Young Women in Business Network (YWBN) is a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) association seeking to economically empower Women and Men in South Africa, through networking, business development and investment initiatives. YWBN is owned, controlled and managed by women for women from various professions, businesses and industries and dedicated to the economic empowerment of Wo(men). We are active young business women with entrepreneurial flair who are innovation-focused, resilient and results-driven

Through YWBN, we partly own 26% shareholding in Namlog (Pty) Ltd which is a logistics, distribution and warehousing company. We are very proud of the success of our YWBN CFI which was registered in December 2015 as a deposit taking financial Institution which under the current management has seen growth of 2 million share capital to a 21 million total asset.

On 9 March 2021, YWBN CFI received authorisation from the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) Prudential Authority (PA) for the establishment of a mutual bank, in terms of section 11(1) of the Mutual Banks Act namely. The PA regulates financial institutions and market infrastructures to promote and enhance their safety and soundness, and support financial stability.

YWBN CFI Financial Information

During the past 5 years, YWBN CFI was able to grow from a minimum of 200 members to 589 members, with only 85 members withdrawing. It is imperative to highlight the following about the CFI:

  • Debt free
  • R21 million collected deposit
  • 5 clean audits
  • Never missed monthly board meetings and AGM
  • Revenue averaged approximately R195 000 per month in the past financial year, due in the main to an increase in membership, interest from loans, interest on liquid deposits, compulsory membership fees and contributions.

All the above signals the network’s prudential ability to deliver expected results including prudency, technical skill, governance, management, financial products and clean administration.



Vision

To be a leading African women-led Mutual Bank that understands and services the needs of the unbanked, underserved and the previously disadvantaged consumers.

Mission

To realise financial inclusion of the unbanked, underserved and previously disadvantaged.

Key Value Proposition

  • Bucking the trend – Servicing the unbanked, underserved and the previously disadvantaged by providing new opportunities for access to finance and thus build livelihoods.
  • Unconventional – Provision of appropriate (tailor-made) products aimed to build self-reliance amongst the unbanked, underserved and the previously disadvantaged.
  • Transformational – Deeping financial inclusion of Individuals and extending access to finance and credit for Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs).
  • Mass based – Transformation of sector through mass-based shareholding to achieve a more balanced structure of ownership and control in the finance sector for the benefit of the most disadvantaged South Africans.
  • Embraces change – Use of technology to build a modern and diversified economy.

What YWBN Mutual Bank is set to deliver

  • Youth Economic Empowerment
  • Women Economic Empowerment
  • Black Economic Empowerment
  • National Economic Empowerment

Delivery Method

YWBN Mutual Bank embraces the use of technology for a managed customer experience and secure access to the bank through multiple service delivery channels. Customer channel segments are split into two; one for customer self-service and the second will be channels for customers who require assistance for using the bank services.

The YWBN Mutual Bank will be accessible in all nine provinces for self-service through online and mobile platforms which leverage various methods for customer registration and onboarding, transactional banking, loan applications and savings. For customers who need YWBN Mutual staff assistance in accessing services, there will be a customer contact center and offices across all provinces.

What makes the envisaged Mutual Bank Unique

Much about YWBN is already unusual -

  • It is the first CFI to submit application to upgrade to a Mutual Bank;
  • It will be South Africa’s first ‘majority’ black women owned bank;
  • Strong  team with experience in prudential management of funds;
  • Led by board with pedigree, demonstratable ability, and ’intellectual humility’ to steer the Mutual Bank to success especially in the increasingly complex financial sector environment.
  • Already granted authorisation from the South African Reserve Bank’s Prudential Authority (PA) for the establishment of a mutual bank, in terms of section 11(1) of the Mutual Banks Act.
  • Having operated as a CFI, the company has traction and already attracted interest of numerous corporate investors, with investment pledges in excess of R2 billion already in the pipeline.

Benefits of operating a Mutual Bank

The main differences between a mutual bank and a commercial bank are as follows:

  • Mutual Banks are owned partly by depositors.
  • Mutual Banks have a lower capital requirement, that is, the amount of capital that is required to be deposited with the Reserve Bank.
  • Mutual Banks are governed by the Mutual Banks Act of 1993 and not by the companies Act unlike the Commercial Banks

The operations of the mutual banks are like a retail bank. As such the bank can take deposits and issue loans like commercial banks.

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