Shareholders score big after record Capitec earnings
The group's return on equity increased to 29% during the year under review, paving the way for the dividend payout to 55% from 50%.
Capitec reported a 30% jump in headline earnings to R13.6bn from R10.6bn a year ago with financial highlights including a 54% increase in net interest income after credit impairments to R11.9bn. The group reported a 7.5% credit loss ratio, a 61% increase in value added services and Capitec Connect to R4.4bn and a 44% jump in funeral and life income to R1.9bn.
The bank said more than 11-million clients now used the Capitec app to purchase airtime, data, electricity, vouchers and to pay bills.
'The bank captures more than 40% of South Africa's airtime and data transactions and one in five digital vehicle licence renewals now occur on its platform.'
Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie said: 'Through our high-volume, low-margin business model, we are enabling everyone to access solutions that allow them to take control of their finances, protect their families, manage businesses and unlock opportunities. Our purpose-driven strategy is helping us scale sustainably and, most importantly, it is assisting 24-million South Africans to grow every day.'
Capitec, which was previously predominantly a credit lender, said its diversification strategy had paid off as personal banking now contributes 45% of total earnings, insurance accounts for 25%, strategic initiatives contribute 23% and business banking makes up 5%.
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The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Are you employed if you work an hour a week? Stats SA says yes
The unemployment rate depends on your definition of employment … It's complicated: A single hour of paid work the week prior to being interviewed by Stats SA counts as 'being employed' – and being 'employed' could put a social grant at risk. Picture: Adobe Stock It happens from time to time that someone questions the integrity of the survey methods and accuracy of the figures produced by Statistics SA. The result is always the same – the head of Stats SA comes out all guns blazing to prove the statistical validity of his team's work. The most recent debate around Stats SA's figures erupted when Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie remarked that the unemployment rate in South Africa could be as low as 10%. Stats SA sticks to its estimate of an official unemployment rate of nearly 32.9% – and the expanded unemployment rate of 43.1%. Fourie argues that Stats SA does not count everyone who is working in the informal sector. His view is probably influenced by the fact that Capitec has 24 million clients. He noted that nearly three million of Capitec's clients earn an income without formal employment, and more than one million use their bank accounts to operate a small business. Fourie says the data suggests that some four million people are earning an income in the informal sector. In addition, the latest figures from the different banks in SA show that Standard Bank has around 12 million local clients, Absa has 12.7 million, FNB has 8.6 million, and Nedbank has 7.6 million. TymeBank states that it has 10 million clients. The total comes to nearly 75 million. It raises the question of why anybody would need a bank account – and apparently multiple accounts at more than one bank – if they don't have money or don't earn money somehow. Perhaps these figures support Fourie's argument. ALSO READ: Is South Africa's unemployment rate really only 10%? Not so, says Stats SA head But the Capitec CEO received more criticism than support. Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke issued a statement saying that Stats SA does measure the informal sector. 'The informal economy is not ignored,' says Maluleke. 'Stats SA produces several statistical products that measure this sector, including the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) and the Survey of Employers and the Self-Employed. The informal sector is measured, tracked and reported on consistently. Stats SA follows the guidelines set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for defining the informal sector, which is characterised primarily by the registration status and size of enterprises or businesses. 'Our methods stand open to rigorous examination, inviting scrutiny to ensure integrity and trustworthiness. 'The data we produce is publicly accessible, fostering a culture of openness,' he adds. ALSO READ: Minister agrees unemployment statistics should include work in informal sector 'Our concepts, definitions and classifications are meticulously crafted, guided by the highest global standards and best practices. We take pride in our commitment to transparency, clearly articulating what we measure, and the methods employed to derive our insights.' Maluleke appeared on national television to assure people that the statistics are accurate. He took Fourie on: 'If he says unemployment is sitting at 10%, it means 10% of 25 million, we'd have 2.5 million people who are unemployed in South Africa and then it means that we have 22.5 million people who are employed. The Sars [South African Revenue Service], from personal income tax doesn't even have such numbers for starters.' He says it is incorrect and misleading to suggest that Stats SA somehow 'misses' those who are employed in the informal sector. The latest QLFS for the first quarter of 2025 estimates the working age population at 41.7 million of which slightly more than 25 million are considered to be in the labour force. The rest of the people are not working and not looking for work, including those still at school or studying, in jail or those who have a (wealthy and generous) spouse