Uber SA highlights the focus on job creation

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Kagiso Khaole, General Manager, Uber Sub-Saharan Africa.

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E-mail company Uber South Africa has created more than 100 000 economic opportunities for its drivers and e-mail couriers since entering the local market in 2013.

Uber is now accelerating its e-mobility strategy across SA, based on promoting employment for young people, including those in township economies, known as the economic heart of the country.

During a recent interview at Uber’s offices in Johannesburg, Kagiso Khaole, General Manager of Uber Sub-Saharan Africa, told ITWeb that the company aims to break down barriers to entry into the gig economy for unemployed youth, encouraging entrepreneurship and promoting responsible driving. throughout the country.

“I was looking at the unemployment statistics in South Africa and they’re really depressing. Uber is the biggest job platform in the world. And with the country’s unemployment rate, it’s very important that those platforms clustered within the gig economy, like ours, can create opportunities that change lives.

“We are currently training more people to work on the Uber Eats platform and the domino effect of just one student being able to earn income is far-reaching,” he explained.

According to Khaole, a survey conducted by Uber shows that when an unemployed youth trains and starts earning on the Uber platform, he can feed an average of four people every month.

According to Stats SA, in the fourth quarter of 2023 the youth unemployment rate (aged 15-34) increased by 0.9%, from 43.4% in Q3 to 44.3% in Q4.

Last year, Uber embarked on a job creation initiative in Gauteng, in a move to help create 10 000 jobs for young people over the next three years, through Uber Eats, its last-mile delivery platform.

The project, in which the e-hailer has invested R200 million, is part of a strategic partnership forged with the Gauteng provincial government.

“We are bringing dozens of unemployed young people from the likes of Mitchells Plain in Cape Town and training them for our courier service. There is still a lot of work to be done, as part of a wider and collective business community, in creating job opportunities in SA, because it is a collaborative effort.

“We’ve seen people go from working on the platform to owning their own vehicle and in some cases owning multiple vehicles, and we’ve had phenomenal stories of how new vehicle owners end up creating multiple opportunities for other people as well.” he added

As part of its electric mobility strategy, the company says it is looking to accelerate the rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) in SA and some other parts of the continent.

In 2020, Uber announced a global commitment to become a zero-emission mobility platform by 2040, through its Green Future program.

Last year, the company announced its first local fleet of electric vehicles, which are being used for its Uber package delivery service. It also launched electric motorcycle taxis in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, in the same year.

Uber has also partnered with Go Green Africa, a network of organizations committed to accelerating Africa’s transition to a green economy in a fair and inclusive way.

“Last year, we started our strong focus on electric mobility. We started our electric scooter project in Cape Town and also introduced our electric motorcycle taxi in Kenya.

“I believe Africa is not going to be left behind in the transition to new energy vehicles. And there is no reason why SA should not lead the continent.

“The drop in electric vehicle prices is encouraging and I think the shift needs to be accelerated because of the great benefits associated with electric vehicles.”