Jobless in E Cape up by 31 000 over past six years

By Patrick Cull Political Editor

SOME 518 000 people were unemployed in the Eastern Cape in March this year – 31 000 more than in September 2000, according to figures released yesterday.

Statistics SA’s Labour Force Survey reveals that of those unemployed between the ages of 15 and 65, some 261 000 were men and 258 000 women.

These figures, however, would probably be higher if those who had given up looking for jobs – officially described as “discouraged work-seekers” – were included. No provincial breakdown is provided for this category of persons but nationally 1,6 million people have simply given up looking for work.

The number of people employed in the Eastern Cape has also dropped from 1,43 million in September 2000 to 1,39 million in March this year, although employment is on the increase after having dropped to 1,12 million in March 2004.

The Eastern Cape has the third highest number of unemployed after KwaZulu-Natal (987 000) and Gauteng (945 000).

The official unemployment rate for the Eastern Cape stands at 27,1 per cent. Provincially, however, this is the third lowest percentage after the Western Cape (17,6%) and Gauteng (22,7%). The national average is 26,5%.

More women are unemployed in the Eastern Cape than men.

The Eastern Cape also has the second-lowest labour absorption rate for people entering the job market after Limpopo, with only 34,6% of people seeking work finding employment – the figure is 38,7% for men and 31,2% for women. The national average is 40,3%.

Nationally, StatsSA notes that there has been a steady increase in the working-age population – all people between 15 and 65 – since the introduction of the labour force survey five years ago, from 27,8 million people to 29,5 million.

The figures also reveal a slight narrowing of the gender gap in the “more skilled” group that includes managers and senior officials, professionals/non-professionals and technicians. In September 2000 some 55,8% of people occupying these positions were men, a figure that had dropped to 55,2% by March this year.