TCS+

Organisations are flocking to the cloud for its agility, scalability and innovation potential. But while the cloud promises big things, it also presents a set of financial challenges.

Many businesses find their cloud bills spiralling out of control, eroding the very benefits they sought in the first place.

In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Preegan Chetty, Microsoft Azure product manager at First Distribution, discusses the tools Azure provides for effective cost management and how businesses can take advantage of them to get the most out their cloud deployments without breaking the bank.

Chetty delves into:

• Some of the common pitfalls or hidden costs that organisations encounter when moving their workloads into the cloud and how to mitigate against these;

• The different pricing models available in Azure and how organisations can leverage them;

• What FinOps is and how businesses can benefit from it;

• How organisational KPIs can be leveraged to manage cloud spending effectively;

• How tagging can aid in cost centre management;

• How to manage costs in more complex hybrid cloud environments; and

• The AI tools Azure offers to aid businesses in managing their costs.

This episode is not to be missed.

Many municipalities in South Africa are struggling to maintain a reliable supply of clean water to households and industries. Thankfully, technology is here to help.

In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Helen Hulett, newly appointed chief sustainability officer at geospatial information science specialist AfriGIS, tells Duncan McLeod about the Resolve Water project that she leads and how she and her team are working with businesses and municipalities to try to address a problem that has reached crisis levels in some parts of the country.

AfriGIS’s technology is able to have a real-world impact on this crisis, according to Hulett, who specialises in industrial water risk, water-related governance and social issues, and sustainability.

Hulett, who has consulted with leading companies on the topic – they include the likes of Coca-Cola, Illovo Sugar Africa, Sappi, Aspen Pharmacare and Sasol – said AfriGIS offers advanced mapping and data analytics tools to address water scarcity, improve resource management and support businesses in need.

In this episode of TCS+, Hulett also unpacks:

• Her background and why she took the role of chief sustainability officer at AfriGIS;

• What the field of geospatial information science involves and why it makes sense to apply it to this crisis;

• AfriGIS’s involvement in the Resolve Water project;

• How serious the water crisis really is in South Africa and what it will take to address it;

• The impact of the Resolve Water project so far, and how it’s using GIS technology to achieve its goals – including mapping, real-time data analytics and collaborative partnerships; and

• The role of artificial intelligence.

The interview with Hulett, who is passionate about the topic of water security in South Africa, is not to be missed.

Mobile money has an increasingly vital role to play in South Africa’s economy, despite the fact that the country boasts an advanced financial services sector.

That’s the view of Kagiso Mothibi, CEO of Fintech at MTN South Africa, who was sharing his views in a recent interview with TechCentral’s TCS+ (watch it below) in which he discusses the broader fintech vision for the network operator and its role in driving innovation across the group.

But what is it about mobile money services that is attracting South African consumers to products like MTN’s MoMo, and what role do these platforms fulfil in the broader financial services ecosystem?

Mothibi unpacks this in detail in the interview. He also discusses:

• Why South Africa has proved to be a tougher mobile money market to crack than many other countries in Africa;

• How the South African market differs from others in which MTN operates;

• Who the target market is for MoMo – is it the unbanked and underbanked, or does MTN also have plans to serve well-heeled customers, too?

• What’s driving the growth in MoMo services in South Africa and why;

• What MTN’s fintech portfolio houses today and the company’s plans to expand this in the coming years;

• The recent launched of MoMo Pay, how it works and how MTN is onboarding merchants;

• What pain points MoMo Pay addresses in the payments ecosystem; and

• What the future holds for the fintech business in South Africa – and how product innovation locally is being deployed in other MTN markets across the continent.

Don’t miss an exciting interview!

Forget the hype, embrace the revolution! In this episode of TCS+, TechCentral speaks with Workday South Africa country manager Kiv Moodley and manager of solutions consulting Jannie Malan to dissect the critical intersection of artificial intelligence and human potential.

Malan oversees the solution consulting team, engaging with prospects and clients to understand their challenges and demonstrate how Workday’s technology can enable them to achieve their vision.

Both Moodley and Malan, who coincidentally joined Workday on the very day its South African office launched in 2018, brought seven years of frontline experience to the discussion, proving that AI isn't just a buzzword – it's already shaping our world.

TCS+ host Jaydev Chiba sat down with the two men to discuss the topic of “Human by design: real-world AI, real human impact”.

Experts note that AI, like other technologies, might be overestimated in the short term but underestimated in the long term. Overcoming initial apprehension requires understanding what AI is, and understanding helps reveal its potential to allow humans to be more productive and efficient. AI is not a silver bullet; its value is realised when it’s embedded, understood and utilised effectively.

The conversation highlighted several use cases, both personal and within business. Examples ranged from leveraging tools like Grok, ChatGPT and Gemini for productivity, and even a 10-year-old programming Alexa to tell a puppy it’s mealtime. Another use case included using AI for creating a training curriculum and visuals. Moodley and Malan noted that AI is already embedded in daily life through GPS, search and recommendations.

