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One of the most tangible connections we have to our country’s rich cultural history is our heritage properties – those historic homes and buildings that capture the essence of earlier architectural styles and stand as symbols of the times they were built in. These properties are not only fascinating in their aesthetic and historical appeal …
The pricing of the 2024 Suzuki Swift listed in this release is correct at the date of publication and is subject to change. Suzuki Auto dealers will soon start delivering all-new Suzuki Swift models to eager customers across South Africa. First shown at the Festival of Motoring at Kyalami in August, the new Swift has …
The winners of the inaugural V&A Waterfront Neighbourhood Retail Awards have been announced. Honourees were named on 25 September 2024 at a gala event MC’d by popular public figure and radio presenter Carl Wastie. Newly-opened Spyced restaurant, in the Silo District of Cape Town’s renowned destination, hosted the evening. There were 17 awards across 8 …
Thursday, 26 September 2024: An array of exciting prizes from full bursaries to cash prizes, laptops and tablet computers were awarded to top performing innovators at this year’s Eskom Expo International Science Fair. The fair is being held at the Convention Centre at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park from 23 to 27 September 2024, and...
Bolt and Engineering Distributors (B.E.D.) continues to solidify its position as a leading provider of comprehensive industrial solutions. At the recent Electra Mining 2024 tradeshow, B.E.D’s strategic partnerships with exhibiting suppliers such as Fronius, Milwaukee Tool (represented locally by Upat), and Bolt Torque took centre stage, demonstrating how these suppliers leverage B.E.D.’s strong nationwide footprint …
Thursday, 26 September 2024: In a first for South Africa, Eskom is leading the way in sustainable practices by incorporating recycled legacy coal ash into road construction at its Kusile Power Station in Mpumalanga. This innovative initiative, launched by Eskom Rotek Industries (ERI), aims to enhance operational efficiency while reinforcing Eskom’s commitment to sustainability. Eskom...
Wednesday, 25 September 2024: Excitement filled the air as the 44th Eskom Expo International Science Fair (ISF) opened its doors, welcoming young scientists with an electrifying line-up of activities, including robotics and coding workshops, and riveting science shows. The opening of the ISF saw 308 South African young scientists, along with 18 international peers representing...
By Erick Wessels, Sales Director, RS South Africa (www.Africa.RSdelivers.com).
The mining industry is facing significant challenges, from financial pressures leading to reduced margins and demanding stakeholders adding to procurement costs. Success in such an environment requires partnering with a supplier that is collaborative, flexible, and forward-thinking. RS stands as the ideal partner to help businesses in the mining sector achieve their goals while saving time and money.
Optimising supply management
At RS, we are committed to enhancing your supply management performance to drive commercial success. Our suite of next-generation inventory, procurement, and maintenance solutions is designed to reduce costs and optimise productivity. Leveraging advanced data insights, we help you streamline your supply chain, refine your processes, and identify cost-saving strategies that reduce the total cost of ownership and boost operational efficiency.
Ensuring safety in hazardous environments
Whether open cut or underground, all mining operations present extreme dangers. With stringent Health and Safety regulations in place, the risks associated with dust and other hazards must be meticulously managed. Compliance with IECEx legislation is crucial, necessitating the use of intrinsically safe products. Given the hazardous and arduous nature of the mining industry, safety is of paramount concern. Therefore, reliable PPE and safety equipment specification are critical.
RS offers a rapidly expanding range of PPE and workwear from trusted local and global suppliers, designed specifically for the harsh environments of the mining industry. Our products ensure site safety and security with advanced locks, security alarms and sensors, CCTV, and surveillance systems. In addition, we provide innovative automation and control technology to safely manage and automate processes, including signalling, sensors, and industrial robots.
Advanced energy management
Economic and environmental challenges drive the need for maximum energy efficiency in the mining industry. With carbon net zero on the horizon, energy efficiency has become a crucial topic. Our products, services, and solutions are tailored to help mining clients reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption, thereby lowering overall costs.
