Mr President, the government can — and should — create jobs

On Tuesday, South Africa’s unemployment mark may hit yet another record high when Statistics SA (Stats SA) releases the fourth-quarter labour-force survey. The next day, the country’s 10th finance minister since 1994, Enoch Godongwana, will have to do the bidding of President Cyril Ramaphosa, who recently expressed a long-held ANC view on just how to resolve the jobs crisis.

“We all know that government does not create jobs,” he said in his most recent State of the Nation address (Sona). “Business creates jobs.”

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