Capitec staff bring color and joy to local daycare
Glaan Sibuyi Less than a minute
Capitec staff bring color and joy to local daycare
De Little Stars Daycare and Aftercare Preschool in New Redruth recently received a surprise when Capitec Bank staff arrived with paintbrushes to transform the preschool's walls with vibrant, child-friendly artwork.
The wall painting initiative was part of Capitec's broader Mandela Month celebration, demonstrating the bank's commitment to community upliftment.
This community initiative reflects the spirit of Nelson Mandela's legacy of service, showing how corporate social responsibility can make a meaningful difference in local educational facilities.
De Little Stars expressed their gratitude for Capitec's generous contribution of time and resources to enhance their learning space.
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Daily Maverick
40 minutes ago
- Daily Maverick
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The new model integrates directly with banks' secure networks, extending Home Affairs' IT platform 'across the length and breadth of South Africa and onto smartphone apps', Schreiber said. Capitec will equip 100 branches with Home Affairs functionality by early 2026, expanding to 300 by mid-2026. The target is 1,000 branches by 2029, but Schreiber believes it can be reached sooner. Beyond the branch Schreiber's roadmap goes further. 'Once this service is stable, we will work together to enable South Africans to apply through the digital banking apps they use every day. We will add the ability to apply for a passport, and we will introduce home delivery.' He calls it the 'holy grail' of governance: a future where 'South Africans will soon be able to apply for a new document and have it delivered directly to their doorstep without ever leaving their house'. Capitec CEO Graham Lee said: 'This partnership is the first proof point of our commitment to work closely with the government and the public sector to solve real problems, remove friction for South Africans and help our country grow. By combining our technology, branch network and client-first approach with the Department of Home Affairs' mandate, we are making essential services faster, simpler and more accessible for millions from suburbs to rural areas.' Fighting fraud, enabling lives With 18 million green ID books still in circulation, 'the most defrauded document in Africa', the minister sees the partnership as key to eliminating costly fraud. 'By working together, we can urgently replace all those green IDs with smart IDs,' he said. For Capitec, the benefits go beyond goodwill. 'Identity is crucial to the ability to provide solid, secure and scalable financial services,' said Lee, who confirmed to Daily Maverick that there would be no extra charges for the service. 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The South African
6 hours ago
- The South African
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eNCA
6 hours ago
- eNCA
South Africa's Unemployment Rate Rises to 33.2% in Q2 Amid Weak Job Growth
South Africa's unemployment rate edged higher again in the second quarter of 2025, reaching 33.2%, data released by StatsSA reveals. This marks an increase of 0.3 percentage points from the first quarter, surprising economists who had predicted a more modest rise to 33%. To provide insight into the figures, Nkosi Pendile-Shange, economist at the Bureau for Economic Research, joined us for analysis. 'The upward trend in unemployment was somewhat expected given ongoing economic pressures, especially during the first two months of Q2,' Pendile-Shange said. 'However, the magnitude of the increase was larger than we anticipated.' Sectors Behind Job Losses Of the ten major sectors tracked, six recorded a decline in employment during the quarter. Notably, the utilities sector, which had previously shown growth through renewable energy projects, unexpectedly shed 6,000 jobs. The financial services sector, traditionally a key driver of employment, lost a significant 24,000 jobs. Agriculture also saw a loss of 24,000 positions, although it represents a smaller share of total employment. 'While agriculture's impact is smaller, the loss of jobs in financial services is concerning given its size relative to other sectors,' Pendile-Shange explained. Manufacturing continued its downward employment trend, consistent with Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data earlier this year. However, recent data offers some optimism: manufacturing output increased in June, and early July PMI readings point to improving economic activity, which could lead to job creation in coming months. Looking Ahead: Changes to Unemployment Data Collection StatsSA plans to revise its quarterly labour force survey starting next quarter, incorporating new questions designed to better capture informal sector employment. This move follows comments from former Capitec CEO, Kherifa Rhee, who suggested South Africa's unemployment rate might be significantly lower if informal work was more accurately measured. Pendile-Shange cautioned against expecting dramatic changes: 'While StatsSA is following international standards, it's important to note that many people self-report as unemployed even if they engage in informal income-generating activities. The adjustment may offer deeper insights but is unlikely to reduce the official rate from over 33% to, say, 10%.' He added that informal employment is substantial in sectors like construction and trade, where up to a third and half of jobs, respectively, are informal, but many workers still identify as unemployed if they lack formal jobs or consistent income. The Bigger Picture South Africa's labour market remains under pressure amid sluggish economic growth and structural challenges. The latest data underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to stimulate job creation, particularly in sectors that have historically absorbed large numbers of workers. As economists and policymakers await the revised StatsSA data next quarter, the hope is that a clearer picture of informal employment will inform strategies to tackle unemployment more effectively.
