South Africa – Page 2 – Africa Tech Digest

18Jan

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Internet Switched Back On Again In Zimbabwe After A Total Blackout For The Second Time In A Week

The Zimbabwean story continues to be crazier at every turn. Around mid day on Tuesday the government ordered internet service providers to block all citizens from the internet. The nation was switched back on yesterday after 30 hours of darkness. When we thought that it was all done, the government issued another directive at Nicodemus time last night around 10 pm instructing total shut down again. Zimbabwe woke up to no internet today and Econet subscribers had the following message in their SMS inbox: At 22:05 17/01/19, we were served with another directive for total shutdown of the internet until further notice. Our lawyers advised we are required to comply with the directive pending the Courts decision on its legality. The earlier directives are already the subject of a pendin...

15Jan

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

Apps, Trends

Here’s how tech is revolutionising transport for low-income communities in urban Africa

The transport and mobility sector have undergone significant change in recent years. Disruptive technology and the sharing economy have completely transformed the mobility space, creating new markets with a more on-demand, consumer-centric model. Taxi apps like Uber and Lyft have revolutionised notions of accessibility, convenience and predictability in public transport. But in South Africa, approximately 42.4 million people still rely on traditional modes of public transport. In the Western Cape province, 52 percent of households use minibus taxis (unscheduled privately-operated minibus services carrying passengers), while almost 22 percent of households use trains. Historically, the previous apartheid regime segregated South Africans by racial group and assigned specific race grou...

Rwanda emerging as a key tech and investment hub in Africa

15Jan

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

East Africa

Rwanda emerging as a key tech and investment hub in Africa

As South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria dominate the African tech ecosystem, Rwanda is slowly, yet assuredly, emerging as a key tech and investment hub with its ease of doing business. Partech Ventures’ 2017 report revealed that South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria accounted for 76 percent of total funding in 2017 and was the top three tech startup ecosystems to have highest number of startups funded per country. Whilst the trio continue to dominate, Rwanda, despite its small population, is positioning itself as a profitable commercial hub through its ease of doing business [Rwanda ranks 29th globally in World Bank’s annual ‘Doing Business Report’], and by implementing a lenient visa policy. Much of the partnership work has been undertaken by the Rwanda Development Board, whose mission is to stimul...

The fastest growing types of online stores in South Africa

6Jan

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

ecommerce, Southern Africa, Trends

The fastest growing types of online stores in South Africa

Online retail in South Africa is expected to pass the R14 billion mark in 2018 as e-commerce begins to go mainstream. This is one of the major findings from the latest Online Retail in South Africa study, conducted by World Wide Worx with the support of Visa and Platinum Seed. The 2018 figure – which represents 25% growth over 2017 – comes as a surprise given predictions that online retail growth would slow down to below 20% by 2018. Forecasts have been beaten as a result of massive investments in online retail, aggressive marketing, and the rapid uptake of new shopping channels like mobile shopping and Instagram. Further, the report found that most established online retailers have enhanced their digital presence, and refined their fulfilment models, while many traditional re...

30Dec

By Africa Tech DigestNo Comments

AI, East Africa, North Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa

Drones driven by AI will track illegal fishing in African waters

Across the African continent, drones are finding innovative uses -- from monitoring displaced populations to delivering critical medical supplies. Moroccan technology startup ATLAN Space is developing artificial intelligence (AI) to guide autonomous drones so they can scan large areas for "environmental crimes" like illegal fishing, poaching or deforestation. In June, ATLAN Space won the National Geographic Society's $150,000 Marine Protection Prize to implement a pilot project to combat illegal fishing in Seychelles. Drones will be armed with information about illegal fishing hotspots, explains Badr Idrissi, CEO and co-founder of ATLAN Space. Once a drone detects a boat, AI will enable it to verify whether it is a cruising boat, tanker or fishing vessel. The drone will then est...