Gig work using digital platforms has exploded over the past decade. South Africa has been fertile ground for Uber, Checkers 60Sixty and Takealot. Sustained unemployment alongside high levels of urbanisation and wealth inequality has created a large population of people desperate for work.
They have access to phones and the internet, and they can provide middle- and upper-class households with cheap labour. But legislation falls short in protecting these workers.
The number of workers in the gig economy is uncertain. A 2020 estimate puts it at 30 000 full-time workers, but growing about 10 a year. Most gig workers in the country are in e-hailing services, such as Uber and Bolt. These have a combined 60 000 drivers on their system, but not all the registered drivers are actually working for these companies at present, and many drivers would be registered on both systems.
These services promote themselves as opportunities for independence, allowing drivers to set their own hours or earn additional income as a side hustle. But it also leaves them vulnerable to exploitation and with little recourse to legal remedies.