Zuma, who was ousted in 2017, served less than two months of a 15-month sentence for contempt of courtJacob Zuma, the former president of South Africa, has been released from prison on grounds of ill health after serving less than two months of a 15-mo…
Zip acquisition of Payflex means Africa is ripe for BNPL disruption
Australian buy now, pay later (BNPL) company Zip this week acquired South Africa-based BNPL player Payflex for an undisclosed amount. It’s a piece of news that once again highlights the hype around BNPL services and the quest for global dominance among the leading players. This year we have covered BNPL services from the likes of […]
Whatever Kind Of Mood You’re In Tonight
On Strong Songs Kirk Hamilton, “takes listeners inside a piece of music, breaking it down and figuring out what makes it work.” In this episode Kirk tackles Billy Joel’s magnum opus, “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” “Pull up a table and join Kirk f…
‘Swazi gold’: grandmothers in Eswatini growing cannabis to make ends meet
In the poverty-stricken kingdom, an older generation rely on growing marijuana to feed children orphaned by Aids epidemicIn Nhlangano, in the south of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), the illegal farming of the mountainous kingdom’s famous “Swazi gold” i…
This YC Summer batch features the largest group of African startups yet
African startups also increased from 10 in the winter batch to 15 this time around, a record for African startups in a single YC cohort.
‘I was on a list to be terminated’ – Sue Dobson, the spy who helped to end apartheid
She risked arrest, torture and jail to fight racism in 1980s South Africa, and her story is being made into a filmAs a white South African, Sue Dobson risked arrest, torture and imprisonment spying for the black nationalist cause during the latter days…
Malaria trial shows ‘striking’ 70% reduction in severe illness in children
A study in Burkina Faso and Mali suggests combining anti-malarial drugs and vaccination could reduce deaths and hospitalisationsA trial combining vaccinations and prevention drugs has substantially lowered the number of children dying of malaria in two…
PawaPay raises $9M seed backed by MSA, 88mph and Mr Eazi’s Zagadat Capital
When companies create digital payments-facing solutions for African countries outside Nigeria and South Africa, building around mobile money is key. It’s literally a no-brainer. The concept is ubiquitous in East Africa, but since mobile money is a telecom operators-led initiative, there are technical complexities in creating a unified infrastructure for businesses that need it. PawaPay, […]
‘Is this justice?’: why Sudan is facing a multibillion-dollar bill for 9/11
The families of some 9/11 victims are still pursuing compensation from those complicit in the attacks – but is Sudan, already ravaged by years of US sanctions, really the right target?Five months after the terrorist strikes by al-Qaida on 11 September …
Jolla hits profitability ahead of turning ten, eyes growth beyond mobile
A milestone for Jolla, the Finnish startup behind the Sailfish OS — which formed, almost a decade ago, when a band of Nokia staffers left to keep the torch burning for a mobile linux-based alternative to Google’s Android — today it’s announcing hitting profitability. The mobile OS licensing startup describes 2020 as a “turning point” […]