JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -U.S. ecommerce firm Amazon said on Tuesday it would launch its online shopping service in South Africa in 2024, entering a market dominated by Naspers' TakeAlot.

The online retail giant said starting on Tuesday, independent sellers in South Africa could 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 after the pandemic brought an opportunity for e-commerce to finally take hold and contribute meaningfully to traditional sales.

The online service will provide "local sellers, brand owners, and entrepreneurs... the opportunity to grow their business with Amazon," Robert Koen, general manager of the Sub-Saharan Africa region for Amazon, said in a statement.

(Reporting by Nqobile DludlaEditing by Promit Mukherjee)