Attorney Michael de Broglio on: South Africa, Law, Politics, Attorneys, Sport, Photography, Technology, Gadgets, Media, Crime, Road Accidents Fund,
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It appears that the 29.1% figure we all talk about, as to the official unemployment in South Africa, is totally wrong. It excludes all those, after years and years of searching for jobs, have given up and accepted that they are not going to find a job. If you include those people in your statistics, and of course one should, then the official unemployment rate in South Africa would be 36.9% which is more than one out of every 3 people who want a job and cannot find one.
It actually makes no sense to exclude from the statistics those who have given up looking for jobs. That means a total of 9,6 million people in South Africa don’t have employment, even though Stats SA claims that to be 6,7 million people by leaving out those who have given up hope. The Reserve Bank apparently estimates that South Africa lost 200,000 jobs during 2019 and obviously the problems with Eskom and the damage it does to so many businesses, including my law firm, should not be under-estimated. The last thing we need right now is something to impact our largest trade partner, China. The coronavirus is certainly not going to help the South Africa economy or indeed the Rand.
Posted by Michael de Broglio on Wednesday 25-Mar-20
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Comments
Zandelee said:
on Wednesday 08-Apr-20 11:55 AM
It is so sad to see nowadays people standing at the robot with a little board stating the degree they have and still no job. It really opens one eyes to the harsh reality that having a degree will not even ensure a job these days. You really have to put yourself out there and knock on every possible door
Tamaryn said:
on Wednesday 08-Apr-20 11:22 AM
I think those who have given up looking for a job should absolutely be included in the unemployment rate, That is exactly what they are, unemployed. By virtue of the fact that they have given up shows precisely how bad the job market is and giving up implies that they were looking to begin with. They are trying to make the stats look better by excluding certain groups of those unemployed. This is not an accurate reflection. Stats are not always accurate and are easily manipulated to present a state of a affairs that is not in fact so.
Brenda Strydom said:
on Friday 03-Apr-20 09:21 AM
Our unemployment rates is very bad in South Africa and its only going to increase and its scary there is so many people out there that is going to close they company doors because of this Virus.
Melissa said:
on Friday 03-Apr-20 07:37 AM
This unemployment rate is really shocking and it's just going to increase with most of the companies closing their doors due to the Covid-19
Ruby said:
on Wednesday 01-Apr-20 10:08 AM
I have always wondered why only those actively looking for jobs were excluded from these unemployment stats. Personally, I am aware of people who would rather spend that R50 to put food on the table for the days than using it for transport to seek jobs. A little more research on this will most likely result in a higher unemployment stats.
Sinead said:
on Wednesday 01-Apr-20 08:30 AM
And to make matters worse, there is no chance of job creation at this point.
Sinead said:
on Wednesday 01-Apr-20 08:29 AM
These statistics are horrific! When you see it as 1:3, even scarier!
It's sad to think that the unemployment rate in 2020 will be even higher due to COVID-19.
Henrietta said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 08:29 PM
What a huge figure of unemployment, shocking. This is really terrible and i can only imagine how many companies will now close their doors after being lockdown and how many more will be unemployed.
Thabitha said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 06:59 PM
Goodness what a big number so many people are unemployed and we are going to see this number growing due to the virus affecting our economy
Cornelie said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 05:37 PM
I think after this Covid -19 lockdown the unemployment rate will be heating the roof.
Bronwyn said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 05:20 PM
i can see this figure increasing after the Covid-19 pandemic, these figures are really frightening as we might have an increase in crime rates as well.
Daniella said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 12:51 PM
Our unemployment rates terrify me, I am so worried about the rate going up after the nation wide shut down, because unemployment leads to higher rates of crime and poverty. I just hope that SA can pick itself up after Covid-19.
Dune said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 10:45 AM
Our unemployment figures was high before the corona epidemic. What is it going to look like 3-6 months down the line. With the uncertainty of how long we will actually be locked down for, small businesses, etc living month to month how will they survive, just like you said people at fast food industries, waiters living off of tips, etc, I am sure these stats will increase by al least 10% if not more.
Lourien said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 10:14 AM
This is problematic and in a country like ours we cannot afford more job losses as we already have such a high unemployment rate.The current situation that we find our selves in will also make matters worse.
The lock down will also allow some organisations sit back and look at their employees and see that there are some positions that are actually not needed. It is scary to think that there are so many employees sitting at home currently and that their jobs might get redundant.
There are so many organisations and businesses that will not be able to keep running when they are not receiving any income. I do hope that this period we are in will not last to long.
