Top payment security tools South African businesses should know about
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January 2, 2026Imagine running a business and not being able to process credit card information. To paint a picture, as of January 2024, 43% of all eCommerce transactions in South Africa were made using credit cards. If your card systems aren’t secure, it leaves your customers vulnerable to fraud and diminishes brand trust, resulting in nearly half of all sales being left on the table.
That’s why the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is required. This global framework enables businesses to accept card payments securely while protecting sensitive customer information. Not meeting this standard can be detrimental to your business.
This guide unpacks everything South African business owners need to know about PCI DSS compliance, why it matters, and how it protects customer data during online transactions.
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What is PCI DSS?
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (or PCI DSS for short) is a set of global security measures developed by major card issuers to protect cardholder data and prevent fraud. It applies to organisations that accept, store, and transmit cardholder information.
This framework outlines the necessary security controls required to foster a secure environment that protects data. It’s under this safe environment that businesses can accept secure online payments, while preventing potential data breaches and reducing the risk of payment fraud .
This is why PCI matters for online payments; without it, you’re opening up your business and customer data to potential threats, some of which could lead to the closure of your business.
What is PCI compliance?
PCI DSS compliance simply means adherence to the framework. When you’re PCI DSS compliant, you can safeguard customer data, including names, card numbers, and expiration dates, as well as minimise card misuse or fraud, all while building customer trust and loyalty.
Businesses are classified into four PCI DSS compliance levels, determined by the total number of card transactions they handle annually:
- Level 1: More than 6 million transactions per year
- Level 2: Between 1 million and 6 million transactions per year
- Level 3: Between 20,000 and 1 million transactions per year
- Level 4: Fewer than 20,000 transactions per year
These levels are set by the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC), which includes major global card brands such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, and Discover.
Businesses between Levels 2 and 4 typically only need to complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ), while Level 1 businesses must undergo a formal external audit.
Why PCI DSS compliance matters for South African businesses
PCI DSS compliance for South African companies remains a must-have, not a nice-to-have. It aids in deterring financial loss and legal penalties while preserving customer satisfaction, and it fulfils laws like the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
Who needs to be PCI DSS compliant?
Any business that accepts card payments must be PCI DSS compliant to avoid hefty penalties or lose the capability to process credit card payments. Compliance is applicable across all industries, ranging from traditional brick-and-mortar businesses to eCommerce companies.
Here’s a list of the various industries where PCI DSS compliance is necessary:
- Small businesses and SMEs running online shops, service bookings, recurring payments, or subscription-based models
- Retailers with point-of-sale systems connected to payment processors
- Hospitality businesses (hotels, restaurants, guesthouses, etc.) that store or process customer card details
- Healthcare providers who accept card payments for consultations or medical bills
- Service providers such as ISPs, utilities, and professional services
- Payment gateways and third-party processors handling data on behalf of merchants
Even if you only process a few transactions monthly, you’re still in scope. While the requirements may be less complex for smaller firms, PCI DSS compliance remains necessary.
What happens if a business is not compliant with PCI DSS?
Non-compliance with PCI DSS can have serious consequences. From disruption to daily operations to more severe scenarios, such as having to close down, the impact varies.
Here are other fatal blows that non-compliance could have on your business:
- Financial penalties: Card networks can issue fines through your acquiring bank if you are found non-compliant during or after a breach.
- Reputation damage: Customers may lose confidence in your ability to protect their personal and financial data.
- Legal problems: You could face lawsuits if negligence results in stolen data.
- Loss of business relationships: Acquiring banks and payment processors may terminate agreements with merchants who fail to meet compliance standards.
- Revenue loss: A data breach or fraud event can cause customers to abandon their purchases, directly impacting sales and revenue.
In a market as competitive as South Africa’s eCommerce and retail space, the risks of non-compliance are too costly to ignore.
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12 PCI compliance requirements and guidelines
The PCI DSS framework is built on 12 core requirements, grouped under six goals. To ensure your business continues processing card transactions, follow this PCI compliance checklist.
1. Build and maintain a secure network and systems
- Install and maintain firewalls to protect cardholder data
- Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for passwords and security settings
2. Protect cardholder data
- Maintain the security of stored cardholder information
- Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across public networks
3. Maintain a vulnerability management program
- Use and regularly update anti-virus software
- Develop and maintain secure systems and applications
4. Implement strong access control measures
- Restrict access to cardholder data to those who need it
- Assign unique IDs to each person with computer access
- Restrict physical access to cardholder data
5. Regularly monitor and test networks
- Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data
- Regularly test security systems and processes
6. Maintain an information security policy
- Retain a policy that addresses information security for all staff
For South African businesses, this may sound technical, but payment providers and partners such as Netcash already build much of this framework into their services. Still, your business needs to ensure its own systems (such as websites and POS) don’t become weak points.
Steps to achieve PCI DSS compliance
Ready to find out how to become PCI compliant? Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure your business can accept online payments and is compliant with the PCI security standards.
1. Determine your PCI compliance level
PCI DSS has different compliance levels, depending on your annual transaction volume. Smaller businesses can conduct their own PCI assessment, while high-volume merchants are required to undergo a full PCI audit by a professional Qualified Security Assessor (QSA). Knowing your level upfront helps you plan resources and timelines for compliance.
