Postbank has issued a warning to Sassa beneficiaries to be on high alert for individuals impersonating its officials.
It said that a disturbing trend has emerged, with social grant recipients using both the new Postbank black cards and the older Sassa gold cards being targeted by sophisticated fraud scams designed to steal their card and PIN details.
These scammers, pretending to be legitimate officials, are reportedly visiting beneficiaries at their homes.
They employ various deceptive tactics, often convincing recipients to hand over their cards and personal identification numbers by falsely claiming the cards are defective, require immediate repair, or that failure to comply will lead to the forfeiture of their grant payments.
But this is not true.
"Postbank assures social grant beneficiaries that there is nothing that requires fixing on any of its black cards and Sassa gold cards, and that both cards will continue to work beyond 31 May 2025 for the payments of their grants," a statement read.
In light of these concerns, Postbank has drafted the following crucial tips for beneficiaries to protect themselves from these scams:
· Never share your PIN: Postbank officials will never ask for your card's PIN.
· Beware of unannounced visits: Postbank or Sassa will never show up unannounced or without an appointment.
· NEVER EVER hand over your card: Do not give your Postbank Black Card or SASSA Gold Card to anyone. Your card and PIN are your personal keys to your money.
· Report suspicious activity: If you are approached by someone suspicious at your home
*This article was first published by eNCA
One of South Africa’s largest restricted medical aid schemes, Profmed, has announced that it will offer free medical aid to South African doctors and dentists under 30.
The scheme noted that this is in response to the unemployment challenge many of these professionals face after completing community service.
Profmed is one of the largest restricted medical schemes in South Africa, and it is exclusively designed for professionals.
Profmed was started by the Professional Provident Society (PPS) in 1959. It became known as Profmed in January 1970.
While PPS is the parent company, Profmed is a separate entity governed by the Medical Schemes Act.
PPS relinquished its control over Profmed in 2002 due to the conflict with the Medical Schemes Act. PPS Healthcare Administrators now administers the scheme.
Initially, Profmed was a scheme designed for the benefit of the PPS members themselves. Over 60 years later, Profmed is now open to all professionals with a tertiary qualification and relevant professional experience.
Among these qualified professionals are doctors and dentists, who Profmed has acknowledged are facing a tough transition from study to practice.
Profmed noted that many healthcare professionals, such as doctors and dentists under 30, are unemployed and without medical aid after completing community service.
“Young healthcare professionals often find themselves at a crossroads after community service,” explained Profmed CEO Craig Comrie.
“We’ve seen far too many talented young doctors complete their mandatory service only to be left without work, income, or even access to private healthcare.”
Comrie said this is unacceptable, adding that Profmed’s initiative of offering free medical aid to these professionals is its way of stepping in where support is needed.
“This is about more than just medical aid,” Comrie said. “It’s about ensuring that young professionals don’t fall through the cracks at the start of their careers.
To qualify for the free medical aid offer, candidates must be under 30, have completed community service in the past two years, and be either unemployed or employed for less than six months.
They are also required to sign up via finDR, a digital platform developed by Profmed to connect newly qualified medical professionals with healthcare practices and job opportunities across the country.
“Healthcare is a demanding and essential profession, and we need to invest in the next generation now, not once they’re already established.”
Promed explained that finDR was launched to address two growing national challenges: graduate unemployment and staffing shortages in South Africa’s healthcare system.
The platform places young doctors and dentists into locum and permanent roles based on their qualifications, location preferences, and healthcare providers’ needs.
This benefits not only the professionals but also practices struggling to manage overwhelming patient loads.
“The response to finDR has been phenomenal,” added Comrie. “Over 800 young doctors have already signed up, which shows just how dire the need is.”
He noted that this latest campaign builds on our earlier pilot, where they gave the first 500 users six months of free medical aid. “Now, we’re expanding that offer to a full year, because they deserve that level of support,” he said.
Beyond just job placements, finDR also provides access to mentorship opportunities and a growing network of like-minded professionals.
Comrie stressed that Profmed’s commitment is a temporary fix and part of a longer-term effort to empower South Africa’s healthcare workforce.
“This offer is our way of saying you matter. Your career matters. And we’re here to help you take that next step, securely and with dignity,” Comrie said.
Doctors and dentists meeting the criteria are also encouraged to register on the finDR platform to gain access to job opportunities, mentorship, and a supportive community.
*This article was first published by BusinessTech
Trusts and non-profit organisations (NPOs) need to be on high alert this tax season, with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) expected to ramp up its scrutiny of submissions in 2025.
According to tax experts at Tax Consulting SA, the revenue service has been investing heavily in advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence, which it is ready to sic on the mountain of documentation it has.
This means that submissions such as the IT3(d) and IT3(t) reports related to trusts and non-profits and public benefit organisations can be assessed with greater precision.
“By using advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence SARS can raise automated tax assessments for individuals,” Tax Consulting said.
“This allows quicker detection of underreported income, and a broader reach into the unregistered or non-compliant taxpayer populations, with a focus on trusts and non-profits.”
Section 18A-approved NPOs are required to submit IT3(d) forms to SARS, reporting all tax-deductible receipts issued to donors during the year of assessment.
