The 2017 PriceCheck Tech & E-commerce Awards shortlist has been announced, following a record 44,500 votes cast to determine South Africa’s top industry players.
The second annual gala event and awards ceremony aims to recognise and celebrate outstanding local organisations and individuals in the e-commerce and technology industries.
Kevin Tucker, founder of PriceCheck says, “We are excited to be able to recognise the talent, skill, passion and creativity of those pioneering the local industry. With thousands nominated by their peers and supporters, the public, and subsequently our panel of expert judges, have narrowed it down to a shortlist of just 44 leading organisations and individuals.”
The nominees are:
Best Fintech Platform:
- Yoco
- SnapScan
Best Use of Tech by an NGO:
- Freshbox
- Santa Shoebox Project
- Mother of Peace
Best Delivery/Logistics Provider:
- FedEx
- PostNet
- Fastway
Best Mobile Shopping Experience:
- Woolworths
- Clicks
- Spree
Best Travel Booking Service:
- Travelstart
- Airbnb
- TripAdvisor
Best On-Demand Service:
- Uber
- Taxify
- Mr D Food
Best Niche Shopping Experience:
- Superbalist
- OneDayOnly
- NetFlorist
Best Small Tech/E-commerce Business:
- TheKidZone
- Planet54
- Seeds for Africa
Best Online Classifieds Service:
- Cars.co.za
- Gumtree
- Property24
- Bikehub
Best Marketplace Platform:
- Takealot.com
- Bidorbuy
Best Customer Service:
- Bidorbuy
- Afrihost
- Takealot.com
Best Female in Tech/E Commerce:
- Kim Irwin (FrontRow Hair)
- Robyn Smith (Faithful to Nature)
- Arlene Mulder (WeThinkCode)
Employer of the Year:
- Domestly
- Yuppiechef.com
- RunwaySale
People’s Choice:
- Bidorbuy
- Takealot.com
- Makro
E-Commerce Service of the Year
- Superbalist
- Travelstart
- Takealot.com
Developer Circles Launches In South Africa
Facebook has rolled out its Developer Circles in Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. Launched at F8, Facebook’s Developer Conference held in April this year, with now over 70 around the world, the four South African circles join groups across Cairo, Casablanca, Dakar, Harare, Lagos, Nairobi, and Tunis.
Developer Circles is a community-driven initiative that brings together people who are passionate about technology. Members join for free and are able to connect, share ideas, learn, and collaborate to develop the future.
Each circle is led by a volunteer who arranges offline meetups and discussions, as well as manages their own dedicated Facebook Group where members can continue the conversation between meetups, share code and deepen their knowledge on topics like React and Bots in Messenger.
Partnering with online training platform, Udacity, Facebook has launched a custom training programme for the Developer Circles community, available via Developer Circles Facebook Groups, Facebook’s website, and on Udacity.
“The developer community has played a large role in Facebook’s success to date, and is one we’re committed to investing in and growing, especially across Africa,” says Proud Dzambukira, Facebook strategic product partner, platform partnerships. “We see these groups as key in helping to drive forward Africa’s innovation in tech, and we’re extremely excited to welcome on-board teams from across key cities in South Africa to an ever expanding list of African Developer Circles.”
Marriott International Voted Best Business Hotel Group
Marriott International bagged two major hotel category awards at the Business Traveler Africa Awards for 2017, recently held in Cape Town.
Voted as the Best Business Hotel Group and The Best International Hotel Group in South Africa the hospitality giant has been recognized for its strong footprint, quality and consistency of service, and range of business facilities provided across its portfolio.
“To win top honors at the coveted Business Traveler Awards 2017 in two categories is indeed a commendable achievement and a tribute to the commitment of our teams and associates who dedicate themselves to delivering the highest standards of service and strive to make every guest stay memorable,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “I am extremely proud of our teams and dedicate this award to their hard work and dedication.”
According to Volker Heiden, VP of Protea Hotels by Marriott, Marriott International, Middle East and Africa, “We are thrilled with this recognition which underpins the goals we have set for ourselves. Our strong presence in South Africa is demonstrated through the popular Protea Hotels by Marriott brand. We have focused on providing consistency in what we offer both in services as well as in the facilities together with value for money and we are truly glad that our guests have recognized and appreciated this. In the light of stiff competition, the value of our loyalty program and our diverse portfolio of brands gives us a competitive edge.”
