On Inside Your Business this evening, we’re joined by Chris Zietsman, Executive Head of Capitec Payments, to unpack how Capitec is reshaping payment acceptance for SMEs with simpler, more transparent and accessible solutions.

Capitec, SA’s leading digital bank, is moving beyond traditional banking norms by empowering small businesses with tools that improve cash flow, reduce costs, and enable them to meet customers wherever they choose to transact.

Fast fashion meets fierce disruption. Chinese eCommerce giants Shein and Temu have stormed South Africa’s clothing market and the numbers are staggering. Together, they raked in an estimated R7.3 billion in sales in 2024, accounting for more than a third of all online clothing sales in the country. But behind their rapid rise lies a growing concern: the erosion of local manufacturing, retail jobs, and industrial resilience.

Joey Mathekga, Senior Manager for Corporate Compliance and Disclosure Regulation at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), explains what the solvency and liquidity test actually entails, why so many businesses are falling short, and the real consequences from compliance notices to personal liability for directors.

Africa’s entertainment and media sector is on a growth trajectory that’s outpacing global averages and the numbers tell the story. According to PwC’s Africa Entertainment & Media Outlook 2025–2029, Nigeria’s industry expanded by 11.2% in 2024, with Kenya growing 7.1% and South Africa 6.2%, driven by a wave of digital innovation, mobile-first consumption, and streaming platforms.

By 2029, digital advertising will dominate reaching 84% of total ad spend in Nigeria, 74% in South Africa, and 64% in Kenya. Gaming and esports are set to overtake traditional TV by 2028 in Nigeria, while OTT streaming continues to surge, with Kenya leading growth at 11.2% CAGR.

Running a business is often portrayed as a path to independence and success. But behind the scenes, many entrepreneurs are quietly battling overwhelming levels of stress. In a survey of more than 400 early-stage startup founders, 72% reported that entrepreneurship has impacted their mental health, with 37% suffering from anxiety.

“Long working hours, the isolation of leadership, and the constant pressure to keep a business afloat can take a heavy toll,” says Amogelang Montane, Human Resources Business Partner at Business Partners Limited. “And when stress levels rise unchecked, the ability to think clearly, make sound decisions, and lead effectively can become compromised, threatening the survival of the business itself, which is why we would advocate for a mental mentor in your business success toolkit.”

From Earned Wage Access to payroll-linked savings and just-in-time financial coaching, Craig explains how employers can build resilience and reduce stress without simply raising salaries. Learn how these interventions not only improve employee wellbeing but also drive productivity, reduce absenteeism, and strengthen business performance.

Township consumers are rewriting the rules of South Africa’s retail and cultural economy, according to the fifth annual Township Customer Experience (CX) Report 2025, released today by Rogerwilco in partnership with Field & Insights Africa and MoyaApp.

The report, based on insights from 1 600 residents across all nine provinces and an additional 3 820 MoyaApp users, highlights how township households adapt under pressure, influence mainstream culture, and demonstrate resilience in the face of economic challenges. With an estimated R900 billion in spending power, townships are not peripheral economies but central to shaping South Africa’s consumer landscape

We take a closer look at the business of gyms in South Africa, an industry that has had to constantly adapt to shifting consumer trends, health and wellness demands, and the pressures of a challenging economic climate. At the centre of this story is Planet Fitness, a brand that has grown from its very first club in Benoni back in 1995, to becoming a billion-rand business with a national footprint. For nearly three decades, it has shaped how South Africans experience fitness, building not just gyms, but a lifestyle around health and wellbeing.

Joining us to unpack this journey is Mannee De Wet, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Planet Fitness. We’ll reflect on how he and his business partner have built this empire, how gyms have evolved over the years, and importantly, how they generate revenue and remain competitive in today’s tough economic landscape.

The global movement to give workers the “right to disconnect” from employer communication outside of working hours is gaining momentum, with Australia the latest country to adopt such laws. While South Africa has no immediate plans to follow suit, legal experts say businesses cannot afford to ignore the trend.

In South Africa, business rescue has often been misunderstood and underutilised. A significant number of companies only consider initiating business rescue proceedings when they are already in dire financial straits — often at the brink of collapse. For many owners and directors, the process is perceived not as a strategic intervention but as a desperate “last card to play” when all else has failed.

