About Rhino Pay
Rhino Pay is a platform built by Shakan Innovations to support entrepreneurship in South Africa. Everyday sellers can take digital payments without the complexity of traditional merchant banking.
Free for vendors. Free for buyers. Always on the sticker.
Why this industry matters
South Africa's informal and micro-enterprise sector employs millions of people. Street vendors, market sellers, and roadside traders keep our cities moving. Stats SA and labour market research show the informal sector as a major source of livelihood, especially where formal jobs are scarce.
- Cash is still king on the street, but it limits growth, safety, and repeat customers.
- Digital payments give sellers instant confirmation and same-day access to cash.
- Street vendors are micro-entrepreneurs building businesses, not an afterthought.
There is a need to develop simple, affordable, easily understood fintech solutions that can displace cash and unlock wider financial inclusion. Convenient digital offerings underpinned by secure technology levels the playing field, ensuring that disadvantaged communities can actively participate in the economy.
Rhino Pay is built for exactly that: simple PayShap checkout at the stall, no card machine, no merchant account at the traffic light.
Industry research backs the scale of the problem. A Mastercard study estimated roughly 3.3 million micro and informal businesses in South Africa, with most MSMEs surveyed offering cash only. A Stitch consumer payments report cites BankservAfrica data showing 95% of informal small-business customers still pay in cash.
Sources: Statistics South Africa labour force and informal sector reports; informal economy overview.
What Rhino Pay is today
- QR PayShap checkout. Buyers pay from the banking app they already use.
- Verified seller identity on every stall: name, location, and what they sell.
- Vendor wallet with same-day cash-out at national retailers via Flash.
- SMS alerts when you get paid. No smartphone required for notifications.
What we are building toward
In pilot today, vendors get paid, withdraw same day, and build a record of honest trade. With consent, that payment history can help a seller show lenders or suppliers they are running a real business, not just taking cash under the table.
Same-day liquidity matters at the stall. A vendor who closes at 5pm can cash out at a nearby retailer before heading home, without queuing at a bank branch or waiting for a card settlement. We keep things simple for buyers and sellers. That is the whole point.
Why PayShap
PayShap is South Africa's real-time payment rail. The banking industry built it on modern ISO 20022 standards so money moves between bank accounts in seconds, not days.
For Rhino Pay sellers and buyers, that means:
- Pay from the banking app you already use. No new wallet, no card machine, no merchant bank account at the stall.
- Instant confirmation. When a buyer approves a payment, funds settle in real time so sellers can trust the sale immediately.
- Secure by design. Payments are approved inside the buyer's own bank app, with clear recipient details before they confirm.
- Built for everyday trade, from a quick R20 snack to larger amounts across participating SA banks.
Rhino Pay connects informal sellers to PayShap through regulated payment partners. We keep the stall free. Buyers pay normal bank fees (if any) through their bank, not a Rhino tax.
PayShap is operated by PayInc (formerly BankservAfrica) as part of the Rapid Payments Programme. Rhino Pay is an independent platform, not a bank.
Who built this
Sihle founded Rhino Pay through Shakan Innovations after seeing how often a good sale falls through because the buyer had no cash. The product is in pilot with vendors in Johannesburg's informal markets. He reads founder messages at sihle@rhinopay.co.za.
Contact and support
Questions, compliments, complaints, or a bug at the stall? We want to hear from you.
Founder (Sihle)
sihle@rhinopay.co.zaFeedback, complaints, and anything that needs a direct answer.
Helpdesk
support@rhinopay.co.zaDay-to-day support and account help.
Sihle reads founder messages personally. We reply as soon as we can, usually within a few business days.
General enquiries and public support: Support Rhino Pay.
Who Rhino Pay is for
- Rhino Pay is built for honest, hard-working entrepreneurs. Street vendors, market sellers, and roadside traders who show up every day.
- We do not promote or tolerate illegal activity, fraud, or misuse of the platform.
- Vendors must sell lawful goods and services and follow local rules. We may suspend accounts that abuse the system.
Keeping the platform live
- We do our best to keep Rhino Pay available whenever you need it. Planned maintenance or partner outages can happen from time to time.
- Technical issues and important updates are sent using the contact details in your vendor profile (mobile, SMS, or email as you provided).
- Where we can, we will give advance notice before planned downtime.
Your information
We handle personal information under POPIA. Here is the short version:
- We use your details to run the service: identity checks, payments, SMS alerts, cash-out codes, and support.
- We may contact you about service updates. We may also share news about new features, offers, or partnerships that could help your business or your Rhino Pay use. You can opt out via account settings or by emailing support.
- You can request deletion of your account under POPIA. Some payment records may be kept where the law requires it.
Partners we work with
Rhino Pay connects buyers, sellers, and cash-out through regulated third parties. We are not those companies.
- Payments go through partners such as Ozow and the PayShap rail (PayInc, formerly BankservAfrica, and participating banks). Buyers approve payment in their own banking app.
- Cash-out uses the Flash retail network. Vendors redeem a one-time PIN at partner tills.
- We use trusted SMS alert providers.
- If a bank app, payment gateway, SMS provider, or retailer till is down, checkout or cash-out may be affected even while we work to restore service. We choose regulated partners, watch for issues, and tell vendors when something affects them.
- For user verification, we use VerifyNow and Smile ID platforms.
Compliance
- Rhino Pay is operated by Shakan Innovations. We are not a bank and we do not take deposits.
- Vendors complete identity verification (KYC/FICA) before withdrawals. That protects buyers and sellers.
- Buyers should check the seller name, stall, and QR before approving a PayShap payment.
- We are in a pilot phase. Features, partners, and limits may change. We will communicate material changes.
Terms of use (summary)
By using Rhino Pay you agree to the following:
- Use the platform honestly and lawfully.
- Provide accurate registration and profile information.
- Rhino Pay facilitates payments and cash-out through partners. We are not a party to the trade between buyer and seller.
- Vendors appoint Shakan Innovations as agent for payment proceeds under South African third-party payment rules (TPPP path).
- Identity verification (KYC), AML checks, POPIA handling, and our RMCP apply as described in the full Terms.
- The service is provided as available during the pilot. Our liability is limited to the extent permitted by South African law.
- These terms are governed by the laws of South Africa.
Please see our full Terms and Conditions.
Last updated: 2026-08-04-v1