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How the refreshed labour force survey can transform workforce planning

Jackie Launder
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How the refreshed labour force survey can transform workforce planning

South Africa’s labour market has entered a new era of transparency. For the first time, Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) aligns with International Labour Organization (ILO) standards to paint a far more detailed picture of employment dynamics. Beyond headline unemployment figures, the Q3:2025 QLFS captures underemployment, potential labour force participants, and a more nuanced view of those outside the labour market, revealing millions of South Africans whose potential to contribute to the economy has previously gone unrecognised.

Individuals who are technically employed but working short hours, those available for work but not actively searching, and discouraged jobseekers previously misclassified as ‘not economically active’ represent significant, untapped human capital – and this new visibility is crucial for organisations seeking to understand the full spectrum of available talent.

The survey makes the scale of opportunity clear. Sector-level data highlights where the demand for labour is highest, showing significant employment growth in construction (+130,000), community and social services (+116,000), and trade (+108,000). In addition, the potential labour force grew by 230,000 to 4.53 million during the quarter. But despite these encouraging figures, the actual labour force fell by 112,000, the number of people outside the labour force increased to 16.9 million, and discouraged jobseekers rose by 36,000.

Artisans, technicians, and trade-skilled professionals remain in high demand, driven by infrastructure development, renewable energy expansion, and continued growth in healthcare, social services, and education. At the same time, digital fluency, critical thinking, and adaptability are increasingly essential across all sectors.

This evolving skills landscape reinforces the importance of strategic workforce planning and structured programmes such as work-integrated learning, internships, and targeted development pathways. With even tertiary education graduates struggling to enter the workforce, organisations have an opportunity to bridge the gap by providing entry-level opportunities that emphasise learning, mentorship, and exposure to real work, rather than requiring experience that is often difficult for students to obtain.

In practical terms, organisations that integrate these insights into their recruitment approach position themselves better to build and retain the workforce of the future.

Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) solutions align naturally with this deeper labour-market understanding, turning survey data into actionable strategies. Specialist providers bring market intelligence, sector-specific knowledge, and advanced sourcing capabilities directly into workforce planning, helping organisations to identify underutilised talent and engage with candidates who were previously not seen. RPO partners also provide structured visibility into talent pipelines, allowing businesses to map skills gaps, plan long-term workforce development initiatives, and maintain continuity even in volatile labour markets.

For example, in the technology and digital sectors, RPO expertise can identify high-potential graduates or career-switch candidates who have foundational skills and support them with rapid upskilling to meet sector demand. In trade and construction, RPO providers can design tailored sourcing campaigns that connect apprentices, artisans, and technicians with employers who are actively expanding their workforce. Similarly, in retail, logistics, and customer experience, RPO partners can create scalable programmes to ensure that entry-level talent is recruited efficiently, trained, and integrated, providing a steady stream of work-ready individuals aligned with organisational needs.

By leveraging analytics and benchmarking, RPO also optimises recruitment spend and improves placement quality, ensuring candidates are not only skilled but culturally aligned and capable of adapting to evolving business requirements. Over time, RPO-employer partnerships build sustainable talent pipelines that minimise time-to-hire, reduce attrition, and increase workforce agility. They also allow organisations to plan proactively for both labour surpluses and shortages, directly addressing the insights revealed by the survey.

The Q3:2025 QLFS represents a roadmap for strategic workforce planning. By combining survey-driven insights with specialist recruitment expertise, organisations can move beyond reactive hiring and deploy work-ready talent where it is most needed. This approach strengthens resilience, agility, and competitiveness while also making a measurable impact on bringing South Africa’s hidden and emerging workforce potential into the formal sector.

SIM fraud is not just a telecom issue, but an identity crisis for the entire financial ecosystem

Bradley Elliott
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SIM fraud is not just a telecom issue, but an identity crisis for the entire financial ecosystem

A SIM card is, effectively, a portable identity token. Once compromised, it gives attackers a back door into bank accounts, digital wallets, investment apps, and high-risk transactional environments. SIM swap fraud, identity impersonation and large-scale SIM-farm operations are no longer fringe problems, they are industrialised criminal enterprises.

The Communications Risk Information Centre 2025 Telecommunications Sector Report found that telecoms fraud, including SIM-swap, subscription, and identity fraud, cost South Africa around R5.3 billion in 2024. That figure reflects a broader truth: every SIM-based attack is an identity-based attack, and every identity-based breach cascades directly into AML, fraud, and financial crime risk.

The SIM card’s central role in identity verification (IDV) makes it an attractive target for sophisticated cyber and financial criminals. From SIM swap scams to plunder victims’ bank accounts to widespread identity impersonation campaigns, SIM-related crime continues to proliferate in South Africa and the rest of the world.

<<Sidebar>> “SIM crime is no longer a side-issue sitting at the edges of the financial system. It has become a central threat to identity integrity itself and therefore to the foundations of digital banking, payments, fintech, and regulatory compliance. And criminals understand this better than anyone,” says Bradley Elliott, CEO at RelyComply.

SIM cards have emerged as a vulnerability because we use them not only to access telecoms services, but also to authenticate ourselves to digital banking platforms and a range of other online services. SIM swaps remain one of the most dangerous cybercrimes that South Africans face.

This is when a criminal convinces your mobile network to transfer your phone number to a new SIM card in their possession, which they usually achieve using personal information stolen in a phishing attack or purchased on the dark web. This allows a criminal to intercept your calls and texts (including OTPs), so they can access your online accounts.

Elliott highlights, “A SIM card is, effectively, a portable identity token. Once compromised, it gives attackers a back door into bank accounts, digital wallets, investment apps, and high-risk transactional environments. Put plainly: the SIM card has become the weakest link in the identity chain.”

Under the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication Related Information Act (RICA), networks must register all SIM cards with users’ ID numbers and proof of address. But given how often South Africans swap out SIMs and the free availability of RICA-authorised SIMs at repair shops and informal trading shops, RICA has not stopped SIM crime.

