Maimane: Unveiling a job-centric manifesto to tackle unemployment

Source: Reuters.

Maimane unveiled his employment-centred manifesto in Bertrams, Johannesburg at the weekend, where he discussed his vision for a resilient South Africa.

“Today, we launch a jobs plan because it is about jobs. If you do not have a job, your dignity is robbed from you. We can distribute as many grants as we like, but even the people who are getting grants actually want this plan to succeed because they all want a job," said Maimane.

He emphasised the significance of embracing a pragmatic approach to address the challenges facing the nation such as poverty and inequality.

He expressed his desire to reside in a nation where every household has an income. Furthermore, he aspired to lead a generation that would ardently advocate for the pursuit of freedom, specifically focusing on the endeavor to create employment opportunities.

According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) by StatsSA, South Africa is grappling with an unemployment rate of 31.9%. This translates to approximately 7.8 million individuals actively seeking employment across the country's nine provinces, placing South Africa at the forefront of global unemployment statistics.

The reported figure, however, does not account for the expanded unemployment rate, which encompasses those who have abandoned their job search and are no longer counted. A more precise evaluation reveals that a staggering 41.2% of South Africa's working-age population is currently unemployed.