Over the past decade, economic growth in the SADC region has been more sluggish than leaders have hoped for. In 2018, the region set a GDP growth target of 7%, but only achieved 3.1%. Given the region’s high youth unemployment rate, the need for the kind of growth that creates wealth and jobs is an urgent one. The SADC countries’ greatest asset are their people. So where can we make the biggest difference, quickly?

The solution could be in our hands – quite literally. The mobile phones that so many SADC region citizens use to connect with friends and family and to keep up with what’s happening in the world, could also be a tool to increase participation in the formal money economy. A region wide mobile payments scheme with pan-African and international interoperability owned and managed by local and regional financial institutions could be a game changer. The Bluecode platform offers just that.

A locally owned and managed scheme with global interoperable capabilities, offers SADC a real alternative to foreign legacy card schemes. Mobile payments offer a real alternative to cash, cards and P2P, giving consumers convenience and offering from tier 1 retail to MSMEs a friction free lower cost payment with the kind of value that is needed to grow their business. Moreover a digital payment provides digital transparency and opens the opportunity for banks to collateralize cash flow and customer data to reduce dependency on more tangible collateral traditionally used to mitigate credit risk. A mobile scheme could be an economic catalyst that helps lift millions out of poverty. Here’s why.

Financial inclusion
Central banks across the region have prioritized the promotion of financial inclusion though increasing the availability of relevant products, channels and services adapted to local market conditions. Simply, more citizens need to be able to make and receive payments for goods and services, and to create wealth, jobs and the prosperity that results from having access to quality financial services. Every farmer, trader, artisan and entrepreneur needs the ability to be able to pay suppliers and receive payments by customers without expensive infrastructure and unaffordable overheads, or the challenges of handling cash.

But historically, there have been barriers to this. Card payments are expensive, dependent legacy systems, foreign rules and cumbersome point of sale systems. Getting cards, pay points ATMs in the right place and time is a very large investment in time, money and effort. Many fintech start-ups claim to address these challenges but they rely on a link to a card, are restricted to particular provider or depend on smartphones that will remain out of reach of the majority for some for years to come.

Now new threats are arising in the form of global Bigtech corporates whose interests serve their shareholders, not African national and regional development goals. Governments and financial institutions have spent decades growing their businesses in local communities, investing in understanding their clients, and deepening access to finance are now risk serious disruption from Bigtech and other Fintech who aim to capture the consumer’s transactional banking and harvesting data, which results in in the disintermediation of consumers from their financial institutions.

Consumer credit and transactional banking is the profitable target of fintech and Bigtech, not intermediation. Low cost internet based transitional banking and consumer micro-credit is a contribution, but can have unintended consequences. Financial markets need to have both the capacity to meet transactional banking consumer demand, but also the capacity to mobilize domestic savings and intermediate these assets by investing in small enterprise.

The solution is already here
Fortunately, the solution is already available. It’s a mobile payment scheme that is simple, low cost and works across both smartphones and feature phones.

The overarching objective of a mobile payment scheme is to facilitate the clearing and settlement of mobile payments - a scheme, to offer banks and their customers secure affordable and accessible merchant payments and services to promote competition for business in the mass market. The Bluecode platform provides for a mobile payment scheme to support consumer payments and MSMES for trading, artisanal and agricultural enterprise. This is essential support to financial stability and deepening of financial inclusion for local economic development.

The scheme participants determine the interbank rules. No customer data is involved in the transaction. Instead, the system relies on authentication codes and all customer data stays with the bank. The platform is interoperable and can move across all types of devices.

In particular, this scheme can:

• Promote financial-sector development with an efficient transaction payment that will increase consumer confidence in electronic payments as an alternative to cash.
• Facilitate a more equitable distribution of financial services for urban, peri-urban and rural business and consumers.
• Support financial stability by mitigating settlement risk and including more financial institutions in the payments ecosystem, facilitating the smooth flow of liquidity.
• Promote higher value, quality and diverse financial products and services through transaction accounts as to make and receive payments and store value.
• Increase the availability of products, channels and other enablers of financial inclusion.

Including every citizen in the formal economy by making it easy to make and receive payments is possible using the phones that people are already relying on for so many other aspects of their lives. The citizens of the SADC region are smart and resourceful. Giving them one simple tool could be the catalyst for the prosperity we envision for the future.

