Walmart launching 21 more stores in South Africa
US retail giant Walmart plans to roll out another 21 stores in South Africa after its third location in Boksburg opens later this week.
Walmart said the latest location marked the start of an accelerated rollout across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
“Walmart is firmly establishing a broader national presence to deliver affordable, high-quality merchandise to South African consumers,” the retailer said.
The announcement comes shortly after Walmart’s wholly-owned South African subsidiary, Massmart, confirmed it was considering closing “around” 20 Game stores over the next few months.
That feedback came after MyBroadband spoke to Game employees affected by the planned closures following a tip-off by a businessman in Durban.
One Game staff member specifically mentioned that 21 stores were earmarked for closure and that Massmart was considering rebranding some of them as Walmart stores.
Among the Game stores set to be impacted by the strategy in KwaZulu-Natal are its branches in Amanzimtoti, Ballito, Richards Bay, Pietermaritzburg, and The Pavilion.
Massmart has emphasised that it has no plans to shut down its Game chain in its entirety, despite the brand’s financial struggles in recent years.
The retailer said the stores marked for potential closure represented a small part of its total Game portfolio, which consists of 122 sites in South Africa.
Walmart launched its first two stores at shuttered Game stores in Clearwater Mall and Fourways Mall in November 2025.
The third store opening at Eastpoint Shopping Centre in Boksburg on Saturday, 28 February 2026, will also replace a Game store that has been closed since mid-2025.
Like the first two stores, the third Walmart will support 80 jobs. The branch will be managed by 22-year retail veteran Hector Msane.
The Boksburg store will open at 08:00 AM, and Walmart said the opening day will feature a range of family-friendly activities and treats.
Express delivery service
Walmart also said the new store will create and strengthen ties with small local suppliers, such as Ekurhuleni-based household detergent manufacturer Ultra Chem, a Walmart Supplier Growth Summit participant.
The company supplies the Econo brand’s bleach, dishwashing liquid, pine gel and other cleaning products.
The new store’s offering will include products that were popular with customers of Walmart Clearwater and Fourways since their launch.
These include roast chicken quarters, marbled sirloin steaks, Dr Pepper drinks, Sour Patch Kids and Reese’s chocolate bars.
Following customer feedback, Walmart will also expand its product offering with a broader selection of appliances, including fridges, vacuum cleaners and water dispensers.
Walmart is also expanding its 60-minute on-demand deliveries service to support deliveries within an 8km radius of its stores, up from 5km.
The retailer said the decision came after 99% of first-time customers using the service expressed a “firm intention” to place repeat orders of fresh food, groceries, adult beverages, and small appliances.
Loading ...