North West job seekers urged not to despair as unemployment rises

The North West Economic Development MEC Bitsa Lenkopane has urged unemployed residents not to despair.

This as Statistics South Africa’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey ranks the province as having the highest unemployment rate in the country.

Factoring in discouraged job seekers, the official unemployment rate in the province stands 0.6% higher, from 53.6% in the first quarter of this year to 54.2% in the second quarter.

Lenkopane says there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

“We will be able to improve. Remember we also have agreements with other countries and that is why we are confident that with the commitments that came from the investors from all points, we are going to make it and our people must not lose hope.”

“We will keep directing them, and that’s why we are also going to deal with the issue of upskilling them. So that they must be able to fit well in the opportunities that we want to present for them.”

But for those who want to be self-employed, funding is a stumbling block.

“Access to funding is a challenge, even when you want to start a small business to make a living. So you will find yourself with no income, and relying on a child support grant, which is also not enough.”

“The grant is used to buy food, toiletry and electricity, which is very expensive. So you will find yourself not knowing what to do, in order to make your life better,” elaborates one resident.

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-Reporting by Thabiso Moss