Hello,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here's what I've got for you:
- Vodacom Group fires 631 staff, arrests 15
- How employers monitor their staff
- Paystack launches Virtual Terminal in Ghana, Kenya, SA
Vodacom Group fires 631 staff, arrests 15
Vodacom Group recently gave 631 employees and contractors the boots for fraud-related incidents in the 2024 fiscal year, resulting in 15 arrests.
Its annual report revealed that nearly 9,000 cases of misconduct were reported via various channels.
What happened? Between April 2023 and March 2024, the Vodacom corporate security team looked into over 8,600 cases of suspected fraud, 6,872 of which involved sources from outside the company and 1,780 from within. This led to the arrest of 15 suspects and the dismissal of 631 employees and contractors.
Vodacom uses advanced technology to detect and investigate internal and external fraud attempts. It receives reports from multiple sources, including online submissions, direct customer reports, external whistle-blowers, and a dedicated whistle-blowing hotline called Speak Up.
One of Vodacom’s key initiatives involves using big data analytics to better understand customer needs and offer personalised services. This same technology also enhances its fraud detection and prevention capabilities.
How employers monitor their staff
Keeping track of employee productivity has always been crucial for fair pay and appraisals.
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When everyone worked in offices, it was easier to manage, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed many companies to switch to work-from-home setups and use "Bossware" to monitor productivity remotely.
These tools, ranging from time trackers to always-on webcams, can help with quality assurance but might cause distrust if employees aren't informed about them.
A content moderator in Lagos shared with Oluwanifemi how she has to stay constantly active on her laptop to avoid losing her hourly wage due to tracking software monitoring her keystrokes and activity.
She agreed to install monitoring software like WorkSnap on her personal computer, which tracks active, idle, and offline times, and takes intermittent screenshots of her desktop.
This software logs how long she spends on particular apps or websites, creating a detailed record of her workday. Even tools like Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, and Zoho One can give managers detailed info like chats, emails, meetings, login and logout times, and more.
However, some employees have figured out ways to outsmart these monitoring tools by simulating activity on their devices. These tricks mimic website and app usage, keystrokes, and mouse clicks to fool the software, though companies usually frown upon such tactics.
You find this read interesting, don’t you? Well, check out Oluwanifemi’s story for more, including the types of surveillance technology employers use to monitor workers. Read it here.
Paystack launches virtual terminals in Ghana, Kenya, SA
Paystack has rolled out its virtual terminals in Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Kenya, and South Africa.
Originally launched in Nigeria in 2021, this hardware-free solution is perfect for businesses that handle in-person payments like retail stores, restaurants, or delivery services.
With Paystack’s Virtual Terminal, merchants can create unique QR codes for their customer-facing staff, such as cashiers, delivery riders, or sales agents.
How does it work? After scanning the QR code, users can pay with several options from Paystack, including Cards, Apple Pay, and Mobile Money.
Once the payment goes through, the staff member gets an instant confirmation via WhatsApp, and the customer is good to go.
The Virtual Terminal offers several payment methods tailored to each country. In Cote d’Ivoire, you can pay with MTN MoMo, Wave, Orange Money, Visa, Mastercard, and Apple Pay.
In Ghana, options include MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash (previously Vodafone Cash), AirtelTigo Money, Visa, Mastercard, and Apple Pay.
In Kenya, you’ve got M-PESA, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Apple Pay. In South Africa, you can use Scan to Pay, SnapScan, EFT, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Apple Pay.
Merchants can also change the WhatsApp number associated with a Virtual Terminal QR code, disable it at any time, and set it to send alerts to multiple WhatsApp numbers upon payment completion.
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Opportunities
- Ventures Platform has over 100 job openings across its portfolio companies. Apply here.
- Earna is looking for a Product Marketing Manager. Apply here.
- Are you a startup founder with at least an MVP? Apply for Founders Clinic, an eight-week mentorship programme connecting early-stage startup founders with experienced professionals. Register here by June 26, 2024.
- Moniepoint is hiring for 63 positions in the United Kingdom and several Nigerian states, including Lagos, Abia, and Anambra. Check them out here to apply.
- Explore this website to find multiple job opportunities in Data that align with your preferences.
- If you are a software engineer, creative designer, product manager, design researcher, or a techie looking for an internship role, please, check out this website.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa.
