Takealot Starts Cape Town Rapid Delivery Before Amazon Comes (1)

Takealot, South Africa’s leading online retailer, is introducing delivery within an hour for items ranging from phone chargers to toys as it braces for Amazon.com Inc. to enter the country’s e-commerce sector.

The rapid delivery service will initially be offered in parts of Cape Town, where Takealot parent Naspers Ltd. has its headquarters, before expanding more widely, the retailer said in a statement on Wednesday. Products will be shipped until 10 p.m., with no fee charged during the first month.

South Africa is the continent’s most developed economy and has a youthful population, together with one of the largest upper-middle-income ...