Author: Trent Meikle

South Africa has mostly left load shedding behind, but now Eskom has threatened to bring back rolling blackouts for fourteen municipalities falling behind on their electric bills. 702’s Mandy Weiner spoke to Eskom’s acting group executive for distribution, Agnes Mlambo, about the impending “interruptions” headed for residents. Load shedding is so two years ago “We obviously have to look into the submissions that have been made and the severity of us cutting off and the impact to those customers that are the municipalities’ customers,” Mlambo said. “This is very important to emphasise that the cut-off is not a total switch-off. It will come…

When Capitec said that even more branches would soon be fitted with its new Smart ID self-help terminals, we didn’t think it meant this quickly. Less than a week after its initial announcement, Capitec has equipped 23 more of its branches with the terminals — including two in the North West and Free State. The move is just another step taken toward achieving the larger goal set by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). In August last year, several of South Africa’s banks committed to ‘upgrading’ their branches with Smart ID and passport application services, no visit to the DHA required.…

When Acer first made its intent to build several of its monitors in South Africa known, we’d hoped to see lower prices compared to those arriving through the company’s standard shipping corridor. We’re seeing the effects now, with Acer offering its 27in Nitro VG270 monitor on sale, with a free TV box thrown in. The free TV box in question is Acer’s own AiTV Box, which we called a “serious challenger with gaming ambitions” when compared to the likes of Xiaomi’s own TV box. Once the king of the market in South Africa, Acer’s AiTV Box toppled it off its…

Apple’s first foldable and worst-kept secret in the industry may be more iPad than iPhone, despite the branding. It’ll do so by introducing custom iOS updates that deliver ‘iPad-like layouts’ for easier multitasking with side-by-side apps and a wide aspect ratio. Apple’s marketing strategy for the device hinges on this being the selling point. Apple can’t afford to screw up its first foray into the foldable market, which Samsung penetrated seven years back. Since then, the market has been flooded with these things, with Huawei even developing the first ‘tri-fold’. We won’t have to wait long to see Apple’s attempt…

It’s about time FNB’s eWallet got a makeover, and what better way to do it than by bringing it to WhatsApp? That’s exactly what First National Bank has done, all in an effort to create a simpler “digital entry point” into banking for potentially underbanked users. Users can allegedly climb aboard in just a few minutes. Previously, eWallets could only be created when an FNB client sent money to their recipient. Now? New customers can create an eWallet via WhatsApp. Add this number to your contacts — 087 392 5538 — and shoot over a simple ‘Hi’. You’ll be greeted…

It seems Lenovo missed an opportunity to go even weirder (weirder than this, we mean) at MWC this year. We’re talking about the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2, which leaked just a few days before the show kicked off. While the tablet hasn’t been officially announced, famed leaker Evan Blass has turned up new images of the device. Lenovo Tab Plus JBL Yeah, that’s a speaker dominating the tablet’s rear. Specifically, a ‘JBL 9-unit PRO’ speaker system, if the initial leaks from iF Design are anything to go by. It’s accompanied by a silver ring that serves as a built-in…

When we said that DStv had its work cut out for it under the Canal+ leadership, we meant it. Since the French multimedia company took over MultiChoice in 2025, it has worked tirelessly to set the course straight. Part of that plan involved axing Showmax for good and skipping the annual DStv price hike in 2026. In terms of future growth, however, the company recently revealed its roughly €100 million (∼R1.9 billion) “boost plan” to kickstart subscriber growth at the South African broadcaster. The investment plan was shown off alongside Canal+’s first full-year results since it took MultiChoice under its…

If you don’t already cough up the R82 monthly fee for YouTube Premium, Google’s latest update may change that. Announced in a blog post earlier this month, Google confirmed that its 30-second unskippable ad format was now “generally available globally” and optimised for CTV (connected TV) delivery. 30-second bathroom breaks are back In short, this means 30-second unskippable ads will become far more prevalent when viewing content on TVs. It won’t always be a 30-second wait, however. In the same announcement, Google noted that it was injecting AI into its delivery methods. The system “dynamically” switches between ‘6-second bumpers’, 15-second standard…

War. War never changes. But petrol prices do, and will, if the latest fuel price snapshot from the Central Energy Fund (CEF) is anything to go by. Judging by the company’s history of accurately forecasting South Africa’s fuel price adjustments, we should probably mention that the latest predictions don’t look pretty. For anyone. Diesel drivers, in particular, are facing a rather hefty hike, currently in the ballpark of R5/l. Petrol drivers won’t be let off easy either, with the CEF’s forecasts teasing a R3/l hike. You can thank the war in Iran for the sudden deviation from March’s official fuel…

After Capitec and FNB got the ball rolling, Standard Bank also wants in on the party. After rolling out three branches with Home Affairs powers in its February trial run, the bank has officially expanded its Smart ID services to four branches around the country. Three of those already participated in the trial phase, while the bank’s branch at Maponya Mall is the newest location where customers can get their Smart ID sorted. “During this phase, Standard Bank customers can apply in branch to convert their green ID book to a Smart ID Card or replace lost, stolen or damaged…