How official payments work.
WHAT PLATFORM IS COMMONLY USED
An electronic payment platform through which government collections are made.
WHY IT EXISTS
To centralise collection and provide traceable receipts.
WHAT THE PROCESS TYPICALLY INVOLVES
Generating a reference for the specific payment Paying through a bank or electronic channel Receiving a receipt with that reference
WHY THE REFERENCE MATTERS
It ties the payment to the application, and without it the payment cannot be traced.
WHAT TO NEVER DO
Pay into a personal account Pay cash to an individual without an official receipt Pay without a generated reference
WHY
It is untraceable, and it is frequently how fraud operates.
WHAT TO KEEP
The reference The receipt Evidence of the bank transaction
HOW LONG
Indefinitely for significant registrations.
WHY
Disputes and re-applications require proof.
WHAT COMMONLY GOES WRONG
Payment made against the wrong reference Payment made and the application not submitted References expiring before payment
WHAT TO DO ABOUT A MISAPPLIED PAYMENT
Raise it promptly, with the evidence.
WHY PROMPTLY
Tracing becomes harder with time.
WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE PAYING
That the reference matches the service you intend.
WHAT TO BE CAUTIOUS OF
Agents offering to pay on your behalf.
WHAT TO PREFER
Paying directly, and retaining the evidence.
