Capitec has selected Cisco technology to enhance the digital infrastructure of its branches countrywide and to help digitise operations.
By providing reliable wireless access to the bank’s employees and customers, the project is aimed at improving financial inclusion in rural areas.
Capitec was founded in 2001 and has become a leading financial services provider in South Africa. Today, Capitec is one of South Africa’s largest and most innovative banks with a rapidly growing customer base. It provides a range of simple, affordable and accessible banking and financial services to its 23-million clients with 850 branches spread across the country.
The bank chose the Cisco Meraki Cloud Managed Networking solution to help simplify network management, reduce operational costs, increase efficiency, and improve network performance. In addition, they selected the Cisco Meraki solution because it’s easily deployable and can be monitored centrally for managing the network and troubleshooting any potential issues across multiple locations.
Henlo Smit, product head of networking and telephony at Capitec, says: “As the banking sector advances digitally, it’s crucial that Capitec recognise its role in fostering financial inclusion. However, the benefits of digital services are contingent on users’ ability to connect to the internet. Data affordability also remains a persistent issue for South Africans. With a stable and highly secure wireless access we can now onboard Capitec customers onto their banking application from the branches. In addition, sending and receiving funds via money transfer has become simpler.”
He adds: “Traditionally, managing the infrastructure in each branch separately was complex and challenging. The Cisco Meraki deployment across Capitec’s 850 branches and 700 off-site locations provides both employees and customers reliable, secure, high-quality network connectivity. With Meraki’s wireless and local-area network (LAN) solutions, Capitec benefits from seamless, secure internet and intranet access, which supports smooth daily operations, enhanced customer service, and efficient communication across all locations. Customers benefit from faster service due to improved network reliability, leading to shorter wait times and a better overall banking experience.”
Kamil Hurriparsad, networking architecture specialist at Cisco, comments: “Our cloud-based management system not only helps provide reliable connectivity but also enhances security and VPN capabilities to safeguard customer data. The system supports compliance with industry standards and regulations, while advanced reporting tools help optimize network infrastructure and service delivery.”
The initiative is paving the way for a far more inclusive financial ecosystem in South Africa. It highlights Capitec’s commitment to making banking accessible and reliable for all South Africans.