ZAKHAA, a trailblazing fintech innovator dedicated to fostering financial inclusion, has been awarded the prestigious title of “Most Disruptive Fintech in Shaping Informal Economy” at the ABSA Commercial Payments Awards, in association with VISA, held at the ICC in Cape Town on 2 April 2025. The award specifically recognises ZAKHAA's groundbreaking impact through its innovative payment solutions, particularly ZAKHAA FlexiPay, which is demonstrably transforming payment processes within South Africa’s underserved communities.
With its flagship innovation, ZAKHAA FlexiPay, the company is addressing long-standing barriers to economic empowerment across three key informal sectors:
- Empowering township landlords: ZAKHAA FlexiPay’s automated rent collection system brings unprecedented stability to the township rental market, ensuring consistent income for landlords and enabling them to build formal financial records – a crucial step towards accessing further financial opportunities.
- Empowering schools through efficient payments: Through flexible school fee collection options, ZAKHAA FlexiPay has enabled schools to significantly increase their revenue, leading to enhanced educational resources and improved learning environments for pupils as a result of the deferred school fees collection process. Furthermore, deferred payment options also ease the financial burden on parents, ensuring children's continued access to education.
- Fuelling SME growth: ZAKHAA FlexiPay empowers SMEs by facilitating structured payment plans for goods sold on credit. This ensures the SMEs can now manage sales through structured payment plans, improving cashflow, reduce bad debts, build stronger customer relationships and build their business stability.
“This award holds a special place because it celebrates a fintech that has truly disrupted the status quo; this is about a game-changers who’ve challenged the norms and identified untapped markets and revolutionised the way things are done,” said the award presenter from ABSA.
ZAKHAA’s success at the ABSA Commercial Payments Awards 2025 demonstrates the power of fintech to address critical societal needs and drive meaningful economic change. The company remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries of innovation and expanding its reach within the informal economy. This award is not just a win for ZAKHAA, but a win for every underbanked South African whose financial story is being rewritten with dignity, structure and opportunity.
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