We collaborate with you to understand your specific needs and apply a suite of energy-efficient products and services expertly designed to simplify energy management. Our solutions, backed by digital expertise, leverage the latest in energy efficiency technology to minimise energy waste, reduce carbon footprints, and assist you to meet your energy efficiency targets. From LED lighting to energy meters, we provide the right products to achieve your energy efficiency, health and safety, and productivity goals.
Committed to environmental management
Mining, by its very nature, has a significant impact on the environment. The industry is making great strides to mitigate these effects and ensure healthy air, land, and water in the areas where they operate. RS offers a range of products and solutions to help you manage and minimise the environmental impact of your mining operations.
Partnering with RS gives you access to our comprehensive range of solutions designed to support your mission, enhance safety, optimise energy use, and reduce environmental impact. Together, we can navigate the challenges of the mining industry and achieve sustained success.
For more information about RS South Africa's initiatives and product range, visit their website (http://apo-opa.co/3ZE7ZYV) and follow them on LinkedIn (http://apo-opa.co/3Brll0x) for regular updates on their impactful work.
Mining brochure: https://apo-opa.co/3ZFt6ds
Mining Campaign: https://apo-opa.co/3ZE7ZYV
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of RS South Africa.
PR Contact Person - RS South Africa:
Princess Tlou
Communications & Content Specialist
RS South Africa
Princess.Tlou@rsgroup.com
+27 11 691 9366
Media Contact Person – NGAGE:
Thobile Ndlovu
PR Account Executive
thobile@ngage.co.za
+27 11 867 7763
Further information is available via these links:
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/3XVkzSl
Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/3zvhhvU
Twitter: https://apo-opa.co/4dne5QT
RS Africa Exports: http://apo-opa.co/3XUE7q5
RS South Africa: http://apo-opa.co/3XVZ8k3
DesignSpark: http://apo-opa.co/4dsAjkA
RS Group plc: http://apo-opa.co/3ZDW6SX
RS Group:
RS Group plc is a leading global omni-channel industrial product and service solutions provider to customers who are involved in designing, building and maintaining industrial equipment and operations, safely and sustainably. We stock more than 700,000 industrial and electronic products, sourced from over 2,500 leading suppliers, and provide a wide range of product and service solutions to over 1.2 million customers. With operations in 31 countries, we trade through multiple channels and ship over 60,000 parcels a day.
We support customers across the product life cycle, whether via innovation and technical support at the design phase, improving time to market and productivity at the build phase, or reducing purchasing costs and optimising inventory in the maintenance phase. We offer our customers tailored product and service propositions that are essential for the successful operation of their businesses and help them save time and money.
RS Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange with stock ticker RS1 and in the year ended 31 March 2022 reported revenue of £2,554 million.
As we get older, the visible signs of aging like wrinkles, sagging skin, and changes in skin texture are often the most noticeable. However, the effects of aging extend deeper than just our skin. Hard tissue loss, specifically the changes in our bones, plays a crucial role in the aging process that many may not …
Building a future for women in construction and infrastructure ‘Curiosity has no gender’: a pertinent observation from Palesa (Ntuku) Mokwena, a fourth year Bachelor of Science (civil engineering) student from the University of the Witwatersrand. Raised in a family that encouraged resourcefulness and discouraged gender stereotypes, Mokwena is fascinated by the diversity of civil engineering. …
Algoa FM is inviting businesses of all sizes to support cancer charities serving the region by entering the Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer, presented by ISUZU MOTORS South Africa. Group and bulk entry options make it easier for businesses and other large organisations to participate in the five-kilometre walks on Saturday, 26 October. “Everyone […]
M-KOPA (https://M-KOPA.com/), a leading emerging market fintech, announced that it has surpassed 5 million customers across Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. Two million of these customers have come onboard in the past 15 months.
