A comparative analysis of the usage of mobile banking and alternative finance in South Africa

Abstract

Transformation through technology is taking place daily in the banking arena where the consumer and the service provider have to come together. Thus the study investigated the usage of mobile banking and alternative finance in South Africa. Until recently, limited research has been done that incorporates both mobile banking and alternative finance. Thus, the study investigated, explored and compared factors influencing the use of mobile banking and alternative finance in South Africa among residents of Randburg in Johannesburg, and the surrounding areas. It explored variables that influence customers and businesses to adopt mobile finance and alternative finance. Several people and small medium-enterprises are not familiar with how alternative finance works. In South Africa they only target tenders without considering other alternative finance forms available for them to access. The study population covered 500 people, who were surveyed through a questionnaire. Participants in management and non-management from different organizations were also interviewed to get their views on the use of mobile banking and alternative finance in South Africa.As the aim of the study was to compare the usage of mobile banking and alternative finance, and the findings showed that demographic characteristics and customer background as key in understanding users. Furthermore, gender, age, educational level and income have an impact on users making a decision to use mobile banking and alternative finance. Moreover device compatibility and access to internet were noted to be important for users to be utilizing online services of mobile banking and alternative finance. Safe and user-friendly technology increased trust for participants to learn more about how to use mobile banking and alternative finance services. Social networks played a critical role in raising awareness about alternative finance whereas banks were able to market mobile banking as institutions. Covid-19 impact was also noted to be a key contributor in increased usage of mobile banking while alternative finance use declined as small businesses closed down as most of their services lost customers. Finally, mobile banking was found to be superior when compared to alternative finance as users were noted to have clear understanding of how to use its technology. While alternative finance still need to be properly marketed and simplified to attract users. This study was noted to give useful insight to service providers where they can gauge themselves and see where improvements could be done.

Transformasie deur tegnologie vind daagliks in die bankwese-arena plaas, waar die verbruiker en die diensverskaffer byeen moet kom. Hierdie studie het dus die gebruik van mobiele bankdienste en alternatiewe finansiering in Suid-Afrika ondersoek. Tot onlangs is slegs beperkte navorsing met betrekking tot mobiele bankdienste en alternatiewe finansiering in Suid-Afrika gedoen. Hierdie studie het dus faktore wat die gebruik van mobiele bankdienste en alternatiewe finansiering beïnvloed ondersoek, verken en vergelyk onder inwoners van Randburg in Johannesburg en omliggende gebiede. Dit het die veranderlikes verken wat klante en ondernemings beïnvloed om mobiele bankdienste en alternatiewe finansiering te aanvaar. Verskeie mense en klein/medium ondernemings is nie vertroud met hoe alternatiewe finansiering werk nie. In Suid-Afrika spits hulle hul eerder op tenders toe, sonder om ander alternatiewe finansiering wat tot hul beskikking is te oorweeg. Die studiepopulasie het uit 500 mense bestaan, wat vraelyste voltooi het. Onderhoude is ook gevoer met deelnemers op bestuur- en niebestuursvlakke in verskillende organisasies om hul sienings oor die gebruik van mobiele bankdienste en alternatiewe finansiering in Suid-Afrika te verkry. Die bevindings het getoon dat demografiese kenmerke en klante se agtergrond deurslaggewend is om gebruikers te verstaan. Geslag, ouderdom, opvoedingsvlak en inkomste het ’n invloed op gebruikers se besluite om mobiele bankdienste en alternatiewe finansiering te gebruik. Verder is toestelversoenbaarheid en internettoegang ook geïdentifiseer as belangrike faktore vir gebruikers se benutting van die aanlyn dienste van mobiele bankdienste en alternatiewe finansiering. Veilige en gebruikersvriendelike tegnologie het deelnemers se vertroue verhoog om meer te leer oor hoe om om mobiele bankdienste en alternatiewe finansieringsdienste te gebruik. Sosiale netwerke het ’n sleutelrol gespeel om bewustheid van alternatiewe finansiering te verhoog, terwyl banke mobiele bankdienste as instellings kon bemark. Daar is ook bevind dat die uitwerking van Covid-19 aanmerklik bygedra het tot ’n toename in die gebruik van mobiele bankdienste, terwyl die gebruik van alternatiewe finansiering afgeneem het omdat klein sakeondernemings gedurende die tydperk gesluit het. Laastens is daar bevind dat mobiele bankdienste alternatiewe finansiering oortref het, omdat gebruikers duidelik verstaan hoe om die gepaardgaande tegnologie te gebruik, terwyl dit steeds nodig is om alternatiewe finansiering behoorlik te bemark en te vereenvoudig ten einde gebruikers te lok. Hierdie studie het nuttige insig gebied vir diensverskaffers, en hulle in staat gestel om hulself te evalueer en te sien waar verbeterings aangebring kan word

