Author
Adam Sacharowitz
Co-founder, Zaiq
Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand (third year)
Adam Sacharowitz is co-founder of Zaiq, an AI engineering studio in Johannesburg. He went all-in on AI in his third year of Electrical and Information Engineering at Wits, because a new model lands every few weeks and resets what is possible, and you cannot learn that on a timetable.
He is across the entire AI toolkit, not just the chatbots: the models, plus the voice, image, video and automation tools, and he is on the new ones the day they ship. Idea to a working fix in a day is the normal speed, not the exception.
On this guide he writes the build-it and how-it-ships side: how to automate the admin that eats your week, what custom software should and should not cost in rand, and how to choose between WordPress, custom, and no-code. Talk is cheap. The working thing is the proof.
Guides by Adam
- Build & automate WordPress vs custom vs no-code: choosing your South African website A 2026 decision guide for South African businesses choosing between WordPress, a custom-coded site, and no-code builders like Wix or Webflow. The real trade-offs, rand costs, and which fits your case.
- AI for SA business WhatsApp chatbots for South African business: what they cost and what they do What a WhatsApp chatbot actually costs in South Africa in 2026, in rand, what it can and cannot do, the Meta and provider fees, and how to tell a useful build from a leaky one.
- What it costs What digital work costs in South Africa (2026 price guide) Real 2026 rand prices for the digital work South African businesses actually buy: websites, SEO, Google Ads, apps, CRM, and point of sale. One honest reference.
- What it costs How much does a website cost in South Africa? (2026) Real 2026 website prices in South Africa, in rand. What a template, custom, and ecommerce site actually cost, what drives the price, and how to avoid overpaying.
- What it costs How much does web design cost in Johannesburg? (2026) Real 2026 web design prices in Johannesburg, in rand. What freelancers, agencies, and studios in Joburg actually charge, what drives the quote, and how to avoid overpaying.
- What it costs How much does web design cost in Cape Town? (2026) Real 2026 web design prices in Cape Town, in rand. What freelancers, agencies, and studios in Cape Town actually charge, what drives the quote, and how to avoid overpaying.
- What it costs How much does custom software cost in South Africa? Real 2026 custom software prices in South Africa, in rand. What a simple tool, a business system, or a full platform costs to build, what drives the quote, and where the money leaks.
- What it costs Point of sale systems in South Africa: prices and how to choose (2026) What a point of sale system costs in South Africa in 2026, in rand. Yoco, SnapScan, Shopify POS, and full restaurant systems compared, plus the card transaction fees that quietly add up.
- AI for SA business How to write content that AI engines will cite How to write content that ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity actually quote. The verdict-first structure, the formatting AI lifts, the trust signals, and the mistakes that get you skipped.
- What it costs Google Ads pricing in South Africa (2026) What Google Ads really costs in South Africa in 2026, in rand. The split between ad spend and management fees, typical cost per click, sensible monthly budgets, and where the money leaks.
- What it costs How much does an online store cost in South Africa? Real 2026 ecommerce prices in South Africa, in rand. What a Shopify, WooCommerce, or custom online store costs to build and run, the payment and platform fees, and where the money leaks.
- Build & automate How to set up ecommerce in South Africa A practical 2026 guide to setting up an online store in South Africa. Shopify vs WooCommerce, local payment gateways and delivery, what it costs in rand, and the steps to launch.
- Build & automate How to build a custom dashboard for your business A step-by-step 2026 guide to building a custom business dashboard in South Africa. When a dashboard is worth it, build versus off-the-shelf, what it costs in rand, and how to do it right.
- What it costs CRM for small business in South Africa: cost and which one (2026) What a CRM costs for a small South African business in 2026, in rand, and which one to choose. HubSpot, Zoho, Pipedrive, Salesforce, and the free options compared, plus the real cost of setup.
- Build & automate Automate your South African business: what to fix first A practical 2026 guide to automating a South African business. What to automate first, the typical effort and rand cost of each fix, and how to avoid spending on automation that never pays back.
- Build & automate How to stop a hot lead going cold: lead follow-up automation A step-by-step 2026 guide to automating lead follow-up for a South African business. How to reply in seconds, never drop a lead, and what it costs in rand to set up.
- Build & automate How to automate invoicing for your small business A step-by-step 2026 guide to automating invoicing for a South African small business. Which tools to use, what it costs in rand, and how to get invoices and reminders out without lifting a finger.
- What it costs How much does it cost to build an app in South Africa? (2026) Real 2026 app development prices in South Africa, in rand. What a simple app, a standard app, and a complex platform cost, what drives the price, and how to avoid a six-figure mistake.
- AI for SA business AI customer service on WhatsApp for South African business How AI customer service on WhatsApp works for a South African business in 2026. What it does, what it costs in rand, the POPIA rules, and how to set it up without losing the human touch.
- AI for SA business AI automation for South African small business: where to start A plain, practical guide to AI automation for a South African small business in 2026. The tasks worth automating first, what it costs in rand, where money gets wasted, and how to start.
- What it costs Accounting software in South Africa: Xero vs Sage vs QuickBooks vs Pastel (2026) What accounting software costs in South Africa in 2026, in rand, and which to choose. Xero, Sage, QuickBooks, and Pastel compared on price, fit, and the things that actually matter locally.