TechCentral

The digitisation of social interactions has made it easier for people to maintain contact and build online communities. However, there has been a decrease in in-person interaction that has contributed to a sense of disconnect.

South African-made social media platform Sociable hopes to solve this problem by combining online engagement with in-person meetups, connecting people based on shared interests.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Sociable co-founder and CEO Jason van Dyk tells TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about the importance of community and how Sociable is helping drive its development.

In the show, Van Dyk delves into:

• How community builders benefit from using the Sociable platform;

• The features Sociable provides to communities and their members to enhance engagement;

• How meeting spaces including coffee shops, bars and restaurants benefit from the in-person component of Sociable’s community meetups;

• Sociable’s approach to safety for its users;

• How Sociable positions itself against large social media platforms like Facebook;

• Some of the most popular communities on the platform; and

• The impact of AI on the social media landscape.

Don’t miss the conversation! TechCentral

The digitisation of social interactions has made it easier for people to maintain contact and build online communities. However, there has been a decrease in in-person interaction that has contributed to a sense of disconnect.

South African-made social media platform Sociable hopes to solve this problem by combining online engagement with in-person meetups, connecting people based on shared interests.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Sociable co-founder and CEO Jason van Dyk tells TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about the importance of community and how Sociable is helping drive its development.

In the show, Van Dyk delves into:

• How community builders benefit from using the Sociable platform;

• The features Sociable provides to communities and their members to enhance engagement;

• How meeting spaces including coffee shops, bars and restaurants benefit from the in-person component of Sociable’s community meetups;

• Sociable’s approach to safety for its users;

• How Sociable positions itself against large social media platforms like Facebook;

• Some of the most popular communities on the platform; and

• The impact of AI on the social media landscape.

Don’t miss the conversation!

This is the third episode of a new podcast series curated by TechCentral’s editorial team and generated by artificial intelligence tools. It’s an experiment that’s in beta for now, but if it works well, we’ll consider making it a regular feature by launching a season 1.

Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources, AI can and will occasionally make mistakes.

In this episode, we highlight some of the biggest technology news stories from South Africa and the world over the last week, as covered by TechCentral.

In this episode, we look at:

• Takealot Group’s strong top-line performance;

• The profit surge at Prosus and what’s driving it;

• The over-capacity crisis hitting China’s motoring industry;

• How Oracle, a dowdy database developer, got a new lease on life;

• Jaltech’s decision to back solar specialist Wetility; and

• The State IT Agency hits back at its critics in government;

Again, this podcast is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature? Is there anything you’d like us to improve? Is it too short or too long? Drop us a line at [email protected]. TechCentral

This is the third episode of a new podcast series curated by TechCentral’s editorial team and generated by artificial intelligence tools. It’s an experiment that’s in beta for now, but if it works well, we’ll consider making it a regular feature by launching a season 1.

Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources, AI can and will occasionally make mistakes.

In this episode, we highlight some of the biggest technology news stories from South Africa and the world over the last week, as covered by TechCentral.

In this episode, we look at:

• Takealot Group’s strong top-line performance;

• The profit surge at Prosus and what’s driving it;

• The over-capacity crisis hitting China’s motoring industry;

• How Oracle, a dowdy database developer, got a new lease on life;

• Jaltech’s decision to back solar specialist Wetility; and

• The State IT Agency hits back at its critics in government;

Again, this podcast is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature? Is there anything you’d like us to improve? Is it too short or too long? Drop us a line at [email protected].

Spar Group is determined to play a significant role in the on-demand grocery delivery space in South Africa despite coming from behind, its omnichannel executive for Southern Africa has told TechCentral.

Speaking to the TechCentral Show, Blake Raubenheimer took the publication’s editor, Duncan McLeod, through the retailer’s plan to compete directly with the likes of Shoprite Holdings’ Sixty60, which gained an early market lead during the Covid lockdowns.

Spar has every intention of becoming a meaningful player in app-based on-demand deliveries, according to Raubenheimer, who unpacked the retailer’s plan to gain market share in the increasingly competitive but fast-expanding segment with Spar2U.

South Africa’s grocery sector has become increasingly competitive as price-conscious consumers look for value, convenience and distinctive products.