SARS uses this data to cross-reference donor claims and ensure that tax deductions are valid and correctly disclosed.
The process also preserves the integrity of the public benefit sector by maintaining transparency and enabling donor trust.
IT3(d) forms had to be submitted by 31 May 2025, and any organisation that missed the deadline now faces losing Section 18A approval, making future donations non-deductible, and further audits and possible penalties.
Even those who submitted on time are at risk, as SARS expects accurate submissions from the outset.
“Incomplete or incorrect data not only causes delays but may undermine the organisation’s standing with donors and regulators alike,” the experts said.
With new technology and tighter scrutiny, these errors are more likely to be picked up.
Trusts are equally under the compliance spotlight. Over the last two years, SARS has initiated a host of new requirements for these entities to ensure that they are operating above board.
Trusts have to submit the IT3(t) form, which is now an annual reporting requirement.
This ensures that income and capital gains distributed to beneficiaries are disclosed accurately and taxed appropriately.
In addition to financial disclosures, SARS has reinforced its expectations around beneficial ownership transparency.
Trustees must ensure that SARS is accurately informed of the individuals who ultimately benefit from trust income or assets. The deadline for IT3(t) submissions is 30 September 2025.
Tax Consulting warned that trustees have a lot more to take into consideration now, including SARS’ use of third-party data to identify and register previously unregistered trusts.
Notably, trustees are personally and jointly liable for a trust’s tax compliance, and administrative penalties are expected to be imposed on non-compliant trusts, particularly for the non-submission of IT3(t) or income tax returns.
“Passive or inactive trusts are not exempt. All trusts must comply with annual tax return obligations,” the group said.
“SARS’s 2025 guidance reiterates that no trust is legally considered ‘dormant’ and fiduciary obligations persist even in the absence of active trading or distributions.”
The tax experts stressed that 2025 is not the year for taxpayers to try and play games and dance around the taxman.
In its effort to meet the ambitious 2025/26 revenue estimate of R1.986 trillion, SARS has made it clear that it will be doggedly pursuing non-compliant taxpayers.
Following the Budget Speech on 21 May 2025, SARS reaffirmed its commitment to chasing after an additional R20 billion in collections at minimum, pushing for R50 billion.
*This article was first published by BusinessTech
ATMs and apps, unlike supervised polling booths, are uncontrolled environments. A voter could be coerced, or even incentivized to cast their ballot a certain way.
On 22 May 2024, at a joint IEC-UNISA engagement hosted at the UNISA Durban campus, I had the privilege of presenting my research on electronic voting (e-voting) in South Africa. The audience - comprising about 200 participants from academia, civil society, and industry - grappled with the future of elections in a digital democracy. Core concerns included the digital divide, inadequate voter education, and the technical infrastructure required to support secure and inclusive e-voting.
Amid this robust debate, one audience member posed an intriguing question: Why not piggyback on banking apps or ATMs to collect votes securely? The suggestion - lateral and bold - demands thoughtful consideration, as it taps into the increasing appetite for leveraging familiar, trusted technologies to solve public challenges. We must have clear credible reasons for any decision choice.
Interestingly, this ATM idea is not new. I explored similar terrain in my 2010 research report commissioned by the IEC, titled The X-National Experience. At the time, the national ATM footprint stood at 19,996, growing steadily to peak at 33 025 in 2019, before declining to around 28 467 today. This figure compares favourably to the 23 293 voting stations currently deployed during national elections.
Yet this superficial alignment masks deeper issues. ATMs are not evenly distributed across human settlements. They are purposefully deployed in areas of high financial activity, often excluding rural and underserved communities. Unlike voting stations, they were never intended to ensure geographic electoral accessibility. This misalignment raises a critical democratic concern: how would such a model serve the unbanked, the rural, the digitally excluded?
Moreover, the proposition of using banking apps or ATMs for voting introduces complex risks of outsourcing democracy to private institutions. While banks are generally trusted to secure financial transactions, elections are not just about data integrity - they’re about public trust, transparency, and universal enfranchisement. Delegating the core mechanics of voting to corporations - however competent - alters the fundamental relationship between the state and its citizens.
There are technical and ethical complications as well. ATMs and apps, unlike supervised polling booths, are uncontrolled environments. A voter could be coerced, or even incentivized to cast their ballot a certain way. The latter is called vote selling. This violates the secrecy of the vote, a cornerstone of legitimate democratic elections.
Let us also not forget that while banks can afford a statistical margin of error in the form of a few lost rands across millions of transactions. This, while unpleasant is acceptable as a business risk. This is not the case in an elections. A single compromised ballot is a red flag for legitimacy and can, in some cases, could invalidate entire portions of an elections.
Do also note the shrinking ATM footprint in South Africa. Banks are now closing ATMs due to three reasons: The first is Digital migration where more customers use online/mobile platforms. The second is operational costs and security risks with ATMs prone to vandalism, fraud, and cash transit costs particularly in remote areas. Finally new digital-first banks like TymeBank now use retail partnerships to offer cash access without traditional ATM infrastructure. This erosion of physical banking infrastructure further undermines the feasibility of ATM-based voting.
