North West collapse in governance and economic decline leads job shedding crisis in South Africa

17 May 2023

The North West recorded the country’s highest unemployment figures in the First Quarter 2023 Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released by StatsSA yesterday afternoon. The province recorded the highest year-on-year increase of 7.9% in unemployment numbers.

Decades of ANC failed governance, corruption, fraud, policy uncertainty, cadre deployment and loadshedding has collapsed North West where basic service delivery is erratic at best. This sustained programme of destruction by the ANC has now yielded the fruits of their nefarious labours – mass unemployment of 54% as per the expanded definition, the highest in South Africa.

More people in North West are unemployed than those who have a job. More than a million persons in North West are now left unemployed, desperate and destitute. Only 877 000 individuals have the dignity that comes with having a job, earning a salary, and taking care of their families.

This is a socio-economic humanitarian crisis that requires urgent intervention to restore governance, deliver basic services, attract investment that will result in economic development, growth, and job creation.

The only hope for those who want to work but can’t find a job is to vote DA in next year’s election. A DA-led government in North West will restore governance, will deliver services, will attract investment that will grow the economy that will create jobs.

This is not an empty promise. The DA government in Western Cape is the only government in South Africa that continues to lead in job creation. Over the last year, more than 360 000 new jobs were created in the Western Cape. This stands in stark contrast with the ANC’s track record in North West where cadres and comrades have destroyed 140 000 jobs.

If we are to rebuild North West, to create jobs, to deliver services, the only choice in 2024 is to vote DA.

Issued by Leon Basson, DA North West Provincial Leader, 17 May 2023