At the launch of the Western Cape DA’s manifesto, Prime Minister Alan Winde claimed that 78.9% of all jobs in South Africa over the past five years were created in the province. This assertion was based on data from Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS). However, the QLFS uses the term ‘net jobs,’ which lacks an official definition, and discrepancies arise when comparing different time frames.
Dr. Ihsaan Bassier from the South African Labour and Development Research Unit classified Winde’s claim as “misleading.” When considering data from the fourth quarter of 2018 to 2023, the Western Cape purportedly generated 121.5% of net jobs, which is statistically implausible, given that some provinces experienced job losses.
Stats SA does not endorse the ‘% of net jobs’ metric used by Winde. More accurate measures highlight that while the Western Cape saw a significant increase in employment (9.5%), it is essential to use reliable metrics when reporting employment statistics.
Original Source: EWN
Date: 2024-05-01 12:00:00
www.ewn.co.za