Ten leadership questions for Oscar Molaba, Managing Director, Batanidza Technologies

Below is a "ten question" Q&A with Oscar Molaba, the Managing Director of Batanidza Technologies, a Software Quality Assurance and Testing house based in Gauteng, South Africa.

Q1: Oscar, can you introduce Batanidza? What inspired you to start the company?

At Batanidza Technologies, we are a Software Quality Assurance and Testing house that prides itself in Championing Go or No-Go Decisions. Our mandate is to assist organizations such as yourself in managing reputational damage by ensuring product and service readiness and enhancing your customers’ experience.

The decision to found Batanidza stems from my experience, when I was working as a consultant, I felt like "just a number" helping companies reach their bottom line rather than being valued as an individual contributor. This realization ignited my interest in creating a consulting practice for the benefit of consultants. "Consultants ought not to feel like a number, but ought to feel like they matter as we are there not only for a delivery but for a purpose bigger than being a number to get to a bottom line."

Q2: Technology is shaping industries across the board, including insurance. How does Batanidza’s work contribute to digital transformation?

We are part of an ever-evolving ecosystem in the technology space, and we contribute significantly as we specialize in Software Quality Assurance & Testing which essentially guards against low-quality products or services being deployed to market. We therefore not only guard against poor quality, but we measure against industry standards, compare the delivered product or service against the business specifications of how it should work and lastly, we enhance the customer experience. One of our major contributions has been to a Telecommunications giant in Africa, where we, at their SA headquarters, consulted in their Digital space. We serviced their digital landscape through software quality assurance, such as: “web platforms; mobile apps; websites as well as customer journeys across these and more”

Q3: What would you say sets Batanidza apart in the ICT industry?

Our ubuntu-centric culture and the ethos we follow. These not only ensure that we deliver with the already existent ICT industry IP within our consultants but also at quite a high level as well, optimally. Some of the ethos are communication, camaraderie; application; no cowboy mentality; & reputation preservation.

Q4: Under your leadership, Batanidza has grown significantly. How would you describe your leadership style and your vision for the company?

I not only lead from the front but also believe in making an impact. My team and I, derive motivation from our passion for making an impact in the industry. It starts by asking, “What are we doing where we are, and why are we doing what we do there?” I am also a leader who always tries to ensure that my team is taken into confidence, not only regarding the strategic outlook of the company itself but also for their specific strategic outlook to impact their career trajectory. “The more they understand that they are there to deliver a service with a certain purpose and impact, the more I believe it helps keep all of us motivated and they will grow from that,” Oscar says.

Q5: Can you share some key projects that highlight Batanidza’s expertise and impact?

• A 6-year consulting stay at MTN saw us deliver on 100s of projects across the Digital, IoT, Enterprise, Consumer, Retail, Networks, CFO’s office, and many more –
  Telecommunications sector.
• At MMI Holdings for Momentum Multiply (Online Store), we delivered on the project for the online store to go live back in 2017 into 2018 (the impact of the first VAT raise since 1993 included as well) – Finance & Insurance sector.
• Subcontracting work at both Nedbank & SASOL – Banking and Oil & Gas sectors.
• Consulted by testing on BCX’s SMME portal project – Consulting sector.
• These reflect our range and reach, as they all used different technology stacks which renders us not only flexible as well as adaptable but also technology agnostic.

Q6: The ICT landscape is rapidly evolving, with AI, automation, and cloud computing driving change. How is Batanidza adapting to and leading in this space?

Skills development, as well as training, are key cogs in our company, as we not only aim to remain relevant but also in our efforts to deliver at a considerably higher and more competitive level. We also continuously hold engagements with our consultants, to share as well as compare notes on where the industry is and where it’s headed. Later this year, we are also looking to launch a department that will focus on Research & Development (R&D).

Q7: Cybersecurity is a growing concern for businesses. How does Batanidza help companies protect their digital assets?

Since Cybersecurity is a specialized field, we also lean on our colleagues in the industry to help guide us around these challenges thus they have put together a long-term strategy for us and are implementing it in a phased approach as and when some of the needs arise.

Q8: What do you see as the biggest technology challenges businesses in South Africa face today, and how can they be addressed?

Access to the internet for the underprivileged as well as underserviced communities, I’d say that is THE Achilles heel. We need to open it up and worry less about the revenue that will be potentially lost as this can mainly work by reducing the high costs for internet access. By more participants entering the space, we stand to benefit immensely but also need to up regulations to curb the potential downside of the new entrants.

Q9: Looking ahead, what are your main goals for Batanidza over the next five years?

We intend to not only grow the company but also create more employment opportunities. In the past, the company and my team often had tunnel vision because of his leadership approach. Oscar shares that he was stuck with managing accounts himself, which harmed the company’s progress. Oscar has changed his approach. Now, he empowers other people so that they can serve their client accounts, while he is serving the company at a more strategic level. Oscar’s change in leadership style has yielded tangible results.

"As a result, we've gone on to sign multiple clients at once in the first quarter of this calendar year alone, which has never happened in the past," Oscar says. "I think the previous challenges have taught us how to do things differently. And through an iteration process, we've reached where we are now albeit that there is still a long way to go".

Q10: Finally, what message would you like to share with Retail Biz Africa, Banking Biz Africa, and Insurance Biz Africa readers and potential clients about Batanidza’s role in the ICT industry?

“Don't chase the money,” Oscar tells aspiring leaders in the ICT space. “Chase cause and effect, as well as impact, and most importantly prioritize your people”.

*Oscar Molaba is the Managing Director, of Batanidza Technologies.