What the SCA really said about online gambling

South Africa’s online betting industry has been thrown into needless panic by headlines proclaiming that online gambling is banned, writes Wayne Lurie, director of Lurie Inc Attorneys and CEO of SAROGA. The recent Supreme Court of Appeal judgment in Portapa (Pty) Ltd...
Alarm bells should be ringing over South Africans’ mental health

Alarm bells should be ringing over South Africans’ mental health

New research conducted among Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) members has revealed a sharp rise in mental-health condition prevalence over the past 13 years. In 2024, one in seven DHMS members (15% of the overall Scheme population) registered or claimed for a...

Salaries rise for sixth straight month

The PayInc Net Salary Index, which tracks the average nominal net salaries of approximately 2,1-million earners in South Africa, increased for the sixth consecutive month in September 2025. This steady increase aligns with the gradual improvement in economic activity...

Stolen card prices surge on the dark web

Prices for stolen payment cards on dark web marketplaces have risen in most countries, according to new research from NordVPN and, while the global average remains around $8, some markets have jumped by as much as 444%. In South Africa, the average price climbed from...

SA shoppers swing to alternative payment methods

South African merchants will need to stay agile as consumers increasingly shift towards alternative payment methods, according to the Absa Merchant Spend Analytics report for August, which says the bank’s internal data indicates a consistent and notable slowdown in...

Microsoft doubles down on AI spend

Microsoft spent more than expected on AI in the quarter ended 30 September, shelling our $34,9-billion on new projects associated with building AI-powered data centres. The company’s revenue was $77,7-billion, an increase of 18%. Operating income was up 24% to...