leadership, and driving meaningful change 33:08

1 year پیش33:08

33:08

In the latest episode of Workday’s Changemakers series with TechCentral, we speak to Altron Group chief operating officer Collin Govender and Workday South Africa MD Kiv Moodley about leadership and the role of technology in modern organisations. Govender kicks off the conversation by sharing his views on the significant changes that Altron has been through in recent years. He also unpacks his new role in the organisation, and what his day-to-day role entails now. The two men then discuss their working relationship, including Altron’s use of Workday’s software and what this has allowed the JSE-listed technology firm to achieve through its business transformation. Moodley then unpacks how the role played by Govender at Altron fits into Workday’s philosophy around changemakers in South Africa. Finally, Govender turns to a passion of his, and a topic he has spoken to TechCentral about on previous occasions, namely leadership and its role not only in the success of companies but also of countries. He speaks to how technology can play a role in driving meaningful organisational change. Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Old Mutual’s Nomsa Lewisa on the future of work 33:26

1 year پیش33:26

33:26

Old Mutual IT executive for employee and workplace enablement Nomsa Lewisa is the guest in this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology podcast. In the show, Lewisa – who is joined later in the discussion by Workday South Africa MD Kiv Moodley – unpacks Old Mutual’s strategic priorities and how technology is helping the company achieve its business objectives. The podcast, the latest in a series by Workday grouped under the theme of “change makers”, explores how Old Mutual is using technology – including Workday solutions – to improve its human capital management systems. In the interview, Lewisa discusses: • Her role at Old Mutual and what it entails; • The evolution of this role in the last few years, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the work-from-home mandates and the emerging world of hybrid work; • The future of work, and how it is influencing Old Mutual’s strategy around its people and their development; • The projects that are a top priority for Old Mutual; • The strategic relationship between Old Mutual and Workday and what it entails; and • What deploying Workday solutions has allowed Old Mutual to do better, including attracting and retaining scarce skills. Moodley then joins the conversation, sharing insight into Workday, the history of the company’s relationship with Old Mutual, and the impact of technology on human resources and financial leaders in South Africa. TechCentral…

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TCS Legends | Joan Joffe on building Joffe Associates - and Vodacom 57:09

1 year پیش57:09

57:09

Joan Joffe, the founder of Joffe Associates who would later play a pivotal role in the launch of South Africa’s mobile industry, began her IT career writing machine code on an ICL (then ICT) mainframe. Joffe, who introduced the IBM PC to South Africa in the early 1980s (much to IBM South Africa’s chagrin), has a storied career going all the way back to the late 1950s. Indeed, one of the first projects in which she was involved was developing the very first computerised payroll system for the SA Railways (now Transnet). In this latest episode of the popular TCS Legends interview series, Joffe tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about her early career, what led to her striking out on her own with Joffe Associates, and how she eventually became marketing director for Vodacom during its start-up years. What many people might not know about Joffe is that she even had a stint as a technology journalist at one point in her career, writing a column for FinanceWeek, a now-defunct business magazine. In this episode of TCS Legends, Joffe chats about: • Her studies at Wits University; • Her early programming career; • Her time in the US, where she worked for Wells Fargo Bank and Standard Oil; • Her time as a saleswoman for HP selling pocket calculators and how that led to her securing an HP dealership and the formation of Joffe Associates; • The launch by Joffe Associates of the IBM PC in South Africa and Joffe’s clashes with local IBM management at the time; • The sale of Joffe Associates to Datakor, and why it was a disaster; • The Vodacom opportunity and what was involved in lauching South Africa’s first mobile operator; • The battle over Vodacom’s advertising agencies; • Working with Vodacom’s founding CEO, Alan Knott-Craig; • Meeting Nelson Mandela; • The early skirmishes with MTN; and • The launch of the Vodacom Foundation. Joffe, who succeeded in a male-dominated industry, went on to become a founding member of Nozala Investments. She has also served on the boards of various organisations, including the CSIR, Datacentrix and a number of non-profit organisations. Among other accolades and awards, she is a recipient of the Wits University Lifetime Award for Entrepreneurship. Don’t miss this fascinating interview with a pioneering woman in South Africa’s IT industry – and a true legend of the sector. *** TCS Legends is powered by Mitel. For all your Unified Communications and Customer Experience needs, visit Mitel.com. *** TechCentral…

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TCS+ | InterSystems on the role of technology in SA’s healthcare industry 55:57

1 year پیش55:57

55:57

The healthcare industry in South Africa is in a state of flux, not least because of the introduction of the much-derided national health insurance (NHI) law. Technology can, however, play a big role in helping address the myriad complex issues facing the sector. That’s the view of Henry Adams, country manager at InterSystems South Africa and an expert on the healthcare industry, who was speaking recently in an interview with TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology talk show. Watch or listen to the episode below. In the episode, Adams succinctly unpacks: • The role played by InterSystems in the local healthcare industry, including the company’s background and focus areas; • The lack of integration of healthcare systems in South Africa, the role of electronic medical records, and why no national health insurance scheme can possibly work without addressing interoperability; • What impact the NHI will have on the sector; • The role of electronic medical records and why they are key to any reform of South Africa’s healthcare industry – plus, what’s the best way of protecting these records and ensuring compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act; • What a fully integrated system for healthcare providers and their patients might look like and what it would take to build it; • The guidelines and legislative support needed to bridge the gap between government and the healthcare industry; and • The role InterSystems believes it can play in helping address some of the challenges facing South Africa’s healthcare industry. Visit InterSystems South Africa’s website for more information – and be sure not to miss a fascinating discussion that affects all South Africans. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Don’t let your Wi-Fi drag your business down 25:38

