Tag: skills shortage

If your supply chain still depends on people chasing spreadsheets and calling warehouses, you are at risk. When your team reacts to crises instead of strategically positioning the organisation to manage risk, inefficiency becomes a liability. South African business leaders must now confront a hard truth. Autonomy is not a futuristic concept. It is a present-day necessity.

South Africa’s Employment Equity Amendment Act (EEAA) came into effect on 1 September 2025. This followed the Gauteng High Court’s dismissal of an urgent application to halt its implementation. The government aims to enforce sectoral targets on race and gender representation to accelerate transformation. However, beneath the policy rhetoric lies a complex reality that many employers, particularly in manufacturing, will struggle to manage.

Almost 80% of multinational and large corporations in South Africa experience ongoing difficulty recruiting critically skilled individuals. This highlights the severity of the talent shortage and its impact on business development. The situation underscores the persistent critical skills shortages affecting multiple sectors.

On 29 May 2025, the Department of Employment and Labour published South Africa’s White Paper on the National Labour Migration Policy. The document outlines the government’s official approach to managing cross-border labour mobility. It also sets the framework for how foreign skills will be accessed in the future. The new labour migration policy will shape business decisions for years to come.

In a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being weaponised by cybercriminals, the question of whether we can effectively combat AI threats with more AI is not just a technical inquiry, but a pressing global concern. AI-generated cyberattacks, such as deepfake technology and automated hacking attempts, have created a cybersecurity arms race.

With increasing alacrity, businesses must recognise the crucial need to transform their organisational structures. This is necessary to keep pace with the rapidly evolving digital landscape. However, it’s equally important for organisations to consider the associated risks. This will ensure long-term resilience.

Following a challenging 2023, South Africa’s manufacturing sector must prioritise digital transformation, cost reduction and reskilling to drive growth. South Africa boasts a well-developed manufacturing sector. In 2023, the sector in its entirety provided more than 1.6 million jobs and accounted for 13.0% of South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The recent gazetting of the Legal Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Sector Codes of Good Practice (LSC) occurred on September 20, 2024. This is a significant milestone for the transformation of the legal profession in South Africa. It marks a pivotal moment, aligning with the nation’s constitutional commitment to equitable economic participation.

Much has been written about the digital skills shortage. This is not a problem that will be solved overnight. As technology evolves, the demand for specific skills outpaces their availability. And as more people gain these sought-after competencies, there may be a temporary oversaturation of the market. Once parity is reached, new advancements shift the landscape again, and so the cycle continues.

The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) presents a promising foundation for building a skilled workforce in South Africa. However, a vital question remains: how can employers ensure a steady pipeline of talent with the necessary skills, and what responsibility do they hold in achieving this?