Technology

Apple products like the MacBook have been sold in South Africa since 1995, initially through the Core Group. In 2024, Asbis became Apple’s second local distributor, but up until 2026, the MacBook tax, levied for its superior build quality, had been a real barrier for tech enthusiasts.

If you wanted an Apple laptop in South Africa, there was no entry-level option, so by default, the mid- to hightier Macbook Air became the base model, at around R17 000.