Opportunities to transform the informal sector through the platform economy: lessons from the Vuleka platform

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has transformed various sectors like banking, education, and manufacturing with digitisation and technology. This shift has led to job losses, especially in banking due to online migration, and economic challenges exacerbated by rolling blackouts. South Africa, as a developing economy, has opportunities to leverage industrial and 4IR platforms for a Just Transition. Despite COVID-19 accelerating online learning and e-commerce, the country faces challenges like the digital divide and unemployment. Addressing these issues requires investing in new skills and systems, as proposed by the ILO and UNIDO.