Powering South Africa's green future

The Star

13-05-2025

Pierre Bekker | Published 3 hours ago
South Africa is at a turning point in its energy journey. Driven by a commitment to cleaner energy and the swift uptake of solar power, the renewable energy sector is experiencing significant growth.
This expansion, spearheaded by both established Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and private sector entities investing in their renewable energy initiatives, marks a clear shift from the government-led REIPPP programme of the past.
However, this rapid growth brings with it a serious challenge: ensuring the availability of a skilled and adaptable workforce to support the development, installation, and long-term maintenance of solar farms and other renewable energy projects across the country. This is where Temporary Employment Services (TES) providers can step in to play a vital role in meeting South Africa's clean energy needs. The workforce scaling challenge in the renewables sector
The expertise first honed by established IPPs is now being put to work in the private sector. At the same time, many new companies are starting up, which is good for using local materials and workers in the industry, but this changing situation is making a big difference in the demand for skilled workers at all job levels.
Initially, renewable energy projects in rural areas often encountered a scarcity of even basic electrical skills. Today, the influx of projects nationwide is facilitating the growth of semi-skilled and skilled electricians in regions where such expertise was previously limited. However, at the senior management and specialist levels, the national demand is so high that finding the right talent remains a considerable hurdle for individual companies.
Addressing this fluctuating demand for skilled labour in energy projects is a core strength of TES providers, and their ability to offer a flexible workforce is exactly what is needed in an industry characterised by project-based work with varying timelines and technical requirements.
In addition to providing on-demand access to a competent workforce, TES providers play a vital role in helping companies navigate the complexities of local regulations and industry standards. Many companies, especially international firms or those new to a region, may lack a deep understanding of local bargaining council agreements, infrastructure limitations, or even the local political landscape.
TES providers, with an established presence and experience in various regions across the country, can offer invaluable insights and support in ensuring compliance to steer clear of difficulties and keep projects on track. They can also bridge language and cultural barriers, fostering smoother collaboration on project sites. This flexibility is not only convenient; it is critical to the efficient execution of projects and for managing costs effectively.
Given the often-reactive nature of renewable energy projects, where timelines can shift and staffing needs can change rapidly, TES providers offer a significant advantage. They can scale workforces up and down with far greater agility than individual companies.
Unlike a company based in a metropolitan area trying to manage staffing from afar in a remote region, TES providers have a local presence and established networks within those areas. This allows for the swift mobilisation of skilled workers onto project sites and an equally efficient reduction in workforce as project phases are completed.
More than simply supplying labour, TES providers play a vital role in ensuring compliance with local regulations and industry standards – a significant challenge for companies unfamiliar with the nuances of the South African landscape.
TES providers, with their on-the-ground experience, are well-versed in these areas. They understand the local political context, and their learnings drawn from experience in specific regions can help newcomer companies to avoid problems.
Looking ahead, the consistent expansion of the renewable energy sector in South Africa will continue to drive high demand for specific skills, including health and safety professionals, artisans (especially electricians and semi-skilled electricians), junior engineers, construction managers, and quality control specialists.
TES providers are uniquely positioned to help companies secure these critical skills at the right time. Their existing databases offer companies access to individuals with a proven track record on previous projects, and they can identify semi-skilled workers ready for upskilling into artisan roles and junior professionals prepared to take on more responsibility. Additionally, the national reach of established TES providers offers a significant advantage over companies trying to build recruitment networks from scratch.
In short, TES providers are an indispensable part of South Africa's going green. Their experience and lessons learned from past projects help companies work better and faster. Because these providers can quickly find and manage workers, renewable energy projects can be built much quicker than if companies tried to do it all themselves.
For businesses venturing into or expanding a presence in South Africa's green energy world, partnering with experienced TES providers offers a smart move as they play an invaluable role in managing the workforce, from end to end, including payroll, human resources, labour relations, safety and compliance.
Talking to these providers early on is advisable to avoid the usual headaches associated with hiring, following rules, and understanding the local situation.
TES providers have solid systems in place to find the workers needed efficiently, and because of their ability to scale up or down rapidly, projects stay on schedule, thanks to their ability to get the right people in place at the right time to make South Africa's green energy future happen.
Pierre Bekker, Director at Quyn International Outsourcing