Category: Technology

Gauteng is building the digital future of South Africa, with the provincial Department of e-Government allocated R1.9 billion for the 2026/27 financial year to advance one of the most ambitious digital transformation programmes the continent has seen. The investment will modernise government, extend broadband to underserved communities and equip thousands of young South Africans with the skills to thrive in the digital economy.

Connecting Communities That Have Waited Too Long

At the heart of the programme is a commitment to connectivity. The department plans to build and connect 300 Gauteng Provincial Network (GPN) sites, extending broadband to schools, healthcare facilities, libraries and community centres — with specific focus on townships, informal settlements and hostels that have historically been left behind by digital infrastructure.

When a rural school in an informal settlement gets fast, reliable internet, it does not just help students access online textbooks. It changes what is possible: virtual classrooms, telemedicine consultations, job applications, e-commerce for small traders and access to government services without a day-long bus trip. Broadband is infrastructure — as essential as roads, water and electricity.

The R1.9 billion budget will also strengthen cybersecurity across provincial systems, improve digital resilience for government services and support enhanced e-waste management as Gauteng’s technology footprint grows responsibly.

Building a Generation of Digital Citizens

Perhaps the most exciting dimension of the programme is its investment in people. The e-Government Department plans to:

• Train 5,500 government officials in digital skills
• Award 70 ICT bursaries to support the next generation of technology professionals
• Provide experiential learning opportunities for 100 young people
• Support 12,000 youth through the Action Lab Programme
• Assist 200 township-based ICT entrepreneurs with skills development, mentorship and innovation support

The establishment of a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) Office within the department also signals Gauteng’s ambition to lead on emerging technologies — not just adopt them, but shape how they are governed and applied in an African context.

Technology in Service of the People

Gauteng’s digital transformation drive is grounded in a clear philosophy: technology is not an end in itself, but a tool for better service delivery, greater inclusion and a stronger economy. By expanding digital government services, the province aims to cut red tape, reduce waiting times and make interactions with government faster, easier and more transparent for millions of residents.

For the township entrepreneur, the student in an underserved school, the healthcare worker in a clinic without proper systems, and the official trying to serve constituents more effectively — this R1.9 billion investment is real, tangible and transformative. Gauteng is not just building networks; it is building opportunity.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

South Africa took a concrete step toward connecting its most remote communities this week, as Deputy President Paul Mashatile launched BrainSAT Satellite Services and Thuraya satellite phones in Sandton, Johannesburg, on 1 July 2026.

“Digital transformation is no longer a choice, it is an economic imperative,” Mashatile told the launch, framing connectivity as the foundation for opportunity in a modern economy.

From a UAE handshake to home soil

The launch traces back to the Deputy President’s April 2024 visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he engaged leading satellite technology companies. That groundwork has now borne fruit through Space42, which partnered with BrainSAT South Africa under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.

BrainSAT South Africa will provide integrated satellite communication — secure voice, broadband and data connectivity — reaching areas that fibre and cellular networks have struggled to serve.

Services within reach

The technology dovetails with government’s Roadmap for Digital Transformation, which is simplifying access to everyday services such as social grants, ID applications and school registrations. For families in rural and under-served areas, satellite connectivity could mean the difference between a day-long journey to an office and a few taps on a phone.

It is a quietly transformative promise: that where you live should no longer decide whether you are part of the digital economy.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

South African insurtech startup Naked has secured $38 million (about R700 million) in a Series B2 funding round, the largest insurtech investment ever recorded on the African continent. The deal, announced in January 2025, underscores growing global investor confidence in South Africa’s homegrown technology sector.

The fully digital insurer uses artificial intelligence to deliver car, home and single-item insurance quotes in as little as 90 seconds, according to Disrupt Africa. Naked says it is the only South African platform selling 100% of its car, home and single-item policies online.

A Round Backed by Global Investors

The Series B2 round was led by global impact investor BlueOrchard. Backing also came from a roster of established financial players, including South African insurer Hollard, investment group Yellowwoods, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Germany’s development finance institution DEG.

The breadth of support signals that international development and impact funders see scope for digital insurance to broaden access in the South African market, as reported by FinTech Global.

Built by Actuaries, Powered by AI

Naked was founded in 2018 by three actuaries, Alex Thomson, Sumarie Greybe and Ernest North. The trio set out to strip cost and friction from the traditional insurance experience by building a platform that runs entirely online.

At the heart of the offering is AI-driven automation. The technology powers the company’s signature 90-second quote and underpins its push to handle policies digitally from start to finish. With the new capital, Naked says it is doubling down on automation and AI to support its next phase of growth.

A Different Model for Premiums

Naked’s business model also sets it apart. The company takes a fixed percentage of premiums rather than profiting from unpaid claims, and donates surplus unclaimed funds to causes chosen by its customers.

That structure is designed to remove the conflict of interest that can exist when an insurer benefits from declining claims, aligning the company’s interests more closely with those of its policyholders.

For South Africa’s technology and financial services sectors, the record-setting round is a notable milestone. It places a Cape Town-built business at the forefront of African insurtech and demonstrates that locally developed, AI-powered platforms can attract significant international capital.

With fresh funding secured and a clear focus on automation, Naked is positioned to accelerate its expansion while continuing to offer a fully digital alternative to traditional insurance.

Photo: disruptafrica.com

Researchers at Stellenbosch University, working with the University of Science and Technology of China, have established the world’s longest ultra-secure quantum satellite link, a 12,900 km connection between Beijing and Stellenbosch. According to Stellenbosch University, it is the first quantum satellite communication link ever created in the Southern Hemisphere, with the findings published in the journal Nature in March 2025.

The intercontinental link spans 12,900 km, making it the longest secure quantum communication link ever created, according to the collaboration. The achievement marks a milestone for both South African science and global quantum communication research.

How the link was built

The team used China’s Jinan-1 microsatellite, which operates in low Earth orbit, to relay the quantum signal. A portable ground station was mounted on the roof of the engineering building at Stellenbosch University to receive the transmission.

According to the researchers, the first successful Beijing-Stellenbosch quantum key exchange took place in October 2024. The setup relied on local conditions that proved especially well suited to the task.

• The link spans 12,900 km, the longest secure quantum communication link ever created.
• It is the first quantum satellite communication link in the Southern Hemisphere.
• The portable ground station was mounted on the roof of the engineering building at Stellenbosch University.
• The first successful Beijing-Stellenbosch quantum key exchange took place in October 2024.

A record key generation rate

According to Stellenbosch University, the institution’s clear skies and low humidity helped the team achieve a record key generation rate of 1.07 million secure bits in a single satellite pass. These environmental conditions were central to the link’s performance.

The work was carried out as a collaboration between Stellenbosch University and the University of Science and Technology of China, with the results published in Nature in March 2025.

Why it matters

The link represents the first quantum satellite communication connection established in the Southern Hemisphere, extending technology that had previously been demonstrated in the Northern Hemisphere to a new part of the globe. By spanning two continents, the Beijing-Stellenbosch connection demonstrates that ultra-secure quantum communication can operate over intercontinental distances.

For Stellenbosch University, the achievement places South African researchers at the centre of an internationally significant advance in secure communication, built on a partnership with one of China’s leading science institutions.