At Home

Eric Lefkofsky, Groupon

Access to quality television should not fall under the guise of rates and taxes, where South Africans have to pay to watch better content, according to Maxwell Nonge, MD at Platco Digital. The etv’s new sister broadcasting entity is set to bring SA free satellite TV under the OpenView HD brand. Nonge says it is “about time” all South Africans have access to satellite TV. – ITWeb

Vodacom launched the new Vodafone Smart Mini, a device it says is an affordable and easy-to-use, entry level smartphone, which does not compromise on performance. The Android Jelly Bean 4.1 handset offers a 3.5-inch HVGA touch-screen, two-megapixel camera, 1GHz processor and 4GB storage. “This value-for-money Android phone is now available at Vodacom World, and from other participating outlets,” it says in a statement. – ITWeb

Government Communication and Information Systems (GCIS) has been directed by Cabinet to reposition the Thusong service centres programme to widen government access. The Thusong project is partially funded through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant and National Treasury, but also relies on sponsorship and donations from stakeholders and the private sector. – ITWeb

Global private equity company Actis has scooped up a majority stake in local payment solution firm Paycorp Holdings, buying it from listed Transaction Capital for R937 million. Actis will become Paycorp’s majority share holder, with a 77% stake, while founder and CEO Steven Kark and his executive team will become co-investors. – ITWeb

The logistics industry in SA has been one of the hardest hit by persistent IT skills shortages, according to local logistics software developer, Dovetail. The company notes that, while the demand for services is growing, there is not enough focus on developing and training people. “It is becoming increasingly challenging to manage the IT skills shortage in the logistics industry,” said Martie Bothma, operational manager at Dovetail. – ITWeb

Recently launched in South Africa’s online space is Remembered.co.za, an online memorial site that offers those left behind a place to honour a loved one who has died. “We believe we have created a very special offering in the South African digital space, a place where those separated by distance can come together to celebrate the life of one who has passed on,” says Zunaid Parker, business manager behind Remembered.co.za.

South Africa has among the cheapest postpaid broadband packages in Africa, according to a study conducted by Research ICT Africa (RIA). In a RIA policy brief: ‘How do mobile and fixed broadband stack up in SA?’, the organisation says that compared to 12 African nations, South Africa has the cheapest 1GB post-paid mobile broadband basket at an average price of $9.81 per month. – ITWeb Africa

Into Africa

Telecoms group MTN has announced the appointment of a new head of mobile financial services, Sérigne Dioum, from 1 September. According to a statement from the telco, Dioum will be responsible for driving MTN Mobile Money and related mobile financial services products and services across the MTN footprint. – ITWeb Africa

Mobile operator Airtel and Equity Bank have partnered in Kenya to roll-out a mobile commerce service in the country. Jayant Khosla, CEO of Airtel Africa-Anglophone, added: “This partnership with Equity Bank marks yet another milestone in deepening the accessibility of Airtel Money to our customers throughout Kenya.” The service is planned to enable customers to access mobile banking platforms. – ITWeb Africa

Nigeria’s government plans to unveil its second software incubation centre aimed at providing essential support to entrepreneurs to build software skills. The software incubation centre is an initiative of the Federal Government and is driven by the private sector under the auspices of the Information Technology Developers Entrepreneurship Accelerator. The project is the brainchild of Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan. – ITWeb Africa

Angola’s largest city, Luanda, hosted the second forum on Internet governance in southern Africa. Dubbed the “Southern Africa Internet Governance Forum”, or SAIGF, the event took place from 5-7 August. SAIGF was inaugurated in September 2011 with the overall objective of developing a co-ordinated and coherent approach to dealing with Internet governance issues in the Southern African Development Community. – ITWeb Africa

Mobile, ATM and online banking customers in Kenya could be in for a shock as the government plans to implement an additional 10% excise duty tax for transactions in the country. The tax, which is planned to take effect during August, is to affect all banks in the country. – ITWeb Africa

A web site that enables Botswana citizens to engage with parliamentarians is set to be promoted across the country. Dubbed the “Botswana Speaks Parliamentary Initiative”, members of the team running the Web site are going on tour in August to show citizens in various areas about how to use the online tool. Botswana Speaks said this is not the first time the project has embarked on a road trip. – ITWeb Africa

An electronic ticket payment system has been implemented for bus commuters in Mozambique. The system is specifically geared for Mozambique’s municipal bus system, the Expresso da Empresa Municipal de Transportes Públicos de Maputo (EMTPM). EMTPM officials have, however, assured commuters that because the billing system is still in its initial phases, passengers can still buy the ticket on the buses. – ITWeb Africa

Abroad

Israel-based software provider Nice Systems agreed to buy US data firm Causata, and reported a rise in profit, driven by big gains in products that analyse data to help companies comply with regulations and prevent fraud. Causata’s technology tracks Internet activity in a way that can enhance customer relationship building at, for example, call centres, according to the company’s Web site. – Reuters

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Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com" />Groupon named co-founder Eric Lefkofsky its chief executive and reported a record quarter for its North American business, signalling growing momentum in its comeback effort, and its shares rose almost 20%. Lefkofsky, who was named interim CEO in February, has pushed on with his mobile-centric strategy since fellow founder Andrew Mason was replaced in February. – Reuters

Axel Springer has made an offer for Deutsche Telekom’s online classified advertising business, Scout24, in another push into digital media that helped the German publisher beat earnings forecasts. Springer, like other publishing and media groups, is shifting online and away from print, where readership and advertising is in decline. – Reuters

Nikon cut its full-year profit due to disappointing demand for mirrorless cameras that were once seen as a revolutionary invention that could save the industry from the threat of increasingly advanced smartphone cameras. “In Europe and the US, the ratio of mirrorless to SLRs hasn’t grown at all, unlike in Asia, where it’s quite popular with women because it’s light,” said Yasuyuki Okamoto, president of the imaging company. – Reuters

Technology and media circles are abuzz at how e-commerce wunderkind Jeff Bezos plans to modernise The Washington Post, a money-losing bastion of the old economy. The founder and CEO of Amazon.com hasn’t given much away since he struck a deal to buy the 135-year-old paper for $250 million. But he did tell employees they will have to “invent” and “experiment” as the Internet revolutionises the news business. – Reuters

Russia’s third-largest mobile operator Vimpelcom has hired the former finance chief of the biggest US mobile provider Verizon Wireless, as it strives to cut its $23 billion debt. The appointment of Andrew Davies as CFO could help Amsterdam-based Vimpelcom cut debt, while it exits some emerging markets and refocuses on its core operations in Russia and Italy. – Reuters