Author: Editor

Monika Iuel, who is Wesgro’s Chief Destination Marketing Officer, is encouraged by new growth in the return of international and domestic visitors to the Cape. Commenting on behalf of the Best Of Wine Tourism & Ambassador Awards, of which Wesgro is the custodian, she says: “The recent rise in tourism arrivals certainly bodes well for South Africa’s wine tourism sector.” According to the latest airport statistics, passengers through Cape Town International Airport rose substantially since the start of the pandemic. Domestic terminal passenger movement reached a recovery rate of 75% in April 2022 when compared to the same month in…

African Resonance, a leading provider of payment infrastructure that specialises in providing an entire value chain solution for terminal and merchant estate management, says Android-based payment terminals provide significant revenue-generating opportunities for South African merchants regardless of size. By enhancing these point-of-sale (PoS) terminals with value-added business applications, merchants can generate incremental revenue and ultimately improve the customer experience by giving tailored services unique to their business. “The world of PoS terminals has been around for more than 40 years. As technology evolved, so too have the devices consumers used to transact with merchants. While terminals have been predominantly Linux-based,…

By Ross Hickey, Founder and CEO of Trinity IoT With companies embracing digital transformation, the well-known practice of managing SIMs and devices to mitigate against out-of-control data costs and inefficient use of business application devices take on new importance. Today, many businesses require a combination of device and connectivity management to form the cornerstone of their output. Device and connectivity management can be defined as the process of controlling, monitoring, maintaining, and configuring devices and SIMs remotely. If access to device data through cellular connectivity is the lifeline of a company’s business model, then device management is the key to…

inq., a Convergence Partner’s company, has received Competition Commission approval without conditions to acquire Syrex, a provider of hyperconverged cloud technology solutions in South Africa. The strategic acquisition bolsters an already robust business offering from Syrex to provide innovative, reliable, and industry-leading solutions to the South African market. This follows the announcement at the end of May this year that inq., a leading edge computing company, has reached an agreement to acquire Syrex for an undisclosed amount. Syrex is a hyperconverged solutions provider that delivers the full ICT services offering, from connectivity to security and tailored IT Managed Services. Furthermore,…

By Frikkie Malan, head of sustainability at Remote Metering Solutions According to various sources, up to 30% of the total energy consumption of a building can be attributed to heating, ventilation, and cooling. One of the most effective ways of optimising these involves having access to the right data. Analysing this data will provide the necessary guidance to where the most relevant interventions can be implemented to significantly reduce energy costs. Ideally, planning the energy efficiency of a building should be done during the design phase as it can be challenging to retrofit existing structures. Of course, this does not…

By Frikkie Malan, head of sustainability at Remote Metering Solutions Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), which display the energy performance of buildings, may only be issued by SANAS-accredited energy performance certification inspection bodies. This ensures compliance with relevant standards and provides assurance of the qualifications, training, and experience of the personnel involved in certification. A building owner is responsible for providing the information required (as per SANS 1544) for certification and may engage internal staff or consultants to assist with gathering the information. However, the certification must be done by an accredited EPC inspection body. Both the SANAS and SANEDI websites…

LayUp Technologies, an advanced recurring payments system provider, is flipping the script on credit and is providing South Africans with an innovative save now buy later solution. In doing so, the company is reinforcing its commitment to driving financial inclusion across the continent through cloud-based pre-payment technology. “I founded LayUp Technologies in 2018 as an alternative, first of its kind, business-to-business and business-to-consumer payments company. Its aim has always been to disrupt the financial service industry by enabling millions of people who are locked out of the economy to access interest-free ways to pay in parts over-time. LayUp has identified…

There are different types of warnings and it’s a good idea for human resource managers to keep up with updates and new developments. There are different types of warnings or official reprimands in the workplace that are available to employers to manage their employees. As is the case with all labour legislation, it is crucial that human resource managers are fully aware of these different warnings, when they are applicable and what the ramifications are for all parties. Human capital management specialist CRS Technologies says companies are often so focused on their core business that they neglect to keep up…

Since 2020 South Africa’s construction industry has had to contend with enforced pandemic-induced shutdowns, civil unrest, natural disasters and more recently, the ongoing war in Ukraine, all of which have wreaked havoc on supply chains and severely hampered the sector’s recovery. Where previously it used to take weeks to procure building materials and equipment, contractors are now having to wait months for their orders to arrive, says Databuild CEO Morag Evans. “Not only are procurement and delivery costs higher as a result, but projects are being delayed and in some instances, even cancelled, placing even more financial pressure on stakeholders…

Giving employees the ultimatum of ‘come back to the office or lose your job’ is very likely going to continue backfiring on the business Over the past year, many companies have put their proverbial feet down – come back to the office, or else. They’ve demanded that their employees walk away from a significantly better quality of life and back into traffic jams, road rage, early mornings and, perhaps most uncomfortably, wearing masks for up to 12 hours a day. This hasn’t delivered the reaction that these companies were expecting. Most have simply resigned. The Great Resignation, first noticed in…