Why Fetch Tenders Was Created — And Why It Will Always Be Free

Government tenders are meant to be open doors—opportunities for small businesses, local entrepreneurs, and everyday South Africans to build something of their own. But over time, those doors have become harder to find, harder to open, and harder to walk through.

Fetch Tenders was created to change that. Not just by making information accessible, but by rebalancing the scales—by putting power back into the hands of the people who need it most.

We believe the right to know what opportunities exist in your own country should never come with a monthly fee. The tenders issued by government are funded by public money—they should be publicly available, without hassle, without gatekeepers, and without hidden costs.

A Frustrating Experience Sparked This Idea

Like many others, we were once frustrated by how difficult it was to find open tenders in South Africa. Scattered across dozens of websites, outdated formats, and PDF dumps—it felt like something that should be simple had been made intentionally difficult. Worse still, countless websites began charging small businesses just to view tenders that were already public record.

That didn’t sit right with us.

So instead of complaining, we started building.

Transparency Shouldn’t Cost a Cent

This platform is built around a simple belief: access to opportunity should be free. We don’t believe in exploiting a broken system for profit. We believe in fixing it, and opening it up to everyone—whether you’re a tech-savvy business owner in Johannesburg or a first-time bidder in a rural town.

Our promise is simple and clear: Fetch Tenders will always be free to access, search, and browse.

How We Plan to Sustain It

We won’t lie—keeping a platform like this online takes work, server space, and constant upkeep. But we’ve decided that any support we accept—whether through sponsorships or advertising—will never compromise the core experience. We’re designing Fetch Tenders to be self-sustaining through non-invasive ads and optional features, never through paywalls.

We believe that if we keep our mission clear, the support will follow. And if that means it grows slowly but honestly, we’re okay with that.

This Platform Belongs to the People Who Use It

Fetch Tenders is not just a website—it’s a tool for empowerment. Whether you're a one-person operation or a growing business, you deserve a fair shot. You deserve clarity, simplicity, and dignity. That’s what this platform aims to deliver.

As we grow, we’ll be listening to our users, improving the experience, and expanding the scope. This is a living project, rooted in real needs, and driven by one unshakable principle: keep it free. Keep it fair. Keep it human.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for trusting us. And most of all, thank you for believing that access to opportunity shouldn’t come with a price tag.

— The Fetch Tenders Team