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Articles by Shaun Pather
Funding boosts postgraduate student success – South African study measures how
Postgraduate education is good for a country. Thriving economies need people with advanced academic degrees to enhance research productivity. Research and innovation capability have a positive impact on the competitiveness of a country. The South African government has developed an extensive financial support programme for undergraduate (first degree) education in the form of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). However, this doesn’t extend to postgraduate programmes.
Funding boosts postgraduate student success – South African study measures how
Scott Robertson 1 hour ago Springboks and Wallabies snubs join Scott Robertson’s Barbarians squad for Wales showdown planetrugby.com - Jared Wright • 1h Scott Robertson will have 20 internationals at his disposal when the Barbarians tackle Wales.
Beyond the line and hook: Identifying primary e logistics technology adoption factors in the fishing industry
Ayuda Buscar en la ayuda Buscar en la ayuda Beyond the line and hook: Identifying primary e logistics technology adoption factors in the fishing industry Khumalo, Bradley Bucky [1] ; Pather, Shaun [1] [1] University of the Western Cape City of Cape Town, Sudáfrica Localización: International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management, ISSN-e 2182-7788, Vol. 13, Nº. 2, 2025, págs.
Determinants of mobile application adoption among micro-entrepreneurs
Original Research Emmanuel I. Slinger, Shaun Pather, Marieta du Plessis South African Journal of Information Management | Vol 26, No 1 | a1731 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v26i1.1731 | © 2024 Emmanuel I. Slinger, Shaun Pather, Marieta du Plessis | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 Submitted: 24 June 2023 | Published: 22 February 2024 About the author(s) Emmanuel I.
Chad drops import duties on smartphones for five years
Chad's Ministry of Finance issued a new decree this week that will exempt duties and taxes on equipment related to telecom and Internet services for the next five years, in an attempt to improve digital inclusion. The tax break includes electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, desktops and laptops, as well as connectivity equipment like modems and routers.
SA President orders investigation into Telkom
South African operator Telkom has had a tumultuous 2022 so far and is now facing a wide-ranging probe from the government into various dealings going back over 15 years. This week SA President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a proclamation directing the country's Special Investing Unit (SIU) to look into some of Telkom old deals in Africa, including failed forays into Nigeria and Mauritius.
Disney+ to launch in six African countries in mid-2022
Streaming service Disney+ will be launching in six African countries in mid-2022, the majority of which are in North Africa. The market has been expecting the news for some time and now the company said that it will come to the continent sometime during the Southern Hemisphere winter. The African countries on the list are Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco and South Africa.
SA operators band together to fight crime Original
South Africa's telecom operators have joined forces to establish a new non-profit organization aimed at tackling crime impacting the telco industry. The new organization is called the Communication Risk Information Centre (COMRiC) and is supported by MTN SA, Vodacom, Telkom SA, Cell C and Liquid Intelligent Technologies.
DPO gets Nigerian payments services license - Connecting Africa
Pan-African digital payments company, DPO Group, has been granted a license by the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide certain types of payments services to businesses across Nigeria, through its subsidiary One Payment Limited. This license enables the DPO Group to operate as an independent payment solutions services company in Nigeria as it does across over 20 other countries in Africa.
Telkom SA drops interdict application in spectrum battle, for now - Connecting Africa
Telkom South Africa made a U-turn on Friday afternoon, telling the media it has decided to remove its urgent application to interdict the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa's (ICASA's) upcoming spectrum auction. ICASA had intended to auction spectrum in the 700MHz, 800MHz, 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz bands in March 2022.
World Mobile brings Wi-Fi hotspots to Zanzibar - Connecting Africa
Blockchain network operator World Mobile is partnering with the Zanzibar eGovernment Agency to launch free metered Wi-Fi Internet access at public-facing government institutions. This includes hotspots at all state agencies, ministries, local government offices, bus stops, the airport, ports, fish markets, municipal offices, municipal or state housing estates, hospitals and clinics. World Mobile is the first blockchain mobile network powered and run by the people and fueled by World Mobile Token.
