Tunnel-boring machines for Polihali transfer tunnel inspected ahead of delivery to Lesotho

The tunnel-boring machines specifically designed and manufactured to excavate the Lesotho Highlands Water Project’s (LHWP’s) 38 km transfer tunnel from Polihali to Katse will soon be making their... 

Rosond inks JV with Saudi Arabia’s Bin Harkil

South African exploration and drilling solutions provider Rosond and Bin Harkil Saudi Arabia have established a new joint venture (JV) company, Rosond Arabia, poised to become a leader in the... 

More South African households getting connected to the Internet

As access to mobile phones continue to surge, many more South Africans are becoming connected to the Internet, according to the latest statistics released by Statistics South Africa (StatsSA). The... 

New spectrum policy aims to sunset 2G and 3G networks by end of 2027

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) is aiming to start the sunsetting of older-generation telecommunications networks from next year. In accordance with the... 

Water access improves since 2002, but latest data shows regression over the past two years

While access to drinking water has improved over the past two decades, recent Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) data shows that there has been a regression over the past two years. In its annual... 

Microsoft commits R1.3bn investment to support small businesses, black industrialists

Technology company Microsoft and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) have entered into an empowerment agreement to unlock programmes to support skills and capability... 

MTN Group calls for harmonised regulations in Africa to accelerate digital investment

The acceleration of digital investment across Africa could be boosted by harmonising regulations, and MTN Group president and CEO Ralph Mupita is urging governments to consider this. Harmonised and... 

Bill creating water infrastructure agency heads for President’s desk

Following the adoption of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) Bill, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is preparing to submit it to President Cyril Ramaphosa for... 

AI-powered fintech solutions changing the way people in Africa transact

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to propel the financial technology (fintech) industry into a new era of financial inclusion, and Africa is already developing innovative solutions... 

South African online retail shows considerable growth

South Africa’s online retail sector is on track to reach the R100-billion mark by 2026, with online retail having experienced significant growth in 2023. The local online retail sector surged to... 

New Siltation Management Short Learning Programmes launched

The Water Research Commission (WRC) and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) have partnered to launch six short learning programmes to address critical capacity development challenges in dam... 

German company optimistic on Southern African expansion

German original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) SEW-EURODRIVE is bringing products, solutions and technologies, along with support, training and skilled information, closer to its clients in the... 

South African organisations embracing GenAI as a catalyst for innovation

A new study, undertaken by independent technology research firm World Wide Worx in conjunction with Dell Technologies and Intel, has found that many large South African firms are starting to... 

Condra clinches second maintenance crane order from Sappi’s Saiccor Mill

Crane manufacturer Condra Cranes is manufacturing a second maintenance crane for turbine maintenance duty at Sappi’s Saiccor Mill, in Umkomaas, KwaZulu-Natal. This followed an order last year, and... 

Vaal Water Lettuce invasion signifies need to weed out water pollution

The Vaal Barrage is now home to an invasive plant species that has had significant negative economic and environmental consequences for the region, and its rapid spread will not slow down without... 

Vodacom maintains South African capex at more than R11bn a year

Telecommunications giant Vodacom Group continues to spend upwards of R11-billion in capital expenditure (capex) in South Africa as it works to capture the market and transition to a technology... 

Fortinet on track to train 1m cybersecurity specialists

Global cybersecurity solutions company Fortinet has reached 43% of its five-year ambitions of training one-million people in cybersecurity by 2026. According to the group’s 2023 Sustainability... 

MTN achieves 98% network availability in Limpopo province

As telecommunications giant MTN South Africa accelerates its nationwide modernisation programme, the company has achieved a record 98.33% daily network availability in Limpopo. The 2024 resilience... 

Spending on telecoms services forecast to decelerate this year

While global spending on telecommunications and pay television (TV) services increased during 2023, growth started slowing in the second half of the year, with expectations that it will slow... 

Hypervine launches satellite survey service

Satellite imagery and data analytics specialist and greentech business Hypervine has launched a new unlimited satellite surveys service. The Glasgow-headquartered group aims to provide... 

