I have to tell you a story about a young South African that started a food delivery service for people in townships and has since grown the business into a full-blown logistics company that helps connect businesses and townships across South Africa.

I have to tell you how this small business solved a unique problem in townships that big companies couldn’t, while also creating jobs for people left out of the formal job market.

And finally, I have to show you how we can drastically reduce unemployment and grow the South African economy by discovering and supporting more small businesses just like them.

The business I’m referring to is called Delivery Ka Speed and I recently had the pleasure of interviewing the founder so that I could share this incredible story with all of you.

In 2021, Godiragetse Mogajane (Godi) returned to his hometown of Hammanskraal during the COVID-19 lockdown and he noticed two big problems:

1️⃣ Godi found himself unable to order food from his mother’s home due to a lack of service in the area, and quickly realised a crucial gap in the market. Most delivery services relied on digital maps, which were often inaccurate or incomplete in township areas, leaving millions of potential customers underserved.

2️⃣ He saw his former classmates struggling, many of whom hadn’t had the opportunity to go to university and were stuck without options to earn a living. It was heartbreaking for him to witness and he felt compelled to do something about it.

In response to these problems, Godi founded Delivery Ka Speed and created a delivery service that would bring convenience to his township community while creating jobs for young people who could start earning quickly with minimal training.

From the start, Delivery Ka Speed had a unique twist. Early operations were simple as orders came through WhatsApp and a small team of drivers handled deliveries. Recognising that many township youth didn’t have driver’s licenses, Godi introduced bicycles and electric scooters.

This move not only solved logistical challenges but also opened doors for young people who would otherwise have been excluded from the gig economy.

Great idea, Godi, but how did you fund Delivery Ka Speed?

Here’s a part of the story that really impressed me… Before founding Delivery Ka Speed, Godi honed his entrepreneurial skills establishing Goodie Tutors, a tutoring agency focused on math and science education. This venture not only provided him with valuable business experience but put him in a position to launch Delivery Ka Speed.

“I paid salaries and operational costs from my savings because we weren’t making as much at the time. But what I also did was keep a solid record for anyone who’s interested to have a look at our sales, have a look at the money that I put in, and they could see the potential.”

Within six months, Delivery Ka Speed expanded its operations to Soshanguve, Mabopane, and Mamelodi, processing over 6,500 orders, hiring over 20 drivers, and employing over 10 administrative staff. The company surpassed R1 million in revenue in this short period.

None of this would have been possible if Godi hadn’t followed his conviction and personally covered Delivery Ka Speed’s costs for six months 🤯

This early success helped Godi attract an angel investor, who ironically approached him on LinkedIn. This early stage investment allowed Godi to build a custom app and expand to four provinces. What began as a food delivery service has since evolved into a fully fledged logistics company, focused on making townships part of the larger e-commerce ecosystem while empowering the communities it serves.

So how is Delivery Ka Speed today?

Delivery Ka Speed currently employs just under 20 team members in the office and about 100 drivers across the country. The company plans to double its driver count by the second quarter of 2025 to support its growing operations and collaborations:

✅ Delivery Ka Speed delivers groceries to customers in townships on behalf of Spar. This collaboration helps bring essential goods to underserved communities and highlights Delivery Ka Speed’s commitment to expanding its service offerings beyond prepared food.

✅ Delivery Ka Speed delivers Telkom’s products in townships across Gauteng, Limpopo, and the North West.

✅ Delivery Ka Speed delivers items such as stationery, paper, milk, sugar, and toilet paper to various retailers operating in townships. This collaboration highlights their ability to manage essential supplies for large institutions in underserved areas.

In December 2023, Mitchan Adams from Aions Creative Technology made an undisclosed equity investment in Delivery Ka Speed to support their expansion plans.

This investment came after Telkom initially partnered with Delivery Ka Speed to deliver Telkom products in townships, recognising the company’s potential to address connectivity challenges in underserved areas.

This investment from Aions is a significant boost for Delivery Ka Speed, enabling them to further expand their reach and impact in South Africa.

Godi’s success gives others like him permission to dream!

Something Godi passionately highlighted to me in our interview is the importance of community awareness and engagement for the company’s growth and safety. Godi told me that Delivery Ka Speed consistently shares updates and stories on social media to build a stronger connection with the community.

He believes this increased visibility not only supports the brand but also fosters trust within the communities they serve. The company places stickers on its vehicles identifying it as a Black youth-owned business. This resonates deeply with young people, who see the brand as a symbol of possibility and success.

Godi shares that people often message him after seeing their vehicles, expressing pride in the business and its mission to ignite hope and unlock opportunities for others.

Godi also reflects on how this community connection has contributed to their safety. Despite operating in areas that are often considered high-risk, Delivery Ka Speed has never experienced issues like hijackings.

He attributes this partly to their branding and partly to the trust they’ve built with the communities they serve. For Godi, this connection is not just about business. It’s about showing young people in South Africa what’s possible when a locally rooted, purpose-driven company rises from within their own communities.

Help us to tell more people about Delivery Ka Speed:

Mark Sham: If someone wants to support Delivery Ka Speed, how could they help?

Godi: There are a few ways to support us. First, if you’re a business owner selling products, you could consider using Delivery Ka Speed as your logistics partner. We’ve integrated with platforms like WooCommerce and Shopify, so we can handle orders directly from your e-commerce store.

Second, engaging with us on social media is a big help. Sharing our content and spreading the word about our mission increases awareness and builds more trust within the community. Finally, simply raising awareness of our brand and our work makes a huge difference. The more people know about us, the more opportunities we can create for township communities.

Mark Sham: What’s next for Delivery Ka Speed? What are your goals for the future?

Godi: It’s been an incredible journey, but I’m constantly striving for improvement. Over the past three years, we’ve expanded into four provinces and taken on unexpected opportunities, like delivering supplies for major banks and handling over 200 cell phones a day in townships.

While we’ve achieved a lot, I always feel like we can do better. We’ve also begun rolling out collection points in townships to make e-commerce more accessible, even for people without formal addresses. This allows them to receive or send parcels through local spazas or shops, helping integrate townships into the broader economy.

What stands out to me is the trust we’ve built with the communities we serve. Our community-first approach, like donating school supplies and groceries, has made Delivery Ka Speed a respected name in townships.

The future is all about growth. By the end of 2025, we aim to 10x our operations. We’re opening a new warehouse in Midrand to handle increased demand and working to secure more drivers and vehicles. We’re also looking to expand our partnerships with businesses and continue innovating ways to serve township communities better.

Ultimately, our goal is to be a leading logistics provider for townships while staying true to our mission: creating opportunities, igniting hope, and showing what’s possible when you build a business rooted in community.

Delivery Ka Speed is a prime example of the impact small businesses can have on our economy.

But we need to do more to discover and support companies like this. When we support small businesses, they solve unique problems in local communities that big companies can’t, while also creating jobs for people who are often excluded from the formal job market.

With the right support, small businesses have the power to drastically reduce unemployment and drive real economic growth in South Africa. All they need is a little love and recognition—which is why I wrote this article.

Help me share this story and shine a light on the incredible potential of small businesses like Delivery Ka Speed.