Weigh-and-Pay Shops Offer Tailored Food Access in Johannesburg’s Alexandra

Gcwalisa, a social-enterprise launched in 2022, operates six container-based shops in Alexandra township. Products—including beans, rice, maize meal, cereal, oil and household items—are sold by weight, allowing customers to purchase exactly the amount they can afford. Shoppers bring their own containers, and a cashier weighs each item before ringing up the price in rand. The model is intended to eliminate the “poverty tax,” where small pre-packaged portions cost more per unit than bulk purchases.

The Guardian

A 2024 national survey reported that nearly two-thirds of South African households experience food insecurity and about 30 % of children under five are stunted. Unemployment remains high, with roughly 43 % of the working-age population without a job. Supermarkets dominate the food system, leaving low-income areas with limited access to nutritious, affordable options—a situation described as “food deserts.”

The Guardian

Beyond groceries, Gcwalisa’s containers provide solar power, free Wi-Fi for local students, and a medical pickup point for HIV and diabetes medication. In 2023 the enterprise installed solar panels that now supply electricity to nearby homes and a school, and even power traffic lights at a busy junction. Customers such as Tsholofelo Mphela, the sole breadwinner for a family of eight, rely on the shop for daily staples; she often cannot afford a 2 kg bag of sugar. Pensioner Sibongile Msomi purchases only 16 rand worth of cleaner, while shopkeeper Lerato Khangale uses the last 20 rand of her grant to buy food for her children at month-end.

The Guardian

Josephine Katumba, head of operations, says the shops bring “accessibility” to residents who otherwise lack affordable nutritious food. Founder Miles Kubheka frames the initiative as an “alternative service-delivery platform,” noting that the solar-powered containers support community infrastructure. Professor Julian May, who leads the Centre of Excellence in Food Security at the University of the Western Cape, points to the paradox of South Africa’s self-sufficiency in food production alongside persistent hunger, attributing the problem to high unemployment and the dominance of formal retailers offering low-nutrient, cheap foods.

The Guardian

• “At times, I don’t have enough money to buy a 2kg bag of sugar,” — Tsholofelo Mphela

The Guardian

• “A lot of townships are food deserts, where nutritious foods are not accessible,” — Josephine Katumba

The Guardian

• “These traffic lights are powered by us,” — Miles Kubheka

The Guardian