Combatting SIM related crimes has become even harder with the advent of SIM farms, which are often cross-border operations run at massive scale. A SIM farm is a device that can house many SIM cards, effectively allowing criminals to industrialise identity impersonation campaigns behind prepaid or stolen SIMs.

Where businesses underestimate IDV

Each illegal SIM in circulation accounts for a counterfeit identity, opening risks for organisations and end-users. Businesses are especially susceptible to slipups using SMS-based OTPs for multi-factor authentications (MFA), with criminals using swapped SIMs to steal user data and funds through various apps.

What’s more, banks are spending tens of millions of rand annually on pricey SMS OTPs, managing the related false positives and failed deliveries, and dealing with know your customer (KYC) re-verification following SIM swaps. SMS-based MFA is simply not enough to outsmart identity thieves.

Elliott stresses that, “The industry’s dependency on SMS-based MFA has created a false sense of security. While OTPs play an important role, they are far too vulnerable to stand alone.”

  • While advanced deepfake attacks can bypass weaker biometric systems, strong smartphone security, like FaceID, makes it much harder for criminals to access a device or account, because the system checks that a real, live face matches. AI-based IDV can detect even sophisticated lighting or textual nuances to catch manipulated images, too.
  • Companies can use behavioural intelligence, based on digital data such as identities, transactional histories and typical online behaviours, to build a profile of end-users that criminals will find hard to replicate.
  • Push notification MFA can approve an action through a pre-registered device or app, without hinging on a vulnerable SMS network.
  • Other apps such as Google Authenticator or tools such as hardware keys are not affiliated with phone numbers and are less prone to SIM attacks.

“Modern identity verification needs to be layered, risk-based, and adaptive. These technologies exist. The problem is not capability. It’s coordination,” continues Elliott.

A call for cooperation

2FA and SMS OTPs are the backbone of digital authentication, but they’re also a flaw in the financial ecosystem’s armour against fincrime. Siloed know your customer (KYC) and IDV operations are a major reason for the vulnerability. When a SIM swap occurs, criminals can instantly access messaging platforms, impersonate victims, and solicit money from their contacts – making unified data intelligence essential. To seal the widening fraud gap, telcos, banks, insurers, regulators, government and social media operators such as WhatsApp must work together.

“Telcos know when SIM swaps occur. Banks know when high-risk transactions spike. Regulators see emerging patterns first. But these signals remain unshared or shared too slowly to matter. This is where RegTech needs to step in,” Elliott explains.

All accountable institutions should form a proactive compliance ecosystem that catches threats before they proliferate. This depends on cross-sector collaboration and strengthened frameworks for KYC and anti-money laundering (AML) compliance, despite variations in data privacy standards and rules.

Using technology to facilitate IDV is an obvious starting point for sharing data about suspect users and transactions between mobile networks, financial institutions, regulators and prosecutors. With users vetted instantly, customers can be onboarded fast and authorities can deal with any alerts. However, IDV is only one piece of the puzzle. Continuous monitoring of customer behaviour and transactions is needed to detect emerging risks, speed up investigations, and maintain full auditability.

A public education is also key. Users need to be educated about SIM crime, their role in safeguarding their identities and how to get help from service providers for help. Better education and leadership stems from compliant businesses and builds a greater network to combat SIM fraud.

“A SIM compromise is never just a telecom incident. It’s an AML incident. It’s a fraud incident. It’s a financial crime incident. Every weak link – every unverified identity, every siloed database, every unreported SIM swap – gives criminals a foothold. To reclaim identity integrity, the ecosystem must move as one,” concludes Elliott.

Cheese and stone fruit – a beautiful summer friendship

LnT Desk
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Cheese and stone fruit – a beautiful summer friendship

South African summers are made for good food with big flavour and freshness, and there are few pairings more effortlessly delicious than stone fruit and cheese. Juicy peaches, nectarines, and plums bring freshness, delicate aromas, natural sweetness and juiciness while cheese adds saltiness, creaminess and depth. Together, they meet in the middle – bright, balanced and versatile. It’s a friendship that works just as well in an uplifting salad as it does in a dessert, a taco, or a generous platter shared outdoors.

To celebrate the happy bond between stone fruit and cheese this summer, Juicy Delicious and Rediscover Dairy have teamed up to showcase a stunning collection of new recipes. Wilechia van der Westhuizen, spokesperson for Juicy Delicious and Hortgro Trade Development Manager says, “It’s a great time to make the most of both the versatility and the quality of our locally grown stone fruit. Peaches, nectarines and plums are at their peak of flavour and juiciness. But they bring more than that to your table. These summer favourites are also naturally rich in vitamins A and C, potassium and antioxidants, supporting hydration and everyday wellbeing in this hotter weather.”

Cheese, too, is packed with goodness. It’s an excellent source of high-quality protein, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins – nutrients that keep you fuelled during the active summer days, while adding those creamy, salty or tangy notes that make stone fruit truly shine. As Maretha Vermaak, Registered Dietitian at Rediscover Dairy says, “Dairy foods such as cheese play an important role in our diets, making it easier to get our recommended three servings of dairy a day. Cheese can help to support not just strong bones but also heart, gut and dental health. It’s also delicious and appeals to all ages. Paired with stone fruit, as in this recipe collection, you’re getting an even wider spectrum of nutrients to support the whole family’s health.”

This recipe collection celebrates that perfect harmony with four fresh summer recipes – each pairing stone fruit with local cheeses in its own delicious way:

JD_Roasted halloumi and grilled peach salad

Roasted halloumi and grilled peach salad – Halloumi’s salty bite and golden edges are the ideal match for smoky, caramelised peaches. Tossed with crisp greens and a shallot, honey-mustard dressing, it’s a salad that is both refreshing and deeply satisfying.

Soft-shell tacos with harissa yoghurt chicken, stone fruit salsa and feta – These tacos deliver sunshine in every bite – juicy grilled chicken marinated in harissa yoghurt, a bright salsa of chopped stone fruit which works its magic with the creaminess of feta. A green yoghurt dressing ties it all together, balancing heat, freshness and richness.

