In 2010, I was in charge of the Western Cape arm of a national project set up by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Credit Ombudsman.
The aim was to look at the accessibility of financial information to ordinary South African consumers.
The results were dismal and things haven’t really changed much since then.
Our communities simply don’t have adequate access to suitable financial information.
We continue to have people who don’t have a damn clue about our lived reality and experiences, using highly paid ads to give us financial advice and information.
Most of these rah-rah financial commentators simply don’t understand how much it truly costs the ordinary person just to get to work via public transport, or how people have to choose between buying either electricity or bread.
They are giving advice on how to save and invest thousands and millions of rands when many are struggling to survive!
Some people within the same areas and groups have money to spend, while others don’t.
We need to understand the dynamics of finance in our communities, so that we can find appropriate solutions to the financial dilemmas we face.
We should rather look at debt management, wealth creation and skills development plans that will see us stop being slaves to debt and become financially free, and flourishing.
Some people can afford to have savings, policies, medical aids and investments – but they end up with products sold to them by people who don’t understand the unique needs of our communities.
Sadly, many people still don’t know their legal and consumer rights in terms of the National Credit Act and the Consumer Protection Act – and continue to get screwed over.
Vehicles are being "repossessed" by sneaky debt collectors who have not followed procedure, and are not officers of the court with valid court order. Consumers don't know that they can have someone like this arrested for trespassing on their property. Homes are being lost because South Africans simply don't know how to communicate with their creditors.
People still don’t know how interest rates affect their repayments, what the difference is between debt counselling and debt consolidation, which banks and cellphone providers charge which rates, what is Shariah-compliant finance, how to fill out forms for SASSA and NSFAS, and what to look out for with insurance products.
People are scared to ask questions because they fear it will make them look stupid. And the past and current financial system and narrative fuels that.
I am therefore extremely excited and proud to announce the following.
I am launching a website and social media pages called Money with Moeshfieka.
You can find it at www.moneywithmoeshfieka.com, and look up moneywithmoeshfieka on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
There will be 100s of Daily Voice Rek Your Cheque and other informative articles that you can link to from this site.
I will also be writing new financial and consumer-related pieces all the time, and every article I write in the Daily Voice will link back to the site.
There will be a list of “important financial contact details” which contains telephone numbers and email addresses for the various financial Ombudsmans, child maintenance offices, SASSA, NSFAS offices, among others.
There is also a space for good service and bad service reviews, while information for small businesses will be shared.
I have carefully chosen financial advisors, real estate agents, bond originators, registered debt counsellors, lawyers and more – who will impart relevant information and the best tools, in a language and tone which is non-judgemental, not jargon and encourages people to participate in their financial wellness, as opposed to making them fear their finances.
The social media pages (especially Facebook) is where the action is going to happen, so watch out for daily posts, videos, give-aways and more.
The tagline for Money with Moeshfieka is Money. Life. Real Talk.
If you are looking for rah-rah finance, then Money with Moeshfieka isn’t for you.
We are real people, requiring real financial solutions and products from those who understand us best – and this is where we can get it.
There will be NO COST involved to access the information on the website or the social media pages.
We need to be financially informed to become financially empowered.
Money with Moeshfieka will go live on Wednesday, 11 May 2022.
Please follow it and make use of the info provided.
Thank you to the Daily Voice for supporting this platform.
SUPER SERVICE SHOUT OUT
This week my super service shout-out goes to the group of petrol pump attendants on the forecourt at Shell Taronga Motors.
With the constant rise in petrol, I am never happy when we have to fill up these days.
However, my mood is always lifted by this group.
This petrol station is continuously busy, yet they are constantly smiling, and are always enthusiastic to help.
They also seem proud of themselves, the work they do and the service they offer and deliver.
According to the site manager, Adrian Arendse, most of the younger attendants start out in the on-site car wash, and then move to the forecourt.
Recently, certain banks were off-line and they were not able to process certain card payments.
These attendants took their time to kindly explain this upfront to motorists wanting petrol, and those unable to pay with their cards could make other arrangements.
I hate it when motorists overlook the service of petrol pump attendants and are just downright “onbeskof” – because they see themselves as somewhat better than them.
Hou jou bad-luck-geit byrie huis!
If you can’t offer a tip – at least offer a smile. It’s the least you can do.
Thank you to Mike Banda, Lindelwa Xolizwe, Dolly Somlenze, Francis Lapani, Tapiwa Mudyiwa, Douglas Sami, Joseph Chifutwe, Kieraan Phillips and David Chizimba.
Your service ROCKS!