It was a very productive year at PayGate payment gateway in 2009, adding internet credit card processing capability to a number of new banks on various continents internationally, and three new payment gateway products PayProtector, PayFx and PayBill for enhanced merchant credit card processing using a payment gateway. PayGate is working on a number of payment gateway projects for credit card processing and and have some really exciting global internet payment solutions and functionality lined up for this year. Here is some e-commerce news to keep you abreast of the exciting internet payment and e-commerce industry in Southern Africa.

Most Searched Terms in South Africa According to Google

The fastest growing sites in 2009 were Facebook and Gumtree, and ABSA internet banking as a search term came in ahead of Standard Bank. When it comes to sports events, Super 14 was the winner, closely followed by IPL and then the Cape Argus. To show you how you “gotta be here to get searched”, DJ Sbu and Khanyi Mbau beat Charlize Theron and poor old Joost only came in at No 7. Nelson Mandela is still top of the pops when it comes to politicians and Jacob Zuma, Julius Malema and Helen Zille are fighting for positions 2, 3 and 4.

Top Websites According to the Website Association of South Africa

News24, MSN (ZA), IOL News, Hotmail (ZA), Bidorbuy, Webmail, MWEB, MyBroadband, Vodacom4Me, SuperSport Zone, Junkmail, Yellow Pages, Health24, Sport24, Mail & Guardian Online, Times LIVE, Fin24, Beeld, Football365, AutoTrader.

Winners of the South African E-Commerce Awards 2009

Kalahari.net was the overall winner of the best e-commerce website and took honours in a number of other categories in the 2009 South African E-Commerce Awards.

IT Personality of the Year 2009

The Computer Society of SA (CSSA) has awarded the IT Personality of the Year to Ivan Epstein, CEO of accounting software firm Softline. Ivan was chosen out of a strong competition from nominees including joint-CEO of Integr8 IT Lance Faranoff, MXit CEO Herman Heunis, KrazyBoyz Digital CEO Zibusiso Mkhwanazi and SmartXchange CEO Robynne Erwin.

Visionary CIO Award 2009

Carl Louw, head of Internet Channel at ABSA, was chosen from a final list including Len Pienaar and Liam Terblanche for the Visionary CIO Award 2009 which recognises an IT executive who has demonstrated visionary leadership in applying technology to grow and transform business.

PayGate payment gateway for credit card processing in South Africa and Southern Africa is a leader in the field of internet payment solutions and e-commerce.