“Informal economy” has become a catchall of complication and mess. A veritable woodworker’s screw jar of definitions, it means cash. It means a lack of compliance with the registering authorities. It’s a place where anything goes, except company taxes. Above all, it’s a place where we — the formal, legitimate businesses — aren’t, and don’t really plan to invest significant capital any time soon for any reasons besides CSI budget and public relations. It’s the place where we let loose the fresh MBA candidates to cure them of their idealism and energy.

As of 2021, “informal economy” is a phrase that absolves South African businesses of meaningfully serving the overwhelming majority of South Africans when things get hard, or complicated.

A booming ecommerce industry and advancements in technology are bringing goods straight to our doorsteps at an increasingly regular, predictable, and accurate manner.

The arrival of Amazon, and the 100% purchase of Massmart by Walmart heralds the imminent arrival of the kind of customer delivery experience that would finally level the power dynamics of Zoom calls with expat family members.

If you’re one of the millions of South Africans who have things delivered to you, you quite literally have never had it so good, and there’s still enormous room for maturity in the delivery space.

So, everything’s fine, right? Well...