North West records almost 50% unemployment rate due to ANC’s bad economic policy and poor governance

30 July 2019

The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes the latest results of the unemployment figures released in the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) by Statistics South Africa today. The current expanded unemployment figure for North West is recorded at 46.6%.

The QLFS shows that an additional 59 000 people lost their jobs during the second quarter. Unemployment grew across all sectors of the provincial economy.

This means almost half the population of working age do not have a job. More than 800 000 people in North West who are able to work, today remain unemployed without any prospects of finding a job anytime soon.

Economic conditions in South Africa are currently extremely dire and the DA sympathises with the residents of North West who have to live under ANC failures.

The rise in unemployment is solely due to the ANC’s disastrous economic policies that fail to create a favourable environment for attracting investment that will create growth and create employment.

In addition, North West has been plagued by failed ANC governance resulting in protests, violence and general unrest as a result. It is alarming that the infighting in the ANC contributed to the destabilisation of governments, both at provincial and local level.

This province has literally been ran to the ground by the ANC and its former Premier, Supra Mahumapelo.

Mahumapelo, once a member of the so-called ‘premier league’, who was stripped of the premiership and saw the province placed under administration by the national government was awarded with a seat in Parliament, chairing the Portfolio Committee om Tourism.

ANC cadres continue to loot state coffers without any consequences for their actions. Poor management, lack of planning, incompetent appointments and cadre deployment have brought this province to its knees.

In a rural and predominantly agricultural province nothing significant has been done in establishing good infrastructure to stimulate investor confidence or to empower entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector.

Where the DA governs in the Western Cape the current unemployment rate is 20.4%, a clear indication of sound governance and a commitment to ensure economic growth by the DA-led government.

The people of North West deserve better. We need drastic change to grow the economy, to create jobs that will assist people to put food on the table.

Issued by Joe McGluwa, DA North West Provincial Leader, 30 July 2019