Cape Town - The Western Cape unemployment rate increased to 27.5% over the last three months, Statistics South Africa announced on Tuesday.
This is despite the province adding 46 000 jobs to the local economy as opposed to the 37 000 jobs created in the previous quarter-on-quarter reporting period.
At the last quarter the province’s unemployment rate stood at 25.2%.
When it comes to the expanded unemployment rate, the Western Cape saw an increase from 29% to 31.3%.
“Overall, the Western Cape maintains the lowest expanded unemployment rate in South Africa, with 87 000 jobs created year-on-year,” said the province’s MEC for Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger.
“While there are some promising signs, it is clear we need to do more to match the increasing demand in the Western Cape, and we are determined to do so.
“Creating jobs, through rapid economic growth, is a top priority for the Western Cape Government as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and push forward to enable the private sector to grow and succeed,” she said.
Nationwide, Stats SA said the country’s unemployment rate stood at 33.9%.
“The post-Covid period has been difficult for most South Africans as economic challenges aligned with the rising cost of living continue unabatedly,” said the spokesperson of trade union Uasa, Abigail Moyo.
“Among those who cannot find employment, many have lost hope of ever finding employment again...We can only but hope that the decreasing unemployment numbers will continue for the foreseeable future,” she added.
Moyo said South Africans cannot grow and prosper without jobs while unemployed and without income.
“Uasa encourages all job-seekers not to give up on finding employment or pursuing other opportunities,” she said.
Weekend Argus.