With one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, South Africa stands at a critical crossroads – because the crisis is most deeply felt by young people.
Today, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, 58,7% of youth between the ages of 18 to 35 are unemployed, and more than 9,2-million South Africans are not in education, employment, or training.
Behind each number lies a story of untapped potential, young people eager to work, families searching for security, and communities held back by limited opportunity.
With many without access to earning opportunities, the country cannot afford to rely on traditional solutions alone. As the digital economy grows, it offers new ways to think about what “work” means – and how income-earning opportunities can be scaled to give young people a fair chance.
Reimagining the future of work
This moment calls for a broader conversation: what does it really mean to “work” in South Africa?
For decades, work has been defined through formal, traditional employment. But the reality is to unlock opportunity at scale – we need to broaden our understanding of work to include income-earning opportunities that are flexible, easily accessible, and inclusive, and have low-barriers to entry.
The digital economy is already showing us what this shift can look like. Across South Africa, 3,9-million people are earning through digital platforms – whether as a side hustle, a gig, or as their main source of income.
Uber’s Economic Impact Report reveals that over 100 000 South Africans have earned through Uber since 2013, and 72% of drivers had no income before joining. For many, it was their first real entry into economic participation.
Drivers themselves describe the impact best. A 27-year-old driver from Gauteng says: “I like the flexible schedule, I like choosing what time I start and end my work.”
Another, a 29-year-old from the Western Cape, explains: “It’s letting me be an entrepreneur – owning my own business and growing as a businessman.”
For a 44-year-old woman from Gauteng, the benefit is more personal: “I like the flexible hours and choosing my own targets. I also enjoy meeting new people and just listening to their thinking.”
It isn’t only individuals who are benefiting. Similar stories echo across townships and cities.
From Thabang Calvin’s Mofine Foods in Olievenhoutbosch, which grew its reach by adding delivery; to the Smart Kitchen Co, which scaled from a single pizza oven to 23 dark kitchens nationwide – the evidence is clear.
“I thought it would be a lengthy process,” Calvin recalls, “but within a week we were set up and ready to go.” Today, a third of his orders are placed online, expanding his reach and driving growth without requiring a larger physical space.
These stories illustrate a powerful truth: the digital economy is not a future aspiration – it is a present reality. It is already lowering barriers, expanding access, and providing South Africans with meaningful ways to participate economically. And with the World Bank projecting that the digital economy could add R95-billion to GDP by 2035, the potential for inclusive growth is undeniable.
Harambee and Uber: A partnership for change
This is the vision behind the new partnership between Uber and Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. The collaboration is designed to tackle some of the most pressing barriers young people face in finding work: the cost of transport, access to earning opportunities, and limited skills.
The partnership will provide 100 000 rides to job-seekers going for interviews ensuring that transport costs never stand in the way of opportunity.
It will support 10 000 young people to access earning opportunities on the Uber platform – helping them take their first step into the digital economy.
It will also assist 5 000 youth in obtaining driver’s licences, train another 5 000 through partner initiatives, and empower 1 000 small businesses to expand their participation in the digital economy.
“Work in South Africa cannot only mean traditional jobs,” says Deepesh Thomas, GM for Uber Sub-Saharan Africa. “The digital economy is already creating meaningful opportunities that lower barriers and empower young people. This partnership is about scaling those opportunities and showing how the private sector can be part of the solution.”
Kasthuri Soni, CEO of Harambee, adds: “Young South Africans are creative, resourceful, and brimming with potential. What they need are pathways to learning and earning opportunities. By partnering with Uber we can help remove critical barriers like transport to drive youth economic participation at scale.”