IN CONVERSATION WITH MATTHEW PARKS
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The Congress of South African Trade Unions has called for bold and decisive government intervention to address South Africa's worsening unemployment crisis, following the release of Statistics South Africa's third-quarter labour force figures for 2026.
The federation says unemployment has increased by 2.4 percentage points during the first three quarters of the year, while the expanded unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points to 44% in the third quarter.
Although the economy recorded an increase of 268 000 formal-sector jobs and overall employment grew by 101 000, COSATU argues that these gains remain insufficient to absorb new entrants into the labour market. Employment growth was recorded in the finance sector, which added 111 000 jobs, manufacturing with 33 000 and mining with 31 000.
COSATU has warned that South Africa cannot continue normalising economic growth of around 1% alongside persistently high unemployment, poverty and inequality.
The federation is calling for an aggressive economic stimulus package focused on rebuilding public and municipal services, improving access to affordable capital for small businesses and industrial sectors, and expanding public employment programmes to provide relief for unemployed people.
The federation says unemployment has increased by 2.4 percentage points during the first three quarters of the year, while the expanded unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points to 44% in the third quarter.
Although the economy recorded an increase of 268 000 formal-sector jobs and overall employment grew by 101 000, COSATU argues that these gains remain insufficient to absorb new entrants into the labour market. Employment growth was recorded in the finance sector, which added 111 000 jobs, manufacturing with 33 000 and mining with 31 000.
COSATU has warned that South Africa cannot continue normalising economic growth of around 1% alongside persistently high unemployment, poverty and inequality.
The federation is calling for an aggressive economic stimulus package focused on rebuilding public and municipal services, improving access to affordable capital for small businesses and industrial sectors, and expanding public employment programmes to provide relief for unemployed people.
