https://newsletter.po.creamermedia.com
Deepening Democracy through Access to Information
Home / Statements RSS ← Back
Africa|Sustainable|System|Training
Africa|Sustainable|System|Training
africa|sustainable|system|training
Close

Email this article

separate emails by commas, maximum limit of 4 addresses

Sponsored by

Close

Article Enquiry

Unemployment rate rises to 32.9%, a Basic Income Grant is a moral imperative


Close

Embed Video

Unemployment rate rises to 32.9%, a Basic Income Grant is a moral imperative

Unemployment rate rises to 32.9%, a Basic Income Grant is a moral imperative

13th May 2025

ARTICLE ENQUIRY      SAVE THIS ARTICLE      EMAIL THIS ARTICLE

Font size: -+

The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey for Q1 2025 confirms what South Africans already feel in their homes and communities - unemployment is getting worse, not better. The official unemployment rate has climbed to a shocking 32.9%, up from 31.9% in Q4 2024. This translates to 8.2 million South Africans officially unemployed, with a further 3.5 million discouraged work seekers who have given up trying to find work, and 16.7 million people not economically active. In total, nearly 25 million South Africans of working age have no income to support themselves or their families.

The situation for young South Africans is particularly dire. Youth unemployment (ages 15 - 34) has escalated to 46.1%, while 45.1% of young people are not in employment, education or training (NEET). 

Advertisement

More disturbingly, this is not a new trend. South Africa’s stagnant economic growth has fuelled almost two decades of rising unemployment. South Africa is not just facing an unemployment crisis, it’s facing a crisis of dignity. Every lost job means another family pushed into poverty. Every discouraged worker is a symbol of a broken economic system.

Unemployment is a major contributor to inequality and poverty. Despite President Ramaphosa’s commitment in the State of the Nation Address to build on the Social Relief of Distress Grant as the basis for “a sustainable form of income support,” the Budget impasse has meant the Government of National Unity has yet to take decisive action.

Advertisement

The GOOD Party reiterates its call for the implementation of a Basic Income Grant of at least R1000 per month, above the food poverty line and just below the lower-bound poverty line. This isn’t charity, it’s economic justice and a moral obligation. Every rand spent on social support will circulate back into the South African economy. Supporting people means supporting recovery. 

All ten parties in the GNU agreed to create a fairer, more just society. 

The time for action is now.

 

Issued by Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General 

EMAIL THIS ARTICLE      SAVE THIS ARTICLE ARTICLE ENQUIRY

To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here

Comment Guidelines

About

Polity.org.za is a product of Creamer Media.
www.creamermedia.co.za

Other Creamer Media Products include:
Engineering News
Mining Weekly
Research Channel Africa

Read more

Subscriptions

We offer a variety of subscriptions to our Magazine, Website, PDF Reports and our photo library.

Subscriptions are available via the Creamer Media Store.

View store

Advertise

Advertising on Polity.org.za is an effective way to build and consolidate a company's profile among clients and prospective clients. Email advertising@creamermedia.co.za

View options

Email Registration Success

Thank you, you have successfully subscribed to one or more of Creamer Media’s email newsletters. You should start receiving the email newsletters in due course.

Our email newsletters may land in your junk or spam folder. To prevent this, kindly add newsletters@creamermedia.co.za to your address book or safe sender list. If you experience any issues with the receipt of our email newsletters, please email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za