South Africa is driving ambitious infrastructure renewal, but these plans will fall short without rebuilding trade skills in a shrinking talent pool, warns protective workwear giant Sweet-Orr.
With unemployment at 33.2% and critical skills shortages persisting across essential trades, the country faces a paradox that threatens its economic recovery. While artificial intelligence dominates conversations about the future of work, no machine can replace the artisans who fix water systems, restore power, and maintain industrial operations.
To help rebuild the pipeline, Sweet-Orr has committed R2.5 million in protective workwear and safety boots for artisan schools and training programmes, executed in partnership with social enterprise RLabs.
"South Africa's infrastructure plans are ambitious, but they cannot succeed without the skilled hands to build, maintain, and repair our systems," said Denver Berman-Jacob, executive director at Sweet-Orr. "Technology and trades must coexist, with digital progress matched by investment in the skilled workforce that powers our infrastructure, energy, and industrial sectors."
Despite high unemployment, construction added 55,000 jobs year-on-year, proving that trades remain a key growth sector. However, without urgent investment in skills development, this momentum will be lost.
AI can't replace human hands
Berman-Jacob, who is completing his PhD at Erasmus University in the Netherlands, says the country must balance innovation with inclusion.
"AI is transforming many sectors, but no machine can replace the plumber who fixes your pipes in Mowbray, the electrician who restores power after load shedding in Bellville, or the miners who extract our natural resources. Skilled trades are still the backbone of this economy," he said.
From factory floor to professional careers
Berman-Jacob warned that South Africa could not afford to leapfrog trades in its pursuit of a services-driven economy. "These industries employ large numbers of people with relatively low skill levels, bringing them into the formal economy. And then the ripple effect begins: one generation works in a factory, and the next moves into law, accountancy, or engineering."
Nearly three decades after democracy, inequality remains one of South Africa's biggest challenges. "We are still one of the most unequal societies in the world. Giving people access to the right tools and skills is an indirect way of addressing poverty and inequality."
Sweet-Orr's on-site training school has operated for decades, producing thousands of graduates who have gone on to work across industries. "If we can extend that commitment beyond our own factory gates into communities across Cape Town and the Western Cape, then we're fulfilling a national responsibility," Berman-Jacob said.
R2.5 million distribution removes key barrier
The distribution is being managed through RLabs, which has impacted more than 65 million people across 24 countries. The partnership leverages RLabs' extensive reach to distribute protective equipment to beneficiaries across the Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Bloemfontein, Beaufort West, and Murraysburg.
The initiative targets a major obstacle: the high cost of compliant personal protective equipment (PPE). "You cannot access many workplaces without the correct workwear," Berman-Jacob said. "For start-ups and small businesses, that cost can be prohibitive. By donating PPE, we are removing one of the barriers preventing people from entering these industries."
While the trade sector shed 52,000 formal jobs in the last quarter, construction's year-on-year growth demonstrates resilience. "Trades remain a key growth sector, but we must act now to rebuild the pipeline of skilled workers before the opportunity is lost."
Workwear as life-saving equipment
In sectors such as chemicals, electricity, and heat-intensive work, proper workwear can be the difference between life and death. "If you're working in an environment with chemical spills, arc flash, or flames, the right garment protects you. It's not just about compliance, it's about survival," said Berman-Jacob.
The handover of protective workwear to startups and community groups began in October, with distribution ongoing across multiple provinces.
