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Foot-And-Mouth Disease Out of Control

Location: News

While the economy is slowing down and South Africans look forward to spending the festive season with family, livestock farmers face a bleak festive season as foot-and-mouth disease causes massive financial losses. The Department of Agriculture is dragging its feet with enforcing legislation while more and more farmers are struggling to keep their heads above […]

The post Foot-and-mouth disease out of control: Dark times ahead for livestock farmers appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.

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Ekurhuleni’s electricity network collapse

Location: News

The blame for the power outages that have plagued large parts of the Ekurhuleni Metro since the beginning of the month can be laid squarely on the shoulders of the ANC/EFF coalition for their years of failing to replace or upgrade ageing and dilapidated electricity infrastructure. Cable theft, unpaid contractors, a shortage of skilled staff […]

The post Ekurhuleni’s electricity network collapses due to years of neglect and mismanagement appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.

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Environmental Inequality on the Cape Flats Deepens

Location: News

The City of Cape Town's decision to procure a new fleet of diesel buses, using more polluting Euro V diesel, for the upcoming Metro South East Corridor (MSEC) raises serious environmental justice concerns for communities already burdened by poor air quality.

The post CITY’S DIESEL BUS PROCUREMENT DEEPENS ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITY ON THE CAPE FLATS appeared first on For Good.

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South Africans Signal Cautious Confidence as Financial Habits Evolve

Location: Business
  • TransUnion’s Q2 2025 Consumer Pulse Study reveals strategic shifts in saving, borrowing, and fraud defence, with younger generations leading the way
  • 75% of South Africans expect their income to rise, but nearly 39% anticipate missing at least one bill or loan payment
  • 45% of Gen Z and 39% of Millennials plan to apply for credit, leading a shift toward more proactive financial habits
  • 58% of consumers were targeted by fraud in Q2, with many responding by strengthening their digital security

South African consumers are responding to ongoing financial pressures with increasing intent and vigilance. While inflation, high interest rates and job market uncertainty continue to weigh on household budgets, the latest TransUnion Consumer Pulse Study for Q2 2025* reveals a population adjusting not just defensively, but proactively. From rethinking spending and saving to becoming more discerning about credit and fraud, South Africans are adopting behaviours that suggest a shift toward long-term financial resilience, especially among younger generations.

“South Africans are showing resilience with purpose,” said Ayesha Hatea, director of research and consulting at TransUnion. “They’re not simply reacting to pressure, they’re taking charge, rebalancing their finances and protecting their future.”

Mixed Incomes, Bold Adjustments

While there are some positive signs, many households are still experiencing fluctuations in their income. In the second quarter, 21% of consumers said their household income had decreased, while 38% reported an increase. A majority of respondents (75%) are hopeful that their earnings will increase in the next year. However, this confidence exists alongside financial challenges, with nearly 39% of consumers reporting that they expect they might miss at least one bill or loan payment in the near future.

This financial pressure is driving noticeable changes in how people manage their money. More than half of consumers (54%) trimmed back on non-essential expenses like dining out, entertainment and travel. Many are also taking steps to strengthen their financial security; 31% paid down debt faster, 24% put more into emergency savings or stokvels and 37% planned to increase their retirement or investment savings.

Generational Differences Define the Shift

While overall behaviours are trending positive, the evolution is not uniform across age groups. Younger consumers, particularly Gen Z (ages 18-28) and Millennials (29-44) are emerging as drivers of this transformation. They are more likely to apply for credit, monitor their credit reports frequently and adopt security tools like multi-factor authentication.

Forty-five percent of Gen Z respondents and 39% of Millennials indicated they plan to apply for or refinance credit in the next year, compared to just 27% of Gen X (45-60) and 15% of Baby Boomers (61+). They are also the most engaged in monitoring their credit monthly and believe that access to alternative data, such as rental or Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) payment histories, would improve their credit scores.

“Younger South Africans are embracing financial tools with growing confidence,” Hatea added. “They’re more comfortable with digital platforms, increasingly aware of how their financial choices affect their long-term goals, and, as a result, are more proactive about managing their credit.”

Cautious Credit Intent Amid Access Concerns

While 92% of consumers believe access to credit is important to achieving their financial goals, only 36% intend to apply for credit in the coming year, a figure that has remained stable since Q1. This cautious demand reflects continued uncertainty around employment, income and affordability.

