The National Society of Black Engineers South Africa (NSBE) is dedicated to increasing the number of black engineers, technicians, technologists, and artisans in the country and ensuring they remain in their professions throughout their careers. Through various initiatives aimed at promoting engineering among black communities, NSBE has observed a marginal growth in black professionals over the past 20 years. However, despite this progress, there is a growing number of unemployed black engineers, which NSBE attributes to an economy and private sector that still prioritizes white over black skills.
NSBE is particularly concerned about the continued marginalization of black-owned engineering firms, which are often relegated to secondary roles in major infrastructure projects, while previously advantaged and foreign-owned firms dominate. This structural exclusion underscores the need for radical economic transformation to ensure black engineering firms can play a leading role in driving the country’s development.
Full details of NSBE’s position and recommendations are included in the document linked in this introduction.