“Construction Isn’t There?”: Mzansi Reacts to TikTok Video Ranking SA’s Most-Quit Jobs

• De Beer claimed retail management lost 194,000 jobs in early 2026, though Stats SA’s official Q1 figures show trade lost 40,000 jobs
• He said community services shed 45,000 jobs, close to Stats SA’s confirmed figure of 53,000 jobs lost in that sector
• Half of South African teachers are considering quitting within a decade, a figure backed by a Stellenbosch University study

Content creator Jandre de Beer posted a TikTok video on 12 July 2026. He ranked South Africa’s top five industries losing workers fastest right now. Journalism topped his list, followed by healthcare, teaching, community services and retail. Mzansi flooded the comments, with many surprised that construction never made the cut.

Teachers and nurses feature high on the list

A Stellenbosch University research found that 70% of teachers blame excessive paperwork and admin for their stress. Many also act as informal counsellors and crisis managers for struggling learners on top of teaching.

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Healthcare workers ranked second on de Beer’s list, and the emigration trend here holds up. Immigration consultants have reported inquiries from South African healthcare workers rising by around 50% in recent years. Nurses who relocate to Canada can earn close to a million rand a year. That is well above what most professional nurses take home working in South Africa.

De Beer placed journalism and traditional media at the very top, saying jobs have been cut in half over two decades. That specific figure could not be independently confirmed, but the underlying trend is well documented. Advertising revenue has shifted heavily toward Google and Meta, and many outlets made deep cuts in late 2025.

The clip spread quickly after landing on TikTok, drawing hundreds of comments. One person said they were surprised construction did not make the ranking at all. They called it an extremely difficult sector to work in day to day. Another commenter said teaching in South Africa often feels like a thankless profession.

See the rankings below:

More rankings involving SA

• South Africa jumped 10 places in the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking to stay 54th globally.
• The University of Cape Town topped Africa’s rankings at 184th globally, maintaining its position in the world’s top 200 for a fourth straight year.
• South Africans got a wake-up call in 2026 after a report ranked nearly 40 popular fizzy drinks by sugar content.

Source: Briefly News