19 August 2026: South Africa’s unemployment crisis requires a deliberate effort to create meaningful opportunities for young professionals, particularly as the country faces an urgent need to strengthen its engineering capacity. This was the message from Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) during its 14th Young Professionals (YP) Sustainability Imbizo underway in Midrand over the next two days.

CESA President Dr. Vishal Haripersad explained that South Africa could not afford to leave a generation of young professionals on the sidelines while the country grapples with a deepening unemployment crisis and a shortage of engineering skills. “The challenge facing South Africa is not simply about getting more infrastructure built but ensuring that the process of building also creates the skills, experience and opportunities needed to sustain the country’s future.”

Haripersad pointed to South Africa’s unemployment figures, particularly among young people, as a crisis that extends well beyond economics. With youth unemployment remaining above 45% for those aged 15 to 34, he argued that even obtaining a degree is no longer a guarantee of a foothold in the labour market. “For young graduates, including engineers, the absence of opportunities, mentorship and practical experience can become a barrier between completing their studies and becoming active contributors to the economy.”

Against this backdrop, Haripersad said the country’s planned infrastructure investment presents an opportunity to tackle two challenges at once. Government has committed more than R1 trillion to public infrastructure over the next three years, but he cautioned that simply spending money on projects will not automatically deliver inclusive growth. “Instead, infrastructure investment should deliberately incorporate skills transfer, local content, artisan development and mentorship, so that projects build people alongside the physical assets they deliver,” he added.

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