Consumers favour unsecured lending, with credit cards (30%), personal loans (28%) and BNPL services (25%) attracting the most interest. Interest in secured lending remains comparatively low, with only 22% planning to apply for vehicle finance and 19% expressing interest in home loans.

Still, barriers remain. Nearly half (48%) of consumers said they had considered applying for credit but ultimately decided not to. The main reasons were income/ employment status (30%), high borrowing costs (29%) and concerns about their credit history (27%). Overall, 45% of consumers believed they would be approved if they applied for credit. While this figure reflects general sentiment, optimism tends to be higher among those who actively monitor their credit, suggesting a link between financial awareness and confidence.

Digital Fraud on the Rise, but So Is Awareness

As digital engagement grows, so does the threat of fraud. In Q2 2025, 58% of South Africans reported being targeted by fraud schemes, a decrease from the previous quarter (61%) with 13% confirming they had fallen victim. The most common scams included gift card or money transfer scams (33%), phishing (31%), smishing (30%) and third-party seller scams (28%).

Consumers are responding with heightened vigilance in response to cyber security concerns. A majority (59%) changed their passwords, 39% checked their credit reports and 25% added multi-factor authentication. Gen Z and Millennials were the most likely to take protective action, a likely result of both their greater exposure to digital platforms and higher awareness of evolving scam tactics. Alarmingly, 21% of consumers said they took no action at all, often citing uncertainty about what to do. This highlights the ongoing need for stronger cybersecurity and fraud education, and accessible protection tools.

“Consumers are trying to keep pace, but the threat landscape is evolving quickly,” said Hatea. “What we need now is a national conversation, one that gives all South Africans the knowledge and resources to protect their identities in a digital-first world.”

A Financial Turning Point

The Q2 2025 Consumer Pulse Study reveals a country making deliberate financial choices in the face of uncertainty. South Africans are shifting from survival mode to a more balanced, future-focused financial mindset. While challenges remain, the direction is clear; consumers are becoming more selective in how they spend, more strategic in how they borrow and more vigilant in how they protect themselves.

“At TransUnion, we believe these shifts represent not just resilience, but growth,” concluded Hatea. “South Africans are taking ownership of their financial journeys and in doing so, they’re laying the groundwork for lasting stability and inclusion.”

Consumers can get their free annual credit report from TransUnion here.

* This online survey of 922 adults was conducted May 5–25, 2025

Read moreSouth Africans Signal Cautious Confidence as Financial Habits Evolve

Storm Damage Not the Only Cause of Widespread Power Outages in Tshwane

Location: News

While visiting various neighbourhoods, members of the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) caucus in the Tshwane Metro Council concluded that infrastructure damage and power outages, more prevalent since the beginning of the month, cannot be attributed solely to stormy weather. Years of maintenance backlogs and the failure to frequently prune trees on pavements and along […]

The post Storm damage not the only cause of widespread power outages in Tshwane appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.

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Violent Crime in Cloetesville

Location: News

Despite numerous community-led efforts, crime awareness campaigns, and marches against violence in Cloetesville and the broader Stellenbosch, our communities are facing a frightening escalation in violent crime. The situation is no longer tolerable.

The post VIOLENT CRIME IN CLOETESVILLE AS GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO FAIL OUR COMMUNITIES appeared first on For Good.

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TransUnion Unlocks Smarter, Faster Financial Services for SMMEs and FinTechs With API Marketplace

Location: Business
  • TransUnion’s new API Marketplace gives SMMEs and FinTechs instant, self-service access to credit, identity, and fraud prevention tools
  • The platform simplifies integration, accelerates decision-making, and supports inclusive, data-driven financial services
  • Designed for agility and scale, it empowers smaller businesses to compete and innovate in South Africa’s growing digital economy
  • Improved access to accurate data enables businesses to better serve underserved communities, advancing equitable access to financial services

Global information and insights company TransUnion Africa has launched its API Marketplace, a streamlined digital platform designed to give small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) as well as FinTechs direct, self-service access to a wide range of credit, identity and fraud prevention solutions. The platform aims to simplify integration, strengthen risk assessment, and support the delivery of faster, more personalised financial services across the country. The API Marketplace helps reduce technical complexities, enabling companies to quickly incorporate credit checks, identity verification, and fraud detection into their operations for faster, more accurate decision-making.

