Unemployment+rate+down,+Stats+SA,+Business+Report

Business Report, September 26, 2006
=Unemployment rate down - Stats SA=


 * By Carol Hills**

South Africa's unemployment rate dropped from 26,5 percent in March 2005 to 25,6 percent in March 2006, Statistics SA (Stats SA) said in its 13th Labour Force Survey on Tuesday.

The fall contributed to a downward trend visible since 2001, said Stats SA deputy director general of population and social statistics, Kefiloe Masiteng.

A decrease was also emerging in the number of "discouraged" work-seekers - unemployed people available to work but not actively looking for work, she said.

There were about 3,683,000 discouraged work-seekers in March 2006 - 12,3 percent of the working-age population - down about 141,000 from the 3,824,000 - 13 percent - in March 2005.

The survey found that the unemployment rate had dropped most in the Western Cape, falling from 19 percent in March 2001 to 15,9 percent in March this year.

Unemployment rates were highest in Limpopo, at 35,6 percent; North West, 31,8 percent; and KwaZulu-Natal, 29,9 percent.

The survey also determined that the unemployment rate among people aged 15 to 24 was substantially higher than those between 25 to 34, and that among people aged 35 to 44 was higher than those aged 45 to 54.

The unemployment rate was higher "by a large margin" among black Africans than Indians, Asians, coloureds and whites.

"Irrespective of population group, the unemployment rate among women - in particular black African women - is substantially higher than their male counterparts," the report noted.

As far as discouraged work-seekers were concerned, two out of every three - 62,4 percent - were female in March 2006, said Masiteng. More than half were under 30.

According to the survey, nearly one in five of Limpopo's eligible population was a discouraged work-seeker.

Of the discouraged, 55,3 percent told surveyors they were not looking for jobs because there were none where they lived; 17,1 percent had no money for transport to try and find work; and 8,8 percent had lost hope of finding work.

The biannual study surveyed 68,386 adults in 30,000 households throughout the country over the four weeks of March 2006.

It determined that South Africa had a working-age population of 29,852,000 of whom 12,45 million were employed at March 2006 - 41,7 percent of the working-age population and up from 40,3 percent year-on-year.

The trade industry - wholesale and retail - made the single largest contribution to total employment, accounting for 2,996,000 jobs, or 24,1 percent of total employment.

The utilities, mining and transport industries contributed the least.

The overall employment level rose from 11,907,000 to 12,451,000 year-on-year - an increase of 544,000 jobs, the survey found.

This included 147,000 jobs in the agriculture sector; 347,000 in the trade sector; 53,000 in finance; and 51,000 in construction.

Masiteng said 1,2 million jobs had been created in the formal sector -excluding agriculture - between March 2001 and March 2006.

The Quarterly Employment Statistics revealed an additional 62,000 employees in the formal, non-agricultural business sector at June 2006.

Gross earnings for the quarters rose 0,9 percent, a 9 percent change on the quarter ended June 2005, said StatsSA acting executive manager Hlabi Morudu.

It appeared that the wage bill had increased consistently with the overall number of people employed, he pointed out.

Average monthly earnings - including bonuses and overtime - in the formal, non-agricultural business sector increased 1,9 percent between February 2006 and May 2006.

Workers in the sector were paid an estimated average of R7231 in May 2006, up seven percent from the R6758 they received in May 2005. – Sapa


 * From: http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=569&fArticleId=3454802**

597 words