There is no single EFT arrival time for every South African bank transfer. The exact timing depends on the banks and account route involved. Check the route and timing shown by your bank rather than relying on a universal number.
Choose the route that matches the job
- Standard EFT: suitable when the recipient can wait and you are using a normal bank-account transfer. The exact processing schedule depends on the banks and account route involved.
- Immediate payment: a bank-selected faster payment option. Standard Bank says an immediate payment to an existing beneficiary should go through within a minute or two, while a payment to a new beneficiary or a beneficiary with changed details can take around two hours. That is a Standard Bank explanation, not a promise for every bank.
- PayShap: a rapid-payment route that can use a ShapID or registered cellphone number. Participation, fees, limits and the available channels depend on the bank and account. See the PayShap guide for provider-specific details.
Why the answer varies
The exact timing depends on the banks and account route involved. Check the route and timing shown by your bank rather than relying on a universal number.
Do not treat a proof of payment or a sent-status screen as proof that the recipient can already use the money. Check the sending account, keep the payment reference, and ask the recipient to check the receiving account through the bank’s official channel.
What to do when the money has not arrived
- Check the payment status and balance in the official banking app or website. Do not use a link sent in an unexpected SMS or email.
- Confirm the recipient’s account or proxy details against the payment record. Do not send a second payment simply because the first one is delayed.
- Keep the reference, date, amount, recipient details and any error message. Your bank may need these to trace the payment.
- Contact the sending bank through its official support route if the status is pending, failed or inconsistent with the recipient’s account.
- If you entered the wrong details or suspect fraud, tell the bank that immediately. Recovery is not guaranteed, and a rapid-payment route may have different cancellation rules from a standard EFT.
Immediate payment and PayShap are not the same as a standard EFT
An immediate payment is not simply a standard EFT with a better headline. Its timing, price, beneficiary checks and cancellation treatment come from the bank’s current product rules. Standard Bank’s current help page says that an immediate payment cannot be reversed or cancelled, so check the displayed beneficiary details before confirming it.
PayShap also needs careful checking. Standard Bank describes PayShap as a way to send and receive money into a bank account within minutes, while Absa’s current PayShap material describes its own rapid payments as reflecting within seconds and says the applicable terms make them final and irrevocable. These are provider-specific statements. Do not turn them into a universal fee, limit, availability or recovery promise.
Current route and safety checks
- Use the current payment option and fee shown by your bank before confirming a transfer.
- Check the beneficiary name or displayed proxy details, not only the account number or cellphone number.
- Never share your PIN, password, one-time PIN or banking-app passcode with someone claiming to help.
- If the bank does not resolve a complaint, follow that bank’s formal complaints process. Keep the complaint reference and the expected resolution route.
For a separate tracking checklist, see how to track an EFT payment. If the payment went to the wrong account, use the wrong-account recovery guide and contact your bank through its official channel.
Official sources
Bank routes, fees, limits and availability can change. Confirm the current terms with the bank handling your payment before sending money.