or family to provide for them. Around 16.8 million are classified as employed, including 3.3 million in the informal sector and more than one million in private households (domestic workers and gardeners). That leaves 8.3 million unemployed and looking for work. There are another nearly 3.5 million people who are classified as discouraged workseekers. The Stats SA report defines a discouraged workseeker as 'a person who was not employed during the reference period, wanted to work, was available to work or to start a business, but did not take active steps to find work during the last four weeks' preceding the date of the survey. ALSO READ: Unemployment underscored by weak economic activity – 1 in 3 unemployed in SA The employed, by gender and hours of work Source: Stats SA How Stats SA gets its data Stats SA says its sampling method is statistically correct and representative. The QLFS surveys households directly and collects information from approximately 30 000 dwelling units. It collects data on the labour market activities of all individuals aged 15 years and above in the selected dwellings. Desiree Manamela, chief director of labour statistics at Stats SA, says data collectors visit the selected dwelling units once every three months and interview all the people residing in the dwelling. 'There can be multiple households within a dwelling unit. Everybody in those households will be interviewed,' she says. 'The survey is structured in such a way that we don't simply ask people whether they are employed or unemployed. There is a series of questions that we ask people within households and then we analyse the answers based on international standards to classify them according to different labour force statuses – meaning individuals are classified into three mutually exclusive and exhaustive categories following ILO hierarchy. 'We have employed persons, we have unemployed persons, and we have people that we call inactive. These three labour market statuses are supposed to sum up to the working age population,' she says. 'Employment takes priority over unemployment, and unemployment takes priority over inactivity. The first status that we derive is employment. 'We first want to know, of the people who are in the working age population, how many are employed. Then, once you have classified the people that are employed, we move on to the next status, which is unemployment. Now we ask people questions where we are going to classify them into the unemployed or the inactive. Unemployment will take priority over inactivity.' ALSO READ: 'Government initiatives alone can't address SA's unemployment rate' Odd jobs regarded as employment It is quite a lengthy questionnaire that collects a lot of data. One should keep in mind, though, that the questionnaire has been designed to ensure that, based on individual responses, respondents are only asked questions that are relevant to them. Questions are arranged in six sections totalling approximately 30 pages. The questionnaire starts by identifying the respondents and covers basic aspects such as age, population group, sex, marital status, and education. The questions on employment details are asked of all persons aged 15 years and above who indicated that they did work for pay or profit – even if a person worked only for an hour during the week preceding the interview – or if they were temporarily absent. Odd jobs for payment and even unpaid work in a household business is regarded as employment. Stats SA asks about the type of work, main tasks at work, working hours, type of business, type of products produced, income, and participation in public work programmes. ALSO READ: Economy sheds jobs again in first quarter, unemployment worse than year ago Time-related underemployment The QLFS collects data on how many people worked and for how many hours. A single hour of paid work during the past week classifies a person as employed. Some employed persons may report that they would like to work additional hours if the extra hours are paid. This information assists in deriving persons in time-related underemployment. The QLFS report for the first quarter of 2025 discloses that of the 16.8 million employed persons, only 9.4 million work a standard work week of 40 to 45 hours. Approximately 518 000 'employed' persons worked less than 15 hours a week. Stats SA measures this time-related underemployment by the more than 781 000 workers who said that they would like to work more hours for additional pay. We asked Manamela for a simple explanation of these statistics to confirm the information. 'We don't say a person who is working 40 hours a week is employed and somebody who is working only 20 hours is half-employed. You are either employed, unemployed or inactive; and for those employed, if they work less than 35 hours a week and are available and want to work more hours, then they are regarded as underemployed,' she says. These statistics prove Fourie wrong. If anything, most people may actually think that Stats SA is underestimating unemployment. ALSO READ: SA youth not unemployed, rather under-employed People lie or leave out information There is also the possibility that the respondents in the survey are lying to the data collectors when asked whether they are employed. There are many reasons to lie, including those among the 18 million social grant beneficiaries who also work a day or two per week. Evading income tax is another reason to lie. And criminals wouldn't be honest. Robbery, hijacking, drug dealing, cigarette smuggling, rhino poaching, investment scams, and prostitution generate an income, but these 'self-employed workers' won't reveal their employment status. They simply bank the cash quietly. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.


