By Linda van Tilburg
- South Africa’s official unemployment rate has risen to 30.8%, returning to a 17-year high in the third quarter as the easing of a coronavirus lockdown allowed more people to look for work and be counted as jobless. An additional 2.2 million people are out of work putting the total at around 6.5 million compared to quarter 2 of 2020. The expanded unemployment rate, which includes people who were available for work but not looking for a job rose to 43.1% from 42% in the previous quarter. According to Statistics South Africa, the largest increases in employment were observed in the formal sector.
- European businesses have indicated that they are delaying investment in South Africa because of poor power and water supply and the costs of complying with Black economic empowerment legislation. Shane van der Nest, board member of the European Union Chamber of Commerce and Industry in South Africa said inconsistent water and electricity supply have “wreaked havoc”. The German managing director of Pepperl + Fuchs, Marc van der Pelt said European companies also struggle to comply with empowerment laws. Van der Nest is exploring expanding into Botswana instead of South Africa while Van Pelt has chosen to import some products rather than invest in local production.
- The Democratic Alliance has suffered losses in this week’s nationwide local elections, losing 7 wards to the ANC, Patriotic Alliance, Al Jama-ah and the Good party. It includes three seats that were taken in the City of Johannesburg, and Patricia de Lille’s Good party took a seat in George from the DA. In a Facebook analysis of the results, DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille said the “splintering of the non-racial moderate centre continues, with small ethnic parties growing”.
- Former President Jacob Zuma has filed an application for Judge Raymond Zondo’s recusal in another attempt to avoid appearing before the commission investigating state capture. Zuma is scheduled to appear before the commission on Monday. Meanwhile ANC Secretary-general Ace Magashule will appear in court on Friday. It follows the issue of a warrant of arrest surrounding the R255-million asbestos scandal in the Free State.
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