TechCentral

New GX Capital, one of the principal investors in Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa parent CIVH, recently announced it was launching a R2.4-billion clean-tech investment fund in partnership with RMB Ventures.

To unpack the details of the new fund and why it’s being established, New GX Capital founder and CEO Khudusela Pitje joined TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod in the latest episode of the TechCentral Show for a wide-ranging conversation.

In the interview, Pitje chatted about the fund – called the Airnegize Capital Fund – and its plans to invest in renewable energy and water and gas infrastructure across Africa.

New GX Capital and RMB Ventures have described the fund as “one of the largest of its kind on the continent”.

The fund has secured R2.4-billion in initial commitments, with the companies targeting a further R1.6-billion before financial close in the coming months.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Pitje expands on:

• His career background and the formation of New GX Capital;

• The role his father, the late HM Pitje, a businessman and former mayor of Mamelodi, played in his life and career choices;

• His role in helping build Dark Fibre Africa and CIVH;

• Why he feels the decision by the competition authorities to block the acquisition by Vodacom of a 30% co-controlling stake in Maziv – a subsidiary of CIVH that houses Vumatel and DFA – was wrongheaded;

• The role New GX Capital plays today, as well as its investment philosophy;

• What led to the creation of the Airnegize Fund with RMB Ventures; and

• The role and future of black economic empowerment in South Africa.

Don’t miss a fascinating conversation! TechCentral

New GX Capital, one of the principal investors in Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa parent CIVH, recently announced it was launching a R2.4-billion clean-tech investment fund in partnership with RMB Ventures.

To unpack the details of the new fund and why it’s being established, New GX Capital founder and CEO Khudusela Pitje joined TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod in the latest episode of the TechCentral Show for a wide-ranging conversation.

In the interview, Pitje chatted about the fund – called the Airnegize Capital Fund – and its plans to invest in renewable energy and water and gas infrastructure across Africa.

New GX Capital and RMB Ventures have described the fund as “one of the largest of its kind on the continent”.

The fund has secured R2.4-billion in initial commitments, with the companies targeting a further R1.6-billion before financial close in the coming months.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Pitje expands on:

• His career background and the formation of New GX Capital;

• The role his father, the late HM Pitje, a businessman and former mayor of Mamelodi, played in his life and career choices;

• His role in helping build Dark Fibre Africa and CIVH;

• Why he feels the decision by the competition authorities to block the acquisition by Vodacom of a 30% co-controlling stake in Maziv – a subsidiary of CIVH that houses Vumatel and DFA – was wrongheaded;

• The role New GX Capital plays today, as well as its investment philosophy;

• What led to the creation of the Airnegize Fund with RMB Ventures; and

• The role and future of black economic empowerment in South Africa.

Don’t miss a fascinating conversation!

Yosheen Padayachee, group IT director at Tsebo Solutions Group, is our guest in this episode of TechCentral’s Meet the CIO.

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Yosheen Padayachee was named as one of the top 100 most influential women in technology in 2024 and has been recognised among the Cyber 50 leaders in cybersecurity in Africa.

Padayachee, who serves as group IT director at workplace management solutions company Tsebo Solutions Group, is TechCentral’s guest in this episode of Meet the CIO.

Previously CIO for Africa at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings, Padayachee is pursuing a doctorate in technology innovation. She shares her story in this interview.

She unpacks:

• How her career pivoted from healthcare into IT and IT management;

• Her career journey so far, which has included roles in the banking sector at Nedbank and FNB, and important lessons she’s learnt along the way;

• The role of IT at Tsebo Solutions Group;

• The big technology projects she’s currently helping lead;

• Her insights on cybersecurity in modern organisations, and why security must be embedded at the foundation of all digital innovation;

• The impact of AI on the ability of companies to protect themselves from cyber adversaries; and

• Why gender diversity in the male-dominated technology industry is vital – and what needs to be done to encourage more young women to choose technology as a career.

Don’t miss this insightful conversation. TechCentral

Yosheen Padayachee, group IT director at Tsebo Solutions Group, is our guest in this episode of TechCentral’s Meet the CIO.

--

Yosheen Padayachee was named as one of the top 100 most influential women in technology in 2024 and has been recognised among the Cyber 50 leaders in cybersecurity in Africa.

Padayachee, who serves as group IT director at workplace management solutions company Tsebo Solutions Group, is TechCentral’s guest in this episode of Meet the CIO.

Previously CIO for Africa at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings, Padayachee is pursuing a doctorate in technology innovation. She shares her story in this interview.

