You can’t talk about South Africa without talking about hustle. It’s everywhere. You feel it when you walk through Soweto, you hear it in taxi ranks, and you see it online where young people are pushing side businesses while juggling jobs — or trying to find one. Entrepreneurship here isn’t some fancy word from a business textbook; it’s survival with a touch of creativity.

I remember sitting in a small café in Johannesburg where a guy was selling sneakers he designed himself. He didn’t have a shop, just a table, a phone, and confidence. “If I wait for a job,” he said, “I’ll wait forever.” That stuck with me. Because that’s the story for so many people — they didn’t wake up wanting to be entrepreneurs. Life pushed them.

Survival First, Growth Later

South Africa has this strange mix — world-class malls and startups on one side, and people hustling on the streets on the other. For most, business begins out of need, not opportunity. You lose your job or never get one, and suddenly you’re selling food, cutting hair, fixing cars, or making crafts. That’s how it starts.

In townships, entrepreneurship feels different. It’s not about investors or pitch decks. It’s about feeding your kids and keeping the lights on — when Eskom allows it. Load shedding is a silent killer for small businesses. I’ve seen people throw away spoiled stock after long blackouts. Others run generators, but the fuel costs eat whatever profit they could’ve made. You can’t plan properly when the lights have a mind of their own.

Still, people push on. That stubbornness is what makes South African entrepreneurs special. Even when the odds look ridiculous, they find another plan — “Plan B, C, D,” as someone joked.

The Walls Around Funding

Ask any small business owner about funding, and they’ll laugh first. It’s that tired kind of laugh. Banks say they support small businesses, but the truth? They support safe ones. If you don’t have collateral or spotless credit, forget it. Venture capital looks exciting in the news, but it mostly circles around big tech ideas — not the street-level hustler making furniture or running a catering business.

I spoke with a woman in Durban who ran a small bakery from her mother’s garage. She applied for a government grant twice and never heard back. “Maybe I filled the wrong form,” she said. Or maybe the system’s too complicated for people who don’t speak fluent bureaucrat.

That’s the thing — it’s not that help doesn’t exist; it’s that it’s buried under red tape. You have to chase signatures, wait for calls that never come, and hope your documents don’t get lost in someone’s drawer.

The Power of the Internet

But here’s the good twist: the internet is changing the game. Slowly, but surely. Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok have become new shopfronts. You’ll find young South Africans selling homemade beauty products, digital art, sneakers, even farming advice online. No office needed.

During COVID, many people turned to social media to survive. I know a woman from the Eastern Cape who started making beaded jewelry during lockdown. She didn’t have a clue about e-commerce, but her cousin helped her open an online page. A few years later, she ships orders to the UK. “I didn’t even have a laptop,” she laughed, “just my phone.” That’s entrepreneurship — raw, improvised, real.

The Youthquake

Let’s face it — youth unemployment is brutal. Many graduates spend years looking for jobs that simply aren’t there. Out of frustration, they start something small. A car wash, a thrift store, tutoring, baking — anything. And that’s where the magic begins.

Some of the best ideas are coming from those who were told “no.” They don’t wait for perfect conditions; they build with what’s available. I’ve met young coders in Khayelitsha working from shared laptops, and photographers in Durban shooting weddings to buy their next camera. It’s not glamorous, but it’s real progress.

The challenge is sustainability. Many of these ventures remain small because they lack mentorship and resources. Government programs sound good on paper, but in reality, the gap between speeches and support is wide. People don’t want pity — they want structure.

The Government’s Big Talk

There’s no shortage of talk about “empowering small businesses.” You hear it in every State of the Nation Address. SEFA, NYDA, the Small Business Department — they all mean well. But the average entrepreneur will tell you the same thing: the system feels distant. It’s like the help exists somewhere, but not where you are.

I remember a guy in Pretoria saying, “If you don’t know someone inside, your file never moves.” Whether that’s true or not, it tells you how people feel. Distrust is growing. They want faster, simpler access — not endless forms and waiting lists.

The Real Road Forward

Entrepreneurship in South Africa isn’t just an economic thing; it’s a social movement. It’s people refusing to be defeated by circumstance. But if the country wants this energy to turn into real growth, a few things must shift.

First, the funding model must change — collateral shouldn’t be the only proof of credibility. Reputation, community trust, even transaction history should count. Second, mentorship should be real, not ceremonial. Entrepreneurs need practical guidance, not PowerPoint presentations.

And third, the basics — electricity, internet, security — must work. You can’t build a thriving business on unstable ground.

Despite all that, I’m strangely optimistic. You see, South Africans have a way of laughing through hardship and turning problems into business ideas. Maybe that’s the secret weapon.

One day, when the systems finally catch up with the spirit, this country’s entrepreneurs won’t just survive — they’ll lead. And when that day comes, all the small hustles that started on street corners and social feeds will be the backbone of something much bigger.