Resilience amid unemployment

IN the face of South Africa's escalating youth unemployment crisis, a new generation of graduates is redefining what it means to survive and thrive in a broken system.

- WENDY DONDOLO

Tired of waiting for jobs that may never come, young South Africans are creating their own opportunities in the informal economy through side hustles, freelancing, and micro-enterprises.

For 25-year-old Asive Sibeko, the journey from IT graduate to food hustler was not part of the plan, but it was necessary.

“I wouldn't say it’s something I've always wanted to do; it’s just something I did to survive in the long run,” said Sibeko, who holds both a diploma and an advanced diploma in ICT.

After her internship ended in late 2024, job applications yielded no success, pushing her to start a small food business in June 2024.

“I cook beef tripe and steamed bread; the response I've been getting from students has been quite positive.”

Sibeko’s story is far from unique. In communities across the country, qualified graduates are turning to hustle economies not by choice, but by circumstance.

“The system wasn't built for the informal hustler”

That’s according to Masindi Evans, the founder of Mas-Skincare Solution and Masindi Shoe Laundry, who has used social media platforms to reach clients and grow his brand.