On Tuesday, 15 April 2025, Premier Alan Winde chaired the first Premier’s Council on Skills (PCS) of 2025. The PCS looked at the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the workplace and how skills development in this field must be further developed.
The PCS is a consultative forum that coordinates skills development through partnerships between the Western Cape Government, the private sector, and academic institutions.
Previous PCS meetings have focused on innovative skills development programmes which have been launched in the Western Cape, including:
- A new Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) qualification pilot project.
- A dual vocational and occupational system.
“Don’t be scared of artificial intelligence (AI),” was the prevailing message at the PCS, held at Amazon Web Services Skills Center in the Cape Town CBD.
“But we must be cognizant of the challenges that come with the rapid development of technologies, such as AI. There is no denying that AI is here to stay, and therefore, the Western Cape must harness its immense potential. For us as a government, what drives our AI-journey is how do we use AI to improve and expand our services for our residents,” said Premier Winde in his keynote address.
“If we are to do this, we must strive to strike a balance: utilising AI’s positive benefits while also remaining vigilant of its potential disadvantages. We, however, cannot ignore AI, and we cannot wait for the future; we must create it,” he added.
The PCS discussed how AI is set to reshape employment in South Africa and the Western Cape, creating opportunities in high-growth digital sectors.
While AI presents opportunities for economic growth and job creation, it also threatens to replace routine-based occupations, leading to shifts in employment.
The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report estimates that 170 million new jobs will be created worldwide by 2030, while 92 million jobs will be displaced. Job growth is anticipated in fields like machine learning, data science, and cybersecurity. Automation that stems from AI is expected to replace routine tasks in administrative fields and will likely have a more negative impact on less skilled workers.
“Those who may lose jobs are those who did not jump on the AI bandwagon. Humans, however, can never be completely replaced. We all need to reskill and upskill ourselves,” said Dr Shivagami Gugan, of Amazon Web Services.
In a panel discussion, Cathy Kalamaras, Growth Enablement Director at Concentrix, advised, “Work with AI, not against it.”
Premier Winde concluded, “We must accept that the adoption of AI is set to continue. The Western Cape Government is developing a strategic policy around AI and how it can be incorporated into the work we do. If it means streamlining services, attracting investment and nurturing skills development to grow our economy, we must grab these opportunities with both hands.”
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