South Africa's unemployment crisis continues to deepen, with the official unemployment rate climbing from 32.9% in the first quarter to a staggering 33.5% in the second quarter, according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) from Statistics South Africa.
This grim statistic lays bare the government's ongoing failure to curb the relentless rise in joblessness, despite repeated promises and initiatives.
Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, acknowledged the troubling rise but was quick to divert attention to the marginal increase in the number of employed persons, from 14.1 million in Q2 2020 to 16.7 million in Q2 2024.
However, this growth pales in comparison to the magnitude of the unemployment crisis, and according to analysts, the Minister's optimistic outlook does little to address the harsh reality faced by millions of South Africans
Meth also noted that the decrease in the unemployment rate recorded in provinces such as Limpopo, Free State, and the Eastern Cape is "encouraging and commendable under the circumstances."
However, the Minister emphasised that the South African economy is not growing as expected, attributing this to global economic pressures and geopolitical challenges.
Meth stressed the need for an elevated partnership between government and business to drive economic growth and job creation.
She highlighted the central role of her department in coordinating efforts to combat unemployment, particularly through the Unemployment Insurance Fund's (UIF) contribution to the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative.
This initiative will soon conclude its next intake of one million young people as School Assistants across over 23,000 schools in South Africa she said.
In the 2023/2024 financial year, Meth said the department played a critical role in job preservation, saving 14,887 jobs through the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration's (CCMA) dispute resolution mechanisms.
Additionally, Productivity South Africa's business turnaround and recovery programme assisted 71 enterprises, resulting in 5,390 jobs being saved.
As she continues with her first 100 days in office, Minister Meth remains focused on refining the strategic thrust of her department to sharpen its employment mandate and deliver tangible results.
A new funding agreement between UIF and Productivity South Africa aims to benefit 226 companies, with a target of saving 11,300 jobs over the next three years.
“Aligned to the three priorities of the 7th administration, my department, in fulfilling its mandate, needs a collective approach and refined coordinated efforts that are vigorous to turnaround the status quo, particularly, youth unemployment,” said Meth.
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