ActionSA has acknowledged the slight decline in South Africa’s unemployment rate as revealed in the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey, yet emphasizes the need for more impactful strategies to address the country’s ongoing unemployment crisis. According to Statistics South Africa, the unemployment rate dropped from 33.5% in Q2 of 2024 to 32.1% in Q3, a 1.4 percentage point decrease. The expanded unemployment rate also fell slightly, reaching 41.9% from 42.6% in the previous quarter.
However, ActionSA Member of Parliament Alan Beesley expressed that while these figures are encouraging, they underscore the need for more aggressive solutions. “These numbers, though a small improvement, highlight the scale of South Africa’s employment crisis,” said Beesley. “Compared to a year ago, the unemployment rate has still risen slightly, and the labour force participation rate remains stagnant at 60.2%.”
Beesley pointed out that the youth unemployment rate remains a critical concern, with the percentage of young people aged 15–34 who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) increasing to 43.2% in Q3 2024 from 42.0% in Q3 2023. “South Africa’s economy is simply not growing fast enough to generate the jobs needed,” Beesley said, noting that the National Treasury projects only a 1.1% growth rate for the year, significantly trailing behind emerging markets and Sub-Saharan Africa’s projected 3.6% growth rate.
In response to the crisis, ActionSA has introduced the #Spaza4Locals Amendment Bill, aiming to regulate the township economy and boost local employment by empowering South Africans within their communities. The bill targets spaza shops and other local retail outlets in townships, promoting safer, community-centered businesses and job opportunities in the informal sector.
“Behind these unemployment statistics are real lives and stories of economic hardship, despair, and lost potential,” Beesley said. “We cannot continue business as usual. Bold initiatives are essential to revive our economy and give South Africans hope and agency over their futures.”
ActionSA remains committed to pursuing stronger regulatory reforms and advocating for economic policies that prioritize job creation and sustainable growth, especially within vulnerable and underserved communities.
