Financial Inclusion

Financial Inclusion

The South African Paradox: We’re Insured to Die, But Not to Live. A R80bn Wake-Up Call. As the CEO and Creative Strategist at Finlite, I live in the space between two worlds. Finlite was created to bridge two worlds: a sophisticated insurance industry and millions of families making decisions based on cultural need. The data reveals a stark contradiction: South Africa has one of the world’s highest funeral cover rates (72%) but shockingly low life…

Township Economy

Township Economy

Cape Town’s investment community is missing a massive opportunity by overlooking its townships. The valuation gap between urban areas and townships highlights deep inequality in income, wealth, and quality of life. Soweto has over 1,600 properties worth more than R1 million. In the last year alone, property transactions there exceeded R1.1 billion, with a growing share driven by first-time buyers under 35. By contrast, Khayelitsha has zero properties valued at R1 million or more. The…

Tuesday Stokvel Stories bangani 🥳

Tuesday Stokvel Stories bangani 🥳

So, about 15 years ago when I first started working with Stokvels, I thought I was ready to “educate my people”. I was fresh out of corporate, naive, armed with pride, confidence and a cape🦸🏿no one gave me😅. One day I walked into a Soweto living room filled with mature women — medical doctors, entrepreneurs, and lawyers who were pooling money to buy holiday homes 🏨. I walked out humbled🤦🏿. Instead of teaching, I found…

Friday Stokvel Stories

Friday Stokvel Stories

I was mentored by award-winning entrepreneur and author, fondly known as the godmother of Stokvelling in South Africa, Busi Skenjane, who has been shaping the stokvel movement for over 40 years. From my own upbringing to my time under Mam Busi’s wing at the Stokvel Academy in Soweto, I saw that most stokvel members seeking training and mentorship were women. This shaped how I tailored my content to reflect the daily realities of the resilient…

Transitioning from SETA to QCTO: A Deep Dive into the New Financial Education Landscape in South Africa

Introduction The landscape of accredited courses in South Africa is undergoing a significant transformation with the shift from the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) to the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). This move aims to standardise qualifications and improve the quality of education and training in various sectors, including financial services. This article provides an in-depth analysis of how this transition affects financial planning education, specifically focusing on INSETA courses, their breakdown…