Business confidence picks up
The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) Business Confidence Index (BCI) appears to have bottomed around 124 since the sharp decline in April 2026, with the BCI recording 125.4 in July 2026. The BCI was still 8.7 index points higher than in July...
GirlCode Hackathon kicks off in SA and Botswana
GirlCode, in partnership with Absa Group, Truecaller, MTN, SAP Fioneer, RS South Africa and other ecosystem partners, successfully hosted the first leg of the 2026 GirlCode Hackathon across Johannesburg, Cape Town and Botswana on 15 and 16 August 2026. Across the...
Cybercriminals back at work after mid-year break
As the global north prepares for the return to a more active working rhythm after summer holidays, security specialist Kaspersky has warned that cybercriminals are just as keen to get back to work – with workplace communications a top target. The company’s analysis of...
Absa shows technology dividend
The Absa Group’s H1 2026 technology performance shows a clear shift from digital investment to measurable business and customer outcomes. Using technology allows the group to make banking faster and more reliable, expand access to credit, scale personalised digital...
Local AI surveillance expands from security to business intelligence
South African non-profit security provider CAP has transformed its traditional SmartGuard surveillance infrastructure into an artificial intelligence-powered business intelligence platform that helps organisations improve operational efficiency, safety, compliance and...
Trade credit insurance a strategic business growth tool
South African businesses have never had the luxury of operating in a predictable environment, writes Luke Morawitz, country manager and head of credit at Allianz Trade South Africa. Economic growth has remained subdued for years, competition has intensified across...
Why great banking apps no longer win customers
For many years, digital banking was defined by one question: does your bank have an app? Today, that question has largely been answered. Every major South African bank offers a capable mobile banking platform, digital payments, self-service functionality and online...
Africa is training the female tech talent it needs, then losing half of them
Here's a statistic that happily surprises people: Africa has the world's largest proportion of women graduating in STEM fields, coming in at 47% according to UNESCO. But the less encouraging follow-up statistic is that despite producing the graduates, only about...
Autonomous AI agents will drive the next productivity surge
Prompt‑driven AI cannot deliver the reliability, scale or governance that modern enterprises need. Productivity gains have plateaued, operational risks are rising, and global competitors are already moving into a new phase of AI maturity built around autonomous...
Verified channels are now banking’s strongest defence
Bank impersonation fraud has become South Africa’s most prolific financial threat, thriving in the grey zone between trust and technology. By Brighton Chidoma, senior customer growth executive at Infobip According to the South African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS),...
Access to a real-time rail isn’t the same as delivering one
Connecting to a real-time payment rail is the straightforward part. Delivering an experience that genuinely feels instant is where the real work - and the competitive advantage - lies, writes Derick Truscott, chief financial officer at Hyphen. There is plenty of...
Banks don’t need faster AI. They need more accountable decisions
Financial leaders are now being asked to fund artificial intelligence (AI), govern it, and explain the value it creates. That is not a simple technology question. In banking, it is becoming a test of leadership. By Michel Ghorayeb, MD of SAS UAE AI is starting to...