For 26-year-old Atlegang Malebye, every weekday starts early with the school run.

From Temba Unit 7 in Hammanskraal, he transports children safely to schools and day care centres across the community – a responsibility that parents place in his hands every day.

When he started his scholar transport business in 2023, it was just him, a small vehicle and four learners. Demand for his services grew as more parents heard about his reliable service. He soon upgraded to a seven-seater and started building a steady customer base.

As the business expanded, managing payments became one of his biggest challenges.

Like many small business owners in the area, Atlegang accepted cash only. Keeping track of payments meant recording everything manually, which took time and often left room for mistakes. He also had to make regular trips to the bank to deposit cash, which added to transport costs and took valuable time away from his business.

There was another concern too.

“Cash is an easy target,” he says. “If it’s stolen, lost or damaged, there’s no way to get it back.”

Without a digital record of payments, it was also difficult to track his income and understand how his business was performing. His move to digital payments happened almost by accident.

One parent asked if she could pay by bank transfer instead of withdrawing cash. It was easier for her, and it meant Atlegang did not have to make another trip to the bank. He agreed, and soon other parents started asking for the same option.

Today, he accepts EFTs and PayShap, which makes it easier for parents to pay while giving him a clear view of his finances.

With fewer cash payments to manage, he spends less time on administration and carries far less cash, reducing both the risks and the hassle that once came with running his business.

Like many entrepreneurs, Atlegang was cautious at first. He worried about poor network coverage, delayed payment notifications and relying on his phone to receive payments. If his battery died or his phone was stolen, he wondered how he would manage.

He also assumed that bank charges would eat into his profits. But over time, he developed a better understanding of the associated cost, and realised the benefits outweighed those costs. Compared with travelling to deposit cash and the risks of carrying money, digital payments have proved to be practical and affordable.

When asked what the future of digital payments would look like for him, he said that solutions should be designed with township businesses in mind. He would like to see payment apps that use very little data, work reliably in areas with weak network coverage and allow payments to be processed once a connection is restored.

His advice to other entrepreneurs who work in township communities: “Start small. Try different digital payment methods to see which would work best for your business. Help your customers understand the benefits, and they’ll also become comfortable using them.”

For Atlegang, going digital has been about much more than replacing cash. It has made running his business safer, simpler and easier to manage. With less time spent worrying about payments, he can focus on what matters most – getting children to school safely and giving parents a service they can rely on.

Through the Community Digitalisation project, FinMark Trust is helping businesses in Hammanskraal adopt digital payment solutions that strengthen local economies. Stories like Atlegang’s show how small changes in how businesses get paid can make a meaningful difference to how they grow and build long-term resilience.