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Shaken or stirred? Hold on, 007, a Taiwanese company just built a self-destructing hard drive, and it’s making us happy as 10-year-olds again. It’s not lame, either, it literally fries itself — perfect for military and spy-grade applications, or, you know, the world’s coolest novelty SSD. 👀

As the global dev and tech-at-large hiring slowdown hits SA, one local scale-up is finding innovative ways to advance SA tech talent, and they are helping companies with the unsexy part of hiring…

Global dev hiring is in freefall. After doubling from 2006 to 2022, demand collapsed, with half a million jobs cut and US “computer programmer” roles dropping to their lowest levels since 1980.

Why? A mix of pandemic overhiring, economic pressure and AI. Automated coding tools cracked the floodgates wide open, triggering a 50% drop in software engineer job postings in 2023, with more declines expected this year and next.

It’s not all AI, but the shift is real: Microsoft, Salesforce and others now openly cite it as a driver for automating up to 50% of previously manual tasks. 

After weathering the initial storm, with under 3% retrenchments and rising salaries in 2022, South Africa’s dev market caught up in 2024, seeing a 21% drop in tech hiring (5% among devs), though nearly 30% of SA developers remained optimistic and actively job-hunting.

And the optimism might just have to do with South African devs’ ability to land jobs at companies abroad and earn well.

SA’s dev talent power

SA devs have built a global reputation, often mentioned alongside India and Eastern Europe.

SA’s time zone advantage for Europe and proven engineering quality have made it an increasingly attractive hiring destination, especially as companies look for cost-effective, reliable talent. As global hiring tightened, SA emerged as a serious alternative for international tech teams looking beyond traditional markets.

From marketplace to hiring-as-a-service

OfferZen, still SA’s leading dev hiring marketplace, has expanded with a services layer called OfferZen Embedded. Companies can still hire directly, but now also get hands-on help sourcing, screening and placing top talent. 

“We realised people would no longer have an ‘access to talent’ problem,” says OfferZen CEO Matt Beck. “They have a hiring/sourcing problem... so we’re delivering a new services business where we help you hire the best, faster.”

The service lightens the load for busy hiring teams and improves fit for devs, who are now actively pitched to companies instead of competing for visibility alone.

To further unlock opportunities for local talent, OfferZen now acts as an employer of record for international companies. This means global teams can legally hire SA devs without setting up a local entity.

It’s a win-win: companies tap into top-tier engineering talent, and SA devs access more remote roles as OfferZen also actively positions South Africa as a smart alternative to India or Eastern Europe in global hiring.

Check this out

Matt joined us on the latest episode of How Would You Build It, where he dove even deeper into dev hiring in 2025, the impact of AI on software and the subsequent skills vacuum it’s creating, plus: the future of business models and loads more… Check it out

Pro tip: If you enter your email directly on the How Would You Build It website, you’ll be the first to get every new episode in your inbox as it lands.

What are people building on WhatsApp in SA?

Turns out… competition entries as a way to build a direct engagement channel.

In South Africa, where WhatsApp is still the No. 1 messaging app, brands are starting to experiment with more seamless, low-friction user experience, like letting people enter comps directly via a WhatsApp chat.

It makes sense, you can ask questions (survey), ask for voice note replies, ask them to send pictures and drop pins (for deliveries, etc.).

One local example: Local fashion retailer Studio 88 recently rolled out a barcode-scanning entry mechanism that lets you simply scan a product you bought, send it on via WhatsApp and boom, you’re entered.

✅ No long forms.
✅ No apps.
✅ Just chat.

Meeting the customers where they are.

With over 700 stores and some of the world’s most recognisable fashion labels on their shelves, they’re tapping into two realities: budget-conscious shoppers still want big brands, and they want simple ways to engage.

It’s a small but smart use of WhatsApp for commerce. And what does this unlock? Direct comms via WhatsApp with end customers, enabling future marketing and engagement. Building that database without relying on the social media algorithms…smart moves.

What would you build on WhatsApp today?

According to Standish Group’s Annual CHAOS report, which analysed 50k tech projects, 66% of technology projects never get their day in the sun.

And some of the main reasons include: 

So it should go without saying that, if you’re serious about succeeding, then you’ll want the highest quality and most experienced engineering team on your side.

But how do you know who’s really the best in the hardware/software biz? Look at the track record….

Whether you are building complicated hardware projects like Henlo Coffee or Gap Draught or PropTech solutions like LeaseSurrance and Soluno, the partner you need when technical excellence is not negotiable is Octoco.

Heinrich and the team are hardware rockstars, and they’ve got an AI division, internal venture studio and VC — so an exploratory call with their team of top-tier technical experts could just be the thing that unlocks doors for your next venture.

🚀 Crypto Gains Momentum. MoneyBadger, a crypto payments startup led by Luno co-founder Carel van Wyk, has bagged a $400k pre-seed round to bolster its Bitcoin payment game in South Africa. With its swoop into 1’600 retail outlets, the company processes over R1.4 million in monthly transactions — most of it, surprisingly, from groceries at Pick n Pay! And while the West squabbles over crypto regs, Africa’s fixing to stake a claim on crypto utility.

💳 Visa's African Fintech Boost. Applications are now open for Visa's fifth Africa Fintech Accelerator. The program aims to pump up innovation by offering African startups access to crucial tools, mentorship, and funding pathways. With 20 partnerships already in place, Visa's ambitious $1 billion Africa investment plan by 2027 is gaining momentum. Who will be the next fintech star to rise from this? Hmm…

🤖 AI for All? South Africa's communications ministry plans to digitally upskill 30k government employees in the next financial year. With tech skills proving scarce and public officials lagging, this digital push comes at a critical time. While connectivity efforts race ahead, the irony isn’t lost that tech-heavy investment decisions lie in the hands of the tech-challenged. Very cool to see partnerships with big names like Microsoft and Google in play here.

🌍 CPT Winning Streak. Cape Town claims the title of best city in the world for the seventh consecutive time, thanks to the Telegraph Travel Awards. Over 20,000 people chose the South African gem, surpassing global favourites like Seville and Sydney. Renowned for its picturesque landscapes — from the beaches of Camps Bay to the vineyards of Stellenbosch — the city tops lists with photogenic charm and local flair. Table Mountain shows no signs of stepping down from the podium.

✅ The Stack. Founders need tools and suppliers they can trust. Check out our Founder’s Stack with real-time AI insights and decision automation from Sidekicklab, zero-monthly-fee bank accounts and business loans in 4 minutes from Lula, plus loads more vital startup tools & services.

Yesterday, we showed you some new tech to optimise parking revenue at malls, asking if bad parking ever stopped you from going back to a mall. Turns out, parking is a really big deal…

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🙅‍♂️ Yes, I avoid places with bad parking (67%)

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 😤 No, I just grit my teeth and go (6%)

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🚌 I don’t drive to malls (6%)

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🆓 I only go where parking’s free (12%)

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🤷‍♀️ I never really thought about it until now (9%)

Your 2 cents…

Eish, yes, Peter, now that’s one thing tech can maar help us sort out. 🅿

We had a feeling it’s a bigger deal than commercial landlords let on, Gaylene. And, yeah, Canal Walk parking will cure you of malls faster than most. 🛍️

Don’t even get us started on some of SA’s inner-city and airport parking, Wesley. ✈️

Yeh, nothing beats a little-known Checkers with a quick 100-steps-or-less walk from door to car, JJ. 🚗

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