Employment and Labour Deputy Min ister, Hon. Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala, has called for stronger collaboration between government an d the private sector to ens ure that South Africa's transition into the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) creates employment o pportunities, strengthens local businesses and equips wo rkers with the skills required by the c hanging world of work.
Deputy Minister was speaking at the Huawei South Africa C ore Supplier Convention 2026 in Sandton, Friday 6 November 2026, Deputy Minister emph asised the importance of investing in skills developm ent, reskilling and upskilling to ensure t hat workers are not left behind by technological advancement.
Deputy Minister Nemadzinga-Tshabalala said Artificia l Intelligence and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies were fundamentally changing b usiness op erations, supply chains and the lab our market. She stressed that whil e these develo pments present significant opportunities fo r economic growth and productivity, they must be managed responsibly to protect workers and promote inclusive development.
“Technology alone does not build an economy; people do," said the Deputy Minister.
She cautioned against allowing technological advancement to deepen existing inequa lities, highlighting the need for continuous investment in digital literacy, artificial intelligence and data-rel ated compete ncies.
“People must not fear that they are g oing to be replaced by machines. This is why skilling and reskilling are so imp ortant. We must prepare our w orkforce for the changing world of work and ensure that workers are equipped to adapt to new technologies," she said.
Deputy Ministe r Nemadzinga-Tshabalala, said that Sout h Africa's hi gh unemployment rate, particularly among young people, makes it critical for government and industr y to wor k together to bridge the gap between available skills a nd the demands of the d igital economy.
She highl ighted the opportuni ties within the technology sector, saying that industry assessments point to thousan ds of unfi lled vacancies in digital and technology-related occupations, despite the country' s high levels of unemployment.
According to Deputy Minister Nemadzinga-Tshabalala, this mismatch requires a stronger alignment between t he Post-School Education and Tra ining system and the skills dema nded by indu stry. She called for greater investment in practical, industry-relev ant training, lifelong learning a nd accessi bl e skills development program mes.
She further emphasised that women, young people and persons with disabilities must be included in the country's digital transform ation agenda to ensure that th e benefits of technological advancement are shared more equitably.
Dep uty Minister said the government's empl o yment creation agenda, as outlined in the National D evelopment Plan Vision 2030 and the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) 202 4–2029, places inclusive economic growth and job creation at the centre of national development.
She pointed out that the MTDP has set a target of creating or sustaini ng 3.8 million jobs and work oppo rtunities during the c urren t administration, a goal that requires strong partnerships between government, business and other stakeholders.
“ Building a future -ready workforce is a responsibility that government cannot shoulder alone. It requires rob ust and act ion-oriented partnership s between t he public and private sectors," she said.
Recognising Huawei's contribution to digital skills development and local economic participation, Deputy Minister commended the Huawei for its “In South Africa, for South Africa" commitment, which seeks to strengthen local capabilities through ICT t raining, certification an d support for lo ca l suppliers.
She said the convention demonstrated the val ue of private sector inve stment in developing local skills and strengthening the capacity of South African enterprises to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.
With more than 100 supplier companies attending the convention, Deputy Minister Nemadzinga-Tshabalala en cour aged businesses, particularly smal l and medium enterprises, to embrace digital technologies and automation as tools to improve productivity, operational efficiency and workplace safety. However, she said that the introduct ion of AI and automated systems must b e accompan ied by appropriate me asures to support workers whose roles may be af fected by technological changes.
Deputy Minister also called for responsible and inclusive AI governance, emphasising that technology must be guided by human rights and national deve lopment priorities.
“AI should be a force for good, shaped by our values and designe d to wor k for the ma ny, not the few," she said.
Deputy Minister Nemadzinga-Tshabalala ur ged government, business leaders and suppliers to strengthen their collective efforts towards building an inclu siv e, c ompetitive and te chnologically capable economy. She said South Africa's abil ity to benefit from the opportunities presented by AI would depend on its commitment t o developing people, strengthening local enterprises and ensuring that technological progress tran s lates into meaningful employment opportunities.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
082 697 0694/ teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za
-ENDS-
Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour
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