Author: Akin Naphtal

Rectron, a subsidiary of Mustek, has partnered with Chinese drone maker DJI to launch a drone academy in Midrand, Johannesburg. The academy offers three courses designed to improve the skills and proficiency of drone pilots, with certifications available for remotely piloted aircraft systems maintenance technicians, remote pilots and beyond visual line of sight. Each course lasts for three to four months, combining theoretical and practical training to address challenges including a shortage of skilled professionals, limited applications in rural areas and regulatory hurdles. The academy also offers learnerships aimed at enhancing the digital skills of the youth. Andre Witbooi, learning…

South African entrepreneurs Niel Schoeman and Johan “Joe” Pretorius, who co-founded fibre network operator Vumatel, have launched Toco, a new digital currency platform aimed at fighting climate change. The payments platform seeks to value the environment by uniting a global community that believes carbon reduction has intrinsic value. The Toco currency represents one tonne of carbon dioxide that has been credibly removed from the atmosphere. Carbon removals, when independently verified, become tradeable certificates that become carbon credits, carbon offsets or carbon mitigation assets. Toco is designed to be used as a store of value, a means of exchange or as…

Mobile telecommunications giant MTN South Africa has announced an average 5.1% increase in consumer post-paid subscription fees, which will come into effect on April 1. The company cited a “challenging market environment” as the reason behind the price hikes. According to MTN, the inflationary environment has resulted in increased input costs, driven by load shedding, rising fuel usage, battery theft, and vandalism, which has forced the company to push through the price increases. “In some instances, the actual subscription fee increase may be higher than the average of 5.1%, with a maximum of 7.4%. This mainly represents a R10 increase…

Apple ramped up testing of iOS 16.5 internally this month, according to mounting evidence of the update in our website’s analytics logs. iOS 16.5 will likely be one of the last notable updates before Apple announces iOS 17 at WWDC in June. It’s unclear what features will be introduced with iOS 16.5, but the wait continues for some previously-announced features, including the Apple Card savings account, Apple Music Classical app, and iMessage Contact Key Verification security option. Apple Pay Later is also coming soon, but is expected to be enabled with a server-side update. READ ALSO: Microsoft Edge VPN Launch…

Following information for a while, we’ve known that a VPN was on its way to Microsoft Edge, and now it looks like the parent company is ready to begin the rollout to users who aren’t enrolled in the Insider program. According to the company recent announcement for testers to try out, the Microsoft Edge VPN allows users to remain private when browsing the web, though there’s one major catch. The feature doesn’t come with unlimited traffic, as Microsoft will only offer 1 GB of data per month – right now, the limit for insiders is 15GB, but once the VPN…

OPPO a global technology brand has announced to the public the newest addition to its popular Reno8 series, OPPO Reno8 T 5G, across the GCC region in an online streamed format. Additionally, Oppo has also launched wireless earbuds, OPPO Enco Air3, as part of the brand’s growing IoT line-up. Speaking on its new features, it features contains a Dual Micro-Curved Design, the Reno8 T 5G offers an all-new premium look with a 120Hz 3D Curved Screen and 3D back cover. The smartphone also introduces an Ultra-Clear Imaging System backed by a 108MP Portrait Camera that delivers high-resolution photos with unprecedented…

Strate, South Africa’s principal central securities depository and central collateral platform, has announced the acquisition of Trustlink, an enabler of the secure and reliable exchange of information. André Nortjé, CEO of Strate, stated that the acquisition will enhance and complement its Integration Services business, allowing the company to leverage scale and efficiencies to the benefit of all its clients. “As a purpose-led company, we are committed to serving the South African financial market”, Nortjé added. The acquisition of Trustlink’s Swift bureau services business has resulted in the remaining entity being split into two sister companies, Omnea and Tegra, both owned…

The Kenyan government is implementing the Kenya National Digital Master Plan 2022-2032, with the aim of boosting digital competitiveness. The plan has five key pillars, including digital infrastructure, digital services and data management, digital skills, digital entrepreneurship, and effective alignment to policy, legal, and regulatory frameworks. The Cabinet Secretary, Eliud Owalo, stated that the government is leveraging ICT to deliver more efficient information and public services. Through the E-citizen platform, 839 services have already been digitized, with a target of 5,000 government services to be digitized by June 2023. He also mentioned that plans are underway to establish and operationalize…

The United Nations rights chief, Volker Turk, has warned that recent advances in artificial intelligence pose a serious threat to human rights and called for safeguards to prevent violations. This follows a call this week by more than 60 nations, including the United States and China, for regulating AI in defence to ensure it “does not undermine international security, stability, and accountability”. Concerns have been raised over AI-guided drones, “slaughterbots” that can kill without human intervention, and the risk that artificial intelligence could escalate military conflicts. READ ALSO:Key players from the public and private sectors host a disinformation conference in…

South Africa and the rest of the African continent are not immune to the dangers of disinformation campaigns, and the impact is felt even more now than ever. This was the focal point for the forum today, as these critical players examined the intersection between cyber security and disinformation campaigns in Africa. Over the last three years, the digital presence of private and public entities has increased exponentially. The increased scope and opportunity for malicious actors to disseminate disinformation have resulted in reputational damage and financial loss for organisations and entities. Professor Sibusiso Vil-Nkomo, Executive Dean of the Thabo Mbeki…