Mustek is embracing AI and digital transformation in SA

THERE are early signs of greater urgency around infrastructure, education, and digital transformation in South Africa's Government of National Unity, which plays into the strengths of JSE-listed ICT group Mustek.

- EDWARD WEST

This was according to the group's CEO Hein Engelbrecht, who said in the annual report released Friday that they were heading into the new financial year to June 30, 2026, with "cautious optimism," a sharpened cost base, a more focused portfolio, and an active pipeline of business.

This was after the relatively stable demand experienced by the group for the past financial year was only interspersed with worse-than-expected procurement delays and administrative uncertainty in the public sector, which resulted in lower device sales and slower delivery on major contracts.

"We have every reason to believe that this is a temporary situation," said Engelbrecht in the report.

Effective August 2025, Mustek acquired a 51% equity interest in a new entity, Business AI, which is developing a B2B marketplace portal for artificial intelligence, providing enterprises with a single, trusted environment to access vetted AI vendors, products, platforms, solution providers, and data centres.