For businesses, a key trend is using AI to improve employee productivity by automating repetitive and mundane tasks, giving people more time for higher-value work. Industries show different levels of adoption, from logistics using AI for warehouse safety, to healthcare for diagnosis and treatment development, and insurance for fraud detection and client profiling. This shift shows value emerging as industries figure out where AI provides maximum benefit.

A significant portion of the discussion focused on the critical need for ethical and responsible AI use. With organisations facing pressure to adopt AI, establishing AI governance is foundational.

This involves potentially creating AI governance roles, executive sponsorship, governance committees and risk matrices to manage data privacy, bias and transparency. The Workday executives stressed the importance of AI functioning within a larger technology framework, requiring organisations to address data quality, security and accessibility.

Critically, the concept of keeping the human in the loop was emphasised, ensuring humans make final decisions based on AI-surfaced insights. Workday itself champions transparency, providing fact sheets or model cards to explain its AI models and how data is leveraged and bias mitigated.

This episode of TCS+ is the third in a series of three focused on the relationship between Switchcom Distribution and Huawei eKit as well as the networking solutions the two companies are providing for SMEs in South Africa and the rest of Africa.

Dewald van Eck, networking engineer at Switchcom parent company CMVAS, and Kurt Anthony, support engineer at CMVAS, tell TechCentral’s TCS+ about their hands-on experience working with Huawei eKit in customer implementations.

In this episode, Anthony and Van Eck delve into:

• How the Huawei eKit benefits the network operations manager when implementing networking projects;

• The problems the eKit solution solves for SMEs;

• How the eKit streamlines the network setup process for SMEs;

• Real-world examples of the how the eKit has helped SMEs on the ground; and

• Some of the common challenges faced when supporting SMEs during project implementations.

Don’t miss an informative discussion.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, we chat to Clive Roberts, the consumer packaged goods (CPG) segment leader for anglophone Africa at Schneider Electric.

In this discussion, Roberts unpacks the focus of the company’s segment, which covers the dynamic food and beverage industry across 24 African nations, encompassing about 1 800 manufacturers.

The sector is driven by converging trends, notably in smart manufacturing and a strong emphasis on sustainability, including waste reduction and energy efficiency. Simultaneously, evolving consumer preferences for healthier options, ingredient transparency and diverse dietary needs demand agility and resilience from these manufacturers. Cost management remains a critical focus.

The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation, as manufacturers focused on automation and better system integration to ensure business continuity. Further challenges, such as load shedding and water curtailment, shifted the focus towards power resilience, prompting investments in solutions such as industrial UPS systems.

Sustainability is a key concern, particularly for EU-headquartered companies. Manufacturers are actively working to reduce their scope-1, -2, and -3 emissions through initiatives like integrating distributed energy resources, optimising energy use and implementing variable process control.

Changing consumer behaviours, driven by social media and e-commerce, are demanding rapid access to goods and direct engagement with brands. This requires efficient supply chains and agile digital systems for both inventory and logistics management. Manufacturers will need flexible production and advanced tracking capabilities to meet the demand for visibility and diverse product options.

Economic recovery post-Covid-19 relies on the continued adoption of digital transformation to enhance efficiency and predictability in manufacturers’ processes. Schneider Electric is focused on providing hardware-agnostic integration, supported by organisations like the Universal Automation Organisation, to help manufacturers integrate existing equipment for unified control and accelerate digital transformation initiatives.

Government policies, like the sugar tax, directly influence product innovation and reformulation, often requiring significant investment. Despite challenges, growth opportunities exist for companies that prioritise product quality, traceability and building consumer trust, potentially also allowing them to command premium prices.

Roberts emphasised the value of early engagement with companies like Schneider Electric for expert guidance. He stressed that sustainability should be integral to operations and invited stakeholders to explore Schneider Electric’s offerings. The anglophone African food and beverage sector is a dynamic industry, and embracing technological advancements, prioritising consumer needs and ensuring product integrity are key to future success, he said in the interview.

Don’t miss it!

Networking equipment wholesaler Switchcom Distribution has partnered with Huawei Technologies to bring new offerings to the South African market and elsewhere in Africa.

In the first episode of this series, Switchcom national sales manager Lynton Brits and Huawei account manager Tanki Lebatla told TCS+ about the rationale behind the partnership and some of the networking and backup power equipment the companies have on offer. That video is available here.

In this second episode of the series, Brits is back on TCS+, this time accompanied by Jan Keyser, CEO of Konnekt SP, a provider of networking solutions to small and medium enterprises.

In this episode of TCS+, Brits and Keyser delve into:

• Why networking solutions providers and small and medium enterprises are draw to the Huawei networking eKit distributed by Switchcom;

• The different types of networking equipment that comes with the eKit solution;

• The software support Huawei provides to make network configuration easier for engineers using the eKit;

• The advantages of purchasing a homogenous solution from the same brand in making network configuration easier for installers; and

• Tools for managing the software-defined networks deployed using the eKit as customer need evolve over time.