Murray Gardiner is director of Bluecode Africa. He has been at the forefront of financial inclusion in Africa for more than 30 years.

For more information, please visit: https://bluecodeafrica.com/en/

• The challenge focusses on building an effective supply chain while mitigating the risk of climate change;
• Human-Animal conflict poses a challenge for farmers, particularly in Botswana;
• Enabling agri-tech adoption to ensure future successes.

Johannesburg, 8 August 2019– Currently, sixty percent of the world's unused land is in Africa. Even within South Africa, in the north of Limpopo, smallholder farmers are responsible for 90% of the production in Africa. In South Africa alone, 90% of production comes from commercial farms; indicating major opportunity to ensure food security by tapping into the potential of the land and the farmers themselves.

The Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS), along with their Batswana partners; The Botswana Institute for Technology, Research, and Innovation (BITRI) and Brynston Creations, have specifically crafted the latest SAIS open innovation agriculture challenge to address food insecurity. The challenge focusses on four key areas; Building an effective supply chain, mitigating the risk of climate change, resolving human-animal conflict, and enabling agri-tech adoption.

“Through this challenge, entrepreneurs and businesses who are capable of solving the issues will gain access to market, valuable business training and be introduced to relevant players in their fields. We will do all we can to make successful challenge participants a success through entrepreneurial training, a 3-month incubation, accelerator programs and wherever possible, network opportunities and market access,” said RIIS Executive Clen Cook. 

More information around this latest initiative can be found on https://www.oiregionalconnect.com/

Contact: Alana Kruger
Project Manager
Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS) 
Switchboard: +27 12 012 5015
Cell: +27 72 607 0332
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• Currently, tourism in Southern Africa is dominated by giant monopolies that do not capture the essence of Africa; nor do they work with locals to ensure sustainability of the industry;
• The SAIS challenge focusses on boosting entrepreneurship and sustainable income opportunities in the tourism industry in Southern Africa;
• Opportunities to be addressed are empowering women in tourism, lowering the prevailing 80/20 tourism-spend ratio between large and small tourism players, and recreating “Brand Africa”. 

Johannesburg, 8 August 2019 – Coinciding with Women’s Month, the Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS),along with their Batswana partners; The Botswana Institute for Technology, Research and Innovation (BITRI) and Brynston Creations, launched their SAIS open innovation tourism challenge aimed at empowering women in tourism, while also focussing on lowering the prevailing 80/20 tourism-spend ratio between large and small tourism players, and recreating “Brand Africa”.

The challenge aims to increase the confidence of women in the workplace while providing business models that ensure the safety of all female staff in the tourism sector. Particular attention is also being paid to including women in rural areas and empowering disabled women in the industry. 

When asked about the challenge, RIIS Executive Clen Cook said: “There’s a lot of boxes that need to be ticked in this challenge. We want to mould the tourism industry into a sector that uplifts women and provides them with an equal opportunity to earn a sustainable income. By creating a landscape in which gender diversification is possible, we will hopefully ultimately see an increased female ownership of tourism facilities.”

More information around this latest initiative can be found on https://www.oiregionalconnect.com/.

Contact: Alana Kruger

Project Manager

Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS) 

Switchboard: +27 12 012 5015

Cell: +27 72 607 0332

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• The open innovation projects fall under the Southern Africa Innovation Support (SAIS) Programme funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Finland);
• RIIS partners with the Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI), and Brynston Creations to complete the planned projects;
• The first two projects tailored for the Agriculture and Tourism sectors to launch 22 July 2019;
• Successful challenge entrants to receive support, including a three-month incubation at BITRI which includes pitching training, business validation assistance and the opportunity to potentially receive start-up funding from relevant venture capitalists.  

Johannesburg, 9 July 2019 – The Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS), along with their Batswana partners; The Botswana Institute for Technology, Research and Innovation (BITRI) and Brynston Creations, launched the second Southern Africa Innovation Support Programme, aimed at addressing challenges in the Health, Education, Agriculture and Tourism (HEAT) sectors through open innovation in the SADC region. 

Funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the first two challenges launching 22 July will focus on the Agriculture and Tourism sectors. The planned agriculture open innovation project will concentrate on ensuring food security for the future of Africa while considering soil fertility, mitigating the risk of climate change, human-animal conflict and agricultural technology adoption. The tourism open innovation challenge aims to ensure the sector as a stable income for the continent through empowering women in tourism, lowering the prevailing 80/20 tourism-spend ratio between large and small tourism players, and recreating “Brand Africa”. 

