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Speech by Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General & City of Cape Town Mayoral Candidate. *Note to Editor: This speech was given during the GOOD City of Cape Town Mayoral Launch
The post CAPE TOWN TRULY IS AN EXCEPTIONAL CITY appeared first on For Good.
Teachers do not simply implement curriculum reforms exactly as policymakers design them.
Africa needs to navigate the tension between interdependence, economic security, and economic diversification.
A new peace initiative has put the future of Sudan’s Islamist movement at the centre of post-war politics.
Data labs in Zambia, South Africa and Uganda are deepening how governments understand the economies they are responsible for, and the people within them.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) has noted with concern the latest findings by the African Development Bank indicating that Morocco overtook South Africa in 2025 as Africa’s most industrialised economy. While South Africa remains a significant industrial powerhouse on the continent, this development confirms the country’s continuing decline in industrial competitiveness. Years of unreliable […]
The post Morocco overtakes South Africa: another warning against deindustrialisation appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
South Africa had the highest rate of suspected digital fraud[1] among African countries analysed, with 3.0% of transactions involving consumers in South Africa being suspected of digital fraud during 2025 – slightly below the global average of 3.8%.
In 2025, the median reported fraud loss among South African consumers who said that they had lost funds to digital fraud (email, online, phone call and text messages) in the previous year, was R11,055 – the second highest in Africa, after Kenya, and well below the global median of R27,879.[2]
These are among the findings in the TransUnion H1 2026 Update: Top Fraud Trends report, which shows that South Africa’s digital fraud landscape has become more complex, with generative AI likely accelerating the scale and sophistication of criminal activity. This has enabled fraudsters to target both consumers and businesses with greater precision and speed.
South African consumers are increasingly facing co-ordinated, identity-driven and cross-channel attacks similar to those seen in mature digital economies. As a result, digital fraud has shifted deeper into the consumer journey: one third (33%) of South African consumers who said they lost money from digital fraud in the last year reported those losses stemmed from third-party seller scams on legitimate ecommerce platforms. This indicates that losses are not occurring because consumers transacted in a suspect or unsafe environment – but because fraudsters successfully embedded themselves into environments that appeared credible, familiar and trusted.
“This signals a market where criminals are exploiting established trust, active accounts and verified digital relationships, and is a clear break from global fraud patterns typically dominated by phishing and vishing – fraudulent phone calls or voice messages designed to deceive consumers into sharing sensitive information or sending money,” said Amritha Reddy, senior director of fraud product management TransUnion Africa. “In South Africa, fraudsters succeed where trust is already established, particularly inside mainstream digital platforms where consumers reasonably expect safety and legitimacy.”
“Criminals are weaponising both consumer trust and emerging technologies,” said Reddy. “As GenAI accelerates the sophistication and scale of criminal operations, the threat landscape is evolving faster than ever for consumers and businesses. Addressing this requires a new generation of identity centric defences that combine advanced analytics, adaptive authentication and multilayered digital fraud detection. Organisations must match fraudsters’ technological innovation to stay ahead of rapidly changing schemes.”
Chart 1: Most Prominent Cause of Fraud Loss
Percentage reporting losing money to these schemes among South Africans who said they lost funds from digital fraud in the last year.
| Type of Fraud | Percentage of Consumers Reporting Losing Money to Fraud Type Among Those Who Said They Lost Money to Fraud in the Last Year |
| Third-party seller scams on legitimate ecommerce sites |
33% |
| Social engineering |
26% |
| Account takeover |
24% |
| Stolen credit card or fraudulent charges |
24% |
| Money mule |
23% |
| Identity theft |
22% |
| Phishing (fraudulent emails, websites, social posts, QR codes, etc. meant to steal personal information) |
21% |
| Smishing (fraudulent text messages meant to steal personal information) |
19% |
| Vishing (fraudulent phone calls or voice messages meant to steal personal information) |
16% |
| Unemployment benefits |
15% |
Source: TransUnion consumer survey
Most Fraud Attempts Occur at Account Login
The suspected digital fraud rate for attempted transactions where the consumer was in South Africa declined from 4.3% in 2024 to 3.0% in 2025, a trend also observed globally. Nevertheless, this decrease does not necessarily indicate reduced criminal activity; rather, it may reflect a shift toward AI-enabled tactics designed to maximise return on investment.
South Africa is one of the few markets where the highest rate of suspected digital fraud attempts* happen at account login, with 3.0.% of account login attempts being flagged as potentially fraudulent, compared to 2.4% at account creation and 0.7% of financial transactions. This trend suggests that attackers are increasingly trying to compromise existing accounts, in contrast to other countries globally where new account creation is a key focus for fraudsters.
“This inversion tells a powerful story that criminals in South Africa are now targeting access using compromised credentials, SIM-swap-enabled entry and social engineering to take over existing accounts,” said Reddy. “This means that vendors and financial institutions need to expand their fraud prevention strategies beyond the new customer onboarding phase, continuing to implement verification throughout the consumer lifecycle – but without the unnecessary friction that will see genuine consumers seeking alternative sites.”