JD_Soft-shell tacos with harissa yoghurt chicken

Stone fruit galette with goat’s cheese, cream cheese and honey – Nectarines and plums bake down into soft, jammy pockets of flavour, balanced by the gentle tang of goat’s cheese within the pastry. Cream cheese forms a succulent layer over the base, while a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of thyme on top finishes off this rustic dessert – perfect for summer afternoons or to round off a braai.

The summer of ’25 stone fruit and cheese platter
A generous board of six selected South African cheeses, including cheddar and Gouda, are paired with fresh plum slices, grilled nectarines and luscious peach and ginger compote. Adding Parma ham, olives and crostini makes for an easy, crowd-pleasing centrepiece at a braai, picnic or a party.

Cheese and stone fruit – a beautiful summer friendship
JD_summer stone fruit and cheese platter

The good choice of wine to accompany any of these recipes is the Beau Constantia Pas de Nom Rosé. A harmonious blend of Syrah and Mataro, it offers a fine line of acidity, supple tannins and layers of juicy fruit. Mataro brings delicate aromas of dusty wild strawberries and raspberry with a subtle peppery edge, while the Syrah adds purity, depth and a lingering complexity. A rosé like this is one of the best wines to pair with both stone fruit and cheese – its acidity cuts through the creamy textures of cheese and its bright fruit amplifies the sweetness of stone fruit.

This summer, showcase the beautiful friendship of stone fruit and cheese at your table. It’s a pairing that always works brilliantly, whether you’re cooking for a crowd, sharing a romantic meal for two, or enjoying some me-time in the garden shade.

Follow @juicydelicioussa on Instagram or visit www.juicydelicious.co.za

Follow @rediscoverdairy on Instagram or visit www.rediscoverdairy.co.za

Unwrap The Ultimate Mzansi Festive Binge Guide for 2025 With Disney+

LnT Desk
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Unwrap The Ultimate Mzansi Festive Binge Guide for 2025 With Disney+

This December, Disney+ is bringing the ultimate festive cheer with a handpicked mix of holiday classics, brand-new Originals, and beloved favourites for the whole family! From timeless laughs with Home Alone and action with Die Hard, to heartwarming romances like The Holiday and Last Christmas, magical adventures including The Nutcracker and Lilo & Stitch, and even a touch of fun with The Nightmare Before Christmas, there’s something for every festive mood. Fans of hit series can catch up on favourites like The Santa Clauses, The Bear, Only Murders in the Building, Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2, and blockbusters like Fantastic Four: First Steps, while fresh Originals like An Almost Christmas Story, Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road, and A Very Jonas Christmas add new holiday traditions. Whether staying home, travelling, or keeping cool indoors, Disney+ offers a lifetime of great stories across Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and Hulu, perfect for kids, families, and fans of every kind of entertainment.

An Almost Christmas Story

TX: Currently Streaming

“An Almost Christmas Story” follows Moon, a curious young owl who unexpectedly finds himself stuck in a Christmas tree destined for Rockefeller Plaza. In his attempts to escape the bustling city, Moon befriends a lost little girl named Luna. Together, they embark on a heartwarming adventure, discovering the magic of the holiday season and forming an unlikely bond as they journey back home to their parents.

A Very Jonas Christmas

TX: Currently Streaming

The Jonas Brothers close out their tour with a massive show in London, and all they want is to get back home to spend Christmas with their respective families. As Kevin, Joe, and Nick encounter a series of missed connections and escalating obstacles, their brotherly bond is tested. All three brothers have been grappling with their roles in the band: Kevin longs to try something new, Joe reconnects with someone from his past, and Nick feels the weight of decision making responsibilities. As they encounter setback after setback trying to get home before the holiday, the brothers learn to tap into the Christmas spirit and reconnect with each other in this family movie, featuring brand new original songs and special celebrity guests.

Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road

TX: Currently Streaming

Long ago, on Christmas Eve, a baby was abandoned in the snow. Today, Ruby Sunday meets the Doctor, goblins, stolen babies, and perhaps, the secret of her birth.

Die Hard 1

TX: Currently Streaming

Facing Christmas 3,000 miles from his estranged wife and two children, New York policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) flies to Los Angeles bearing presents and hoping to patch up his marriage. Stylish and cool Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) is in Los Angeles as well for the holiday season, but he’s not there to give out presents. He’s there to take: more than $600 million in negotiable bearer bonds from the multinational Nakatomi Corporation, where McClane’s wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) is an executive. When the takeover becomes hostile, it’s up to John McClane to take on the terrorists with all the grit and determination he can muster–but not without a sense of humour.

Die Hard 2

TX: Currently Streaming

John McClane is forced to battle mercenaries who seize control of an airport’s communications and threaten to cause plane crashes if their demands are not met.

Home Alone 

TX: Currently Streaming

Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister has become the man of the house, overnight! Accidentally left behind when his family rushes off on a Christmas vacation, Kevin gets busy decorating the house for the holidays. But he’s not decking the halls with tinsel and holly. Two bumbling burglars are trying to break in, and Kevin’s rigging a bewildering battery of booby traps to welcome them!

Home Alone 2: Lost In New York

TX: Currently Streaming

Kevin McCallister is in New York City with enough money to turn the Big Apple into his own playground! But Kevin won’t be alone for long. The notorious Wet Bandits, Harry and Marv, still smarting from their last encounter with Kevin, are bound for New York too, plotting a huge holiday heist. Kevin’s ready to welcome them with a battery of booby traps the bumbling bandits will never forget!

Fantastic Four: First Steps

TX: Currently Streaming

Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios’ “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” introduces Marvel’s First Family — Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch and Ben Grimm/The Thing — as they face a daunting challenge. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer.

FX’s All’s Fair

TX: Currently Streaming

A team of female divorce attorneys leave a male-dominated firm to open their own powerhouse practice. Fierce, brilliant, and emotionally complicated, they navigate high-stakes breakups, scandalous secrets, and shifting allegiances—both in the courtroom and within their own ranks. In a world where money talks and love is a battleground, these women don’t just play the game—they change it.

