The ANCWL statement on the unemployment rate in South Africa

23 November 2016

The African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) has noted the Statistics South Africa 2016 quarterly labour force report  which indicated that the unemployment rate in South Africa (SA) to be at 26.7%. This is worrisome to the ANCWL as various studies have indicated that unemployed women face greater risk of domestic violence. It is reported that economic dependency is  one of the reasons why women are subjected to violence and endure such violence.

The current global economic challenges which SA is not immune to, requires all parties (Government & Private sectors) in the country to work together to address the challenges of unemployment. The positive outcomes of addressing unemployment will  yield positive spin-offs in addressing domestic violence in the country which some women and children are subjected to on daily basis.

Amongst progressive action that private sector must take to Save SA is: 

- unreservedly working with government in finding ways of growing the economy.

- abandoning the investment strike.

- contribute in funding free education in Institutions of Higher Learning

It is unfortunate there is a deliberate long term investment strike in SA where companies are sitting with ever growing cash balances of around R725 billion and not willing to invest. The unpatriotic companies embarking on diplomatic sanctions create their wealth in SA and take a deliberate decisions not to reinvest in the country. It is sad that the some of these companies by and large are the first to retrench workers and create elaborate plans to dodge or delay paying taxes.

The ANCWL calls the private sector to be patriotic and invest it's gains to contribute in job creation. Furthermore the ANCWL calls on South Africa's pension funds trustees to take a conscious decision and reinvest into the economy over the R6 trillion that the pension funds are allegedly have in cash.

The call by the ANCWL for job creation to overcome the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality, which women bear the brunt of has to be supported by all sectors of society. Unemployment has a direct negative impact on the lives of women therefore economic empowerment of women is a huge contribution towards the fight against gender based violence.  

Issued by Meokgo Matuba, Secretary General, ANCWL, 23 November 2016