AWS bets $2.3bn on Africa, MTN's AI vs data thieves & more | ITWeb Tech Headlines | 7–12 Sept 2026
These are the stories making headlines on ITWeb this week. Consulting firm IQbusiness is balancing a run of targeted acquisitions and offshore expansion into the UK and Middle East with a deliberately cautious approach to AI, with CEO Rob Godlonton warning that companies deploying the technology without solid digital foundations simply generate "AI vomit".
The South African Revenue Service’s crackdown on low-value imports slows down business for Shein and Temu, forcing both towards local fulfilment and merchant participation.
Online sales are forecast to add R29 billion to turnover in 2026, as convenience, payments and stronger digital engagement drive consumer spending.
South Africa's E-Commerce Reckoning: Customs, Regulation & the Road Ahead | Alistair Tempest
These are the stories making headlines on ITWeb this week. The South African Revenue Service's customs system is still failing to create a level playing field between local retailers and global e-commerce giants, despite changes to import rules. Meanwhile, Minister Solly Malatsi says he has engaged several low-Earth orbit satellite providers, including Starlink, for insight-sharing purposes.
Undervalued imports from global online marketplaces continue undermining local manufacturers and retailers, despite recent changes to import tax rules, says the forum.
ITWeb TV: Temu, Shein customs loopholes still hurt SA retailers | Ep #147
In this episode of ITWebTV, Sibahle Malinga talks to Alastair Tempest, CEO of the Ecommerce Forum South Africa, who believes the local e-commerce sector’s biggest challenge is not inadequate legislation but weak enforcement and a lack of resources to police cross-border e-commerce.#eCommerce #Retail #SouthAfrica
Nearly half of surveyed local online shoppers now use Temu, Shein and similar low-cost international retail platforms.
Following tax and fee adjustments introduced in 2024, cross-border e-commerce growth has slowed to about 7%, signalling the end of “indiscriminate low-price competition”.
The National Consumer Commission aims to close enforcement gaps and protect consumers from untraceable international sellers.
The portal reworks its strategy to stay visible in AI-driven search, as global platforms reshape how South Africans shop online.
SA’s biggest online shopping site sees a 14% increase in customers from last year, reaching 4.8 million active shoppers.
South Africa’s regulatory framework for e-commerce has key gaps in foreign direct investment rules and lacks protection for emerging domestic players, says a new report.
The Naspers-owned group maintains its grip on the market, despite multinational e-commerce disruptors like Amazon, Shein and Temu gaining momentum in SA.
A new report urges urgent digital transformation, including AI adoption, to counter rising competition from Shein and Temu to avoid thousands of job losses.
Waterfall City is adopting smart retail tech and flexible leasing to counter rising competition from global e-commerce platforms.