2. Define your cardholder data environment (CDE)
Understand where and how card data moves through your systems. These systems include POS terminals, websites, third-party platforms such as payment gateways, and any location where data can be stored or transmitted. Mapping your CDE is crucial for assessing any risks and determining the exact points at which controls must be enforced for security reasons.
3. Conduct a gap analysis and risk assessment
Review the checklist from the previous section and identify any gaps that exist between your system and PCI DSS requirements. This gap analysis identifies areas where security controls require strengthening. You’ll then chart a definite course of action on how to remedy any issues.
4. Implement necessary security controls and fill in the gaps
Depending on the results of the previous step, this may include encrypting data, tweaking firewall rules, changing default passwords, and restricting staff access to sensitive systems. After the audit, you’ll need to act quickly in certain areas, and implementing these controls will reduce the probability of incidents and establish a gateway to compliance.
5. Complete the assessment and submit documentation
Depending on your compliance level, you’ll complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) or undergo a QSA-led audit. Once this is done, you will receive a Report on Compliance (RoC), which details any identified control gaps and a remediation plan.
You must then implement changes to address these gaps. Afterwards, the QSA will review the changes and issue a final, signed RoC that certifies your compliance. You’ll then be awarded an Attestation of Compliance (AOC), a summarised, public document confirming your compliance.
6. Monitor and maintain continuous compliance
PCI DSS is not a once-off task. Businesses must continually monitor systems, apply updates, and test controls to remain compliant. Regular audits, staff training, and system updates help ensure ongoing security and keep your business aligned with evolving PCI standards.
Read Next: Top Payment Security Tools South African Businesses Should Know About
Benefits of PCI DSS compliance
PCI DSS compliance is more than a box-ticking exercise. For your business, it brings tangible benefits that directly affect customer satisfaction, financial security, and brand growth.
By committing to these global security standards, you not only protect data but also safeguard your reputation, your bottom line, and the trust of everyone who does business with you.
Let’s break down the main advantages.
Payment security standard
First and foremost, PCI DSS sets a globally recognised benchmark for payment security. By complying, your business demonstrates that it meets the same standards as leading international retailers and financial institutions. It’s a trust signal you can buy, but must earn.
This puts you on par with global best practice, showing customers and partners that you take data protection seriously. In practical terms, it reduces your exposure to breaches and fraud threats, giving you a clear and structured framework for managing card payments.
Data breach and payment fraud prevention
South Africa has seen a steady rise in payment scams over the years, particularly in digital banking fraud. PCI DSS compliance minimises these risks by ensuring data is encrypted, access is restricted, and systems are regularly monitored.
For your business, that means a much lower chance of costly breaches, chargebacks, and fraudulent transactions. For your customers, it provides peace of mind knowing their card details won’t end up in the wrong hands. Preventing fraud is always cheaper and easier than dealing with the aftermath.
Increases customer trust and loyalty
Trust is everything in digital transactions. If a customer has any doubt about your ability to keep their card details safe, they’re less likely to complete a purchase. PCI DSS compliance serves as a trust signal, providing a behind-the-scenes assurance that security is built into every transaction.
Over time, this trust translates into stronger loyalty, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth recommendations. In an online market as competitive as South Africa’s, that edge is invaluable.
Avoids financial penalties and legal issues
Non-compliance can be expensive. Card networks can impose fines, and local laws such as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) can bring additional consequences if customer data is mishandled. Even customers can pursue legal action in cases of data negligence.
PCI DSS helps businesses stay aligned with both international and local requirements, drastically reducing the risk of legal battles, penalties, or even losing the ability to process card payments altogether. Compliance protects not just your data, but your financial future.
Boosts brand reputation
Lastly, compliance enhances your brand’s credibility. Consumers are becoming more cognizant of data security, and businesses that actively protect customer information stand out from the rest.
By being PCI DSS compliant, you show that you value security as much as you value sales. Over time, this reputation strengthens partnerships, attracts new customers, and positions your brand as professional and trustworthy in a crowded market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wrapping up PCI compliance for small businesses in South Africa
For South African businesses, PCI DSS is not optional; it’s essential. If you accept card payments, whether as a start-up, SME, or large retailer, you fall under its scope.
The framework guides you in protecting cardholder data, preventing fraud, and aligning systems with global best practices, while supporting local POPIA obligations. Non-compliance can result in substantial fines, reputational damage, or even the loss of the ability to process payments altogether.
On the flip side, compliance fosters customer trust, loyalty, and brand credibility. Partnering with PCI DSS-compliant providers such as Netcash makes it easier to embed security into your business culture and safeguard your future.
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Author:
Nico Schultz
Network Manager
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Nico Schultz is the network powerhouse behind Netcash’s rock-solid infrastructure. With over a decade at the company, he keeps systems fast, secure, and running seamlessly for businesses across South Africa. A seasoned Network Manager with deep roots in enterprise tech — from SharePoint and Exchange to SQL and advanced troubleshooting — Nico has a knack for turning complex challenges into smooth, reliable solutions. If it connects, communicates, or keeps Netcash online, Nico’s the one making it happen.