Findings from the survey also show that consumers most preferred top feature when choosing whom to transact with online is confidence that their personal data is secure, with 85% of respondents saying it was very important. This was followed by an easy payment process (80%) and ease of filling out forms or applications (72%).
“The fact that security is the top reported feature shows that consumers are willing to accept friction when completing digital transactions, provided it’s clearly linked to protection,” Reddy said. “As a result, security in South Africa is evolving beyond compliance and emerging as a key driver of brand trust and differentiation.”
Government Sector Most Affected by Digital Fraud Attempts
Suspected digital fraud attempts across Africa[3] in 2025 showed fraudsters focusing on very different industries depending on the country, reflecting local digital behaviours and opportunity points. Globally, the most vulnerable industry was video gaming, where 12.8% of transactions were suspected of digital fraud attempts. Across African countries analysed, gaming also recorded the highest suspected digital fraud rate, driven by Kenya, where 15.6% of gaming transactions were flagged – the highest rate observed for any industry in Africa.
In South Africa, the rate of suspected digital fraud where the consumer was in the country was the most prevalent among government transactions, at 12.5%, highlighting risks tied to public-sector digitalisation.
“Digitalisation has improved access to public services, but it has also created new risks for fraud,” said Reddy. “Fraudsters are leveraging official government branding and service-related messages to impersonate the state and deceive citizens.”
Chart 2: Suspected Digital Fraud Attempts in South Africa, by Sector
| Industry |
Suspected Digital Fraud Attempt Rate 2025 |
Change in volume of suspected digital fraud attempts from 2024 to 2025 |
| Government |
12.5% |
+46% |
| Gaming (online sports betting, poker, etc.) |
11.5% |
+124% |
| Insurance |
7.8% |
+32% |
| Video gaming |
5.5% |
-29% |
| Financial services |
5.3% |
+16% |
| Communities (online dating, forums etc.) |
3.7% |
-42% |
| Logistics |
1.9% |
-98% |
| Retail |
1.1% |
-61% |
| Telecommunications |
0.6% |
-94% |
| Travel & leisure |
0.1% |
-78% |
“South Africa has entered an advanced fraud phase where criminals exploit trust, operate across channels and target established digital relationships rather than weak entry points. Fraud is increasingly occurring inside legitimate marketplaces and impersonated public services, while risk remains consistently highest at login, as it has been on an annual basis.”
“As criminals increasingly weaponise new technologies to carry out sophisticated scams, it’s more important than ever for consumers to safeguard their personal information and to review their credit reports regularly,” said Reddy.
“For businesses, the call to action is clear: fraud strategies must extend beyond compliance and onboarding controls to actively protect trust across the entire digital journey. Organisations that invest in adaptive authentication, identity intelligence and visible security at moments of access will be best positioned to reduce fraud, preserve customer confidence and differentiate their brands in South Africa’s digital economy,” she added.
TransUnion came to its conclusions about digital fraud based on a global survey of 12,730 consumers in 18 countries and regions from Nov. 20–Dec. 9, 2025, and intelligence from its array of TransUnion fraud prevention solutions. To learn more about how TransUnion fraud prevention solutions can help businesses avoid fraud and prevent fraud losses, click here.
Specific country and regional data in the report includes South Africa, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zambia. Download the TransUnion H1 2026 Update to the Top Fraud Trends Report for more information and insights about the global fraud trends.
[1] Suspected digital fraud attempts reflects those which TransUnion clients determined met one of the following conditions: 1) denial in real time due to fraudulent indicators, 2) denial in real time for corporate policy violations, 3) fraudulent upon client investigation, or 4) a corporate policy violation upon customer investigation. The country and regional analyses examined transactions in which the consumer or suspected fraudster was located in a select country or region when conducting a transaction. Global statistics represent every country worldwide and not just the select countries and regions.
[2] Exchange rate calculated at R16.69 to the US dollar as per the exchange rate for 29 December 2025.
[3] TransUnion analysed the suspected digital fraud rate in its global intelligence network for the African countries of Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa and Zambia.
The European Union has used money and enforcement infrastructure as the twin pillars of its migrant returns strategy. The evidence suggests it isn’t working.
A landmark climate case before the African Court asks what African states must do to protect human rights, phase out fossil fuels, and tackle climate change.
Targeting men who move around for work is crucial for the success of a new HIV/Aids treatment.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) today submitted its input to the Department of Basic Education concerning the proposed changes to the school history curricula. The party rejects these proposals, as they represent a continuation of a persistent process to cast the history of Western civilisation in general, and Afrikaners in particular, in a hostile […]
The post Freedom Front Plus’s submission on proposed new school history curricula – summary appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
Palaeontologists have got a clearer picture of where turtles fit in the animal kingdom, thanks to analysis of a southern African fossil.
South African households are entering a more constrained financial period, as the modest momentum seen at the end of 2025 comes under pressure from rising living costs.
According to TransUnion’s latest insights, increases in fuel prices, renewed food inflation, and persistently higher borrowing costs are reshaping consumer sentiment, shifting from early signs of recovery in 2026, to a more defensive posture.
This comes as the South African Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) delivers its latest interest rate decision of a 25-basis points increase, against a backdrop of rising inflation, which increased to 4.0% in April from 3.1% in March, reflecting persistent price pressures across essential categories.
