WATCH: Don't have coins? Don't worry, this hi-tech car guard takes mobile payments

An industrious Durban car guard‚ who has moved to beat the crash crunch by accepting mobile electronic payments‚ said he has been showered with tips.

Sabelo Buthelezi uses mobile payments app Zapper‚ linked directly to his personal bank account‚ taking car guarding high-tech.

"This one guy gave me R150 on Saturday. I haven't been to check my account yet but I know I'm doing well. This thing [Zapper] has helped me so much. My tips have been so good in the past week‚" Buthelezi said.

He was speaking to TMG Digital on Thursday morning outside his regular spot‚ the Love Coffee on Lillian Ngoyi Road in Durban’s Windermere suburb.

Clad in his neon vest‚ the 26-year-old has a certain spring in his step as he bounds up and down the road‚ waving frantically to guide cars into tight parking bays.

His threadbare jeans have more tears than what is fashionable and his converse all stars have seen a lot of mileage. A missing front tooth does nothing to hinder a broad smile when he spots his regulars.

“People are so shocked that I have this. Even when they say they don't have money no they can use the phone to pay‚” he said.

Zapper business consultant Carmen Worsfold told TMG Digital Buthelezi had approached her after she visited the coffee shop.

“He asked me about it‚ saying people weren’t paying him because everyone was using Zapper. We decided to see if we could help. All we did was give him his own QR code which he has on a lanyard around his neck. The code is linked to his personal bank account‚” she said.

Buthelezi’s tip-gathering method is also being employed in Cape Town‚ where parking attendants take payment from motorists using SnapScan 'virtual wallet' as well as credit cards and debit cards.

- TMG Digital/The Times