The Angle Podcast

Can tech help formalize the informal economy? In this episode of The Angle Podcast, we sit down with tech founder Xolile Xaba, who built the "Car Park" and "Car Park Payments" apps—tools designed to help users locate their cars and seamlessly tip car guards. Xolile shares his journey from coding his first app in just two weeks (which shot to #1 on Google Play) to tackling logistical challenges like onboarding informal workers without bank accounts. We dive into the mechanics of his app, the ethics of digital payments, and how technology can elevate and legitimise overlooked sectors. Topics Covered: -Building a top-ranking app with zero capital -Creating financial tools for car guards -The challenges of onboarding in the informal sector -Why scaling isn’t just technical—it’s social -Navigating compliance, funding, and fintech ethics Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: Meet Xolile Xaba 02:00 – Creating the Car Park app 05:00 – The birth of Car Park Payments 08:30 – Logistics: bank accounts, onboarding, QR codes 13:00 – Scaling challenges and mall partnerships 18:00 – The 80/20 revenue model 22:00 – Funding: the right money vs. bad money 30:00 – Xolile’s journey from BCom Law to tech 36:00 – Lessons from building a news app 43:00 – Formalising the informal sector 52:00 – Compliance issues and app store policies 56:00 – Final reflections and advice to developers #Fintech #AfricanInnovation #InformalEconomy #TechForGood #StartupStories #CarParkPayments #MobileApps #DigitalInclusion #TheAnglePodcast