Government and businesses must unite in the fight against rising unemployment

Unemployment in South Africa has become a national disaster.

Statistics South Africa’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey this week revealed what we all already expected: our unemployment rate has reached record proportions, having increased from 34.9% in the previous quarter to 35.3% at the end of 2021.

The survey has been conducted since 2008. That means more than a third of our working population do not have jobs.

That number climbs even higher – at 46.2% if you take the expanded total, which includes discouraged jobseekers, into account.

It also means more hunger, more malnutrition and more poverty.

According to a 2021 study, it was reported that 40% of South Africans go hungry every night and 2.3 million households reported child hunger.

The conflict in Ukraine will only see rising hunger levels due to food price inflation, on the back of the damage Covid has left.

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What is even more concerning is that the survey revealed that young people are not only discouraged with the labour market, but they have even given up on learning the necessary skills to find jobs.

Of the 10 million aged 15 to 24 under the extended unemployment rate, 32.8% were not in employment, education or training.

According to the report: “Some young people have been discouraged with the labour market and they are also not building on their skills base through education and training – they are not in employment, education or training.”

If the youth is waving the white flag when it comes to seeking work, we have problems. The government is failing its people. We need to create more jobs.

We need to create more opportunities for small businesses to flourish.

It’s time for government, successful businesses and business leaders to put their heads together to come up with new initiatives. This cannot continue.