SOUTH AFRICA

Online customer strategy: Make the most of it

[Richard Mullins] Most brands today still operate their online marketing in silos, with little connection between the different channels they use to communicate with and market to their customers. However, customers are moving seamlessly between a range of electronic channels, engaging with your business through social media, display ads, search, email and many other points of contact. Read more >>

AFRICA

Parliament repeals oppressive media law

[Gregory Gondwe: @Kalipochi] The Parliament of Malawi has repealed an oppressive media law - Section 46 of the Penal Code - which gives the information minister power to ban any publication and circulation of materials he/she deems would be bad for the public. Read more >>

AFRICA

M-Net gets rolls out African Film Library

M-Net, the multi-channel Pan-African content provider, has today announced the further roll-out of the African Film Library (AFL) with a season of films dedicated to African humour. Read more >>

MOROCCO

Independent media losing foothold

[Abderrahim El Ouali] The Moroccan government's announcement that it would issue new public media guidelines at the end of May has reignited a stormy debate around independent media in the kingdom. Read more >>

DEM. REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Tryphon Kin-Kiey Mulumba approves of Airtel DRC

Airtel, reportedly the largest telecom network in DRC, is the first operator to be visited by the newly appointed telecommunications and ICT minister in the country, Tryphon Kin-Kiey Mulumba. The visit was part of the minister's familiarisation program to understand the realities that the telecom operators are dealing with in the country. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

South African innovation leads African solutions

At the Open Innovation Africa Summit in Kenya, held on Monday, 28 May 2012, Nokia selected Cape-based mobile application provider Snapplify to demonstrate leading innovation. Read more >>

AFRICA

Flame malware constitutes a 'cyber weapon'

[Duncan McLeod: @mcleodd] Kaspersky Lab argues there is an urgent need for an international convention to control the use of cyber weapons. Read more >>

AFRICA

African top bankers honoured at AfDB annual meetings

Africa's top bankers gathered in Arusha, Tanzania, to celebrate the 6th edition of the African Banker Awards, under the patronage of the African Development Bank (AfDB). Olusegun Agbaje, managing director of Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria scooped the prize for African Banker of the Year. Read more >>

NIGERIA

Standard Bank appoints head of transactional products and services

Standard Bank Group has announced the appointment of Babatunde Macaulay as its new head of transactional products and services for West Africa. Hasan Khan, Standard Bank's head of transactional products and services in Africa, says Tunde, who will be based in Lagos, will have the core responsibility of executing the growth strategy for transactional banking services in the West Africa region.

AFRICA

Hollard boosts presence in Zambia

Hollard, South Africa's independent insurer, has announced the opening of a life assurance office in Lusaka, Zambia as part of the company's on-going geographic expansion to increase its presence in key growth markets in support of its global strategy. Read more >>

MAURITIUS

Comztek opens office in Mauritius

Comztek, an African communications distributor, has announced the official opening of an office in Mauritius as of June 2012. Read more >>

ZIMBABWE

BBC presenter slapped with fresh charges

[Alex Bell] A London based music presenter with the UK's BBC broadcaster, who was arrested in Zimbabwe last week, has been slapped with fresh charges by Zimbabwean authorities. Read more >>

UNITED KINGDOM

The Economist celebrates e-book success

LONDON, UK: The Economist's 2011 European brand campaign, 'Thinking Spaces', showcases the inspiring places all over the world where people go to think, reaching a community of more than 40 000 fans. Read more >>

SWITZERLAND

IMD announces its 2012 World Competitiveness Rankings

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND: IMD, a top-ranked global business school based in Switzerland, has announced the findings of its annual World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY). The WCY rankings measure how well countries manage their economic and human resources to increase their prosperity. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Zuma: Freedom of expression, dignity must both be upheld

President Jacob Zuma says both the right to dignity as well as the right to freedom of speech must be upheld and that no right is superior to other rights. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Cops spend R1m on catering

Police top brass are in hot water for spending R1m of taxpayers' money on catering and entertainment. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Molefe warns of risks to Transnet's investment plan

Transnet CEO Brian Molefe earlier this week warned of several risks that could derail the group's R300bn investment programme, which forms the core of the government's infrastructure development plan. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Ministers are aware of responsibility to Parliament

Government ministers are aware of their accountability to Parliament and take this responsibility seriously, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said on Wednesday, following comments by the Speaker of Parliament Max Sisulu on Tuesday about the number of parliamentary questions that were not being answered in time by ministers. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Broad support for National Development Plan - Manuel

South Africans from all walks of life have offered broad support to a draft of the National Development Plan since it was released for public comment in November last year, says Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Planning, Trevor Manuel. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

MPs frustrated as Aurora, liquidators don't turn up

MPs and officials from the Departments of Labour and Mineral Resources expressed frustration after Aurora Empowerment Systems and their provisional liquidators failed to turn up in Parliament today to detail what is being done to assist employees of Orkney and Grootvlei gold mines, which are in liquidation. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Indulge yourself... Sin...fonia a little - or become a fan of the Opera

A cruise on board the MSC Sinfonia or the MSC Opera is a great opportunity to host a conference, teambuilding or incentive event. It's an ideal venue where accommodation, all meals, entertainment and the company conference can be arranged with one call and it's all included in the fare. South Africa's newest and most exciting conference venues are due to sail into our waters in November and will be here until April 2013 Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

[10 Things I Love about]... The Maldives

[Brian Berkman: contributing editor, travel] PR supremo Etienne De Villiers has spent more time in five-star hotel resorts than elsewhere. He returned to Cape Town for the launch of One & Only and then headed straight back to the Islands again. Now, Contributing Editor: Travel Brian Berkman asked De Villiers, as area public relations manager for Anantara Resorts, The Maldives, what he loved most about The Maldives. Read more >>

SOUTH AFRICA

Honest truth in Lie

[Daniel Dercksen] The honest truth about Lie is that you simply cannot miss this powerful and significant play that is unfortunately only playing for a few days at the The Intimate Theatre in Cape Town until June 3. Read more >>