Jobs crisis: Political parties demand accountability for rising unemployment

The Citizen

a day ago

Stats SA revealed that 140 000 jobs were lost between April and June.
ActionSA is blaming the government of national unity (GNU) for thousands of jobs lost in the second quarter of 2025.
This comes after Stats SA on Tuesday revealed that 140 000 jobs were lost between April and June.
'This brings the total increase to almost 350 000 unemployed individuals so far in 2025 under the government of national unity (GNU), according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for Q2 2025 released by Statistics South Africa today,' said ActionSA MP Alan Beesley.
He said the ANC and its partners in the GNU have been too busy focusing on their own internal squabbles, leaving ordinary South Africans to contend with harsh economic conditions.
'With the GNU consumed by infighting, the economy is left rudderless. At their press conference yesterday, the DA openly admitted to being at odds with their coalition partner, the ANC, on virtually every element of their supposed plan to'save' South Africa's economy.
'Instead of working for the people, the GNU's coalition partners are working against each other,' said Beesley.
Unemployment
The official unemployment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points from 32.9% in Q1 2025 to 33.2% in Q2 2025.
'This means that one in every three active jobseekers cannot find work. While the expanded unemployment rate declined slightly from 43.1% in Q1 2025 to 42.9% in Q2 2025, this was driven by growth in the labour force rather than genuine job creation,' he said.
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Why are there not enough jobs?
Beesley blamed years of economic mismanagement for the inability of the economy to create sustainable jobs. He said government should be held accountable.
'President Ramaphosa's recent claim that the economy is in a 'state of emergency' is a belated and inadequate acknowledgement of what South Africans have known for years.
'The emergency was created by years of slow, ineffectual governance, and now those responsible claim they want to solve it,' he said.
Beesley said South Africa has not achieved economic growth of 3% or more in over a decade.
'Under the GNU, growth has yet to exceed 1%, and unemployment continues to rise.
'Each day, thousands of South Africans lose their livelihoods while Cabinet grows and executive perks multiply.
'This additional loss of jobs comes before the anticipated imposition of new US tariffs, meaning that this hapless inertia is likely to have even more devastating consequences for South Africa's already fragile economy,' he said.
Unemployment problem in Gauteng
DA shadow MEC for Economic Development Mike Moriarty on Tuesday said the unemployment problem is being felt in Gauteng.
'Currently, there are 2 645 000 unemployed residents in Gauteng and 595 000 discouraged job seekers.
'Furthermore, 10.3 million young people are not in employment, education or training,' said Moriarty.
He said the province's Nasi iSpani jobs initiative has failed many young people.
'Our residents deserve permanent job opportunities, not short-term employment.'
He said the provincial government must remove all corrupt officials and replace them with competent individuals who deserve the jobs.
'The DA Gauteng demands that the premier, along with the MEC for economic development, Lebogang Maile, clean up the GPG and take immediate steps to remove officials implicated in corruption, not reshuffling them to other departments,' he said.