Takealot, Mr D drivers in Soweto threaten strike over R50-per-delivery demand
· Citizen
Drivers contracted to Takealot Fulfilment Solutions (TFS) and Mr D at the Soweto hub are preparing to down tools on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, demanding higher pay and better working conditions.
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The planned strike follows mounting complaints from TFS-contracted drivers across South Africa, including those based in Soweto, who have raised concerns about poor working conditions and accused the company of replacing local drivers with foreign nationals who are willing to work for lower pay.
TFS, a key logistics partner in the country’s e-commerce sector and Mr D are divisions of the Takealot Group. Deliveries to Soweto customers by drivers contracted to TFS and Mr D are expected to be disrupted on the day of the strike.
Planned strike against TFS
Drivers previously complained about earning R27.50 per delivery, a claim TFS denied. A driver’s payslip revealed that drivers earn R27.50 per delivery, plus an extra R2.54 per kilometre after 3km.
Drivers are now demanding R50 per delivery, according to a memorandum of demands shared with The Citizen.
“To date, our grievances regarding the unsustainable R27 delivery fee have fallen on deaf ears. This rate has remained fixed for several years. It sits far below inflation and fails to account for the continuous increases in fuel prices and vehicle maintenance costs borne entirely by the drivers,” reads the memorandum.
Drivers claim exploitation
The Citizen has reached out to TFS’s public relations agency for comment. This response will be added once received.
Drivers have also claimed exploitation in the memorandum. This comes as drivers allege that a competitor offering similar grocery delivery services pays its drivers R50.36 per delivery.
The drivers claim that R30 will be deducted from their pay if customers file a behaviour complaint, with an additional R30 deducted if the food is marked as “delivery not received”.
R30 will also be deducted if the driver’s vehicle breaks down, resulting in failure to complete delivery. There is also a shifting penalty and an offline penalty, up to R240 per shift.
Demands
“As the Independent Contractor Drivers of Soweto, we officially table the following non-negotiable demands to Takealot/Mr D management,” the memorandum reads.
“We demand a clear, transparent and standardised per kilometre rate compensation model. We demand equal, inseparable compensation for both the collection and delivery phases for any trip exceeding a 3km radius.”
The group of drivers said it will give management 48 hours from the time of receipt to provide a “positive, written response. Failure to engage meaningfully within this timeframe will leave the drivers with no choice but to take further collective action to protect our livelihoods.”
The memorandum will be handed over at the Soweto hub on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.