Frequently Asked Questions

ACM Africa is the pan-African online marketplace for buying and selling agriculture, construction, and mining equipment. Buyers browse listings from verified dealers and private sellers across all 54 African countries and contact sellers directly via WhatsApp or phone — no middleman, no commission fees. Sellers create a free account, upload photos, set a price, and publish a listing that is immediately visible to buyers across the entire continent.

Browsing and contacting sellers on ACM Africa is completely free — no account is required to view listings. Selling is also free: private sellers can maintain up to 6 active listings at no cost and pay zero commission on any sale. Dealer subscriptions starting from R599 per month unlock more listing slots, branded dealer profiles, and priority placement in search results.

ACM Africa covers three sectors across more than 225 categories. Agriculture includes tractors, combine harvesters, frontend loaders, irrigation equipment, balers, and planters. Construction covers excavators, TLBs (backhoe loaders), road rollers, skid steers, telescopic loaders, forklifts, and cranes. Mining lists crushers, screening plants, drill rigs, underground loaders, and mineral processing equipment. Both new and used machines are available from verified dealers and private sellers.

ACM Africa operates across all 54 African countries. This includes SADC (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Eswatini, Lesotho, Angola, Malawi, Tanzania, DR Congo), East Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi), West Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso), North Africa (Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan), and Central Africa (Cameroon, Gabon, Chad, CAR, Republic of the Congo). Listings display prices in each country's local currency, and buyers can filter results by country and region.

Both private sellers and dealers can list equipment on ACM Africa. Private sellers register a free account without the dealer option and receive 6 active listing slots at no cost. Dealers can subscribe to Basic (15 listings at R599/month), Pro (30 listings at R999/month), or Manager (unlimited listings at R2,499/month) tiers for greater visibility, branded profiles, and analytics.

On ACM Africa, navigate to the Construction sector and apply filters for condition (Used), country (South Africa), and your specific category such as Excavators or Backhoe Loaders. You can refine further by province to find machines within a reasonable transport distance. Most listings show asking price, hours worked, and multiple photos. Contact any seller directly via WhatsApp from the listing page — no registration required to browse.

New TLB (backhoe loader) prices on ACM Africa currently range from approximately R329,500 for a compact 25kW model to R950,000 for a full-size 71.5kW machine. Chinese-brand TLBs from MCM, HZM, and LGMA typically fall between R399,500 and R875,000 new. Used TLBs are listed at lower prices depending on hours, condition, and service history. Final pricing varies by brand, engine size, and included attachments — contact sellers directly for current quotes.

Verified dealers on ACM Africa display a verified badge on their profile and all listings. Every user has a trust score calculated from account activity, completed verifications, and reviews from previous buyers. Before enquiring, check the seller's trust score and review history. For high-value machines, always arrange an in-person inspection before committing. ACM Africa does not inspect, certify, or guarantee the condition of any listed equipment.

Yes. You can browse and enquire about equipment in any of the 54 African countries the platform covers, regardless of your own location. Cross-border transactions are arranged directly between buyer and seller — ACM Africa does not handle shipping, import documentation, or customs clearance. Factor in transport costs, cross-border compliance requirements (AfCFTA rules where applicable), and any import duties when purchasing equipment from another country.

Before purchasing used equipment, verify the service history if available, confirm actual hours on the hour meter, inspect for hydraulic leaks, undercarriage wear, and any structural damage, and arrange a test run where possible. Review the seller's trust score and buyer feedback. ACM Africa is a marketplace only and does not inspect or certify listed equipment — always view the machine in person and avoid paying any deposit before a physical inspection.

Yes. Use the compare function to view up to 4 machines side by side in a comparison table showing specs, prices, and photos. Select listings using the Compare checkbox on each card, then click "Compare Now." You can also save listings to your wishlist using the heart icon on any listing — a free account is required to use both features.

