Kasi boys deliver groceries for R9
LANGA youngsters are going the extra mile to serve their community during level 4 lockdown by using second-hand bicycles to deliver food to residents’ doorsteps for only R9.
Delivery requests to the Cloudy Deliveries’ seven members, aged between 17 and 19, are made telephonically.
Residents may either call them to do their grocery shopping on their behalf and in instances where they have relations with shops and takeaways, they do pick-up deliveries.
The teens load goods onto a basket attached to their bicycle, and they deliver to the gate.
Cloudy Deliveries co-founder Colin Mkosi said they work for the elderly, and men and women who do not have the time to go shopping or can’t afford to stand in long queues.
It provides them with a reliable alternative to the way they shop and buy goods from takeaways and groceries, he said.
Mkosi said the initiative had been running since the start of the year when, after saving money, they managed to buy nine second-hand bicycles.
“We wanted to make the lives of Langa residents easier, and to serve our community.
“This has made us welcomed in the community. Even when we started, we got immense support, and people trust us with their groceries or takeaways,” he said.
Mkosi said they were providing an innovative alternative to the way people shop while creating job opportunities for unemployed young people.
He counted one of their challenges as not having their own gear that made them easier to identify, and having to repair their second-hand bicycles from time to time.
“We are also using two phones, and sometimes we cannot respond to all the requests. We are happy that we can bring innovative ways and also to be able to provide work to young boys. Our overall goal in the future is to have an online delivery shop and an app where people can place their orders online.
“We want to be a reliable alternative to the way we do shopping or the way the exchange of money and goods take place between vendors and customers in black communities. While also having an impact in the lives of young boys in our townships,” he said.
Ward councillor Nomtha Dilima said the initiative has been received well in the community.
“The queues are long, and during the time of the coronavirus they are busy with deliveries in people’s homes and also for community soup kitchens. They are trustworthy and they are serving Langa. We need to empower them and get them the support they need.”
The team can be contacted on 074 882 0306.