NEWS
Safaricom
launches Lipa
Na M-PESA
business app
Peter Ndegwa,
CEO, Safaricom
Kenya-based telco Safaricom, has launched
a Lipa Na M-PESA business smartphone
app for the more than 170,000 merchants
on the service. Dubbed M-PESA for Business,
the app empowers business owners to access
real-time statements, export statements and
track their business performance on the go.
South African data privacy
laws come into force
South Africa’s long awaited data
privacy laws have finally come into
force, giving anyone processing personal
information in the country a 12-month
grace period to ensure that they comply
with the requirements of the Protection
of Personal Information Act (PoPI).
From July 1, 2021, any non-compliance
with PoPI will have consequences.
Enforcement mechanisms under PoPI
include penalties up to R10 million (US$
590,500) civil proceedings instituted by
data subjects, and criminal offences and
fines in some circumstances.
The sections that have commenced
on July 1, 2020 regulate how personal
information (which is any information
that can identify and infringe the
privacy rights of a natural or juristic
person) may be processed in South
Africa or transferred across borders.
Anyone processing personal information
will now have an obligation to notify
the Information Regulator of any
unauthorised access to personal
information, especially with the growing
number of cyberbreaches.
Sections relating to the amendment
of laws and the effective transfer of
functions under the Promotion of
Access to Information Act, 2000 to
the Information Regulator will only
come into force on June 30, 2021. The
repeal of data privacy provisions in
the Electronic Communications and
Transactions Act, 2002 will only take
effect on June 30, 2021. •
Through the app, entrepreneurs can
withdraw funds from Lipa Na M-PESA to
their M-PESA accounts, bank accounts or at
an agent. In addition, business owners with
a business till can now send money to other
M-PESA customers including paying wages,
paying for supplies and make payments to
other businesses all through the app.
Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom, said: “At
Safaricom, we are taking a focus on the
needs of small and medium businesses
to provide them with suitable technology
solutions to help them grow.”
Ndegwa said the M-PESA for Business
smartphone app is one such solution
as it empowers more than 170,000
businesses across the country to send
money, make payments and provides them
with simple and detailed reports from the
convenience of the mobile phone.
“In addition to making transactions from
their Lipa Na M-PESA tills, the app offers
additional management features such as
an overview of different tills for business
owners with multiple outlets and till
usage management.”
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