Akani Retirement Fund Administrators, the leading black-owned and managed retirement fund administrator, is pleased to announce the appointment of two senior executives to further enhance its governance, compliance, and human capital functions. Tshegofatso Henry has been appointed as the new Strategic Manager: Legal and Compliance, effective immediately. A qualified attorney and seasoned compliance specialist, Mrs Henry brings extensive experience to Akani, having held senior positions at Ncube Incorporated Attorneys and Nkosi Sabelo Attorneys. She has a strong track record in regulatory adherence, risk mitigation, and legal strategy. In her new role, she will oversee Akani’s legal framework, ensure compliance with…
Author: Staff Writer
In a landmark moment for digital learning on the continent, over 217,000 learners have signed up for the 2025 FNB App Academy a staggering twelvefold increase from 17,000 participants in 2023. This unprecedented uptake makes it Africa’s largest free digital skills initiative of its kind, underscoring the continent’s accelerating appetite for tech education. Now in its third year, the FNB App Academy is a nine-week, fully online coding programme designed to democratise access to digital and coding skills, with a curriculum focused on hands-on coding, problem-solving, and user experience design, and is open to anyone from complete beginners to aspiring…
Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) is pleased to have secured an award at the 2025 SA Car of the Year (COTY) competition. The latest generation Toyota Land Cruiser Prado scooped the Adventure Utility award at the annual industry event. The Adventure Utility award category entailed vehicles that represented innovation, excellence, robust utility and refined design. According to COTY, the Prado “… charmed the jurors with its retro-themed design character, improved comfort versus its predecessor, effortless off-road ability and stout powertrain.” Since its launch in 2024, the Prado series has moved more than 3 500 vehicles to date, maintaining an average…
inDrive, the global mobility and urban services platform, has introduced a dedicated Law Enforcement Request Portal in South Africa. The portal provides a secure and formal channel for authorised law enforcement officials to request user data strictly for public safety and law enforcement purposes. This development is part of inDrive’s broader commitment to safety, transparency and collaboration with South African authorities. The portal includes a form designed solely for verified law enforcement personnel to submit official requests. By submitting a request, officials acknowledge that they are acting in their official capacity. All information provided by inDrive in response is intended exclusively for…
The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) is under fire after a damning Auditor-General report revealed a R957-million underspend in grant funding for 2023/24, alongside persistent mismanagement. Presented to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts on May 13, 2025, the report issued a qualified audit, highlighting weak internal controls, non-compliance, and delays in grant processing. Vacancies in key roles, including the Chief Operating Officer, and a single, overstretched Distribution Agency committee stalled progress, leaving critical community projects unfunded. The NLC’s failure to deliver reflects over a decade of corruption and inefficiency, despite recent leadership changes, raising alarm about its ability to serve…
Old Mutual has named Jurie Strydom as its CEO designate, effective June 1, 2025, succeeding Iain Williamson, who is retiring early at 55 after over 30 years with the company. Strydom, a seasoned actuary with an MBA from MIT, will work alongside Williamson until the annual general meeting on May 30, ensuring a seamless transition. Williamson, who will remain a board director until the AGM and advise until August, leaves a legacy of steady leadership. The appointment, announced on May 9, follows a rigorous selection process, with Strydom’s deep industry experience positioning him to drive Old Mutual’s growth amid a…
Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the global beer titan behind South African Breweries, has defied a 2.2% drop in beer volumes to post a robust profit increase for the first quarter of 2025. The company’s underlying profit climbed to $1.6 billion from $1.5 billion a year ago, driven by higher pricing, surging demand for premium and no-alcohol beers, and the success of its digital BEES Marketplace platform. Brands like Corona, which saw double-digit growth outside Mexico, powered this resilience. Despite currency fluctuations denting revenue, AB InBev’s focus on high-margin products and operational efficiency lifted underlying earnings per share by 7.1%, signalling…
Sappi, a leading paper and pulp producer, has stumbled into a $20 million loss for the three months ending March 2025, a sharp reversal from the $29 million profit it posted in the prior quarter. Global trade wars, particularly US tariffs on Chinese textiles, have disrupted the company’s key markets, hitting its viscose staple fibre and dissolving wood pulp products hard. With China as a major buyer, the tariffs have clouded trade routes and sparked fears of inflation, threatening consumer demand worldwide. Sappi’s adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortisation plummeted over 40% to $107 million, and the company…
Absa Group, one of South Africa’s banking giants, is set for another leadership shake-up as chair Sello Moloko steps down on July 15, 2025, to focus on personal business ventures and community work. The bank announced that René van Wyk, a seasoned independent non-executive director, will take the helm, bringing his extensive experience to steer Absa through a dynamic financial landscape. Moloko’s departure follows a wave of executive changes, including the recent exit of CEO Arrie Rautenbach, marking a transitional period for the bank. Van Wyk, a former interim CEO and banking veteran, is poised to guide Absa with a…
African Rainbow Capital Investments (ARCI), led by billionaire Patrice Motsepe, is set to delist from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and A2X Markets by May 29, 2025, following a resounding shareholder vote. At a virtual general meeting on May 6, nearly 94% of voting shareholders endorsed the delisting, while 98% supported shifting the company’s headquarters from Mauritius to South Africa. This move aims to unlock value for investors, as ARCI’s share price has long lagged behind its net asset value (NAV), trading at a steep discount. The company, which holds stakes in TymeBank and Rain, offered R9.75 per share to…