ITWeb Brainstorm South Africa

Home
South Africa
Johannesburg
ITWeb Brainstorm South Africa

The magazine for IT decision-makers. We cover business, technology and innovation. Brainstorm is a monthly magazine for IT and business decision-makers.

With hard-hitting journalism, in-depth feature writing, cutting edge photography and design, Brainstorm remains the most influential South African business IT monthly and the medium of choice for technology media buyers.

29/07/2025

As cyber threats continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, organisations must stay up-to-date on security best practices to stay ahead of “clever cybercriminals”. Zero-trust is one of the security measures used to protect organisations from cybercriminals.

Based on the principle of "never trust, always verify," sero-trust treats all users and devices as potentially compromised, requiring continuous verification and authentication.

This approach moves away from relying solely on passwords, which are vulnerable to theft and phishing attacks, and, instead, utilises methods like multi-factor authentication, biometrics, and security keys.

To discuss this topic further, Brainstorm, in partnership with , hosted an insightful C-suite roundtable, titled "Towards password-less, zero-trust architecture: Eliminate insecure password-based access and secure the identity lifecycle", at Signature restaurant on 23 July 2025.

The discussion delved into the real-world application of zero-trust architecture, placing a spotlight on eliminating password-based access and securing the full identity lifecycle.

One participant pointed out that insider threats are a major concern, adding that we're at a point where we can't trust anyone or anything, not even ourselves, our own computers, or internal systems.

Another participant noted that zero-trust isn't about self-doubt, but about exercising caution and not assuming excessive trust in any situation.

To read more about this insightful discussion, get yourself a copy of the next edition of Brainstorm magazine from leading retail stores or digitally here: https://brainstorm.itweb.co.za/

21/07/2025

The evolving threat landscape is forcing organisations to rethink their security strategies. With environments spanning on-premises, third-party hosted, and cloud-based systems, traditional perimeter defences are no longer enough. Zero trust architectures offer a new way forward, focusing on granular verification and authentication to safeguard critical assets.

Brainstorm magazine and brought together experts to dive into this critical topic at a C-suite roundtable discussion on 17 July, 2025 at Signature Restaurant in Morningside.

The discussion, themed `Towards zero-trust: Protecting critical infrastructure with zero-trust access control’, explored how leading organisations are implementing zero-trust strategies to secure their critical infrastructure. The session included a deep dive into best practices, challenges, and opportunities in adopting zero-trust access frameworks.

Participants were keen to learn how to implement zero-trust principles in their networks without compromising user experiences during system upgrades.

One participant, whose organisation is undergoing an access and identity management transformation, asked about the best way to transition to a zero-trust model while maintaining a seamless user experience.

A key takeaway from the discussion was the importance of lifecycle management. The reality is that users, contractors, and vendors are constantly flowing in and out of systems, and breaches often occur because organisations fail to revoke privileges when employees leave or aren't properly tracked in their databases.

The discussion provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of zero-trust security, and we're grateful to all participants for their thoughtful contributions.

16/07/2025

The July issue of Brainstorm is out and can be found at major retail stores.

Gracing our cover page is Chipo Mushwana, executive of emerging innovation and payments at Nedbank, talking all things . She believes that if the government got involved, PayShap would be doing much better. However, she is optimistic that PayShap will eventually see much broader adoption.

Also featured in this edition:

*Tom Scholtz, distinguished VP analyst at Gartner, highlights the need for cyber leaders who see themselves as enablers, not just guardians of the enterprise.

* Evan Jones, CEO at The Collective X, talks about the company’s efforts to bridge the unemployment gap by empowering young people with digital skills. He says fixing unemployment should be a national priority.

* Serial entrepreneur Natalie Miller, co-founder of XR Global and Wired4women tech innovator award recipient, discusses the power of technology in driving positive change.

*Sheldon Kisten, head of cybersecurity at Liberty Group SA, shares how he's keeping Liberty secure and how to stay ahead of the curve in a landscape that is evolving at a rapid pace.

*Eugene Cronje, divisional director, intelligent automation at 4Sight Holdings, and Peter Bolgann, director, Think Aspects, share some insights on how they are using for their day-to-day operations.

