22seven is no longer in beta. It will offer users a 30-day free trial, after which the service will cost R70/month. There is no contractual commitment and users can opt out at any time. CEO Christo Davel says mobile applications are inevitable, but won’t commit to a timeline for their launch
First National Bank this week lifted the lid on a new payment mechanism that uses the GPS feature in modern smartphones. It won’t result in the much-hyped cashless society, but it could greatly reduce South Africans’ reliance on cash over time. The new payment feature, which is included in an update to
First National Bank is launching a new payment service that allows users of its mobile app to make payments to one another without needing to exchange banking details, provided they are near to one another. The service uses the GPS chips built into modern mobile devices, with authentication provided by the
“Today, tomorrow, goodbye.” This tagline, a cheeky version of Absa’s slogan, “today, tomorrow, together”, used by trade union Solidarity in its Stop Absa campaign this week, reflects the sweeping changes at the country’s second largest bank. Hundreds of staff were given retrenchment notices this week or asked to reapply for their positions, while some were given immediate marching
Absa on Thursday denied claims that it was firing 3000 staff members. “Absa confirms that there is no mass retrenchment being undertaken within the company,” spokesman Ajith Bridgraj said in a statement. “Absa has and will continue to evolve its systems and processes, which sometimes lead to very limited job losses
Absa subsidiary AllPay has accused the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa), of an irregular tender process wherein the company’s score was “inexplicably” lowered so that its competitor would win the R10bn contract. This was contained in a supplementary founding affidavit filed by AllPay earlier this month. The Absa division responsible for paying out social grants filed
SA technology journalist Simon Dingle has been hired by Cape Town-based personal financial management start-up 22seven to head its product strategy and design team. Launched in January, 22seven is headed up by Christo Davel, the former CEO of now-defunct online bank 20twenty. Dingle will continue to write for Finweek magazine
Absa denied rumours on Thursday that it is planning mass retrenchments to cut costs. Employees affected by its restructuring process, were being given the opportunity to apply for positions across the group, it said. It was responding after Solidarity challenged Absa CEO Maria Ramos to confirm or deny rumours
JSE-listed technology group Gijima has lost half of its desktop outsourcing project with Absa, with about 50% of a long-running desktop services contract to be “in-sourced” to the banking group. Absa is one Gijima’s biggest clients and the deal is worth about R200m/year top the IT group
First National Bank (FNB) has become the first SA bank to allow personal financial management start-up 22seven access to its customers’ accounts, albeit on a limited basis. The move stands in stark contrast to FNB rival Absa, which has blocked 22seven — specifically its US technology partner Yodlee