Vodacom shareholders back Egypt acquisition - Connecting Africa
Vodacom Group's plan to acquire a 55% stake in Vodafone Egypt has received an overwhelming yes from shareholders, putting the SA-based telco on track to close the transaction before the end of March 2022. At a General Meeting on Tuesday morning 99% of Vodacom minority shareholders voted in favor of the transaction, paving the way to fund the R41 billion (US$2.74 billion) transaction.
Orange converting main African data center to solar Original
Orange, the pan-African operator, has announced it is joining forces with French utility company Engie to convert Orange's main data center in Africa, the Groupment Orange Services (GOS) in Côte d'Ivoire, to solar power. This is the latest of the group's projects in Africa and the Middle East to reduce its environmental impact, as the company aims to reach net zero by 2040. The data center was built in 2016 in Grand Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire, on a site covering 16,600 square meters.
MTN launches 5G in Zambia
MTN Zambia this week became the first telco to launch 5G in the Southern African nation. MTN said the 5G network pilot promises significant improved technology which will enhance faster connectivity speed, ultra-low latency and greater bandwidth. "5G technology can connect virtually everyone and everything, including machines, objects and devices. We are moving into an era of ubiquitous connectivity," said MTN Zambia CEO Bart Hofker at the launch.
SA operators pick sides in spectrum court battle
South Africa's mobile operators have all picked sides in the upcoming court battle over a planned spectrum auction in the country, with the majority siding with telecoms regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).
MTN SA appoints new CTIO and MD for Supersonic
MTN South Africa has appointed Michele Gamberini as its new chief technology and information officer (CTIO) and Megan Nicholas as MD of MTN's fiber broadband Internet service provider, Supersonic. Gamberini will join MTN on February 1, 2022, from Telecom Italia (TIM Group) where he gained 25 years of experience across the business at TIM Italy and most recently in the position of Global Group CTIO. He replaces Giovanni Chiarelli who resigned in December 2021 after five years at MTN.
SA's fastest and slowest mobile networks - Connecting Africa
MTN has maintained its position as South Africa's best mobile network in 2021 when it comes to speed, according to the 2021 Mobile Network Quality Report from MyBroadband Insights. The report shows that MTN has the fastest download and upload speeds of any network in South Africa based on 1.35 million results from MyBroadband's Speed Test App, which were recorded between January 1 and December 31, 2021. MTN was also ranked the best in the 2020 Mobile Network Quality Report.
MTN sides with SA regulator in spectrum auction battle
South African telecoms operator MTN is siding with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) in a court battle with Telkom SA over a spectrum auction in the country. On Friday MTN filed high court papers to oppose Telkom's recent application to interdict ICASA from proceeding with its 2022 spectrum auction.
Telkom Kenya launches T-kash App
Telkom Kenya's mobile money platform, T-kash, now has a mobile app. The Kenyan operator said that the T-kash App is a strategic addition for the mobile money platform which to this point has been accessed via USSD, and will give users access to a wider offering of digital financial services services. "The launch of the T-kash App is the culmination of extensive research on evolving customer trends, anchored on the need for simplicity, security, availability and a diversified service offering.
SA regulator blasts Telkom over 'selfish' court case - Connecting Africa
South Africa's telecom regulator is not impressed with local operator Telkom's latest court case against it, accusing Telkom of "narrow and selfish commercial interests" as it once again attempts to derail South Africa's spectrum licensing process. "The Authority is not surprised by Telkom's relentless resort to litigation, the conduct stretching back seven years or more ago.
Telkom wants to stop SA spectrum auction, again - Connecting Africa
In a case of telecom déjà vu, Telkom SA has once again headed to court to try to derail the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa's (ICASA's) upcoming spectrum auction. Telkom confirmed in an emailed statement to Connecting Africa that it has filed an application asking the Gauteng High Court to review and set aside the spectrum "Invitations To Apply (ITA)" published by ICASA on December 10, 2021.
SA's Teraco selling majority stake to Digital Reality
US-based cloud computing provider Digital Reality is buying a controlling stake in South African data center group Teraco. The news was announced on Tuesday and when the deal is done Digital Realty will own 55% of Teraco. The remaining 45% will be held by a consortium of existing shareholders including management, Berkshire Partners LLC, Permira, van Rooyen Group, Columbia Capital, Stepstone Ventures and the Teraco Connect Trust.
