Latest job figures 'cause for concern'

30 July 2015 - 02:02 By Sipho Masombuka

The decrease in unemployment figures has been received with scepticism in the economic sector, with researchers saying it was no cause for celebration. Stats SA's Quarterly Labour Survey results show that employment increased by 198000 jobs in the second quarter of the year.But economists say it is worrying that the biggest increase was in the informal sector and community and social services. At 177000 and 98000 jobs created in the second quarter of the year, these job sectors had the most increases.Paul Joubert, senior researcher at Solidarity Institute, said this was not a good picture as these figures included those of people working in the state's Expanded Public Works Programme and in the public service.The unemployment rate is firmly at 25%, meaning a 1.4% decrease in the first and second quarter.Joubert said for the National Development Plan target of bringing this down to 14% by 2020 to be attained, 20.3million people should be employed by then.He said this was not attainable, unless the economy grew enormously over the next five years.Construction created 79000 jobs and trade industries contributed 73000 jobs, with losses in finance (31000), manufacturing (23000) and agriculture (22000).Forty-three percent of employed youth and 50.1% of adults had education levels below matric.The majority of those without work had education levels of below matric (there are 114000 unemployed graduates and 2million with matric and lower).The number of unemployed white graduates increased by 3.1%.Over half of employed blacks and coloureds had not completed matric in the second quarter of this year. Figures show that, for one employed black graduate, there were five employed white graduates and four employed Indians...

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