As part of Entrepreneurs Month, the Tshwane Economic Development Agency under City of Tshwane, together with Digify Africa, has launched a free online digital marketing course aimed at helping youth and township SMEs strengthen their online presence and expand their businesses.
Sarah Mabotsa, MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, said building digital capacity among young entrepreneurs is central to the City’s broader economic vision.
“Digital entrepreneurship and skills development are not optional anymore. If our youth and SMMEs cannot participate in the digital economy, they risk being shut out of future opportunities,” she said.
Mabotsa explained that the initiative supports the City’s Economic Revitalization Strategy, adopted in April 2025, which prioritizes ten sectors expected to drive investment and job creation.
“Our goal is to increase economic growth and add at least 80,000 jobs by 2029. The digital economy is one of the major growth areas identified, and we must ensure our residents have the skills required to benefit from it,” Mabotsa said.
The Economic Revitalisation Strategy, adopted in April 2025, set out 10 priority sectors for growth, with digital technology highlighted as a key driver of investment and job creation in Tshwane.
Research underscores this. The International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group that focuses on private-sector development in emerging economies, reports that Africa’s digital economy grew from 1.1% of GDP in 2012 to 4.5% in 2020 and is projected to reach 8.5% by 2050.
A 2023 GSMA small business survey also found that 68% of South African SMMEs consider digital tools essential, but more than half say they lack the skills to use them effectively.
Brandon Mashaba, owner of Reagile Gaming Interactions in Soshanguve, which sells gaming cabinets, believes that digital marketing skills could help him compete with bigger retailers.
“I rely mostly on WhatsApp and word-of-mouth. I know Instagram and TikTok could bring more customers, but I don’t know where to start. A free course is helpful because it removes the cost barrier,” Mashaba told Vutivi Business News.
“Township entrepreneurs are talented, but the digital world is moving fast. If we don’t learn, we fall behind. I have clients, but my bookings are messy, and I struggle to keep track. Learning digital tools could make managing my business easier and more efficient,” Mashaba added.
Keneilwe Malotle, Head of Projects at the Digify Foundation, said the programme is accessible even to those with no prior experience or formal qualifications.
“Digify Africa Foundation is a youth-focused non-profit organisation established in 2011. Our free four-week self-guided programme provides a foundational understanding of digital marketing. There is no need for a matric certificate to enroll,” she said.
Malotle added that the programme will cover all social media tools that businesses needs to learn.
“The course covers social media marketing, content creation basics, and understanding online consumer behavior, skills that township entrepreneurs regularly struggle with,” Malotle added.
