South Africa’s QSR sector leads the world in terms of growth and innovation. It was  valued at $2.7 billion in 2018 and expected to reach $4.9 billion by 2026, driven by expansion in township and rural areas.

Instead of relying solely on market data, KFC is inviting South Africans to participate in its expansion, aligning their bottom line with public engagement.

Each new outlet creates 25–40 jobs and upgrades surrounding infrastructure. The brand’s call for public input isn’t just about growth.

“Every time we build a new KFC, we reinvigorate infrastructure, we uplift communities, we boost local economies, and we create much needed jobs. From enhancing roads and utilities to introducing technology upgrades like WiFi and point-of-sale systems, our footprint leaves a lasting impact. Each restaurant creates an average of 35 direct jobs, provides a modern hub for communities to connect and delivers high-quality meals made with the best ingredients,” says Akhona Qenqqe, General Manager of KFC Africa.

Every new restaurant is built to KFC’s Building Green global standards, with 11 “must-haves” to create a healthy and environmentally friendly environment.

In return, until the end of 2025 it is offering a finder’s fee of R60,000 for site recommendations that lead to a successfully opened restaurant or drive-through.

KFC has more than 30,000 restaurants in 150-plus countries, employing nearly a million people worldwide. Somewhere in the world, a new KFC opens every 3½ hours. The brand’s 1,500 restaurants in Africa, including close to 1,200 in South Africa, employ 40,000 people in Africa.

Akhona Qengqe – General Manager, KFC Africa

Akhona Qengqe is the recently appointed General Manager at KFC Africa. She is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and overall operations of the organisation and will also be working closely with the full leadership team to continue to drive profitability and relevance for the business. She started at KFC in 2015 as a Development Director before moving into the role of Transformation and Diversity and Inclusion in 2017 and later becoming the Chief People and Transformation Officer, Africa in 2020.

In her role as Chief People and Transformation Officer at KFC, Akhona was responsible for developing and executing KFC’s global people strategy in support of the overall business’ strategic direction.

Prior to this role, she was the Director of Transformation for more than two years and instrumental in crafting a diversity and inclusion agenda for the business where through initiatives such as #IamMoreThanWhatYouSee and more recently KFC’s Women on the Move (WOM) Programme she is able to demonstrate thought leadership and build credibility with both peers and franchisees, specifically through bringing KFC’s strategy to life.

Having been in the franchise industry for over 25 years, Akhona has an impeccable understanding of what it takes to empower the most important aspect of any business – its people. She is proud to actively lead a culture that propels results and inspires employees and franchisees to see where they fit into the bigger picture of Yum! She believes that the business’s values should be something that employees can live by – a culture that fuels the business.

Akhona has also held various senior positions including Board Chair of the Franchise Association of South Africa, Head of Convenience Retail at Shell South Africa and Director of Africa Franchise Development at Yum! Restaurants International. Furthermore, Akhona serves as an executive council at the Franchise Association of South Africa, and is a chairperson for the Transformation, Stakeholder and Funding Committee at the same association.

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics from the University of Johannesburg and a Marketing Certificate from the University of South Africa.