Gauteng Government Partners With Uber Eats To Create 10,000 Youth Employment Opportunities
Gauteng Government Partners With Uber Eats To Create 10,000 Youth Employment Opportunities. The Gauteng government has joined forces with Uber Eats South Africa in a ground-breaking partnership to unlock 10,000 employment opportunities for the youth in the province.
The collaboration will see Uber Eats SA and the Gauteng Department of Economic Development investing over R200 million to create 2 000 jobs for delivery personnel and onboard 700 additional restaurants onto its platform. The entire market demand will see 10 000 participants placed in income-earning jobs. This Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is focused on job creation and seeks to provide township products with access to a broader market beyond their local communities.
The initiative aims to stimulate growth and diversification by digitising township economies, attracting more investment from various sectors while unlocking the Last Mile Delivery employment programme. Gauteng Premier Panyaza launched the initiative in Vosloorus, expressed his commitment to ending youth unemployment. “We are on a mission to create jobs and restore the dignity of South Africans. The reason why we have partnered with Uber Eats and are investing in this project is. We can’t give jobs to other people when South Africans are unemployed,” said Premier Panyaza while thanking the partners.
Addressing concerns within the delivery industry, Premier Panyaza clarified that no one would be forced out, and the government would work with existing players to ensure that everyone benefits from the initiative. The partnership is under a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gauteng Department of Economic Development, focused on implementing the Township Development Act and fostering growth opportunities in township businesses.
Gauteng Department of Economic Development MEC Tasneem Motara highlighted the significance of public-private partnerships in transforming lives and driving economic development. “This is an outstanding example of the power of public-private partnerships, and we are proud to be working together on a project which is certain to change the lives of thousands of South Africans.”
Motara said the partnership would help with job creation and help draw attention to the strategic partnership, which could unlock further economic growth and diversification in townships, leading to more investment from various sectors. “This will help us develop a vibrant and competitive economy in the townships, especially in the digital sector.”
