Thumela, South African Startup Unveils Last Mile Deliveries Platform
A South African startup called Thumela has created a counter-to-counter last-mile logistics system to make it easier, quicker, and more affordable for e-commerce companies and people to send and receive packages.
Thumela, a May launch, delivers packages using vetted and trustworthy public taxi drivers who follow predetermined routes. The logistics start-up uses tuck stores in townships or rural areas as drop-off and collecting places, as well as establishments in or close to public taxi ranks.
According to the company’s founder, Zamokuhle Thwala, Thumela now offers its customers the ease of combining the pickup of their packages with their daily commute, which enhances the experience of receiving packages.
When I unintentionally left my laptop charger at home in eMatiwane, a remote area of Ladysmith, in 2019, I ran into this issue. I had the choice to utilize one of the courier services, but doing so required my sister to take a taxi to the city, which increased the amount of time it would take for me to receive the package in Pietermaritzburg.
“My friends said that when traveling to Pietermaritzburg, we should ask a taxi driver to carry it. Surprisingly, it just took three hours for the laptop charger to arrive in Pietermaritzburg. At the time, I had the idea for Thumela and thought the rising e-commerce industry was the ideal opportunity to work on the concept.
Early adopters of the bootstrapped startup include a variety of small enterprises that sell apparel, laptops, and beauty and hair items.
“These are business owners that sell goods on online marketplaces and through WhatsApp statuses; after a deal is complete, they ship goods through Thumela,” said Thwala.
With drop-off and pick-up locations in both Durban and Pietermaritzburg, Thumela currently provides deliveries between these two cities.
“Prosperous clients have requested Thumela points in places like Ladysmith, Newcastle, and Empangeni. Additionally, clients in Johannesburg have made requests to deliver packages to Durban,” Thwala said.
