The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) said it aims to facilitate more than 100,000 employment opportunities in the 2026/27 financial year through industrial programmes, incentives, and investment initiatives.

The plan was outlined when DTIC Minister Parks Tau led the department’s leadership team in tabling its Annual Performance Plan (APP) before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition on Tuesday.

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The department said the APP is aligned with government’s Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP), which prioritises inclusive growth and job creation, poverty reduction, addressing the high cost of living and building a capable, ethical and developmental state.

“This APP will outline our priorities for the coming financial year, including placing emphasis on our new industrial policy, our investment targets and our trade relations, emphasising implementation and moving from the foundation we built in the previous financial year,” Tau said.

Director-General Simphiwe Hamilton said the department will intensify industrialisation through its Investment and Spatial Industrial Development programme, with a focus on revitalising industrial infrastructure and expanding Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

“Within this programme, our target this financial year is to ensure 15 Industrial Parks are revitalised into competitive infrastructure platforms to support sector diversification in marginalised areas. 

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“We are also gearing to operationalise 10 of 12 Special Economic Zones, equip up to 300 learners in various industry-related skills within these industrial zones. We envisage that in this area we should enable us to facilitate up to 6,000 jobs,” Hamilton said.

He added that the department will also deploy up to R4 billion in incentives to support qualifying enterprises under the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment framework.

Deputy Minister Zuko Godlimpi said the APP focuses on turning improving economic conditions into real industrial growth and employment.

“South Africa is entering a period where the foundations for growth are being rebuilt through greater stability in energy, logistics and fiscal conditions, and the responsibility of the dtic is to ensure that this momentum translates into productive sectors of the economy,” Godlimpi said.

“Our focus in the year ahead is to deepen re-industrialisation, expand exports, strengthen investment mobilisation, and advance transformation through practical instruments that widen participation for Black-owned enterprises, SMMEs, women and young people.”

Deputy Minister Alexandra Abrahams said the plan is centred on enabling economic growth through investment, industrial expansion, and enterprise development.

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“The dtic’s approach this year is therefore grounded in creating the conditions for businesses to grow, compete and employ more South Africans at scale,” Abrahams said.

“Sustained job creation will come from a stronger, more competitive economy, supported by practical policy interventions, improved coordination across government, and consistent implementation that translates commitments into measurable outcomes.”

A key focus of the department is also increasing investment through the proposed Omnibus Industrial Development and Investment Acceleration Bill.

The legislation aims to speed up industrial development, improve the ease of doing business and reduce regulatory red tape.

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The classroom is undergoing its most profound transformation in generations.

Gone are the days when universities could graduate students armed primarily with theoretical knowledge and expect them to thrive in a fast-evolving job market.

Today’s employers demand more: graduates who can do, think critically, adapt swiftly to change, and collaborate effectively across teams and disciplines.

Read more here

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South Africa’s private sector expanded slightly in July marking the third consecutive month of growth helped by renewed sales growth and sustained employment increases, a survey showed on Tuesday.

The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 50.3 in July from 50.1 in June, S&P Global reported. Readings above 50 indicate growth in business activity, while below that signals contraction.

New orders and employment were the primary contributors to the headline figure, as new business volumes increased following a dip in June.

Domestic sales improved, particularly in services and wholesale & retail sectors, while new export business continued to decline for the fourth consecutive month.

Employment growth continued for the second month in a row. The rate of expansion was the fastest since May 2024, supported by both permanent and temporary hires. This hiring helped reduce backlogs, with the quickest decrease in outstanding business since February.

However, cost pressures intensified, with input prices rising sharply, driven by a significant increase in staff costs. Wage inflation accelerated for the third consecutive month, and purchase costs rose due to higher fuel prices and supplier charges. Despite these pressures, firms passed on some cost burdens to clients, resulting in a modest rise in output prices.

The outlook for future business activity improved to a six-month high, with 41% of firms projecting increased output over the next 12 months. However, optimism remained below the trend seen last year, as concerns about global trade policy and exchange rate movements persisted.

