Addressing youth unemployment requires more than job creation; it demands building real capability.
Source: Supplied. Melissa Wessels, director of Professional Services at MRI Software in Cape Town.
MRI Software’s Lead SA internship programme, launched in 2025, is tackling this by equipping 17–21-year-olds with no prior work experience with technical, professional, and industry-specific skills.
Through 12 months of rotational placements, structured training, and coaching, interns gain the confidence and readiness to contribute meaningfully to the workplace.
As MRI Software Africa’s managing director, Mark Fairweather, explains, “The initiative reflects MRI’s “Building Brighter” vision- creating smarter cities, empowered communities, and accessible opportunities. Lead SA is a tangible example of how the private sector can help alleviate unemployment, nurture future-ready talent, and build a brighter future for South Africa’s youth.”
Building brighter futures
The first job for many South Africans is a lifeline. Yet for millions of young people, that step remains out of reach. According to Statistics South Africa, 46.1% of 15 to 34-year-olds were unemployed in Q2 2025, with the figure climbing to 62.4% for those aged 15 to 24. More than 4.9 million young South Africans are without work, and 75.7% of them have been jobless for a year or longer.
This risk isn’t only economic. Long-term unemployment weakens industry skills pipelines and makes the eventual transition to work harder. For sectors like Property Technology, where the pace of change demands adaptable, tech-savvy teams, the absence of young talent entering the market poses a challenge.
Solving this challenge means addressing not only job creation but also building capability. This is why targeted internships are emerging to equip school-leavers with the technical and sector-specific skills employers need.
Empowering young talent
The latest NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) data is clear proof of the growing urgency: 37.1% of South Africans aged 15 to 24 and 45.1% aged 15 to 34, are disconnected from both the labour market and learning pathways. Without intervention, those numbers could slide into generational unemployment.
This is a real opportunity for the PropTech industry to step forward. By offering initiatives like Lead SA to the youngest job seekers, the private sector is creating a shift in unemployment and a brighter future for young South African talent.
Melissa Wessels, director of Professional Services at MRI Software in Cape Town, adds: “We launched MRI SA Lead to create real access for young people, communities, and the industry.
“Through the programme’s three pillars, we are empowering individuals through personal growth, building product and platform mastery, and developing future-ready skills. We’re equipping interns to contribute from day one and to grow well beyond it.”
