For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Lumkile Nkomfe.

Making headlines: Unemployment rate improves to 31.4%; Parly Saps investigation committee’s deadline extended to March; And, AfriForum serves summons on govt over controversial NHI Act

Unemployment rate improves to 31.4%

South Africa's official unemployment rate decreased by 0.5 of a percentage point to 31.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared with the unemployment rate of 31.9% in the third quarter, Statistics South Africa reports.

Stats SA's Quarterly Labour Force Survey showed an increase of 44 000 in the number of employed persons to 17.1-million and a decrease of 172 000 in the number of unemployed persons to 7.8-million in the fourth quarter.

During the same period, discouraged job-seekers increased by 233 000 to 3.7-million, other available job-seekers decreased by 110 000 to 855 000 and unavailable job-seekers decreased by 41 000 to 42 000, resulting in a total net increase of 82 000, to 4.6-million, in the potential labour force population (persons who were available but not seeking or unavailable but seeking).

In addition to the official unemployment rate, other measures of labour underutilisation were measured. The combined rate of unemployment and time-related underemployment decreased by 0.6 of a percentage point to 34.3%, while the combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force decreased by 0.3 of a percentage point to 42.1% in the fourth quarter compared with the third quarter, Stats SA points out.

Lastly, the composite measure of labour underutilisation, which combines time-related underemployment, unemployment and potential labour force as a proportion of extended labour force, was 44.5% in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, Stats SA's data shows that the number of persons employed in the formal sector increased by 320 000 in the fourth quarter, while informal sector employment decreased by 293 000.

Parly Saps investigation committee’s deadline extended to March

The National Assembly on Tuesday extended the reporting deadline of the Ad Hoc Committee established to investigate allegations made by the South African Police Service’s KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to March 31.

The Ad Hoc Committee had been expected to complete its work by Friday.

Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo explained that following consideration of the Committee’s formal request, the Assembly adopted a resolution for its extension.

Mothapo said in its submission to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza, the Committee indicated that it still needed to engage outstanding witnesses before concluding its work.

Mothapo highlighted that the extension would enable the Committee to finalise hearings with the remaining witnesses and thereafter process and adopt its report before tabling it to the National Assembly.

And, AfriForum serves summons on govt over controversial NHI Act

Civil society organisation AfriForum will tomorrow serve a summons on government to have the controversial National Health Insurance Act declared unconstitutional.

The case is being served on President Cyril Ramaphosa, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza and Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane.

AfriForum have been vocal in criticising the Act, saying the flawed draft regulations for the NHI Act have, once again confirmed that the South African government is incapable of launching or managing such a complex system.

The organisation had in 2024 launched a class action lawsuit against the government, Ramaphosa, Parliament and the Minister of Health, for what it said was the damage that South Africans would suffer under the NHI policy.

AfriForum Campaign Officer for Health Louis Boshoff pointed out that AfriForum’s legal action against the NHI Act would be launched during a media conference at Kempton Park Hospital to highlight how often State-run healthcare in South Africa fails.

AfriForum will explain, among other things, why it is essential that the destructive NHI Act be opposed.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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