Kendall said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 09:45 AM
These figures of unemployment are frightening! The more people are unemployed, the higher our crime rate becomes. The rate of unemployment will definitely increase as a result of COVID19 and the struggling economy. This is a time of much uncertainty for all South Africans, and people all over the world.
Dasanya said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 09:41 AM
Unemployment is a huge problem in South Africa and contributes to a lot of other issues that we face as a country i.e crime, poverty etc. The terrifying part of it is that with our country in lockdown and many businesses which are said to not be re-opening post lockdown, this figure is going to increase drastically. More people without jobs and more households under pressure to make ends meet.
Shristi said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 09:40 AM
This is so scary.. This percentage is definitely going to sky rocket after the lockdown.. It makes one grateful for the jobs that we have..
Mathilda Du Preez said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 09:27 AM
The unemployment rates will increase even more now due to the lock down.
We must be very grateful for what we have.
Shanelle said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 08:55 AM
The unemployment rates will increase given what we are currently facing. It is the scary reality we live in. Hopefully our government will take action. We will have to wait and see.
Michelle D said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 08:22 AM
Unfortunately these unemployment stats will only increase in light of our current situation. It will be interesting (and terrifying) to see our country come out of this.
Brumilde Cronje said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 07:45 AM
This always reminds us to be very grateful to our employers and to people who are job creators, who trying to help grow the economy, in SA we however have Xenophobia and all sorts of nonsense that sets this back, investors dont want to touch SA
Ashleigh said:
on Tuesday 31-Mar-20 07:41 AM
When unemployment rate keeps going higher so does crime increase. I can only imagine how scared many unemployed people are feeling right now with this lockdown and not having a chance at finding a job any time soon. Very sad.
Zindy said:
on Monday 30-Mar-20 06:28 AM
The unemployment rate is saddening. I can only imagine after this lockdown how many companies would of fallen and not able to recover damages from this pandemic, the stats are already bad so would be interesting to see the stats after the lockdown but as you say not everyone is included in this stats. I myself know many people that have not been able to find employment. So those who are lucky enough to have a job should be grateful for the opportunity they have been given.
Megan said:
on Friday 27-Mar-20 10:27 AM
With the virus spreading this rapidly and companies closed during lockdown, we can't be sure which will survive. What if this increases indeed?
Prishani said:
on Thursday 26-Mar-20 04:59 PM
This is a scary reality that we have to face and deal with. I am very surprised by the stats and how certain groups were simply excluded from the stats.
Nicolle said:
on Thursday 26-Mar-20 04:23 PM
Corona will not only kill people, it will kill jobs and the economy. Conspiracy theorist seem to believe that this is the world's purge.
In the loom of the South African "lock-down" people are terrified. "If I do not work, I do not earn money. If I do not earn money, I cannot pay my debts, nor feed my family." It is scary.
thembi said:
on Thursday 26-Mar-20 04:01 PM
The unemployment rate is very high. It must drop. The governemnt needs to do something about it.
Claudia B said:
on Thursday 26-Mar-20 03:44 PM
It's sad to say but the number of unemployment will just increase this year more and really fast as well with this coronavirus that is now in SA. a lot of people will be sitting without a job/income and that is how the number will slowly increase now.
Ziyanda said:
on Thursday 26-Mar-20 01:37 PM
I think that this figure of the unemployment rate is going to increase due to the financial impact the Corona Virus is already having on the Global Economy. Many people are going to lose their jobs due to businesses not operating due to this pandemic.
Natasha said:
on Thursday 26-Mar-20 12:43 PM
This is so scary and after this Lock down i think it will be even worse and to think we don't know if this is going to carry on after the 21 days or not.
Sujata said:
on Thursday 26-Mar-20 10:23 AM
Saddening to know more will lose their Jobs as a result of this pandemic however, this is a sad reality we all need to be mindful about. Employers and employees will jointly endure the repercussions.
I knew it all along. And the COVID 19 outbreak will definitely affect it as well. The impact it already has on the economy is frightening.
Alexis said:
on Thursday 26-Mar-20 08:45 AM
The amount of people already affected with the Caronavirus is already affecting the economy. Business' that do not get affected by this will as well face the reality that a lot of people may not survive this, but let one have some hope that we are able nip this to get our economic status can recover and get better. This will be an eye opener to our situation
Karien said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 08:52 PM
The corona virus will most definitely negatively impact the economy and will force many companies to lay off employees due to financial difficulties.
The unemployment rate in South Africa has been alarming for many years, but what worries me most is that the unemployment rate is the highest among citizens whom are considered to be in their most productive years.
