Landbou ’n lig in werkloosheidstonnel | Agriculture light in unemployment darkness
English to follow:
26 Augustus 2021
Statistieke SA se jongste kwartaallikse arbeidsmagopname (QLFS) toon dat die getal werkende persone in die land in die tweede kwartaal van 2021 afgeneem het na 14,9 miljoen, terwyl die getal werkloses met 584 000 toegeneem het na 7,8 miljoen, vergeleke met die eerste kwartaal in 2021.
Die gevolg van hierdie bewegings is ’n toename in die amptelike werkloosheidskoers vanaf 32,6% in die eerste kwartaal van 2021 tot 34,4% in die tweede kwartaal van 2021 – die hoogste sedert die aanvang van die QLFS in 2008. Ingevolge die uitgebreide definisie van werkloosheid het die werkloosheidsyfer sedert Kw1:2021 met 1,2 persentasiepunte toegeneem tot 44,4% in Kw2:2021. Suid-Afrika se werkloosheidskoers is die hoogste wanneer dit met Afrika-lande soos Namibië en Nigerië1 vergelyk word.
Die landbousektor het ’n toename van 69 000 werkgeleenthede in provinsies soos die Wes-Kaap, Vrystaat, KwaZulu-Natal, Noordwes en Limpopo ervaar, terwyl daar ’n afname aan werkgeleenthede was in die Oos-Kaap (19 000), Noord-Kaap (9 000), Gauteng (8 000) en Mpumalanga (18 000).
Die grootste bron van kommer is dat die sektor steeds ’n afname in geskoolde landbou2 sien, met ’n verlies vanaf 65 000 werkgeleenthede in Kw1:2021 na 45 000 in KwQ2:2021. Dit verteenwoordig ’n kwartaal-tot-kwartaal-afname van 27,4% en ’n jaar-tot-jaar-afname van 33,2%.
“Die toename in werkgeleenthede in die landbousektor dien as bewys van die sektor se verbintenis tot werkskepping, voedselsekerheid en ekonomiese groei, ten spyte van vele uitdagings,” sê Lebogang Sethusha, IR-administrateur van Agri SA. “Ons is egter bekommerd oor die kwartaal-tot-kwartaal-afname in geskoolde werkers, wat ’n aanduiding is van ’n verlies aan vaardighede in die sektor se arbeidsmag. Dit beklemtoon die behoefte aan bespoedigde vaardigheidsontwikkeling in die sektor.”
Inisiatiewe deur Agri SA se filiaal, Agri SA Enterprises, sluit in die Agri Enterprises Opleiding- en Ontwikkelingsakademie, wat gestig is uitsluitlik vir die doel om bedryfspesifieke opleiding in skaars vaardighede binne die sektor te voorsien. “Dit verseker die ontwikkeling van ’n gemeenskap van lewenslange leerders, verantwoordelike burgers en kampvegters vir die landboubedryf”, aldus Sethusha.
Navrae:
Johan Wege
Voorsitter, Agri SA se Sentrum van Uitnemendheid: Arbeidsake
Lebogang Sethusha
Agri SA IR-administrateur, Agri SA se Sentrum van Uitnemendheid: Arbeidsake
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26 August 2021
The latest Statistics SA Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) indicates that the number of employed persons decreased by 54 000 in the second quarter of 2021 to 14,9 million. The number of unemployed persons increased by 584 000 to 7,8 million, compared to the first quarter of 2021.
These changes resulted in the official unemployment rate increasing from 32,6% in the first quarter of 2021 to 34,4% in the second quarter of 2021 – the highest since the start of the QLFS in 2008. The unemployment rate, according to the expanded definition of unemployment, increased by 1,2 percentage points to 44,4% in quarter 2:2021 compared to quarter 1:2021. South Africa’s unemployment rate has been recorded as the highest compared to their African counterparts such as Namibia and Nigeria.
The agricultural sector observed employment gains of 69 000 with provinces such as the Western Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, North West and Limpopo recording an increase in employment. A decrease has been noted in the Eastern Cape by 19 000, the Northern Cape by 9 000, Gauteng by 8 000 and Mpumalanga by 18 000.
Most concerning is the sector continuing to see a decrease in skilled agriculture2 as it records a loss in employment from 62 000 in Q1:2021 to 45 000 in Q2:2021. This is a 27,4% quarter to quarter decrease and a 33,2% year on year decrease.
“The increase of employment in the agricultural sector is showing the sector’s commitment to job creation, food security and growth of the economy despite many challenges,” says Lebogang Sethusha, IR administrator of Agri SA. “The organisation, however, is concerned about the quarter-to-quarter decrease of skilled workers, indicating the loss of skills within its workforce. This places a great emphasis on accelerating efforts in skills development in the sector.”
Initiatives are seen through Agri SA’s subsidiary, Agri SA Enterprises, which has established the Agri Enterprises Training and Development Academy with the sole purpose of providing industry-specific training in scarce skills within the sector. “We can develop a community of lifelong learners, responsible citizens and champions of industries,” Sethusha says.
Enquiries:
Johan Wege
Chairperson, Agri SA Centre of Excellence: Labour Affairs
Lebogang Sethusha
Agri SA IR Administrator, Agri SA Centre of Excellence: Labour Affairs
