Mpho Sadiki | Group Managing Director | Merchant International (Africa) | Payfast by Network | mail me |
For Mzansi’s small businesses, Heritage Month arrives at a pivotal moment. It marks the start of the year’s busiest trading season. The weeks ahead often determine not just whether a business survives. They also determine if it can seize new growth opportunities.
The stories of small businesses in South Africa are deeply entrenched in the greater legacy of our nation. These are stories of entrepreneurs who turn creativity, culture and resilience into thriving enterprises.
Always open – empowering entrepreneurs
From township streetwear to artisan and homegrown fashion, these entrepreneurs are living proof that heritage is not only about history. It is about innovation, identity and opportunity.
For businesses to thrive, they need more than inspiration. They need tools that connect them to customers and markets without limits. That is where digital and in-person payments play a defining role.
We enable tens of thousands of entrepreneurs with secure, seamless payment solutions. These tools help them trade confidently, scale faster and stay open whenever and wherever their customers are. This is the essence of being ‘always open’. It means open to customers, open to growth and open to opportunity.
Heritage in action
Across the country, entrepreneurs are bringing heritage to life in modern ways:
- WAKOYO – once a platform for African art and stories, it is now a global online store of home décor. It gives artisans new markets from Lagos to Austria.
- BROKE – a Cape Town streetwear brand turning youth culture into a nationwide movement of self-expression.
- Fenn Collection – a female-founded label redefining practical, stylish design while building a loyal customer base locally and abroad.
We stand with these businesses and always remain open to their journeys. Every small business carries a piece of South Africa’s heritage. By enabling secure, seamless payments, we help them grow while staying true to their roots. These stories also illustrate a bigger truth. South Africa’s digital economy is accelerating.
Online retail reached R71 billion in 2023. It is on track to climb even higher. For small businesses, being digitally enabled is no longer optional. It is now the gateway to growth.
Carrying legacies forward
As South Africa celebrates Heritage Month and heads into the festive trading cycle, competition will intensify. Businesses that are digitally ready, resilient and customer-focused will lead the way.
Our support of entrepreneurs extends across the country. We help them grow while staying true to what makes them unique. By being open always, we provide payment solutions that keep businesses trading whenever and wherever their customers need them.
Cerebrating heritage is not only about where we come from. It is also about what we build for the future. By enabling small businesses to thrive in the digital economy, we ensure that South Africa’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit are carried forward for generations.