M-KOPA's innovative model makes affordable smartphones embedded with financial services available to ‘Every Day Earners': the wide majority of African adults who earn their income daily but struggle to afford smartphones and typically fail to qualify for conventional financial services. According to the World Bank, 75% of adults in sub-Saharan Africa remain financially excluded. To date, M-KOPA has supported its customer base with more than US $1.5 billion in financing.
Starting with smartphone access, customers gain entry to the digital economy with an affordable daily repayment model, which fits their daily income and cash flow and makes it easier to manage. By leveraging rich payments data and proprietary AI-driven analytics, M-KOPA builds a credit record for each customer which forms the foundation for a long-term financial relationship for lower cost digital loans, affordable data subscriptions and medical insurance.
According to M-KOPA co-founder and CEO, Jesse Moore: “We are thrilled to welcome our 5 millionth customer to M-KOPA this month. The scale of our operations and our positive impact on customers is what keeps us working hard to go even further. We're just getting started; the opportunity for much larger impact and scale is right in front of us.”
M-KOPA also published its 2024 Impact Report this week, in which the company annually releases its progress against key social and environmental impact metrics. As with prior reports, the 2024 survey of M-KOPA customers was undertaken by a third-party company – Dalberg Research.
Key impact highlights from the 2024 report include:
The company is having a major impact in improving digital access in Africa. Nearly 2 million customers are first-time mobile internet users and 40% are women. M-KOPA also built the first and largest smartphone assembly factory in Kenya – which has produced more than 1m phones locally and further reduced the cost of access.
As with prior reports, M-KOPA's board and management use the annual impact report to help shape forward company strategy. Based on this year's findings, M-KOPA is working to further increase its percentage of female customers to 50%, to reduce its carbon footprint by making circularity central to its smartphone supply chain, and to continue pioneering green products like electric motorbikes that contribute to the health and sustainability of the communities where it operates.
M-KOPA's Chief Product Officer Nena Sanderson, notes: “Our product and services build pathways to prosperity for our customers and agents, enabling them to overcome financial setbacks, generate income and progress towards the futures they aspire to. Our impact extends beyond our customers, reaching their families and communities, and contributing to building a more sustainable world.”
Headquartered in London, UK, M-KOPA now creates employment for more than 3,000 staff and 30,000 commission-based sales agents across Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. The company has been recognised by the Financial Times as one of Africa's Fastest Growing Companies for the past 3 years, and by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Companies globally for the past 2 years.
To read the full report, download it here: M-KOPA Impact Report 2024_Pathways To Progress (http://apo-opa.co/4eguFD2).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of M-KOPA.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Wimbart
mkopa@wimbart.com
About M-KOPA:
M-KOPA is a UK-headquartered emerging market fintech that provides affordable smartphones and digital financial services. With operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda, the company has extended over $1.5 billion in credit to more than 5 million customers. Using an innovative financing model based on daily repayments, M-KOPA provides affordable smartphones embedded with financial services that fit with the cash flow of millions of underserved individuals who earn their income on a daily basis.
By leveraging rich payments data and proprietary AI-driven analytics, M-KOPA builds a credit record for each customer which forms the foundation for a long-term financial relationship for digital loans, affordable data subscriptions and insurance.
The company employs over 3,000 staff and 30,000 sales agents across its African markets. M-KOPA has been recognised by the Financial Times as one of Africa's Fastest Growing Companies for the past 3 years, and by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Companies globally for the past 2 years.
Tuesday, 24 September 2024: The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) published Eskom’s Multi-Year Price Determination (MYPD) 6 revenue application for the period of Eskom’s Financial Years (FY) 2026 to 2028 (1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028) on 23 September 2024. NERSA will consult with stakeholders on Eskom’s revenue application, as part of...
