Learnership programme to improve transformation within real estate sector

Government has launched a programme that seeks to expand inclusive economic participation and transformation within the real estate sector through skills development and employment creation.

Launched in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, on Wednesday, the Real Estate Learnership Programme will equip participants with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to operate effectively within the sector.

The programme is a collaborative initiative by different public and private sector institutions, including Mpumalanga Public Works, Roads and Transport; Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Services SETA); and Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA).

The programme seeks to expand inclusive economic participation and transformation within the real estate sector through skills development and employment creation, and equip participants with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to operate effectively within the sector.

It also plays an important role in contributing to closing critical skills gaps by developing a pipeline of competent and work-ready property practitioners.

Speaking at the launch of the programme, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane said meaningful transformation of South Africa’s property sector cannot happen if young people, particularly those from historically disadvantaged communities, remain outside the industry’s economic opportunities. 

“Transformation is not simply about changing who occupies positions in the property sector. It is about changing who has access to the opportunities that create those positions in the first place,” Simelane said.

The Minister said government’s commitment to youth, women and people with disabilities goes beyond commemorative months and remains an ongoing effort to create an enabling environment for them to develop their skills and participate meaningfully in the economy.

While the property industry represents billions in economic value, the Minister said it remains largely inaccessible, as it is predominantly controlled by a minority few.

“Through programmes like this, with our entity PPRA at the centre working together with its partners, we will make a significant impact in transforming the industry,” Simelane said.

The Minister said the programme is designed to take young people beyond theoretical training by exposing them to the actual workplace.

She referenced Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu’s 2026 State of the Province Address, in which he highlighted the need to place young people at the centre of economic initiatives and equip them with skills required by the labour market.

“This launch reinforces the Premier’s well-captured statement. It is another testament that government working together can confront the scourge of the alarming youth unemployment with a collective agency,” the Minister said. 

Mpumalanga is the second province where the programme is being rolled out, following its launch in KwaZulu-Natal in March. 

Simelane said government intends to expand the initiative nationally. 

Simelane said the Memorandum of Understanding between the PPRA, Mpumalanga Provincial Government and Services SETA will be used to advance transformation within the real property sector.

The programme will also provide support beyond the completion of training, with the PPRA expected to offer post-training and Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprise (SMME) support, including structural and business incubation assistance to help emerging Black- and youth-owned property enterprises become sustainable.  

Simelane said top-performing learners who successfully exit the programme will have an opportunity, through the PPRA, to undertake the Professional Designated Examination (PDE 5), enabling them to progress from candidate practitioners to full principal estate agents. 

She also highlighted that the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 4 qualification in real estate is nationally recognised and graduates can pursue careers in alternative property sectors, including property administration, bond origination, real estate valuation and many others. 

“The programme represents a deliberate effort to open those doors. Young people should not only be viewed as beneficiaries of government programmes. They must be viewed as future professionals, entrepreneurs, employers, and leaders of the property sector,” Simelane said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

Source: Original report at SAnews.gov.za.