If you thought couriers were mainly moving takeaway meals and online shopping parcels around South Africa, think again.
New data from inDrive.Courier offers a fascinating glimpse into what South Africans are actually sending from one place to another — and one delivery stands out above the rest.
Cake.
An analysis of roughly 5,000 inDrive.Courier orders placed in South Africa during the first half of 2026 found that cake was the most requested food item carried by couriers.
It accounted for 9.1% of all Food & Drink orders, giving South Africa the highest share for cake deliveries among the eight countries included in the analysis.
And while that might sound like a sweet surprise, the broader data tells an even more interesting story about how South Africans are using on-demand courier services.
South Africans have a serious taste for convenience
Food & Drink was the biggest overall category in South Africa, accounting for 37.4% of classified orders.
That makes sense. From meals and groceries to those last-minute birthday cakes, food is an obvious candidate for delivery.
But cake occupying such a prominent position offers an amusing glimpse into the everyday situations behind the numbers.
“Cake might seem like an unusual item to stand out in courier data, but it shows how people are using these services for very ordinary, personal needs,” says Ashif Black, country representative at inDrive South Africa.
And those needs go far beyond satisfying a sweet tooth.
A cake might be heading to a birthday celebration. A set of keys might need to reach someone across town. A car part might urgently need to get to a workshop.
The courier is essentially becoming the person who helps connect the dots.
From birthday cakes to car parts
After Food & Drink, Clothing & Shoes emerged as the second-largest category, accounting for 17.1% of classified orders.
Then comes a category that perhaps says even more about the practical side of South African courier habits.
Auto, Tools & Hardware accounted for 13.3% of classified orders.
South Africa recorded the highest share of Auto, Tools & Hardware deliveries among all eight countries included in the analysis.
That is a striking finding.
It suggests that the local courier journey is not simply about convenience shopping. In many cases, it is about getting something essential from A to B when time, distance or circumstances make collecting it personally inconvenient.
Imagine a vehicle sitting in a workshop waiting for one missing component.
Or someone needing a tool urgently.
Or a business needing an item moved across town.
A courier can turn that potentially frustrating trip into a relatively simple handover.
Electronics are not the biggest player
Electronics might seem like an obvious category for courier services, particularly as online shopping continues to grow.
Yet inDrive’s South African data shows that electronics accounted for only 6.7% of local classified orders.
Meanwhile, smaller categories reveal just how varied the service has become.
Cosmetics, Beauty & Eyewear, keys, documents and papers all featured among the items being transported.
These deliveries might not generate the same excitement as a new gadget arriving at your door.
But they reveal something important.
Courier services are increasingly being used to solve small, immediate problems.
Forgot your keys somewhere?
Need a document delivered across town?
Have an automotive part that needs to reach a workshop?
Instead of rearranging your day around the journey, you can potentially send someone else to do it.
The everyday courier is becoming a problem-solver
“What stands out is how specific some of these needs are,” says Black.
According to him, the value of a courier is often about solving an immediate problem without requiring the customer to make the journey themselves.
That distinction matters.
It moves the idea of a courier away from simply being a delivery mechanism and towards something much more integrated into everyday life.
Your courier could be carrying lunch.
But they could just as easily be carrying the keys you left behind.
Or the car part your mechanic needs.
Or the cake you promised would arrive at the party.
That versatility appears to be part of what is driving the service.
But can you trust the person carrying your stuff?
Convenience is only half the equation.
When you hand your belongings to someone you do not know, trust becomes critical.
A 2025 DHL report found that 85% of South African online shoppers would not buy from a retailer if they did not trust the delivery provider.
That highlights just how important confidence in the delivery process can be when goods move between people.
inDrive says its courier service includes several features designed to give users greater visibility and confidence during a delivery.
Couriers undergo identity verification during registration, while users can review ratings and trip history before selecting a courier.
Deliveries can also be followed through live tracking, with a tracking link available to share with the recipient.
Even the handover has a safety net
There is another feature designed to provide certainty when the delivery reaches its destination.
Senders can opt for proof of delivery using a one-time password.
The recipient provides the password, which must be entered before the courier can mark the delivery as completed.
For items that matter — whether that is an important document, a set of keys or something needed urgently for a business — knowing that the handover has been confirmed can provide an additional layer of reassurance.
What the data says about South Africans
Ultimately, the numbers paint a surprisingly human picture.
Behind every percentage is a small story.
A cake could represent a birthday.
A piece of clothing could be needed for an important occasion.
A car part could be keeping a vehicle off the road.
A document could need to reach someone before a deadline.
A set of keys could be the difference between someone getting into their home or spending the evening figuring out another solution.
As Black puts it, South Africans are increasingly using on-demand courier services to make everyday errands and tasks easier.
And perhaps that is the biggest takeaway from the data.
The future of courier delivery is not only about sending big parcels. It is about solving small problems, quickly.
Sometimes that problem is a car part.
Sometimes it is a document.
And sometimes, quite simply, you need a cake.
South Africa’s inDrive.Courier data at a glance
- 5,000: Approximately the number of South African inDrive.Courier orders analysed
- 37.4%: Food & Drink’s share of classified orders
- 9.1%: Share of Food & Drink orders accounted for by cake
- 17.1%: Clothing & Shoes
- 13.3%: Auto, Tools & Hardware
- 6.7%: Electronics
- Highest among eight countries: South Africa’s share of Auto, Tools & Hardware deliveries
inDrive.Courier is available across South Africa through the inDrive app.