1 year پیش25:38

25:38

A strong and reliable Wi-Fi network is no longer a perk but a fundamental necessity. Just like access to good coffee and comfortable chairs, businesses are expected to provide a seamless Wi-Fi experience for employees, guests and tenants. A frustratingly slow or spotty connection can bring your entire operation to a crawl, hindering productivity and damaging your reputation. Wi-Fi experts at Vox Vox understands the critical role Wi-Fi plays in a successful business and how its Wi-Fi offering can be a major differentiator. The guest today in this episode of TCS+ is Craig Blignaut, product manager for Wi-Fi at Vox. Blignaut brings a wealth of knowledge about the needs of businesses and the technology that keeps them connected. Planning for success: proactive Wi-Fi solutions Blignaut discussed the importance of having a well-defined Wi-Fi strategy from the very beginning: proper planning prevents problems later. Vox takes a proactive approach by using specialised software to create virtual models of your office space. This software considers building materials like brick, glass and metal, allowing it to predict how Wi-Fi signals will travel and where obstacles might cause issues. This virtual planning isn’t just about signal strength; it also helps determine the best placement for access points and switches, as well as how to route cables in the most efficient way. It even considers factors like employee traffic patterns to optimise network performance and capacity in areas where it’s needed most. Just like any other piece of equipment, Wi-Fi needs regular check-ups to ensure optimal performance. Vox offers a comprehensive Wi-Fi audit service that includes both on-site and remote testing. This ensures your access points are delivering the data, bandwidth and capacity you need to function smoothly. The audit also considers factors that can fluctuate over time, such as the number of users on the network, peak usage times, and even changes to your building’s structure or materials. Staying secure Security is another crucial aspect of any Wi-Fi network. Outdated systems are vulnerable to breaches, leaving your business data and your users’ information at risk. As Wi-Fi technology improves, so, too, should your security protocols. Vox recommends using strong encryption like WPA3 to keep your network safe from unauthorised access and data loss. Managed Wi-Fi solutions: the power of remote support In addition to supplying enterprise-grade equipment, Vox offers a managed Wi-Fi solution that provides off-site management and remote support. This means you have a team of experts behind the scenes, constantly monitoring your network and proactively addressing any issues that may arise. Vox’s AI-powered software can even anticipate and troubleshoot potential problems before they occur, preventing disruptions before they start. The bottom line Don’t settle for a sluggish, unreliable Wi-Fi network. A poor connection can frustrate employees and guests alike, hindering productivity and creating a negative impression of your business. A Vox Wi-Fi audit can identify areas for improvement and ensure you’re getting the most out of your network. Imagine a world where your employees can download large files, stream video conferences and access cloud-based applications without a hitch. Ready to upgrade your Wi-Fi experience? Contact Craig Blignaut at Vox or your Vox account manager to discuss your options and take your business Wi-Fi to the next level. • Visit www.vox.co.za or e-mail info@vox.co.za • Book a Wi-Fi survey or audit • Guest Wi-Fi solutions from Vox This promoted content was paid for by the party concerned TechCentral…

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TCS Legends | Ivan Epstein on building and selling Softline 46:55

1 year پیش46:55

46:55

Softline co-founder and former CEO Ivan Epstein is TechCentral’s guest in the latest episode of TCS Legends. Epstein, who co-founded Softline in 1988 with Alan Osrin, chats to host Duarte da Silva – who also happens to have been the first guest on TCS Legends – about the early days of Softline, its listing on the JSE and its eventual sale to Sage. It was a heady time in South Africa’s nascent IT sector, and Epstein relates interesting titbits from that time, including what was involved in the JSE listing and the eventual sale to Sage. It’s a fascinating story, not only about a successful South African business, but also the people behind it. TCS Legends is powered by Mitel. For all your Unified Communications and Customer Experience needs, visit Mitel.com. TechCentral…

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TCS | MTN's Bradwin Roper on PayShap - and the future of mobile money 37:44

1 year پیش37:44

37:44

MTN South Africa last week announced that PayShap, South Africa’s rapid payments platform, is being integrated into its Mobile Money (MoMo) platform. Bradwin Roper, chief financial services officer at MTN South Africa, is the guest in the latest episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS). He unpacks the PayShap development and what it means, and explores MTN’s fintech strategy and the future of mobile money in South Africa. In this episode of TCS, Roper chats about: * The significance of MTN becoming the first non-banking platform to offer access to PayShap; * Why and how it’s working with Investec and technical service provider Electrum to deploy the solution; * What MTN customers will be able to do with PayShap; * The growth of mobile money in South Africa, and the work that MTN is doing to grow the ecosystem; and * Lessons South Africa can draw from other emerging markets, notably India and Brazil, in mobile money and rapid payments. Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral…

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TCS Legends | An interview with David Frankel 1:02:06