This missive from Styli Charalambous – Daily Maverick CEO and co-founder, son of Gqeberha, Pearson high School and Nelson Nadela University Graduate, champion of right…. Dear Daily Maverick readers, This is not an easy message to share, and frankly, I wish we weren’t in a position where it needed to be said. By now, you …
ISUZU MOTORS South Africa (ISUZU) is proud to be marking 60 and 45 years of truck and reliable bakkie production in the country. As one of the renowned vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) in South Africa, ISUZU is proud of its long heritage and positive contribution to South Africa and the continent at large. This […]
Fedilitas Secondary School in Diepkloof Soweto has been crowned as the 2024 VW Train 4 Life soccer tournament champions. Fedilitas defeated Fons Luminus Secondary School in the penalty shoot-out during the finals hosted at the University of Johannesburg’s Soweto campus on 17 September 2024. The VW Train 4 Life initiative is an education and sports […]
Supporting clients operating in the CEMAC region, trusted legal adviser Daoudou Mohammad has been appointed as Director of Tax & Legal at CLG's Pointe-Noire office (www.CLGGlobal.com). Mohammad brings a wealth of demonstrated expertise that will be instrumental to the law firm's Africa-wide practices, as the Republic of Congo and wider Central African region sees rapid growth in the energy sector.
Mohammad holds over 15 years of experience in business and tax law, developing a solid competence in handling complex legal issues and providing effective client support. Prior to joining CLG, Mohammad served as Senior Manager at PwC's Tax & Legal Department in Pointe-Noire, managing the tax and legal coordination center for Francophone African countries, supervising quality and risk management operations, ensuring legal due diligence and supervising restructuring operations for groups of companies – including mergers and acquisitions and company transfers – among other key responsibilities.
Having also held a managerial role at PwC's South Africa office, Mohammad maintains an in-depth knowledge of different international systems and compliance with the highest standards of practice and service delivery, adapting to varied legal and cultural environments. Specializing in business, tax and labor law, as well as foreign exchange regulations and intellectual property, his multidisciplinary background represents a major asset to CLG and will enable the provision of integrated solutions to client needs and up-to-date advice on the latest legislative and regulatory developments. Mohammad holds a dual Master's Degree in Intellectual Property Law and Business Law from Cameroon's University of Yaoundé II.
The Republic of Congo is in the midst of a major investment drive, as it aims to accelerate oil and gas exploration and transform into a major LNG hub on the back of multiple large-scale LNG export projects and new exploration and appraisal drilling activities. To attract further investment and streamline regulatory processes, the country is launching a comprehensive gas code, recently approved a new Gas Master Plan led by national oil company Société nationale des pétroles du Congo, and plans to establish a dedicated national gas company. As a result, specialized tax, legal and regulatory advisory expertise is needed by companies operating in the Congo to navigate evolving energy sector legislation.
CLG represents an experienced team of legal professionals, offering an in-depth understanding of African markets and a flexible and innovative approach to meeting the diverse needs of its clients. Serving as the preferred professional services partner in Africa, CLG is equipped to offer on-the-ground support across multiple sectors and has a rich history of spearheading transformative oil and gas transactions across the continent, providing top-tier legal services and strategic advice to clients across the energy spectrum, and guiding clients through complex regulatory landscapes and contractual negotiations. In addition to the Republic of Congo, CLG operates in South Africa, Nigeria, South Sudan, Mauritius, Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique and Germany.
“Navigating local laws, including taxation on oil and gas revenues, production-sharing agreements, and environmental regulations, demands thorough understanding to ensure compliance and optimize returns. We are excited to have Daoudou Mohammad head up CLG's tax and legal services in Pointe-Noire, who offers expert guidance on mitigating risks, avoiding costly legal disputes, and ensuring that investments are structured to meet both local obligations and international standards,” states Zion Adeoye, CEO of CLG.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of CLG.
Friday, 20 September 2024: The Generation Operational Recovery Plan continues to ensure a consistent energy supply and improved efficiencies, with loadshedding remaining suspended. Eskom has achieved 177 consecutive days of uninterrupted power supply since 26 March 2024. Operational efficiency has surpassed summer expectations, with unplanned outages averaging 12 800MW over the past seven days, compared...
