Group of youths start delivery service to help elderly with shopping.

Photo Cred: Cloudy Deliveries

While the national lockdown has left many South Africans frustrated, these tenacious teens have put their pedalling power to not only turn a profit but also to find an innovative way to give back.

Cape Town, South Africa (04 June 2020) – A group of youths in Langa have started a delivery service using their bicycles to help the elderly with their shopping… this is Cloudy Deliveries!

The idea began last year in Langa – a township and suburb of Cape Town, South Africa – but has gained further momentum during the national lockdown.

Langa’s name in Xhosa means sun. It was established in 1919 after the first wave of the Spanish Flu (1918) highlighted the terrible conditions in which some people were living near the N2.

The small business which is called Cloudy Deliveries is a delivery service which helps facilitate the exchange of goods and money between customers and vendors. It also seeks to help people carry their groceries from point A to B and assist with anything that can be delivered & collected.

A 22-year-old UWC law student, Colin Mkosi, says customers place their orders over the phone.

“Cloudy deliveries has helped a lot of old people, people who take some time to go to shops. So we catered for those people and in townships with all the poverty some pocket money which is something that’s big. We have helped these boys to be able to get some pocket money to do some stuff which they need to do so it has helped us in that way.”

Members of the community have lauded their efforts, and say they are trustworthy young people with their hearts in the right place.

Customer, Nontuthuzelo Mcunu: “This is a very good thing, and they are useful because they just give you their numbers and another thing, these kids when they come back they bring your groceries, and you give them something. I love these kids.”

For a nominal fee of R9 per delivery, the service is a win-win for all. While the national lockdown has left many South Africans frustrated, these tenacious teens have put their pedalling power to not only turn a profit but also to find an innovative way to give back.