Labour department expands skills pathways

By Botlhale Leepile

The South African Government, through the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), has highlighted the growing momentum in the country’s labour market as part of its year-end reflections and ongoing efforts to strengthen worker protection, expand skills development paths, and improve workplace safety. This media statement was published in December 2025 on the DEL’s official website, affirming national progress amid persistent labour challenges. 

At the core of the statement is the mandate to support both employers and employees by deepening labour law compliance and ensuring workplaces are safe, fair, and conducive to sustainable employment. The Department emphasised that growth in jobs and protection for workers must go hand in hand, especially in a labour market still grappling with high unemployment and structural barriers to entry for youth and vulnerable groups. 

A major component of the Department’s strategy is improving enforcement and oversight of labour laws governing working conditions. Labour inspectors operating nationwide , have been actively conducting compliance inspections to ensure that employers are meeting statutory obligations, including adherence to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), and standards set by sectoral determinations. 

The statement highlighted ongoing safety campaigns and inspections aimed at protecting vulnerable workers, such as those in sectors historically prone to unsafe work environments. By focusing on workplace health and safety, the Department seeks to reduce workplace injuries and ensure fair treatment across industries. 

Another key feature of the Department’s initiative involves skills development and employment support services. Through the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) system, the government’s public employment service portal, job seekers can register their CVs and access training and placement opportunities. The DEL has been promoting these services to help match job seekers with employers and to streamline access to opportunities, particularly for youth and first-time entrants into the labour force. 

Public Employment Services outreach teams have been working in various provinces to increase registration and participation in ESSA, as well as linking unemployed individuals with training programmes and employer recruitment platforms. These interventions are part of a broader effort to close the gap between job seekers and labour market entry points. 

The media statement also acknowledged ongoing challenges facing the South African labour market, including high unemployment rates that have disproportionately affected youth and women. While some sectors have shown job growth, systemic issues such as limited skills development, mismatches between available roles and the skills held by job seekers, and slow economic growth continue to dampen broader employment gains. 

In response, the Department reaffirmed its commitment to expanding employment activation initiatives, working with partners across government and the private sector to create pathways into work and to bolster long-term economic participation. These initiatives include partnerships for workplace training, targeted employment programmes, and stronger enforcement of labour rights.