Unemployment in South Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 134-156
Author(s):  
James Heintz ◽  
Karmen Naidoo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Employment Outcomes ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Trade Policies ◽  
Macroeconomic Policies ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Unemployment Rates ◽  
High Unemployment ◽  
Policy Choices

South Africa has exhibited sustained high rates of open unemployment since the end of apartheid, when reliable statistical measurements became available. The lack of decent employment opportunities contributes to ongoing social and economic inequalities. This chapter examines the reasons behind the country’s high unemployment rates. After a brief analysis of unemployment trends and patterns, it discusses alternative explanations of South Africa’s employment problems, with a focus on structural causes arising from historical and institutional factors. The chapter also examines how policy choices post-apartheid have affected employment outcomes, including macroeconomic policies, trade policies, and labour market policies.

Factors that affect discouragement: A South African labour market analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-90
Author(s):  
Precious Mncayi ◽  
Jacques de Jongh
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
South African ◽  
Market Analysis ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Labour Markets ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Unemployment Rates ◽  
The World ◽  
Very High

Labour markets across the world have in recent years been characterised by instability and scare employment opportunities. Despite the fact that the 21st century has carried with it massive technological change and a rise in the significance of education for better employment prospects, it has moreover brought about expanded vulnerability which has neglected to ensure employment for work-searchers. For those who want to work, the inability to find employment has been a source of enormous adversities both personally and economically. This is not unique to South Africa as the country is plagued with very high unemployment rates across all age categories and continually rising numbers of discouraged work-seekers. Although unemployment indicators have to a great extent followed international standards, the failure to incorporate those who have abstained from searching has inadvertently contributed to a lack of understanding regarding the nature of discouragement in the labour market. Keywords: Employment, discouragement; work-seekers, labour markets, South Africa, unemployment.

The Inefficacy of Strong Ties Networks in Migration Employment Outcomes

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruby Absuelo ◽  
Peter Hancock
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
The United States ◽  
Employment Outcomes ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
Green Card ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
Labour Market Outcomes

Abstract We examined Philippine graduates’ use of social networks to obtain initial employment in the United States labour market. Our research focused on employment opportunities and found that Philippine graduates’ usage of Strong Ties networks contributed to underemployment. Reliance on Strong Ties networking decreased respondents’ broader range of US employment opportunities and further impeded their prospects of upward employment mobility. While the Philippine graduates’ Strong Ties networking provided assistance and most specifically acted as intermediaries for gaining their initial employment, this type of networking had a significant impact resulting in poor labour market outcomes and rather imperfect long-term employment opportunities. Moreover, we found that, in conjunction with the use of Strong Ties, key variables, such as low-demand degree fields, lower educational attainment, lesser proficiency in English and green card status, were also strongly associated with poor employment outcomes.

scholarly journals “For better or worse”? A frame analysis of BRICS activities by digital journalists in South Africa

Lumina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-19
Author(s):  
Tshuma Lungile Augustine
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
South African ◽  
Frame Analysis ◽  
Constant Power ◽  
Good Opportunity ◽  
Unemployment Rates ◽  
High Unemployment ◽  
Trade Relations ◽  
News Websites

This paper seeks to examine the discourse on BRICS that are framed by digital journalists in South Africa. South Africa has been going through an uneasy economic path characterised by high unemployment rates, constant power cuts, and their economy relegated into a ‘junk status’. Against this background, BRICS presents a good opportunity for the country to negotiate and address some of its challenges/problems with other economic super-powers within the economic block. This paper comes against a background of silent research on BRICS yet the block has developed into an economic hub which other developing countries benefiting from it for the development of their economies. I therefore argue that South African digital journalists from the country’s leading news websites, News24 and Daily Maverick, are framing BRICS in a manner in which it reflects the socio-economic and political problems affecting the country.  Hence, the study had sought to find out the images of BRICS among the journalist and also information, events, and activities that are being prioritized in reference to South Africa’s challenges. Findings have shown that BRICS is benefiting South Africa. The benefit is seen through trade relations that are framed as having been improved while there are also other potential areas of cooperation that should be utilised.

