Makoya checker app launches to verify spaza shop products
Soweto innovators have launched an app that helps township residents verify food products and protects families from counterfeit goods.
To address food safety concerns among communities and empower consumers, a group of innovators from Soweto launched an app called Makoya Checker.
It is a life-changing tool that helps township residents verify the authenticity of food products sold at spaza shops. This follows the rise of counterfeit products being sold across SA, putting people’s lives at risk.
The app uses advanced technology to verify the authenticity of different products. Aided by the fast-moving consumer goods industry, it allows users to scan bar-coded products.
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The app is user-friendly.
Besides authenticating products, it also gives the community a platform to market their businesses and the items they sell, as well as other services such as e-commerce.
One of the innovators, a member of the Business Soweto Chamber, Nandi Mobeyane, explained that the app aims to eliminate counterfeit goods that destroy our people, kids and communities.”
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“The goal is to give people peace of mind, knowing that the products they use are safe for consumption. When designing the app, we had the best interests of the people at heart and wanted to better their lives,” she said.
The app will also send alerts to the closest SAPS when scanned products are suspected to be counterfeit.
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Founder and member of the Business Soweto Chamber and innovator, Tshepo Sebola, said: “Food safety in the township is a sensitive issue.”
“Recently, a child died due to eating a product bought in a local spaza shop, and the community never knew who to blame. The app will check if the brands are legally registered.”
