Employment rises: Adcorp

Total employment grew at its fastest rate in eight months in November, the latest Adcorp Employment Index has found.

According to the index, released on Thursday, employment grew at an annual rate of 3.41 percent in November with all employment categories reporting growth.

"All employment categories reported growth, the fastest being the informal sector (four percent), temporary work (3.8 percent) and permanent jobs (2.8 percent)."

Agency work lagged behind at two percent, possibly reflecting "legislative and regulatory uncertainties" regarding labour broking.

Significant job growth was recorded in the distribution and logistics sector, 18.1 percent, the retail sector, 8.7 percent and financial services, 8.2 percent.

By contrast, sharp declines in employment were observed in mining, minus 15.7 percent, and manufacturing, minus 5.4 percent.

Demand for skilled workers increased sharply, notably managers and professionals. This reflected the economy's ongoing re-orientation toward high value-added services sectors.

Demand for clerks, 9.1 percent and service workers, 4.7 percent, increased too.