More than 35 million South Africans are estimated to live in homes outside the formal property system. These include informal homes, RDP houses, backyard dwellings and homes on communal or rural land.

For many people, the challenge is not having a home, but being able to prove where they live. Without recognised proof of address, they may face barriers when accessing financial services, credit, insurance and other opportunities.

DigiDeeds is a South African technology company aiming to bridge this gap by creating digital home records verified through identity checks, location mapping and confirmation from neighbours.

We spoke to Jaco Carstens, co-founder and CEO of DigiDeeds and a former Credit Executive at Capitec, about how the platform works and whether it could help unlock financial opportunities for millions of South Africans.


How it works: Users submit identification, pin their home's location, upload a photograph of the property and obtain confirmation from seven neighbours.


What members receive: A DigiDeed certificate that provides a verified residential record. It is not a registered title deed and does not confer ownership of the land.


Reported growth: Since launching in March 2026, DigiDeeds says it has attracted more than 4,200 members and received over 34,100 neighbour confirmations.


Financial inclusion: The company provides institutions with residential data and a Stability Indicator scored from 0 to 100, which may assist with assessing risk.


Business model: DigiDeeds says financial institutions have tested and paid for its data.


Future plans: The company aims to connect verified households with services such as solar power, connectivity, security, sanitation and home sales and rentals.

Key point: A DigiDeed does not guarantee approval for credit or other financial services. Its value depends on how institutions use and accept the information.

More than 35 million South Africans are estimated to live in homes outside the formal property system. These include informal homes, RDP houses, backyard dwellings and homes on communal or rural land.
For many people, the challenge is not having a home, but being able to prove where they live. Without recognised proof of address, they may face barriers when accessing financial services, credit, insurance and other opportunities.
DigiDeeds is a South African technology company aiming to bridge this gap by creating digital home records verified through identity checks, location mapping and confirmation from neighbours.
We spoke to Jaco Carstens, co-founder and CEO of DigiDeeds and a former Credit Executive at Capitec, about how the platform works and whether it could help unlock financial opportunities for millions of South Africans.
<ul>
<li>
How it works: Users submit identification, pin their home's location, upload a photograph of the property and obtain confirmation from seven neighbours.
</li>
<li>
What members receive: A DigiDeed certificate that provides a verified residential record. It is not a registered title deed and does not confer ownership of the land.
</li>
<li>
Reported growth: Since launching in March 2026, DigiDeeds says it has attracted more than 4,200 members and received over 34,100 neighbour confirmations.
</li>
<li>
Financial inclusion: The company provides institutions with residential data and a Stability Indicator scored from 0 to 100, which may assist with assessing risk.
</li>
<li>
Business model: DigiDeeds says financial institutions have tested and paid for its data.
</li>
<li>
Future plans: The company aims to connect verified households with services such as solar power, connectivity, security, sanitation and home sales and rentals.
</li>
</ul>
Key point: A DigiDeed does not guarantee approval for credit or other financial services. Its value depends on how institutions use and accept the information.

Leigh-Anne hosts the The Morning Show, Monday to Friday on Good Hope FM

Leigh-Anne Williams

The Morning Show is all about bringing you the latest and the greatest in entertainment, information and the best music to keep you going in the office, at home or on your mid-morning drives. show aims to empower, educate, inform and entertain. Hosted by the sensational Leigh-Anne Williams, this all-female show aims to empower, educate, inform and tackle important issues relating to women and men’s health, managing finances, gender inequality and the promoting and uplifting of women empowerment. They pride themselves on delivering high quality and engaging content, something that any client can leverage to boost the distribution of their brand’s message. They will go out of their way to surpass expectations.

Presenter: Leigh-Anne Williams

News & Traffic: Sandra Rosenberg

Producer: Delucia Daniels

The Morning Show is all about bringing you the latest and the greatest in entertainment, information and the best music to keep you going in the office, at home or on your mid-morning drives. show aims to empower, educate, inform and entertain. Hosted by the sensational Leigh-Anne Williams, this all-female show aims to empower, educate, inform and tackle important issues relating to women and men’s health, managing finances, gender inequality and the promoting and uplifting of women empowerment. They pride themselves on delivering high quality and engaging content, something that any client can leverage to boost the distribution of their brand’s message. They will go out of their way to surpass expectations.
Presenter: Leigh-Anne Williams
News &amp; Traffic: Sandra Rosenberg
Producer: Delucia Daniels