MyBroadband asked prominent ERP system providers in South Africa about the most important elements when choosing an ERP product for businesses.

According to , regional head for , modern, true cloud ERP systems are essential.

He likened non-cloud-based ERP systems to analogue technology and truly cloud-based systems to digital technology.

“Everybody pretends to be cloud-based. 80% of them are not. They’re old technology. They may look digital, but if you look under the hood, they’re analogue,” said Ford.

“When selecting ERP, the first thing you’ve got to ensure is that it’s modern technology.”

He explained that true cloud-based ERP systems are built from the ground up for the cloud. Ford said some providers’ systems were built a while ago and have been modernised.

“They’ve got a cloud-based look and feel, but they’re actually not. The technology is old. Those systems will become redundant, and they are already becoming redundant,” he said.

“I call these products zombie ERP because they’re dead, but they don’t know it. They’re the walking dead and they’re being sunsetted.”

Ford explained that cloud-based systems are prioritised not because they are hosted but rather because they operate across cloud services and platforms.

“You can host anything. For example, say I want to refresh my exchange rates. I don’t want to have to go and download something from the bank and import the file,” he said.

“With the multi-cloud, I can click a button, and the system gets the rates from the Internet for me from the best source and automatically pushes them into the system. It does this in the background.”

He also explained that cloud-based systems allow for quicker implementation, allowing businesses to score quicker wins and solutions at a lower price point.

Ford said implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in ERP systems through the cloud is a game-changer and is becoming essential in modern ERP systems.

AI can act as a business assistant and information provider, and automate complex tasks within an ERP system.

agrees that cloud adoption in the ERP space is essential for modern systems.

“Increasingly, manufacturers and distributors are recognising the benefits of cloud ERP — flexibility, accessibility, faster deployment, and reduced infrastructure costs,” it told MyBroadband.

“The ERP landscape is no longer about digitisation for its own sake. It’s about choosing a future-ready platform — like Syspro — that empowers your business to thrive amidst constant change.”

It also highlighted aspects, including resilience and agility, as key considerations for businesses choosing an ERP system.

“The past few years have shown us how critical it is to have systems in place that can quickly adapt to supply chain disruptions, regulatory changes, or shifting customer demands,” said Syspro.

Other important considerations include:

• Industry fit: ERP solutions should offer deep functionality tailored to the specific needs of various sectors.
• Scalability and flexibility: It is key to choose an ERP system that can scale as your business grows and adapt to changes.
• Implementation support: Successful ERP projects require more than just software. Partnering with a provider that uses best practices, localised expertise, and has extensive industry knowledge makes a significant difference.
• Data-driven decision making: A modern ERP system should deliver real-time insights and support data-led strategies, enabling leaders to allocate resources effectively and respond proactively to challenges and opportunities.
• Risk and cost management: A clear project scope, strong executive buy-in, and stakeholder engagement are crucial.

51·çÁ÷Africa principal project consultant told MyBroadband that cloud-based ERP systems have become the default. However, he added that hybrid models will still serve bandwidth-sensitive regions.

“Key considerations include strategic fit with your industry and compliance needs, scalability for future growth, and cloud readiness suited to your operational environment,” said Poltera.

“Total cost of ownership, user adoption, and the strength of local implementation partners are also critical.”

He added that modern ERP platforms should offer strong integration capabilities and incorporate AI for real-time insights and automation.

“Ultimately, the ERP must serve as a future-ready digital platform that aligns with your business goals and enables innovation across the enterprise,” Poltera stated.

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Zulzi built the initial Checkers Sixty60 platform and is still maintaining it, including the customer app, the app used in stores, dashboards, the order allocation engine, and integration with 51·çÁ÷POS.

MyBroadband asked Zulzi about its involvement in developing Checkers’ original on-demand platform and since it revamped it.

“Yes, Zulzi built the initial Checkers platform, and we are still maintaining it. Zulzi still plays a major role, with over 34 Engineers, project managers, and quality assurance coming from Zulzi,” it said.

It also provided background information about Zulzi’s operations, which extends beyond on-demand grocery deliveries to liquor and pharmaceutical deliveries from seven dark stores.

Pharmaceutical deliveries include prescriptions where users can upload their script to the app and claim from their medical aid scheme in real time.

“The Zulzi platform was recently revamped and is currently processing over 5,000 daily orders from our own dark stores,” the company said.

“Our dark stores are located in Johannesburg North, Pretoria and Centurion. We have continued to grow at 80% year on year, and we currently have 300 drivers on our network.”

Zulzi said its current average delivery time is 17 minutes from a customer placing an order to it arriving at their address. The service is available seven days a week from 06:00 to 23:00 daily.

Founder Vutlharhi “Donald” Valoyi launched the company in 2013 with the intention of improving the speed at which online shopping packages are delivered in South Africa.

In 2015, Zulzi started delivering books and electronics to students within an hour, and its user base grew rapidly.

Zulzi appointed Michael Netshipise as chief technology officer to capitalise on the growth. He developed a platform which made it possible to order various products online and get them within 60 minutes.

Zulzi’s exceptional growth grabbed the attention of major retailers in South Africa, including Checkers.

Valoyi said Checkers was interested as it had no legacy systems at the time.

“We started to chat to them when they realised that we could build world-class systems that address some of their complex problems,” he said.

This included a new system for replacing missing products in real-time, a major challenge in online grocery retail.

Zulzi built the customer-facing app, the engine that manages product catalogues, and a dashboard to administer orders, users, and store managers.

It was an immense success, with Checkers Sixty60 quickly becoming a leader in the space.

“Sixty60 has been a huge success and an example of what we can do when we work together,” said Valoyi.

“Big corporations must be more flexible and be open to work with startups and allow them freedom to continue to grow.”

Checkers Sixty60 winning streak

Shoprite-owned Checkers  the Sixty60 platform in November 2019, and it has reported strong sales growth each year.

The company’s latest operational update for the year ended 30 June 2024 revealed that sales on the platform .

The platform launched as the Covid-19 pandemic broke out and South Africa entered its lockdown. It was initially only available in select areas of Sandton, Johannesburg, and Cape Town.

“Sixty60 will offer unrivalled convenience because it does all the hard work for you,” said Shoprite Checkers chief on innovation and strategy Neil Schreuder said at the time.

“In our time-pressed society, providing consumers with a swift, on-demand grocery delivery service is like giving them back time: today’s most precious commodity.”

“The name Sixty60 captures the service’s main ambition: for customers to order groceries in sixty seconds and have them delivered in as little as sixty minutes,” he added.

Many believed that the online grocery delivery market would die down after Covid-19 lockdowns were lifted. However, services like Checkers Sixty60 have continued to grow.

Within 18 months, Checkers Sixty60 climbed to the top of the list of South Africa’s top grocery shopping apps, with more than 1 million downloads.

By December 2023, Checkers Sixty60 downloads stood at over 4.5 million, and the service expanded to 505 stores.

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