Labour market transition and experiences of unemployed graduates: An exploratory study

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tinashe Harry ◽  
Willie Tafadzwa Chinyamurindi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Market Transition ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
High Unemployment ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Successful School ◽  
The Unemployed

Young people in countries such as South Africa are finding it difficult to make a successful school-to-work transition. This is exacerbated by high unemployment and uncertainty in the labour market. The South African government appears to be trying to implement a range of strategies and approaches to try and assist unemployed graduates. However, the onus is also on the graduate to look for ways in dealing with the uncertain labour market. The purpose of this research was to investigate the labour market transition and experiences of unemployed graduates within the context of high unemployment in South Africa. The research utilised an interpretivist philosophy hinging on the qualitative approach, and it used an exploratory research design. Further, a longitudinal technique was employed, tracing over a period of two years the labour market experiences and transitions of a sample of 30 graduates who had been enrolled at a historically disadvantaged higher education institution in South Africa. Data was collected from focus group discussions and unstructured individual interviews over this two-year period. The findings obtained through structural narrative analysis revealed that the labour market transition and experiences of the unemployed graduates were not negative only; some of the graduates had used their own resourceful techniques to deal with challenges. Based on the findings of the research and in view of the uncertain labour market, suggestions were made that would have resonance for not only individuals but also policymakers, career counsellors and institutions of higher learning.

scholarly journals Disability Discrimination and the Right of Disabled Persons to Access the Labour Market

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 344
Author(s):  
Motseotsile Clement Marumoagae
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
South African ◽  
Disabled Persons ◽  
Constitutional Rights ◽  
Employment Equity ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Government Work ◽  
The Right

Inequality, discrimination and transformation remain the key challenges which most employers are faced with in the South African labour market. Key among such challenges has also been employers' ability to ensure that persons with disabilities access the labour market. In this paper I highlight employment discrimination experienced by persons with disabilities in South African workplaces, which often prohibits them from accessing employment opportunities. I argue that employers need to consider employing persons with disabilities and also reasonably to accommodate them within South African workplaces. I further illustrate efforts by the legislature to eradicate forms of unjustified discrimination against persons with disabilities through the enactment of the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998. I argue that all of us need to understand how cultural, social, physical and other barriers continue to prevent persons with disabilities in South Africa from enjoying their constitutional rights to equality, freedom and human dignity, and further, that it is desirable that society at large and government work together towards eradicating barriers which prevent persons with disabilities from accessing the labour market.

scholarly journals Rural Non Farm Employment in Assam: Trends and Issues

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandrama Goswami ◽  
Manisha Bhattacharya
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Inclusive Growth ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Farm Sector ◽  
Unemployment Rates ◽  
Employment Generation ◽  
Land Holdings ◽  
Education And Employment

This study explores the rural labour market in Assam. The Work Participation Rates (WPR) for males has increased during the period 1993-94 to 2009-10, whereas the same for females has been fluctuating around a lower level of 15 to 20 per cent. Thus, unemployment rates for females have been higher than males. A sector-wise distribution of workers shows that the proportion of males employed in the farm sector has been declining in favour of the Non-Farm Sector (NFS), while the females are more concentrated in the farm sector. Thus, females stand in a more disadvantageous situation in the rural labour market as indicated by their low WPR, higher unemployment rates and low level of diversification into NFS. However, gender equality is necessary for growth. This is more so with regard to education and employment. India has introduced the concept of inclusive growth in the Eleventh Five Year Plan. Inclusive growth ensures opportunities for all sections of the population, with a special emphasis on the poor, particularly women and young people, who are most likely to be marginalised. A rapidly growing population in India has not only increased the size of the rural labour force but has also led to fragmentation of land holdings. Thus, this sector alone cannot create additional employment opportunities, even in high growth agriculture states of India. This has led to the growth of a vibrant non-farm sector. The study comes up with the suggestion that the NFS, with its greater potential of employment generation, can not only solve the unemployment problem, but can also lead to the increased access of women to resources and employment opportunities.