Lower interest rates, declining consumer inflation, and decreasing petrol costs will provide much-needed financial relief for household budgets. However, with a double-digit increase in electricity tariffs in 2024, a trend that has persisted for several years now, households should consider using these savings to protect themselves from future electricity tariff hikes. This is according to …
South Africa is facing a growing threat to its automotive industry, economy and public safety—Grey vehicle imports. While the allure of these vehicles often comes down to their lower prices, the risks they pose are far-reaching, from economic losses and job destruction to serious safety concerns. With the nation’s automotive sector serving as a major …
Cape Town will be the hub of innovation on October 16th and 17th, 2024, as it hosts the Elevate Your Enterprise Summit, organised by business school, Pranary. This premier event aims to unite global thought leaders, industry pioneers, and ambitious entrepreneurs, focusing on key drivers of business growth: Marketing, Technology, and Investments, with a special …
Businesses say the lack of clarity around ESG and AI regulation is a key challenge to realising the benefits of technology and innovation; Despite recognising the business opportunity with AI, as firms opt to bring in suppliers rather than recruiting in-house specialists, they may be left without the internal talent - risking falling behind the curve in the future.
New survey data from global law firm, DLA Piper, has shown that the Financial Services (FS) sector is calling out for clearer and proportionate regulations surrounding AI and ESG to help them realise the benefits these trends offer.
In its global report - Financial Futures: Disruption in global financial services (https://apo-opa.co/3zhzr4e), published today, the firm found that eight in ten respondents are optimistic about future industry growth prospects for the financial services industry. UK and US organisations reported the highest confidence (93% and 90% respectively) with Africa remaining more cautious (50%).
Amongst organisation types, the research finds that banks are the most optimistic (88%), with optimism being driven by digitalisation and advancements in technology. Respondents from global FinTechs however, are feeling the least positive (72%).
The high levels of optimism are being attributed to advancements in technology (71%), the launch of new products and services to drive growth (55%) and changing consumer and investor behaviours (38%).
However, clarity and a proportionate approach is key as 58% of respondents cite regulation complexity around technology as a key challenge globally, and nearly three quarters (73%) go on to say that current regulations stifle innovation efforts.
For those looking at other locations for optimal conditions for growth , the US is seen as the most attractive market (35%), followed by the EU (24%). South African and Middle Eastern respondents are the most optimistic for the positive impact AI will bring (72%, and 64% respectively), highlighting an appetite for investment, despite apparent lower levels of confidence in the local market.
AI and Digitalisation will transform the financial services sector, but businesses need a plan
Whilst the majority of respondents (86%) believe that AI will transform the sector, half (53%) see AI as one of their main challenges- even so, only four in ten (both 39%) are committed to hiring experts in the field of AI and imposing governance /oversight structures to maximise the related opportunities; and half of the companies surveyed lack in-house specialists and are opting to work with specialist subcontractors.
Without this internal talent, businesses risk falling behind the curve in the future.
Ethical AI concerns are highly documented, yet only 56% of the organisations surveyed are developing ethical frameworks to guide their efforts. Without an ethical framework in place, businesses put themselves at risk of not meeting stakeholder, customer and board demands around AI deployments. It is vital for businesses to have a clear plan and direction in place before they start their AI journey.
Despite not having frameworks to use, businesses report a clear understanding of the benefits AI can offer, such as managing regulatory compliance (63%); followed by fraud detection and prevention (62%). A fifth (21%) of businesses are worried about compliance issues as they look to manage the cyber security and data protection risks associated with AI.
The importance of ESG cannot be understated
As businesses grapple with changing ESG regulations across multiple jurisdictions, nearly (46%) half of businesses globally have ambitions to position themselves as a leader and innovator on sustainability and ESG.
The appetite to drive ESG agendas forward is clear, but businesses report concerns on achieving their goals - over half of respondents (56%) would like to see more ESG regulation to support them in meeting their objectives, and 43%% want to understand the current regulations better.
