The public infrastructure investment plan announced by the Government through 2027 is set to have a major financial impact on the country, with an estimated GDP boost of up to 1.5% for every percentage point invested in the sector.
During the first quarter of 2025 alone, the industry suffered the loss of more than 119,000 jobs. Younger workers and those with lower technical and professional qualifications have been the most affected by this employment crisis. However, initiatives to boost this sector have already led to a recovery, with 130,000 new jobs created in the third quarter of the year.
Companies like Sarens are investing resources in the professional training and certification of their new local employees, providing them with the necessary knowledge to perform their roles under the highest standards of quality and safety. These workers are also encouraged to share their expertise with their colleagues.
The new public infrastructure investment plan, which involves spending over R1 trillion on transport and roads, energy, water and sanitation, and technology, among other strategic sectors, will have a direct impact on job creation. According to forecasts from entities such as the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA), this could lead to the creation of more than 200,000 new jobs and the recovery of the 119,000 lost during 2025. In fact, according to the Quarterly Labor Force Survey (QLFS), during the third quarter of 2025, the construction sector has already generated 130,000 new jobs, representing almost half of the jobs created in the country. The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, has stated that these figures show the construction sector to be an economic driver and a generator of employment in the country.
The construction sector is currently the fifth-largest employer in the country, contributing over 1.35 million direct jobs—9% of the national total—according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS). In a nation with an unemployment rate near 32%, rising to approximately 46% among those under 34, the sector remains a critical absorber of low-skilled labor. However, the scarcity of technical personnel, project managers, and engineers has historically limited the local development of large-scale projects.
In this context of new industry demands, Sarens—a world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport, and crane rental services—is implementing technical training and qualification of the local workforce to contribute to the economic development of the communities where it operates. Where required, Sarens sends employees directly to training programs conducted by crane and equipment manufacturers to obtain necessary certifications, allowing them to return and act as trainers and brand ambassadors within their own communities. Sarens in Southern Africa has also identified the critical gap in skilled labour, especially amongst site construction / project management (driven by expatriation) and are addressing this by promoting internal growth and through succession planning.
Sarens maintains a strict commitment to client satisfaction, which involves not only finding the best technical equipment but also selecting personnel who can respond to any specific requirement during project development. Consequently, the company carries out extensive local talent selection as part of its socio-economic commitment. Further initiatives include recruiting young talent directly from South African universities and technical schools to ensure those who excel receive additional qualifications for their economic and social progress.
According to Deon van der Pas, Regional HR Manager for Sarens in Southern Africa: “A defining characteristic of Sarens is that, once it settles in a community, it endeavours to stay and directly contribute to stimulating quality job creation, especially among the youth. By training and certifying local talent, we can ensure our personnel always have the knowledge required to handle any project with total reliability, regardless of its relevance or magnitude, thereby guaranteeing that the work we perform in the region maintains the maximum quality standards we demand worldwide”
In this way, initiatives promoted by companies such as Sarens, together with the new public infrastructure investment plan—which envisages spending more than R1 trillion in strategic sectors such as transport, energy, water and sanitation, and technology—will contribute to the sustained recovery in employment in the construction sector, as well as improving the quality of jobs, with a greater presence of senior profiles and a higher level of qualification.
In recent years, Sarens has collaborated on projects of critical importance for the economies and societies of Southern African countries. In Zambia, the company has worked on the Fertilizer Project since November 2024, contributing its global and local market expertise along with specialized machinery to carry out critical lifting and transport operations. In Namibia, Sarens contributed to the construction of the InnoVent Diaz wind farm by installing wind turbine generators (WTG), each weighing 125 tons. These and other projects earned Sarens the Excellence in Engineering Award at the 2025 Lifting Africa Awards.
In addition, Sarens in Southern Africa is collaborating with Head Office in a program to investigate job opportunities for Local candidates in international markets, which will contribute to the experience and skill levels of local candidates, which can then be ploughed back into the local market.
About Sarens
Sarens is the global leader and reference in crane rental, heavy lift and engineered transportation services. With state-of-the-art equipment, value engineering, one of the world's largest inventories of cranes, transporters and special rigging equipment, Sarens offers creative and intelligent solutions to today's heavy lifting and engineering transport challenges.
With more than 100 entities in 65 countries operating without borders, Sarens is an ideal partner for small to large-scale projects. Sarens currently employs 6,000 highly qualified professionals who are ready to serve the needs of any client worldwide and in all market sectors. https://www.sarens.com/