Insurance as an innovation enabler: why progress needs a safety net
Companies and individuals at the cutting edge of technology and advancement should not view insurance as an afterthought or grudge purchase, but rather as one of the most powerful enablers of innovation in the modern economy. This is the message from iTOO special...
Fighting fraud with intelligence
In its 2024 Annual Report, the Insurance Crime Bureau (ICB) warned that fraud and organised crime costs South African insurers up billions if not actively disrupted. The actual true cost of fraud echoed by the ICB extends far beyond financial losses, it impacts...
Redefining compliance to build trust and growth in microfinance
South Africa’s microfinance sector is operating in an increasingly complex risk environment. By Fatgie Adams, head of credit risk solutions, and Darin Naidoo, head of microfinance at TransUnion South Africa Fraud schemes are becoming more sophisticated, compliance...
AI is rapidly transforming insurance, financial services sectors
Picture a rainy Wednesday morning in Sandton, sometime in the near future. By Kim Rew, partner, and Jered Shorkend, associate at Webber Wentzel A claims handler opens their laptop, and right away, things move much faster than they used to. For every new email, the...
As SA invests in digital payments infrastructure it misses a key layer
South Africa is making meaningful progress in building out its digital payments infrastructure. But there is a critical gap in how this investment is being framed, writes Mpho Sadiki, MD: merchant services, Africa at Network International and Payfast by Network....
2026 will be the real test of supplier due diligence in SA
South Africa's removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October 2025 marked a critical turning point for the country's financial credibility. But for businesses, particularly procurement and compliance teams, the real test is only beginning. If...
Banks are already using agentic AI: here’s why it matters
Rewind just a few years and large language models and generative artificial intelligence were barely on the public radar, yet the technology has already evolved into its next iteration: agentic AI, a new breed of systems that are semi- or fully autonomous and able to...
Digitising SA’s R50bn stokvel economy is a national imperative
Every month across South Africa, millions of citizens gather in homes, community halls and places of worship to take part in the storied savings activity known as stokvel. By Himal Parbhoo, CEO of FNB Cash Investments Individually, these clubs may not account for...
Banks are already using agentic AI. Here’s why it matters for customers
Rewind just a few years and large language models and generative artificial intelligence were barely on the public radar, yet the technology has already evolved into its next iteration: agentic AI, a new breed of systems that are semi- or fully autonomous and able to...
Modernising banking and insurance for Africa’s digital economy
The future of digital banking and insurance in Africa is being shaped by forces that are transforming how people access, use and trust financial services. By Nitesh Singh, financial services and CMT lead for Accenture, South Africa A growing mobile-first population...
Machine learning is unlocking credit in SA
Access to credit is a foundational enabler of economic opportunity, yet it remains out of reach for over a billion adults globally. By Francois Grobler, chief: decision analytics at Experian Africa In South Africa, the challenge is particularly sharp. More than 85% of...
60-day rule means debit order disputes are simpler
From 13 April 2026, debit orders in South Africa will be disputable for up to 60 days – where the underlying service rules allow it. By Pieter Brand, head of product at Hyphen Both the South African Reserve Bank and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority have...