Statistics South Africa released the 2024 second quarter’s unemployment rate data on Tuesday, which indicates a rise in the country’s unemployment rate.
Approximately 8.5 million people are
unemployed, with young graduates leading the disparity of unemployment with a
worrying number of young people battling to find jobs after school.
Picture by: StatsSAThe unemployment rate for young people aged 15 to 24 is above 60%, while the rate for the 25 and 35 cohort is more half of that.
Stats SA indicated a disproportion of women in
the work force compared to men. In the second quarter of 2024 unemployment in
women increase to 35.8% from 35.2% in the first quarter of 2024.
Economist Xhanti Payi unpacked the
disproportion by outlining that there’s always been discrimination of women
because employees feel women are not always at work due to childbearing and
other factors such as stereotypes that contribute to women not being
employable.
He said legislation and enforcement of
legislation is a key factor that can be monitored continuously by the
government to ensure women are taken seriously in the workforce.
Accountant and social commentator Khaya Sithole
says this is part of a dual crisis of the country’s missing middle.
This includes youth who couldn’t access higher
education – making them less employable in the formal sector but also includes
graduates with mismatched skills.
“So, you can imagine you’ve got that part of
the economy that is growing and demanding very specialized skills and an
education system that has left so many people in limbo.”
Done by: Sihle Jezile
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