Simplifying Access to Trusted Data Solutions

For many SMMEs and FinTechs, limited access to reliable credit data, time-consuming verification processes, and the burden of manual fraud checks can slow growth and undermine customer trust. The TransUnion API Marketplace addresses these pain points by allowing businesses to discover and embed TransUnion’s trusted data solutions directly into their systems, without lengthy onboarding processes or complex development cycles.

“With the launch of the TransUnion API Marketplace in South Africa, we’re empowering SMMEs and FinTechs with the tools they need to thrive in the digital economy,” says Dee Chetty, Chief Product Officer at TransUnion Africa. “It’s about lowering barriers to entry for businesses aiming to innovate quickly, deliver inclusive financial services, and make smarter decisions, while upholding the highest standards of data integrity and security.”

The platform offers real-time access to insights that support key business functions, from identity verification during customer onboarding to fraud flagging and credit risk assessment throughout the customer lifecycle. This is particularly powerful for SMMEs and FinTechs, which often operate with lean teams and need to maximise efficiency without compromising on due diligence.

Supporting Financial Inclusion and Economic Growth

According to the latest Mastercard SME Confidence Index, 90% of South African SMMEs have adopted digital payments in recent years, demonstrating the sector’s appetite for modernisation. However, many still lack access to the kind of scalable, reliable infrastructure that larger organisations take for granted. The API Marketplace bridges that gap, enabling smaller firms to leverage TransUnion’s capabilities in a cost-effective and agile way.

Crucially, the offering also supports national priorities around financial inclusion. Improving the flow of accurate credit and identity data enables businesses to offer more tailored products to underserved consumers, particularly in emerging markets and low-income communities. This helps create a more transparent and equitable financial ecosystem, where access to funding and services is based on real, data-driven insights.

“The API Marketplace is not just a product, it’s an enabler of impact,” adds Chetty. “We know that the future of inclusive finance in South Africa depends on access: to data, to tools, and to trust. This platform delivers on all three, helping more businesses deliver safe, responsible, and responsive financial products.”

Developer-Friendly Design for Rapid Deployment

Digitising integration through the API Marketplace enhances operational efficiency and significantly shortens development timelines. The platform includes a wide range of features designed for accessibility and ease of use. It offers a searchable API catalogue, developer-friendly documentation, and robust security protocols, all designed to reduce friction and accelerate deployment. A structured onboarding process is already in place, with plans to introduce full self-service and digital onboarding in the next phase of development.

Looking ahead, TransUnion sees the API Marketplace as a critical lever for economic resilience and innovation, particularly as the South African FinTech sector continues its rapid growth. The local FinTech market is projected to reach USD 14.86 billion by 2033, with APIs playing a foundational role in scaling new financial solutions.

Visit TransUnion’s API Marketplace for more information.

Read moreTransUnion Unlocks Smarter, Faster Financial Services for SMMEs and FinTechs With API Marketplace

Be the Reason: A Movement in Partnership with TransUnion and the International Finance Corporation to Unlock Financial Opportunity for All

Location: Business

TransUnion, a global information and insights company, has launched a bold new campaign, ‘Be the Reason Things Change’, aimed at making financial inclusion a reality for more South Africans. This powerful initiative calls on individuals, communities, businesses, and institutions to join a movement for change, one that ensures every person is seen, supported, and given the tools to participate in the formal financial system.

In a country known for both its beauty and inequality, where access to formal credit remains out of reach for many, ‘Be the Reason Things Change’ seeks to break down the barriers that keep people excluded, by focusing on consumer education, innovation, and community engagement. The campaign is designed to help South Africans take control of their financial futures, regardless of who they are or where they come from, whilst also advocating for businesses to embrace alternative data and innovative scoring solutions to see and serve the unseen. By doing so, they too can empower the disempowered, expanding access and inclusion, and enabling more people to participate meaningfully in the financial ecosystem and live the lives they deserve.

“At TransUnion, we believe in a world where the impossible becomes possible, where the unseen are finally seen, and where every South African deserves the opportunity to participate fully in the economy,” says Lee Naik, CEO TransUnion Africa.

’Be the Reason Things Change’ is more than a campaign slogan; it’s a call to action to take part in building a more inclusive financial system. Through innovative data solutions and consumer education, we aim to spark a national conversation about breaking down barriers in the credit landscape and ensuring financial empowerment is accessible to all. Ultimately, we want more South Africans to be included in the formal financial economy, empowering them to understand how access to credit can transform their lives and enable them to uplift their communities,” says Naik.

