South Africa’s unemployment rate was 30,5% in September 2002, up from 29,4% in March 2002, according to Labour Force Survey (LFS) results released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The LFS is a bi-annual survey conducted by Stats SA between February/March and September of each year. It examines the extent of employment in both formal and informal sectors of the country, as well as the extent of unemployment in the country.
According to government news agency BuaNews, the survey indicated that there were approximately 4,7 million unemployed people in the country in March 2002 and this rose to 4,8 million in September 2002. The number of the employed was estimated at 11,4 million in March 2002 and 11 million in September the same year.
According to the survey, of the 11 million people employed in September 2002, an estimated 7,03 million were employed in the formal sector excluding agriculture, and the rest were employed in other sectors, such as the informal and domestic sectors, small scale or subsistence agriculture, and commercial agriculture.
The survey said employment in mining, manufacturing, electricity, construction, transport, community services, and in business services had remained more or less stable over the time period February to September 2002.
The SEE excludes agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing, guest farms, water and air transport, financial institutions, excluding banks, medical, dental and other health services outside the public sector.
Survey statistician Nozipho Shabalala said results showed a gradual increase in the working age population from approximately 26,5 million people in February 2000 to about 28 million people in September 2002.
“The labour market participation rate, on the other hand, has fluctuated over time,” she observed. “However, it tends to decrease around September of the year and increase in February/March. This is because at the beginning of the year, many people start looking for work but as the year progresses, some give up hope,” she concluded. ‒I-Net Bridge