Software developer jobs are booming in South Africa, but too few qualified candidates are applying, Pnet data shows.

TechCentral

South Africa faces a critical shortage of software developers, with high job availability but low competition for positions according to Pnet's December 2025 report. Software developer roles returned to the top of most in-demand jobs after years of tech layoffs, driven by needs in AI, machine learning, and data science. The shortage is compounded by declining mathematics education, with only 34% of 2025 matriculants taking core mathematics. While most IT roles require bachelor's degrees or higher, employers are increasingly accepting candidates with alternative training through bootcamps and self-teaching to address the skills gap.

South Africa is running out of developers

Figures, developers like to work in places without multi hours daily blackouts, and especially without a political party that chants to “kill the white”. This is a surprise for whom, exactly?

This isn’t surprising given the ANC’s corruption and utter incompetence over the years. Unfortunately you get what you vote for - and real investment in education didn’t happen.
South African developers can also work remotely with employers in European time zones for frequently better pay than local companies and more likely to actually get paid.

The should take some seriously affirmative action to correct this…

South African Company here - <a href="http://tensology.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">tensology.com</a> - loving this country and will never leave.

A lot of the developers here work remotely for overseas companies.