FX’s The Bear

TX: Currently Streaming

FX’s new comedy series The Bear is about food, family, the insanity of the grind, the beauty of Sense of Urgency and the steep slippery downsides. As the young chef Carmy fights to transform both The Original Beef of Chicagoland and himself, he works alongside a rough-around-the-edges kitchen crew that ultimately reveal themselves as his chosen family.

Last Christmas

TX: Currently Streaming

From director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) and Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Emma Thompson (Bridget Jones’s Baby) comes a heartfelt romantic comedy inspired by the unforgettable music of George Michael. Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) stars as Kate, who works as an elf at a year-round holiday shop. Kate faces an endless streak of bad luck and poor decision-making until she meets Tom (Henry Golding, Crazy Rich Asians), a kind-hearted man with a mysterious past who challenges her cynical world view. It seems like nothing can keep this mismatched couple together, but sometimes you gotta listen to your heart…and you gotta have faith.

Lilo & Stitch

TX: Currently Streaming

Experience this wildly funny and touching live-action reimagining of Disney’s beloved animated classic. When a lonely girl named Lilo adopts Stitch, a rambunctious alien “puppy,” Stitch helps to mend Lilo’s broken family — but not without wreaking hilarious havoc and mischievous fun on the Hawaiian Islands.

Miracle on 34th Street

TX: Currently Streaming

Six year old Susan has doubts about childhood’s most enduring miracle Santa Claus. Her mother told her the “secret” about Santa a long time ago, so Susan doesn’t expect to receive the most important gifts on her Christmas list. But after meeting a special department store Santa who’s convinced he’s the real thing, Susan is given the most precious gift of all something to believe in.           

Olaf’s Frozen Adventure

TX: Currently Streaming

It’s the first holiday season since the gates reopened, and Anna and Elsa host a celebration for all of Arendelle. When the townspeople unexpectedly leave early to enjoy their individual holiday customs, the sisters realize they have no family traditions of their own. So Olaf sets out to comb the kingdom to bring home the best traditions and save this first Christmas for his friends.

Only Murders in the Building

TX: Currently Streaming

Only Murders In The Building follows three strangers who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one as they investigate the mysterious death of a neighbour in their New York City apartment building.

Percy Jackson and The Olympians Season 2

TX: 10 December

After Camp Half-Blood’s border is attacked, Percy Jackson sets off on an epic odyssey into the Sea of Monsters in search of his best friend Grover and the one thing that may save camp – the Golden Fleece. With help from Annabeth, Clarisse, and cyclops Tyson, Percy’s survival is key to stopping Luke, the Titan Kronos and their impending plan to bring down Olympus.

The Family Stone

TX: Currently Streaming

The Family Stone is a comic story about the annual holiday gathering of a New England family, the Stones. The eldest son brings his girlfriend home to meet his parents, brothers and sisters. The bohemian Stones greet their visitor – a high-powered, controlling New Yorker – with a mix of awkwardness, confusion and hostility. Before the holiday is over, relationships will unravel while new ones are formed, secrets will be revealed, and the family Stone will come together through its extraordinary capacity for love.

Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas

TX: Currently Streaming

Discover the true meaning of the holiday season with this live-action adaptation of the beloved classic. Why is The Grinch such a grouch? No one seems to know, until little Cindy Lou Who takes matters into her own hands and turns both Whoville and the Grinch’s world upside down, inside out…and funny side up.

The Holiday

TX: Currently Streaming

Cameron Diaz and Academy Award®-winner Kate Winslet star as two women who have just survived bad bouts of man trouble just before the holidays. Desperate for a change of scene, they swap houses and travel in different directions (Diaz to London, Winslet to Los Angeles), each finds herself alone in an unfamiliar town, but neither remains a stranger in her new surroundings for long. The all-star cast includes Jude Law, Jack Black, Eli Wallach, Ed Burns and Rufus Sewell. From writer-director Nancy Meyers.

The Nutcracker

TX: Currently Streaming

On Christmas Eve a young girl named Clara wants to stay up to play with her Nutcracker doll, but she must go to bed. After everyone has retired, she sneaks downstairs to be with her doll, falls asleep and dreams a magical dream: Clara is kidnapped by a Mouse King, but her Nutcracker doll–now a dashing prince–rescues her.

The Simpsons

TX: Currently Streaming

This beloved animated comedy tells the story of the Simpson family and the residents of the typical American town of Springfield. Homer Simpson works at the local nuclear plant, and does his best to lead his family, but often finds that they are leading him. Living with Homer at 742 Evergreen Terrace is loving, blue-haired matriarch Marge, troublemaking son Bart, overachieving daughter Lisa and pacifier-sucking baby Maggie.

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

TX: Currently Streaming

Bored with the same old scare-and-scream routine, Pumpkin King Jack Skellington longs to spread the joy of Christmas. But his merry mission puts Santa in jeopardy and creates a nightmare for good little boys and girls everywhere!

While You Were Sleeping

TX: Currently Streaming

You’ll fall in love with While You Were Sleeping, the hit romantic comedy that woke everyone up to adorable Sandra Bullock. As Lucy, a lonely subway worker, she becomes smitten with a handsome stranger (Peter Gallagher). But when she saves his life after he’s been mugged and fallen into a coma, his hilariously offbeat family mistakes her for his fiancée! Soon, the mix ups escalate as Lucy fabricates a life between herself and a man she’s never met! And when Lucy falls for his charming brother (Bill Pullman) the situation really gets uproarious – as she’s forced to make a choice between the two!

Available from R49 (mobile) and R159 (premium) per month, Disney+ also features robust parental controls to ensure a safe, magical festive season for everyone.

Jacaranda FM’s Flagship Breakfast and Drive Shows Triumph with Three Feel-Good Wins at the 2025 Telkom Radio Awards

LnT Desk
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Jacaranda FM’s Flagship Breakfast and Drive Shows Triumph with Three Feel-Good Wins at the 2025 Telkom Radio Awards

Jacaranda FM, South Africa’s beloved multi-award-winning radio station, has once again proven its excellence in broadcasting by securing multiple accolades at the 2025 Telkom Radio Awards, held on 6 December at the Sandton Convention Centre. The station took home an impressive three awards, including wins for both its flagship Breakfast and Drive shows.