She unpacks:

• How her career pivoted from healthcare into IT and IT management;

• Her career journey so far, which has included roles in the banking sector at Nedbank and FNB, and important lessons she’s learnt along the way;

• The role of IT at Tsebo Solutions Group;

• The big technology projects she’s currently helping lead;

• Her insights on cybersecurity in modern organisations, and why security must be embedded at the foundation of all digital innovation;

• The impact of AI on the ability of companies to protect themselves from cyber adversaries; and

• Why gender diversity in the male-dominated technology industry is vital – and what needs to be done to encourage more young women to choose technology as a career.

Don’t miss this insightful conversation. TechCentral

Icasa has signalled it intends to make available radio spectrum in what it has described as two “innovation bands”. This AI-generated podcast summarises the key points in the draft regulations.

Note: This content is generated by AI, which can make errors. Do not rely on this information for decision making.

The Better Connection. Everywhere You Go. Or simply just Y’ello. Brand identity matters, 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. TechCentral

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.

A company with its headquarters in Pretoria has designed and built an advanced drone that can attain speeds of 250km/h, reach altitudes of up to 30 000ft and travel more than 4 000km before having to return to its base. The company, Milkor, is a South African defence equipment and cybersecurity specialist that was founded all the way back in 1981.

Its newly developed Milkor 380 System unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) – in essence, a giant drone – has a cruising altitude of 10 000ft, a wingspan of 18m and a maximum payload of 220kg.

The drone has a flight time of up to 35 hours and can be used for border surveillance, maritime surveillance, strategic reconnaissance and information gathering operations, among other things.

To talk about the UAV, Milkor communications director Daniel du Plessis sat down with Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show recently and shared more details about its capabilities.

Other than the Milkor 380, the interview also covers topics including:

* Milkor’s founding in the 1980s, and how the company shifted focus in the democratic era – it got its start, and may still be best known for, manufacturing the world’s first six-shot 40mm grenade launcher, which is widely used around the world;

* The company’s other products – for land, air and sea operations – as well as what’s involved in conducting advanced R&D and manufacturing in a market like South Africa;

* The people who work for Milkor, and the sort of skills the company is looking for (and how it’s finding them);

* The role of UAVs in modern warfare and defence operations; and

* Why Milkor has entered the cybersecurity space.

Don’t miss a fascinating interview! TechCentral

A company with its headquarters in Pretoria has designed and built an advanced drone that can attain speeds of 250km/h, reach altitudes of up to 30 000ft and travel more than 4 000km before having to return to its base.

The company, Milkor, is a South African defence equipment and cybersecurity specialist that was founded all the way back in 1981.

Its newly developed Milkor 380 System unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) – in essence, a giant drone – has a cruising altitude of 10 000ft, a wingspan of 18m and a maximum payload of 220kg.

The drone has a flight time of up to 35 hours and can be used for border surveillance, maritime surveillance, strategic reconnaissance and information gathering operations, among other things.

To talk about the UAV, Milkor communications director Daniel du Plessis sat down with Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show recently and shared more details about its capabilities.

Other than the Milkor 380, the interview also covers topics including:

* Milkor’s founding in the 1980s, and how the company shifted focus in the democratic era – it got its start, and may still be best known for, manufacturing the world’s first six-shot 40mm grenade launcher, which is widely used around the world;

* The company’s other products – for land, air and sea operations – as well as what’s involved in conducting advanced R&D and manufacturing in a market like South Africa;

* The people who work for Milkor, and the sort of skills the company is looking for (and how it’s finding them);

* The role of UAVs in modern warfare and defence operations; and

* Why Milkor has entered the cybersecurity space.

Don’t miss a fascinating interview!

Discovery Bank CEO Hylton Kallner believes technology is fundamental to the company’s success.

Kallner, an actuary who joined Discovery in its early days as a medical insurance company and who has held various senior leadership roles over the years, tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the group’s decision to launch a bank when it did. He shares how the business is doing – spoiler: it’s trending well ahead of schedule – and what comes next.

He tells the TechCentral Show about:

• How Discovery Bank is doing financially and how it’s tracking against its business plan;

• Its client base – who they are and who the bank is targeting as its clientele (the answer may surprise you);

• Why Discovery launched a bank into what was already a competitive market and what it’s doing differently to its rivals to attract people to switch;

• The learnings from Discovery Health and Discovery Vitality, and how Discovery Bank has leveraged these in its products and services;

• Discovery Bank’s technology stack, why it chose the IT solutions it did, and why it built much of its banking solution in-house;

• What’s next from Discovery Bank in terms of solutions; and

• The bank’s plans with AI – and why it believes AI could be a gamechanger.

Lastly, Kallner, a prolific reader, shares two of his favourite non-fiction books with the TechCentral audience.

Don’t miss a great discussion! TechCentral