Vodacom is set to replace its “My Vodacom” smartphone app with the VodaPay “super app” in the coming months, aiming to streamline consumer interactions across Vodacom, its services, and business partners. Group CEO Shameel Joosub explained that this decision, discussed in an interview with TechCentral on Monday following the release of the group’s interim results for the six months ending September 30, 2023, is geared toward establishing a unified interface.
Read: Ten iOS 17 features you may not know about
The VodaPay app already incorporates the suite of telecommunications services from My Vodacom, prompting new subscribers to opt for VodaPay over My Vodacom during sign-up. The transition for existing My Vodacom users, totaling around four million, is encouraged and expected to commence early next year.
Joosub clarified that Vodacom has no intentions of reintroducing M-Pesa, the successful mobile money platform pioneered by Vodacom affiliate Safaricom in Kenya, to the South African market. Instead, VodaPay will offer comparable services to M-Pesa, aligning with offerings in markets like Kenya and Tanzania where M-Pesa has been established.
Regarding mobile financial services in South Africa, Joosub highlighted a nuanced approach, indicating that the cash-in and cash-out elements might not be as prominent. On the merchant side, Vodacom currently engages with over 10,000 merchants using their point-of-sale devices, experiencing robust year-on-year growth exceeding 60%.
