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Prosus bullish on e-commerce growth

1 week ago | techcentral.co.za | Nqobile Dludla

Technology investor Prosus expects adjusted profit at its e-commerce business to exceed its guidance and reach US$435-million this fiscal year, CEO Fabricio Bloisi said on Thursday. Last year, European-listed Prosus, which is majority owned by South Africa’s Naspers, estimated adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) of $400-million for its e-commerce business in the 2025 financial year, compared with a trading profit of $38-million in the 2024 fiscal year.
The automation of thought: how AI could stifle workplace innovation

1 week ago | techcentral.co.za | Parmy Olson

Edison Earl excels at his job as a graduate intern at Arts University Bournemouth in England. He’s produced more marketing content than ever for the school and doubled its Instagram followers in the last seven months. But he struggles to take credit, since the ChatGPT app did much of the work. In the last two years, he’s gone from brainstorming on paper to talking to ChatGPT most of the day. “Can you rewrite this e-mail for me?” he’ll ask it.
Spyware on trial: Meta's NSO victory sends shockwaves through shadowy industry

1 week ago | techcentral.co.za | Parmy Olson

I’m not usually one to cheer for Meta Platforms, a purveyor of addictive applications, but it’s difficult not to hail the seismic jolt the company just gave an even murkier world than social media: spyware. A California jury has awarded Meta’s WhatsApp US$168-million in damages after its five-year legal battle against NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance firm.
Absa chairman Sello Moloko to step down

1 week ago | techcentral.co.za | Nqobile Dludla

Absa Group announced on Wednesday that Sello Moloko will step down as chairman of the bank on 15 July to make way for new leadership, and René van Wyk will succeed him, subject to regulatory approval. Moloko said he had decided to quit after the board “dealt with several challenges in 2024”, appointed a new chief executive and launched a restructure of Absa’s retail model.
South African prisoners can use computers in their cells: top court

1 week ago | techcentral.co.za | Tania Broughton

In a unanimous ruling, the constitutional court has declared that barring prisoners from using PCs in their cells for studying is unconstitutional. The court ordered that the constitutional invalidity be suspended for a year and directed the national commissioner of correctional services to promulgate a revised policy.
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.
AI chatbots want you hooked - maybe too hooked

2 weeks ago | techcentral.co.za | Parmy Olson

AI companions programmed to forge emotional bonds are no longer confined to movie scripts. They are here, operating in a regulatory Wild West. One app, Botify AI, recently drew scrutiny for featuring avatars of young actors sharing “hot photos” in sexually charged chats. The dating app Grindr, meanwhile, is developing AI boyfriends that can flirt, sext and maintain digital relationships with paid users, according to Platformer, a tech industry newsletter.
Compulsory biometric tests for some Sassa beneficiaries

3 weeks ago | techcentral.co.za | Marecia Damons

From 5 May, all social grant beneficiaries using alternative forms of identification other than the standard 13-digit South African ID number will undergo compulsory biometric testing. This was announced by social grants agency Sassa on Thursday. Sassas said this initiative aims to enhance the security and accuracy of client identification, and to improve the integrity and efficiency of its systems. The agency currently pays social grants to approximately 28 million people each month.
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.
Ructions in Lesotho over licensing of Starlink

4 weeks ago | techcentral.co.za | Sechaba Mokhethi

Earlier this week, Lesotho succumbed to pressure and granted a 10-year licence to Starlink Lesotho, a subsidiary of Elon Musk’s SpaceX. This followed an announcement by Prime Minister Samuel Matekane earlier this month that his government would remove barriers to US investment, in the midst of a tariff onslaught.