At an event held in Johannesburg, RIIS Executive Clen Cook, said: “This whole programme is designed to foster collaboration which will enable innovation that crosses borders. By using the open innovation approach, entrepreneurs from all walks of life and means are provided with a platform into the market. We encourage all who want to help address the challenges we face in the SADC region to participate. Through RIIS, BITRI, and SAIS we will do our part through the provision of extensive support, training, and development, as well as potential access to funds, to make all start-ups identified in these challenges a success.” 

More information around this latest initiative can be found on https://www.oiregionalconnect.com/.

Contact: Alana Kruger
Project Manager
Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS) 

Switchboard: +27 12 012 5015
Cell: +27 72 607 0332
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Regional finalists for the inaugural Southern Africa Startup Awards have been announced, with over 130 candidates shortlisted across 15 categories in 15 Countries. The incredible Steyn City Equestrian Centre in Johannesburg, will be the venue for this prestigious event scheduled for the 21st and 22nd of November, and it will be hosted by Vuyolwethu Dubese of Thomson Reuters Labs, and Siphumelele Zondi, Anchor of Network on SABC.   

In keeping with the Southern Africa National Startup Awards vision, of “Regional Interconnectedness and Global Visibility”, this awards event is packed with value-adding activities, designed to enable finalists to rub shoulders with regional and global investors and startup ecosystem developers, to build long lasting beneficial relationships within the regional startup ecosystem.  

The Southern Africa Startup Awards Grand Finale is hosted in collaboration with LIMIT BREAKERS GLOBAL FOUNDATION, an impact catalyst for social change. “The Startup Ecosystem might not be fully understood but it’s definitely worth exploring. We are in the 4th Industrial Revolution, with tech disruptions all over.  This is our opportunity to highlight that we need to open our eyes and see beyond today and secure tomorrow by supporting Startups now, whilst there’s time,” said the visionary founder and CEO, Nokky Ndlovu.      

The confirmed schedule for the event includes:  

21st November 2018 (13:30):

• Panel discussion on innovative platforms to fund startups in Africa, featuring Section 12J VC, Equity Crowdfunding, Blockchain, and Angel Investing.
• Investor Speed Dating
• Exclusive Networking 

22nd November 2018 (10:00):

• Investment Readiness Round Table Discussion

22nd November 2018 (17:30):

• Southern Africa Startup Awards Regional Grand Finale Ceremony 

 

National winners from 14 SADC countries will represent their respective countries to contest for an accolade in one of 15 categories in the region.

Regional public voting is now open, and adjudication by our expert regional jury panel is also underway. Winners will be selected in the following categories:

1. Startup of the Year 

2. Fintech Startup

3. Founder of the Year

4. Female role Model in Tech

5. Best Edutech Startup

6. Best Newcomer

7. Investor of the Year

8. Best Co-Working Space

9. Best Startup Ecosystem Initiative

10. Best Accelerator/Incubator

11. Best Water Management Crisis Solution

12. Best Student Startup

13.Best Food/AgriTech Startup

14. Best Social Impact Startup

15. People’s Choice (Vote) 

“Starting a new business takes a huge amount of courage and hard work. The first few years can be really challenging and the Southern Africa Startup Awards are here to support entrepreneurs who are investing so much of themselves to build businesses that will ultimately create employment and benefit the broader economy. We are so pleased with the standard of entries in our very first edition and I know the Regional Judging panel have a very difficult task in choosing the Regional Winners for the Southern Africa Startup Awards 2018” said Mckevin Ayaba, CEO of Southern Africa Startup Awards.

This prestigious event is by invitation only, and will be attended by national and regional startups, investors, startup ecosystem builders, and other organisations.    

About SASAwards: Southern Africa Startup Awards is a circuit of the world renowned Global Startup Awards, which provides an annual spotlight on web/tech startups in regions across the globe. Global Startup Awards It is the largest independent startup-ecosystem competition started in the Nordics in 2012, covering more than 45 countries in 7 regions. Since 2012, Global Startup Awards has grown to include South East Asia, Central Europe, SAARC Region (South Asia), and now East Asia, Baltics and Southern Africa which launched in 2018.For more information about the awards please visit: www.southernafricastartupawards.com

South Africa, July 03, 2017 - Propelled by the successful launch of the Government Directory in 2008, African Directory Services (Pty) Ltd has now expanded its offerings for clients who want to attract consumers from various corners of the African continent efficiently.

