South Africa’s informal retail scene is undergoing a digital shift as fintech drives change. Kazang, part of JSE-listed Lesaka Technologies, is helping micro-merchants such as spaza shops adopt card payments for bill payments. The initiative is modernising township trade and advancing financial inclusion at the grassroots level.

For years, residents in rural and peri-urban areas had to travel far, spend on transport, or risk carrying cash just to pay monthly bills like DStv. Now, with Kazang’s card payment integration, nearby spaza shops are turning into financial service hubs—giving communities safer and more accessible ways to handle their bills.

Fintech Drives the Transformation of Township Retail

Kazang Pay, the card acquiring arm of the fintech, is expanding its terminal functions to support card-based bill payments marking a major shift from its traditional cash-driven value-added services (VAS). Although Kazang merchants have long offered prepaid airtime, utilities, and similar services, the new feature enabling debit and credit card payments for bills introduces a significant upgrade.

“Card payments offer greater safety and convenience,” says Ashley Naidoo, director at Kazang Pay. “Since the service launched, adoption has been strong boosted by increased SASSA card usage and growing digital literacy. For many users, paying by card has become the preferred method.”

Kazang operates around 90,000 terminals across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia, with nearly 60,000 already equipped for card payments. This widespread presence among township and rural merchants positions the company to turn everyday vendors into key entry points for digital financial services.

SOURCE