1 year پیش1:02:06

1:02:06

David Frankel played a pioneering role in the commercial development of the internet in South Africa as co-founder and CEO of Internet Solutions. Since then, he’s gone on to a successful investing career in the US, where he is co-founder and managing partner at Boston- and New York-based Founder Collective, a seed-stage venture capital fund whose successful investments have included Uber Technologies, Brontes (sold to 3M) and PillPack (sold to Amazon). Frankel, widely regarded as one of the most successful entrepreneurs to come out of South Africa’s technology industry, joins TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod on TCS Legends to chat about: • His career, and how the Internet Solutions opportunity came about; • What it was like in the early days of the internet in South Africa; • The fight he led, with Mark Todes, against Telkom’s attempts in the 1990s to monopolise the internet industry – and how the industry won the battle; • The cast of characters at Internet Solutions, including brothers Ronnie and Alon Apteker, that made it a special place to be at the time; • Whether he was really offered the job of CEO of Dimension Data; • His studies at Harvard Business School; • The creation of Founders Collective, and why Boston is a great place for a tech-focused venture capitalist to be; and • His views on South Africa in 2024 and his continued connection to the country. Don’t miss this insightful interview with one of South Africa’s leading entrepreneurs, exploring the role he played in the heady days of the internet in South Africa and what it took to build a successful investment career in the US. We apologise for the audio quality issues in this episode. TechCentral…

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TCS | Meet the CHIPendales – South Africa’s biohacker duo 44:18

1 year پیش44:18

44:18

In this special episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS) – presented by MTN Business – Duncan McLeod chats to two South African biohackers, Daniel de Kock and Jarryd Bekker, about why they have voluntarily installed microchips in their bodies. Respectively the chief technology officer and CEO of Riot Network – the wireless broadband specialist that is building low-cost networks in underserviced areas, including Olievenhoutbosch in Gauteng – they tell TechCentral about why they chose to implant the chips and what they’re used for. The pair, who both profess a desire to receive brain implants from Elon Musk’s Neuralink, explain how they started augmenting their biological bodies with electronics, what’s involved, the information they’re able to glean from the chips, and where the fusion of human biology and electronics is headed over the coming decade. In the interview, Bekker and De Kock unpack how electronic circuitry in the human body can help detect and manage serious health issues, and the impact this could have on fighting disease and prolonging people’s lives. The two discuss a range of issues related to biohacking, including: • What’s involved when it’s time to upgrade the chips; • How one goes about having them installed; • The growing online biohacker community; • Integration with artificial intelligence; and • Much more. Don’t miss this offbeat but fascinating discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | What MTN has to offer government clients 20:47

1 year پیش20:47

20:47

From the internet of things (IoT) to private 5G networks, MTN Group has a lot to offer public sector organisations, according to David Behr, CEO of MTN Converged Solutions. Behr, a stalwart of the local ICT industry and a recent recruit to MTN, tells TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology show about the solutions that MTN Business offers its government clients, including smart government solutions, IoT (for example, for smart metering) and private 5G (which has strong applications in areas such as healthcare and education). Although some government processes have been automated successfully and improved using technology, many areas of the public sector are still quite manual and paper-based, and modern technologies offer an opportunity to reduce administrative overheads and improve service quality for South African citizens, Behr explains in the interview. In this episode of TCS+, Behr unpacks: • The state of spending on ICT solutions in South Africa’s public sector, and where spending should be directed; • What further role technology can play in improving government’s work and the effective management of government services; • The role of private 5G networks in the public sector; • The state of cybersecurity in government and what more can be done to protect public sector systems from attack; and • The public sector opportunity in the rest of Africa. If you work in the public sector, be sure not to miss this important conversation. TechCentral…

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TCS Legends | South African internet pioneer Mike Lawrie 1:27:45

1 year پیش1:27:45

1:27:45

TechCentral is thrilled to bring you an interview with Mike Lawrie, a pioneering figure at Rhodes University who helped bring e-mail and later the internet to South Africa. In this episode of TCS Legends – the podcast series that features interviews with (and about) some of the leading figures who helped shape South Africa’s technology sector into what it is today – TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod sat down with Lawrie to chat about the ground-breaking work that happened at Rhodes University in the early days of the internet. In this episode, Lawrie shares wonderful anecdotes about that time at Rhodes, and why the Eastern Cape university was able to achieve things its bigger rivals in the cities couldn’t – or wouldn’t – during the height of apartheid. Lawrie remembers many of his colleagues at Rhodes at the time, and the role they played in connecting South African universities to e-mail, and later to the internet. Episodes 1 and 2 of TCS Legends featured well-known investor and businessman Duarte da Silva, who reminisced about some of the business leaders that helped build South Africa’s tech industry. Episode 3, featuring Hein Engelbrecht and Carlos Vizcarra, turned the focus to the late Mustek founder David Kan. TCS Legends is a by-invitation-only, editorially driven tech show that builds on TechCentral’s credible, market-leading podcast productions. TCS Legends is powered by Mitel. For all your unified communications and customer experience needs, visit Mitel.com. TechCentral…

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TCS | From Namibian start-up to regional powerhouse: the rapid rise of Paratus 32:45

1 year پیش32:45

32:45

Paratus Group is rapidly emerging as a major player in the telecommunications industry in Southern Africa. But who’s behind Paratus, and what’s its history? From landing Google’s Equiano subsea cable in Swakopmund and building a new fibre route between South Africa and Namibia – providing a new data corridor between Gauteng and the world – to working with Meta Platforms to wire up Zambia and building expansive satellite ground stations, the Namibian-born group has its eyes firmly set on becoming a significant telecoms player in the region. In this episode of the TechCentral Show (TCS), TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod chats to Paratus Group chief commercial officer Martin Cox about the company’s origins (although founded in Namibia, it cut its teeth in Angola), its current footprint and its future growth plans. Among other topics, Cox discusses: • The impact of the recent subsea cable breaks in West Africa and the role of diverse routes in reducing the impact; • Paratus’s new fibre route from Swakopmund to Johannesburg, which runs through Botswana – its significance and what was involved in its construction; • The group’s footprint in South Africa, including its new satellite ground station in Irene, near Pretoria; and • Paratus’s culture, and why its management team is happiest in “the trenches”; and • Whether a listing for Paratus Group could be on the cards at some point (its Namibian operation is already listed in Windhoek). Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS | The internet revolution happening in Olievenhoutbosch 1:00:51

