For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: Unemployment rate worsens to 33.2%; Solidarity Movement and its institutions pull out of convention; And, South Africa’s revised trade offer to the US described as ‘broad, generous, open and ambitious’

Unemployment rate worsens to 33.2%; 

South Africa's unemployment rate worsened by 0.3 of a percentage point to 33.2% in the second quarter, compared with the unemployment rate of 32.9% reported for the first quarter of the year.

Statistics South Africa reports that there was an increase of 19 000 in the number of employed persons to 16.8-million, while there was an increase of 140 000 in the number of unemployed persons to 8.4-million in the second quarter. This resulted in an increase of 159 000 in the labour force during the same period.

Discouraged work-seekers decreased by 28 000 and the number of persons who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement remained unchanged between the first quarter of 2025 and the second quarter. This led to a decrease of 28 000 in the number of the not economically active population to 16.6-million.

Solidarity Movement and its institutions pull out of convention

Following the withdrawal of seven legacy foundations from the upcoming National Dialogue Preparatory Task Team, the Solidarity Movement and its institutions, AfriForum and Solidarity, have announced their withdrawal from the National Convention, starting on Friday.

The Movement attributed the decision to its belief that the National Dialogue has been “hijacked” by the African National Congress.

Last week, the Steve Biko Foundation, Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Chief Albert Luthuli Foundation, Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation, FW de Klerk Foundation, Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation and the Strategic Dialogue Group said the Dialogue had become compromised.

The foundations called for a postponement of the National Dialogue to allow for adequate preparation, coherence and participatory integrity, citing violations of the dialogue’s core principles.

The National Convention kicks off on August 15 and 16 at the ZK Matthews Hall, at Unisa, in Pretoria, and marks the beginning of the National Dialogue process, which will roll out over the next few months across the country in the form of public dialogues in different communities and sectors.

National Convention organising committee chairperson Boichoko Ditlhake led a media briefing to present a public update on the Convention and Dialogue, following the controversy around the legacy foundations' withdrawals last week.

He acknowledged the withdrawals but asserted that the process needed to swiftly continue.

And, South Africa’s revised trade offer to the US described as ‘broad, generous, open and ambitious’

South Africa submitted a revised trade offer to the US today, after its previous ‘Framework Agreement’ submitted in May failed to avert the institution of 30% ‘reciprocal tariffs’ on South African products as from August 8.

Details of the new offer were not provided during a joint briefing hosted today, by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, owing to a non-disclosure agreement in place with the US.

Nevertheless, it was confirmed that it was confined to trade and tariff matters and did not include offers in relation to some of the domestic policy complaints raised by President Donald Trump during his Oval Office meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa in May.

Tau confirmed that the revised offer had been approved by Cabinet on August 6, while Steenhuisen described it as a “broad, generous and open offer” that sought to meet the ambition criteria set by the US and which he argued would be good for both South Africa and the US if adopted.

Tau also confirmed that there had been engagements with the US subsequent to the imposition of the 30% tariffs and that Department of Trade, Industry and Competition's chief director for bilateral trade relations Malose Anthony Letsoalo had been stationed in Washington DC to ensure ongoing contact and discussions.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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