Duncan McLeod

Johannesburg, South Africa

Founder/editor @TechCentral, prog rock fan, dog lover, aspirant hiker, classical liberal. Message me securely on Signal: duncan.73

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Articles

DUNCAN McLEOD: Keep your cyber doors locked and the keys safe

1 week ago | businesslive.co.za | Duncan McLeod

MCLEOD COMPUTING South Africans know all about security, from closed-circuit television cameras to electric fences and armed reaction. The country’s high levels of crime mean those with the means to do so live in virtual fortresses, panic buttons at the ready.
MTN vs Turkcell: $4.2bn bribery lawsuit heads to SA's top court

2 weeks ago | techcentral.co.za | Duncan McLeod

The long-running litigation between MTN Group and rival Turkcell is now headed to South Africa’s highest court. This is after the supreme court of appeal on Tuesday upheld “aspects of the legal appeal” brought by Turkcell and after MTN vowed to fight this judgment in the constitutional court. The allegations against MTN go back to the licensing of MTN Irancell, in which MTN has a 49% stake. Turkell has alleged the licence was awarded irregularly, something MTN has consistently denied.
DUNCAN McLEOD: Up and running with AI

3 weeks ago | businesslive.co.za | Duncan McLeod

If I need to remember to call someone the next morning, I ask Aki — using my voice — to “remind me to call Joe Bloggs at 8am on Monday”. Instantly, the reminder is in my calendar. It can even help me schedule appointments automatically. I use it to prompt me about article and column ideas, too. And it helps me prioritise my to-do lists, reminding me what it thinks is most urgent (it’s usually right). It’s great software.
Capitec is winning big in mobile

3 weeks ago | techcentral.co.za | Duncan McLeod

Capitec Bank’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), which recently slashed its prices, is performing strongly, the company’s latest financial results show. Capitec published its annual results for the year to end-February 2025 on Wednesday, which showed a 30% jump in headline earnings to R13.7-billion. “Strategic initiatives”, which includes various value-added services and Capitec Connect, contributed R3.1-billion to group headline earnings, up from R2-billion in 2024.
Why South Africans relocate

4 weeks ago | techcentral.co.za | Duncan McLeod

South Africans relocate in the pursuit of paid work (22.9%) and to be closer to family or their spouse (15.5%), according to new research. A new Migration Report by Wise Move, a technology platform that has been described as the “Uber of moving”, used data on about 15 000 “digitally facilitated” moves in 2024 to compile the report.
Blow for MultiChoice in SABC channels deal probe

1 month ago | techcentral.co.za | Duncan McLeod

MultiChoice Group has suffered a setback in a long-running investigation into whether a 2013 agreement between the pay-television broadcaster and the SABC amounted to a notifiable merger under the Competition Act. The Competition Tribunal on Monday said it had dismissed an “exception application” brought by MultiChoice over a channel-supply agreement with the SABC, which it inked during the Jacob Zuma presidency 12 years ago.
China's Leapmotor is launching in South Africa

1 month ago | techcentral.co.za | Duncan McLeod

Chinese new-energy vehicle start-up Leapmotor is launching its first model in South Africa in partnership with shareholder Stellantis, the parent of brands such as Jeep, Fiat, Opel, Peugeot and Citroen, later this year. The model, the Leapmotor C10 REEV, utilises clever, range-extending technology to supplement its 28.4kW battery pack. Launch details, including pricing and exact timing, must still be determined, according to Stellantis South Africa head of communications Deidre du Plessis.
DUNCAN McLEOD: Why the communications minister needs to pick up the pace

1 month ago | businesslive.co.za | Duncan McLeod

Solly Malatsi has had a disappointing start to 2025. The communications minister — one of six DA MPs who form part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s fractured and bloated cabinet — is not moving quickly enough to deal with the many crises facing the ICT sector. From the funding crisis at the SABC to the failed Post Office to the continuing disaster that is digital television migration, Malatsi needs to be much bolder.
Cell C warns of fraud risk after threat actor publishes stolen data

1 month ago | techcentral.co.za | Duncan McLeod

RansomHouse, the threat actor that claimed responsible for a ransomware attack on mobile operator Cell C, has “unlawfully disclosed” data stolen in the incident. Cell C said in a statement on Wednesday that it “deeply regrets this development” and the “concern it may cause among our employees, customers, partners and stakeholders at large”. It didn’t immediately say what data has been leaked.
Icasa unveils 'innovation spectrum' plan to boost wireless connectivity

1 month ago | techcentral.co.za | Duncan McLeod

Communications regulator Icasa has signalled it intends to make available radio spectrum in what it has described as two “innovation bands”. It wants the bands in question, between 3.8GHz and 4.2GHz and between 5.925GHz and 6.425GHz, to be made available for “dynamic spectrum access”, meaning they will be shared with other licensed telecommunications operators, provided they don’t cause interference.