Businesses seem clear on the ESG challenges they need to navigate, with half stating that the reputational risk of ESG positioning is their biggest challenge, followed by integration of ESG throughout the business (47%). Businesses also ranked accurate reporting as a challenge which they are struggling to address.
The negative external reputational risk of not complying with and need to comply with regulations are the biggest drivers for firms to engage in ESG activities (70% and 52% respectively). However, pressure from shareholders and senior management ranked lowest at 36% and 34% respectively.
As the sector engages with ESG activities, almost 6 in ten (57%) plan to develop new ESG-focused products and services, and half are developing new technologies, yet staff development and training to optimise ESG efforts remains low on the agenda (17%).
Almost half of the sector has ambitions to position their business as an ESG leader, whilst a third (34%) plan to replicate successful approaches by their peers. Not all organisations are so proactive - A fifth (19%) will wait until stakeholders and customers demand an approach, before making any decision.
Mark Dwyer Global Co-Chair of the firm's Financial Services sector group at DLA Piper commented: "While our survey shows a high level of optimism within the financial services sector, our research reveals a need for FS organisations to go further in planning around resourcing and regulatory horizon scanning in order to navigate the opportunities that AI and other new technologies offer.
"It is clear that ESG factors are driving changes to activity in financial markets; from financing the enormous capital requirements for transition, to ensuring accurate reporting of environmental, social and governance metrics to facilitate choice for investors and supervision and stress-testing by regulators. It is therefore vital that leaders take note of the challenges and opportunities presented by ESG and define a clear plan. Both ESG and innovation will be key to business success long into the future."
Johannes Gouws, Country Managing Partner, DLA Piper South Africa added: "In light of the challenges our report identifies, financial services organisations are placing a higher focus on horizon scanning, as well as mapping out global regulatory implications. Balancing adequate and over-regulation in developing markets is always challenging. However, it is crucial for regulations in African markets to keep pace with international developments in order to limit regulatory arbitrage and protect the sector's integrity. Proportionate regulation in the sector is key, and can be a competitive advantage in attracting business and investment. With DLA Piper's pan-African and global reach, we can help clients to simplify their cross-border challenges whilst supporting their resilience in the face of constantly changing risks."
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of DLA Piper.
Notes to editors:
DLA Piper commissioned Coleman Parkes Research to canvass views of key decision-makers in global financial services organisations across the EMEA and APAC regions and North America. Nearly 800 interviews were conducted online in March and April 2024 with executives in key businesses across banking, funds and fund managers, fintech and financial services market infrastructure firms with revenues from USD1 million.
Contact:
Suraj Mashru
Senior PR Manager (UK & International), DLA Piper
+44 (0) 207 153 2617
Suraj.Mashru@dlapiper.com
About DLA Piper
DLA Piper is a global law firm helping our clients achieve their goals wherever they do business. Our pursuit of innovation has transformed our delivery of legal services (https://apo-opa.co/3MPSGou). With offices in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific (https://apo-opa.co/4dczEU6), we deliver exceptional outcomes on cross-border projects, critical transactions and high-stakes disputes.
Every day we help trailblazing organizations seize business opportunities and successfully manage growth and change at speed. Through our pro bono (https://apo-opa.co/3BkLxde) and sustainability (https://apo-opa.co/4djCiHE) work, we support communities around the world and help create a more just and sustainable future. Visit www.DLAPiper.com to discover more.
Eskom and Sasol sign agreement on exploring LNG to unlock Gas to Power and mitigate imminent gas shortage for South Africa Friday, 20 September 2024: In a landmark move set to reshape South Africa’s energy landscape, Eskom and Sasol today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaboratively explore and research potential future liquified natural...
Maybe you know some of these, maybe you don’t: About Eskom and Electricity – Founded: Eskom was established in 1923. About Eskom and Electricity – Ownership: It is a state-owned enterprise. About Eskom and Electricity – Headquarters: Located in Johannesburg, South Africa. About Eskom and Electricity – Primary Function: Eskom generates, transmits, and distributes electricity. …