This year, Jacaranda FM walked away with wins in the following categories:

  • Breakfast Show Presenter: Martin Bester
  • Afternoon Drive Show: The Drive With Rob & Roz
  • Multi Channel Promotion: The Dad Band on Breakfast with Martin Bester

These wins further solidify Jacaranda FM’s reputation as South Africa’s most dynamic, audience-focused, and feel-good broadcast platform, one powered by some of the country’s best radio talent and an unwavering commitment to delivering top-tier content, engaging programming, and meaningful community impact.

The recognition speaks to the station’s dedication to creating moments that genuinely resonate across on-air, digital, and community spaces. From high-energy entertainment and impactful storytelling to critical community projects and digital innovation, Jacaranda FM continues to lead with purpose and positivity.

Vuyani Dombo, Managing Director of Jacaranda FM, says the recognition is a testament to the entire team’s passion and hard work. “We’re incredibly proud of these wins, particularly because they acknowledge the impact of our flagship breakfast and drive shows. Our presenters and producers pour so much heart, creativity, and commitment into delivering the feel-good moments our listeners connect with every day. These awards are a wonderful reminder of what’s possible when a team is united by purpose and passion. We’re energised by this achievement and excited for what’s still to come.”

The Telkom Radio Awards celebrate the best in South African radio, recognising stations and individuals who excel in creativity, production, and audience engagement. Jacaranda FM’s success at this year’s event builds on its legacy of excellence and sets the stage for even greater achievements in the years to come.

 

Why 2026 Will Be the Year of the Super App in Emerging Markets

André de Wet, Co-Founder and CEO of Flood
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Why 2026 Will Be the Year of the Super App in Emerging Markets

Every generation inherits a different kind of economy. For my generation in South Africa, we’re witnessing something remarkable: The birth of a platform-driven digital economy that could do for today’s entrepreneurs what factories once did for previous generations. As we approach 2026, I believe we’re standing at the threshold of the super-app revolution in emerging markets, and Africa is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation.

The South African digital economy’s foundation is already built

The numbers tell a compelling story. The South African digital economy, as example, has experienced immense growth, with ecommerce surging from just 1% to nearly 10% of all retail sales in five years. This isn’t just growth but a fundamental shift in how South Africans buy, sell, and connect.

But here’s what most people miss: This is just the beginning.

While ecommerce in South Africa has proven that digital commerce works, we’re still operating in silos. Consumers juggle multiple apps for payments, ordering, banking and logistics and small business owners struggle with fragmented solutions that don’t talk to each other. This fragmentation creates friction, limits growth and excludes millions from participating fully in the digital economy.

Super-apps solve this problem by consolidating multiple services into a single, seamless platform. Think of WeChat in China or Grab in Southeast Asia, but designed specifically for African markets and challenges – and built to be a discovery layer that connects people, products, services and businesses in one place.

High mobile penetration meets low formal infrastructure

South Africa presents the ideal conditions for super-app adoption. We have high mobile penetration but relatively low formal infrastructure. This isn’t a disadvantage – it’s our competitive advantage. While developed markets are constrained by legacy systems and established players, emerging markets can leapfrog directly to platform-based solutions.

Consider the MSMEs in South Africa that represent an estimated R900 billion untapped market in our townships. Around 80% of these businesses operate informally, relying heavily on cash transactions and lacking access to digital infrastructure, and traditional banks and financial institutions have struggled to serve this market profitably.

Super-apps change this equation entirely. By digitising how these businesses are found, accessed and transacted with, super-apps turn offline, invisible traders into visible, connected participants in the digital economy.

At Flood, we’ve seen firsthand how the right platform can transform informal businesses overnight. Our spaza shop owners and township traders don’t need separate apps for inventory management, payments, ordering and financing. They need one platform that understands their world and works within their constraints.

Why 2026 is the tipping point

Six factors converge to make 2026 the breakthrough year for super-apps in emerging markets:

  1. Infrastructure maturity: Mobile networks have reached the reliability and speed needed for complex, multi-service platforms. 5G rollout will accelerate this further, enabling real-time transactions and rich user experiences even in previously underserved areas.
  2. User behaviour evolution: The pandemic accelerated digital adoption by years, not months. Users are now comfortable with mobile-first services and expect integrated experiences. The learning curve has been overcome.
  3. Regulatory clarity: Governments across Africa are establishing clearer frameworks for digital financial services, creating the regulatory certainty needed for large-scale platform investment.
  4. Capital availability: International investors increasingly recognise Africa’s potential. The funding needed to build and scale super-apps is becoming available to the right teams with the right vision.
  5. Competitive landscape: Traditional financial institutions are still thinking in product silos rather than platform ecosystems. This creates a window of opportunity for nimble, platform-native companies to establish market leadership.
  6. Rapid growth of mobile wallets and digital payments: Mobile wallets are becoming the default way to transact, accelerating the shift away from cash. M-Pesa alone now processes over $300 billion annually for more than 60 million users. This widespread adoption of digital payments – and the rewards, convenience and security that come with them – sets the stage for super-apps to unify digital discovery, commerce and payments in one seamless ecosystem.

The Flood approach: Built for African realities

At Flood, we’re not trying to copy Asian super-app models – we’re building something uniquely African. Our platform addresses the specific needs of informal traders, spaza shop owners and township SMEs who have been largely ignored by traditional financial services.

Our approach recognises that MSMEs in South Africa need more than just digital payments. They need inventory management, supplier connections, customer relationship tools and access to credit but critically, they also need digital discovery. Being visible on digital platforms is now as essential as having a physical shopfront. MSMEs must be easily found by customers searching online, and those digital touchpoints must drive real, physical engagement with their stores.

Flood brings these capabilities together in a single, intuitive platform that makes merchants discoverable and connected across both digital and physical environments. The results speak for themselves: Our users report significant improvements in business efficiency, access to new customers and financial stability.