ACM Africa does not offer financing directly. However, many verified dealers on the platform work with established asset financiers and can facilitate hire purchase or asset finance agreements on their own terms. Contact the relevant dealer directly and ask whether financing is available on the specific machine you are considering.

Register a free account at acmafrica.com/register, click "Post a Listing," select your equipment category, upload at least 3 photos, fill in the make, model, year, asking price, and location, then click Publish. Your listing goes live immediately and is visible to buyers across all 54 African countries. The entire process takes approximately 5 minutes if your photos and details are ready.

A minimum of 3 photos is required to publish. The maximum is 10 per listing. Listings with 6 or more photos consistently receive significantly more enquiries than those with only 1 or 2 images. Include a full-machine side profile, cab interior, engine bay, tyres, hour meter display, and any areas of wear or damage. Photograph in daylight and clean the machine beforehand — buyers making large purchase decisions remotely rely heavily on photo quality.

Lead with year, make, model, and one specific selling point. For example: "2021 MCM 76X TLB Backhoe Loader — 1,200 Hours, Full Service History." Avoid vague titles like "Excavator for sale" — they rank poorly in ACM Africa search and in Google. Keep the title under 80 characters to prevent truncation on mobile devices.

Yes, wherever possible. Listings with visible prices attract more qualified enquiries than those showing "Contact for price." Buyers searching for "used TLB price South Africa" or "frontend loader price Gauteng" are actively comparing options — a visible price gets your listing clicked. If you prefer flexibility, list a starting price or a price range rather than hiding pricing entirely.

Listings expire after 30 days. You can renew any listing for free once every 5 days, which resets its position to the top of search results in its category. Renewing consistently is the most effective free tool to maintain listing visibility. Manage renewals from your dashboard under My Listings.

Free listings give private sellers 6 active slots at no cost with zero commission on sales. Dealer Basic (R599/month) provides 15 listing slots and a branded dealer profile. Dealer Pro (R999/month) offers 30 slots with enhanced search placement. Dealer Manager (R2,499/month) includes unlimited listings, priority placement, and multi-branch support. All subscription tiers charge zero commission on completed sales.

Sellers list equipment for auction by setting a start price, a reserve price, and an auction duration. Buyers register a free account, browse active auctions, and place bids — each bid must exceed the current highest bid. The highest bidder at auction close wins, provided the reserve price is met. The winner has 24 hours to confirm the purchase. If they fail to confirm, the second-highest bidder automatically becomes the new winner. Payment, inspection, and collection are arranged directly between buyer and seller.

A reserve price is the minimum amount a seller is prepared to accept. If bidding does not reach the reserve by auction close, the item is not sold. Reserve prices are not visible to bidders — buyers can only see the current highest bid, not the seller's minimum threshold.

No. All bids on ACM Africa are binding commitments. Once placed, a bid cannot be retracted. By placing your first bid, you accept the platform's Auction Terms and Conditions. Confirm that you are financially prepared to complete the full purchase before bidding.

No. ACM Africa is a marketplace platform only and does not handle any payments between buyers and sellers. All financial transactions for equipment are arranged directly between the two parties. ACM Africa strongly advises buyers to inspect equipment in person before making any payment. If a seller requests a deposit before allowing an inspection, treat this as a red flag.

Use the "Report this listing" button on any listing page. Select the applicable reason — spam, fake listing, suspected scam, duplicate listing, or other — add any supporting detail, and submit. ACM Africa reviews all reports and acts on confirmed violations. You can also contact the team directly at info@acmafrica.co.za.

ACM Africa processes personal data in compliance with POPIA (South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act). The platform uses encrypted, secure connections. Payment card details are never stored by ACM Africa — all subscription payments are processed through the PayFast secure payment gateway. Users can request full account and data deletion by contacting info@acmafrica.co.za.

Email info@acmafrica.co.za from your registered email address with a deletion request. Your active listings will be removed and personal data deleted in accordance with POPIA, except where legal retention obligations apply.