South Africa's largest e-commerce platform, Takealot, is turning its gaze beyond metropolitan strongholds in a strategic push to capture the elusive township market. As competition from international heavyweights like Shein, Temu, and Amazon ramps up, Takealot is betting that last-mile delivery solutions and government partnerships can keep it in the lead.
But breaking into township economies is fraught with challenges. Poor infrastructure, security risks, and high delivery costs have long held back e-commerce penetration in South Africa's underserved regions. Yet, Takealot believes it has a plan to not just break through but thrive.
Takealot's latest initiative, launched in collaboration with the Mpumalanga provincial government, is designed to tackle one of the most stubborn barriers to e-commerce effective last-mile delivery. The company plans to recruit 1,000 delivery drivers in Mpumalanga, a key province for its township rollout.
Tshepo Marumule, Takealot's head of external affairs, underscored the importance of reaching residents who previously had limited access to the platform. "People need to know that they don't have to go all the way to Mbombela to have access to what they need as they can have it delivered," he told Sunday Times .
Takealot will deploy these drivers for both its main platform and the food delivery service Mr D. This move aims to unlock demand by addressing a core pain point accessibility. The company is also investing in electric bicycles for riders, hoping to reduce costs and enhance safety in areas where motorcycles are seen as dangerous or inefficient.
