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By Palesa Matlala & Selloane Ntshonyane
- Palesa Motsoari says her grocery stokvel fed her family for nearly four months after she lost her job and had no income.
- Truck driver Muzie Gumbi’s stokvel pays out savings plus interest every December, helping cover school fees and festive costs.
When Palesa Motsoari lost her job, she feared she would not be able to feed her family. Her salary stopped, but the groceries from her stokvel kept arriving.
“The grocery stokvel really came through for me and my family when I was laid off and had no income,” she said.
“Without the stokvel, things would have been much harder because I would not have had money to buy mealie meal, toiletries and cleaning supplies.”
The food and household essentials lasted almost four months, giving her family enough to survive while she searched for work. Motsoari joined the grocery and toiletries stokvel two years ago after realising she struggled to save money on her own. She contributes R400 a month alongside five other members. Instead of taking cash payouts, the group combines their money to buy groceries and household products in bulk, taking advantage of supermarket specials, and rotates the goods between members each month.
“People must stay consistent and never give up. If there are challenges, they must solve them respectfully. Stokvels need discipline and honesty,” she said.
More than 11 million South Africans belong to stokvels, saving billions of rand every year for groceries, school fees, funerals, homes and small businesses.
Truck driver Muzie Gumbi relies on his stokvel to prepare for the festive season. The 38 year old has belonged to a 10 member stokvel for three years, contributing R1,000 a month. At the end of the year, members get their savings back plus interest of between R2,000 and R3,000.
“The stokvel helps me save because if I keep money on my own, I end up spending it,” he said. “Every December it helps me overcome the financial pressures of the festive season and the difficulties that come at the beginning of the year.” His payout covers school uniforms, stationery, groceries and school fees.
As South Africa marks National Savings Month in July, JustMoney spokesperson Ramokebe Thamage said stokvels remain vital because many South Africans still cannot access formal banking. “It is estimated that about 7.3 million South Africans are currently unbanked, and they use stokvels to generate savings or get some form of credit,” she said.
Thamage said anyone joining a stokvel should decide what they are saving for, only join people they trust, and check the group has clear written rules for contributions, missed payments and leaving.
For Motsoari, a R400 monthly contribution gave her family something more than groceries. It gave them peace of mind when they needed it most.
Pictured above: Palesa Motsoari says her grocery stokvel kept food on the table for almost four months after she lost her job.
Image source: Palesa Motsoari
