Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has released its Quarterly Employment Statistics, revealing a net decline of 91,000 jobs between December 2023 and December 2024. The report shows a drop of 26,000 full-time jobs and 65,000 part-time jobs over the year.
Despite the overall decline, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) welcomed a marginal employment increase in the fourth quarter of 2024.
“Stats SA announced a 0.1% increase in employment, adding 12,000 jobs in the last quarter of 2024, despite the year-on-year loss of 91,000 jobs,” said Cosatu spokesperson Zanele Sabela.
She explained that the quarterly gains came from 10,000 full-time and 2,000 part-time positions, which is unusual for the festive season when retail and hospitality typically drive seasonal hiring.
“The trade and business services sectors contributed to the employment increase, while mining, construction, and manufacturing saw significant job losses,” she noted.
With South Africa’s expanded unemployment rate at 41.6%, Sabela emphasized the importance of even small job gains.
“In this tough economic climate, every job created is a step in the right direction,” she added.
VOC News
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