South Africa faces a 30% tariff on its exports to the U.S. from this week, a move expected to cost tens of thousands of jobs, after the country failed to secure a trade deal before a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The country said on Friday it would draft measures to support exporters hit by tariffs.

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South Africa’s private sector showed signs of stabilisation in April, emerging from a four-month downturn as sales picked up slightly and supply chains strengthened, a survey showed on Tuesday.

The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 50.0 in April, up from 48.3 in March. A PMI reading above 50 indicates growth, while below 50 points to a contraction.

This marks the first time since November 2024 that the index has reached the neutral mark, signalling a mild recovery in business conditions.

New orders, output and employment all moved into growth territory, albeit at a modest pace. New orders increased for the first time in five months, driven by larger client orders and successful marketing campaigns, although economic uncertainty continued to weigh on customer spending.

Supply chains improved notably, with suppliers’ delivery times shortening for the first time since June 2023, aided by eased port congestion at Durban. This led to a modest rise in purchasing activity, the first in four months, as firms sought to replenish their inventories.

However, input price pressures intensified sharply, reaching an eight-month high, largely due to a weakening rand against the U.S. dollar.

“Volatility in the rand especially during the first half of April made its mark on prices,” said David Owen, senior economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Despite the better trends in activity, optimism for the year ahead dipped, with firms expressing concerns over domestic and international politics, Owen added.

Reuters

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Business activity in South Africa continued to weaken in February, but the pace of contraction slowed compared with the start of the year, a survey showed on Wednesday.

The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 49.0 in February from 47.4 in January, remaining below the 50.0 line that separates growth from contraction for the third consecutive month.

The rate of decline in output, new orders, employment and inventories all slowed down.

“February data signalled a partial recovery in economic momentum in South Africa,” said David Owen, senior economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

“This recovery appeared to be largely due to a softer contraction in business activity, as some firms experienced improved demand conditions and the resumption of projects.”

New orders fell for the third month, with wholesale and retail sectors experiencing the sharpest declines. Export sales also dropped, albeit at the slowest rate in six months, partly due to reduced political unrest in neighbouring Mozambique.

Firms remained cautiously optimistic about future output, though there were concerns that U.S. trade policy could dampen activity.

The PMI survey indicated that while the private sector’s health weakened, it did so to a much lesser extent than in January, suggesting that firms generally expect conditions to recover soon.

Reuters

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The Labour and Employment Department has introduced an internship programme to recruit 20,000 inspector and enforcement interns over the next two years.

They would ensure that all corners of the country were covered to protect workers and uphold their rights, Labour and Employment Minister Nomakhosazana Meth said on Monday.

“We are committed to strengthening workplace compliance and ensuring that every South African enjoys a fair, safe and healthy work environment,” she said.

“Expanding our inspectorate will help us enforce labour laws more effectively, safeguard workers’ rights and improve compliance across multiple sectors.”

She said the first 10,000 interns would be recruited this year, and the remaining 10,000 in 2026.

Meth said the increased inspections would help identify and address issues of non- compliance with labour legislation, including the underpayment of wages and inadequate health and safety measures.

She said the programme was also important because it would give thousands of young graduates practical, on-the-job experience, which would help tackle youth unemployment and promote economic upliftment in local communities.

Meth believes that the increased inspections will encourage compliance, reduce infractions and enhance the quality of work environments across the country.

“Strengthening our labour inspectorate is vital for protecting workers’ rights and ensuring that the protections provided by law are upheld on the ground. The department stands ready to support employers in meeting these obligations, ultimately benefiting workers, businesses and the nation as a whole,” Meth said in a statement.

Qualified candidates were encouraged to submit their applicationson Public Services and Administration Department’s website before the closing date of 21 February 2025.

Meanwhile, the Congress of SA Trade Unions has welcomed the announcement, saying that workers have struggled for decades with non-compliant companies.

“We are deeply concerned by the large number of employers who continue to ignore our labour laws and undermine workers’ rights. As the department brings on board these new inspectors, it is critical that workplace inspections are ramped up and delinquent employers dealt with,” Cosatu said.

