The Micro-Franchise Revolution: How WAXIT is Turning Employees into Owners

Micro-franchising might be one of the most underutilised economic empowerment tools in South Africa. Last month, we saw it move from vision to reality.

We launched our first micro-franchise store at Mall of the South in Johannesburg on Friday 27 February 2026, a milestone that goes far beyond retail expansion. This is about ownership.

In South Africa, women are starting businesses at impressive rates, yet they represent less than a quarter of formal SME owners. The IFC notes that women-owned businesses in Africa are 20% less likely to access financial services than their male counterparts, making structured entry pathways not just valuable, but essential.



That's where micro-franchising changes the equation. Every new franchise business in South Africa has the potential to create 8 to 10 new jobs, and for every 14 direct jobs, 7 indirect jobs are created in supply chain and support services. Franchise businesses are also significantly more resilient: 80% remain successful beyond three years, compared to 80% of independent SMEs that fail in the same period. For first-time owners, especially women, that de-risked entry is transformational.

Since launching in 2015, WAXIT has grown to 40 branches across Gauteng, KZN and the Western Cape with more to come. We built our brand on a focused, wax-only format that has enabled operational discipline and consistency. Now that discipline is enabling something bigger.

Two long-standing WAXIT leaders within our business, Thuli Ngwenya and Precious Matabane, have transitioned into micro-franchisees under a structured five-year incubation model. Thuli joined us 11 years ago as a WAXITologist and went on to lead our now SETA-accredited Training Centre, training every woman who has ever put on a WAXIT uniform. In her words: "This journey has taught me patience, and to believe in myself." Precious arrived as a part-time receptionist, then Manager and worked her way up to Field Service Consultant, ensuring brand consistency across our wax bars nationwide. "Here, hard work doesn't go unnoticed," she says. "I feel seen and valued. This is a lifetime milestone and my mission is simple: to make it succeed."

Our founder Michelle Royston has carried this vision from the start: "I want to build a legacy, not an empire. Empires expand. Legacies endure."

Traditional franchise entry in South Africa can exceed R1.7 million. Micro-franchising offers a different path with lower barriers, structured mentoring, and gradual, disciplined ownership transfer with a proven brand behind you from day one.

We've always believed in every body, every where, expertly smooth! Today, that belief extends beyond the treatment room to the women who own the business, carry the brand, and build the future.