Temu adds South African languages to platform in major expansion move

Temu, the Chinese e-commerce giant, has rolled out support for several South African languages, including Zulu, effective today. The update targets millions of users in a strategic push to deepen its footprint in South Africa’s growing digital retail market. This marks a significant shift for the platform that launched in the country in January 2024.

This update positions the company as the first major e-commerce player in South Africa to offer a multilingual interface tailored to the nation’s 12 official languages.

Zulu, spoken by 24.7% of the population, leads as the most widely used home language, followed by Xhosa (16%) and Afrikaans (12.1%), per the latest census data. English, dominant in digital spaces, is the first language of just 9.6% of South Africans, highlighting a gap Temu aims to close.

Temu’s move comes as South Africa’s e-commerce sector surges, with internet penetration hitting 74.7% in 2024 and online shopping projected to soar through 2033. 

Temu’s meteoric rise 

The platform was founded by a former Google employee and operated by PDD Holdings. It is one of the most popular mobile apps in the country, quickly becoming the most downloaded app in South Africa a few months after launching on both the iOS and Google Play Stores.

Temu has already captured a significant market share, boasting a 40% monthly active user rate among South Africans, according to a January 2025 News24 survey. By integrating local languages, Temu seeks to penetrate rural and underserved markets where indigenous languages prevail, potentially outpacing competitors like Takealot and Amazon.co.za.

The company described the update as a calculated step to boost accessibility.

“This aligns with our mission to make shopping seamless and inclusive for all South Africans,” a Temu spokesperson said, declining to specify the full list of supported languages or implementation costs.

The platform’s low-price, factory-direct model, credited by 81% of surveyed users for cutting costs, now pairs with a localised approach to broaden its appeal.

The rollout has stirred an immediate reaction. Posts on X this morning ranged from approval, “Temu in isiZulu is a game-changer,” one user wrote.

Analysts see it as a direct challenge to rivals. Takealot, a local leader, remains English-only despite its dominance, while Amazon, which entered South Africa in May 2024 with a focus on local sourcing, has yet to signal a multilingual shift. Temu’s early adoption could sway price-sensitive consumers and small vendors, particularly in regions like KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

South Africa’s linguistic diversity has long posed a barrier to digital inclusion. With 63% of the population urbanised and smartphone use climbing, Temu’s update could unlock new revenue streams by targeting the 32 million-plus citizens who prefer indigenous languages. The move also coincides with economic pressures, including a 32.1% unemployment rate, amplifying the need for accessible, affordable retail options.

Critics, however, question Temu’s motives. The platform has faced international backlash, including investigations into product safety in the EU and allegations of forced labour practices in its supply chain in the US. Some speculate that language expansion doubles as a public relations stunt amid scrutiny, though no concrete evidence supports this claim.

Temu’s rapid rise in South Africa follows a playbook of aggressive growth. Since its 2024 debut, it has leveraged viral marketing and steep discounts to rival established players, with its signature orange packaging now a common sight nationwide. The News24 survey pegged Temu as the top choice for cost savings, a trend likely to accelerate with today’s update.

Competitors have yet to respond formally. Takealot’s parent company, Naspers, and Amazon’s local branch offered no comment by press time. Meanwhile, industry watchers predict Temu’s linguistic edge could force a market reckoning, pressuring others to adapt or lose ground.

For now, Temu’s focus is execution. The platform has not disclosed timelines for full language integration or plans to expand beyond the “most spoken” category. As South Africans log on to browse in their native tongues, the move signals a new front in the country’s e-commerce battle, one where language may prove as critical as price.

Also read: Amazon launches online marketplace in South Africa, to offer same-day/next-day delivery