Employment in formal non-agricultural sector declines

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The Quarterly Employment Statistics released by Statistics South Africa show that total employment in the formal non-agricultural sector decreased by 67 000 in the first quarter of 2024.

This brings the level of employment in the formal non-agricultural sector to 10.7 million.

The data shows that 74 000 jobs were lost in the trade, community service, business service as well as the mining industry between March 2023 and March 2024.

The Quarterly Employment Statistics is an enterprise-based sample survey drawn from private non-agricultural businesses such as factories, firms, offices, stores, as well as national, provincial and local government entities.

Commenting on stats, COSATU’s Matthew Parks says companies in the private sector needs to start paying a living wage.

“The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant which has been a lifeline for millions of unemployed needs to be increased to the food poverty line. But government cannot as is, this is a ticking time bomb and whilst government needs to play its part, including dealing with issues of crime and corruption and making sure all the companies pay taxes. The state needs to fund public services, the private too has got to come to the party.  The money industry needs to hold retrenchments, we should not be adding a single person to the unemployment queue. Similarly, companies in the private sector need to pay workers a living wage,” says Parks.