Addressing South Africa’s Financial Inclusion Challenge

Many South Africans continue to face obstacles in accessing formal credit and quality financial services. Traditional systems often feel exclusive or out of reach, especially for underserved individuals and small businesses, because they rely heavily on past borrowing behaviour as the primary measure of creditworthiness. According to TransUnion’s CreditVision® Telco Data Score data-modelling, over 1.4 million credit-invisible South Africans open new credit accounts each year, contributing to more than four million new accounts over the past three years*. Yet traditional scoring models frequently fail to assess these consumers accurately, leaving over 16 million adults outside the formal credit system. Successfully integrating these and other excluded consumers into the economy could contribute an estimated R173 billion to South Africa’s GDP.

A significant portion, approximately 35% of new-to-credit consumers are under the age of 25, many entering the workforce for the first time and using credit to cover essentials such as work clothing. This highlights the urgent need for innovative, inclusive tools that better reflect the realities of younger, digitally active individuals who may lack a conventional credit footprint.

TransUnion is shifting the paradigm by embracing alternative data, creating new scoring capabilities, and ensuring that individuals who were once unclassifiable can now be assessed fairly and accurately. Its “Be the Reason Things Change” campaign responds to this need by equipping the public with practical tools, credit education, and the confidence to take charge of their financial futures.

Collaborative Effort with Global Partners

The campaign is supported by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, has played a key role as a technical advisor and promotor of credit information tools in South Africa, reinforcing the global imperative to expand equitable access to financial services.

“We are proud to support TransUnion’s ‘Be the Reason Things Change’ campaign, which aligns closely with our mission to advance inclusive economic development,” says Cláudia Conceição, IFC Regional Director for Southern Africa. “By removing barriers to credit access, this initiative empowers individuals and communities to build financial resilience and unlock economic opportunity, key pillars of long-term social impact.”

This collaboration highlights the value of cross-sector partnerships in tackling systemic financial exclusion, combining local insights with global best practices to deliver scalable solutions.

Empowering Through Education, Innovation, Investment and Africa Firsts

‘Be the Reason Things Change’ will see TransUnion roll out a fully integrated marketing campaign designed to demystify the credit system and empower people from all walks of life. Key pillars of the campaign include:

  • A first-ever interactive peelable billboard in Africa, installed at Melrose Arch, located by the entrance off Corlett Drive in Johannesburg. 
  • A first-ever digital billboard aimed at reaching audiences beyond the Johannesburg area.
  • Transformational stories from campaign ambassadors include Springbok rugby stars Makazole Mapimpi and Lukhanyo Am, as well as fashion entrepreneur Tshepo Mohlala
  • Springbok, Lukhanyo Am and fashion entrepreneur, Tshepo Mohlala will be launching the campaign at Melrose Arch on 21 August 2025 where they will peel the first layers of the billboard and share their own personal journeys.
  • Over R10m valued in sponsorship and investment in e-learning credit courses for over 5,000 South Africans.
  • Practical education: Simple, clear resources to help people understand credit scores, manage debt, and make informed financial choices.
  • A unique AI-powered digital film piece.
  • Innovative Solutions: New offerings to help enable lenders to see consumers previously unseen, empowering consumers to access new credit opportunities

‘Be the Reason Things Change’ is about rewriting the story around credit and creditworthiness,” says Naik. “We want every South African to understand how credit works, what their score means, and how they can maintain and improve it. More importantly, we want them to believe they can be the reason things change.”

Campaign Execution Partners

The campaign was brought to life through a dynamic collaboration with creative agency 1 Over One, who led the conceptual development; local production partner Run Jump Fly, who delivered a unique AI-powered digital film piece, FleishmanHillard South Africa and Capacity Relations who provided strategic PR, media and activation support to amplify the message and ensure meaningful engagement across key audiences.

Join the Movement

TransUnion invites all South Africans to join the movement for financial inclusion. To learn more, participate in the campaign, and access educational resources, visit www.transunion.co.za/bethereason.

Consumers can get their free annual credit report from TransUnion here.

* The three-year period refers to an analysis of the TransUnion Credit Bureau database over the period for January 2022 – December 2025.

Read moreBe the Reason: A Movement in Partnership with TransUnion and the International Finance Corporation to Unlock Financial Opportunity for All