In the Free State, more people have lost their jobs. According to the most recent job figures released by Statistics South Africa, the province’s unemployment rate has risen from 32.4% in the second quarter to 33.8% in the third quarter.
The province has shed jobs in areas including utilities and finance, with the private households sector being the hardest hit.
However, jobs in the province have increased in the agriculture, mining, and manufacturing sectors.
Economist Mgcinazwe Zwane says the situation is worrying.
‘But now if you come locally to our province it is worse. It went down to minus zero point nine. Simply meaning that there’s no infrastructure taking place. The household, your agriculture, your transportation, your formal education and industry, there’s no improvement. So it simply means that this hint of us saying there’s improvement in unemployment. It’s not like that. It’s a hogwash for this period because statistically speaking we are still in the red in terms of employment level in our country.”
However, the Free State Economic and Small Business Development Department (ESBDD) says it is working on improving the Special Economic Zone in the eastern Free State and the business hub in Botshabelo.
It says this will help to resuscitate the local economy and create jobs.
The department’s head Mbulelo Nokwequ says they have put in place a number of measures to stimulate economic growth.
“But we are undertaking quite a number of measures to make sure that we want to grow and transform the economy but two ensure that we create jobs. Industrialisation of the free state within which we can then be able to attract the necessary investment. We have, as you would know, the Special Economic Zone for which we received the license quite a couple of years ago.”
A young man from Bloemfontein, who has battled to find a stable job, says his mother gave him culinary skills to enable him to make ends meet.
Vuyani Mazibuko sells food on one of the busy roads in the city. Mazibuko, who is a university dropout has reacted to Statistics South Africa’s release of the latest unemployment figures which have painted a gloomy picture of the province.
“But because I had to pay rent, I had to cloth myself, I had to eat, transport and all those things. So I could not afford it, so I had to come back home to Bloemfontein. And my mom is the one who knows how to bake and do all those things. So I spoke to her that we need to open this business. I told her I would run with this business so we just bake at home.”
Last year, the Free State government committed to tackling issues hampering economic growth and the creation of job opportunities for the youth.
Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela expected to address service delivery, unemployment issues in SOPA
