South Africa’s content creator economy is becoming a growing commercial industry, creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs while raising questions about who benefits from the money generated by digital audiences.
Brands are increasingly turning to creators to reach consumers, while creators are building businesses around advertising, podcasts, events and other commercial opportunities.
South African Social Media Awards (Sasma) director Weza Matomane says creators are becoming the new broadcasters because of the audiences they attract and the influence they have on digital culture.
“We are in the attention economy,” Matomane says, arguing that creators should have a greater stake in the value generated by the audiences they build.
The comparison with traditional broadcasting highlights one of the challenges facing the sector. Broadcasters have established commercial structures around their audiences, while creators often depend on individual brand partnerships and monetisation systems controlled by social media platforms.
Matomane says creators need to organise and develop a collective voice when engaging with major technology companies.
“If you go alone to TikTok or Meta, it’s business as usual,” he says. “But once it is a united voice speaking, we can start to implement real change and negotiate policies with big industry players.”
The push comes as content creation becomes an increasingly accessible route into entrepreneurship. A smartphone and an internet connection can provide a starting point, although turning an audience into a sustainable business requires consistency, production skills, marketing and commercial partnerships.
Matomane says the opportunity is particularly significant in South Africa, where youth unemployment remains high.
According to Statistics South Africa, the youth unemployment rate stood at 47.4% in the second quarter of 2026.
He says the income, skills and businesses being developed through content creation means the sector should be treated as an industry rather than simply a collection of side hustles.
Connectivity is central to that growth. OpenServe marketing and communications executive Slungile Mlambo says the company’s partnership with the South African Social Media Awards reflects its role in providing the infrastructure that allows people to participate in the digital economy.
“Connections start with us,” Mlambo says.
OpenServe operates more than 180 000km of fibre infrastructure and connects 97% of municipalities. The company is expanding into townships and previously underserved areas to widen access to high-quality fibre. It also plans to invest in smarter technologies and greener networks while keeping services affordable.
Mlambo says connectivity is helping people start businesses from home, allowing small businesses to reach international customers through e-commerce and enabling creators to develop digital side hustles.
She also points to online access to education and skills development as another way connectivity can create opportunities for young people.
For creators, reliable connectivity is essential for producing and distributing content, livestreaming, communicating with audiences and working with commercial partners. The same infrastructure can allow an entrepreneur to sell products online or a small business to reach customers beyond South Africa.
The commercial potential of the creator economy is closely tied to South African culture. This year’s Sasma theme, “Culture in Motion”, reflects how digital platforms have changed the way music, fashion and entertainment are produced and distributed. Amapiano has shown how a South African cultural movement can reach international audiences, while podcasts and online video have allowed creators to build communities without relying entirely on traditional media organisations.
Urban Playground in Rosebank, the venue for the Sasma nominee announcement, reflects the overlap between culture and commerce. The space combines retail, street fashion, gaming, sports, podcasting and other creative activities, bringing several parts of the youth economy together.
The creator economy, however, also carries risks. Creators may build large audiences but remain dependent on platforms that control algorithms, advertising systems and monetisation policies. Changes to the systems can affect a creator’s visibility and income, leaving individuals with limited influence over decisions that affect their businesses.
This is why Matomane believes collective organisation will become increasingly important. Sasma is positioning itself as more than an awards platform, arguing that the sector needs greater investment and collaboration between creators, brands, platforms and government.
The 2026 awards also introduce a Digital Connector Award, with OpenServe and Telkom Group staff selecting a creator from the full field of Sasma nominees. The winner will be announced at the OpenServe Sasma Awards ceremony in November.
As brands continue to follow audiences online, creators are becoming more than just influencers attached to advertising campaigns. They are building businesses and cultural platforms around the audiences they have created.
The next stage of the industry will depend on whether that influence can be converted into sustainable commercial value while ensuring that more South Africans have the connectivity and opportunities needed to participate.