Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma: Unemployment crisis driven by lack of technical skills in South Africa

SOUTH AFRICA— The former African Union (AU) chairperson and African National Congress (ANC) veteran, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, said South Africa’s unemployment crisis is driven by a lack of technical skills among educated individuals. She spoke as the national unemployment rate surged to over 34% in the first quarter of 2026.

According to SABC News, Dlamini-Zuma spoke about the 8.1-million unemployed citizens, noting that while many individuals are educated, they lack the specific skills modern industries require. Dlamini-Zuma focused on practical training and said that without specific technical proficiencies, young people are unlikely to secure jobs or successfully establish their own businesses.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma addresses technical skills

Dlamini-Zuma said that South Africans must gain specialised skills to secure employment. She reflected on a recent trip to India, and she shared how skills centres taught youth to repair cellphones, drones, and electric motorbikes, and to maintain solar panels.

The ANC veteran said companies hire skilled people immediately, while others start businesses. She added that the local economy must grow to absorb these workers. Secondary to the skills crisis, Dlamini-Zuma addressed immigration amid protests by civic groups demanding deportations.

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She said that illegal migration is not desirable, but legal migration is fine. She noted that people are trying to attribute unemployment to the Africans who are here. Dlamini-Zuma remained resolute that even if every undocumented foreigner were deported, the core issue remains the lack of technical skills and economic growth.

Briefly News speaks to immigration expert

Professor Loren Landau from Wits University spoke to Briefly News about immigration issues and employment challenges in South Africa.

"The discussion of resources as a zero-sum game is fundamentally misleading. Yes, if there are more people competing for a single job or apartment, competition will increase. However, this is not how economics work. People are both consumers and producers. Immigrants work. Immigrants buy and rent. Immigrants trade. So while their presence may make demands on services, they – like most other people in the country – also produce. All the sound economic analyses I have seen suggest that the immigrant presence has an aggregate positive or neutral impact on the economy and the fiscus. The inability or unwillingness to invest properly in pro-poor services and economic policy is at the root of people’s struggles," he said.

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Employers of illegal immigrants will be arrested

Similarly, Briefly News reported that KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli said that the law will not be lenient on business owners employing undocumented foreigners. He said they will also be arrested.

Source: Briefly News