E-hailing service Uber and not-for-profit social enterprise Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator have entered into a strategic partnership to tackle South Africa’s high youth unemployment rate.

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 do not stand in the way of opportunity, and 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.

South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, and the crisis is most deeply felt by young people. About 58.7% of those aged between 18 to 35 are unemployed, with more than 9.2-million not in education, employment or training.

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.

The country can no longer rely on traditional solutions alone, and there is a need to broaden the 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,” the partners said in a statement.

Uber’s ‘Economic Impact Report’ reveals that more than 100 000 South Africans have earned income through Uber since 2013, with 72% of drivers having had no income before joining. For many, it was their first real entry into economic participation.

Businesses across townships and cities have also entered the digital economy, revealing that the digital economy is not a future aspiration but a present reality.

It is already lowering barriers, expanding access and providing South Africans with meaningful ways to participate economically.

The potential for inclusive growth is undeniable, with the World Bank projecting that the digital economy could add R95-billion to gross domestic product by 2035.

“Work in South Africa cannot only mean traditional jobs. The digital economy is already creating meaningful opportunities that lower barriers and empower young people,” says Uber Sub-Saharan Africa GM Deepesh Thomas, noting that the partnership is about scaling those opportunities and showing how the private sector can be part of the solution.

“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,” adds Harambee CEO Kasthuri Soni.

“The challenge is undeniable. But so is the opportunity. Now is the time to reimagine the future of work in South Africa – one that embraces the digital economy, lowers barriers and opens doors for millions of young people.

“By working together across sectors, we can redefine what work looks like and ensure every young South African has a chance to participate.”

Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Ntuthuko Mbongiseni Jomo Sibiya says that the partnership is what government is looking for.

“Partnerships like this must move from pilots to platforms, from single events to sustained ecosystems.”