Walmart is rapidly accelerating its direct retail strategy in South Africa, announcing the launch of its second fully branded store at Fourways Mall in Johannesburg. The opening, scheduled for Friday, 28 November 2025, at 08h00, follows less than a week after the successful debut of its first local outlet at Clearwater Mall, underscoring the retailer’s aggressive expansion drive following its full acquisition and delisting of Massmart in 2022.
The expansion marks a significant step for Walmart, which has been active in South Africa since purchasing a 51% stake in Massmart in 2010. The move to open its own branded stores comes after ongoing financial struggles with Massmart’s existing brands, notably Game, prompting the September 2025 announcement to roll out the global Walmart model. This rollout is fundamentally centred on the group’s core philosophy of everyday low prices, aiming to introduce a low-cost strategy across a comprehensive range of products.
The Clearwater Mall opening was hailed as a “massive success” by the retailer, driven by strong customer turnout and notable demand for hard-to-find international imports. Many of these popular, high-demand items will be available at the Fourways store from day one, including imported soft drinks like Fanta Strawberry and Dr Pepper, American sweets such as Pop-Tarts, Swedish Fish, Nerds, and Sour Patch Kids, alongside premium local meat products like Sparta marbled sirloin steaks and Deli-Co lamb lollies. The store will also stock exclusive toys, including Fuggler plush toys and highly sought-after Hot Wheels collectibles, like the 80th Anniversary Kombi.
Store manager Lunghani Lincoln Mathebula is set to lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The launch is also a boost for local employment, with Walmart confirming that the Fourways store has created 80 permanent jobs, including targeted opportunities for young, first-time job seekers. In a move to blend physical and digital retail, the company has also launched the Walmart Africa app, which allows prospective customers to browse products and offers deliveries within 60 minutes for those residing within a 5 km radius of the store. The store’s stock profile is broad, encompassing fresh and frozen foods, groceries, household basics, clothing, homeware, electronics, and seasonal goods.
