Today, Worker's Day is celebrated all over the world. Under ANC rule, however, economic decline in South Africa has reached such a critical point that the focus should rather be on unemployment in our country and the public holiday's name could aptly be changed to Workless Day.
"According to Stats SA, the unemployment rate in our country was 27,35% at the end of the last term of 2018. Nearly a third of all the people who fall in the economically active category are without a job,"says Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader
On top of that, these figures are based on the specific definition of unemployment that excludes the people who have lost all hope of finding a job. If these people are included, the unemployment rate is closer to 38%.
It is impossible to create jobs by means of legislation
The statistics that indicate which age groups are mainly unemployed are simultaneously also an indication of how unemployment is on the rise in the country. The majority of the people who are unemployed are aged between 16 to 24 years (54,7%) and then between 25 to 34 years (33%). In the age group of between 35 to 44 years the unemployment rate is 22%, between 45 to 54 years it is 15% and between 55 to 64 years it is 10%.
Groenewald says job creation can only take place if government policy is changed to create a favourable environment for investors who will help grow the economy. Without economic growth, there will be no job creation.
"Rigid employment legislation is one of the biggest obstacles on the road to economic growth and job creation in our country. Not only is it difficult to dismiss incompetent employees, but it is also a constant battle to try and reach the transformation targets.
"It is impossible to create jobs by means of legislation. Legislation that aims to restrict unemployment will only lead to further overregulation, which is simply not conducive to sustainable job creation.
"One can justifiably also asked the question of whether a country like South Africa that needs every single working hour to keep its struggling economy moving forward really needs to have so many public holidays.
"It is mainly to the detriment of small and medium businesses that are already struggling to keep their heads above water.
"Next week on the 8th of May, the voters of South Africa will have the opportunity to join the FF Plus and make their dissatisfaction with the ANC known at the polls and by doing so they will ensure that in the future, workers will once again have reason to celebrate Workers Day," Groenewald says.
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