South African government determined to meet employment target

South African government determined to meet employment target
Funke Atohengbe, Boksburg

South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma says his government is working round the clock to ensure that the unemployed, particularly the youth, get the jobs that will enable them live a life of dignity.

President Zuma was speaking in Boksburg at the Fifth National Convention of the Federation of Unions of South Africa.

The Southern African Development Bank has said that South Africa’s economy will

have to grow by ten percent if government’s target of creating five million jobs in ten years is to be met.

Quoting the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the third quarter, which reported that South Africa's unemployment rate decreased to twenty five percent from twenty five point seven percent in the second quarter and that total employment rose by 193 000 at the end of the third quarter, President Zuma said despite the gloomy economic conditions, government still had job creation as a top priority.

He said it was encouraging that the growth recorded was amongst the youth.

"These figures may look like a drop in the ocean when one looks at the scores that still remain without jobs. However, for those individuals whose lives will be enhanced due to being gainfully employed, the statistics are most meaningful,” Zuma said.

Employment target

Government aims to create five million jobs by 2020 through a new growth trajectory by increasing investment in infrastructure development, sectors such as manufacturing and the so-called green economy.

It proposes measures to address the strength of the rand and loose monetary policy.

This is despite the Eurozone crisis which threatens to affect South Africa's economy.

Zuma said government had learned lessons from the 2008 economic crisis, which saw South Africa losing more than one million jobs.

He said the productive sectors, such as infrastructure, mining and agriculture, rural development and manufacturing, had been strengthened to create employment on a large scale.

President Zuma said his government had also directed the number of public sector internships to be increased by five percent or sixty thousand positions by 2013 to expose the youths and hold them in good stead when they search for formal employment.

Ekata