Uguquko ngobuchwepheshe lwenzeka nsuku zonke emabhange lapho umthengi kanye nomhlinzeki wesevisi kufanele bahlangane. Ngakho-ke ucwaningo luphenye ukusetshenziswa kwebhange elingumakhalekhukhwini kanye nezinye izimali eNingizimu Afrika. Kuze kube manje, kwenziwe ucwaningo olulinganiselwe oluhlanganisa kokubili ukubhanga ngomakhalekhukhwini kanye nezinye izimali. Ngakho-ke, ucwaningo lwaphenya, lwahlola futhi lwaqhathanisa izici ezinomthelela ekusetshenzisweni kwamabhange aphathwayo kanye nezinye izimali eNingizimu Afrika phakathi kwezakhamuzi zase-Randburg eGoli, kanye nezindawo ezizungezile. Ihlole izinto eziguquguqukayo ezithonya amakhasimende namabhizinisi ukuthi asebenzise ezezimali zamaselula nezinye izindlela zezimali. Abantu abambalwa namabhizinisi amancane/amaphakathi abajwayelene nendlela enye imali esebenza ngayo. ENingizimu Afrika bagijimisa kuphela amathenda, ngaphandle kokucabangela amanye amafomu ezezimali atholakalayo kubo. Isibalo socwaningo sihlanganise abantu abangama-500, abahlolwa ngohlu lwemibuzo. Ababambe iqhaza kubaphathi nabangebona abaphathi abavela ezinhlanganweni ezehlukene kuxoxiswane nabo ukuze bathole imibono yabo mayelana nokusetshenziswa kwamabhange omakhalekhukhwini kanye nezinye izimali eNingizimu Afrika. Okutholakele kubonise ukuthi izici zezibalo nesizinda samakhasimende bekubalulekile ekuqondeni abasebenzisi. Ubulili, ubudala, izinga lemfundo nemali engenayo kunomthelela kubasebenzisi abenza isinqumo sokusebenzisa omakhalakhukhwini uma bebhanga kanye nenye indlela yemali. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukusebenzisana kwedivayisi kanye nokufinyelela ku inthanethi kwaphawulwa njengokubalulekile kubasebenzisi ukuthi basebenzise izinsiza ze inthanethi zokubhanga ngomakhalokhukhwini kanye nezinye izindlela zezimali. Ubuchwepheshe obuphephile nobusebenziseka kalula bukhulise ukwethenjwa kwabahlanganyeli ukuze bafunde kabanzi mayelana nendlela yokusebenzisa ibhange lomakhalekhukhwini nezinye izinsiza zezimali. Ubuchwepheshe obuphephile nobusebenziseka kalula bukhulise ukwethenjwa kwabahlanganyeli ukuze bafunde kabanzi mayelana nendlela yokusebenzisa ibhange lomakhalekhukhwini nezinye izinsiza zezimali. Izinkundla zokuxhumana zibambe iqhaza elibalulekile ekuqwashiseni ngezimali ezihlukile, kanti amabhange akwazile ukuthengisa amabhange ngomakhalekhukhwini njengezikhungo. Umthelela woKhuvethe uphinde watholakala ukuthi unomthelela omkhulu ekwandeni kokusetshenziswa kwamabhange omakhalekhukhwini, kuyilapho ukusetshenziswa kwezimali okunye kwehlile njengoba amabhizinisi amancane avalwa ngalesi sikhathi. Ekugcineni, ukubhanga ngomakhalekhukhwini kwatholakala ukuthi kuphezulu uma kuqhathaniswa nenye imali, njengoba abasebenzisi babenokuqonda okucacile kokuthi bangasebenzisa kanjani ubuchwepheshe bayo, kuyilapho enye imali bekusadingeka imakethwe ngendlela efanele futhi yenziwe lula ukuze ihehe abasebenzisi. Lolu cwaningo lunikeze ukuqonda okuwusizo kubahlinzeki bezinsizakalo, okubavumela ukuthi bazihlole futhi babone lapho ukuthuthukiswa kungenziwa khona.