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BLUE LABEL INTEGRATED ANNUAL REPORT 2015
UNDERSTANDING MATERIAL MATTERS
CONTINUED
Risk
Context
Mitigating factors
Elimination of
the middle
man continued
Without a distributor, every one of the four mobile
operators and around 200 utilities across South
Africa would need to deploy a device linked to
technology at every merchant in the country, in
order to provide the same access and level of service
as the Group.
For the amount of commission the mobile network
operators charge the Group for distribution, they
would not be able to provide the same level of
service if they were to do it themselves. In addition
the Group provides the capex, field support, R&D
and call centre services to the merchant base.
Disaster
recovery and
continuity of
business
The Group has developed
proprietary technology
supporting the roll out of its
bouquet of products and
services. The Group’s
infrastructure connects into
some of South Africa’s major
banks, Eskom, public and
private utility companies and
telecommunication
operators. In addition, the
Group switches both debit
and credit cards, electronic
funds transfer transactions
and e-token products for
some of the country’s leading
retailers and petroleum
companies. The effective and
continuous operation of this
infrastructure is critical to the
Group’s service delivery.
Management recognises the importance assigned
to IT in its corporate governance systems.
The technology team has been strengthened – in
people, skills and capability. A Group Information
Security Officer has been appointed to assist in
compliance processes and procedures from an
IT governance perspective. The Group’s Business
Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan provides
guidance for emergency and crisis management,
business unit recovery and technology disaster
recovery. The latter includes the restoration of
IT facilities. The plan describes the IT framework and
procedures to be activated in the event of a disaster.
The major goals of the plan are to:
•
•
minimise interruptions and limit damage to
normal operations;
•
•
minimise the economic impact of the
interruption;
•
•
establish alternative means of operation in
advance;
•
•
train personnel on emergency procedures;
•
•
provide for rapid restoration of service, ensuring
availability/continuity of critical business
operations; and
•
•
communicate appropriately to relevant
stakeholders.