Ghost drivers, real solutions: solving SA’s driver shortage

SA’s road freight industry is grappling with a workforce crisis paradox. While operators claim they can’t find skilled drivers, thousands of qualified drivers remain unemployed or on the margins of the formal economy.

In response, the Commercial Transport Academy (CTA) and Hollard Insurance have joined forces to pilot a transformative initiative aiming to close the gap between driver qualification and genuine employability. It builds on the Deputy Minister of Transport’s theory expressed at the recent Truck Driver Safety and Wellness Symposium, and echoed by employer unions: we do not suffer from a shortage of drivers, but rather a shortage of skilled, employable drivers. There may be a surplus of qualified individuals, but many are locked out of the labour market due to a lack of experience.

“This isn’t just training, it’s transformation,” says Deanne Bezuidenhout, head of ESG at Hollard Insurance. “This pilot marks the genesis of a bold initiative to solve an industry-wide challenge. More than 1,000 unemployed youth applied for this pilot, showing the urgent need for investment in employability. It’s a pipeline from the margins into full employment and economic contribution.”

“Most companies require a minimum of two years’ experience before hiring a driver,” says CTA founder Nicci Scott-Anderson. “How can a newly licensed driver gain that experience if no-one will give them a chance?”

The ghost driver phenomenon

A SaferStops Association study found that many desperate unemployed drivers accept informal, exploitative jobs with unscrupulous operators. Working long hours – often without contracts, benefits, or rest – these “ghost drivers” are invisible to the system, yet carry heavy loads under high-risk conditions. “Ghost drivers are a symptom of a broken system,” says Scott-Anderson. “They want to build careers, but are used as cheap, unprotected labour.”

From unemployed to in-demand

The CTA-Hollard Insurance pilot offers a practical, structured alternative, providing unemployed commercial drivers with an intensive, high-impact skills development course from CTA to refresh and refine core competencies. This is followed by workplace placement through the Youth Employment Service (YES) initiative, with responsible fleet operators offering on-the-job training and mentorship.

A call for host employers

Organisations across the transport and logistics sector are encouraged to apply to become host employers in this pilot and gain access to pre-screened, motivated, CTA-trained drivers ready to integrate into the workforce.

Importantly, driver stipends will be fully covered by Hollard Insurance and paid directly to participants by the YES programme through its implementation partner Youth@Work – removing financial barriers for host companies, while supporting driver livelihoods.

“This creates a true win-win scenario: employers gain access to committed, work-ready young talent at no cost, while drivers acquire the real-world experience they need in a supportive, structured environment,” says Scott-Anderson. “We strongly encourage organisations to step forward and host these future professionals. Your participation could change the trajectory of a young person’s life – and strengthen the future of South Africa’s transport sector.”

Investment, communication, impact

The pilot’s objective is simple yet ambitious: to prove that investing in a well-designed skills development programme – coupled with workplace integration and consistent communication – can break the cycle of inexperience and unemployment. If successful, this model could be scaled across provinces and industries, offering a blueprint to address the perceived shortage of skilled drivers and make a measurable dent in youth unemployment.

By tackling the “driver shortage” narrative at its roots, this CTA-Hollard Insurance partnership aims to restore dignity, improve safety, and create meaningful pathways to employment. Perhaps most importantly, it is about proving that the driver crisis is not one of numbers, but of access, opportunity, and trust.