- The increased level of connectivity in townships has seen an uptake in digital services.
- Ecommerce in particular is on the rise, as more people embrace online shopping.
- Silulo Ulutho Technologies recently partnered with Pargo in order to facilitate online deliveries in townships.
In recent months we have seen ecommerce explode in South Africa on the back of the pandemic and more services going digital, with online shopping in particular surging.
The same goes for internet connectivity, as the pandemic helped to highlight the digital divide and the fact that more needs to be done in terms of broadband penetration and quality in underserved areas like townships.
It appears as if that much-needed change is happening, according to Silulo Ulutho Technologies, which specialises in digital training and services in townships and rural areas.
“With greater connectivity becoming available in township communities, we are seeing a huge shift to online shopping as opposed to physical shopping,” notes Luvuyo Rani, who co-founded Silulo Ulutho Technologies with brother Lonwabo Rani.
Citing a 2022 South African Township CX Report by Rogerwilco, the pair point to the fact that 70 percent of the 1 400 people surveyed made a purchase online in the past year, which is up significantly from the 28 percent in the previous report.
It is this flux of trends that has seen Silulo Ulutho Technologies partner with local smart logistics platform Pargo.
“One of the biggest contributing factors to online shopping is cheaper data prices offered by major internet service providers in the last 12 months. While cash is still king in townships, with bank cards following behind, mobile payments are beginning to win people over, the report states,” adds Pargo in a press release sent to Hypertext.
Using Pargo’s Click & Collect offering, people in townships don’t need to wait for couriers or deal with the uncertainty of when a delivery will take place as they can simply collect from a pickup point when ready.
The other advantage is that the use of a central collection point removes any confusion for deliveries, as township street names and numbers are not always easily locatable on a navigation app.
“This delivery method with over 300 pickup points in informal settlements nationwide is particularly popular among the many South Africans who live in areas where they might not have convenient access to home delivery,” says Pargo co-founder and CEO Lars Veul.
“The Pargo service means people can collect their parcels within walking distance, which is a huge benefit. Couriers often battle to deliver items because of crime in the townships,” emphasises Silulo Ulutho Technologies.
[Image – CC 0 Pixabay]