Nicolene said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 08:12 PM
Yes this should be included in the statistics..It is a shame that this is what's happening in our beautiful country.We have lost sight of what is important in this country and keep importing from places like china which has crushed our industry and closing so many established businesses that use to produce quality products.The businesses that have managed to survive end up in a price war with the Chinese and some try to compete but we all know how far that gets you.
Kayla said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 04:37 PM
This is a devastating statistic. People need to jobs to bring in an income to support their family and unfortunately in today's times, you cant live on one salary. Unemployment in South Africa is a serious problem, and now with the Pandemic I can only imagine how much worse its going to be afterwards with companies that need to build up again if they can even afford to do that.
Clare Tissen said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 01:48 PM
This is very Bad and very Sad. I really dont know how people can living into days life Style without having a Job, you need your salary to have food, clothing and a roof over your head and with what is going on now in the world with the Convid 19 virus where are all these people going to live. I hope things can change, i hope that people can find something, All these people that live in the streets i feel so sad for them. But what also mind blows me is the people that just don't want to work and you give them an option and they say no. Life is hard already and its going to just get harder now that we are Shutting down our country.
Jessica said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 10:46 AM
This is a very sad statistic, I can only imagine how much worse with this lockdown it is going to get. How are these people even surviving? Very very sad I must say.
Victoria said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 10:10 AM
Wow that is a scary number to look at! I agree that they shouldn't be excluding those people who have given up looking for a job. It makes the rate look less but its incorrect. Coronavirus is going to affect everything.
Roxanne said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 08:50 AM
Its pointless sugar coating the stats we need to know the facts so we can act according. A big up to those who don't lose hope and continue to look for a job
fikile said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 08:41 AM
The unemployment rate is going to raise because people go out the to look for work and they get the " You are over qualified for this position" simply because they don't want to hire someone who will replace them in a year or two. The other is the retrenchment, people are being removed from work because the companies can't pay their taxes or it's banked robbed, it gets scary and more freaking for people who want to work if they see these kind of things and that is when they just stop looking for a job and yes i agree it's wrong but what are they to do? And when they get the job they are under paid, over worked and not being seen for the efforts that they make on the company
Melandre' said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 08:35 AM
I would not be surprised if that approximate estimate would increase during this lock down South Africa will be facing with the uncertainty as to actual duration of said lock down. Not only will it knock our economy into a deeper state of recession but there is a large possibility there will be those that lose their sole-run-businesses due to a constraint on income during this time. I agree that the actual statistic should include those that have given up hope to find a job, or incur permanent employment. It is beyond sad that within this country there are around 9.6 million people who are not able to look after themselves and even their families. It is clear that once again our government has found a way to curve the truth of the matter.
Bianca Niemann said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 08:24 AM
It makes no sense to exclude those numbers at all, they are after all unemployed. Sugarcoating statistics is not helping any of us, we need to know the reality so that the problem can be resolved entirely. By purposely leaving out people / numbers or manipulating the statistics you are only facing a part of the problem.
Chante said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 08:23 AM
It's sad as to how many people have given up hope on finding a job and earning an income but it is reality that the Corona virus will be affecting the South African economy and will lead to an increase in the unemployment rate. All we can do is hope that our economy can recover from all that is happening.
Nikita said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 08:17 AM
There are those who are actively trying to find jobs and then there are those who would rather sit at home collecting a grant every month. I will always support people who are at least trying to make a living. I can honestly appreciate the person who is selling fruit on side of the road or making bird feeders for gardens. With the current situation at hand I think the UIF system is going to collapse and the unemployment rate is going to sky rocket.
Courtney said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 08:09 AM
This COVID-19 virus is going to have a negative impact on a lot of things in SA. I can't begin to comprehend how it must feel to carry the weight of the entire country on your shoulders. I think this decision were very hard knowing what it will do to do economy. let's all be positive and still do the best we can to make things better.
Michelle Smillie said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 08:04 AM
Unemployment is a reality in this life, and not just in South Africa. Sadly, there are still many people who blindly believe that they can job-jump and all will be okay. Unfortunately, those lessons are hard to learn, but will come at some point.
david said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 07:56 AM
loads of unemployed, a brilliant education system some of the world's best labour laws to keep them that way...
sandra said:
on Wednesday 25-Mar-20 07:39 AM
There are a further 16 million people in the working age (15 to 64) who are rendered invisible, none of them working. They are people who want work but have become discouraged, or people regarded as economically inactive because they report not looking for work also Unemployment Rate in South Africa is expected to be 27.50 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations.
Johannesburg based attorney specializing in personal injury matters including Road Accident Fund claims and medical negligence matters. My interests include golf, reading and the internet and the way it is constantly developing. I have a passion for life and a desire for less stress!
