Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced that the provincial government will soon launch a recruitment campaign expected to create roughly 75 000 employment opportunities, saying job creation must sit at the centre of efforts to tackle crime and restore hope among young people.
Plan rooted in infrastructure and public works
Speaking at a community engagement in Ivory Park on 4 August, Lesufi said the positions would be connected to major infrastructure expansions, enlarged public employment programmes and targeted skills development. A significant share of the jobs, he said, would come from plans to extend the Gautrain network to Springs, Roodepoort, Soweto and parts of southern Johannesburg.
Lesufi described the initiative as a package that combines temporary work on public projects with training in trades such as plumbing and construction. The province intends to announce full details of the campaign within "the next two weeks or so," he said.
"We are going to make the formal announcement in the next two weeks or so."
The premier framed the drive as a crime-prevention measure as much as an employment intervention, arguing that expanding access to work and skills will reduce the pool of young people vulnerable to criminal recruitment.
Context: unemployment rising nationally
Lesufi’s announcement comes against the backdrop of a deteriorating national labour market. Statistics South Africa’s quarterly labour force survey showed national unemployment climbed to 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 31.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025. That translated to roughly 8.1 million people actively looking for work.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| National unemployment rate (Q1 2026) | 32.7% |
| Unemployed persons actively looking | ~8.1 million |
| Previous unemployment rate (Q4 2025) | 31.4% |
How the opportunities will be delivered
According to the outline provided by the premier, the jobs will be generated through a combination of:
- infrastructure projects, notably the Gautrain extension;
- expanded public employment programmes, including building and maintenance work on housing, roads and clinics;
- skills training initiatives aimed at trades such as plumbing and construction.
Lesufi did not provide a detailed breakdown of the 75 000 positions at the Ivory Park engagement, nor a timetable for when individual recruitment drives will open. He said the formal campaign launch would provide further specifics on requirements, duration and which posts would be permanent or short-term.
Local impact and expectations
In Gauteng, where unemployment and violent crime are persistent concerns in many townships and suburbs, the promise of tens of thousands of jobs is likely to raise expectations. The proposal to focus on skills and labour-intensive projects mirrors interventions used elsewhere to provide temporary relief while attempting to build longer-term capacity.
Observers and community representatives will be watching for clarity on how the provincial government will ensure the jobs reach disadvantaged communities and avoid predatory tendering or exclusionary practices. Questions will also centre on the balance between temporary work on projects and pathways to sustained employment.
Next steps
The premier said the full recruitment campaign will be formally announced within the coming fortnight. Until that launch, job seekers in Gauteng are advised to monitor official provincial communications for details on application requirements and timelines.
As the province prepares the campaign, stakeholders including municipal authorities, training providers and labour organisations will be key to translating the announced opportunities into actual hires and accredited skills development.
Reporting from Johannesburg.
