... South Africa's microlending sector is a key driver of financial inclusion, providing access to credit for millions who may otherwise be excluded from traditional banking. But as the industry grows, particularly through digital and fintech platforms, it is increasingly targeted by sophisticated fraud. "Fraud is evolving at an unprecedented pace," says Niresh Gopichand, Risk Director at Atlas Finance. "We are ...

... published by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). By comparison, the global prevalence of cyberfraud is 39 percent, followed by procurement fraud at 34 percent. "As Africa's largest economy, South Africa contributes significantly to this shocking statistic and needs to take proactive, preventive measures to rein in procurement fraud," says Elani Vogel, Senior Forensic Manager at Loxton Forensics. This ...

... Fraudulent marriages and life partnerships have emerged as key tools in immigration fraud, frequently involving foreign "pastors and prophets" who enter South Africa on visitor visas and later form sham unions to obtain Permanent Residence Permits (PRPs). This is according to the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), whose progress report to Cyril Ramaphosa sheds further light on how these deceptive marriages ...

... not unauthorised system access". Absa told Daily Maverick that its "role-based access protocols and layered control frameworks prevent employees from committing fraud on customer profiles", and that it was "the first bank in South Africa to have launched an Insider Threat Programme dedicated to monitoring for insider threats". Nedbank says employees "do not have unrestricted access to customer accounts" and ...

... would close one of the most widely exploited gaps in South Africa's digital security system," said Van Graan. He said that requiring biometric verification has the chance to "better protect millions of people who rely on their phones to access their money." South Africa loses R5.3 billion every year to telecommunications fraud, and close to 60% of this is linked ...

... One of the most notable consumer stories for 2025 has been the shift in digital. "What we're going to be watching very closely as a key theme going into 2026 is social engineering and the impact that has on fraud," says Lineshree Moodley, country head of Visa South Africa. By Danette Breitenbach 29 Apr 2026 29 Apr 2026 A key ...

... could be compromised. "The question is no longer whether fraud will happen, but whether organisations can recognise it when it does,". Renirie concludes As AI continues to evolve, so too must the systems designed to combat it. For businesses across South Africa and the broader region, adapting to this new reality is no longer optional-it's essential for survival in an ...

... memorandum of understanding with SABRIC and the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service to enable the sharing of real-time fraud data to ensure more coordinated action in the fight against financial crime. It has also deepened collaboration with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa to help combat the growing misuse of SIM swaps to facilitate fraud. Regulatory clarity is now ...

... with banks, telcos, and payment providers. Orca Fraud announced a partnership with Ozow, one of South Africa's biggest payment providers by volume, late last year. Ozow stated that it controlled over 70% of South Africa's instant, third-party electronic payments as of November 2021. "This partnership represents a shared commitment to building a safer, frictionless payments ecosystem where merchants and customers ...

... In its financial results for the year ended February 2026, Capitec, South Africa's largest bank by customers, said it used AI to prevent R673 million from being stolen from customer accounts. The bank employed AI-fraud models to prevent and detect suspicious payments and scam attempts in real time, blocking 131,000 fraudulent beneficiaries. "Significant investment in fraud prevention, data and artificial ...

... the fraud and corruption to the SAPS, she elects to ask Treasury to investigate. - Sentletse (@Sentletse) April 29, 2026 The DA awarded a R1,6 billion tender to these people, 3 European settlers and 1 African immigrant from Uganda, they will be responsible for the publishing of basic education textbooks for black kids in South Africa! pic.twitter.com/1BQ5egsqbg - Mbuso P ...

... One of the most notable consumer stories for 2025 has been the shift in digital. "What we're going to be watching very closely as a key theme going into 2026 is social engineering and the impact that has on fraud," says Lineshree Moodley, country head of Visa South Africa. By Danette Breitenbach 29 Apr 2026 29 Apr 2026 A key ...

... said such requirements would stop fraudulent SIM swaps and vastly reduce other kinds of fraud in South Africa. "It won't stop it 100%, but it will reduce it," he said. The former Vodacom executive also highlighted vulnerabilities within RICA in South Africa, noting that while there was some control in the postpaid segment, the majority of customers were on prepaid. ...

... South Africa's microlending sector is a key driver of financial inclusion, providing access to credit for millions who may otherwise be excluded from traditional banking. But as the industry grows, particularly through digital and fintech platforms, it is increasingly targeted by sophisticated fraud. "Fraud is evolving at an unprecedented pace," says Niresh Gopichand, Risk Director at Atlas Finance. "We are ...

... a custodian of strategic financial leadership, Mohammed has demonstrated expertise in infrastructure ownership structuring, economic regulation and pricing strategies, procurement best practice, risk management and fraud prevention, strategic business turnaround and transformation. He has played a pivotal role in shaping South Africa's commercial ports, ensuring they remain resilient, competitive, and aligned with national policy objectives. Some of his key achievements ...

... South Africa loses R5.3 billion every year to telecommunications fraud, with nearly 60% of that linked to mobile banking fraud driven by SIM swaps. "SIM swap fraud is the enabler that the criminals use to intercept a one-time password (OTP) to take over a social media account," former Vodacom Chief Risk Officer Johan van Graan told Moneyweb Radio. "The actual ...

... its case against her. The charges, which include perjury and defeating the ends of justice, stem from allegations that she made contradictory statements under oath regarding a R10,000 fraud case. While the amount may seem relatively small in the context of South Africa's multibillion-rand corruption scandals, the legal implications for a high-ranking officer are catastrophic. The crux of the case ...

... could be compromised. "The question is no longer whether fraud will happen, but whether organisations can recognise it when it does,". Renirie concludes As AI continues to evolve, so too must the systems designed to combat it. For businesses across South Africa and the broader region, adapting to this new reality is no longer optional-it's essential for survival in an ...

... topping 41% that said they were targeted by email and SMS scams. South Africa's e-commerce explosion has led to increased use of courier services, which threat actors have exploited using AI to craft targeted fraud attempts. Van Rensburg said that these scams have created a new cybersecurity priority for companies in South Africa, as threat actors look to gain access ...

... Add as a preferred source on Google The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has issued a stern warning that electoral fraud and vote manipulation will attract severe consequences, including imprisonment, prosecution and possible disqualification of political parties, as KwaZulu-Natal intensifies preparations for the 2026/27 municipal elections. IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya delivered the warning during a media briefing in Umhlanga ...