What banks, telcos and fintechs must do now

The super-app revolution will happen with or without traditional financial institutions. The question is whether they’ll be participants or casualties. Here’s what they need to do:

  • Embrace platform thinking: Stop thinking about individual products and start thinking about ecosystems. Your customers don’t want another banking app, they want a platform that solves multiple problems seamlessly.
  • Partner, don’t compete: The winners will be those who recognise that super-apps are about orchestration, not ownership. Banks have regulatory licenses and capital; telcos have distribution and customer relationships; fintechs have agility and innovation. The magic happens when these strengths combine.
  • Invest in digital skills development: The digital economy in South Africa requires new capabilities. Traditional institutions must upskill their teams and embrace platform-native thinking.
  • Focus on inclusion: The biggest opportunity lies in serving the previously underserved. Super-apps that crack the code on digital discovery will capture the largest markets and create the most value.

The 18-month window

I believe we have an 18-month window to establish market leadership in the African super-app space. By mid-2026, the winners will be clear, and the barriers to entry will be significantly higher. This isn’t just about technology – it’s about understanding local markets, building trust with informal businesses and creating network effects that become self-reinforcing.

The transformation won’t happen overnight, but it will happen faster than most people expect. We’re already seeing early adopters embrace platform-based solutions. As these platforms prove their value and word spreads through communities, adoption will accelerate exponentially.

The future is being built here

The future isn’t somewhere else, it’s being built right here, in the hands of South African entrepreneurs ready to connect, create and compete. 2026 will be remembered as the year super-apps moved from experiment to essential infrastructure in emerging markets. The question isn’t whether this transformation will happen, it’s whether we’ll lead it or follow it.

At Flood, we’re committed to leading. We’re building the platform that will power the next generation of African entrepreneurs, and we’re doing it with the urgency and ambition this moment demands.

The super app revolution is coming. The only question is: Are you ready?

For more information on Flood, visit https://flood.finance

Vertiv Completes Acquisition of PurgeRite, Expanding Leadership in Liquid Cooling Services

LnT Desk
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Vertiv Completes Acquisition of PurgeRite, Expanding Leadership in Liquid Cooling Services

 Vertiv Holdings Co (NYSE: VRT), a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, has announced the successful completion of its previously reported intent to acquire Purge Rite Intermediate LLC (“PurgeRite”), a leading provider of mechanical flushing, purging and filtration services for data centres and other mission-critical facilities. The approximately $1.0 billion acquisition enhances Vertiv’s thermal management services capabilities and strengthens its position as a global leader in next-generation thermal chain services for liquid cooling systems.

“We are excited to officially welcome PurgeRite to Vertiv, expanding to deepen our fluid management services capabilities,” said Gio Albertazzi, CEO at Vertiv. “PurgeRite’s specialised expertise in fluid management services complements our existing portfolio and enhances our ability to provide end-to-end product and service support for customers’ high-density computing and AI applications where efficient thermal management is critical to performance and reliability.”

High-performance computing (HPC) and the AI factories require liquid cooling technology to operate, and it is crucial to deploy and maintain clean fluid loops to maximise cooling performance. Achieving this starts with optimal flow at commissioning by establishing ultra-clean, air-free, chemically stable coolant, and preserving that balance to maintain performance throughout the system’s lifecycle.

The integration of PurgeRite’s capabilities with Vertiv’s existing thermal management portfolio is expected to offer significant customer benefits, including enhanced system performance through improved heat transfer and equipment efficiency, reduced risk of downtime through operational excellence, and expanded service scale supporting global operations with consistent quality.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, PurgeRite has established itself as an industry leader in mechanical flushing, purging, and filtration for mission-critical data centre applications, including strong relationships with hyperscalers and Tier 1 colocation providers. It brings engineering expertise, proprietary technologies and the ability to scale to meet the needs of challenging data centre schedules, enabling complex liquid cooling applications across the thermal chain from chillers to coolant distribution units (CDUs). The company’s services will join forces with Vertiv’s existing liquid cooling offerings to deliver end-to-end thermal management solutions from facility to room and row to rack.

For more information about Vertiv’s portfolio of solutions, visit Vertiv.com.

Mentoring the Next Generation: From Kitchen Novices to Star Chefs

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Mentoring the Next Generation: From Kitchen Novices to Star Chefs

In the high-pressure world of professional kitchens, talent alone is never enough. Young chefs rely on mentorship; real, hands-on and shoulder-to-shoulder guidance to develop discipline, creativity and the resilience that the industry demands, an approach that remains a cornerstone of culinary training globally. For Executive Chef Kerry Kilpin, who leads the teams at Steenberg’s Tryn and Bistro Sixteen82, mentorship isn’t an optional extra. It is the beating heart of her culinary philosophy and the thread that has shaped her own journey.

“If it weren’t for mentors, none of us would be where we are,” she says. “Cooking schools provide the foundation, but nothing replaces real-life experience. That’s where chefs are truly made.” Today, Kerry heads two of the Cape’s most sought-after dining destinations while nurturing a pipeline of young culinarians who find opportunities and purpose under her guidance.

Kerry’s own journey is rooted in mentorship. She credits renowned chef Franck Dangereux, whom she worked with for more than 12 years at La Colombe and The Foodbarn, as the defining influence in her career. “That’s where my shaping happened and where my journey really began,” she says. “The way I mentor now is a direct reflection of what I learnt by working beside him for so many years.”

This deep appreciation for mentorship has become foundational to the kitchen culture she has built at Steenberg.

Kerry hosts six to seven culinary students at any given time, a constant rotation that ensures opportunities for both growth and learning. But at Steenberg, mentorship is not limited to interns or culinary-school students only.

“There are people who come into the kitchen with no qualifications at all,” she explains. “Some start in the scullery, move into junior roles, and grow through the ranks. We’ve built a culture of promoting from within.” In Kerry’s view, the most important ingredient is not experience. It is attitude. “Skills can be taught. A hunger to learn, humility, and a strong work ethic are far more important.”

