The GNU Jobs Bloodbath Continues with Little Hope for Unemployed
Press Statement by Alan Beesley MP
ActionSA Member of Parliament
ActionSA is deeply concerned by the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics South Africa, which shows that there was a 97 000 increase in unemployed South Africans in the third quarter of 2026.
The official unemployment rate has risen to 33.7 %, meaning that more than one in every three people in South Africa’s labour force cannot find work.
Even more concerning, the expanded rate of unemployment, which includes discouraged work-seekers, has increased to 44%. More than 12 million South Africans are now either unemployed or so discouraged that they have stopped looking for work all together.
This demonstrates that the GNU has failed dismally in growing the economy and creating jobs. Rather, than blaming external factors, the GNU must look at the numerous own goals that they have and continued to score. If the GNU spent less time fighting each other in parliament and in court and spent more time working on and introducing and implementing workable solutions, the economy and unemployed may have a chance. Until that happens, hope for change remains distant.
Whilst millions of South Africans suffer a loss of dignity, hope, agency and opportunities through unemployment the bloated cabinet of 75 ministers and their deputies remain unaffected. Ministers and their Deputies continue to live the life of luxury while South Africans are being asked to endure an unemployment crisis that has persisted for years and shows no sign of abating.
It is inconceivable that Ministers and Deputies that fail to perform in addressing South Africa’s stagnant economic growth and jobs crisis remain in their positions and unaffected. As such, ActionSA therefore continues its call for President Cyril Ramaphosa to replace the Ministers responsible for the jobs crisis including those from the Departments of: Labour and Unemployment; Trade, Industry and Competition; Public Works and Infrastructure; Transport; and Small Business Development.
President Ramaphosa must act on ActionSA’s call for Ministers and Deputes to be fired. Until there is accountability and consequences for non-performance nothing will change and millions of South Africans will continue to suffer the real and damning consequences of being unemployed.
The GNU Jobs Bloodbath Continues with Little Hope for Unemployed
ActionSA is deeply concerned by the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics South Africa, which shows that there was a 97 000 increase in unemployed South Africans in the third quarter of 2026.
The official unemployment rate has risen to 33.7 %, meaning that more than one in every three people in South Africa’s labour force cannot find work.
Even more concerning, the expanded rate of unemployment, which includes discouraged work-seekers, has increased to 44%. More than 12 million South Africans are now either unemployed or so discouraged that they have stopped looking for work all together.
This demonstrates that the GNU has failed dismally in growing the economy and creating jobs. Rather, than blaming external factors, the GNU must look at the numerous own goals that they have and continued to score. If the GNU spent less time fighting each other in parliament and in court and spent more time working on and introducing and implementing workable solutions, the economy and unemployed may have a chance. Until that happens, hope for change remains distant.
Whilst millions of South Africans suffer a loss of dignity, hope, agency and opportunities through unemployment the bloated cabinet of 75 ministers and their deputies remain unaffected. Ministers and their Deputies continue to live the life of luxury while South Africans are being asked to endure an unemployment crisis that has persisted for years and shows no sign of abating.
It is inconceivable that Ministers and Deputies that fail to perform in addressing South Africa’s stagnant economic growth and jobs crisis remain in their positions and unaffected. As such, ActionSA therefore continues its call for President Cyril Ramaphosa to replace the Ministers responsible for the jobs crisis including those from the Departments of: Labour and Unemployment; Trade, Industry and Competition; Public Works and Infrastructure; Transport; and Small Business Development.
President Ramaphosa must act on ActionSA’s call for Ministers and Deputes to be fired. Until there is accountability and consequences for non-performance nothing will change and millions of South Africans will continue to suffer the real and damning consequences of being unemployed.