Question CW62 to the Minister of Employment and Labour
31 March 2020 - CW62
Boshoff, Ms SH to ask the Minister of Employment and Labour
(1) Of the 500 000 jobs to be created per annum, how many were created in the (a) 2017/18 and (b) 2018/19 financial years; (2) with reference to the National Development Plan that 11 million jobs are targeted to be created by 2030, what is the current position regarding the jobs that have been created thus far; (3) whether such a target will be reached; if not, why not; if so, (a) how and (b) what are the further relevant details?
Reply:
1. Section 10(1) of the Employment Services Act, No 4 of 2014 does not put an obligation to any employer in either the private or public sector to report on any vacancy or jobs created. We therefore do not have an accurate record of all jobs created across the country including those in the small business sector or cooperatives during 2017/18 and 2018/19. The registration of opportunities is voluntary and advertisement and placement in those opportunities are done free of charge. The number of opportunities registered with the Department during the 2017/18 and 2018/19 was 131 994 and 172 814 respectively.
We also know that at the end of Quarter 3 there were 16.4 million people that are employed and we also maintain records of registered work seekers that we place in the labour market. We do know that within government, the opportunities that were created by public works projects in 2017/18 and 2018/19 were 1 406 736 and 1 455 840 respectively.
The Public Employment Services Branch of the Department of Employment and Labour placed in employment during 2017/18 and 2018/19 a total of 131 994 and 172 814 persons respectively.
2. The National Development Plan projections of 11 million jobs to be created by 2030 were based on certain assumptions at a particular point in time. In panning for the next five years, our government took into consideration the prevailing economic conditions both locally and internationally and made adjustments accordingly in the Medium Term Strategic Framework 2020/21 to 2023/24.
3. (a & b) The current situation regarding jobs and whether the target will be achieved or not is as outlined in point 1 above.