Daily Maverick
6 days ago
- Daily Maverick
Home Affairs' Leon Schreiber stands by identity verification price hike
Digital access or regressive tax? TymeBank, Capitec and Minister Leon Schreiber weigh in as Department of Home Affairs identity verification fee hike becomes law. A 6,500% spike in the cost of identity verification is now official, and, as you probably have read from your service providers, South Africa's banks, fintechs and digital economy enablers are scrambling to respond. From 1 July 2025, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will charge R10 per real-time identity verification, up from a nominal 15 cents. The change, gazetted without industry consultation, has sparked confusion and a rare flash of alignment between tech-driven financial inclusion advocates and the banking establishment. TymeBank was out the gate early, calling for an immediate halt to the increase, describing it as a 'crippling blow to financial inclusion'. Capitec, on the other hand, is quietly absorbing the cost, for now. Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber insists that if South Africa wants a digital economy, this is the cost of doing business. Killing progress in the name of? TymeBank's CEO, Coenraad Jonker, appeared prepared for this. 'This threatens financial inclusion, digital transformation and national compliance efforts,' he warned in a public letter to the President and several Cabinet members. The bank serves millions of grant recipients and informal workers – clients whose digital access depends on low-cost onboarding and verification. 'This is a regressive tax on the most vulnerable South Africans,' said Jonker, accusing the department of undermining the idea of a digitally inclusive economy. The new cost, he argues, makes it 'commercially unviable to serve low-income South Africans'. The increase, Jonker contends, also risks derailing efforts to get South Africa off the Financial Action Task Force's greylist. 'You can't comply with AML [anti-money laundering] laws if you can't afford to verify identities,' he said. The bank is calling for the increase to be paused and replaced with a performance-linked, inflation-indexed pricing model developed through structured industry consultation. Necessary pain In contrast, Capitec supports the mission to upgrade the National Population Register and improve the reliability of its online systems. 'These crucial upgrades require a fee increase,' the bank said, noting that identity verification was a 'critical building block to prevent fraud, which ultimately comes at a significantly higher cost to all South Africans'. To protect its clients, Capitec is absorbing the increased costs for the 2025 financial year and promises no fee hikes to customers as a result. Daily Maverick asked Schreiber for comment and guidance, but the minister forwarded links to existing stories on the matter – and then it clicked. Echoes from Estonia 'People underestimate just how central Home Affairs is to our lives,' he said during the interview at the e-Governance Conference in Estonia. 'Home Affairs is also the foundation of the financial system.' Schreiber was telegraphing the move, framing it as a comment on the importance of digital verification in banking: 'When you open a bank account and you put your fingerprint there, it's Home Affairs that ultimately provides that data to verify who you are.' And if that data isn't credible? 'Your financial system is not credible. Your tax system is under threat,' he warned. The minister has made digital transformation the 'apex priority' of his department. He says phasing out the green ID book, developing a digital ID and ensuring interoperability of state databases are all key to building a more resilient and secure South Africa. The bigger picture 'It's all counter-fraud,' he explained. 'It strengthens Sars and revenue enforcement. And it's doable – Estonia has done it.' At the heart of this fee fight lies a critical question: can South Africa afford to modernise its public systems without deepening digital exclusion?


