E-commerce company Takealot.com recently launched its Township Economy Initiative at the Mamelodi Community Hall in Tshwane amid fanfare and full capacity attendance by aspirant local entrepreneurs.
“We are here to encourage entrepreneurs in Gauteng to participate in the e-commerce digital economy,” said Takealot.com Executive Chairperson Mamogai Matlhare.
“This is an opportunity for them to grow their businesses and as they grow their businesses, they can employ more people,” she said.
“You are the job, we are the enabling partner,” enthused Matlhare as she appealed to entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunity offered by Takealot.com.
Matlhare said Takealot’s township economy Initiative is aimed at joining hands with each and every entrepreneur in the townships of South Africa as they are a company built for all South Africans by South Africans.
According to Matlhare, the initiative was launched in the province of Gauteng because the province was the first one to indicate that it was willing and ready to partner with Takealot and are committed to creating jobs and enabling businesses in the townships.
“Mamelodi was chosen by the province as the township for us to launch this initiative as it sees opportunities that are in this township,” explained Matlhare as she elaborated that the initiative won’t be confined to the township of Mamelodi but will be taken to other townships as well around the Gauteng Province and the country at large.
Takealot is a South African e-commerce company based in Cape Town and is regarded as the country’s largest on-line retailer.
According to Takealot CEO Fred Zietsman, Takealot has helped grow online shopping in South Africa and was the first to take part in the Black Friday shopping activities.
“Now with the Township Economicc Initiative, Takealot allows people in the townships to depend on themselves instead of going outside townships to acquire goods and services,” he said.
Research shows that as of November 2019, over 2500 third party businesses use the Takealot Marketplace platform to sell their products to over 1,8 million Takealot shoppers.
“Takealot.com Group started 14 years ago in Cape Town and today it employs over 5000 people, is in partnership with various brands and restaurants and in this way supports over 33000 jobs,” said Zietsman.
“Takealot.com provides over 4 million potential customers to entrepreneurs who use its services,” he said.
Takealot.com also has two satellite companies in its stable, namely Superbalist.com and Mr DFood.
Superbalist.com is an online shopping platform that provides a vast selection of items in fashion clothing and related accessories.
Mr DFood App enables users to order and purchase groceries, beverages and other items from any restaurant or retailer who is listed in the App.
Mr DFood will also employ scooter drivers in various townships to deliver food to customers in the comfort of their homes.
“By joining with Takealot we increase chances of creating business and job opportunities and thereby breaking the barriers that exist regarding business opportunities,” said MEC for Economic Growth in Gauteng Tasneem Motara.
“Together with Takealot.com we can build a prosperous future for all of us because if you want to go faster, go alone, but if you want to go further, go together,” she said.
“The partnership with Takealot is a new, innovative way of creating jobs in the province and this is in line with our resolve as a province to reduce unemployment,” said Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi.
“The Stone Age didn’t end because people back then were short of stones, but because new ideas for doing things came along,” said Lesufi as he endorsed Takealot’s job creation initiative in the townships of Gauteng.
Lesufi pointed out that when gold was discovered in Gauteng back in the day, it was considered to be the ” be all and end all.”
“Gold is gone now, but the new gold will emerge in the townships through the Takealot.com Township Economic Initiative,” he said.