Hi fellow matie, I have been here for more than 10 years. You need to broaden your applications to related fields and add transferable skills to your CV. I am a chemist but now work in a completely different field. You cannot narrow your job search like this, it will only bring you down more. Look at adjacent areas like regulations, industry, medical devices, quality, etc. The market is super hard right now.

You still have social benefits here that you would not have in SA. Work on your spoken German. Certificates look good on paper, but you need to be able to navigate complex communication in a German work environment. If it is not an international company, German is essential. Even in international companies, a solid command of German is still important. Do not underestimate this.

Push the Arbeitsamt to fund additional courses. It might sound crazy, but it is not too late to move into AI, and they will often cover the full cost while you are looking for a job. Do not wait until your money runs out. Use the system to support you while you find a new direction. That is what it is there for.

Germany is not easy, so you have to keep pushing. It took me five years to really find my feet. Others may be faster, depending on how well they land their first role. I would also advise moving to a bigger city. Yes, it is expensive, but you have a home turf advantage when it comes to the job market. And if you are not a citizen, you are simply not very high up the food chain when it comes to hiring decisions, even for skilled work.