Appalling service

My experience with PayFast by Network has been extremely frustrating and disruptive to our business.

After successfully onboarding and integrating PayFast into our systems, we discovered that we could not access funds paid by our customers because our account was allegedly still awaiting verification. During the verification process, PayFast requested extensive information about our business. These requests seemed inconsistent with their marketing, which suggests that even new entrepreneurs with little or no revenue can use the platform. Nevertheless, I provided all the information requested.

What followed was a cycle of delays and poor communication. I had to call almost daily for updates because no one followed through on promised timelines. I was repeatedly told that feedback would be provided within a few hours or that I would receive an email the next day. In many cases, 48 to 72 hours would pass without any communication. When I called again, I was often told that the email should have already been sent, only for it to be sent while I was on the call. Promises of further feedback were rarely honoured.

Each time I followed up, I was told that my case was with a different department—onboarding, risk and compliance, or a merchant consultant. Meanwhile, our funds remained inaccessible and no meaningful resolution was provided.

The situation became so disruptive that I was forced to remove PayFast from our accounting systems and payment processes entirely. To make matters worse, the account was ultimately suspended while funds paid through the platform remained unavailable to us.

For a business that depends on reliable cash flow and payment processing, this experience created significant inconvenience and operational challenges. I regret choosing PayFast and would not recommend them based on my experience.