Shoprite and Woolworths are keeping their rivals on their toes as they continue to sign up customers. Pick n Pay, which is also coming from behind, is aggressively targeting the space, too.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Raubenheimer discusses:

* How Spar’s business model – the vast majority of stores are run by franchisees – has complicated its move into the on-demand grocery game, and how it's working to turn this to its advantage;

* How Spar is working to convince consumers to try Spar2U over other on-demand services;

* The group’s broader omnichannel strategy, where the retailer is positioned in the market, where it wants to get to, and how it plans to do it;

* Its focus on the township and rural markets through partnerships with companies like KasiD and Delivery Ka Speed – and why it’s important;

Spar’s partnership with Uber Eats;

* How Spar’s SAP enterprise software implementation in KwaZulu-Natal went awry and how it impacted the retailer; and

* What Spar is working on from a technology perspective.

Don’t miss a fascinating discussion about how technology is transforming the retail industry in South Africa. TechCentral

Spar Group is determined to play a significant role in the on-demand grocery delivery space in South Africa despite coming from behind, its omnichannel executive for Southern Africa has told TechCentral.

Speaking to the TechCentral Show, Blake Raubenheimer took the publication’s editor, Duncan McLeod, through the retailer’s plan to compete directly with the likes of Shoprite Holdings’ Sixty60, which gained an early market lead during the Covid lockdowns.

Spar has every intention of becoming a meaningful player in app-based on-demand deliveries, according to Raubenheimer, who unpacked the retailer’s plan to gain market share in the increasingly competitive but fast-expanding segment with Spar2U.

South Africa’s grocery sector has become increasingly competitive as price-conscious consumers look for value, convenience and distinctive products.

Shoprite and Woolworths are keeping their rivals on their toes as they continue to sign up customers. Pick n Pay, which is also coming from behind, is aggressively targeting the space, too.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Raubenheimer discusses:

* How Spar’s business model – the vast majority of stores are run by franchisees – has complicated its move into the on-demand grocery game, and how it's working to turn this to its advantage;

* How Spar is working to convince consumers to try Spar2U over other on-demand services;

* The group’s broader omnichannel strategy, where the retailer is positioned in the market, where it wants to get to, and how it plans to do it;

* Its focus on the township and rural markets through partnerships with companies like KasiD and Delivery Ka Speed – and why it’s important;

Spar’s partnership with Uber Eats;

* How Spar’s SAP enterprise software implementation in KwaZulu-Natal went awry and how it impacted the retailer; and

* What Spar is working on from a technology perspective.

Don’t miss a fascinating discussion about how technology is transforming the retail industry in South Africa.

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. TechCentral

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.

This is the second (and beta) episode of a new podcast series curated by TechCentral’s editorial team and generated by artificial intelligence tools. It’s an experiment for now, but if it works well, we’ll consider making it a regular feature by launching a season 1.

Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources, AI can and will occasionally make mistakes.

In this episode, we highlight several key developments in South Africa's ICT sector, including the intense capex competition among Vodacom, MTN and Telkom that reveals a fierce battle for network supremacy and market share within the mobile telecommunications sector.

Concurrently, the surge in mobile virtual network operators is reshaping the South African mobile market, also fostering increased competition and delivering specialised offerings for consumers.

Also this week: an uproar over home affairs' proposed database fee increases; the proliferation of Starlink and other low-Earth orbit satellites present a significant threat to radio astronomy in the Karoo; and AI comes to Wimbledon.

Again, this is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature? Is there anything you’d like us to improve? Is it too short or too long? Drop us a line at [email protected]. TechCentral

This is the second (and beta) episode of a new podcast series curated by TechCentral’s editorial team and generated by artificial intelligence tools. It’s an experiment for now, but if it works well, we’ll consider making it a regular feature by launching a season 1.

Note that even using the most accurate and reliable sources, AI can and will occasionally make mistakes.

In this episode, we highlight several key developments in South Africa's ICT sector, including the intense capex competition among Vodacom, MTN and Telkom that reveals a fierce battle for network supremacy and market share within the mobile telecommunications sector.

Concurrently, the surge in mobile virtual network operators is reshaping the South African mobile market, also fostering increased competition and delivering specialised offerings for consumers.

Also this week: an uproar over home affairs' proposed database fee increases; the proliferation of Starlink and other low-Earth orbit satellites present a significant threat to radio astronomy in the Karoo; and AI comes to Wimbledon.

Again, this is experimental. We welcome your feedback. Would you like this podcast to become a regular feature? Is there anything you’d like us to improve? Is it too short or too long? Drop us a line at [email protected].