10 of the best: TechCentral Show highlights from H1 2023

July 18, 2023 Siyabonga Mtangana

The TechCentral Show (TCS) and its sister show, TCS+, have quickly emerged as South Africa’s leading online business technology talk shows, racking up impressive viewership and listenership numbers since their launch in 2022.

Published by TechCentral – the South Africa’s biggest and most powerful B2B technology news platform – and distributed through YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Google and others – TCS has gained a reputation for surfacing deep and valuable insights into some of South Africa’s leading companies.

Indeed, the TechCentral Show has filled a big gap in South Africa’s ICT landscape, providing the sector with interesting, high-level conversations about everything from IT services to broadband to solar energy to the latest in satellite technology and electric mobility.

And TCS brings you the same high-quality and engaging interviews you’ve come to expect only from South Africa’s market leader in business technology news.

Sometimes, though, time runs away with all of us, and you may have missed some of the best TCS episodes of 2023 so far. Here, then, are 10 of the best TCS and TCS+ episodes from the first six months of 2023. We can guarantee you’ll find they’re worth your time…

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1. Takealot Group CEO Mamongae Mahlare

In a fascinating interview, Takealot Group CEO Mamongae Mahlare spoke about the transformative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on online shopping and why its impact is still being felt, as well as the rumoured launch later this year of an Amazon marketplace in South Africa. Plus much more besides.

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2. Convergence Partners chairman Andile Ngcaba

Andile Ngcaba quit his government job – he was director-general of communications – 20 years ago and became an investor in the technology sector. In an insightful interview on TCS, Ngcaba shared insights into the formation of Convergence Partners, the investments the business has made and why, its focus areas, and what comes next.

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3. Telkom Group CEO Serame Taukobong

Hear Serame Taukobong telling TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod spiritedly that Telkom “does not need a knight in shining armour” to rescue it. But without corporate action, can Telkom survive in the longer term? How supportive is government towards a partial or full sale of Telkom – and can South Africa’s mobile market sustain four infrastructure competitors in Telkom, Vodacom, MTN and Rain?

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4. State IT Agency CEO Bongani Mabaso

After several years without a permanent CEO, Bongani Mabaso is promising to shake things up at Sita – by fixing what’s broken and focusing on service delivery to its government clients, he told TCS.

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5. Altron Group CEO Werner Kapp

It’s 10 months since Werner Kapp took the reins from Mteto Nyati at Altron. Now firmly in his new role, Kapp joins TCS to unpack his strategy for the storied JSE-listed technology group. Kapp talks about Altron’s financial results for the year ended 28 February 2023 and how, despite the rotten economy, it still managed to produce revenue growth of 19%.

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6. FNB chief data and analytics officer Christoph Nieuwoudt

The best interviews of the first half of 2023 weren’t confined only to TCS. This TCS+ interview with First National Bank’s Christoph Nieuwoudt is a fascinating dive into the brave new world of artificial intelligence. As FNB’s chief data and analytics officer, Nieuwoudt shares fascinating insights into why South African organisations cannot afford to ignore the revolutionary changes that will be driven by AI in the years ahead. Don’t be left behind. See also our insightful discussion with FNB’s Mark Nasila on a similar topic.

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7. Johan Kruger, head of community independence at AfriForum

The vocal civil rights organisation believes pebble-bed modular nuclear reactors should be deployed in all South African communities. It might seem strange for a non-governmental organisation to involve itself in electricity generation, but when all can it do when the state fails to provide basic services like electricity.?Listen to this topic close to all South Africans’ hearts.

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8. Pargo CEO Lars Veul

When Lars Veul first visited South Africa, he realised that up to 30% of local online orders were not being delivered timeously. There were various reasons: consumers not being at home at time of delivery, office premises being difficult for couriers to access and deliveries in areas without proper addresses, including townships. So, he and a business partner started Pargo to solve the last-mile logistics headaches facing e-commerce businesses in South Africa. Watch this insightful interview.

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9. MetroFibre Networx CEO Jan-Jan Bezuidenhout

Jan Bezuidenhout believes fibre network operators in South Africa will soon find a way to deliver fibre broadband profitably into underserviced areas, as MetroFibre and others actively test models for deploying fibre broadband into townships and informal settlements.

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10. Everlectric CEO Ndia Magadagela

JSE-listed retailer Woolworths is moving to replace its fleet of fossil fuel-burning logistics and delivery vehicles with fully electric alternatives. Ndia Magadagela, co-founder and CEO of South African EV-as-a-service start-up Everlectric – which, through Woolworths’ logistics partner DSV, is deploying electric panel vans to help the retailer reduce its carbon emission.

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