Lim records highest unemployment rate

Following the release of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the fourth quarter of 2019 by Statistics South Africa on Tuesday afternoon, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo criticised the provincial government after the province recorded the highest year-on-year job losses in the country.
Party provincial Leader Jacques Smalle claims that during the last three months of 2019, 35 000 people in the province lost their jobs.
He further alleged that more than 77 000 people in the province already lost their jobs last year. The year-on-year losses were the highest nationally, he explained and added that the largest expanded unemployment rate up by 2,1 % to 44% was recorded in Limpopo. The total Limpopo labour force is recorded at 1,821 million. Out of these 391 000 individuals are unable to find work while 531 000 persons have given up looking for a job altogether, Smalle alleged.
“This bleak economic outlook is as a direct result of the African National Congress government’s disastrous management of the economy. Under Premier Stan Mathabatha the executive continues to spend state funds irregularly and recklessly without impunity. During the last 12 months Limpopo’s unemployment rate increased by 6,6% from 16,5% in October to December in 2018 to 23,1% for the same period in 2019. Last week the DA in Limpopo urged the Mathabatha to declare Limpopo a disaster area because of the lingering Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak to stop the increasing losses in the red meat industry, to no avail,” Smalle stressed.
The official report released by Stats SA indicated that the unemployment rate remained unchanged in the country at 29,1% between the third and fourth quarter in 2019.
It went on to highlight that unemployment rate decreased in six of the nine provinces with the largest decrease recorded in Northern Cape (down by 2,9% points) followed by Mpumalanga (down by 1,7% points) and North West (down by 1,6% points).
Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Free State recorded increases in the unemployment rate (3,0% points, 1,7% points and 0,5% point, respectively).
It was further learnt that the year-on-year unemployment rate increased by 2,0% points in the country with Limpopo recording the largest increase of 6,6% points followed by Eastern Cape 3,4% points and North West 2,2% points.
The entity revealed that the expanded unemployment rate increased by 0,2% point in the country in the fourth quarter with the largest increase being recorded in Limpopo 2,1% points followed by Eastern Cape 1,2% points, KwaZulu-Natal 0,5% point and Gauteng 0,2% point.
It was reported that as compared to the same period last year, the expanded unemployment rate increased by 1,7% points in the country in the fourth quarter in 2019.
The report further indicated that all provinces recorded increases in the expanded unemployment rate with Limpopo recording the largest with 5,2% points followed by Free State 3,0% points and Mpumalanga 2,7% points.
Provincial government spokesperson Kenny Mathivha stressed that Limpopo cannot be compared with provinces such as Western Cape because Limpopo in poor and rural.
He reiterated that job loses had nothing to do with governance as he mentioned that jobs in Limpopo are mainly in the agriculture sector and drought has affected the industry drastically. He concluded by saying Mathabatha would outline plans that are in place to create job opportunities when he delivers the State of the Province Address scheduled for 27 February at Jack Botes Hall.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za