Talented trio voted as having SA's most inspiring 'side hustles'

Rockstar Energy, the new boldly-flavoured drink packed with Vitamin C, B-vitamins, ginseng and taurine, is the perfect choice to fuel your every hustle. And, if there's one thing we all know, South Africans are masters of the “side hustle”.

For many, the need for another stream of income is borne from the need to make more money, especially given the tough economic climate and rising cost of living. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, about 63% of the labour force in Africa is involved in some type of self-employment.

As the drink of choice for those fearless enough to pursue their dreams, Rockstar Energy wanted to give SA's hustlers the chance to show just how creative, motivated and innovative they really are — that's why it launched the Rockstar Hustle Fund competition earlier this year.

Running over six weeks from early August, this competition challenged contestants to create an original, entertaining and engaging video showcasing their side hustle, and to post to Instagram or TikTok, while tagging @RockstarEnergyZA and #HustleFund.

And the winners are ...

Musicians Moozlie and Shimza and digital creator Coachella Randy were tasked with judging all the inspiring entries, and in the end chose these three ultimate rockstars as the winners:

Chantel Tisha Ben

Ben is a 23-year-old rising star on the SA dance scene, who has been dancing professionally for three years. Along the way, she fell in love with content creation and has been posting her work on social media to reach a wider audience.

Ben has expanded her craft and ventured into other areas, including video editing, working with brands such as First National Bank.

What they won

Each of these winners will receive support to the value R50,000 from the #RockstarHustleFund to help them in their hustles and will also become Rockstar ambassadors

“These winners, as well as the many entries we judged, show just how inspiring it is to work hard doing what you love, something so worth striving for,” says Shimza. “I am honoured to have played a part in this experience, giving these hustlers the recognition that they deserve.”

Rockstar Energy will also be giving these content creators a chance to showcase their talent through its brand and communication channels, exposing them to a much bigger platform.

“You bring the hustle, Rockstar will bring the stage,” says Marius Vorster, marketing director at PepsiCo Sub-Saharan Africa, the makers of Rockstar Energy.

“We understand that for those in the mix, the hustle doesn’t stop. This experience has shown us the tenacity, the diligence and the creativity in SA, and we couldn’t be prouder to be highlighting and helping elevate these young South Africans to the next level of their careers.”

For more information about Rockstar Energy, check out the brand on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or Twitter.

This article was paid for by PepsiCo.