Kazang Brings Card Payments To Spaza Shops, Driving Fintech-fuelled Financial Inclusion

Spaza shops are going digital, and fintech is leading the charge. Kazang, a subsidiary of JSE-listed Lesaka Technologies, is on a mission to digitise South Africas informal retail sector by enabling micro-merchants like spaza shops to accept card payments for bill settlements. This move not only modernises township commerce but also propels financial inclusion deeper into South Africas grassroots economy.

For years, paying monthly bills like DStv subscriptions meant long trips to formal retailers, high transport costs, or risky cash withdrawals for residents in rural and peri-urban areas. But thanks to Kazangs card payment integration, local spaza shops are becoming financial service hubsoffering community members safer, more convenient alternatives to manage their finances.

Fintech at the forefront of township commerce

Kazang Pay, the fintechs card acquiring division, is extending its terminals capabilities to include card-based bill paymentsa leap from its already extensive value-added services VAS network. While Kazang merchants have long facilitated prepaid airtime, utilities, and other cash-based services, the ability to settle bills with a debit or credit card is a recent, and game-changing, development.

Paying by card is safer and more convenient, says Ashley Naidoo, Kazang Pay director. Weve seen strong uptake since launching this service, driven by factors like SASSA card usage and improved digital literacy. For many consumers, card payments are now a preferred option.