Every school day, Clayville Scholar Transport Association drivers safely carry thousands of children to and from Thembisa schools.

Just two years ago, these drivers were prime targets for thieves at month-end when they collected cash payments. Today, they operate with greater security and financial stability – all because of a simple switch to digital payments.

“I don’t carry cash anymore. It has completely changed my life,”

says Pule Makola, chairman of the association that now includes more than 50 members operating a fleet of over 70 vehicles.

For Makola and his colleagues, the decision to adopt digital payments in 2024 was primarily driven by security concerns. Carrying thousands of rands in cash each made the drivers vulnerable to crime.

The transition was seamless – 70% of parents in Clayville already used digital banking for their home loan payments and were comfortable with electronic transfers. At R750 a child for 15 to 20 children per minivan, going cashless cut the drivers’ risk significantly.

The association soon found that digital payments solved other problems, too.

Firstly, it eliminated the problem of “disappearing money”, says Makola. “We had so many issues with kids being sent to pay the monthly fee and then they take some of it or lose it,” he explains. Digital transfers directly from parents to drivers eliminated this common issue entirely.

Perhaps the most transformative benefit was unexpected.

“Since adopting this system, our drivers can now have payslips created by the bank for the work they put in monthly,” says Makola. “Previously, banks could not track our cash payments, and we were deemed to have no proof of employment.”

A third benefit was that their new financial credibility helped drivers qualify for vehicle loans.

“Our drivers can now upgrade their vehicles and demonstrate to banks that they can pay back car loans using their payslips and bank statements.” This supports the association’s partnership with Bidvest McCarthy VW to phase out outdated vehicles that don’t meet safety standards.

The transition to digital wasn’t without hurdles. Some parents were initially resistant, and drivers worried about payment reversals – a fear that proved unfounded.

The Clayville Scholar Transport Association says it has wholeheartedly embraced digital payments and also invested in technology like the iKhokha point-of-sale system to facilitate electronic payments, and it is convinced that the benefits outweigh the costs.

For the Association, digital payments have delivered on its promise of safer operations and more reliable income tracking, while also creating new opportunities for business growth.