A plan to bring Pretoria’s dormant Telkom Towers precinct back into use has placed a large employment estimate beside an early-stage infrastructure proposal.

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure says it is preparing a Request for Information, or RFI, for the refurbishment of all nine buildings. Current estimates put the redevelopment cost between R1.8 billion and R2.2 billion, with 106,000 square metres of potential gross leasable space. The department estimates that the work could support more than 5,300 direct construction jobs.

That number is a projection attached to a proposed project. It is not 5,300 vacancies, an awarded tender or confirmation that building work has started.

What an RFI actually means

An RFI allows government to ask the market for information about possible technical, financial and delivery approaches. In this case, the department says it wants to test public-private partnership options, affordability, risk allocation, value for money, operations and long-term maintenance.

This stage can shape a later procurement process. It does not by itself appoint a developer or contractor.

The distinction matters because false job adverts often attach themselves to major public announcements before any legitimate recruitment exists. A message offering a guaranteed Telkom Towers job in exchange for a fee, identity document or WhatsApp application should not be treated as official evidence.

Parliament has raised unresolved questions

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure has welcomed the goal of putting dormant state assets to productive use, while warning that funding and affordability must be properly assessed and budgeted.

The committee also says accountability for earlier procurement problems and losses has not been completed, and it has called for information connected to a forensic investigation. Its statement describes the redevelopment announcement as premature until those oversight issues are addressed.

A responsible reading therefore holds two facts together: the precinct may create significant work if a viable project proceeds, and important financial and governance questions remain open.

Skills that could matter if the project advances

A nine-building refurbishment of this scale would normally require a broad chain of work. Potential capability areas include:

  • building inspection, surveying and quantity surveying;
  • structural, civil, electrical and mechanical engineering;
  • plumbing, electrical installation, carpentry and finishing trades;
  • occupational health and safety and site supervision;
  • project controls, procurement and contract administration;
  • facilities management, security and building operations.

These are likely workstreams inferred from the proposed refurbishment, not confirmed vacancies or supplier packages.

What workers and small businesses can do now

Job seekers can use the announcement as a research signal. Review legitimate adverts for refurbishment and facilities projects to see which registrations, trade credentials, safety certificates and experience employers repeatedly request. Keep copies of qualifications and a truthful record of projects where you performed comparable work.

Small contractors should make sure company, tax, safety and supplier records are current, but should not spend money on a bid that has not been officially issued. Monitor verified government procurement channels and read the final scope when it appears. Never pay an intermediary for access to a public tender or a place on a recruitment list.

The most useful preparation is portable. Evidence of safe, reliable work can support an application across many projects, even if this particular proposal changes or is delayed.

Sources and limits

The government announcement was published on 10 September 2026 and the parliamentary response on 11 September 2026. Costs, job estimates, delivery models and timelines may change. Use later procurement and recruitment notices—not this article—as the authority for applications.

Image note: AI-generated editorial illustration; it does not depict the actual Telkom Towers precinct or project team.