The Angle Podcast

• EP26 | No Bank, No Problem - How This App Is Changing Street Payments

  Can tech help formalize the informal economy? In this episode of The Angle Podcast, we sit down with tech founder Xolile Xaba, who built the "Car Park" and "Car Park Payments" apps—tools designed to help users locate their cars and seamlessly tip car guards. Xolile shares his journey from coding his first app in just two weeks (which shot to #1 on Google Play) to tackling logistical challenges like onboarding informal workers without bank accounts. We dive into the mechanics of his app, the ethics of digital payments, and how technology can elevate and legitimise overlooked sectors. Topics Covered: -Building a top-ranking app with zero capital -Creating financial tools for car guards -The challenges of onboarding in the informal sector -Why scaling isn’t just technical—it’s social -Navigating compliance, funding, and fintech ethics Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Meet Xolile Xaba 02:00 – Creating the Car Park app 05:00 – The birth of Car Park Payments 08:30 – Logistics: bank accounts, onboarding, QR codes 13:00 – Scaling challenges and mall partnerships 18:00 – The 80/20 revenue model 22:00 – Funding: the right money vs. bad money 30:00 – Xolile’s journey from BCom Law to tech 36:00 – Lessons from building a news app 43:00 – Formalising the informal sector 52:00 – Compliance issues and app store policies 56:00 – Final reflections and advice to developers #Fintech #AfricanInnovation #InformalEconomy #TechForGood #StartupStories #CarParkPayments #MobileApps #DigitalInclusion #TheAnglePodcast YouTube · The Angle · YouTube · Substack · LinkedIn · Facebook · Instagram · X · TikTok

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• EP25 | Digital Colonialism & Civic Tech | Power, Platforms, Policy

  How much of South Africa’s digital future is really in its own hands? And what happens when civic tech depends on foreign platforms? In this closing episode of The Angle’s civic tech series, we speak with Gabriella Razzano, Executive Director at OpenUp and a leading voice in digital rights, governance, and civic innovation. From digital colonialism to the realities of data extractivism, Gabriella breaks down the geopolitical forces that shape civic space — from platform dependence to investment bias. We talk about what African innovation actually looks like, how to build meaningful community tech, and why data isn’t neutral—it’s power. We explore: -Why less than 1% of global AI investment reaches Africa -The difference between owning data and extracting value from it -Why revenue-driven civic tech is needed to build strong institutions -How the G20 and BRICS influence Africa’s regulatory future -The power of context, not code, in building civic products that last This is a thought-provoking, high-level conversation that brings the entire series full circle—from local innovation to global influence. This is part of a limited podcast series titled “The Digital Future of South Africa – Navigating Power, Policy, and Progress” in association with the Wits School of Governance, Tayarisha, and the Civic Tech Innovation Network. 00:00 – Intro: Digital power, global rivalry & civic space 02:00 – What is digital colonialism? 05:00 – Data extractivism & Big Tech’s role in Africa 09:00 – China vs. US: Competing tech models 12:00 – Where SA’s policy model fits (or doesn’t) 16:00 – Why owning data ≠ using data 20:00 – Platform dependence and shrinking civic space 23:30 – Reimagining civic tech from the grassroots 27:00 – Tech’s role in enabling (not replacing) civic action 30:00 – Opportunities for young civic tech creators 33:00 – The real investment problem in African innovation 36:00 – Revenue-first vs. grant-funded models for civic tech 40:00 – South Africa in the G20 and BRICS: Influence or inertia? 43:00 – Final thoughts on African digital sovereignty #DigitalGovernance #CivicTech #AfricaDigitalFuture #TechAndPolicy #DigitalInclusion #InnovationInAfrica #PlatformPower #SmartCitiesAfrica #DataSovereignty #TheAnglePodcast YouTube · The Angle · YouTube · Substack · LinkedIn · Facebook · Instagram · X · TikTok

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• EP 24 | SA is Leading the G20 – Can It Lead the Digital Revolution?

  South Africa’s G20 presidency presents a rare opportunity to put Africa’s digital future on the global agenda. But is it just symbolic — or can it lead to real change? In this episode of The Angle, we sit down with Dr. Mzukisi Qobo, former head of Wits School of Governance and current Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation, to unpack the real stakes of this global moment. From the AI for Africa Initiative to the challenges of data sovereignty, high data costs, and low digital literacy, Dr. Qobo outlines what South Africa must prioritise—and where African innovators, entrepreneurs, and civic tech builders can seize the moment. We discuss: -Why global supply chains, AI, and digital trade need African voices -How to reduce device and data costs for real inclusion -What’s holding back data centers and fintech on the continent -The role of diaspora, public-private partnerships, and government-backed venture capital This is a conversation about digital ambition, geopolitical realism, and what kind of infrastructure (human and technical) we need to build now if we want to lead—not just participate—in the digital economy. *This is part of a limited podcast series titled “The Digital Future of South Africa – Navigating Power, Policy, and Progress” in association with the Wits School of Governance, Tayarisha, and the Civic Tech Innovation Network. 00:00 – Intro: South Africa's G20 presidency—why it matters 02:00 – Explaining the G20 to a new generation 04:00 – Africa’s digital lag and what SA wants to spotlight 06:30 – AI, data centers, and missed opportunities 10:00 – What “data sovereignty” really means for Africa 14:00 – The gap between digital optimism and infrastructure reality 18:00 – Can we do more than talk? What the presidency can unlock 22:00 – Lessons from India’s digital villages & public WiFi 26:00 – Advice to digital entrepreneurs: stop chasing Silicon Valley 30:00 – What’s holding SA’s startups back? 34:00 – Diaspora capital and de-risking innovation 37:00 – Education, coding, design, and the future of digital literacy 42:00 – Fintech, inclusion, and township innovation 44:30 – Reflections on South Africa’s global standing #DigitalGovernance #CivicTech #AfricaDigitalFuture #TechAndPolicy #DigitalInclusion #InnovationInAfrica #PlatformPower #SmartCitiesAfrica #DataSovereignty #TheAnglePodcast YouTube · The Angle · YouTube · Substack · LinkedIn · Facebook · Instagram · X · TikTok

