JSSA.
Chapter 08 · The mismatch map

Where the country needs workers it cannot find

Every Rand of opportunity in the pipeline is matched against the artisan supply that could realistically be delivered. The gap — by trade, by province — is the single most important number on this site.

Annual demand
0
new workers
Annual supply
0
certified + ARPL
Critical trades
0
of
Linked opportunity
R0B
value at risk
Demand vs supply

The trades that determine whether infrastructure gets built

T07 · Electricity/Water

Solar PV installer

CRITICAL
-4 100
net annual gap
Demand5 800
Supply1 700
Bottleneck. No accredited NQF programme at scale
Hotspot. WC/NC/GP
Recommended. EWSETA emergency skills programme + REIPPPP demand signal
Years to close at current pace. 7.2
Linked opportunity. R6B
T08 · Electricity/Water

Water reticulation op.

CRITICAL
-3 220
net annual gap
Demand4 800
Supply1 580
Bottleneck. Municipal HR + occupational qualification slow uptake
Hotspot. GP/EC/KZN
Recommended. LGSETA direct-to-municipality programme
Years to close at current pace. 8.1
Linked opportunity. R4B
T02 · Construction

Electrician

CRITICAL
-3 000
net annual gap
Demand8 400
Supply5 400
Bottleneck. Trade test centre capacity
Hotspot. GP/WC/KZN
Recommended. Scale QCTO trade test centres; fast-track ARPL-led routes
Years to close at current pace. 4.8
Linked opportunity. R6B
T05 · Manufacturing

Welder

HIGH
-2 580
net annual gap
Demand6 800
Supply4 220
Bottleneck. Trade test centre throughput
Hotspot. GP/KZN/EC
Recommended. MERSETA + employer partnership TVET pathway
Years to close at current pace. 4.2
Linked opportunity. R5B
T13 · Mining

Mining artisan (rigging, fitting)

CRITICAL
-2 460
net annual gap
Demand4 200
Supply1 740
Bottleneck. Rural location + ARPL backlog
Hotspot. NW/LP/MP
Recommended. MQA mobile assessment units + SLP-funded training
Years to close at current pace. 6.8
Linked opportunity. R4B
T01 · Construction

Plumber

CRITICAL
-2 420
net annual gap
Demand6 200
Supply3 780
Bottleneck. CETA provider capacity + QCTO throughput
Hotspot. GP/KZN
Recommended. Employer-led top-up + expanded ARPL
Years to close at current pace. 5.1
Linked opportunity. R5B
T10 · Transport/ICT

Fibre technician

HIGH
-2 220
net annual gap
Demand5 200
Supply2 980
Bottleneck. Speed of network rollout vs training
Hotspot. GP/WC/KZN
Recommended. Short-course blended model; employer-led sign-off
Years to close at current pace. 4.8
Linked opportunity. R4B
T06 · Construction

HVAC technician

HIGH
-1 820
net annual gap
Demand3 400
Supply1 580
Bottleneck. Small TVET capacity
Hotspot. GP/WC
Recommended. MERSETA + private provider scale-up
Years to close at current pace. 4.2
Linked opportunity. R3B
T03 · Construction

Bricklayer

MEDIUM
-1 720
net annual gap
Demand5 400
Supply3 680
Bottleneck. Informal substitution masks gap
Hotspot. GP/WC/EC
Recommended. Blended ARPL for informal workers; employer top-up
Years to close at current pace. 3.8
Linked opportunity. R3B
T09 · Construction

Roads maintenance

MEDIUM
-1 580
net annual gap
Demand3 600
Supply2 020
Bottleneck. Municipal procurement vs skills
Hotspot. EC/KZN/MP
Recommended. CETA/LGSETA joint municipal programme
Years to close at current pace. 4.4
Linked opportunity. R2B
T14 · Construction

Electrical compliance (COC)

HIGH
-1 200
net annual gap
Demand2 200
Supply1 000
Bottleneck. Registration + licensing bottleneck
Hotspot. WC/GP
Recommended. EWSETA occup. cert + regulatory reform (SANS 10142)
Years to close at current pace. 4.8
Linked opportunity. R2B
T04 · Construction

Carpenter

MEDIUM
-1 080
net annual gap
Demand4 200
Supply3 120
Bottleneck. Assessment capacity
Hotspot. GP/KZN
Recommended. Blended TVET + workplace log-book
Years to close at current pace. 3.5
Linked opportunity. R3B
T11 · Transport/ICT

Device repair technician

MEDIUM
-1 080
net annual gap
Demand2 800
Supply1 720
Bottleneck. Informal market absorbs supply
Hotspot. GP/WC
Recommended. Short-course + industry certification
Years to close at current pace. 3.8
Linked opportunity. R2B
T12 · Manufacturing

Municipal fleet mechanic

LOW-MEDIUM
-820
net annual gap
Demand2 400
Supply1 580
Bottleneck. Budget allocation in municipalities
Hotspot. All provinces
Recommended. MERSETA/LGSETA joint programme
Years to close at current pace. 3.2
Linked opportunity. R2B
"South Africa cannot build the projects in the MTEF pipeline with the artisans currently in production."
— The mismatch in one sentence