South Africa steps up efforts to tackle rising unemployment, says deputy president

CAPE TOWN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) — The South African government is intensifying efforts to combat rising unemployment, particularly among young people, through a coordinated national strategy, Deputy President Paul Mashatile said on Thursday.

“The rate of unemployment in our country is indeed a concern to all of us,” Mashatile told lawmakers at the National Council of Provinces, one of the two Houses of Parliament.

South Africa’s unemployment rate rose to 33.2 percent in the second quarter of 2025, from 32.9 percent recorded in the first quarter. According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), 159,000 more people entered the workforce between April and June 2025. However, only 19,000 were employed during this period, while 140,000 remained unemployed.

When responding to a question on the increase in the unemployment rate, Mashatile said the government is implementing a range of initiatives, including skills training, work experience, entrepreneurship support, and wage subsidies.

He highlighted the role of labor-intensive schemes such as the Expanded Public Works Program (EPWP), Public Employment Programs, and the Community Work Program, which provide temporary jobs and income support.

“This is to ensure that we provide temporary employment and income support, especially to unemployed young people in sectors like infrastructure, environment, and social services,” he said.

In February 2024, the Cabinet approved Phase 5 of the EPWP, aiming to create 5 million work opportunities by 2029 with a budget of 178 billion rand (about 10 billion U.S. dollars).

“This program aims to address youth unemployment by offering young people access to work opportunities through the massification of projects like the maintenance of roads, including pothole patching, public infrastructure development, cleaning and beautification of public spaces, waste management, and social services,” Mashatile said.

“As a government, we are committed to transitioning from fragmented responses to an integrated national program that incorporates skills development, economic opportunity, workplace experience, entrepreneurship support, soft skills, and civic education to foster resilience and adaptability,” he said.

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