LayUp
South African fintech startup LayUp and payment and merchant solutions provider Dashpay have partnered to roll out a lay-buy application to Dashpay’s Newland payment solutions point of sale (POS) smart devices. These are available at merchants across South Africa.
Customers wanting to make lay-buy purchases need to visit any one of the merchants who use the POS devices to sign up.
Nearly 24% of adults in South Africa are unbanked and R12-billion in cash is believed to be held outside of the banking system. With unemployment rising, as many as 30-million people are locked out of the South African economy. As more people turn to credit to help make ends meet, they’re finding that not having a credit history is excluding them from accessing day-to-day goods. This has seen millions turn to often-disreputable lenders for unsecured loans, with dire consequences.
LayUp allows for automated recurring payments through multiple payment methods, including cash, debit and credit card, or instant EFT, to complete the process. Customers can also visit any merchant running the LayUp app on their Newland POS device anywhere in the country to pay their instalment or update their account.
Platform: Any device with an up-to-date Internet browser
Stockists: Merchants and consumers can find more information about the service here.
Go to the next page to read about a platform to support nurses throughout Africa, an app to rescue users that are out at sea, the newest ride-hailing service in South African, and TikTok Guardian’s Guide.
Afrinurse
Patient Health is supporting nurses throughout Africa via Afrinurse, a digital platform that gives them access to mental health tools and a booking portal that connects them to psychologists and other healthcare professionals online.
The platform also offers educational videos that assist nurses in managing infections, symptoms, vaccinations, and other relevant topics. A job board helps nurses find job listings and post their availability for work. A financial advisory feature is available, providing access to financial advisors and debt managers.
The app also offers a Nurse Hero feature, where first-time nurses can be celebrated for excellent service by patients and doctors through a rating and rewards system. The Ask a Nurse functionality allows them to communicate with one another, with the option to transfer knowledge and skills to other nurses across Africa.
Platform: Any device with an up-to-date Internet browser
Expect to pay: A free service
Stockists: Visit Afrinurse’s website here to log in and connect with nurses around Africa.
Go to the next page to read about an app to rescue users that are out at sea, the newest ride-hailing service in South African, and TikTok Guardian’s Guide.
Trigger
Trigger has added the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) to its list of service providers. The app offers subscribers 24-hour access to a variety of private armed response providers, roadside assistance, 911 paramedic services, legal counsel and a trauma counselling helpline.
The NSRI’s goal is to prevent drownings through preventative measures and active rescues around South Africa’s coastline. This includes inland rivers and dams in eight out of the nine provinces. It currently has 42 rescue bases with almost 1500 rescue crew who do not charge for their services. The NSRI’s service has been integrated into the Trigger smart app by way of an API. Subscribers will now be able to request assistance through the Trigger app if they experience any difficulties on water, including reporting someone missing at sea, boating accidents and people overboard scenarios.
Platform: Android, iOS and the Huawei AppGallery
Expect to pay: Various packages are available, ranging from R39 to R300 per month.
Stockists: Visit the Trigger website here for downloading instructions.
Go to the next page to read about the newest ride-hailing service in South African, and TikTok Guardian’s Guide.
DiDi
International ride-hailing service DiDi has launched three services in Cape Town. At the time of launch at the beginning of May, the company offered all users who downloaded the app ten coupons, some discounting trips by half. DiDi Days was also announced, advising when users could travel with greater discounts on specific days of the week.
The three services it offers are:
- Didi Go: A low-cost ride-hailing service offering the same safety standards DiDi gives its customers in other parts of the world.
- Didi Express: The company’s standard service for those seeking a balance between price and comfort.
- DiDi XL: Ticks all the boxes for those who think big and need more space (with a capacity of up to 7 seats).
DiDi offers safety features like facial detection for riders and drivers, SOS buttons for riders and drivers linked to police, 24/7 safety response support with safety patrols, preview information for riders and drivers, and safety training for drivers.
All riders and drivers are also required to follow strict health and safety protocols.
Platform: Android and iOS
Expect to pay: A free download but ride fees vary depending on distance and time.
Stockists: Drivers wanting to sign up can visit the DiDi website here. User can also download the app from the Didi website.
Go to the next page to read about TikTok Guardian’s Guide.
TikTok Guardian’s Guide
In an effort to make TikTok more secure, it has introduced the Guardian’s Guide, a central place to learn about the platform. The guide includes how to get started on the platform, the safety and privacy tools such as the Family Pairing feature, and additional resources to address common online safety questions.
To educate families and the broader TikTok community on ways to protect against the harms of online bullying, TikTok has developed a bullying prevention guide in partnership with a range of global experts. These include the Cyberbullying Research Center, Net Family News, and TikTok’s US Content Advisory Council. The guide offers information on how to combat bullying and harassment and supplies resources to get local help.
Its Safety Center has been upgraded to offer parents a look into the safety tools on offer, through new videos on how TikTok approaches safety, as well as Community Guidelines.
Platform: Android, iOS and Huawei AppGallery
Expect to pay: A free download
Stockists: Visit TikTok here to sign up and for downloading instructions.
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