Hundreds of people from various areas in Kathorus walked towards Alrode, hoping to find jobs.
Traffic packed the roads, taxi ranks were overcrowded, and many had rushed to get there early.
This followed a viral post circulating on social media and WhatsApp claiming an Alrode company was hiring.
Post read, “Good day, job seekers. Here’s a job opportunity. By March 13 (Thursday), a company in Alrode, Alberton, near the Puma garage, specialising in steel, needs more than 500 workers. Please be there by 06:00 with your CV. Good luck, job hunters.”
Many people began sharing the post, forming groups, and arranging transport. Some even invited their families and friends, seeing this as a promising opportunity.
However, when they arrived, they discovered the company, Veer Steel Mills, was not hiring. Frustrated and disappointed, many job seekers refused to leave.
@albertonrecord Hundreds of people from different areas in Kathorus were seen walking toward Alrode, hoping to secure employment. The roads were packed with traffic, taxi ranks were overcrowded, and many rushed to get there early. This followed a viral video circulating on social media and WhatsApp claiming that a company in Alrode was hiring.
The Alberton Record contacted Veer Steel Mills for clarification. A company representative confirmed that the hiring claims were false: “The rumours are untrue. People were misled. We have accepted some CVs, but unfortunately, we are not hiring now.”
SA’s ongoing unemployment crisis
This incident highlights the unemployment crisis in SA, where many people struggle to find work.
@albertonrecord Hundreds of people from different areas in Kathorus were seen walking toward Alrode, hoping to secure employment. The roads were packed with traffic, taxi ranks were overcrowded, and many rushed to get there early. This followed a viral video circulating on social media and WhatsApp claiming that a company in Alrode was hiring. Video by Bonga Okhethiweyo Mthembu
According to Statistics South Africa, the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) reported an unemployment rate of 31.9% in the last quarter of 2024, showing how difficult it is for people to find jobs.
Underemployment, where people work fewer hours than they would like, also remains a concern, recorded at 4.6% for the same period.
VAT increase and economic challenges
On March 12, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced a planned increase in VAT, which increased by 0.5% this year, with another 0.5% increase expected next year.
Meanwhile, employment growth has slowed. In 2024, the workforce grew at an average rate of 2% for the first three quarters, significantly lower than the 6.2% growth recorded in 2023.
Although employment reached a record high of 16.9 million people in the third quarter of 2024, the overall unemployment rate remains high at 32.8%, exceeding the long-term average of 27.5%. This is because job creation has not kept up with the increasing number of people entering the labour market.
Experts predict that employment growth will improve over time but will depend on overall economic performance.
