On 12
February, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) released its Q4 Quarterly Labour
Force Survey, which revealed that the City of Johannesburg had created 110 000
jobs net year-on-year, which had resulted in a 1.1 % decrease in the expanded
definition of the unemployment rate compared to the year prior.
This is in stark contrast to the 200 000 jobs lost at the hands of the previous
administration over their five-year term.
Importantly,
the City out-performed both the country and Gauteng province.
However,
South Africa saw a net loss of 132,000 jobs year-on-year, increasing the
expanded unemployment rate by 0.7%. Gauteng saw a marginal decrease of 0.1% in
the expanded unemployment rate, with a net increase of 92,000 jobs over the
same period.
Executive
Mayor of Joburg, Herman Mashaba said of the results: “The latest jobs
statistics for the City show that, steadily, change is coming to the city and
more and more businesses and entrepreneurs have confidence in Johannesburg as
South Africa’s economic hub.
“Since
coming into office, our multi-party government has worked to introduce a number
of new initiatives intended to stimulate Joburg’s economy and, in the process,
kick-start a sustained period of growth that will lead to jobs.”
The
initiatives he mentioned include the roll out of Opportunity Centres, which aim
to assist budding entrepreneurs with crucial skills, and support for growing
their businesses so that they in turn can create job opportunities.
Most
recently, the City commenced with the revitalisation of the inner-city –
another intervention through which it hopes to create more jobs for Joburg
residents.
At the
moment, a total of 84 properties for mixed-use development have been released
by the City.
Mashaba said that by attracting investment from property developers and, in turn, “turning the inner-city into a construction site”, as has been his mantra since taking office, Joburg will create jobs during as well as post-construction.https://joburg.org.za/media_/Newsroom/Pages/2019%20Newsroom%20Articles/February%202019/City-of-Joburg-created-110-000-jobs-%E2%80%93-Stats-SA.aspx
