Amazon is experiencing rapid growth in South Africa and is currently on a major hiring drive as it looks to fill a variety of positions in the local market.
Having operated in South Africa for over two decades through Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon made headlines with the launch of its e-commerce platform, Amazon.co.za, in May 2024. The move was met with enthusiasm from South African consumers, marking the American tech giant’s formal entry into the local retail space.
Robert Koen, Managing Director of Amazon Sub-Saharan Africa, told BusinessTech that the company is satisfied with its early performance. Although he couldn’t disclose sales figures due to Amazon’s listing on the NASDAQ, Koen said customer feedback has been positive, particularly in relation to the company’s 24/7 customer service and the “Click to Call” feature on the website.
Growing Product Range
Koen noted that many South African consumers are purchasing everyday items, such as washing liquid and firelighters, through the platform. He added that while the South African marketplace is still in its early stages, Amazon plans to steadily expand its product offerings. The recent addition of a luggage section marks the beginning of this broader selection.
Amazon.co.za’s marketplace will heavily focus on third-party sellers, mirroring the global business model where around 60% of the group’s international sales come from third-party vendors.
First Black Friday and Local Competition
Amazon is gearing up for its first Black Friday sale in South Africa in November 2024, a highly competitive retail period dominated by local incumbents like Takealot. Koen acknowledged the competitive landscape but stressed that competition is beneficial for consumers and that Amazon’s goal is to build trust with South African shoppers.
Although Amazon Prime has not officially launched in South Africa, there is growing anticipation around its potential debut. Koen confirmed that details about Prime services are still being finalized. For now, South African customers can enjoy free delivery on their first order, with free delivery on subsequent orders over R500. Additionally, Amazon Prime Video is available in South Africa for R79 per month.
Hiring Surge and Local Investment
As part of its local expansion, Amazon is aggressively hiring, with 102 full-time positions currently open, according to the company’s career centre. Of these roles, 83 are based in the Western Cape, where Amazon is building a R4.5 billion campus, and 19 are in Gauteng.
The job categories available include:
Operations, IT, and Support Engineering (31 roles)
Software Development (21 roles)
Project/Program/Product Management / Non-Tech (16 roles)
Buying, Planning & In-Stock Management (6 roles)
Sales, Advertising & Account Management (5 roles)
Human Resources (4 roles)
Marketing (4 roles)
Project/Program/Product Management – Technical (3 roles)
Business & Merchant Development (2 roles)
Business Intelligence (1 role)
Beyond retail, Amazon’s cloud division, AWS, is also expanding in South Africa. AWS has committed to investing R46 billion into the AWS Africa (Cape Town) Region between 2018 and 2029. In addition, AWS opened its first international AWS Skills Centre in Cape Town in 2023, offering free foundational cloud training to the local workforce.
The group’s deep ties to South Africa stretch back to the mid-2000s when South African engineer Chris Pinkman helped develop AWS’s Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) system. This innovation has since become a key part of AWS’s global infrastructure.
With Amazon’s increasing footprint and investment in South Africa, the company is set to become a major player in both the e-commerce and cloud computing sectors in the region.
