Formal Sector Jobs Up By 12,000 In Last Quarter Of 2024

Stats SA says the total number of formal sector jobs has increased by 12,000 in the last quarter of 2024. The increase brings the number of formally employed people to 10,6 million.

Trade contributed the highest number jobs during the quarter followed by business services and transport.

However, community services, construction and manufacturing recorded a decline. There was an increase in both full-time and part employment on an quarterly basis.

Stats SAs Matlapane Masupye says on a year-on-year the formal sector jobs declined right across.

"Quarterly employment statistics for the December quarterly year-on-year results show a drop of 91,000 and if you zoom into industries causing that decline, the first one is community services with 77,000, followed by manufacturing 19,000, mining 13,000 and transport 5,000. Going back to communities this is due to government projects of creating employment coming to an end due to budget constraints, the first one being the Presidential Youth Initiative Projects whereby assistant teachers were appointed in schools and also EPWP personnel who were employed but also due budget constraints the contracts were terminated," says Masupye.