Doidge told journalists yesterday that 223,000 work opportunities had been created since April through the second phase of the government's extended public works programme. At the end of the first quarter, the figure was less than 84,000.
"The overall figures mean that we are on track in achieving set targets, and also indicate a spirited increase in work opportunities created in [programme]-compliant projects during the second quarter as compared to the 83,900 work opportunities created in the first quarter," Doidge said.
But ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said the ruling party was concerned that the job opportunities would not make much of a difference, given the effect of the economic recession on the labour market.
"We are beginning to say that [irrespective of] whether the government does create 500,000 job opportunities, if job losses in other sectors are much bigger than the 500000 job opportunities, it doesn't translate to 500,000 jobs gained in the labour market," Mantashe said.
He said that, though the creation of the promised work opportunities was important, ANC leaders felt that the more pressing issue facing the labour market was how quickly it could recover from the economic downturn.
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