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SAIC 2026 investment is expected to create more than 200,000 permanent jobs
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Hiring is increasing from projects already underway in energy and infrastructure
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Nearly half of South African youth are unemployed, many of whom have never worked
The 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 figures in Johannesburg on April 1, offering a stark view of the economic impact of these pledges in a country where nearly one in two young people is unemployed.
“Our investment strategy focuses on sectors that will drive growth and create jobs… digital infrastructure, agriculture and green industrialization,” He said in his inaugural address.
Projects are already creating jobs
The jobs presented to business leaders and investors from more than 50 countries at the Sandton Convention Center are not just projections. They are linked to projects already underway.
Renewable energy company Mulilo has committed about 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 safety staff for operations during and after construction. 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, focusing partly on human capital and governance for the 2026/27 financial year.
President Ramaphosa gave these figures a human dimension. He urged investors to look beyond profits and commit to improving living conditions for ordinary citizens. He also pointed to the concrete results of previous editions of the conference.
Of the 300 projects initiated 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.
Focusing on youth in a stressed labor market
This initiative comes at a time of significant social pressure. According to Statistics South Africa (Stat SA), almost one in two people aged 15 to 34 were unemployed in the first quarter of 2025, compared to one in three ten years ago.
The situation is even more serious among those aged 15 to 24 years. Of that group, more than six in ten are unemployed. The challenge goes beyond just a lack of jobs: among unemployed youth, almost six in ten have never worked.
It becomes extremely difficult to find a job without any work experience. Data published in June 2025 by the Southern Africa Labor and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) shows that more than 3.5 million young people are disengaged from both work and education – they are neither in employment, in school, nor in training (NEET). Training systems have struggled to respond to this urgency.
In this background, the sustainable jobs announced in SAIC 2026 have important social importance. They provide a solid 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 summit concluded with investment pledges worth nearly 900 billion rand, or $53.16 billion. It is not clear whether the commitments made in Johannesburg will translate into real jobs for the young people who need them most.
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