High cellphone penetration rate positions continent to leverage 4IR technologies

Africa has an advantage when leveraging ever-developing Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to overcome the deficits created by a lack of infrastructure and geographical distances: its... 

Company sets sights on agriculture sector

SEW-EURODRIVE’s complete gear solution for centre pivot irrigation systems for the farming sector is attracting significant interest after its launch in South Africa earlier this year. The... 

Need to reduce electricity use overlooked in efforts to mitigate water challenges

A crucial missing element in current water management strategies is reducing electricity consumption, says CBI-electric: low voltage engineering executive Dr Andrew Dickson. Discussing... 

Africa’s water challenges present opportunities for innovation, private-sector involvement

Water scarcity poses a significant hurdle to Africa's growth and development, with climate change and deteriorating infrastructure intensifying the challenges. However, the challenges present... 

Samsung claims back its position as leading smartphone provider

As worldwide smartphones shipments continued on a path of recovery during the first quarter of 2024, Samsung has once again surpassed Apple as the leading smartphone provider. Preliminary data from... 

SA mines get first look at private 5G in action

Fixed-wireless access provider Comsol has showcased the capabilities of private fifth-generation (5G) infrastructure to South African mining companies at its Midrand premises to demonstrate... 

DCDT to establish artificial intelligence advisory panel

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) is preparing to establish an artificial intelligence (AI) expert advisory council as it moves to shape the policies and regulations... 

Telcos spend billions on batteries, generators to ensure customers remain connected during loadshedding

South African telecommunications operators spent billions of rands to keep communications infrastructure operational during bouts of loadshedding in the 12 months to September 30, 2023. The... 

Lowered profile, integral bogeys the answer as Condra is set to install crane in factory with limited headroom

Crane manufacturer Condra Cranes is preparing to embark on a crane installation to customer specifications in a factory that has no roof access and limited headroom. The team of Condra specialists,... 

Africa’s small businesses increasingly investing in technology to boost growth and resilience

Africa’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly investing in technology to bolster growth and enable resilience, a new report shows. The report, titled ‘Levelling the SME... 

E-waste now the fastest growing waste stream globally

Electronic waste (e-waste) has now become the fastest-growing form of waste worldwide, as consumers shed more than 50-million metric tonnes of e-waste each year – equating to about 7 kg of e-waste... 

People at the heart of South Africa’s water sector recovery

The complexity of the water sector in South Africa, along with the numerous and seemingly insurmountable challenges faced, demands a series of integrated interventions – and people are at the... 

MTN South Africa injects R10bn into network expansion

MTN South Africa deployed R10.1-billion in capital expenditure (capex), excluding leases, at an intensity of 19.5%, during 2023, to drive network capacity expansion and power resilience. This... 

Discontinuance of Africa’s 2G, 3G networks to be gradual and targeted

While there are benefits to phasing out legacy networks, such as second-generation (2G) and third-generation (3G), progress in sub-Saharan Africa will be slower and more targeted than other... 

Accessing the growth potential of tailings retreatment and rehabilitation

New research, developments in technology and advancements in equipment are unlocking significant growth opportunities in the extraction and treatment of tailings in South Africa. However, while... 

Evolving sefa innovates, partners to grow South Africa’s SMME economy

Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa), an implementing agency of the Department of Small Business Development, is evolving, innovating, and partnering to assist in unlocking the potential of... 

SAʼs smartphone shipments surge 29%

Smartphone shipments in South Africa in 2023 expanded 29%, driven by robust shipments in the second half of the year, intensified competition among Chinese original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs)... 

UCT research team develops ‘new set of tools’ to support mine closure planning in South Africa

A new set of tools aimed at assisting in responsible and sustainable mine closures across South Africa has been developed by a University of Cape Town (UCT) research team through a Water Research... 

Liquid C2, partners combine forces to create safer, more productive digital experience

Pan-African technology group Liquid Intelligent Technologies business Liquid C2 is collaborating with global technology leader Google Cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) company Anthropic to... 

MTN, Huawei sign MoU for joint innovation tech laboratory

Telecommunications giant MTN Group and information and communication technology (ICT) giant Huawei have partnered to create a Joint Innovation Technology laboratory at MTN’s Roodepoort...