Heartbreaking: Job Seekers in Their 1000s Queue Up for 'Just 28 Jobs', Video Goes Viral

• South Africans were recently taken aback by a video that surfaced online that shows thousands of people lining up for jobs
• This has seen the country's alarming unemployment rate again cast into the spotlight following the release of the second quarter employment figures
• The outpouring of sympathy from ordinary South Africans was staggering as many lamented the painful scenes

South Africa's alarming unemployment rate was again cast into the spotlight following the release of the second quarter employment figures on Tuesday.

Reports have told of a bleak reality for the country's unemployed population of 34.4 per cent, the highest on a global list of 82 countries.

Social media users in Mzansi have joined in on the conversation after popular Twitter user @kulanicool shared a heartbreaking video that appears to show thousands of people pitching up to be randomly selected for presumed temporary menial labour.

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The video was captioned

"Jobseekers in Ficksburg, and the company is looking for 28 people."

According to the influencer, the unsettling video was taken in Ficksburg, Free State, despite the province recording a 20 000 employment gain in the second quarter.

The 30-second clip was liked close to 400, with more than 50 people heading to the comments section to lament the scenes.

Staggering response from Mzansi social media users

The outpouring of sympathy from ordinary South Africans was staggering as many lamented the regrettable sight.

Briefly News takes a look at some of the glaring reactions below.

@Bluto74892217 said:

"Our education system needs to teach us to be employers ayko lento!"

@ShareenSingh8 observed:

This is really sad. Our government has lost its heart, and the rich, especially those supporting the DA, will not budge."

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@CozminoNtsomi noted:

"This breaks my heart. You'd find out that the employers already secured positions for their family members, wena you sweat here all [day] long for nothing."

@sbusiso95766543 wrote:

"Heartbreaking, it's like that horrible accident that you just look away from because ai this pains."

@xiluva075 added:

"Heartbreaking. The level of economic exclusion is staggering."

SA's latest unemployment rate is a sign of financial depression

In related news, Briefly News recently reported that the latest figures suggest the unemployment rate has reached an all-time high.

This is an increase of 1.8 per cent from the previous quarter. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) complied by Stats SA is a household-based sample survey that gathers information on the labour market behaviours of people aged 15 and older, according to IOL.

The QLFS revealed that in the second quarter, the number of employed people fell by 54 000 to 14.9 million while the number of unemployed individuals increased by 584 000. Currently, 7.8 million South Africans between the ages of 15 and 64 are unemployed.

Source: Briefly News