South Africa spent billions on training yet unemployment still surged to 32.7%

The Department of Higher Education and Training says its programmes track labour demand through reports and SETA research, but critics say rising joblessness shows a widening gap.

South Africa’s widening unemployment crisis has reignited scrutiny over whether government skills programmes are delivering real economic outcomes, with Parliament, political parties, and labour stakeholders questioning the effectiveness of post-school education and training systems as joblessness continues to rise.

This comes after MK Party MP Visvin Reddy asked the Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela whether the department had assessed the impact of rising youth unemployment on post-school education programmes, and whether Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) are aligned to actual labour market absorption capacity.

In response, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) said it relies on labour market intelligence tools, including the Skills Supply and Demand (SSD) report and NEET data, to track trends and guide planning.

“The SSD report provides an overview of the skills supply and demand in South Africa,” the department said, adding that it assesses demographic trends, labour force participation and education patterns to identify skills imbalances.