South African startup jobs4mzansi has launched its marketplace platform that connects skilled professionals with users that need certain tasks completed.
Founded by Siviwe Mgolodela, jobs4mzansi connects South Africans to micro-jobs on a freelance basis, and also offers employed users the chance to start a “side hustle”.
“I wanted to create a simple and safe way to do business online,” Mgolodela told Disrupt Africa. “The idea in itself is quite simple – the platform connects people who do not have the knowledge, skills or time to perform a particular task to those who are interested in using their knowledge, skills or time to make money online.”
In addition, the platform also strives to make online transactions as simple and transparent as possible. Service providers’ prices are fixed, jobs4mzansi functions as an escrow platform, and the website also has a built-in instant messaging system so that users are able to communicate their expectations in a clear and transparent manner before deciding to do business.
“I wanted to remove fear and anxiety from online transactions so that clients have peace of mind knowing that should their chosen service provider fail to deliver on time or as promised, they will receive a 100 per cent refund.”
The platform already has over 250 registered members and over 150 listed services, with Mgolodela planning on approaching angel investors in order to secure funding for greater scale.
