JOHANNESBURG – At a busy taxi rank on a windy afternoon, a young vendor offers her product – and something unexpected: a laminated QR code. “Scan here,” she tells a commuter, who takes out a phone and makes a quick payment. No coins exchanged, no app downloaded, and no traditional donation tin in sight.
This quiet shift in how people give and receive in public spaces is becoming more common across South Africa, especially in informal economies where cash once dominated. Increasingly, a simple QR code is taking the place of physical money, offering both safety and dignity to those asking for help or trying to make a living.
At the centre of this movement is a digital tool called AltarPOS, a platform that allows anyone to create a personal payment or donation page with a scannable QR code. In a country where millions work outside the formal banking system, such tools are beginning to reshape everyday transactions – from street sales and school fundraisers to church donations and family remittances.
The technology is being adopted in a range of unexpected settings. Informal traders, students, and unemployed individuals are using QR codes to collect payments, crowdfund for personal needs, and even earn income by helping others get set up with the system.
Critically, the platform is also changing the way people ask for help. Public requests for donations – once marked by stigma or risk – now come with a digital option that adds a layer of anonymity, safety, and respect. A laminated QR code serves both as a payment point and a subtle signal: “I need help, and here’s a dignified way to offer it.”
Digital inclusion remains a challenge in South Africa, where access to smartphones and affordable data is uneven. But AltarPOS appears to have gained traction by designing its system for entry-level phones and low-bandwidth environments. There’s no app required, no complex onboarding process, and no background checks. Anyone can sign up, upload a photo, write a message, and begin collecting funds within minutes.
Early use of the platform has been seen in churches, rural funeral arrangements, school communities, and even within family WhatsApp groups. Its simplicity and adaptability seem to have struck a chord in areas often underserved by traditional financial services.
While the digital shift won’t solve the country’s deep economic divides, tools like this one may help bridge the gap – not just between technology and tradition, but between those who have, and those who need.