Vodacom launches Patala Ka M-Pesa

MASERU – VODACOM Lesotho (VCL) Financial Services this week launched a new payment service, Patala Ka M-Pesa The service is meant to enhance the operations of small and medium businesses.

Palesa Mphunyetsane, the Managing Director of VCL Financial Services, said the new service is in response to the technological changes in society.

“This new service is meant to answer the new demands in the financial world,” Mphunyetsane said.

“We are aiming to boost small and medium enterprises to align with the current technology by introducing this new form of payment.”

“This digital platform allows businesses and organisations to accept M-Pesa payments online,” she said.

She said merchants may use this one-stop solution to collect payments, process refunds as well as to set up recurring payment plans, and reconcile transactions.

“So this will be a positive step to deviate from carrying cash and toward going cashless,” she said.

“In this way, customers will have a smoother payment experience while shopping online.”

Mphunyetsane said the platform is secure and runs on existing infrastructure. With this new means of payment, both customers and businesses will have peace of mind that they are transacting with a reputable service provider.

Through this new platform, Vodacom Lesotho Financial Services said they are looking forward to build a link between the mobile money market and the retail platform.

Mphunyetsane said these new payment service will be linked to a mobile wallet which will allow merchants to reconcile transactions more accurately by digitising payments.

Malatola Phothane, the Commercial Manager of VCL Services, said eligible groups are people who are already registered as merchants.

Phothane said this new payment will provide customers with business services where customers can use this platform to buy goods and services. He said it also offers direct debit services and business to business services.

“This new service creates a business to customers’ platform where customers could be refunded,” Phothane said.

“The new service also creates a transaction status screen which allows customers to view their status of payment,” he said.

Tlali Sethobane from the Examinations Council of Lesotho (ECOL) said after introducing the new online registration platform to reduce congestion, there was still a need for new online payment methods.

He said the introduction of this online payment method will help students not only to register online but also to pay in the comfort of their homes.

He said since the online payment requires an email, the confirmation will be sent straight to the email. The Head of Sponsorship and Stakeholder Management, Mariti Mariti, said this new online payment will allow their customers to buy the ’Maletsunyane Braai Festival event tickets.

“Our main objective is to transform to cashless payments,” Mariti said.

Instead of their customers queuing at the event’s gates to present proof of M-Pesa payment, this new online payment will allow them to access the tickets which will be sent through the emails after payment.

Refiloe Mpobole