Pepkor is creating a fintech platform valued at R21.3 billion, combining financial services tied to its retail operations. The group says it will target growth in South Africa’s informal merchant market, where many small businesses rely on cash-based payments and credit. Under the structure described by both outlets, Pepkor will hold a 57.1% stake in the combined business. The remaining ownership would be held by other partners involved in the combination, though details of those parties are not specified in the provided excerpts. Pepkor’s stated ambition is to grow the platform before pursuing an eventual initial public offering (IPO), positioning the fintech business as a separate growth engine from its traditional retail activities. The outlets report the same headline figures on the platform’s size and Pepkor’s majority stake, linking the initiative to expansion opportunities in the informal merchant ecosystem. The reports do not describe specific product offerings, timeline for the IPO, or immediate financial impacts beyond the creation of the platform and the ownership split.