The South African Department of Trade, Industry and Competition has acknowledged media reports regarding the launch of a “local warehouse” by Chinese e-commerce giant Temu. The National Consumer Commission (NCC) will be keeping a close watch on this development and how it might influence the local retail industry.
In July, Temu, which operates as a China-based online shopping platform, revealed that it would start dispatching orders within South Africa using a local warehouse system. Items under this service are marked with a “local warehouse” label and are shipped from within the country.
The Department emphasised that Temu, like all businesses operating in South Africa, must follow the country’s Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and other fair trade regulations when promoting and marketing their products.
Minister Parks Tau announced that during the 2025/2026 fiscal year, the department plans to conduct an in-depth review of the e-commerce landscape in South Africa. This will help identify any areas that might require investigation under the CPA.
Although there have been no formal complaints filed against Temu in South Africa, the NCC is aware of concerns raised in other countries regarding misleading practices and product quality, and safety.
These issues will be part of the broader analysis of the e-commerce sector to determine whether South African consumers are similarly affected. Based on the findings, the NCC will decide whether there’s enough reason to initiate an official investigation.