Africa’s gaming industry isn’t emerging, it’s exploding. In 2024 the market generated $1.8 billion in revenue, a 12.4% year-on-year increase, growing six times faster than the global average. With 349 million gamers across the continent (304 million on mobile alone), Africa added 32 million new players in just one year.

Mobile gaming already accounts for nearly 90% of the market, creating massive opportunities for developers, investors, and SMEs. Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa lead in revenue, but the fastest growth is happening in unexpected markets like Eritrea and Niger. This isn’t just entertainment. It’s a business revolution.

And yet, at Gamescom 2025 in Cologne, the world’s biggest gaming expo, Africa had no national pavilion. Countries from Brazil to Thailand showcased their ecosystems. Africa’s absence is both a gap and an opportunity.

What’s driving restaurant industry success in South Africa? According to Stats SA, income from the food and beverages industry grew by 4.5% year-on-year in May 2025, with 95% of South Africans dining out at least once a month. It’s a lucrative space, but it takes more than good food to build staying power in such a competitive market.

For the past three decades, brands like News Café have become a cornerstone of South Africa’s urban culture evolving with customers, innovating in operations, and remaining relevant across generations.
Now, with expansion plans into new local and regional markets, the question is: what does it take to build and sustain a restaurant chain that not only survives, but thrives?

Business confidence in SA improved in July, with the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (Sacci) business confidence index (BCI) rising to 116.7, up from 113.2 in June. The latest reading is also 7.6 points higher than a year ago.

The average for the BCI in the first seven months of 2025 was 118.6 — 7.7 index points higher than the 110.9 for the corresponding period in 2024, suggesting that business sentiment remained broadly resilient despite persistent global and domestic risks.

South Africa has over 2.5 million small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), employing nearly 10 million people. Yet, many of these businesses are still viewed by corporates through the narrow lens of CSI or supplier development compliance. What if we have it backwards?

What if it is big business that can no longer afford to underestimate the value and innovation of small business? The truth is, without meaningful partnerships with the SMME ecosystem, especially in underrepresented and township communities, large companies risk stagnation.

In a tightening economy, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) is under increasing pressure to collect every cent it can to shore up the South African fiscus. While many compliant businesses play by the rules, it is becoming clear that some large corporates are pushing the envelope too far sometimes unintentionally, but often with eyes wide open.

Whether driven by cost-saving efforts, legacy practices, or poor advice, some employers are taking liberties that will not withstand the scrutiny of a SARS audit. And with SARS’ improved data matching, AI-powered risk profiling, and growing appetite for corporate audits, it is no longer a question of if, but when they come knocking.

Chapters

• (00:00:02) - Inside Your Business
• (00:00:15) - Tax Season 2018
• (00:01:28) - Avoiding tax evasion
• (00:03:48) - Payroll Tax: Fuel Cards and Travel Allowance
• (00:05:25) - How do Subsistence Allowances get abused?
• (00:08:38) - What is the tax on travel allowances?
• (00:11:33) - The importance of tax compliance and VIRUS in South Africa
• (00:15:47) - Tax Compliance

SME confidence is climbing in 2025, with more business owners viewing the economy and government efforts as supportive of growth. But the pressure isn’t off. The latest Business Partners SME Confidence Index shows cash flow, economic conditions, and limited funding remain the top barriers.
To overcome these, 86% of SMEs say access to finance is critical, 85% need targeted business resources, and 83% highlight the importance of mentorship.

Chapters

• (00:00:01) - Inside Your Business
• (00:00:53) - What's driving the increase in SME confidence?
• (00:03:42) - Growth Finance in the Country
• (00:05:01) - Are entrepreneurs becoming more prepared for their ventures?
• (00:06:48) - The Entrepreneur of the Year
• (00:09:58) - Entrepreneur of the Year 2019
• (00:11:34) - Business Partners Awards
• (00:12:09) - Business Banking

BankservAfrica’s index posts a stronger reading, indicating an improved GDP performance
The BankservAfrica Economic Transactions Index (BETI), measuring the value of all electronic transactions cleared through BankservAfrica on a monthly basis at seasonally adjusted real prices, improved for the second consecutive month in June 2025, indicating a more optimistic outlook for economic performance in the second quarter.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Inside Your Business
• (00:01:07) - Banks of Africa Economic Transactions Index
• (00:02:08) - Economic indicators show signs of life in the country
• (00:04:15) - INTERVIEW
• (00:06:32) - Bank Serve Africa Economic Transactions Index