1 year پیش1:00:51

1:00:51

A dusty township in Gauteng is the site of a South African-developed mesh network that could change everything. Read the full story at https://techcentral.co.za/internet-revolution-in-olievenhoutbosch/241698/ TechCentral

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TCS Legends | Remembering Mustek founder David Kan 1:20:47

1 year پیش1:20:47

1:20:47

David Kan, the late founder and former CEO of Mustek, is the focus of episode 3 of TechCentral’s new podcast series, TCS Legends – powered by Mitel. In this episode, TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod is joined by Mustek CEO Hein Engelbrecht and Carlos Vizcarra, CEO of CPS Technologies, who was close friends with Kan for decades, for a wide-ranging discussion on the man’s life and achievements. Kan founded Mustek in 1987 as a technology importer and distributor, and the company quickly became known for its locally manufactured line of Mecer PCs. Today it’s one of the country’s biggest technology distributors, and is listed on the JSE. Kan, who passed away in 2022 at just 62, was born in Taipei. He worked various menial jobs in his native Taiwan, including as a dishwasher, truck driver and removal company worker. After matriculating, he left to study mechanical engineering in the US at Pittsburg State University. In 1986, he moved to South Africa where his father was working a Taiwanese diplomat. He worked for a time at a cutlery manufacturing company before attending his first PC expo in Johannesburg. It was there that he met the MD of a Taiwanese company called Mustek Corporation. The MD of that company, Owen Chen, wanted to set up a warehouse in South Africa – Mustek in South Africa was born. He went on to establish one of the first PC assembly lines in South Africa. In this episode of TCS Legends, Engelbrecht – who joined Mustek in 1997 as group fin0ancial manager – and Vizcarra, with whom Kan formed a business relationship in the early days of Mustek, pay tribute to Kan, and share personal anecdotes about the man and his life. Vizcarra discusses the origins of Mustek, the early days of the PC industry and touches on the development of the Springbok, a South African-built clone PC brand that predated Mustek’s Mecer line. In the interview, you’ll hear about: • Mustek’s early days building PCs in Garankuwa and why local assembly made sense in the era of sanctions; • How Kan and Vizcarra became close friends, despite competing with each other in business; • How Engelbrecht met Kan, and his first impressions of the man; • Vizcarra and Engelbrecht’s favourite memories of Kan; • What drove Kan, a foreigner to South Africa, to business success – and how he became to embrace his adopted country; and • What he was like to work for; This episode of TCS Legends includes special bonus content: a full audio interview that TechCentral had with Kan in June 2017. Don’t miss the episode! TCS Legends is powered by Mitel. For all your Unified Communications and Customer Experience needs, visit Mitel.com. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | CYBER1 Solutions on data and identity governance 58:47

1 year پیش58:47

58:47

Data and identity governance should be a top-of-mind issue for business leaders in 2024. CYBER1 Solutions MD Jayson O’Reilly and senior cybersecurity architect Christiaan Swanepoel share their insights on this important topic in this episode of TechCentral’s business technology show, TCS+. They kick off the discussion with a definition of the topic, and why it’s critically important that companies get data and identity governance right in a world of significantly heightened cyber risk. It’s by no means a new focus area – indeed, many organisations have been trying to solve this for years, decades even, showing just how difficult it is to get right. O’Reilly and Swanepoel discuss how the threat landscape has evolved over time, and the risks organisations face if they overlook data governance protocols. In this TCS+ episode, they also tackle these key questions: • What are examples of the tangible consequences of disregarding data governance and the direct implications for personal security? • Identity has been a focus for many organisations for the past 10 years or longer, so why does it remain a problem to be solved and what are the roadblocks in getting it done right? • How does the mishandling of personal information compromise privacy? • In what ways do emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and the internet of things complicate Identity governance efforts. • What is the impact of legislation such as South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act and Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation, and what’s next on the horizon from a regulatory perspective? Don’t miss discussion on a topic of critical importance to modern, data-driven organisations. About CYBER1 Solutions CYBER1 Solutions is a cybersecurity specialist operating in Southern Africa, East and West Africa, Dubai, and Europe. Its solutions deliver information security; IT risk management; fraud detection; governance and compliance; and a full range of managed services. It also provides bespoke security services across the spectrum, with a portfolio that ranges from the formulation of its customers’ security strategies to the daily operation of end-point security solutions. To do this, it partners with world-leading security vendors to deliver cutting-edge technologies augmented by its wide range of professional services. Its services enable organisations in every sector to prevent attacks by providing the visibility into vulnerabilities they need to detect compromises rapidly, respond to breaches and stop attacks before they become an issue. Visit www.c1-s.com for more. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | How Workday solutions are helping supercharge Adcorp 34:10

