Theto Mahlakoana
JOHANNESBURG: The government was urged to acknowledge that its unemployment policies have failed and needs to do something about the crisis that cost 355 000 people their jobs in the first quarter of 2016.
Trade unions and specialists agree that the time has come for extraordinary solutions to the country’s unemployment problem.
The figures, which have been described as “disheartening” by Cosatu, were released by Statistics SA in its Quarterly Labour Force Survey yesterday. It shows that the unemployment rate increased to 26.7%.
“This is a sign that both government and big business are in denial about what is going on,” said Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla.
Labour analyst Tony Healy said nothing the government has done so far about the job crisis has helped. He explained that no policies had been instituted to deal with the high unemployment rate.
He added that the economy’s lack of growth would also continuously perpetuate the situation.
Despite the grim figures, Stats SA announced that community and social services had seen an 51 000 increase in employment, while Agricultural industries recorded a 16 000 gain.
However, even these promising figures failed to appease those worried the downward trend in unemployment would continue unabated unless something was done urgently.
These gains were measured against the 79 000 decrease in jobs seen in trade. Labour unions had hoped their meeting with business and the Presidency last night would push the parties towards a solution.
Fedusa general secretary Dennis George said they were prepared to engage the president on some of the factors hampering the country’s growth. “We need our government to decisively intervene in strategic sectors of the economy, including through strategic nationalisation and state ownership.
“Government should use a variety of macro-economic and other levers at its disposal to regulate and channel investment, production and consumption in order to drive industrialisation and sustainable development.”