The Jobs Fund’s strategy to combat unemployment in South Africa took centre stage in the latest edition of Business Day Spotlight, where Head of the Jobs Fund, Najwah Allie-Edries, joined host Mudiwa Gavaza to unpack the fund’s impact and future direction.
Established in 2011 as an initiative of the National Treasury, the Jobs Fund was created to address one of South Africa’s most pressing challenges: persistent and structural unemployment. According to Allie-Edries, the fund was the first of its kind in the country — designed not only to finance job-creating initiatives but to catalyse broader investment through structured public-private partnerships.
Over the past decade, the Jobs Fund has deployed R7.6 billion in public capital, successfully mobilising an additional R15.5 billion in matched funding from private and other partners. By September 2025, its interventions had supported the creation of more than 340,000 jobs and internships across multiple sectors.
In the discussion, Allie-Edries emphasised the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors in unlocking scalable employment opportunities. She explained that the fund’s matched funding model plays a critical role in de-risking investment and crowding in capital that might otherwise remain on the sidelines.
Rather than functioning as a traditional subsidy, public capital is positioned as a signal of confidence — encouraging private investors to participate in initiatives that generate both economic and social returns. Matched funding arrangements also strengthen governance and accountability, improve project design and delivery, and ensure that partners have shared incentives for success.
The podcast explored the core functions of the Jobs Fund, including how projects are selected, structured and monitored. Allie-Edries highlighted how the fund supports innovative models that enable businesses to scale while expanding employment opportunities, particularly in underserved and high-unemployment communities.
One example discussed was the partnership with fintech company A2Pay. Through this collaboration, spaza shop operators have been equipped with point-of-sale technology, enabling them to formalise and modernise their operations. The initiative has created more than 14,000 jobs while improving access to digital financial tools for small retailers. The model demonstrates how targeted interventions can simultaneously drive job creation, enterprise development and financial inclusion.
Throughout the conversation, Allie-Edries underscored the need for coordinated action to address unemployment at scale. She noted that structured public-private collaboration provides a practical mechanism for mobilising capital, strengthening delivery systems and accelerating inclusive growth.
As South Africa continues to grapple with high unemployment levels, the Jobs Fund’s experience offers valuable insights into how blended finance and partnership-driven approaches can unlock sustainable job creation.
Listen to the full podcast here.