Incremental Increase Adds to Mounting Financial Pressure
Following the MPC’s decision to increase interest rates by 25 basis points, TransUnion notes that the move reinforces a financial environment where household momentum is already being challenged, and cost pressures are compounding.
“A 0.25% increase lands on households that are already under strain,” says Lee Naik, chief executive officer, TransUnion Africa. “This is not a new shock; it is an amplification of pressures that consumers are already managing. The combination of higher instalments and rising living costs accelerates the shift from cautious optimism to caution.”
Data from TransUnion’s Q4 2025 Industry Insights Report shows elevated delinquency across several credit products, while TransUnion’s Q1 2026 Consumer Pulse Study highlights increased reliance on credit and sustained reductions in spending.
“When fuel, food and borrowing costs rise together, the impact is not incremental; it is compounding. That is where we see the real pressure emerge, and where financial behaviour shifts decisively,” Naik adds.
Multiple Cost Pressures Converge
“The risk is not just higher rates; it is the combination of cost pressures hitting at once. The affordability challenge becomes immediate and more difficult to manage,” Naik adds.
TransUnion notes that the key issue is no longer the rate decision in isolation, reflecting the cumulative strain of overlapping cost pressures on household affordability.
“At the start of 2026, there was a sense that consumers were beginning to stabilise, with some early signs of recovery in repayment behaviour and financial resilience. That momentum is now being challenged,” says Naik.
“We are seeing a clear shift toward greater caution, as rising fuel and food costs begin to outweigh any incremental relief. The financial pressure facing households is no longer emerging, it is entrenched.”
Even ahead of the MPC outcome, the financial environment facing consumers has materially tightened. TransUnion’s Q1 2026 Consumer Pulse Study showed widespread behavioural adjustment, with households cutting discretionary spending, increasing reliance on credit, and drawing down savings buffers to manage rising living costs.
At the same time, household affordability is being eroded by cost escalation across essential categories. Household food basket data (PMBEJD April 2026) shows the average basket rising to R5,452.09, marking a clear re-acceleration in food inflation driven by fuel and logistics costs.
Credit performance data from TransUnion’s Q4 2025 Industry Insights Report further reflects growing strain, particularly in non-bank lending segments where delinquency remains elevated, signalling deep financial vulnerability among consumers.
“Consumers are not reacting to a single shock. They are responding to a sustained financial pressure building over time,” adds Naik. “What we are seeing now is a structural shift in behaviour, where households are increasingly prioritising essentials, protecting debt commitments and managing risk more cautiously.”
Looking Ahead: A Structurally More Cautious Consumer Cycle
TransUnion’s outlook remains clear: South African consumers are entering a more cautious financial cycle, as the momentum of 2025 is increasingly challenged by sustained and broad-based cost pressures.
“The environment has shifted from short-term stress to structural pressure,” concludes Naik. “Consumers are no longer adjusting temporarily, they are recalibrating how they manage money, prioritise spending and engage with credit in a more constrained and uncertain environment.”
GOOD Stellenbosch expresses its deep concern and sadness following the recent shootings in Franschhoek which resulted in the loss of lives and left the community traumatised and fearful.
The post GOOD STELLENBOSCH CALLS FOR INCREASED LAW ENFORCEMENT AND POLICE VISIBILITY IN FRANSCHHOEK FOLLOWING RECENT SHOOTINGS appeared first on For Good.
GOOD Statement by Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General 26 May 2026 Blaming African immigrants and refugees for South Africa’s poverty, unemployment and tardy implementation of post-apartheid redress is untrue, morally bankrupt, and a dog-whistle for public violence. Nobody will benefit from another bout of xenophobic-driven looting and savagery such as that of 2008, which claimed 62 […]
The post IMMIGRANTS NOT TO BLAME FOR SOUTH AFRICANS’ SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SUFFERING appeared first on For Good.
Written on 7 May 2026, stopping xenophobic incitement and mobilisation from destabilising communities and local government elections.
The post OPEN LETTER TO MINISTER OF POLICE FIROZ CACHALIA appeared first on For Good.
The jazz pianist has built a career challenging the perception of blindness through music
After more than a decade, external security intervention has left the Sahel region more fragmented, militarised and violent.
In St George’s Cathedral on Africa Day activists called out Afrophobia, saying immigrants are fighting for the same dignity as marginalised South Africans
Diesel has become South Africa’s shadow infrastructure system by compensating for failures in electricity generation and freight rail.
“March and March pretends to oppose only undocumented migration, but in practice, it fuels hostility and violence,” said activist groups in a statement
Speech by Patricia de Lille, GOOD Leader & Minister of Tourism. *Note to Editor: This speech was given today during the RISE Mzansi Mayoral Launch in Johannesburg
The post PATRICA DE LILLE, LEADER OF GOOD, ENDORSES LUKHONA MNGUNI FOR MAYOR OF JOHANNESBURG appeared first on For Good.
Researcher warns of threat to the Okavango Delta
Protesters say their pleas for electricity, flushing toilets and housing have fallen on deaf ears