The General Industrial Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) has expressed cautious optimism following the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey, which showed that South Africa’s unemployment rate fell to 31.9% in the third quarter of 2025, down from 33.2% in the previous quarter.
While the union welcomed the decline, it warned that the figures mask deeper structural problems in the economy.
GIWUSA president, Mametlwe Sebei, said the data points to a continued trend of deindustrialisation and growing corporate dominance.
“The data reveals an economy where any gains in employment and jobs are actually precarious jobs and have been dramatically undermined by the bloodbath of decent jobs in vital former sectors driven by corporate monopolies,” said Sebei.
He added that while job creation is positive, the quality and sustainability of those jobs remain a major concern, calling for stronger industrial policies to rebuild productive sectors and protect workers’ rights.
VOC News
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