Spotlight on unemployment

More than one in four South Africans can't find work. In survey after survey, people rank this as the country's biggest problem. Here is our in-depth series on unemployment.

This series will consist of about a dozen articles published during mid- to late-February 2019.

South Africa’s failure to create manufacturing jobs

To reduce unemployment South Africa needs to prioritise labour-intensive work instead of higher wages, write professors Jeremy Seekings and Nicoli Nattrass

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Opinion | 18 February 2019

Low wages will not solve South Africa’s unemployment problem, argues economist

Growth in manufacturing is essential but not at the expense of workers

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Interview | 18 February 2019

How to reduce unemployment? Two opposing views

How do we reduce unemployment? That is possibly the most important policy question facing South Africa.

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GroundView | 18 February 2019

Unemployed for three years, Thulani Ngwenya believes entrepreneurship is the way to go

“There are many opportunities in our townships, it is just a matter of finding them.”

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News | 20 February 2019

Stats SA’s confusing mining employment statistics

Quarterly Labour Force Survey is the definitive source for most sectors, but not for mining

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Analysis | 21 February 2019

Reconsidering South Africa’s approach to waste pickers

Waste pickers must be integrated into the formal waste management sector, says researcher

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News | 22 February 2019

Waiting and hoping the whole day for work

“Sometimes in a week I get maybe one job. If I am lucky I get two jobs and I make R150 per job.”

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Photo Essay | 26 February 2019

Unemployment: is there a way forward?

Reducing unemployment should be the top priority of government

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GroundView | 28 February 2019

Eastern Cape traders shut down by municipality over festive season

More than 40 stalls and containers were demolished and removed from main road in Cacadu

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News | 10 January 2024