This approach has shaped chefs who have grown into pillars of the Steenberg culinary team. Senior Chef de Partie Nandi Swartbooi, who first joined as a commis chef in 2015, is one such success story. Another is Mbali Mkize, now Sous Chef at Tryn, who began her journey in 2016 as a commis chef and steadily worked her way through the ranks through dedication, talent, and consistent mentorship.

While nurturing young chefs, Kerry also upholds Steenberg’s exacting standards. The kitchen operates under a clear hierarchy, much like a school. For example, the executive chef is the principal, the head chef the deputy, sous chefs are the grade heads, and chef de parties and commis chefs are the teachers and assistants. Each level guides and checks the one below it, ensuring that every dish is carefully reviewed and perfected before it leaves the pass. This layered approach not only maintains Steenberg’s high standards but also creates a space where young chefs can learn, grow, and rise through the ranks with confidence.

“Young chefs need room to grow, but they also need structure,” she says. “That balance is what makes a professional kitchen work.”

Kerry identifies one universal challenge among young chefs: the fear of asking for help. “A strong chef will always ask. A weak one won’t,” she says simply. “In this environment, you cannot do it alone.” Whether the hesitancy stems from intimidation, insecurity, or overconfidence, Kerry makes it clear: collaboration is non-negotiable.
“You can’t plate 20 dishes alone. Teamwork is the backbone of success.” Her message becomes a mantra in the kitchen: “No question is a stupid question.”

Creativity at Steenberg often starts with something unexpected: staff meals. “Staff food is where passion reveals itself. When chefs cook for one another, that’s where you see their flair, their influences and their imagination.”
At Tryn, senior chefs also have full creative control over the amuse-bouche, presenting ideas to Kerry for tasting and refinement.

Menu development is collaborative, with brainstorming sessions that might produce a flood of ideas or none. “Sometimes the idea doesn’t work on the intended dish but works beautifully on another. That is why collaboration is so important.”

Resilience, Kerry believes, comes from leadership by example, consistency, and care. She ensures predictable schedules and invests in comfortable, well-equipped facilities, including an air-conditioned staff canteen where her team can truly relax and refuel. The staff meals are a cornerstone of this approach. Chefs are encouraged to eat well during their shifts, take proper breaks, and enjoy the creative, delicious dishes they prepare for one another. “It’s a tough industry, and you must look after your team. A happy chef equals happy guests,” Kerry says. Beyond food, she fosters a culture of wellness, respect and celebration from supporting each other’s growth to honouring birthdays with personalised cakes and creating a nurturing environment where everyone feels valued.

As a woman leading two top-tier restaurants while raising two children, Kerry hopes her journey inspires others.

“You can be a mother, run two restaurants, and still live a full life. I want young female chefs to see that it’s possible.”

Her advice to aspiring culinary talent is clear! “You must love it. If you don’t love it to your core, it will be too hard. But if you do, it will be the most rewarding path imaginable.”

Data Reveals SA Teacher Numbers To Drop Below 360,000 by 2030

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Data Reveals SA Teacher Numbers To Drop Below 360,000 by 2030

New data analysis released by Teneo School, South Africa’s leading online school, predicts that the country’s public teaching workforce is on track to contract to fewer than 360,000 educators by 2030. This projected decline represents a critical “demographic collapse” that will leave the education system with a deficit of over 50,000 teachers despite a growing learner population.

While global headlines are currently dominated by the UK’s debate over a “four-day school week” to solve teacher fatigue, Teneo School warns that South Africa’s crisis is far more mathematical. The problem is not just that teachers are tired; it is that they are leaving the system faster than they can be replaced.

The “2030 Cliff” Calculation

Teneo School’s analysis draws on payroll data and demographic modelling from Stellenbosch University (ReSEP), which indicates that 49% of publicly employed teachers are currently aged 50 or older.

“We have crunched the numbers, and the trajectory is alarming,” says Lientje Pelser, Head of Academic Phases at Teneo School. “With nearly half the workforce set to retire within the next decade, and budget freezes limiting the absorption of new graduates, we are predicting a net loss of experienced educators that will see the national headcount drop below 360,000 by 2030. A four-day work week cannot solve a shortage of this magnitude; we are moving past ‘burnout’ into a full-blown capacity crisis.”

The Real Enemy: The “Paperwork Tsunami”

The analysis highlights that for the remaining workforce to survive this shortage, the current operational model of schooling must change. South African teachers currently spend up to 50% of their time on non-teaching administrative tasks, including manual attendance, behaviour tracking, and data entry.

Teneo School argues that the “four-day week” debate is a distraction from the only viable solution: Automation.

“If we are going to have fewer teachers in 2030, the teachers we do have cannot be wasting half their day acting as filing clerks,” continues Pelser. “The only way to maintain educational standards with a shrinking workforce is to use technology as a force multiplier.”

The Teneo School Solution: A Zero-Admin Future

Teneo’s Smart School System™ has emerged as a blueprint for this necessary shift. By utilising their proprietary schooling ecosystem to automate the “heavy lifting” of school administration, Teneo School has successfully decoupled teaching from paperwork.

  • Automated Tracking: Attendance and learner engagement are tracked digitally in real-time, removing the need for manual registers.

  • Data-Driven Instruction: Grading analytics allows teachers to focus on intervening and supporting students rather than marking piles of paper.

  • Retention Impact: By removing the “admin tax” on teachers’ time, Teneo School aims to reverse the industry trend where 50% of educators are considering quitting, offering a role where teachers can focus most of their energy on instruction.

Methodology

 The “Fewer than 360,000” Projection (Teneo School Calculation). This figure projects a net contraction of the current teaching workforce (~410,000) based on two factors:

  • The Outflow: Data from Stellenbosch University (ReSEP) confirms 49% of teachers are aged 50+, creating a retirement wave peaking in 2029.

  • The Deficit: With provincial budget cuts limiting the absorption of new graduates to replace these retirees 1-for-1, Teneo models a net loss of ~50,000 experienced educators by 2030.

About Teneo School

Teneo School is South Africa’s leading online school, educating over 5,000 learners from Grade R to 12. Powered by its proprietary Smart School System™, Teneo combines expert teaching with intelligent technology to deliver provably better results for every child, of any ability.

