iOCO

Digital identity based on biometrics - specifically facial recognition - promises to simplify the identification of individuals, speed up processes and reduce the risk of identity theft.

There are myriad use cases for digital identity based on facial recognition. Once the verified digital identity has been onboarded, public service agencies, banks, retail, hospitality, and education sectors could use the technology to improve public safety, reduce the risk of fraud, and fast-track digital service delivery.

Advanced facial recognition tools can even be used to verify age, gender, or geographic origin, to track sentiment, or to monitor public spaces for known suspects.

Which sector do you believe stands to gain the most from a national digital identity rollout? Comment below.

As originally published here: https://hubs.li/Q04l9M2L0

Extraordinary careers do not happen by accident. They are built deliberately, intentionally, and with clear purpose.

South Africa's most future-ready young professionals are not waiting for opportunity to find them. They know exactly what they want, and precisely what skills they need to get there.

Today we celebrate something bigger than a public holiday. We celebrate the ambition, resilience, and potential of South Africa's next generation of tech professionals.

To every young professional on the journey: keep going. Keep learning. Keep building.

Happy Youth Day 🇿🇦

ID numbers are not secret anymore. They are stored with every bank account, medical aid, and insurance policy. Whether we like it or not, our ID numbers have probably been bought and sold many times over.

But what if that didn't matter? What if the only thing that is going to determine whether this transaction is successful or not is verification of a person’s live face at the point of a transaction?

Given that there are constant pe*******on attacks on financial institutions and people are being conned on a daily basis to part with passwords and account numbers, the best way to secure a transaction is with a live picture, to verify one’s credentials against a national digital identity database.

What's your organisation's current approach to identity verification? Share your perspective in the comments — we'd value hearing from professionals across banking, insurance, and fintech.

As originally published here: https://hubs.li/Q04kD9990

South Africa’s plans for a national digital identity system could represent a leap forward for national safety, security, and public service delivery. However, the effectiveness of such a system will depend on its ability to determine the liveness of the faces presented for verification.

The move towards a digital identity system is a logical one - prompted largely by the ease with which criminals can commit identity fraud using traditional identity documents.

Physical ID books and cards are prone to abuse because they are relatively easy to forge or amend, and because they are so widely used and shared. They are scanned at virtually every access point to secure estates and office parks, copies are stored by service providers and retailers, and identity numbers are frequently targeted by hackers.

If you work in financial services, government, or compliance, this is a conversation your organisation needs to be having now. Follow along as we unpack what a secure national digital identity system really requires.

As originally published here: https://hubs.li/Q04jT7sD0

We are thrilled to welcome Hendrik Blignaut to iOCO as our new Commercial Executive for iOCO IT Services.

Hendrik joins us with over 30 years of experience leading commercial growth across the ICT landscape, including more than 20 years at Altron, where he developed deep sector expertise and a proven ability to deliver at scale. His track record speaks for itself: from reviving loss-making operations to building lasting partnerships with leading banks, telcos, and global OEMs, he consistently delivers outcomes that matter.

His expertise spans data, AI, cloud, security, and SaaS-driven business models, backed by deep experience in go-to-market strategy, high-value deal structuring, and ecosystem development. He is also known for bringing clarity to complexity and aligning teams around commercially focused outcomes, which is exactly the kind of leadership that drives lasting results.

As iOCO continues to scale, Hendrik's experience and approach will play a key role in driving sustainable growth and strengthening our position in the market.

Welcome to the team, Hendrik. We are glad to have you.

No strategy executes itself. No business runs on its own. Behind every product delivered, every client served, and every deadline met is a person who showed up and did the work, often without nearly enough recognition for it.

Workers Day is the one day we stop and say it plainly: none of this exists without you. Not the administrator keeping things moving behind the scenes. Not the analyst turning data into decisions. Not the technician, the team lead, the first one in and the last one out.

Every role. Every industry. Every person. Today belongs to all of you.

Rest well. You have earned it.
Happy Workers Day.

On 27 April 1994, South Africans voted as equals for the first time. It was a defining moment in our democracy and in the future we chose to build together.

Thirty-two years later, that future is still being shaped, in the businesses we build, the teams we grow, the skills we share, and the doors we choose to open for one another.

Freedom was never a destination.
It is something we keep creating, together, every single day.

To every South African today: the work is worth doing, and we are better for doing it together.

Happy Freedom Day.

At iOCO, creating spaces where women can grow, connect, and explore technology together is an important part of building a more inclusive industry.

We recently hosted a Tech Her Way session, continuing the momentum from the launch earlier this year. This women-focused initiative is designed to drive confidence, community, and inclusive growth in technology.

A big thank you to Michael Brink (Chief Technology Officer, CASA Software), who joined us as the guest speaker and shared fascinating insights on AI in Daily Life. From practical examples of how AI is already shaping the way we work and live, to thought-provoking discussions about what the future may hold, the session sparked great curiosity and conversation among the ladies.

Tech Her Way continues to create a platform where women can learn, ask questions, and engage with technology in a supportive environment.

Looking forward to many more inspiring conversations ahead.

Reseller of the Year
Congratulations to the iOCO team on this outstanding win at the HP Inc. Partner Awards evening. Proud of the people behind the success. Well done

An advanced cross-border trade payment platform could allow a bank to run a standard payment check with no anomalies through the system in a matter of minutes, with human intervention required only when issues are flagged.

Because the system itself can be scaled to handle more volume, we can run higher volumes of payments in shorter periods of time with fewer human resources in the loop. This means banks can scale cost-effectively, enhance efficiency and compliance, and dramatically reduce the time taken to process payments.

For customers, it offers not just greater efficiency and convenience - it may also save them money, as they could negotiate discounts for expedited payment.

In future, banks could potentially also use AI to predict exchange rate fluctuations, to determine the optimal date to make payment and potentially further reduce the costs associated with cross-border trade and payments.

https://hubs.li/Q0424p0S0