Unemployment Figures Rising, Says StatsSA, More Than 34% of South Africans Are Without Jobs

• Statistics South Africa has given its second-quarter unemployment reports to Parliament's Employment and Labour Portfolio Committee
• The report disclosed that 34.4% of South Africans are unemployed following a 1.8% increase in joblessness from the previous quarter
• One of the main reasons for the increase in the number of unemployed South Africans is the impact of Covid-19 on the workplace

CAPE TOWN - Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) has delivered its second-quarter report regarding the state of unemployment in South Africa. They reported that 34.4% of South African adults are jobless.

Nozipho Tshabalala, the acting deputy director-general for StatsSA, spoke to the Employment and Labour Portfolio Committee about details revealed in the report.

Tshabalala emphasised that Covid-19 had a noticeable effect on unemployment figures due to companies needing to retrench staff for financial purposes and people needing to leave their jobs for Covid-related reasons, IOL reports.

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Unemployment report details

StatsSA faced challenges in data collection during the stricter lockdown periods, which led them to employ computer-assisted telephone interviews in their research process. These interviews revealed that unemployment rose by 1.8% between the first and second quarters.

This 1.8% amounts to 584 000 South African adults. The report found that not only have people lost their jobs, but many feel unmotivated to begin the jobseeking process, according to SABC News.

33% of South Africa's youth between the ages of 15 and 24 are not pursuing any training or education while also being unemployed. However, it was discovered that the most vulnerable group were black women as they had the highest unemployment rate at 41%.

Reactions to latest unemployment figures

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@Reginal24984547 said:

"But there are too many companies that employs illegal immigrants. put it straight, South Africa sit on 34% unemployment rate while @labourdepartment allow companies to employ illegal immigrants."

@BrianB_Brent believes:

"Just going to increase with all the useless and incompetent @MYANC. Nothing new."

@victorzwane8 asked:

"Just imagine, 7.8m are unemployed, most of them are young. How can we solve this crisis.?"

@GodPenuel shared:

"10mln young ppl are jobless. Only 15mln ppl have jobs. 15mln ppl out of 60mln ppl, have jobs (Yes, I know I included students & pensioners, but they also live off social welfare from tax). 19mln grant recipients. 3mln tax payers. Unsustainable. The poor must move to villages."

Mzansi inspired by a young graduate who hustles due to unemployment

Previously, Briefly News reported that with the unemployment rate so high in South Africa, some graduates have opted to make an honest living by starting small businesses to earn some cash.

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No matter how small their hustle may be, fellow South Africans have found their drive commendable.

This is true for a young man who holds a Master's in Communications who found himself unable to find work but decided to start a small hustle selling fat cakes by the side of the road.

Source: Briefly News