South Africa’s e-commerce economy slowed sharply on Tuesday as anti-migrant protests forced many businesses to shut down and kept delivery riders off the roads. The disruption affected platforms including e-hailing giant Uber, Uber Eats, and the grocery delivery app of retailer Checkers Sixty60, exposing how heavily the country’s fast-growing e-commerce sector relies on migrant labour.
Nqabutho Mabhena, the Africa Diaspora Forum (ADF) secretary, an umbrella organisation of migrant organisations living in South Africa, told TechCabal, that across Johannesburg, grocery and food delivery services were severely delayed as many riders chose to stay home over fears for their safety.
“Tuesday’s events showed just how dependent South Africa’s platform economy has become on migrant workers,” said the ADF Secretary. When riders, who are mainly foreigners, stay home because they fear for their safety, the entire value chain is affected.”
The disruption revealed more than a day of lost deliveries. It exposed a structural vulnerability in South Africa’s platform economy, where ride-hailing, food delivery and grocery apps rely heavily on migrant workers to fulfil orders. As demonstrations escalated into violence, platforms were forced to prioritise safety over speed, highlighting the risks facing an industry built on on-demand logistics.
