ActionSA writes to President Ramaphosa demanding dismissal of employment minister
ActionSA has written to President Ramaphosa, requesting that he dismiss the Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, for her clear failure to arrest the deepening unemployment crisis that continues to erode hope, dignity and opportunity for millions of South Africans.
The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), Q1:2025, paints a dire picture: The official unemployment rate rose to 32.9%, up from 31.9% the previous quarter.
A staggering 8.2 million South Africans are now unemployed, with an additional 3.5 million discouraged work-seekers.
291 000 jobs were lost in the first quarter alone – the first such Q1 contraction since 2021. This equates to more than 24,000 jobs lost each week, and almost 5 000 each workday.
The proportion of young South Africans aged 15–34 who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) rose to 45.1% in Q1:2025 — a devastating indicator that nearly half of our youth have been left without opportunity, support or a path to a better future.
There is a glaring absence of any meaningful strategy, either in planning or implementation and despite full awareness of South Africa's worsening unemployment crisis, Minister Meth has failed to present a coherent plan to stem job losses, support the informal economy or tackle the systemic barriers that keep young people out of the workforce.
In November 2024, ActionSA asked Minister Meth whether she would resign should the country's distressing unemployment figures continue to rise. Her response was blunt and unapologetic: 'Unfortunately, I won't resign.' This laid bare a disturbing indifference to the suffering of millions of South Africans. It is an attitude that reflects the posture of an uncaring government that has grown comfortable with failure while ordinary citizens pay the price.
Nearly a year into her tenure, Minister Meth has not demonstrated the urgency, capacity or leadership required to respond to this economic and social emergency. South Africa's working-age population cannot afford further stagnation under ineffective stewardship.
The absence of meaningful performance management for GNU Ministers has created a culture where failure carries zero consequence. In any functional democracy, such dismal figures amid worsening socio-economic conditions would compel a Minister to take responsibility and step down. Sadly, this standard of accountability is sorely lacking in South Africa and glaringly absent in the Ramaphosa-led administrations.
ActionSA believes that something has to give. Sitting on our hands while millions suffer is simply not an option. We are committed to using every available lever to ensure that South Africa's unemployment crisis is addressed with the urgency it demands.
Alan Beesley MP, ActionSA Member of Parliament
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