That will see the U.S. ecommerce firm enter a market currently dominated by Naspers' TakeAlot.

Amazon said that, starting from Tuesday (October 17), independent sellers in South Africa can register their businesses on its marketplace website.

The launch of Amazon's service comes at a time when South Africa has seen a sharp rise in online shopping.

That's after the global health crisis created an opportunity for ecommerce to finally take a hold.

However, Amazon has also been embroiled in a degree of controversy.

Descendants of the Khoi and San, South Africa's earliest inhabitants, have tried to halt construction of Amazon's new Africa headquarters in Cape Town on what they say is sacred land.

Last year a court ruling overturned a previous halt to construction.

Amazon was not a respondent in that case and has previously declined to comment.