, MNM2615
ASSIGNMENT 1 SEMESTER 2
2026
DUE 3 SEPTEMBER 2026
Chosen SMME: Spaza Shop "Mama's Corner"
I have selected a local spaza shop named "Mama's Corner" located in a township area. The
business is owned and operated by a single entrepreneur who has been running the shop for the
past five years.
QUESTION 1: Background of the SME/SMME
Mama's Corner is a micro-enterprise convenience store operating from a converted shipping
container in a busy township. The business was established in 2020 when the owner, a single
mother of two, identified a gap in the local market for essential household goods within walking
distance of community members. The shop stocks basic groceries including bread, milk, cooking oil,
sugar, maize meal, cold drinks, sweets, and toiletries. The business operates six days a week from
7am to 8pm, employing one additional staff member part-time. The owner sources products from a
local wholesaler and also purchases directly from farmers for fresh produce. The business serves
approximately 80-100 customers daily, with a monthly turnover averaging R12,000. Despite facing
challenges such as limited capital for stock expansion and occasional stock theft, the business has
built a loyal customer base through personal relationships and offering credit to trusted regular
customers. (MNM2615, 2020:78; Makhitha, 2024:140)
QUESTION 2
(a) Discussion of Technological Progress in Africa
Technological progress in Africa has been transformative, particularly in the realm of mobile
communications and digital infrastructure. The continent is considered mobile-first, with over 570
million mobile internet users (African Marketing Confederation, 2025). This digital revolution has
been driven by significant reductions in smartphone prices, expansion of mobile networks, and
improved internet accessibility.
According to the prescribed material, African consumers are young and willing to consume, and the
traditional driver of mass-market advertising is evolving towards mobile and online-driven
platforms (MNM2615, 2020:12; Makhitha, 2024:17). Social media platforms such as WhatsApp,
Facebook, and TikTok have become powerful marketing tools, enabling cost-effective, high-reach
digital campaigns that engage diverse audience segments (African Marketing Confederation, 2025).
ASSIGNMENT 1 SEMESTER 2
2026
DUE 3 SEPTEMBER 2026
Chosen SMME: Spaza Shop "Mama's Corner"
I have selected a local spaza shop named "Mama's Corner" located in a township area. The
business is owned and operated by a single entrepreneur who has been running the shop for the
past five years.
QUESTION 1: Background of the SME/SMME
Mama's Corner is a micro-enterprise convenience store operating from a converted shipping
container in a busy township. The business was established in 2020 when the owner, a single
mother of two, identified a gap in the local market for essential household goods within walking
distance of community members. The shop stocks basic groceries including bread, milk, cooking oil,
sugar, maize meal, cold drinks, sweets, and toiletries. The business operates six days a week from
7am to 8pm, employing one additional staff member part-time. The owner sources products from a
local wholesaler and also purchases directly from farmers for fresh produce. The business serves
approximately 80-100 customers daily, with a monthly turnover averaging R12,000. Despite facing
challenges such as limited capital for stock expansion and occasional stock theft, the business has
built a loyal customer base through personal relationships and offering credit to trusted regular
customers. (MNM2615, 2020:78; Makhitha, 2024:140)
QUESTION 2
(a) Discussion of Technological Progress in Africa
Technological progress in Africa has been transformative, particularly in the realm of mobile
communications and digital infrastructure. The continent is considered mobile-first, with over 570
million mobile internet users (African Marketing Confederation, 2025). This digital revolution has
been driven by significant reductions in smartphone prices, expansion of mobile networks, and
improved internet accessibility.
According to the prescribed material, African consumers are young and willing to consume, and the
traditional driver of mass-market advertising is evolving towards mobile and online-driven
platforms (MNM2615, 2020:12; Makhitha, 2024:17). Social media platforms such as WhatsApp,
Facebook, and TikTok have become powerful marketing tools, enabling cost-effective, high-reach
digital campaigns that engage diverse audience segments (African Marketing Confederation, 2025).
