* More than one in four of labour force unemployed in Q3
* Number of jobless highest since survey started in 2008
* More than seven in 10 jobless are aged 15-34
* Layoffs in violence-hit mining to drive unemployment up
By Xola Potelwa
JOHANNESBURG, Nov 1 (Reuters) – South Africa’s unemployment
rate rose in the third quarter, with more than one in four out
of work and unrest in the mining sector expected to drive that
number higher still.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) has made job
creation a priority, but the rate has been stuck above 20
percent for more than a decade despite periods of strong
economic growth, fuelling social unrest.
Joblessness increased to 25.5 percent of the labour force,
Statistics South Africa said on Thursday, putting 197,000 more
workers on the streets during the quarter. The agency said 4.667
million people were registered as unemployed, the highest figure
since current records began four years ago.
“It’s amongst the highest unemployment rates globally and
highlights quite strongly that we need to be taking some
corrective action,” said Colen Garrow, an economist at
Johannesburg-based consultancy Meganomics.
Continued…