1 year پیش34:10

34:10

Vinolia Singh, chief people officer at JSE-listed workplace solutions provider Adcorp, joins the second episode of a series of interviews about enterprise cloud software provider Workday. In this TCS+ interview, grouped under the theme of “change makers”, Singh is joined by Kiv Moodley, MD of Workday South Africa, to unpack how the nature of work is changing, especially following the end of the Covid pandemic, but also as a new generation –with very different ideas about the nature of work – joins the workforce. In the conversation, Singh unpacks several of the trends impacting the future – and nature – of work, and how these trends are affecting Adcorp, and how her role as chief people officer is evolving. “The world of work has become boundaryless. We have to become more flexible,” she says of employers. “Companies need to become more innovation to acquire the skills they need.” Singh and Moodley tackle key themes around this topic, including: • How technology is enabling Adcorp’s business objectives; • How Workday’s solutions have allowed Adcorp to deal with challenges such as the skills shortage in South Africa; • The reception to these solutions among Adcorp employees; and • How the technology has allowed Adcorp to adapt to a rapidly shifting environment; Don’t miss this insightful interview on the future of work and the role of technology in managing change. TechCentral…

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TCS Legends | Duarte da Silva on Alan Knott-Craig, Bill Venter, Roux Marnitz and Jens Montanana 1:00:59

1 year پیش1:00:59

1:00:59

Persetel’s Roux Marnitz, Altron’s Bill Venter, Vodacom’s Alan Knott-Craig and Datatec’s Jens Montanana are all undisputed business legends in South Africa’s ICT industry. The four – all now retired except for Datatec CEO Montanana – are the subject of episode 2 of TechCentral’s new fortnightly technology show, TCS Legends. This episode, the second part of an opening double header, features insights from investing legend Duarte da Silva about the four businessmen who had an outsized impact of the technology sector in South Africa. The show, the latest from TechCentral — the home of real technology journalism in South Africa –showcases people who achieved great things in (and for) the local tech sector. In episode 1 of TCS Legends, Da Silva – a well-known industry figure who was once the country’s top IT analyst (at Merrill Lynch) and who founded Macquarie First South – unpacked the Dimension Data story, with a focus on former CEO Jeremy Ord. Find that episode at techcentral.co.za. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Protecting company data, without impacting productivity 46:49

1 year پیش46:49

46:49

Protecting sensitive company information through data loss prevention (DLP) tools has become paramount for many organisations. But doing so without impacting employee productivity can be a big challenge. In this episode of TCS+, Next DLP executives Chris Denbigh-White (chief security officer) and Fallon Steyn (regional sales manager, South Africa) are joined by their customer, LRMG, to discuss this crucial topic in greater detail. LRMG’s information security officer, Nadia Veeran-Patel, unpacks how the company has used Next DLP’s technology to secure its data while ensuring workflows aren’t impacted and productivity isn’t affected. In the episode, Veeran-Patel kicks off the discussion with an overview of LRMG’s areas of focus and why they decided to engage the services of Next DLP. Denbigh-White and Steyn discuss the critical challenge of how best to harmonise user-satisfaction with securing sensitive company data, all without compromising operational efficiency. Steyn delves into a recently published piece on how Next DLP’s Reveal platform helps chief information security officers focus on their priority areas: visibility to risk, information governance and auditability. The conversation rounds off with a discussion on the positive changes LRMG has seen since implementing its information rights management programme with Next DLP and how employees have responded to the changes. If you’re in any way involved in securing your company’s data, don’t miss this important and insightful discussion. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Calybre: a new-age consultancy for ‘data people’ 20:38

1 year پیش20:38

20:38

South Africa has a new data consultancy. Called Calybre, it’s headed by CEO Alexa Bisschops and is positioned as “the best partner for any company’s data people”. Bisschops joins TechCentral’s TCS+ show to chat about the launch of the company, its co-founders and their backgrounds, and why the company believes the market is ripe for the launch of a “next-generation consultancy”. In the interview, Bisschops unpacks: • The background to Calybre and its market positioning; • What a next-generation consulting company does exactly, and what makes it different to traditional technology consulting firms; • The plans for Calybre’s growth in 2024 and beyond; • How Calybre works with technology companies; • What a typical client engagement looks like; • The impact of artificial intelligence in the consulting space; and • Much more besides. Don’t miss this insightful discussion about an exciting new player in the local – and global – data consultancy market. TechCentral…

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TCS Legends | Duarte da Silva on five South African tech legends 53:46

1 year پیش53:46

53:46

Well-known investor and businessman Duarte da Silva joins TCS Legends to discuss Jeremy Ord, Roux Marnitz, Alan Knott-Craig, Jens Montanana and Bill Venter. -- Well-known investor and businessman Duarte da Silva is the guest in the inaugural episode of TechCentral’s TCS Legends, a new video podcast series focused on legendary figures who helped shape South Africa’s technology industry. A two-part scene setter for the rest of the limited series, Da Silva – who knows many of the individuals who built businesses in the country’s tech space after 1994 – shares his insights into the (often colourful) characters who helped define the country’s ICT sector into what it is today. TCS Legends, which is powered by Mitel, has a great line-up of guests secured over the coming months. But in episode 1 – the first of a double header with Da Silva – we delve into the people, the deals and sometimes the scandal that helped define an industry. Da Silva, an avid investor who serves on a number of company boards, is a former director of Merrill Lynch – where his hefty analyst reports on JSE-listed tech companies in the 1990s had company CEOs lapping up his insights, and more than a little fearful about what he might write about them. He also founded Macquarie First South, among other enterprising ventures, and possesses encyclopaedic knowledge of business in South Africa. A legend in his own right, Da Silva shares often-amusing tales of deals (some of which went horribly wrong), corporate shenanigans and plenty more besides with TCS Legends. In the show, he chats about many people and companies, but the primary focus is on five individuals: • Jeremy Ord at Dimension Data (now NTT Data) • Roux Marnitz at Persetel (now BCX) • Bill Venter at Altron • Jens Montanana at Datatec • Alan Knott-Craig at Vodacom The show is hosted by TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod, who said of the interview with Da Silva: “If you are, or have ever been, involved in South Africa’s IT industry, this is one show you simply do not want to miss!” Part 2 of the interview with Da Silva will be published on Monday, 4 March 2024. TechCentral…

