TCS - The TechCentral Show

The South African Post Office has been in business rescue – a form of bankruptcy protection – since July 2023. Business rescue practitioners Anoosh Rooplal and Juanito Damons have made it clear to parliament that the entity will not survive liquidation unless a R3.8-billion bailout is received soon.

With some 5 500 jobs on the line, the big question is: is the Post Office worth saving? Rooplal spoke to TechCentral’s Nathi Ndlovu and was asked that question.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Rooplal talks about:

• The case for the bailout: The business rescue practitioners have already received R2.4-billion from government, while bailouts for the Post Office over the past decade amount to nearly R10-billion. Rooplal attempts to answer why this latest funding request is worth it.

• The current state of the Post Office: Rooplal outlines what the R2.4-billion tranche was used for and what the R3.8-billion request would do, if provided. He also details what the future state of the entity might look like and how, without much in terms of income, salaries are currently being paid.

• The need for a state-owned postal service: Even if national treasury were to agree to save the Post Office, does it have a place in a modern digital economy?

• External funding and asset sales: If the business case for the Post Office’s revival is so strong, why have the businesses rescue practitioners not sold or rationalised assets or gone to the open market for funding?

• Social grants and Post Bank: Rooplal explains what would happen to the many grant recipients processed via the Post Office should it not survive business rescue.

• Private sector partnerships: The department of communications & digital technologies in November issued a request for information seeking private sector partnership proposals. Rooplal explains the “chicken and egg” problem at the core those discussions.

• No more options: Chapter 6 of the Companies Act compels business rescue practitioners to file for liquidation if they see “no reasonable prospect” of rescue. Rooplal explains why he and his associate, Damons, are close to pulling the trigger.

Don’t miss the discussion!

Artificial intelligence isn’t just changing how work gets done, it’s rewriting the rules of business. Organisations are scrambling to redefine processes and job descriptions, while employees are grappling with new tools and new ways of thinking that are transforming the way they approach their daily tasks.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Antony Makins, acting CEO at TForge and chair of the special group on AI and robotics at the Institute of IT Professionals South Africa, unpacks the skills revolution unfolding alongside the AI one.

Makins delves into the patterns emerging across organisations and the broader labour market as AI adoption accelerates.

He also explores the mindset shift it’s imposing on the workforce, and which roles are being hit hardest by AI-driven changes to how we work.

He delves into the opportunities that exist despite the very real threat AI poses to jobs – and what government can do to create an enabling environment for workers to adapt to a labour market increasingly shaped by AI, machine learning and data analysis.

Don't miss it the conversation!

The fourth episode of TechCentral’s electric motoring show, Watts & Wheels, covers a packed news agenda, two vehicle reviews and an in-depth look at the 2026 South African Car of the Year semi-finalists.

The episode opens with the latest EV news, including fresh import duty statistics from Donald MacKay of XA Global Trade Advisors and a closer look at BAIC’s claims of local manufacturing – with the hosts questioning just how “made in South Africa” its vehicles really are, given a reported seven-to-one difference factor in jobs created.

Also in the news segment: Zero Carbon Charge's latest fundraising efforts, the launch of Uber Go Electric – a notably affordable option powered by Valternative – and the latest developments in autonomous driving technology.

The show features two review segments this week. First up is the Riddara RD6 electric bakkie, followed by a hands-on driving experience with one of Valternative’s electric Uber vehicles – Duncan McLeod plays Uber driver and gives a lift to a grumpy Prince William. The Valternative segment is complemented by an interview with the company’s CEO, Mahomed Jeewa, who discusses the firm’s ambitions in the electric ride-hailing space.

A major talking point is the announcement of the 2026 Car of the Year semi-finalists. The hosts run through the full list, highlighting the growing presence of Chinese brands among the contenders – a notable shift in a competition won last year by the BMW X3. They close by pondering who might take the 2026 Car of the Year crown.

The episode wraps up with the popular Hot or Not segment, in which the hosts give their verdicts on the Riddara, Uber Go Electric and the Volvo EX60, which has been confirmed for a South African launch later this year.

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South Africa’s automotive industry is in a state of flux. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, BMW Group South Africa CEO Peter van Binsbergen unpacks the challenges – and opportunities – facing a sector under pressure.

He tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the future of BMW’s Rosslyn manufacturing plant in Pretoria, which was established more than half a century ago, and the urgent need for new government policy to ensure the automotive industrial base in South Africa is future-fit and ready for the shift to electric mobility.

Van Binsbergen also discusses the rise of imported vehicles in the sales mix in South Africa – including the rapid expansion of Chinese brands. China is a market he knows well, having spent three years there with BMW.

In the interview, TechCentral Show viewers will also hear about:

• The state of the local automotive manufacturing industry;

• What South Africa needs to implement in policy reform to ensure the automotive industrial base in South Africa – and why this is urgent;

• How the country must adapt to the global shift to electric mobility;

• The role of BMW’s IT Hub in South Africa;

• BMW’s global EV strategy, and what that means for South African EV buyers; and

• BMW’s Neue Klasse vehicles, which run the company’s next-generation EV platform, and why they are significant to its future.

Don’t miss a fascinating discussion!

South Africa’s big three telecommunications operators have all reported numbers in recent weeks, and the theme is clear: competition in prepaid has intensified sharply.

Telkom’s resurgence has put pressure on both MTN and Vodacom, with MTN acknowledging it has “discernibly” lost prepaid market share.

This is one of the topics covered in this wide-ranging and exclusive TechCentral Show interview with MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita, who sat down earlier this week with TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod to discuss this and other major topics, including:

• The impact of online gambling on the telecoms sector;

• The need for further consolidation in South African telecoms, and why Mupita won’t completely rule out a deal with Telkom, provided the “stars align”;

• Vodacom’s acquisition of a co-controlling stake in Vumatel parent Maziv and how MTN will respond;

• The impact of low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity on the telecoms industry and how MTN plans to work with companies like SpaceX/Starlink and Amazon Leo – and whether he sees them as competitors or partners (or both);

• The spectacular turnaround in Nigeria and whether it’s durable;

• The future of MTN’s involvement in Iran, and the lessons learnt from the group’s exit from other Middle Eastern markets;

• Plans to shift MTN Group’s focus to East Africa in the coming years; and

• Why he’s fascinated by the impact that AI could have on telecoms in Africa.

Don’t miss a great discussion on the future of MTN and telecoms in Africa!