Finally ATM or app voting is a form of remote voting also called Internet Voting is arguably the most contentious form of ballot capture. David Dill, a computer science professor at Stanford University, argues that internet voting poses significant risks to election integrity, stating that "from the perspective of election trustworthiness, Internet voting is a complete disaster." This sentiment reflects broader concerns that the complexities and vulnerabilities inherent in digital platforms may not be adequately addressed when repurposing systems designed for banking to handle electoral functions.
In conclusion, while the idea of using banking platforms for voting is creative and deserves exploration, it must be weighed against the non-negotiable principles of democratic participation: equity, secrecy, transparency, and accessibility. E-voting must never compromise these principles for convenience or cost-saving. As South Africa cautiously considers the digital ballot, we must remain vigilant that efficiency does not erode democracy.
*This article was first published by IOL News
A Gauteng couple took action against Absa bank after alleging reckless lending practices that have led them into a spiralling debt of over R5.1 million.
A Gauteng couple took action against Absa bank after alleging reckless lending practices that have led them into a spiralling debt of over R5.1 million.
Christian Daniel De Klerk and his partner, long-standing customers of the bank, claim that their financial wellness was compromised when they accepted a second home loan from Absa without being given a suitable affordability assessment.
Initially, the De Klerks secured a R1.9 million home loan from Absa in 2011 and, for nearly a decade, they successfully met their repayment obligations. However, following the collapse of the husband's legal practice in March 2020 due to the pandemic, the couple were granted a temporary three-month payment holiday.
Ironically, during the same month, they said Absa approached them with an offer for a second loan, amounting to R3.2 million. Despite their precarious situation, the couple accepted the offer.
Meanwhile, the husband remained unemployed until June 2024 and the couple faced mounting debt because of missed repayments from 2022.
They maintained that their current income was inadequate to service both the new instalments and the arrears. Nevertheless, they submitted that they could meet the loan obligations under terms similar to those agreed upon in March 2020.
In seeking respite, the couple brought their case before the National Consumer Tribunal (NCT), voicing their primary grievance against Absa's alleged failure to conduct a proper affordability assessment before approving the second loan.
They argued that Absa did not request essential financial documentation such as proof of income, detailed expense records, or even a credit history report—critical assessments that would typically inform responsible lending practices. The couple contended that granting them a loan while the husband was unemployed amounted to reckless lending.
In addition, the couple alleged that Absa also failed to provide clear information regarding the loan’s terms, conditions, interest rates, and penalties for missed repayments, all of which they argue have contributed to their current financial hardship.
As a result of these alleged contraventions, the couple said that they are suffering severe financial hardship, face the risk of foreclosure, and are enduring significant emotional distress, which has adversely affected their quality of life.
In the answering affidavit, Absa argued the couple's application was time-barred as more than three years have elapsed since the alleged cause of action arose. Moreover, the bank submitted that the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria enforced the loan agreement in September 2024 and ordered the couple to pay over R5.1 million including interests and declared the couples’ property executable.
The bank added that the couple's case was frivolous, vexatious, and constitutes an abuse of the Tribunal’s process.
In their reply, the couple disputed the assertion that the matter was time-barred. They argue that the cause of action only arose in 2022 when they began defaulting on their home loan repayments. On this basis, they contend that the three-year period should be calculated from 2022, not from 2020 when the second home loan was granted.
They also disputed the contention that the high court judgment precludes them from pursuing the complaint before the tribunal. They argue that the issue of reckless lending, which forms the crux of their complaint before the tribunal, and it was not adjudicated by the high court.
Looking at matter, the tribunal said by law, the limitation period must be calculated from 2020 March when the alleged reckless credit was extended. Having filed their application for leave to refer in February 2025—almost five years post the alleged reckless lending—the tribunal indicated that they would be barred from considering the complaint, potentially closing the door on their search for justice.
As a result, the application was dismissed.
*This article was first published by IOL News
Zimbabwe will cull dozens of elephants and distribute the meat for consumption to ease the ballooning population of the animals, its wildlife authority said Tuesday.
The southern Africa country is home to the second-biggest elephant population in the world after Botswana.
The cull at a vast private game reserve in the southeast would initially target 50 elephants, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) said in a statement.
It did not say how many of the animals would be killed in total or over what period.
An aerial survey in 2024 showed the reserve, the Save Valley Conservancy, had 2,550 elephants, more than triple its carrying capacity of 800, ZimParks said.
At least 200 have been translocated to other parks over the past five years.
"Elephant meat from the management exercise will be distributed to local communities while ivory will be state property that will be handed over to the ZimParks for safekeeping," it said.
Zimbabwe is unable to sell its stockpile of tusks due to a global ban on ivory trading.
Tuesday's announcement came a day after four people were arrested in the capital Harare with more than 230 kilogrammes (500 pounds) of ivory for which they were allegedly seeking a buyer.
In 2024, Zimbabwe culled 200 elephants as it faced an unprecedented drought that led to food shortages. It was the first major cull since 1988.
The move to hunt the elephants for food has drawn sharp criticism, particularly as the animals are a major tourism draw.
*This article was first published by eNCA