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TCS | Pretoria firm Hydrox Holdings in global hydrogen 'breakthrough' 49:51

۲ years پیش49:51

49:51

South African firm Hydrox Holdings has developed a new way of extracting hydrogen for use in cars and other applications that it believes will help usher in a new era of plentiful clean energy for the world. The company, based in Pretoria, has won a number of awards and other accolades for its patented intellectual property, which involves extracting hydrogen from water using a "membrane-less" electrolyser technology that it has developed and now patented globally. Corrie de Jager, the CEO and founder of Hydrox Holdings, joins the TechCentral Show to chat about the progress the company has made in recent years in developing the technology - and why he is now looking for investors to help commercialise it. De Jager, who has been working on the technology for more than two decades, claims the technology could help move the world to non-polluting and mass-scale hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars more quickly by dramatically reducing the cost of producing hydrogen gas from water. In this episode of TCS, he unpacks: * Where the idea to build a membrane-less electrolyser came from; * The proofs of concept the company has launched; * The hurdles that Hydrox's team has had to overcome while developing the technology; * The cost and production advantages of membrane-less electrolysers; * Why hydrogen could be the next big thing in the field of energy; * What's stopping the widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars; and * Where Hydrox plans to take the technology and how it intends to commercialise it. Don't miss a fascinating interview about a potentially ground-breaking South African innovation. TechCentral…

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TechCentral announces TCS Legends 1:43

۲ years پیش1:43

1:43

TechCentral, the publisher of South Africa’s leading business technology podcasts, is thrilled to announce the launch of TCS Legends. The new show will feature interviews with (and about) some of the leading figures who helped shape South Africa’s technology industry into what it is today. As the show’s name implies, we’ll be interviewing leading figures who achieved great things in – and for – the tech sector in South Africa. From PCs to IT services and software to telecoms, TCS Legends features some of the leading figures in the industry over the last 30 years. With season 1 launching later in February, TCS Legends is a by-invitation-only, editorially driven tech show that builds on TechCentral’s credible, market-leading multimedia productions, including the TechCentral Show (TCS) and TCS+. TCS Legends is powered by Mitel. For all your unified communications and customer experience needs, visit Mitel.com. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | A look at the future of networking 47:05

۲ years پیش47:05

47:05

Big changes are coming to the way companies build and manage their network infrastructure. This is a key discussion point in the latest episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ technology show, featuring subject matter experts from Dimension Data – soon to be NTT Data – and Cisco. NTT’s 2022/2023 Global Network Report found that 70% of CEOs surveyed indicated that a lack of network maturity was negatively impacting business delivery. But what’s the solution? To unpack that question in some detail, TCS+ spoke to four experts in the field: • Prashil Gareeb, vice president of MNCS, Dimension Data; • Paul Mende, director of managed networking product management, Dimension Data; • Adesh Baboolal, acting client partner director: managed services, NTT South Africa; and • Aadil Hassim, sales specialist for enterprise networking and software, Cisco South Africa. Gareeb kicks off the discussion on the brand changes taking place at Dimension Data – including the renaming of the company – and what they mean for the business and its clients. He also unpacks the longstanding relationship between both Cisco and Dimension Data and Cisco and the NTT Group. The panellists then unpack: • Why many companies have failed to pay sufficient attention to networking. Why is it important to get networking right in the modern cloud era? And what role does this play in digital transformation initiatives? • The advances in wireless networking compared to traditional cabled networks; • How Dimension Data – soon, NTT Data – can help companies with their network modernisation efforts, including a look at what Dimension Data offers the market in terms of managed network services through the NTT Spektra solution; • The relationship the Cisco and how the organisations are working together to solve customers’ problems; • The advantages – and potential pitfalls – of a network modernisation project, including a look the security considerations; and • The benefits of outsourcing network management. Don’t miss this insightful discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS | Datacentrix CEO Ahmed Mahomed on the Convergence Partners deal 24:34

۲ years پیش24:34

24:34

Andile Ngcaba’s Convergence Partners last week announced it was buying storied South African IT services group Datacentrix from Alviva Holdings for an undisclosed sum. Datacentrix’s long-serving CEO, Ahmed Mahomed, joins the TechCentral Show (TCS) to discuss the acquisition, how it happened, why Alviva decided to sell and what the future holds for the company. In the show, Mahomed unpacks: • Datacentrix’s history, when it was founded, its JSE listing and the acquisition by Alviva; • The business’s key focus areas today; • What the Convergence Partners deal means for the future of Datacentrix; • How Datacentrix will work with Ngcaba; and • Whether the company might head back to the JSE at some point. Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Guardian Eye’s AVA brings affordable telemedicine to the workplace 27:22

