Townships are busy places, full of people and business opportunities. If you’re interested in running your own business and becoming your own boss, then there are many different business ideas you can pursue in your township.
Here are some of the best options.
Spaza Shop
When it comes to township business ideas, starting a spaza shop is always one of the most popular options. These are small, informal shops that can be run from your house, a container, or any other small premises. Spaza shops are relatively easy to set up, and as long as there are people, there’s always a demand for them.
Cellphone Repair Business
Everyone spends their lives on their cellphone network these days, which means there is always demand for cellphone repair businesses. This can be a great township business to start, as you don’t need much space to do it. In fact, you can start these businesses from home. You just need to have the right cellphone repair knowledge, and you’ll have access to a very large market you can tap into.
Fast Food and Catering Businesses
People always need to eat, which means there’s always demand for a good food business. In townships, with strong communities, a well-respected food business can go a long way.
You could run this from your kitchen at home, start a shisanyama spot, sell from a food trailer, a container, or even a full-sized restaurant. You could also focus on takeaways, catering, dine-in meals, starting a coffee shop, and more. The cost and requirements of starting a food business vary greatly depending on the size and style of the business. Luckily, starting small doesn’t require too much investment.
Hair and Beauty Services
No matter what the financial situation in South Africa looks like, people will always prioritise their hair. If you’ve got an interest in and knowledge of hair and beauty, then this could be a lucrative business to start in a township. You could run this from home, and focus on all kinds of different services – from a men’s barber shop to a specialist weave shop. There may be a lot of competition in this township industry, but there’s also a lot of opportunity.
Township Tours
South Africa has a strong tourism sector, which you could tap into by offering township tours. This kind of business doesn’t necessarily require any money to start up. You just need to have a strong knowledge of the township, organize a quality tour, and promote your business efficiently. There are always people wanting to learn more, and a knowledgeable township resident could start a successful business from this quite easily.
These are some of the best and most popular township business ideas. They require minimal upfront investment and have plenty of demand. However, there’s a whole world of opportunity out there, so focus on your interests and strengths and see if there’s a market for this in your township. Townships are great places to start a business, and the right idea could help you achieve plenty of success.
Read Also: Youth Entrepreneurship in South Africa