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• EP23 | Smart Cities or Digital Surveillance? | Tech, Trust & Governance

  What makes a smart city truly smart? Is it the tech—or the trust behind it? In this episode of The Angle, we speak with Dr. Thomas Linder, Senior Coordinator at Open North and Lecturer in Responsible AI at Concordia University, to explore the promises and perils of smart cities in the African context. From Toronto’s failed Sidewalk Labs experiment to the hidden costs of digital public infrastructure, Dr. Linder unpacks what it takes to build cities that are both digitally advanced and socially just. We go deep into issues of data protection, vendor capture, platform dependence, surveillance risks, and the true meaning of citizen-first design in an era of rapid digital transformation. Whether you care about digital voting, AI in public services, or urban inequality, this is a must-listen conversation that cuts through the hype and asks the right questions: + Who owns the data? + Who controls the tools? + Who gets left behind? This is part of a limited podcast series titled “The Digital Future of South Africa – Navigating Power, Policy, and Progress” in association with the Wits School of Governance, Tayarisha, and the Civic Tech Innovation Network. 00:00 – Intro: What is a smart city, really? 06:00 – Google’s Sidewalk Labs and the Toronto failure 10:00 – Why top-down tech never works 14:00 – Smart cities in Africa: opportunities and risks 18:00 – Surveillance, inequality & digital authoritarianism 21:30 – What is digital public infrastructure (DPI)? 25:00 – Data sharing across city services: the real challenge 28:30 – Cape Town’s smart city strategy: a local model 32:00 – Who owns the data? Vendor capture vs. sovereignty 36:00 – Smart cities and policing: tech without reform 40:00 – Digital voting: inevitability or risk? 44:00 – Investing in people vs. buying more tech 48:00 – What governments need to do first 52:00 – A hopeful future for African tech governance #DigitalGovernance #CivicTech #AfricaDigitalFuture #TechAndPolicy #DigitalInclusion #InnovationInAfrica #PlatformPower #SmartCitiesAfrica #DataSovereignty #TheAnglePodcast YouTube · The Angle · YouTube · Substack · LinkedIn · Facebook · Instagram · X · TikTok

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• EP22 | Can SA Build a Tech Economy Without Big Tech? | Innovation, Policy & Power

  What’s killing innovation in South Africa? It’s not a lack of ideas—it’s policy paralysis, outdated funding models, and the dominance of Big Tech. In this episode of The Angle, we speak with Prof. TK Pooe, senior lecturer at the Wits School of Governance, about the deep structural barriers preventing real innovation from taking root in South Africa. From fintech and agriculture to health tech and mining, Prof. Pooe unpacks what South Africa actually does well—and why we need to stop aiming for Silicon Valley and start building fit-for-context digital economies. He outlines his provocative idea for an e-sovereign wealth fund to support entrepreneurs, why universities need to become startup incubators, and why South Africa desperately needs to change how it thinks about risk, failure, and long-term innovation. This episode is full of hard truths and hopeful alternatives. Listen now for an unfiltered take on: -Big Tech’s role in stifling local entrepreneurship -Why SA is 15 years behind on innovation -How funding and procurement models are holding us back -The role of education, regional markets, and failure in tech success * This is part of a limited podcast series titled “The Digital Future of South Africa – Navigating Power, Policy, and Progress” in association with the Wits School of Governance, Tayarisha, and the Civic Tech Innovation Network. 00:00 – Intro: Is Big Tech killing innovation in SA? 02:00 – Defining Big Tech in the South African context 05:00 – Why Nigeria builds unicorns—and we don’t 07:00 – The problem with banks, government, and risk aversion 10:00 – Proposal: A sovereign wealth fund for startups 14:00 – Why failure should be funded 18:30 – SA’s tech ecosystem is too closed 22:00 – Can SA build regionally for SADC first? 25:00 – Agriculture, fintech, mining: sector-specific innovation 30:00 – Why universities must evolve to incubate innovation 35:00 – The myth of skills gaps—when data isn’t used 39:00 – Discovery vs. GEMS: Public/private asymmetries 42:30 – Local problems, local solutions: don’t copy Harvard 47:00 – Fixing government structures and perverse incentives 51:00 – How SA could start building a long-term digital economy #DigitalGovernance #CivicTech #AfricaDigitalFuture #TechAndPolicy #DigitalInclusion #InnovationInAfrica #PlatformPower #SmartCitiesAfrica #DataSovereignty #TheAnglePodcast YouTube · The Angle · YouTube · Substack · LinkedIn · Facebook · Instagram · X · TikTok

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