---
title: "‘Sex worker? No, I’m an adult content creator’ — inside SA’s R6bn OnlyFans boom"
description: "For her African feminist studies research at UCT, Phiwokazi Qoza asked South African OnlyFans content creators one simple question: ‘Do you identify as a sex worker?’"
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Shadow economy"
author: "Lindsey Schutters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/lindsey-schutters-2/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-09-08-sex-worker-no-im-an-adult-content-creator-inside-sas-r6bn-onlyfans-boom/"
published: "2026-09-08T20:38:02"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 903
---

# ‘Sex worker? No, I’m an adult content creator’ — inside SA’s R6bn OnlyFans boom

> For her African feminist studies research at UCT, Phiwokazi Qoza asked South African OnlyFans content creators one simple question: ‘Do you identify as a sex worker?’

By Lindsey Schutters · Published 8 September 2026, 22:38 SAST

## Key points
- Qoza’s interviews reveal “boundary work”: most reject the label “sex worker,” distinguishing filmed content from in‑person sex, though fan pressure for hookups causes safety fears.
- OnlyFans is a significant SA income stream (valued up to R6bn; 10–14k creators); 2025 spend ≈ $32M, and signups spike amid very high youth unemployment.
- Tax and banking obligations apply: SARS taxes all income and in‑kind benefits, creators may need provisional registration, and offshore inflows require BoP reporting.
- Earnings are highly unequal: the top 0.1% capture most revenue while the median creator earns about $15/month; passive income exists but structural and algorithmic barriers limit who benefits

## Content

It is known as “boundary work” – the strategic mechanism that South African OnlyFans creators use to distance themselves from the heavily stigmatised “sex worker” label.

University of Cape Town researcher Phiwokazi Qoza interviewed 17 South African OnlyFans creators for her [Porn Studies paper](https://theconversation.com/onlyfans-in-south-africa-what-creators-say-about-sex-work-personal-safety-and-the-gig-economy-289316) – and the answer to the question of whether they identified as sex workers had a clear hierarchy.

Creators often contrast their voluntary participation with the perceived coercion or survival needs of street-based sex workers. For example, 25-year-old Malaika states:

> “No, I don’t think I’m a sex worker. I think a sex worker is someone who is dependent on sex work in order to survive. Someone who has no other choice. And I do it for fun…”

Other creators, like a late-20s respondent from Swakopmund, define physical touch as the absolute boundary of sex work, viewing their work strictly as filmed representation:

> “No. I am a content creator. An adult content creator. If I were meeting up with people and having sex with them, then that would be sex work.”

While creators maintain strict boundaries, the audience frequently pressures them to participate in *hookups*(read:commercial sex exchanges in a physical space). This pressure creates significant psychological distress and anxiety:

> “It feels like… prostitution. Yeah… I get DMs \[direct messages\] from people offering me a lot of money \[to sleep with them\]… I’m really scared to go because I don’t know what to expect...” – Hausa (23)

### **Definitions aside**

The South African digital adult content economy (across platforms like OnlyFans, Fansly and Telegram) is [valued at up to R6-billion annually](https://www.citizen.co.za/news/inside-sas-r6bn-online-sex-work-boom/). Local trackers estimate there are between 10,000 and 14,000 active South African creators on OnlyFans specifically.

Sign-ups peak in January as school leavers face a youth unemployment rate exceeding 46.5% (or more than 60% when including discouraged work seekers). The platform also attracts corporate professionals (seeking to hedge against local inflation).

In 2025 (according to the only numbers we could find), [South Africans spent](https://onlyguider.com/blog/onlyfans-wrapped-2025/)$31,994,220.59 (more than R570-million) on the platform, representing an 18.04% increase from 2024’s total of $27,103,839.10.

[Media: "Chart: South Africa spends nearly three times more on OnlyFans than any other African country"](https://charts.dailymaverick.co.za/chart/8fa63fb21f731aef21982dd9)

If you were wondering, Mzansi ranks around #34 globally in total spend, making it the undisputed economic engine of the African continent (generating nearly 3x the revenue of Egypt, which is #2 in Africa at $11.7M).

Interestingly, our per-capita spend is $5,143.77 per 10,000 people (ranked #94 globally).

[Media: "Chart: The currency advantage on OnlyFans is real — but only for the top 1% of creators"](https://charts.dailymaverick.co.za/chart/92bd0167d2bfd2226333a88c)

As this shadow economy expands, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the South African Reserve Bank have aggressively tightened enforcement.

Under Section 1 of the Income Tax Act, normal tax applies to all income received or accrued, regardless of its legality or moral nature. Former SARS commissioner Edward Kieswetter identified Social Influencers and the Gig Economy as targeted segments in his last year in office.

On top of that, any economic benefits received, such as promotional ring lights, clothing, or lingerie, are legally taxable at their fair market value. Creators must register as provisional taxpayers if their taxable income exceeds the threshold (R95,000 to R99,000 for the 2024/2025 tax year).

And local banks require Balance of Payments (BoP) reporting for offshore inflows. Creators rely on third-party payment gateways like Cosmo Payment and Paxum to route USD funds via Swift into their South African bank accounts.

![Image](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/mkKmHZeE_lt_mQi5rSeIEIOY-e8=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/2997/33493_558940.jpeg)

### **A matter of perspective**

To place South Africa in perspective, OnlyFans has transformed from a pandemic-era hyper-growth platform into a mature, highly concentrated global economy.

According to the latest financial disclosures from holding company Fenix International, gross fan spending reached $7.22-billion in the 2024 financial year – a 9% year-over-year increase from $6.63-billion in 2023.

The platform takes a standard 20% cut, generating $1.41-billion in retained net revenue for the period. Creator payouts accounted for the remaining 80%, totalling $5.8-billion in 2024 and pushing cumulative payouts beyond $25-billion since the platform's 2016 launch.

[Net neutrality is dying

5G finally ready to fulfil its promise, but at the cost of equality

June 30, 2026 ![Image](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/rQZeipfctQIqqOk7gRk3t-Yr2mg=/450x0/smart/file/attachments/orphans/HAO0933_322101.jpg)](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-06-30-5g-finally-ready-to-fulfil-its-promise-but-at-the-cost-of-equality/)

However, there’s a giant catch that is consistent across all creator economies: the top 0.1% of creators capture 76% of all platform revenue share, earning a monthly average of $146,881. Success in this tier is driven by paid accounts, advertising budgets and active sales management.

The actual median global creator earns just $15 per month ($180 per year), with 70% of creators earning less than $200 a month. The global mean average is statistically dragged up to $131 per month by elite earners.

Qoza’s [other paper](https://www.emerald.com/ijssp/article-abstract/46/5-6/638/1251046/Labouring-on-digital-sexual-spaces-experiences-of?redirectedFrom=fulltext) describes that, unlike traditional gig workers (read: rideshare or delivery drivers) whose income is strictly tied to hours worked, OnlyFans creators benefit from a multi-utility value.

Once media is uploaded, it remains on the platform, generating residual views and monetisation long after the initial labour was performed.

Patrick Duncan, one of the respondents, describes this passive earning mechanism:

> “Since I’m uploading there, I am doing it so that even if I am sitting at home and relaxing, I’m still going to get money by people viewing. People still watch the content. It is still there...”

Despite this emancipatory potential, systemic inequality in South Africa – lack of access to high-speed internet, private workspaces and proper devices – limits who can successfully capitalise on this digital market.

Additionally, algorithmic biases often favour the middle-class, white US palate, presenting further structural barriers to marginalised creators. Even though it’s only on screen, the have-nots still get screwed. **DM**