The Eastern Cape government has recorded positive gains in employment, with 36,000 more people finding work in the third quarter of this year.
The latest Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) Quarterly Labour Force Survey shows a 3.6% increase in employment in the province between the second and third quarters.
ALSO READ:
Stats SA: Unemployment rate ticks up by 0.1% in Q3
Stats SA: Uneven labour market highlights stark provincial divides in unemployment
The Eastern Cape provincial government said this places it among the country’s leading provinces in employment growth over the period.
The provincial government said it will continue prioritising youth employment, skills development, infrastructure investment and attracting businesses to the province.
“The positive performance reflects continued efforts of interventions aimed at stimulating economic growth, attracting investment, support local industries and creating work opportunities.
“Whilst the increase in employment is encouraging, government recognises that unemployment remains one of the most significant challenges facing the province,” provincial government spokesperson Khuselwa Rantjie said.
ANOTHER DECLINE IN WC UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
The Western Cape has recorded another decline in its unemployment rate, dropping to 19.4% in the third quarter of this year.
The province’s unemployment rate edged down from 19.5% in the previous quarter, leaving it well below the national rate of 33.7%.
The Western Cape government said the province has added 69,000 jobs over the past year, bringing total employment to approximately 2.88 million.
It’s also the only province to record year-on-year employment growth, with seven out of 10 sectors recording job gains.
Premier of the Western Cape Alan Winde said, “Really excited to see that this province is still under 20%, we’re now at 19.4%. Sixty-nine thousand new jobs added to our economy. We now sit at 2.88 million people in work every single day in the Western Cape.”
Never miss a major story. Get breaking news and the latest developments from South Africa and beyond as they happen.
Anelitha Fandese
www.ewn.co.za