This insightful conversation is not to be missed, especially for SMEs looking for networking solutions and the vendors who install them.

The Better Connection. Everywhere You Go. Or simply just Y’ello. Brand identity matter, and MTN South Africa – one of South Africa’s most valued brands – is keenly aware of that fact.

Indeed, when a big consumer brand changes its brand positioning, it’s always a big deal – not only because of the work involved behind the scenes but also because it helps shift the narrative for that brand in small but important ways in the public consciousness.

For a handful of times in its storied, 31-year history, MTN has refreshed its brand image. And it’s just hit the “play” button on the latest overhaul.

In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+ business technology podcast, MTN South Africa GM for residential and post-paid services Bertus van der Vyver unpacks the company’s latest brand identity and why it made the decisions it did.

In the podcast, Van der Vyver chats about:

• Whether brand ends up influencing strategy, or the other way around;

• How the new brand positioning – the payoff line is Together We Make Moves – aligns with MTN’s ongoing efforts around customer experience, network innovation and its service offerings;

• How consumers will experience the brand refresh;

• How the changes tie into MTN’s social and business commitments; and

• How MTN’s new brand identity will allow the company to differentiate itself in the market, including in relation to its competitors.

Don’t miss this fascinating conversation about the value and importance of branding.

Nithen Naidoo, founder and CEO of Snode Technologies, shares valuable insights on Snode and the cybersecurity space with TechCentral’s TCS+.

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Snode Technologies evolved from a consultancy to a product-focused company almost by accident. The product was developed on the ground, which led to the philosophy of customer-led design, emphasising solutions that directly addresses the problems customers are experiencing.

In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Snode founder and CEO Naidoo unpacks the importance of stepping out of one’s comfort zone and not letting fear dictate decisions.

He believes South Africans are more than capable of building world-class technology and that the cyber landscape offers opportunities to innovate without requiring large investments.

He stresses the importance of adopting technology securely to propel businesses forward. Nithen has learnt the importance of collaboration and acknowledges that there are still many problems in the cybersecurity industry that are yet to be solved.

What Snode does today

Snode has grown to cover over eight million devices and protect systems and companies across six continents with a team of 60 staff. The company’s mission is to “solve cyber”. It has developed a platform that is highly automated and is moving towards autonomous security operations. This platform is designed to address the high costs of managing cybersecurity and the need for better automated solutions.

Snode’s technology uses metadata around packets instead of the data packets themselves for threat detection, which allows for privacy preservation. It leverages advances in machine learning and AI for innovation-driven security solutions. They also use mathematics as a fast and accurate method for threat detection. Furthermore, they use digital twin technology to simulate different types of scenarios, enabling predictive and prescriptive analytics for customers. This technology automatically classifies assets and understands their value to a business by using data from both internal and external sources.

The company’s solutions extend to both IT and OT (operational technology) environments, with a focus on the convergence of the two. Snode’s technology is protocol-independent and can eavesdrop on communications without needing proprietary information, which is beneficial in environments like industrial IoT and medical IoT.

Snode’s focus on continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) moves beyond traditional risk and vulnerability management. It looks at a company’s security through the lens of the asset, enriching available siloed data with the much-needed context to manage a company’s exposure holistically.

What the future holds

Snode aims to be a leader in the cybersecurity industry, acknowledging that the sector still has valuable problems to solve. Its vision is not just for South Africa, but for the whole of the African continent.

Naidoo says he wants to create a secure environment for African entrepreneurs to drive innovation. Snode already has a global reach, with a presence across six continents, and is working with the defence and critical national infrastructure sectors in a number of countries.

Snode plans to expand its approach to cybersecurity, using predictive capabilities for broader applications such as preventative maintenance in the OT environment and improving safety in various industries. It aims to change the traditional view of cyberthreats, moving towards a unified approach across threat management, vulnerability management and penetration testing.

For more, visit techcentral.co.za

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This episode is sponsored.

Microsoft Azure SQL is a fully managed and scalable cloud database service – and its myriad benefits mean your company should be considering it if it isn’t already using it.

To unpack this in more detail, Preegan Chetty, Microsoft Azure product manager at First Distribution, and Silicon Overdrive Microsoft business executive Jody Roberts join TechCentral’s business technology show TCS+.

In the episode, they unpack:

• The relationship between First Distribution and Silicon Overdrive;

• Silicon Overdrive’s market focus;

• What Azure SQL is and how it’s helping companies with their digital transformation initiatives;

• Why many South African businesses run SQL Server databases, usually on-premises, and what the advantages are of moving these databases into the Microsoft Azure cloud;

• The cost advantages of shifting, and what’s involved in doing so;

• The security considerations of shifting from on-premises SQL Server to Azure SQL;

• The features that make Azure SQL particularly secure;

• Use cases of businesses leveraging Azure SQL; and

• Azure SQL Database vs SQL Managed Instance vs SQL Service on Azure virtual machines – the differences between these options, and why businesses should choose one over another.

Don’t miss the discussion.

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TCS+ episodes are sponsored.