“RSA Is Years Ahead”: Young Woman Lists 10 Things South Africa Does Better Than Canada

• TikToker @lindiforchange posted a viral video on 22 August 2026 comparing technology and daily life in South Africa and Canada
• SA banking apps, cardless cash sends, 60-minute grocery delivery and WhatsApp customer service all made her list
• South Africans flooded the comments with more examples of home-grown tech that left Canadians behind

A South African woman living in Canada sparked a wave of national pride online after she posted a video listing 10 things South Africa does better than her adopted country.

TikToker @lindiforchange posted the video on 22 August 2026, and it quickly racked up 13,700 likes and 843 comments as South Africans rushed to agree with her.

Her biggest talking point was banking. She pointed out that South African apps do far more than manage money. Features like instant payments, virtual cards, airtime and data top-ups, prepaid electricity purchases and cash sends are all built in. She compared this to Canada, where paper cheques are still widely used. She also highlighted cardless cash services like FNB eWallet, Absa CashSend and Standard Bank Instant Money, saying Canadians looked at her in disbelief when she explained how eWallet worked.

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SA tech leaves Canada playing catch-up

The list did not stop at banking. She noted that South African businesses communicate through WhatsApp and online booking tools, while many Canadian companies still ask customers to call between 9 am and 4:30 pm. She also praised Checkers Sixty60 for delivering groceries within an hour, compared to next-day delivery windows in Canada. South African delivery apps allowing orders from multiple restaurants in a single checkout also made the cut.

This gap between the two countries is not accidental. According to the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, South Africa's tech ecosystem has been shaped largely by major financial institutions and the unique pressures of its infrastructure, pushing local companies to build more versatile and resilient solutions.

Mzansi adds to the list

South Africans in the comments section on the TikTok page were quick to back her up and add their own examples:

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@BurgundyAve said:

"South Africa has the most advanced banking system in the world!!!"

@Mzukulukamandokweni wrote:

"So basically RSA is years ahead of most European countries 😎"

@SBUSISO GENIUS 🇿🇦🫶🏾🇨🇦 shared:

"I finish my salary without touching any note or coin from it 😫"

@Vivi❤️❤️ added:

"I'm approaching 30, and I have never seen a cheque."

@Nobuhle Omuhle 🇿🇦•🇺🇲 said:

"SA is the goat, so advanced yet underrated. South Africa is a Gem 💎"

@girlies pointed out:

"You forgot that it is linked to Home Affairs; you can do your ID at a bank..."

@Success added:

"Can renew car licence disc on ur banking app and it can be delivered to your door."

See @lindiforchange's full comparison post below:

More on South Africa and countries abroad

• Briefly News recently reported on hundreds of international graduates who took drastic measures in Calgary after Canada rejected their post-graduation work permits.
• A look at the little-known pathways that let certain green card holders skip a major hurdle on their way to US citizenship.
• A major trade decision out of Washington will determine whether South African exports keep their duty-free access for years to come.

Source: Briefly News