The Head of Africa Practice at law firm NSDV, Methembeni Moyo, says investment in infrastructure could play a key role in addressing South Africa’s unemployment crisis.
Moyo says investment in roads, water, sanitation and electricity infrastructure not only improves service delivery but also drives economic growth and job creation.
Earlier this week, Statistics SA data showed that the unemployment rate rose slightly to 33.7% in the third quarter.
Moyo says the construction sector has the potential to absorb large numbers of workers, including young people with limited skills and qualifications.
“When you talk about the infrastructure deficit in South Africa, I see a massive opportunity. As a construction lawyer, when you see an infrastructure deficit, you are thinking of massive opportunities for construction and infrastructure companies and then the downstream industries they employ. And then also just the labor. It’s a very labour-intensive sector, and it doesn’t need highly skilled and highly qualified workers. So, all those people with matrics, with no matrics, and this massive youth employment gap we’re talking about can be solved by massive infrastructure capital expenditure.”
WATCH | NSDV head of Africa practice Methembeni Moyo says government investment in infrastructure can help create jobs. https://t.co/CtGkEBhKgg
— SABC News (@SABCNews) November 14, 2026
Reporting: Tshimangadzo Ntsumbedzeni