Welcome to the Association of System Operators

The ASO is an independent body formed to represent the interests of all Payment System Operators in the RSA.

Become a member

The Association of System Operators (ASO) was created at the beginning of 2007 in preparation for the new structure for participation by non-banks in the formal payment system processes introduced by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) in conjunction with the issuance of the Directive for Payment System Operators. The ASO is an independent body formed to represent the interests of all Payment System Operators in the RSA. The aim is to provide a non profit forum in which association members can address issues of common interest and interface with payment industry stakeholders, government and regulatory organisations. In this capacity, the ASO will be holding a seat on the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) National Payment System Advisory Board.

Office bearers

  • Wynand Malan
    Wynand Malan

    Chairman



    Wynand has been involved in payments for 25 years and is a thought leader in the field of the optimisation of bulk collections.

    As co-founder and COO of Q LINK, a specialist payments provider, he lives his passion by developing business opportunities, consulting on collections strategies and supporting the business to deliver on new innovations.

    He participates in several industry and regulatory forums, speaks at conventions and has relationships with many role players in the payments system.
    His previous experience includes the development of systems in defence technologies and the design and operation of transactional switches and gateways. Wynand has filled many leadership positions both in business and the community.

    His motto is to have fun and to share with others while striving for excellence.

  • Anthony de Gray Birch
    Anthony de Gray Birch

    Finance



    Anthony is the MD and co-founder of Direct Transact, and its leading authority on Banking- as-a-Service (BaaS), interbank processes, banking operations and regulatory compliance. A chartered accountant (CA) by training, Anthony has a very deep understanding of how to grow a lean, financially sustainable, scalable business from the ground up. Today Direct Transact is an award-winning company with unrivalled industry expertise, with 130 employees, serving 70% of SA's clearing banks, and processing more than ZAR40 billion in monthlv pavment fows across 21 currencies within the local fintech ecosystem.







  • Steven Kark
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    Steven Kark

    Manco Member



    Steven, an internationally accomplished entrepreneur, is the founder and Group CEO of Paycorp, an international payments company operating in Southern Africa, Eastern Europe and the United Kingdom.

    Headquartered South Africa and backed by over two decades of payments innovation, Paycorp is a respected payments provider with offices in 7 countries staffed by over 400 highly skilled employees. Paycorp’s centralised processing technology connects with the world’s major payments networks, card schemes and banks. Paycorp offers a broad range of payments products and services – from converting any store of value to cash, card acquiring and embedded finance to global transaction processing.

    ATM Solutions, the cornerstone of the Paycorp Group, was co-founded by Steven in 1999 – pioneering independent ATM deployment in South Africa. ATM Solutions owns and operates large ATM estates globally. The company also provides state-of-the-art transaction processing, terminal management and value-added services across ATM networks, point-of-sale acquiring and card programs.

    Steven holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg) and a Post Graduate Diploma of Business Administration from Thames Valley University (now the University of West London).

    ATM Solutions is a previous recipient of the KPMG Business Day South African Unlisted Company of the Year and Steven the recipient of Topco Media’s Top Performing Businessman of the Year.

    Steven is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organisation, a founding member of ATMIA Africa, and currently the Vice Chairman of the Association of Payment System Operators (ASO) – and was Chairman from 2006 to 2020.



  • Gerhard van Wyk
    Gerhard van Wyk

    Manco Member



    Gerhard van Wyk is a visionary CEO with over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, renowned for his strategic leadership and expertise in digital transformation. He has consistently driven transformative initiatives that deliver significant business value, positioning his organisation as a leader in the payments space.

    Gerhard excels in developing and executing enterprise payment and technology strategies that align with evolving market trends and customer needs. His ability to lead high-performing, cross-functional international teams has been pivotal in delivering complex, enterprise-level projects.

    Known for aligning business capabilities with cutting-edge payment solution architectures, Gerhard is a trusted advisor to C-suite executives. His technical and strategic leadership has been instrumental in crafting solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing IT infrastructures, ensuring alignment with broader business strategies.

    Gerhard leverages emerging technologies and financial trends to meet business objectives, having successfully deployed multiple core banking platforms across Africa. His innovative approach has driven the development of new business opportunities, creating sustainable value for clients.

    He has spearheaded the development of a mobile money solution for a Tier 1 Bank, enabling in-country and cross-border payments. As a leader, Gerhard directed the creation of a transformative business strategy and architecture for a cloud-based core banking SaaS platform at an international ISV.

    He also oversaw the selection and implementation of a new core banking system for a Tier 1 bank, managing executive-level communications and stakeholder alignment. His guidance has been crucial in helping financial institutions navigate major digital transformation realignments.

    Gerhard’s foresight in anticipating industry shifts and his capacity to respond with innovative solutions have made him a key figure in driving business growth and sustainability in the financial services sector.