The federation said it would continue to work closely with the department to boost compliance and protect the rights of all workers.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on businesses to do more to ensure that youngsters are hired.

“Just as preparing our nation’s young people to achieve success in this exam is a collaborative effort, there is much more that partners like the private sector can do to hire young people,” he said in his weekly Monday letter to the nation.

Ramaphosa, who used the letter to reflect on the importance of the final matric exams, said it was important to think about the scale of the efforts to absorb these learners into the economy once they have attained the results they have worked so hard for.

The unemployment rate among young people aged 15-24 stands at 60.8%, according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey. 

“We once again call on employers to relax the requirement of prior work experience, particularly for entry-level positions, and for entry into vocational occupations where young employees can be trained on the job,” the president said.

“Employers should take advantage of incentives to encourage them to hire more young people. These include various sectoral learnership agreements, discretionary grants for skills training, and the Employee Tax Incentive.”

He also said that recent business premises inspections by the home affairs and labour departments had highlighted the contentious issue of some employers preferring to employ foreign nationals and illegal immigrants. 

The president called on employers to instead open up more opportunities for young South Africans entering the job market. 

“They need to remember that by law they have to ensure that no suitable South African citizen or permanent resident is available to fill a position before employing a foreign national. This is established practice around the world,” Ramaphosa said.

He said everyone had a responsibility to ensure that the morale of the Class of 2024 was boosted by knowing their hard work and sacrifices will be rewarded. 

“Let us continue to work together to ensure that the latest cohort of matriculants find the opportunities for employment or further education and training that they deserve.”

Meanwhile, Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has highlighted the urgent need for students to apply for funding through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.

The application window closes on 15 December.

“Eligible students must act swiftly to secure financial support for their further education,” she said.

The minister said the Post-School Education and Training system offered a diverse range of opportunities through different colleges and universities.

She said that these pathways aligned with the National Skills Development Strategy 2030, which was aimed at addressing the nation’s skills development priorities and driving a skills revolution.

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The government has welcomed the 0.4% quarter-on-quarter employment growth in the formal non-agricultural sector for the second quarter of the year.

“This growth bears testament to the government’s commitment made during the State of the Nation Address in February to ensure positive economic growth that will encourage business development and provide more employment opportunities,” GCIS acting director-general Nomonde Mnukwa said on Friday.

On Thursday, Stats SA reported a notable expansion in community services employment, rising to 10,716,000 in June 2024 from 10,674,000 in March 2024

However, there was a reported decrease in growth by 39,000 for full-time employment, and a quarterly increase by 81,000 for part-time employment.

Generally, total employment decreased by 144 000 year-on-year between June 2023 and June 2024

“The positive developments mean that the government’s structural reforms are unlocking the bottlenecks and removing red tape to drive inclusive growth and job creation,” said Mnukwa said in a statement.

“South Africa’s business-friendly approach paves a positive sentiment, signalling that South Africa is becoming more and more of an investment destination.”

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South African Employment and Labour Minister Meth Nomakhosazana is in Russia this week to attend high-level talks with her Brics counterparts on a number of priorities impacting workers in the group’s emerging economies.

The Ministry of Employment and Labour said the two-day discussions, which kick off on Monday, would include developing a system of vocational guidance and lifelong professional education, and deliberate the role of web-based platform workers in the labour market and how to regulate their work.

Ensuring safe work and the social security for citizens would also be discussed during the two-day meeting that ends on Tuesday. Global organisations, including the International Labour Organisation and the International Social Security Association, provide technical support to the Labour and Employment Ministers Meeting (LEMM).

Ministers will share experiences and good practices on the meeting’s priorities.

“The gathering is important for South Africa, as the main objective is to facilitate cross-collaboration, knowledge-sharing and monitoring and evaluation in achieving our goals,” Meth said in a statement.

The first Brics LEMM took place in New Delhi in India last year. It set the stage for future collaboration by bringing together labour and employment ministers from member countries to discuss common challenges and opportunities.

Encouraged by the success of the initial meeting, members of Brics agreed to convene annually to continue addressing pressing employment issues and to strengthen their collaborative efforts.

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