No more waiting: people are hiring Taskers to queue for the iPhone Duo

The iPhone Duo went on sale on Friday, 23 October, and the queues outside stores across Johannesburg and Cape Town formed well before sunrise. For anyone with a day job, standing in that line simply isn't an option.

Instead, a growing number of people are posting a queueing task on Taskigate, setting a budget for a few hours of someone's time, and letting a nearby Tasker hold their place. The Tasker gets paid for their morning, and the buyer walks in at 9am to collect their phone.

Taskers in Sandton, Rosebank, Canal Walk and Gateway have been picking up these jobs steadily. Most bookings run between three and six hours, and the going rate has settled around R120 to R180 an hour.

If you're planning to queue for a launch, post the task the day before, note the store and the time you want someone there, and agree upfront what happens if stock runs out. Clear expectations make for a smooth handover.