Kwanalu » Werkskepping in landelike gebiede is uiterste prioriteit
Werkskepping in landelike gebiede is uiterste prioriteit
Werkloosheid en werkskeppingprojekte moet as ‘n nasionale prioriteit in landelike gebiede toegespits word. Die nasionale werkloosheidsyfer het met 30 basispunte na 27,5% in die derde kwartaal van 2018 toegeneem en die uitgebreide werkloosheidsyfer, wat ontmoedigde werkers insluit, is tans 37,3%. Die situasie is egter veel erger in landelike gebiede waar uitgebreide werkloosheid op gemiddeld op sowat 41% te staan kom. Landelike werkloosheid en dus die nasionale syfer, kan grotendeels verlig word indien beleidsonsekerheid soos Onteiening Sonder Vergoeding (OSV) rondom landou dringend aangespreek word.
“Agri SA was betrokke by die pas afgelope ‘Jobs Summit’ waar verskeie vennootskap-projekte voorgestel is, maar die grootste impak van hierdie tipe projekte kan binne landbou wees,” sê Neil Hamman, voorsitter van Agri SA se Arbeid en Ontwikkeling Sentrum van Uitnemendheid. “Vir elke rand wat die regering aan werkskepping in landbou spandeer, sal die opbrengs in werksgeleenthede enige ander sektor in die stof laat byt.”
Daar is 1 000 minder landbou-werksgeleenthede, wat tans op 842 000 in die derde kwartaal staan. Verskeie faktore kan hierdie syfer beïnvloed, siende dat seisoenale arbeid by die totale werksgeleenthede-telling in die landbousektor ingereken word.
“Die ganse Afrika se deur se deure staan oop vir ons landbou-produkte, en Suid Afrikaanse kommersiële boere is uiters kompeterend, daar is enorme potensiaal om landbou die werkskepping-sentrum te maak. Die kritiese vereiste is egter konsekwente ondersteuning van die regering.”
Agri SA is ook baie bekommerd oor die aantal jong werklose mense. ‘n Geraamde 31,1% van mense tussen die ouderdomme van 15 en 34 jaar is tans nie betrokke in enige vorm van studie, werk of opleiding nie.
Agri SA sal voortgaan om beleidsprobleme wat werkloosheid vererger met die regering en ander belanghebbendes bespreek en ook as ‘n vennoot in hoë-impak-werkskepping-projekte optree.
Agri SA Voorsitter: Arbeid en Ontwikkeling
S: 082 808 3100
Agri SA Hoof Arbeid en Ontwikkeling
S: 071 603 3804
Unemployed and job-creation projects in rural areas must be treated as a national priority. The national unemployment rate has increased by 30 basis points to 27.5% in the third quarter of 2018 and the expanded definition of unemployment, which includes discouraged job seekers, is currently 37.3%. The situation is far more dire in rural areas where the expanded unemployment rate is 41% on average. Rural unemployment and by extension the national rate, can largely be relieved if policy uncertainty around the agriculture, such as Expropriation Without Compensation (EWC), is urgently addressed.
“Agri SA was involved in the recent Job Summit where various partnership-based projects where discussed, but these projects can have the biggest impact in agriculture,” said Neil Hamman, Chairperson of Agri SA’s Labour and Development Centre of Excellence. “For every rand government spends in job creation agriculture, the return in jobs created will make any other sector bite the dust.”
Agriculture lost 1 000 jobs in the third quarter and currently stands at 842 000. Various factors may have influenced this number, given that seasonal labour are included in this figure.
“Africa’s doors are wide open for our agricultural produce, and South Africa’s commercial farmers are very competitive, so there is enormous potential to place agriculture at the centre of job creation. The critical requirement, though, is consistent government support.”
Agri SA is also very concerned by the high youth unemployment rate. An estimated 31.1% of people between the ages of 15 and 34 are currently not engaged in education, employment or training.
Agri SA will continue to engage on policy problems that worsen unemployment, and will act as a partner in high-impact job creation projects.
Agri SA Chairperson: Labour and Development
C: 082 808 3100
Agri SA Head Labour and Development