Get your digital copy here TODAY: https://lnkd.in/d5jQPb2Y

27/06/2025

The 2025 ITWeb Security Summit CISO Banquet at The Venue, Haughton Hotel, was an unforgettable evening. A special thank you to our MC for the evening, TV personality Leanne Manas, for keeping the energy high.

The event shone with insightful presentations, thought-provoking fireside chats, and valuable networking opportunities with industry peers.

Adrian Hinchcliffe, ITWeb’s editor in chief, revealed the preliminary results of the fourth annual ITWeb Security Summit CISO Survey, which provided insight into trends around corporate and cultural dynamics, security risks and threats, technical and operational challenges and budgets.

The full research report will be published on ITWeb and Brainstorm online later this year. The report is available free of charge to all valid survey respondents.

Thanks to our sponsors for making this event a resounding success.

Link to image gallery: 195559595@N04/albums/72177720327173878/with/54617243553" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://www.flickr.com/photos/195559595@N04/albums/72177720327173878/with/54617243553

MTN Business South Africa, MTN South Africa, dotnext, Silverfort, SS-Consulting, Business Connexion - Pty Ltd, Cloudflare, SEACOM, Arctic Wolf Networks, Check Point Software Technologies, First Distribution in partnership with Microsoft Africa, NTT DATA Middle East and Africa in partnership with Cisco, Openserve, Microsoft Africa in partnership with MTN South Africa

26/06/2025

Tonight is all about celebrating CISOs at the fourth annual ITWeb Security Summit CISO Banquet brought in partnership with MTN Business South Africa.

We are looking forward to an evening of networking with the best of the C-suite in South Africa.
We are excited to reveal the results of the ITWeb Security Summit CISO Survey.

17/06/2025

South Africa's retail market experienced a notable 7% year-on-year growth in January 2025, a significant increase from the 3.2% growth seen in December 2024, according to Trading Economics.

Some reports suggest there's a big gap between what businesses think keeps customers coming back, and what actually drives repeat business.

Brainstorm, in partnership with Liquid Intelligent Technologies South Africa, hosted a C-suite executive roundtable around the topic, “The new retail war: Breaking the CX slump” on 12 June 2025 at De Grendel Wine Estate and Restaurant in Cape Town.

The discussion provided a platform where business leaders discussed how they ensure customers’ expectations and interactions are seamless across all channels. The discussion also took a deep-dive into omni-channel best practice, which should drive higher levels of customer engagement, satisfaction, retention, and loyalty.

One participant emphasised their organisation's focus on personalised experiences to drive customer retention, stressing the importance of understanding customer needs through behavioural insights.

However, one participant raised concerns about scalability in the digital age, questioning whether it's feasible to offer personalised experiences to every online customer.

For more on this discussion, grab the next edition of Brainstorm magazine at leading retailers or digitally here: https://lnkd.in/d5jQPb2Y

06/06/2025

South Africa's cloud storage market is predicted to experience significant growth, with market research company Africa Analysis forecasting a rise from R35 billion in 2023 to over R113 billion by 2028.

Brainstorm magazine, in partnership with Huawei Cloud, hosted a C-suite roundtable discussion on "What do you want from your cloud provider” on 5 June, 2025 at Marble Restaurant, in Rosebank, Johannesburg.

The discussion delved into what businesses truly want from their cloud provider — from performance, scalability and security, to support, transparency, and cost-effectiveness — and how these expectations are evolving in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

As most organisations have migrated workloads to the cloud, storage costs became a key discussion point. One participant wanted to know from the Huawei cloud team what differentiate them from their competitors and what can motivate an organisation to choose them. He also wanted to know what value Huawei can bring to drive business success.

Another participant touched on Africa having vast opportunities in the cloud landscape, driven by South Africa's stable economy and robust infrastructure, making it an attractive hub for growth and innovation.

Participants emphasised the need for tough conversations with CFOs about ROI and cloud performance, highlighting the importance of aligning financial expectations with cloud strategies. One participant advised that when pitching cloud investments to CFOs, quantify your request with expected outcomes to build a stronger business case.