Deproletarianization in the Peri-Urban Interface: Transforming Labor Relations in Polokwane, South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 44-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Smith
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Labor Relations ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Unemployment Rates ◽  
High Unemployment ◽  
Surplus Labor ◽  
Job Opportunities ◽  
Persistent Unemployment

High unemployment rates and the search for job opportunities are defining characteristics of the modern day South African economy. As apartheid era labor and land controls continue to break down, many households find themselves searching for work in an economy characterized by surplus labor. Examining high unemployment rates through the theoretical lens of deproletarianization provides an explanation of persistent unemployment and poverty more complex and complete than others. Research conducted in Polokwane, South Africa demonstrates increasing peri-urbanization as a physical manifestation of these changing labor relations. 1In an era dominated by global capitalism, theoretical engagements help explain household poverty, the failure of South Africa's economy to absorb excess labor, and how persistent unemployment contributes to a recon-figuration of space in South Africa's urban and peri-urban areas. The research team used a combination of qualitative semi-structured interviews and quantitative surveys to gain insight into household livelihoods and individual experiences. The deproletarianization argument applied here asserts that labor has become unfree in South Africa and represents a new form of labor discipline. Through the deproletarianization thesis, the labor market can be better understood to inform future unemployment and poverty research in South Africa.

scholarly journals Labour market discrimination and employment in South Africa

1981 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 64-69
Author(s):  
B. Urban Lombard
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Capital Investment ◽  
Manufacturing Sector ◽  
Occupational Status ◽  
Occupational Structure ◽  
Market Theory ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Labour Market Discrimination

The purpose of this paper is to critically analyse the occupational structure determinants for the different race/sex groups within the manufacturing sector of South Africa. This study is carried out in the theoretical framework of the human capital school and dual labour market theory approaches. This research derived its importance from the phenomena of high unemployment, low occupational status, and the underutilization of Blacks in the labour market. The aim of this study is to focus on the Blacks' human capital investment, their underutilization and employment problems. The results obtained highlight the development and employment opportunities for Blacks and provide guidelines to individuals and employers on how to combat labour market discrimination.Die doel van hierdie artikel is om die beroepstruktuurdeterminante volgens ras- en geslagsgroepe in die vervaardigingsektor van Suid-Afrika krities te ontleed. Die studie is gebaseer op die teoretiese raamwerk van die menslike kapitaalskool en die dualistiese arbeidsmarkbenaderings. As gevolg van die groot tekort aan geskoolde mannekrag het die studie sy belangrikheid verkry in die verskynsels van hoe werkloosheid, lae beroepstatus en die onderbenutting van nie-Blankes in die arbeidsmark. Die oogmerk met hierdie studie is om op die nie-Blanke se menslike kapitaalinvestering, onderbenutting en indiensnemingsprobleme te fokus. Die resultate het tot verskeie gevolgtrekkings gelei wat die menslike hulpbronontwikkeling en -bestuur in Suid-Afrika onderstreep het. Hierdie gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings beklemtoon en hou verband met die ontwikkeling en indiensnemingsgeleenthede vir nie-Blankes en sommige van die gevolgtrekkings bied riglyne vir individue en werkgewers oor hoe om arbeidsmarkdiskriminasie teen te werk.

scholarly journals Labour Market Demands, Employability and Authenticity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minna Nikunen
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Working Life ◽  
Employment Policies ◽  
Unemployment Rates ◽  
High Unemployment ◽  
Self Development

AbstractFinding employment has been a challenge for young adults in recent years. This is not only due to high unemployment rates, but also because entering working life is more complicated than before. It is no longer just a question of credentials and skills. ‘Employability’ depends on investments in personal capacities: labour market demands in recruitment exceed the capacity of employees’ bodies and minds. This article asks what demands for increasing one’s employability young adults (aged 18–30) experience in relation to their education and working life and how they respond to these ideas, especially to the idea of modifying their minds and bodies—habitus—in order to increase their employability. What demands are they complying with or resisting? How and why are they doing so? The article draws on interviews with 40 young Finnish women and men. The data analysis reveals that employability ideals emphasising affective and bodily capacities or dispositions are not shared by everyone. However, modifying one’s attitude or demeanour seems to be less threatening for young adults than does changing one’s appearance or body. Changes to one’s body are associated with rules and codes dictated from above, whereas changing one’s mindset is usually conceived of as self-development; thus, it is not seen as contrary to authenticity. Identification with a line of work is an important factor in accepting demands on one’s body or demeanour. It should be asked if the importance of authenticity for young adults entering working life should be taken into consideration in governmental youth and employment policies.

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