The in-demand and well-known Government Directory offers insight into the best of business and government in the African soil. This first-hand and exclusive directory is the best of its kind and has been connecting businesses and government for many years running with the aim to enhance local and international integration to allow for better intra and inter governments’ communication. 

This state-of-the-art form of advertising attracts business deals, partnerships, brand awareness and new clients for its advertisers. The Government Directory puts businesses and government on the map and makes them accessible to millions of users, local, national and international.

The latest news, reviews, projects, tenders, vacancies and contact information can be found on the Government Directory and businesses have the opportunity to connect and network with over 5000 government institutions, instantly. With an annual print and directory in discs of 30k and over 5 million users, this is the ideal platform to showcase and advertise your business.

This Government Directory allows businesses to get instant “request for quotes” messages direct to their inbox and increase traffic to their sites and social media pages with email and web links. Advertisers are able to include images, logos, products/service offerings, keywords, maps, special offers and more. For more information or if you have any inquiries simply click here.

About Government Directory of Southern Africa

The Government Directory is officially powered by African Directory Services (Pty) Ltd – We are Africa’s largest and most reputable publisher of business and government institutions since the year 2000.

Issued by African Directory Services (Pty) Ltd

Contact us:

Tel

• 0860 3663 87
• +27 (0) 11 3336803

Fax

• 086 556 8441
• +27 (0) 11 3336826

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.               

Web:

• www.adslive.com
• www.government.co.za

Lorge: Ready to make waves at Botswana’s Premier International Exhibition  

~ Global Expo Botswana ~ 2016 ~

04 November 2016
- By Genesis Articles Global

Introduction  

Lorge Consulting Services will be joining a host of key industry stakeholders, international and regional business delegates and strategic role-players gathering in Botswana, from the 23rd to the 26th November 2016. They will be attending the 11th Edition of the country’s premier business-to-business (b2b) and multi-sectoral exposition held in Gaborone and hosted by none other than the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC). This calendar-highlight event, known as the Global Expo Botswana (2016), will attract thousands of exhibitors and attendees over its four day duration. 

Why is Lorge Participating?  

Responding to a personal invitation, Lorge is strategically positioned to participate at a major trade and investment platform of this nature. As a specialist provider of Business Management (BMS) and Business Intelligence (BI) Solutions for the past 30 years, Lorge continues to enjoy a growing footprint in Southern Africa. The theme of this years Global Expo Botswana, being Unlocking Opportunities for Economic Growth, is one that is firmly endorsed by the dedicated Lorge team. This is reflected in the company’s loyal and expanding client-base, including progressive enterprises operating in various sectors of Botswana’s economy.   

Benefits to Exhibitors and Attendees at Global Expo Botswana  

There are a host of mutual and exhibitor-specific benefits that expo participants and attendees can look forward to. Likewise, there are several positive reasons why Lorge has specifically chosen to be represented at the expo this year:

• Organisations that rely on customised BMS and BI software solutions can personally meet with Lorge representatives and discuss their individual needs. This includes enterprises seeking supply and implementation of Sage X3, Sage 300, Sage CRM, Sage X3 People and Qlikview business and technology solutions.
• Prospective suppliers and organisations with synergistic intentions will also have the unique opportunity to network with company representatives and engage in meaningful discussions over the 4 day period.
• Existing customers, associates and networks in Botswana, already collaborating with Lorge, will also have an opportunity to meet with company representatives at the exhibition.
• Forward-facing local and foreign-based entities already operating in Botswana or those intending on entering the market, will be able to draw on Lorge’s extensive BMS and BI expertise in Southern Africa. Furthermore, Lorge prides itself on providing cutting-edge solutions that are adaptable, scalable as well as industry or business-specific. Again, the expo provides the ideal platform to speak directly with Lorge representatives and make relevant enquiries.

