TechFinancials News

18/03/2026

The rise of and automotive brands in South Africa is no longer incremental. It is visible, measurable, and accelerating. BYD, Chery, Jetour South Africa and Mahindra South Africa are expanding dealership networks at speed and putting feature-rich SUVs into the market at highly competitive price points, writes Liezel Jonkheid, Founder and Director of the The Consumer Psychology Lab

"Hybrid and EV models are becoming more accessible, often positioned below what buyers have historically accepted as “premium” territory."

The rise of Chinese and Indian automotive brands in South Africa is no longer incremental. It is visible, measurable, and accelerating.

18/03/2026

“This is more than a building; it is a promise to our youth that they will not be left behind by the AI revolution,” said Dr. Taddy Blecher, CEO of Maharishi Invincibility Institute.

“For 20 years, we have proven if you unlock the genius in every young person they compete at the highest levels. David and Tracey’s incredible generosity has provided the most exciting home inside Education Town. Youth will build the competence and solid grounding to massively add value, and leverage AI to build and transform business, solving business and societal problems”.

A major milestone in South Africa’s digital transformation was reached today with the official launch of the Maharishi NextUp Institute of Technology (MNIT)

18/03/2026

https://techfinancials.co.za/2026/03/18/credibility-is-the-new-currency-in-the-age-of-ai-and-influence/

As artificial intelligence accelerates the creation and distribution of content, the digital economy is entering a new phase—one defined not only by scale, but by saturation.

17/03/2026

In a major boost for rural education, Telkom has partnered with the Eastern Cape Department of Education to bridge the digital divide at Sitoza Senior Secondary School. The initiative officially relaunched the school’s ICT laboratory with a handover of 30 laptops and 30 MiFi connectivity devices, each equipped with preloaded SIM cards and data packages.

Telkom partners with Eastern Cape Dept of Education to launch an ICT lab at Sitoza SS School, handing over 30 laptops and MiFi devices to bridge the digital divide.

17/03/2026

“Travellers increasingly expect booking to be as quick and seamless as possible,” says Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair.

“Adding Apple Pay and Google Pay allows customers to complete their purchase in seconds, using secure payment methods they already know and trust.”

FlySafair has introduced new one‑tap payment options in its mobile app, allowing customers to pay for flights quickly and securely using Apple Pay and Google Pay.

17/03/2026

The SPAR Group Ltd informed shareholders on Tuesday that it will implement a voluntary severance programme in certain areas of the business as part of its ongoing focus on improving operational efficiency and competitiveness.

“The severance programme forms part of a broader reset designed to align the Group’s cost base with current trading conditions and ensure Spar is appropriately structured to support future sustainable growth,” reads the statement.

Spar Group informed shareholders on Tuesday that it will implement a voluntary severance programme in certain areas of the business as part of its ongoing focus on improving operational efficiency and competitiveness.

17/03/2026

Meanwhile in China… this young girl just ordered a taxi 🧐posted by The Adventurous Soul

17/03/2026

Woolworths Group CEO Roy Bagattini said: “Woolworths and in2food share a more than three-decade history of partnership in creating products of outstanding quality and innovation to meet the evolving needs of our customers.

“This acquisition represents a compelling opportunity to bring a key strategic capability closer to the Woolworths Foods business, strengthening one of the core points of differentiation in our premium food offering.”

Woolworths has announced a landmark deal to acquire one of its longest-standing and largest suppliers, in2food, from a consortium of sellers including the founders and Old Mutual Private Equity, in a transaction valued on the back of the supplier's massive revenue base.

10/03/2026

https://techfinancials.co.za/2026/03/10/cape-town-startup-yazi-raises-funding-to-turn-whatsapp-into-research-infrastructure-for-africa/

Cape Town-based research technology company Yazi has raised its first institutional funding round from 3 Capital Ventures (3CV), the early-stage venture firm that originated inside Allan Gray, as enterprises and development organisations increasingly adopt WhatsApp as a channel for customer and popu...

09/03/2026