Johannesburg - The Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED) and its MEC Tasneem Motara have concluded what may be a groundbreaking advancement for job creation in Gauteng.
The partnership with Uber Eats South Africa is said to unlock several opportunities for youth as well as create direct jobs for youth in the township in the form of fleet managers and direct employment for the youth.
In total, Uber Eats will invest over R200 million in partnership with GDED. Uber Eats will provide over 10 000 scooters, and the department will take the 10 000 unemployed youths for driver testing and licensing.
The growth of food e-hailing services grew tremendously during the Covid-19 pandemic, when people didn’t travel to the shops.
University of Pretoria environmentalist Dr Anton Roets said the initiative may be the first of its kind on the continent. Speaking to The Star yesterday, Roets described the programme as revolutionary.
“South Africa has not met its target for the 2030 climate change resolution targets. The growing population demands cheaper fuel, less fumes, less travel time, and door-to-door delivery. A family of five people should not have five cars on the road, all going to separate places to purchase goods or attend meetings. In more developed countries, people don’t need to buy cars because the public transport system is functional and reliable and door-to-door deliveries are readily available. From a conversation point of view and in light of our load shedding and fuel prices, it’s an imperative for all of us to drive less. It is healthier for us and the environment. The initiative by MEC Motara is revolutionary, especially in that it will create work for many disenfranchised youths. I would think the programme needs to be benchmarked and rolled out to the rest of the country,” Roets said.
In the developed world, e-hailing and e-shopping systems have created a bigger footprint for the digital economy. Although South Africa is falling behind, the northern part of Africa and the Arab belt are fast moving in the creation of virtual malls, which reduce store-front costs.
The scooter is crucial equipment required for the business, and Motara said the scooters can be bought or rented on a full-service basis.
“A rented bike is maintained and repaired by the rental company, thus guaranteeing that the entrepreneur has access to a functional scooter at all times. The bike can be paid off by the entrepreneur over a period of time,” she said.
The Star