At least 28 000 people lost their jobs in the construction, manufacturing and community services sectors between July and September, pushing up unemployment in South Africa 0.3 %.

Statistics South Africa’s (StatsSA’s) latest Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) survey revealed that while formal, non-farm employment levels rose by 0.8 % year-on-year, more jobs were shed during the third quarter compared with the second quarter of the year. 

Manufacturing alone lost 12 000 jobs in the third quarter, and the construction and community services sectors 11 000.

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) said the growing number of job losses in the manufacturing sector during the third quarter pointed to the depressed state of the economy.

Seifsa economist Marique Kruger said despite efforts to rejuvenate industrial activities towards more employment and economic growth, the immediate future remained bleak. 

StatsSA also said that between the third quarter of 2018 and the third quarter of 2019, a total of 78 000 jobs had been created, representing 0.8 % of jobs created.

The trade sector added 17 000 positions, thus preventing a larger slide in the quarterly job-loss toll.

Source: iOL