As part of the Department of Infrastructure’s Youth Month activities, Provincial Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers and Head of the Department of Infrastructure Adv. Chantal Smith visited a group of National Youth Service (NYS) programme trainees at the new Dal Josaphat Primary School construction site in Paarl on 20 June 2025.
Adv. Smith said that the visit to the work site underscored three of the Department’s key focus areas.
“First, empowering the youth, second addressing the skills shortage of the infrastructure sector, and thirdly partnering with the private sector”, she said. “We will leave no stone unturned to make these three things possible.”
“In infrastructure development, we rely on a wide spectrum of technical skills from labourers to artisans to engineers”, affirmed Adv. Smith. “That’s why we have several skills development programmes to build a strong and capable workforce.”
For trainees at the new Dal Josaphat Primary School construction site, the training was provided by EMCON which was the main contractor on site.
“We want to thank our private sector partners”, said Adv. Smith. “Together government and industry share a deep understanding that skills and infrastructure are essential to unlocking both individual success, and national progress.”
NYS trainee Arnold Williams is grateful for the opportunity to gain experience through the programme.
“It gives us practical training and enables us to get practical experience and be part of the development story of South Africa”, said Arnold. “It doesn’t just change our lives; it changes our communities.”
Minister Simmers asked the trainees to consider how this programme can build dignity and give access to future opportunities.
“Our Department is not just about building roads, building schools or hospitals, our biggest question always remains – how do we build our people so they can be the leaders of the future”, said Minister Simmers, “they can help us shape the Western Cape of the future”.
The Department is currently advertising construction training opportunities in the Western Cape in the following regions:
- Overberg District Municipality area: Health and Safety Officer L4 and Surveying L4.
- Central Karoo District Municipality area: Roadworks L3, Plant operator L2, and Painting L3.
- City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality area: Surveying L4, Electrical Engineering L2, Bricklaying L3, and Plumbing L4.
- West Coast District Municipality area: Electrical engineering L4 and Plumbing L4.
- Cape Winelands District Municipality area: Health and Safety Officer L4, and Bricklaying L3.
- Garden Route District Municipality area: Bricklaying L3 and Carpentry L3.
Applications for the Youth in Construction programme close on 7 July 2025 and successful candidates will be informed by 15 September 2025.