۲ years پیش27:22

27:22

As South Africa experiences tough economic times, employers and workforces alike can benefit from solutions like telemedicine. In a nutshell, telemedicine is the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by using ICT. This allows an individual to seek a doctor’s advice about non-emergency situations that don’t require an in-person visit. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Guardian Eye AVA specialist Justine Pillay chats to host Brendan Haskins about this powerful new combination of technology and telemedicine that is set to shake up the way primary healthcare is handled in South Africa. The solution by Guardian Eye, dubbed “AVA”, is an innovative asynchronous internet-of-things medical device and telemedicine platform that is set to bring positive change to the local healthcare industry. According to Pillay, the AVA medical device, powered by IoT, is bridging a gap in the workplace by improving access to care, cutting costs and boosting efficiency in healthcare delivery for everyone involved. The offering is aimed at companies with more than 150 employees and is a first-to-market in Africa. Collecting vital data The AVA Guardian Eye link features remote monitoring of patients by gathering and saving all historical medical data and images, and other forms of communication, allowing healthcare providers to deliver care outside traditional in-person visits. In addition, by using the "Higo Pro” connected e-health care product, AVA can be used to collect vital data from an employee who is feeling unwell. These vitals are then sent to an online healthcare professional to make an initial assessment – generally within a waiting period of only 30 minutes. All medical exams are carried out by a nurse or a trained AVA “champion operator”, with data sent to a qualified doctor for a final diagnosis. If warranted, the doctor will give the employee a prescription for medication and a sick note they can send to the HR department. Benefits for all In this way, AVA saves the employee time by reducing travel and waiting-room times. They can also save money by receiving this unlimited access to a healthcare provider as a work-sponsored benefit, rather than having to pay for their doctors when needed. For employers, Guardian Eye’s AVA can keep digital healthcare records for all members of staff, and increase motivation and morale through the provision of a quality employer benefit. Productivity is also increased, and sick leave is reduced through the provision of onsite telemedicine. Don’t miss a fascinating discussion. TechCentral…

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TCS | Pheello Maboea on Kena Health winning App of the Year 34:15

۲ years پیش34:15

34:15

Kena Health took top honours at the recent MTN Business App of the Year Awards. Its chief technology officer, Pheello Maboea, tells the TechCentral Show (TCS) about the telehealth start-up’s journey so far. Founded by Saul Kornik in 2021, Kena Health aims to improve the reach of quality healthcare services by digitising access to primary healthcare professionals. The TCS interview, hosted by TechCentral’s Nkosinathi Ndlovu, delves into: • Barriers to telehealth adoption in South Africa and how new entrants are legitimising the industry; • The challenges of designing applications for two very distinct audiences – highly technical medical staff on one hand and vulnerable patients on the other; • How the company approaches talent retention and recruitment in what can be described as a seller’s market for technical skills; • How emergent technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence are going to disrupt healthcare provision; and • What winning the MTN Business App of the Year means for the start-up. Don’t miss a fascinating conversation on the future of healthcare. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | KnowBe4 looks at cybersecurity trends for 2024 26:32

۲ years پیش26:32

26:32

As we approach 2024, KnowBe4’s content strategy vice president Anna Collard joins TechCentral’s TCS+ show to unpack reflections drawn from the world’s leading security events, as well as dialogues with industry leaders, academics and government representatives. TechCentral

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TCS | Starlink in South Africa – separating fact from fiction 38:07

۲ years پیش38:07

38:07

There has been considerable noise about the launch – or otherwise – of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service in South Africa, much of it conjecture. What’s the real story? To unpack what exactly is required of SpaceX-launched Starlink to launch in South Africa – including the rules around black economic empowerment (BEE) – the TechCentral Show spoke to Dominic Cull, a legal expert on the subject. Cull, who serves as the regulatory adviser to the Internet Service Providers’ Association (Ispa), shares some surprising insights into the process. Topics tackled by Cull in the discussion include: • Who is really to blame for Starlink’s failure to launch in South Africa so far; • What the law really says about BEE and the issuing of telecommunications licences? • What Icasa’s licensing regime looks like, and which licence types Starlink needs to apply for to launch its services in South Africa. • Why there is an artificial restriction on the issuing of new licences – and why this makes no sense anymore. • How Icasa’s “type approvals” for communications equipment work and what they’re for. • Why Ispa members are keen to work with Starlink. Don’t miss a fascinating discussion that clears up some of the misconceptions in the market about Starlink in South Africa. TechCentral…

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TCS | GG Alcock on the digitisation of the township economy 38:02

۲ years پیش38:02

38:02

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, author, marketer and consultant GG Alcock chats to Nkosinathi Ndlovu about how South Africa’s informal economy is being digitised. Alcock’s background as a white boy growing up in rural Msinga, KwaZulu-Natal has helped him develop a deep cultural understanding of township life and the way business is conducted there. Indeed, he has built his career as a marketer and consultant based on his intimate understanding of the township economies. In the show, Alcock shares some of his personal history, speaks about his earliest innovations and gives detailed insight into how the adoption of digital technologies has progressed in South Africa’s informal economy in recent years. The conversation delves into: • How the Covid-19 pandemic influenced the adoption of digital payments in the informal economy; • Why card payments are outpacing banking apps, third-party payment platforms like Zapper and even PayShap in townships; • Data-driven insights about what informal business owners really think about ditching cash for digital; and • The outlook for digitisation and payments in the informal economy. Don’t miss a fascinating conversation! TechCentral…

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TCS | Revix founder Sean Sanders on the creation of Altify 52:58

