Payments glossary
Voucher payments
Voucher payments let customers pay online with cash. The customer buys a prepaid voucher - 1Voucher, OTT, BluVoucher and Kazang are well-known South African examples - for cash at a retail till, then enters the voucher PIN at checkout to pay. No bank account or card is required.
How a voucher payment works
The customer buys a voucher for cash at a till point - supermarkets, spaza shops, petrol stations - and receives a PIN. At checkout, they choose the voucher option and enter that PIN; the voucher network validates it and confirms the payment to the merchant in real time, and the network settles the funds to the merchant. Because the value was paid in cash up front, there is nothing to bounce and no card-scheme chargeback path.
Why vouchers matter in South Africa
A substantial share of South African consumers earn and spend in cash, and many online businesses simply never reach them. Vouchers convert cash into online spending power without asking the customer to open an account or trust a website with card details. For merchants - particularly in gaming, streaming, airtime and digital goods - vouchers unlock customers that no card or bank-payment strategy touches, with a prepaid risk profile: no failed collections, no chargebacks.
Voucher acceptance on LekkaPay
LekkaPay accepts 1Voucher and OTT today, with additional voucher networks onboarding - one voucher option at checkout that broadens as networks go live.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays with vouchers?
Customers who earn and spend in cash, customers without bank accounts or cards, and customers who prefer not to enter card details online. Vouchers also appeal to anyone budgeting with a fixed prepaid amount, which is why they are strong in gaming and entertainment.
What happens if the voucher is worth more than the purchase?
It varies by voucher network. Some support partial redemption, leaving the unused balance on the voucher for later; others redeem the full value in one go. Merchants should present the rules for each network clearly at checkout.
Which vouchers can merchants accept through LekkaPay?
LekkaPay accepts 1Voucher and OTT today, with additional voucher networks onboarding. The wider category - including names such as BluVoucher and Kazang - is served through the same voucher option at checkout as networks are added.
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