Tripe, samp and beans, tshisanyama – you won’t often see these meals on a food delivery app. But Leon Qwabe is changing that. While living in Nyanga, he found he couldn’t order township fare as the area was cut off from food deliveries. “Delivery services won’t operate in townships due to challenges of mapping, crime, and the knowledge of the township,” Qwabe says. Recognising the impact of this on not just foodies but local restaurants, he developed the first on-demand delivery service for township meals, Order Kasi.
Created in 2018, Qwabe’s app is boosting local economies and satisfying taste buds. “I saw an opportunity to make a difference within these communities,” Qwabe says. Whether ordering from established eateries or individuals cooking from their kitchens, people can choose from an array of traditional dishes. “If you’re craving a home-cooked meal you can now support your local business,” Qwabe says. He links restaurants with drivers who are from the townships and do not have to rely on maps. Currently working with 87 drivers, Qwabe also enables the bikers to rent their motorcycles in order to one day own them.
One delivery driver, Thapelo, joined Order Kasi in 2021 after sitting at home with no work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It has been a game changer for me,” he says. Qwabe’s invention became critical in townships after the impact of national lockdowns. When restaurants were forced to resort to deliveries only, those without access to an online platform suffered. “Going digital means we can create our own opportunities,” Qwabe says. Now no longer dependent on foot traffic, some eateries have managed to send up to 200 deliveries in a single day.
“We’ve developed a way to empower communities and connect people over food,” Qwabe says. With plans to expand his initiative across South Africa, Qwabe is supporting the progress of local entrepreneurs. “My dream is that we create an economy within the township, and we grow the township from within,” Qwabe says.
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