۲ years پیش52:58

52:58

TechCentral reported on Friday that South African cryptocurrency platforms Revix and BitFund are joining forces and, together with Austria’s Coinpanion, have formed a new alternative investment platform called Altify. Revix founder and now Altify CEO Sean Sanders joins Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show to unpack the merger, how it came about, and what Altify hopes to do in the alternative investment space not only in South Africa but the broader Europe, Middle East and Africa region. In its new form, Altify will continue to offer the crypto investment products that Revix, Coinpanion and BitFund became known for, including a wide selection of ETF-style crypto bundles, along with other alternative finance products. He said the recent downturn in the crypto market acted as a catalyst for the merger and accelerated Altify’s expansion into non-crypto investment options. According to Sanders, these market dynamics have also primed the environment for consolidation among retail investment platforms, especially in the crypto space. “Altify is leaning into these opportunities and is engaging with other investment platforms in the UAE, the UK and Europe who could join Altify over the coming months.” Don’t miss the interview! TechCentral…

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TCS+ | OneTrust’s Joseph Byrne: privacy risk management done right 30:29

۲ years پیش30:29

30:29

Joseph Byrne, principal solutions engineer at OneTrust, knows a lot about the topic of risk management. He joins Duncan McLeod on TechCentral’s business technology podcast, TCS+, to unpack the topic in greater detail and to discuss what it means for South African organisations. Byrne kicks off the discussion with an overview of OneTrust. Founded in 2016 by Kabir Barday, the privately held company has more than 12 000 customers around the world, including in South Africa. In the interview, Byrne unpacks: * The differences between third-party risk management and privacy risk. * How organisations can go about evaluating and selecting third-party service providers and tools to minimise privacy risk. * Which laws and regulations organisations should companies pay attention to. There are a lot of them, and organisations need to know which ones are important to them, says Byrne. * How organisations can ensure that third-party relationships are properly documented and regularly reviewed and that they are compliant with privacy regulations. * Whether there is scope for automation in this field. * What should happen when things go wrong. * The role of artificial intelligence in privacy risk management – is AI technology mature enough yet to be genuinely useful, and are new rules needed to deal with it? Don’t miss an insightful conversation about a critical issue faced not only by South African organisations but companies around the world. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | Ricoh – safe and secure role in today’s digital ecosystems 24:49

۲ years پیش24:49

24:49

In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Jaydev Chiba engages in a comprehensive discussion with Marcell Otto, digital services product manager for Ricoh South Africa, shedding light on Ricoh’s pivotal role in today’s digital ecosystems, particularly in the realm of governance, risk and compliance (GRC). The conversation delves into the dynamic landscape of global and local cybersecurity challenges, drawing attention to recent incidents such as cybersecurity breaches, which exemplify the pervasive and evolving nature of cyber threats. The dialogue unfolds with an exploration of the multifaceted consequences of cybercrime, ranging from substantial financial losses to irreparable reputational damage and intricate compliance issues. Otto underscores the intricate challenges organisations encounter in fortifying their defences against cyber threats. A focus on the aftermath of cyberattacks reveals the protracted timelines and considerable costs associated with recovery, offering a sobering perspective on the stakes involved. Otto then delves into the significance of compliance with frameworks such as King 4, emphasising the responsibility organisations bear in managing and safeguarding customer data. The discussion briefly touches upon Ricoh’s digital services pillars, positioning the company as a forward-looking provider tailored for the demands of the future workplace. Ricoh's six digital services pillars play a crucial role in shaping its strategic approach to the evolving digital landscape. These pillars include: 1. Digital workspace: Focused on the transformation of the future workplace. 2. Business process management: Streamlining and enhancing organizational processes. 3. Digital experience: Providing enriched and seamless digital experiences. 4. Graphic communications: Addressing the evolving needs of graphic and visual communication. 5. Cybersecurity: Offering robust solutions to safeguard against cyber threats. 6. Cloud and infrastructure services: Providing essential services to support cloud infrastructure. A spotlight is then cast on Ricoh's cybersecurity product, RansomCare, a groundbreaking solution designed to proactively mitigate the impact of ransomware threats in real time. Otto elaborates its distinctive approach, which focuses on the swift detection and interruption of malicious encryption, showcasing its efficacy in preventing cybersecurity incidents. As the conversation concludes, Otto extends a call to action for organisations to seek expert guidance in navigating the intricate terrain of cybersecurity. He underscores the significance of proactive measures and collaborative efforts, framing the imperative to secure digital ecosystems as a collective responsibility for the betterment of society. In essence, the discussion provides a comprehensive and insightful exploration of Ricoh’s strategic positioning in the digital landscape, its commitment to cybersecurity, and the broader implications for businesses operating in an increasingly complex and interconnected environment. TechCentral…

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TCS+ | NEC XON on going toe to toe with cybercriminals 45:32

۲ years پیش45:32

45:32

Companies may be surprised to learn that the profile of the typical cybercriminal in 2023 does not match the stereotype of tech-savvy youngsters in hoodies. Rather, modern cybercriminals are often employed by criminal syndicates and even keep office hours, according to Armand Kruger, head of cybersecurity at NEC XON, who has gone toe to toe – or is that keyboard to keyboard? – with cyber adversaries. In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ technology show, Kruger discusses: • NEC XON and its portfolio of solutions; • The company’s experience in dealing with security breaches and other cyber incidents; • How cybercriminals operate and why, including the tactics they use; • How this type of activity has become embedded in organised crime; • What businesses can do to protect themselves against ransomware attacks; • How companies should react when they have identified a possible breach; • What security solutions are instrumental to disrupting these adversaries; and • What more the IT industry and the government could be doing to help stop the ransomware scourge. Don’t miss an important and fascinating discussion. TechCentral…

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