• SAIC 2026 investments are expected to create over 200,000 permanent jobs

• Projects already underway in energy and infrastructure are driving hiring

• Nearly half of young South Africans remain unemployed, with many never having worked

Investment commitments made at the 2026 South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) are expected to create more than 200,000 permanent jobs. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the figure on April 1 in Johannesburg, offering a concrete view of the economic impact of these pledges in a country where nearly one in two young people is unemployed.

“Our investment strategy is anchored in sectors that will drive growth and create jobs ... digital infrastructure, agriculture, and green industrialization,” he said in his opening address.

Projects already creating jobs

The jobs presented at the Sandton Convention Centre, in front of business leaders and investors from more than 50 countries, are not just projections. They are tied to projects already underway.

Renewable energy company Mulilo has committed nearly 15 billion rand, or about $886 million, to build three large solar plants and a battery energy storage system (BESS). These projects will require engineers, technicians, construction workers, and security staff during construction, and later for operations. For rural communities near the sites, they also create opportunities for local suppliers and small businesses.

International lenders are supporting this momentum. Across the continent, the African Development Bank has confirmed a 20.5 billion rand envelope, or about $1.21 billion, focused in part on human capital and governance for the 2026/27 fiscal year.

President Ramaphosa gave a human dimension to these figures. He urged investors to look beyond profit and commit to improving living conditions for ordinary citizens. He also pointed to tangible results from previous editions of the conference.

Of the 300 projects launched since 2018, 161 are now completed or under construction, creating real jobs in mines, factories, and infrastructure. Among them, the Platreef mine in Limpopo employs more than 2,000 local workers and is partly owned by a community trust.

A focus on youth in a strained labor market

The initiative comes at a time of significant social pressure. According to Statistics South Africa (Stat SA), nearly one in two people aged 15 to 34 was unemployed in the first quarter of 2025, compared with about one in three ten years earlier.

The situation is even more severe among those aged 15 to 24. In that group, more than six in ten are unemployed. The challenge goes beyond a lack of jobs: among unemployed youth, nearly six in ten have never worked.

Without any work experience, finding a job becomes extremely difficult. Data published in June 2025 by the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) shows that more than 3.5 million young people are disconnected from both work and education—they are not employed, not in school, and not in training (NEET). Training systems have struggled to respond to this urgency.

Against this backdrop, the permanent jobs announced at SAIC 2026 carry significant social weight. They offer a concrete opportunity for a generation that has long struggled to find its place in the economy.

According to South Africa’s public broadcaster SABC News, the 2026 conference concluded with investment pledges of around 900 billion rand, or $53.16 billion. It remains unclear whether the commitments made in Johannesburg will translate into real jobs for the young people who need them most.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou