Cape Town – Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth is optimistic that a stronger partnership between government and business will drive economic growth and job creation in South Africa.
Despite a slight rise in the unemployment rate from 32.9% to 33.5% in the second quarter of 2024, Meth highlighted a growth in the labour force, with employed persons increasing from 14.1 million in 2020 to 16.7 million in 2024.
She noted positive trends in decreasing unemployment in provinces like Limpopo, Free State, and the Eastern Cape.
“Whilst government has continued to put in place interventions like addressing load shedding, resolving transport and logistics challenges, the economy is not growing as expected. Some of the key contributions to this sluggish economic growth are that South Africa is not insulated from the global economic pressures and geo-politics.
“Henceforth, the scale at which the partnership between government and business is to be elevated, there is much hope that we will see a turn on economic growth yielding to job creation,” Meth said in a statement on Thursday.
She emphasised her department’s role in job preservation and youth employment, citing efforts such as the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), which have saved thousands of jobs.
As she marks her first 100 days in office, Meth is focused on refining the department’s strategy to tackle unemployment, particularly among the youth.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
