Statement on Quarterly Labour Force Survey
15 August 2024
The African National Congress (ANC) has noted the results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the second quarter (Q2) of 2024. The QLFS survey results indicate that, overall, the official unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2024 now stands at 33,5% and that the working-age population in South Africa has increased by 137 000 or 0,3% in the second quarter of 2024 compared with the first quarter of 2024.
The ANC further notes that employment statistics generally fluctuate from quarter to quarter, depending on a series of issues in the cycle of production in a year. First and second quarters typically reflect the entry into the employment market of young South Africans who have graduated from secondary and tertiary schooling and who are yet to find employment opportunities.
The key issue is to focus our attention on sustainable pathways of employment creation over a longer period of time, seeking out structural changes in economic output that will improve labour absorption in the medium to long term.
It is worth noting that sectors such as Manufacturing as well as Community and Social Services are the two main sectors that grew employment in the quarter. The largest industry employment gains were recorded in Manufacturing (49 000) and Community and social services (36 000). This demonstrates the importance of public sector expenditure and employment programmes in stabilising the economy alongside private sector investment in manufacturing.
The informal sector has also been more resilient, thus, validating the need to sustain and ramp up government support for micro enterprises to boost their contribution to economic development in our country.
The African National Congress remains committed and focused on improving the overall functioning of the South African economy in the interest of employment creation. Our strategy, as outlined in the ANC manifesto and carried over into the ANC-led Government of National Unity policy programme, rests on macroeconomic interventions that include improved industrial policy to boost manufacturing and export capabilities, continuing to stabilise electricity and logistics systems, deploying fiscal resources to critical sectors of the economy along the infrastructure and incentives pipeline, as well as using public procurement policy to boost domestic output in goods and services.
The task at hand for the ANC is to continue rallying government, business, organised labour and the community sector to work together around the strategy of the ANC-led government to get the economy going on the basis of a renewed macroeconomic strategy that industrialises the economy, improves the impact of infrastructure investment and raises the levels of private investment in productive sectors of the economy.
Issued by Zuko Godlimpi, Acting National Spokesperson, EFF, 15 August 2024
