With Mama Money, you can send money home, check your balance, buy airtime and electricity, freeze your card, and manage your account, all on WhatsApp, without downloading a separate app. Everything is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through a simple menu on your phone.
WhatsApp uses less data than most banking apps and works on any phone that can run it. For foreign nationals in South Africa managing their money carefully, it is one of the most accessible banking channels available. Here is how to get started and what you can do.
You can be up and banking in under two minutes. Here is how.
Add +27 60 091 5591 to your phone contacts. Name it "Mama Money Send" so it is easy to find. This is the number for WhatsApp banking: sending money, checking your balance, buying airtime, managing your card, and more.
Open WhatsApp, find the Mama Money Send contact, and type "Hi." You will receive an immediate reply with a menu of options. The menu guides you through everything. No searching, no guesswork.
If you have not used Mama Money before, select the registration option from the menu. You will need your passport, SA ID, or asylum document. No proof of address is needed. Registration can be completed entirely through the WhatsApp menu, without visiting the Mama Money App or a branch.
The WhatsApp menu shows all available features. Reply with the number for what you need and follow the prompts. From here you can send money, check your balance, buy airtime, and manage your card, all from the same conversation.
Already have a Mama Money account?
If you already have a Mama Money account, save +27 60 091 5591, send "Hi," and your existing account is accessible straight away. Your balance, account details, and transfer history are all there.
Start WhatsApp banking nowHere is a full walkthrough of every feature available through the Mama Money WhatsApp menu, with step-by-step instructions for each one.
WhatsApp is a fully functional channel for international money transfers. Send to Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Malawi, India, DRC, Ghana, and 90+ countries across Africa, Asia, and Europe without opening any other app.
See what is in your account at any time, without opening the app.
Available 24 hours a day. Uses minimal data.
See your most recent transactions to check what has come in and gone out of your account.
For a full monthly bank statement to show an employer or landlord, use the Mama Money App, which provides a downloadable monthly statement. The WhatsApp mini-statement shows recent activity but is not a substitute for a full bank statement.
Purchase prepaid airtime, mobile data, or electricity through WhatsApp. The amount is deducted from your Mama Money Card account and delivered immediately.
Cost: R1 per purchase.
Buy retail vouchers and pay your DStv subscription directly through the WhatsApp menu, deducted from your Mama Money Card account.
Cost: R1 per purchase.
If your Mama Money Card is lost, stolen, or you notice unexpected activity, freeze it immediately through WhatsApp. This stops all new transactions until you are ready to unfreeze it.
If you find your card or resolve the issue, you can unfreeze it through the same WhatsApp menu or in the Mama Money App.
Get your Mama Money Card account number and branch code to share with your employer for salary payments.
Salary payments received into your Mama Money Card account are free and typically reflect the same day.
Both are available, both are free, and both connect to the same Mama Money account. Here is when to use each one.
| Feature | Mama Money App | |
|---|---|---|
| Send money internationally | Yes | Yes |
| Check balance | Yes | Yes |
| Mini-statement | Yes | Yes |
| Buy airtime, data, electricity | Yes | Yes |
| Buy vouchers and DStv | Yes | Yes |
| Freeze and unfreeze card | Yes | Yes |
| View account and bank details | Yes | Yes |
| Full monthly bank statement download | Mini-statement only | App required |
| Save in USD | Not available | App required |
| Mama Wallet | Not available | App required |
| Data usage | Minimal: WhatsApp data only | Higher: full app data |
| Device required | Any phone with WhatsApp | Smartphone with app installed |
If you want to keep your data use low, or prefer managing your money through a platform you already use every day, WhatsApp covers everything you need for day-to-day banking. For features like Save in USD, the Mama Wallet, and downloadable monthly bank statements, the Mama Money App is required.
Not yet on the Mama Money App?
The app is available on Google Play, Apple App Store, and Huawei AppGallery. Your WhatsApp account details work in the app too. No new registration needed. Just log in and everything is there.
Download the Mama Money AppWhatsApp uses significantly less data than most banking apps. For customers who are careful about how much data they spend each month, banking on WhatsApp means staying in control of your finances without spending your data doing it. You can check your balance, send money, and buy airtime on a fraction of the data a standard banking app would use.
Most people in South Africa already use WhatsApp every day. Banking on WhatsApp means using a platform you already know, with a conversation interface that is familiar. There is no new app to learn, no new password to remember, and no settings to configure. You already know how it works. Mama Money is just a contact in your phone.
WhatsApp banking with Mama Money is open 24 hours a day. Whether you need to send money home in an emergency, check your balance before a payment, freeze your card late at night, or buy electricity on a weekend, the Mama Money WhatsApp menu is always ready. No waiting for business hours. No branches to visit. Mama makes it happen.
Your bank account
The Mama Money Card is the bank account that powers all these WhatsApp features. Open it with your passport, SA ID, or asylum document. No proof of address required. No South African ID needed. Once your account is active, every WhatsApp feature is available immediately.
R99 once-off card fee. R29 per month. Receive salary payments for free. Use your card at any shop or ATM in South Africa. Send money to 90+ countries at a low flat fee. Manage everything on WhatsApp or in the app.
Get the Mama Money CardYour money, your account, your transfers. All from a WhatsApp conversation. No branch visits. No queues. Any time of day.