South Africa’s Biggest Cash-System Reform in 40 Years

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GUEST: Kokkie Kooyman – Banking Analyst and Director at Denker Capital

Cash is still king for millions of South Africans but the system that keeps it moving is costly, fragmented, and increasingly under strain. In what could become the most significant change to South Africa’s cash ecosystem since the introduction of ATMs, the South African Reserve Bank is planning a sweeping overhaul that could transform how physical money is distributed, accessed, and paid for.

Banking analyst and Denker Capital director Kokkie Kooyman helps unpack the SARB’s proposed Cash Smart Strategy, which includes ATM pooling through white-label machines, the creation of a central cash-management utility, tighter regulation of cash-in-transit companies, and a rethink of who really pays for cash in the economy. We explore why cash still accounts for two-thirds of transaction volumes, why it costs consumers and businesses nearly R90 billion a year, and how crime, fees, and inefficiencies are driving the need for reform.
15 Dec 2025 2PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

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