South Africas information technology sector is sending mixed signals as salaries for specialised roles are surging after years of decline, even as companies report that many new graduates are unprepared for the modern workplace, forcing businesses into the costly business of on-the-job training.
Data from recruitment firm Pnet shows early signs of recovery for IT salaries in 2026 after a sustained drop that saw average offers for some roles, like IT project managers, fall by 44 between 2022 and 2025 . This resurgence, however, is highly selective. Employers are offering competitive packages for roles where practical, up-to-date skills are scarcest, including data engineering, cybersecurity, and cloud architecture .
For instance, DevOps engineers now command between ZAR 45 K and ZAR 62 K per month, while cybersecurity specialists earn ZAR 40 K to ZAR 60 K rand. Data engineers follow closely with monthly salaries of ZAR 42.9 K to ZAR 59.1 K rand . This rebound, driven by a recovery in labour demand and projects focused on artificial intelligence and data, contrasts sharply with the broader graduate experience .
