Contributors: Thula Zondi | Margo le Roux | Pascale Du Toit
The Social Employment Fund (SEF) is helping bridge South Africa’s digital divide by combining meaningful work opportunities with digital skills development, connectivity, and access to technology. Through its network of Strategic Implementing Partners, the programme is equipping participants with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive in a digital economy while supporting community development across sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, community safety, and the creative industries.
From community Wi-Fi networks and digital mapping initiatives to digital health screenings and online learning platforms, the SEF is demonstrating how technology can create pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and social impact. By placing digital inclusion at the centre of social employment, the programme is building a scalable model for empowering communities and enabling broader participation in South Africa’s economic future.
Download the full case study here.
Unlocking Community Potential Through ABCD Training
Written by: Thula Zondi Across Inanda, Khula Village, Keiskammahoek, Middelburg and Addo, a quiet but powerful shift is taking place. Communities that were once focused on what they lacked are beginning to recognise something far more valuable; the resources, skills...
Growing Change Where It Matters Most
Written by: Thula Zondi At 41, Jabulani Masina, a changemaker from Moretele in the North West is using agriculture to create meaningful impact where it matters most. Through the Social Employment Fund (SEF) programme, Jabulani has established a small-scale farming...
A Classroom That Builds Futures
Written by: Thula Zondi At Westville Primary School in Cape Town, change is unfolding in small but powerful moments inside the classroom, driven by young people like 24-year-old Michaela Hendrick. For Michaela, the work is also deeply personal. It is rooted in her...