Want a deeper dive into the discussion? Be sure to grab the next edition of Brainstorm magazine, available at major retailers and online - https://lnkd.in/d5jQPb2Y

04/06/2025

The ever-evolving cyber threat landscape demands that organisations build resilience against sophisticated attacks by focusing on detection, response, and rapid recovery. This involves proactively identifying vulnerabilities, implementing robust security controls, and adapting to new threats.

Brainstorm, in partnership with MTN South Africa and Cloudflare, hosted a C-suite roundtable discussing “Cyber resilience by design: Building incident-ready organisations in industry sectors” at Signature Restaurant, in Morningside, on 2 June 2025.

One participant touched on the importance of building a cyber resilience platform that is looking ahead to the future.
When it comes to having the most effective incident response plan, the participants emphasised containment, clear communication, and quarantining the affected area.

The participants were asked how CIOs, CTOs and CISOs build executive buy-in and align cyber resilience with enterprise risk strategy. One participant highlighted that executives are have not matured yet when it comes to cybersecurity, while another emphasised continuous engagement to get everyone on board.

Participants agreed that cybersecurity is a collective responsibility that requires everyone's involvement across the organisation.
The discussion also explored lessons learned from real incidents and how they shaped future readiness.

For more in-depth analysis of this discussion, be sure to grab the next edition of Brainstorm magazine, available at major retail stores and online - https://brainstorm.itweb.co.za/

02/06/2025

The June issue of Brainstorm magazine is out, and you don’t want to miss it. For our cover story we spoke to Jörg Fischer, Group CIO at Standard Bank Group, who was brought in to standardise and stabilise the IT running the bank. He says he may be a “boring CIO”, but that’s the way he, and the bank, like it.

Plus:

* Michael Vorster, a guest lecturer at Stellenbosch University, shares his thoughts on leveraging game-based platforms like Minecraft to enhance teaching in today's digital age.

* Martina Madali, CIO at Arena Holdings talks about the ethical use of GenAI in newsrooms.

* Joshua Raphael, founder and CTO at Parket.co.za, a ticketless, cashless, high-volume, smart parking management software platform. He shares how he’s aiming to simplify parking payments and management for customers and companies.

* Lukas van der Merwe, associate director, cybersecurity, at the Cyanre Family of Companies, speaks about the war on encryption.

Grab a copy from leading retail stores or get your digital copy here: https://lnkd.in/d5jQPb2Y

16/05/2025

As the world modernises, the mining industry must also adapt to stay relevant and competitive. By embracing new technologies and innovative practices, mining can improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability, ultimately driving long-term success.

Brainstorm magazine, in partnership with First Distribution and Huawei Enterprise South Africa, hosted a C-suite roundtable discussion, "Towards Intelligent Mining”, on 15 May 2025, at Marble restaurant, in Rosebank, Johannesburg.

The discussion focused on how connectivity serves as a keystone in the journey to becoming an intelligent mine, enabling real-time analytics and autonomous operations through fast, reliable, and redundant communication infrastructure.

One participant said the South African mining industry lags significantly behind in technological advancements and digitalisation, particularly in older mines, adding that it's imperative to prioritise the integration of new technologies to enhance safety and drive progress.

An emphasis on the importance of responsible modernisation and technology adoption was highlighted by another participant, cautioning that people often assume technology solutions will magically fix all problems without understanding their practical implications for those on the ground.

Another participant pointed out that even closed mines can be revived by embracing new technologies like underground autonomous drones, offering a potential second chance for dormant operations.

Participant shared challenges and success stories on their intelligent mining journeys. One roundtable attendee shared one of their successful autonomous drilling trials. She noted that being an early adopter of digital mining gave them a significant advantage. However, they struggled to keep other equipment in sync with the autonomous drone's efficiency, citing bottlenecks in excavation and fragmentation processing. She emphasised that technology is advancing rapidly, creating the challenge of keeping up with integration and optimisation.

For more on this discussion, grab the next edition of Brainstorm magazine at leading retailers or digitally here: https://lnkd.in/d5jQPb2Y

Address

326 Rivonia Boulevard, Edenburg
Johannesburg
2128

Telephone

+27118073294

Website

http://www.brainstormmag.co.za/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when ITWeb Brainstorm South Africa posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to ITWeb Brainstorm South Africa: