Alan Knott-Craig unveils Fibertime’s big bet on township fibre
Alan Knott-Craig’s new fibre internet business has been flying below the radar for some time now, but the serial telecommunications entrepreneur has finally unpacked his plans for the business.
Speaking to the TechCentral Show this week, Knott-Craig – who has led a range of well-known tech businesses, including Mxit, World of Avatar, Project Isizwe and iBurst – talks about why he believes there’s money to be made in wiring up townships with fibre and how Fibertime (stylised as “fibertime”) hopes to reach millions of data-poor South Africans who, until now, have had to rely on expensive mobile data for connectivity.
In the interview, with TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod, Knott-Craig also chats about:
• What’s been involved in building Fibertime;
• The Fibertime business model and the economics of township fibre;
• The network’s footprint and where the company plans to build next (it is currently deploying infrastructure in Alexandra in Johannesburg);
• Why fibre beats wireless for township internet services;
• The difficulties of working in township settings, including the threat posed by crime;
• Plans to list the business, possibly in 2027; and
• The recently approved Vodacom/Maziv deal, and what that means for the telecoms sector.
Don’t miss a fascinating interview!
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22:19
Pick n Pay’s Enrico Ferigolli on building asap! and taking on Shoprite
Although Shoprite Group stole a march on many of South Africa’s retailers in on-demand online grocery delivery during the Covid-19 lockdowns, Pick n Pay has a clear plan to make up lost ground and compete aggressively for market share.
Enrico Ferigolli, who co-founded the liquor delivery app Bottles – which was later acquired by Pick n Pay to form the basis of its online shopping push with asap! – joins the TechCentral Show to unpack the journey Pick n Pay is on, and how the e-commerce market is likely to develop in the coming years.
Ferigolli tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about:
* Why and how technology has become fundamental to modern retail;
* The launch of Bottles and what led to the Pick n Pay acquisition;
* The dynamics of on-demand delivery and what it takes to be a successful player;
* How Pick n Pay is working to convince people to try asap! for their grocery needs;
* The role of AI (and AI agents) in future omnichannel retail environments;
How online shopping is likely to change the way Pick n Pay designs its physical stores;
* Pick n Pay’s relationship with Takealot Group, and where that alliance is headed;
* Pick n Pay’s plans to expand into townships and other underserved markets with on-demand deliveries; and
* The threat posed by international e-commerce companies that don’t have a presence in South Africa but which ship goods to local consumers.
It’s a great interview about the future of e-commerce in South Africa – be sure not to miss it!
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Britehouse MBO: Graham Parker on what’s next for software firm
A recent management buyout of Britehouse from NTT Data – previously Dimension Data – has put the software development house on a new trajectory.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Duncan McLeod chats to Britehouse executive chairman Graham Parker about the MBO of Britehouse Mobility and what it means for the future of the business.
Dimension Data acquired the 60% of Britehouse it didn’t already own in a 2015 transaction, buying out shareholders that included Remgro and Convergence Partners. The IT group had held a 40% stake since 2007 before buying out other shareholders eight years later.
“Britehouse is embarking on a new era of innovation and independence following a management buyout transaction that effectively acquired the business from NTT Data,” a statement at the time said. “The acquisition from NTT Data marks a pivotal moment in Britehouse’s journey.”
Following the deal, Britehouse Mobility will operate as a fully independent company. The Britehouse brand will cease to exist inside NTT Data, but the latter will retain the enterprise applications business, with specific focus on SAP and Microsoft, it said.
“After several successful years of operating as part of the global NTT Data group, Britehouse is excited to return to its roots as an independent, South African-led business,” said Parker at the time.
Parker tells the TechCentral Show about:
• His history with Dimension Data and Britehouse;
• The story of Britehouse; and
• What the business looks like today, and management’s plans for growth.
Don’t miss the discussion!
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25:17
Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network
The Lekker Network is a recently launched global business platform designed to help South African expatriates find business and investment opportunities around the world, including at home.
Founded by a group of well-known businesspeople, The Lekker Network was launched in March and offers members access to a business directory, a jobs portal (for employers and job seekers), a social platform with “likeminded individuals” and events around the world for people, including non-South Africans, to meet up.
Renier Lombard, a co-founder of The Lekker Network, is our guest on this episode of the TechCentral Show. He said the platform, whose ambassadors include well-known journalist and speaker Bruce Whitfield and former Springbok and now businessman Bob Skinstad, is designed to “forge connections between South African businesses and businesspeople, regardless of their location”.
In this episode of TCS, Lombard unpacks:
• Who founded The Lekker Network and why;
• Who it is aimed at and who can join;
• How much it costs and what members get for the fee;
• The markets where The Lekker Network is focused – not surprisingly, the attention is on countries where there are a large number of South African expats;
• How (and why) non-South Africans can join the network; and
• The importance of the tech sector, including start-ups, to The Lekker Network community.
Don’t miss the interview!
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20:39
TCS | South Africa’s Sociable wants to make social media social again
The digitisation of social interactions has made it easier for people to maintain contact and build online communities. However, there has been a decrease in in-person interaction that has contributed to a sense of disconnect.
South African-made social media platform Sociable hopes to solve this problem by combining online engagement with in-person meetups, connecting people based on shared interests.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Sociable co-founder and CEO Jason van Dyk tells TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu about the importance of community and how Sociable is helping drive its development.
In the show, Van Dyk delves into:
• How community builders benefit from using the Sociable platform;
• The features Sociable provides to communities and their members to enhance engagement;
• How meeting spaces including coffee shops, bars and restaurants benefit from the in-person component of Sociable’s community meetups;
• Sociable’s approach to safety for its users;
• How Sociable positions itself against large social media platforms like Facebook;
• Some of the most popular communities on the platform; and
• The impact of AI on the social media landscape.
Don’t miss the conversation!
The TechCentral Show (TCS, for short) is a tech show produced by South Africa's leading technology news platform. It features interviews with newsmakers, ICT industry leaders and other interesting people.
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