13+ Unique & Profitable Passive Income Ideas In South Africa

Passive income is a great way of earning extra income, to complement and boost your current monthly salary.

It’s popularly known as a side hustle in South Africa.

So today I want to show you some of the best passive income ideas that really work right now.

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

What is Passive Income?

Passive income is when you put a lot of work, time, and possibly money into an idea so that will eventuall pay you consistently in the future.

You’ll continue to get paid after the work is done with little to no effort – freedom.

It is important to note that some of these passive income ideas will require more time and effort to get them up and actively running.

But once set up, you’ll start enjoying the fruit of your investment.

Below is a list of the top passive income ideas that are worth trying in South Africa right now.

1. Blogging

Individuals and businesses today make a lot of money online with blogging than actually offering services to customers/clients

Basically, you create a blog, write relevant and comprehensive content, drive traffic, and sell advertising in the form of affiliates. You could potentially make between R500 to R1200 per day with enough quality organic traffic coming to your site.

The most popular affiliate program used in South Africa is:

Google Adsense
Affiliate.co.za
AdMarula

Give them a try and enjoy the benefit of extra income each month.

Becoming a blogger offers a versatile platform for generating passive income. Bloggers can earn through advertising, sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and selling digital products.

The success of a blog depends on the ability to create engaging content, drive a lot of traffic, and build a loyal audience.

Niche selection, SEO, and consistent content creation are crucial. Over time, a successful blog can become a significant source of passive income.

If you do it right and work harder, then blogging will take care of you, your entire life.

Here’s a list of successful bloggers that share their monthly earnings.

2. Rental Income

Rental income is one of the most traditional forms of passive income for long-term wealth. It involves owning property and renting it out to tenants, it could be a residential or commercial property.

The appeal lies in the dual benefits of generating regular monthly income from rent while the property potentially appreciates in value.

Success in this field requires careful property selection, understanding of the real estate market, and effective property management.

It’s a solid way to build wealth over time, but it does require an upfront investment and ongoing maintenance.

3. Youtube

Being a YouTuber involves creating video content and earning income through ad revenue, sponsorships, and merchandise sales.

And YouTube has certainly produced millionaires in South Africa. The key to success is producing unique, high-quality content that resonates with a specific audience.

Building a substantial following is essential, as income from YouTube is largely dependent on viewer numbers and engagement. It requires consistent content creation and can become a substantial source of passive income.

Set up your own YouTube channel and share unique and helpful videos that subscribers will love to watch. You’ll need to grow subscribers for your channel to start earning passive income with YouTube.

It’s going to take some time to build such a channel however if you focus, and pay attention, and learn ways to improve your YouTube channel, you can make a living out of the platform. Note that YouTube is the most viewed social media platform in the world per day.

Watch this video to learn more.

4. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing involves promoting other companies’ products and earning a commission for every sale made through your referral.

It’s an excellent passive income stream for websites, blogs, and social media influencers.

Success hinges on selecting the right products, building a strong online presence, and crafting compelling content that persuades your audience to make a purchase.

It’s a low-cost, low-risk option that can yield significant returns over time.

5. Share a Ride (e-Hailing)

Join both Bolt (formerly Taxify) and Uber.

If you own a car that’s in good condition, join any of the popular e-hailing companies in South Africa,

You’ll earn a commission when people share a ride in your car.

You could make between R6 500 and R8 000 per week if you put in the hours of trips.

You would be one of many who make extra income in South Africa with Uber and Bolt.

It’s another great investment to get your cash flow moving.

6. Peer to Peer Lending

This method is widely used in South Africa, here you will lend money to individuals struggling to access finances with big institutions such as banks.

You have the ability to choose who to borrow money to, obviously not family because they will always give you problems.

The people you choose to work with will in the end minimize your risks and help you reach more customers.

The way it works is very simple, you borrow me and my friends R500 and we pay you back interest each month, that would basically be your passive income. You can earn up to 8% of your initial lending amount as an investment.

7. Start a Dropshipping Store

Starting a dropshipping store is a popular e-commerce model where you sell products without holding inventory. When a customer makes a purchase, the order is forwarded to the supplier, who ships it directly to the customer.

It’s attractive due to its low entry barrier and minimal overhead costs. Success requires effective online marketing, choosing the right niche and products, and partnering with reliable suppliers.

8. Renting Backrooms

Every rich person in the world is one way or another invested in properties to rent – so why don’t you start small?

Every township has got wide range of business opportunities and the leading one is renting backrooms at your home. Every kasi or township is closer to many cities, office parks, and workplaces.

So people don’t want to be working in Alexandra traveling every day from Soweto, and practically not financially worthy. So they would prefer renting closer to work, in your backrooms and you’ll make rental income monthly.

Building the rooms might cost you some money but guarantees all the rental benefits in your township. Rent in many townships starts from R1,200 and you can imagine if you manage to develop and build 6 backrooms – do the calculations 🙂

9. Network Marketing

There are a couple of companies in South Africa that help people make extra income every month by selling already good quality products.

Businesses such as Avon, Forever Living, Amway, and so on, give people the opportunity to make thousands of rand each month however only the hard-worked get rewarded.

If you invest a lot of time and effort into the opportunity, from whichever company, network marketing can give you all the financial freedom you want, you can work full time from work, on your own terms, with flexible hours, and so on.

10. Advertisements On Your Car

There are opportunities in South Africa that could help you passive income with your car.

Marketing companies will print brands on your car to expose that brand to a wider audience. And for that exchange, you can make up to R4,500.00 depending on the agency and your location.

Try the following agencies:

And each agency has minimum vehicle requirements and your commitment to bringing success to the brand advertised on your car.

You may also be required to share the brand on your social media profiles.

11. Social Media

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are the biggest advertising agencies in the world.

And you can also make money with a good strategy on social media.

If you have a good following, you can promote certain brands to your audience and get paid. It’s the most organic way of monetizing your social media platforms.

Facebook offers these monetization opportunities you can apply for out of the box and start earning income.

You can start having ads play on your videos and Facebook will pay you a share of the commission.

You can also boost and promote other businesses directly from your profile and get a commission from those advertised companies.

12. Create an Online Course

Creating an online course offers a scalable way to share expertise and generate income. Platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and Teachable have made it easier to design and sell courses on various subjects.

The key is to identify a niche topic where you have the expertise and there is a demand. The initial effort lies in creating comprehensive, engaging content.

Once the course is live, it can sell repeatedly without much additional work, making it a lucrative source of passive income.