Tag: cash withdrawal

Is cash truly dead? Fintech innovations and digital payment solutions have risen rapidly, prompting many to think so. Yet, cash remains alive. It is still the preferred way to transact for millions, especially in Africa.

The growing trend of stokvels and the seasonal withdrawals during the festive season requires members to be vigilant and careful. Often, stokvels are formed at the start of the year to enable spending in December. As a result, we observe most withdrawals during this period.

In the heart of South Africa's vibrant township economy, valued at an estimated R750 billion, a transformative shift is taking place. Small to medium-sized businesses are flourishing as the adoption of cashless transactions grows. Despite the widespread availability of banking services, with eight out of ten South African adults having a bank account, cash remains the dominant form of payment.

Between work, family, and personal commitments, carving out moments for ourselves feels like a constant battle. One area that often gets squeezed? Managing our finances. This challenge is interlinked to our most valuable commodity: time. People simply do not have enough time.

As a testament to the resilience and dedication of South African stokvel savers, we reveal that its customers' stokvel net deposits have increased by 42%. Since November 2019, our stokvel customers have continually increased saving via a stokvel surpassing the R8.3 billion mark in total member contributions.

Proposed changes to the Pensions Funds Amendment Bill, currently before Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance, which will allow retirement fund members to access a portion of their retirement savings in cash before retirement as a guarantee for a loan, should be viewed with caution.