Why Botswana is the Ideal Host  

Lorge is dedicated to offering sustainable software solutions that enable businesses to streamline their processes, maximise their efficiencies and optimise their competitive advantages. In order to achieve this, in an intensely competitive and demanding market, the company strategically aligns with current trends. This approach fosters the accurate delivery of customised solutions, which meet the present-day needs of enterprises in evolving markets.   For organisations that are seeking quality-engineered BMS and BI solutions and would like to expand their footprint in Botswana as well as other markets in SADC, here are a few reasons why Botswana is the perfect location for a multi-industrial expo on this scale:

• The country is ideally situated in Southern Africa, being more or less geographically central in SADC. The location therefore serves as a strong gateway into other parts of the SADC region, while also affording preferential market access into SACU, EU, MERCUSOR and US markets.
• The prospective local market, estimates a substantial populous of around 200 million people.
• The country displays impressive political and economic stability that stands out in the continent of Africa.
• The country has a low tax regime, there are no foreign exchange controls and sovereign credit ratings (Moody’s, Standard & Poor, World Bank ease of Doing Business, Transparency International and so forth) compare favourably to other African nations.

Why choose Lorge?  

There are a host of reasons why Lorge has become the supplier of choice for a growing number of enterprises in Southern Africa. Recently Lorge also participated at the Finance Indaba 2016, where the CFO’s and key stakeholders of thousands of organisations had the opportunity to learn more about the incredible advantages of the software solutions offered. Here are a few more reasons why Lorge has earned an undisputed reputation as a market leader and award-winning specialist in its field:

1. With three decades of specialised experience, the company’s passionate workforce has successfully implemented over 10 000 users across a wide spectrum of industries.
2. Is a trusted Service Provider for more than 250 companies, including multinationals operating in Southern Africa.
3. Provides world-class systems, customised as per clients’ needs.
4. Maintains a strong customer-centric approach, from sales and implementation to technical and ongoing general support, thanks to the Dedicated Client Care Centre.
5. Is resourced with a Dedicated Sage Accredited In-house Training Centre. 

For further information on the Global Expo Botswana or to find out about our exhibition, contact our Marketing and Sales Coordinator, Bronwyn Delport on 010 594 9800. We look forward to meeting you and your delegation at the upcoming expo in Botswana, later this month.    

Media Contact

This Press Release is proudly brought to you by communications specialists Genesis Articles on behalf of Lorge Consulting Services

Organisation: Genesis Articles Global - a division of Genesis Group
Website: www.genesisarticles.co.za
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Contact person: Mark David Sing
Contact Number: +27 76 450 6739
Contact Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

In recent times, the cost of fuel has become astronomic with far reaching implications for all. Shipping costs have risen and so has the cost of living as a result. At the root of it is the cost of fuel as the common denominator. Fuel is now "liquid gold" on a whole new level.

Shipping companies have done what is possible to mitigate such costs through intelligent routing and economising through better vehicle choices in an effort to reduce the ever growing operating costs while also looking at ways of keeping abreast of international pressures to reduce their carbon footprint. At the end of the day, the consumer ultimately pays.

It is a fact that the more expensive fuel becomes at the pump, the more valuable it becomes to firstly, potential thieves and opportunists, and secondly its safeguarding with checks and balances to monitor its usage.

Director, Charl Hoole of Velisa Agencies says, "We have been closely involved with trucking companies and others who use a lot of fuel both as a service provider to them and also as a company that does distribution using their services, and we see it all the time, executives are stressed out! Their directors are looking at the bottom line and demanding a lower fuel bill, lower emissions and better control mechanisms. What we do is address all of these issues for them... radically make an impact which is statistically verified".

Hoole goes on to say, "We have dealt with the biggest and the best out there and more than 90% of them do not have proper systems in place for monitoring fuel usage or preventing theft. Worse still, ask them for a running average fuel consumption on a vehicle over a month and it is at best, a guess, even when they outsource to contractors they are often billed double the actual fuel usage amount... we had such a case this year with a Blue Chip logistics concern at the Durban harbour. With our two core products, Diesel Guard and Naf-Tech, we get stuck in and assist to the last drop!".

Being aware of products out in the market to reduce fuel consumption, theft and emissions, has become a neccessity in our modern business environment. To ignore the usage of your liquid gold is fatal, if not wreckless. Velisa Agencies will gladly assist clients with recommendations both in South Africa and other SADC states.

Contact details:

Charl Hoole,
Director and logistics specialist
Tel: 046-6481089
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Velisa Agencies CC
Tel: 046-6481089
www.velisa.co.za

{pp}The African Trade Hub blog (http://africantradehub.bundublog.com/) aims to promote and stimulate trade on the African continent by allowing service providers to interact with one another. "The blog was stimulated by a need that we identified from the ManufacturingHub.co.za portal" says Marc Ashton.