Statistics SA has recently released its estimation for the September to December fourth quarter unemployment rate, showing an improvement from 27,7% to 26,7%.
Normally an improvement is associated in the fourth quarter with an influx of temporary employment over the festive season.
Despite several economists predicting the unemployment rate to stay constant at 27,7% the marked improvement was welcomed.
Conversely the absorption rate, being the ratio of the population to the employment statistics and the ability to provide employment opportunities within an economy had improved to 43,1% from 43,3%.
This had the affect of decreasing the number of unemployed persons to 5,88 million as opposed to 6,21 million as had been recorder in the third quarter.
The manufacturing sector had attributed for the highest contribution to job creation followed by the construction and social services sectors.
Considering recent political changes the consensus among business is somewhat optimistic with most SMME’s sensing hope for the future.
-CEO Collective Bargaining Team