The Citizen
25-06-2025
- The Citizen
Take-home pay slides for third month with grim job opportunities and earnings
Are you earning the average take-home pay of R17 296 and is it enough to cover all your expenses or are you affected when it decreases? The average take-home pay slowed for the third consecutive month in May, reflecting the impact of a subdued economic environment with stalled growth in the first quarter and a weakening global outlook, currently fuelled by the heightened volatility in the Middle East. According to the latest BankservAfrica Take-home Pay Index (BTPI), which tracks approximately 3.8 million salary earners in South Africa, the nominal average take-home pay decreased to R17 296 in May, 1.3% lower than the R17 532 registered in April, Shergeran Naidoo, BankservAfrica's head of stakeholder engagements, says. However, this figure remained significantly higher than the R15 903 recorded in May 2024. 'The upward trend in take-home pay from mid-2024 to early 2025 has been a positive development. However, recent months reflect a U-turn, with 2025 proving to be a volatile year so far, marked by multiple global shocks accompanied by a good dose of local challenges,' Elize Kruger, an independent economist, says. 'Downward revisions to global as well as local economic growth prospects have lowered confidence levels and put a pause on investment decisions, as investors and households hold back on their spending decisions. Together, these could hurt employment and earnings prospects of salary earners in the coming months.' ALSO READ: Capitec CEO tops banking pay charts — but how do staff salaries compare? A look at how SA's top five banks pay Quarterly Employment Statistics show average take-home pay of R28 289 According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics for the first quarter of 2025, the average monthly earnings paid to employees decreased by 0.1% from R28 316 in November 2024 to R28 289 in February 2025. According to the BTPI, take-home pay, adjusted for inflation, increased by 1.1% in May to R14 832 compared to R15 003 in April, but remained 5.8% higher than year-ago levels. 'The significant moderation in consumer inflation continues to have a positive impact on salary earners and their purchasing power, with the latest headline inflation figure for May 2025 at only 2.8%. 'However, the recent spike in international oil prices, due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, could result in higher-than-expected headline inflation in the coming months and into 2026, Kruger says. She points out that the international Brent Crude Oil price increased to around $78/barrel after the US's attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, but talks about a ceasefire quickly triggering a reversal with oil prices dipping below $70/barrel again. 'Against expectations and despite the global volatility, the rand exchange rate remained notably resilient, providing a marginal offset of the higher oil prices on fuel price expectations. With the daily under-recovery at pumps running between R1.50/l for petrol grades and R2.70/l for diesel in recent days, it is clear that economic pain is on the radar for salary earners and the economy at large.' ALSO READ: Take-home pay increases significantly in 2024 Petrol increases coming that will affect take-home pay Kruger points out that petrol prices are forecast to increase by about R1/l and the prices for diesel by R1.30/l on 2 July, and further increases could be expected in August. 'These will push headline inflation upwards towards 5% by year-end, ahead of the 3.6% forecast for 2025. 'Concerningly, with the higher base calculation of 2025, the forecast average headline inflation for 2026 could be well above 4.5%, eroding the positive effects of lower inflation and likely triggering more conservatism from the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb). 'Any further monetary loosening looks unlikely at this stage, considering that the Middle East conflict is intensifying and the resultant negative impact on local fuel prices. Still, despite the negative developments outlined, 2025 is expected to be the second consecutive year of positive real take-home pay growth, supporting demand in the economy.' ALSO READ: Salary survey shows gap between increases and inflation narrowing Remchannel survey shows average salary increased by 5.82% in 2025 Meanwhile, the Remchannel Salary and Wage Movement Survey, a biannual report by Old Mutual published in April 2025, indicated that the average salary increased by 5.82% in 2025, compared to 6.09% in the previous year. Kruger says this trend suggests a more cautious approach by employers, who must also prioritise cost control amid a constrained economic environment. Interestingly, she says, the report revealed a reduced overall staff turnover rate of 13.5%, reflecting a market with fewer new job opportunities due to widespread downsizing by companies. She emphasises that this data confirms the financial pressures employees live with, as 39% of those who resigned were seeking better pay and career growth, while 31% left due to dissatisfaction with their current roles. 'With the local economy stalling in the first quarter and the weakening global backdrop adding to the downside scenario, the prospects of favourable earnings and employment opportunities have dimmed. ALSO READ: Salaries decreased by 2% in April, but higher than a year ago Policies must foster rather than deter employment in SA 'The latest Quarterly Employment Statistics survey released by Statistics SA indicated that total employment in the formal non-agricultural sector decreased by 74 000 in the first quarter of 2025, with employment falling from 10.65 million people in December 2024 to 10.58 million people by March 2025. 'According to the survey, 95 000 jobs were lost between March 2024 and March 2025. The Labour Force Survey, which also included the informal sector, agricultural sector and employment in households, echoed the pressure, showing that the unemployment rate ticked higher to 32.9% in the first quarter, with 291 000 job opportunities lost. 'The unemployment situation in South Africa remains a crisis and deserves to be one of the top priorities of government. It is imperative that government pushes forward on structural reforms across sectors such as energy and logistics. 'This could contribute towards solving our local predicaments, lifting the local economy's medium-term growth potential, but government must also ensure that policies and laws will foster rather than deter employment in South Africa.'