Takealot and the Gauteng Provincial Government have launched the Takealot Township Economy Initiative, promising a R150 million investment into township e-commerce in Gauteng.
“[Our] partnership with Takealot allows entrepreneurs in the township to have a national reach online and create job opportunities for young people as resellers on the Takealot platform,” the Gauteng provincial government stated.
The initiative comprises six Takealot programmes and was made official at a signing ceremony in Mamelodi West on 18 April 2024.
The six programmes benefiting from the investment are:
- Takealot personal shopper programme
- Takealot delivery team driver development programme
- Takealot township franchise development programme
- Mr D Mzansi Trailblazer restaurant programme
- Superbalist stock reseller programme
- Takealot marketplace SME and local industrialisation programme
Takealot explained that its personal shopper programme allows people to earn supplemental income by purchasing products on the Takealot platform on behalf of the public.
They help consumers navigate the platform and get the best deals while earning commission fees for their service.
There is no cap on the commission personal shoppers can earn.
The programme aims to recruit and onboard 5,000 Personal Shoppers in designated underserved areas by 2028.
Takealot’s delivery team driver development programme will address the urgent need for skilled drivers by training South African citizens interested in working in the on-demand delivery space.
It intends to onboard 2,000 Drivers who will join the Takealot Franchise Network within five years.
Drivers can work full-time or part-time and receive free training with the opportunity for further development.
Takealot’s township franchise development programme will offer ten franchisees financial and technical support training over the next five years.
The goal is to develop entrepreneurs and offer them the chance to expand their business skills while encouraging local economic growth in underserved areas.
A Takealot franchise is a base for collecting and delivering items ordered from the platform.
Unlike other franchise operations, Takealot franchise owners don’t pay any royalties to the Group.
Franchisees who run these hubs are entrepreneurs with some business experience and know-how.
The Mr D Mzansi Trailblazer restaurant programme aims to offer independent restaurants a leg up with trading benefits to boost sales on the delivery platform.
There will be no sign-up fees for joining the platform, and regular training will be offered to help restaurateurs use the available tools.
Advertising credit to the value of R1,000 for the first three months of trading on Mr D will be followed by further credits.
It should be noted that this programme will help Takealot fulfil obligations imposed by the Competition Commission last year.
Following an inquiry into online platforms, the commission ordered that Takealot must establish a programme for historically disadvantaged people with the following features:
- Personalised onboarding, the waiver of subscription fees for the first three months and at least R2,000 advertising credit for use in the first three months.
- Promotional rebates and the inclusion of HDPs in HDP-specific campaigns on the platform.
- A programme to specifically support targeted groups within HDPs such as female, youth and rural enterprises with business mentoring and funding support.
The Superbalist stock reseller programme will support ten resellers over five years, providing them with Superbalist stock, training, and funding opportunities to create sustainable local economic growth.
Takealot said this will provide an opportunity for township consumers to buy brand-new, high-quality clothing items at more affordable prices.
It also aims to grow the clothing market in underserved communities by allowing local South African entrepreneurs to resell unsold or returned stock at a reduced rate.
The Takealot marketplace SME and local industrialisation programme aims to transform townships into economic hubs by supporting local manufacturers.
Takealot said it would provide expert support, waive subscription fees for 12 months, offer dedicated onboarding and training, allocate free advertising credits for product launches, and provide one-year Proudly SA memberships for qualifying manufacturers.
Loading ...
Join the conversation Autoload comments
Comments section policy: MyBroadband has a new article comments policy which aims to encourage constructive discussions. To get your comments published, make sure it is civil and adds value to the discussion.