By Pieter Groenewald
The rise of the side hustle began well before the pandemic. Partly a response to the unemployment
crisis, and an increase in recognition of the potential to earn additional income (and make life a little
easier), South Africa has seen a steady rise in the number of people earning an income outside of
formal employment over the last ten years.
If anything, the pandemic has accelerated the rate at which the side hustle has become a permanent
fixture on the landscape of the working world, as independent workers find exciting ways to flex their
skills to bring in extra cash. Currently, it’s estimated that one in three employed South Africans has a
side hustle of sorts. And with the continued evolution of online influencer marketing, that number is
set to increase.
The rapid pace of digitisation has itself contributed to the growth of the side hustle on social media
specifically. Advances in technology and the increased use of social media in brand marketing has
enabled people to work wherever they are, on whatever they want. The ability to leverage these
advances has inspired tech-savvy professionals and innovative individuals to find more ways to
monetise the time they spend online.