A new homegrown digital platform is looking to transform how South Africans discover and participate in local events, while opening up economic opportunities in townships that have historically been overlooked.
Born out of a personal challenge to access information about local events after relocating to Durban, the Kasi2Kasi App was developed to solve a widespread gap – the lack of a central, accessible platform for community, business, and lifestyle events.
Unlike traditional social media platforms, where event visibility is limited by algorithms and networks, the app enables users to search and filter events by location – down to suburb level, making it easier to discover what’s happening in their immediate communities.
The platform goes beyond event listings. It integrates a full ecosystem for organisers and creatives, including artist verification, direct messaging, and a marketplace for services such as catering, staging and sound.
“We realised the problem was bigger than just finding events. Creatives in townships struggle with visibility and credibility, and organisers struggle to access reliable service providers. This platform brings everything into one place,” says the app’s founder Lumkile Zinyanga.
A key feature is its artist verification system, designed to address a common industry challenge where artists are advertised for events without confirmation. The platform allows artists to approve bookings directly, improving transparency and trust.
Developed from concept in 2023 and completed in late 2025, the app has been entirely self-funded in its early stages, with additional support during prototyping.
Since its official launch two months ago, it has already attracted over 50 active event organisers, with ambitions to scale to more than 10,000 users by mid-2026. Currently free to use, the platform plans to introduce affordable pricing tailored to township economies, including low-cost event listings and downloadable digital profiles for artists and businesses.
“Beyond convenience, the app positions itself as a tool for economic inclusion. The township economy is vibrant but underserved. What’s missing are platforms that are accessible, affordable, and designed for how people actually operate on the ground,” adds Zinyanga.
With features that also cater to community meetings and local government engagement, the platform has the potential to reshape how information flows at grassroots level.
The Kasi2Kasi App is available for download on Google Play, with additional information accessible via its website and social media platforms.