Charles Molapisi is new MTN SA CEO
Charles Molapisi has taken over as CEO of MTN South Africa after Godfrey Motsa stepped down as leader of the SA unit on January 1, 2022. Molapisi has been serving as group chief technology and information officer (CTIO) since January 2019. He has been with the MTN group since 2009 and previously ran the group's Zambian business for over three years and also worked for MTN in Nigeria in various roles for almost seven years. Before that he spent six years at Telkom South Africa.
ATF 2021: Fintech futures and redefining banking
During a panel discussion at Africa Tech Festival 2021 a group of experts gave their insights on Africa's fintech future. They discussed how competition between Africa's established financial institutions and fintech startups can be reframed for collaboration and how the sector is redefining banking and financial services.
Hot startup of the month: Morocco's Chari
When considering e-commerce most people think Amazon, Takealot or Jumia, multi-product online shops where you can buy – or sell – anything. Yet across Africa, a new generation of startups are active in this sector, developing solutions that strive to put the "e" into traditional, bricks-and-mortar commerce.
Airtel launches Africa developer portal
Airtel Money has launched the Airtel Africa Developer Portal which will let businesses and app developers integrate remote payments with Airtel Money wallets. The portal, which uses several open APIs and solutions, aims to provide greater ease of access for Airtel Money services across multiple business sectors and regions across the continent. Airtel said that over 400 businesses have actively started using the service in its pilot phase across Airtel Africa's 14 markets.
MTN reduces Nigerian shareholding
MTN Group is moving forward with plans to sell down 14% of its shareholding in MTN Nigeria. The group announced that Nigeria's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved an offer for the sale of up to 575 million ordinary shares in MTN Nigeria, by way of a bookbuild to qualified investors (Institutional Offer), followed by a fixed price to retail investors (Retail Offer).
Omdia View: October 2021
In October 2021, across the Middle East and Africa, regulators began to facilitate spectrum allocation to operators in the region for the deployment of new and innovative technology. Mayotte and Reunion are the first French territories in Africa to allocate 5G spectrum – which will be awarded in March 2022 – and Nigeria's NCC has announced its plans to auction 5G spectrum before the end of 2021.
SA digital migration on track for March 2022
South Africa's Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has committed to completing the country's digital migration by the end of March 2022, saying her department is firmly on the path to meet the deadline. In 2006, South Africa committed to the International Telecommunication Union's June 2015 deadline for all countries to switch from analogue to digital terrestrial TV.
Research Bites: Why ICT public access centers are struggling - Connecting Africa
This article is part of a series in collaboration with the African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development The global COVID-19 pandemic has created a heightened sense of awareness of the inequalities that prevail in society and access to real-time information delivered via the Internet has become critical for survival.
MTN continues Middle East departure with Yemen exit
MTN's plans to get out of the Middle East took another step forward with an announcement that the telco has exited its operation in Yemen. MTN said that as of November 17, 2021 MTN Group transferred its majority shareholding in MTN Yemen to Emerald International Investment. Emerald is a subsidiary of Zubair Investment Center, an affiliate of Zubair Corporation, which is the minority shareholder in MTN Yemen.
ATF 2021: Ethiopia's telecom market liberalization
During a fireside chat at Africa Tech Festival 2021, Bloomberg News Ethiopia Correspondent Samuel Gebre spoke to Brook Taye, senior advisor to the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance, to get a status update on the country's telecoms liberalization process. A consortium led by Safaricom was granted the first new telecoms license in the country in May 2021 and plans to launch its new operations in Ethiopia by April 2022.
Hot startup of the month: Malawi's Converged Technology Networks
Africa is the least connected continent on Earth, with only 40% of people having any kind of Internet connection, though that percentage marks excellent progress over the last few years. Within Africa, there are some especially unconnected countries, Malawi being one of those. The Southern African country's 15,000 fixed broadband connections make it one of the least connected globally.
OPINION | Balancing the perils and promises of technology
Technology is making some things obsolete says the writers. Picture: iStock/Gallo Images We need to be prepared for the "tsunami of technology" that is coming at us with great speed, write Michelle Esau and Shaun Pather. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has been part of our discourse for a while now, but the global pandemic has intensified the reliance on technology within our organisations, our educational institutions and even our homes.
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