Learners improve their marks by an average of +12% in the first year and +25% by year four, with more than 3,500 successful matriculants to date.

The Smart School System™ tracks progress in real time, identifies gaps early, and enables teachers to step in with targeted support while keeping parents informed through timely insights and updates.

Teneo School is proud to be officially ranked the #1 top rated School on Hellopeter, recognised by South African families for exceptional support, innovation, and learner outcomes.

Teneo School, was awarded Best Online & Home Schooling Education Resource 2025 – South Africa at the MEA Business Awards 2025, recognising its pioneering use of smart technology and data insights to deliver measurable academic improvement for learners of all abilities. With more than 5,000 learners, Teneo offers a wide range of fully accredited curriculum options, including the South African CAPS Curriculum, IEB and SACAI Matric pathways, and the British International Curriculum (Pearson Edexcel). Learners have the flexibility to study in both English and Afrikaans through live online lessons, hybrid learning, or recorded classes, all designed to fit their individual needs and goals — whether preparing for local tertiary study or global opportunities.

How AI levels the playing field for SMEs

Linda Saunders
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How AI levels the playing field for SMEs

In many small businesses, the owner often starts out as the bookkeeper, the customer-service desk, the IT technician and the person who steps in when a delivery goes wrong. With so many balls up in the air – and such little room for error – one dropped ball can derail the entire day and trigger a chain of problems that’s hard to recover from. Unlike larger companies that have the luxury of spreading the load across dedicated teams and systems, SMEs carry it all on a few shoulders.

South Africa’s SME sector carries significant weight, contributing around 19% of GDP and a third of formal employment, according to the latest available Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) 2024 review. That is causing persistent constraints, including tight margins, erratic demand, high administrative load, and limited internal capacity.

This is not unique to South Africa. Many smaller businesses across the continent still rely on manual processes. It is common to find sales records kept separately from customer notes, or inventory data that is updated only occasionally. The result is slow turnaround times, duplicated effort and a lack of visibility across the business. Given that SMEs have such a huge influence on national economies, accounting for over 90% of all businesses, between 20-40% of GDP in some African countries, and a major source of employment, providing around 80% of jobs, these operational constraints have a broad impact on economies.

What has changed in recent years is that digital tools once seen as the preserve of larger companies have become more attainable for smaller operators. They do not remove the structural challenges SMEs face, but they can ease the load. Better systems do not replace judgement, experience or customer relationships; they simply give small companies more room to work with.

Cloud-based systems, automation and integrated customer-management tools have become more affordable and easier to deploy. They do not remove the structural pressures facing small businesses, but they can ease the operational load and create more space for productive work.

 

Doing more with the teams SMEs already have

Small teams often end up wearing several hats. One person might take customer calls, update stock records, handle service issues and manage follow-ups. When demand rises, these manual processes become harder to sustain. Local surveys regularly point to this strain, showing that smaller companies spend significant portions of the week on paperwork, compliance and routine administrative tasks – work that adds little value but cannot be ignored.

This is where automation is proving useful. Routine tasks such as onboarding new customers, checking documents, routing queries to the right person, logging interactions and sending follow-ups can now run quietly in the background. In larger companies, whole departments handle this work. In small businesses, the same burden has traditionally fallen on one or two people. When these processes run reliably without constant attention, a business with 10 employees can manage busier periods without rushed outsourcing or slipping service standards.

The point is not to replace staff, but to reduce the operational drag that limits what small teams can deliver. Structured workflows give SMEs a level of steadiness they have rarely had the time or money to build themselves.

Using better data to make better decisions

A second constraint facing SMEs is disorganised information. When customer details are lost in email, sales notes in chat groups, stock figures in spreadsheets and queries in separate systems, decisions depend on whatever information happens to be at hand. Forecasting becomes guesswork, and early warning signs are easy to miss.

Putting all this information in a single place changes the quality of decision-making. When sales, service and stock data can be viewed together, patterns become easier to spot: which products are moving, which customers are becoming less active, where delays tend to occur, and which periods consistently drive higher demand.

Importantly, SMEs do not need corporate analytics teams for this. Modern CRM platforms can organise information automatically and surface basic trends. For retailers preparing for 2026, this can help avoid over – or under – stocking. For service businesses, it can highlight customers who may be at risk of leaving, prompting earlier intervention. In competitive markets, having clearer information is a practical advantage.

Building a foundation before the pressure arrives

Rapid growth can be as destabilising for SMEs as an economic downturn. When orders increase, manual processes quickly reach their limit. Errors are more likely, staff become overwhelmed and the customer experience suffers. Many small businesses only upgrade their systems once these problems appear, by which time the cost, both financial and reputational, is already significant.

Putting basic workflow tools and a unified customer record in place early provides a useful buffer. Tasks follow the same steps every time, reducing inconsistency. Customers reach the right person more quickly. Staff spend less time checking or re-entering information and more time on work that matters. These small operational gains compound over time, especially during busy periods.

This is not about chasing every new technology. It is about avoiding a common pattern in the SME sector: when demand rises, systems buckle, and growth becomes more difficult.

Confidence matters as much as capability

Smaller companies understandably worry about risk when adopting new systems. Data protection, monitoring and compliance can feel daunting without an IT department. The advantage of modern platforms is that many of these protections, like encryption, audit trails, and event monitoring, are built in. Transparent design also helps SMEs understand how automated decisions are made and how customer data is handled.

This reassurance is important because SMEs should not have to choose between improving their operations and protecting their customers’ information.

2026 will reward readiness

Technology will not replace the qualities that give SMEs their edge: personal service, flexibility and the ability to respond quickly to customer needs. What it can do is relieve the administrative load that prevents those strengths from being fully used.

SMEs that invest in simple automation and better data practices now will enter 2026 with greater capacity and clearer insight. They won’t be competing with larger companies by matching their resources, but by removing the disadvantages that have traditionally held them back.

In the year ahead, the most competitive businesses will not be the biggest, they’ll be the ones that prepared early for the year ahead.

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