Question NW3216 to the Minister of Employment and Labour

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23 September 2022 - NW3216

Profile picture: Ngcobo, Mr SL

Ngcobo, Mr SL to ask the Minister of Employment and Labour

(1)What steps is his department taking to lower the unemployment rate amongst women, especially young women, in view of the finding by Statistics South Africa that a woman is more likely to be without a job than a man and that the unemployment rate amongst women was 37,3%, compared to a total unemployment rate of 32,9% in the third quarter of 2021; (2) whether his department is taking any action towards integrating more women into the workspace; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

1. The Department actively assists woman to help them to secure employment.

The table below reflects the number of work seekers registered by gender for the period April 2022- August 2022

 

Female

Male

Eastern Cape

16 462

10 603

Free State

8 544

7 399

Gauteng

30 088

28 423

Kwa-Zulu Natal

17 448

15 853

Limpopo

9 173

5 423

Mpumalanga

9 877

10 581

Northern Cape

5 234

4 283

North West

6 637

5 976

Western Cape

13 435

9 992

Online

9 478

5 308

Total

126 376

103 841

The table below reflects the number of work seekers provided with employment counselling by gender for the period April 2022- August 2022.

 

Female

Male

Eastern Cape

6 272

3 364

Free State

3 443

2 122

Gauteng

10 634

7 763

Kwa Zulu Natal

7 470

4 601

Limpopo

7 345

3 665

Mpumalanga

5 812

4 404

Northern Cape

2 154

1 842

North West

3 741

2 268

Western Cape

4 538

2 203

Total

51 409

32 232

The table below reflects the number of work seekers that have been placed into employment opportunities by gender for the period April 2022- August 2022.

 

Female

Male

Eastern Cape

1 614

1 535

Free State

769

660

Gauteng

2 315

1 921

Kwa Zulu Natal

1 628

1 225

Limpopo

3 806

1 983

Mpumalanga

1 293

756

Northern Cape

605

591

North West

551

607

Western Cape

1 050

751

Online

2

1

Total

13 633

10 030

The Department of Employment and Labour has gone a long way in terms of gender responsive recruitment. We have taken a conscious decision and effort to meet our employment equity target in improving recruitment of women. We have moved from 45% of SMS positions occupied by women during 2019/20 to 49,7% as at the end of March 2022.

2. In relation to any action being taken by the department toward integrating more women into the workspace, the department has recently developed and published a critical EE policy instrument, the Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination of Harassment in the Workplace (Harassment Code) on 18 March 2022. The primary objective of this Code is to provide both employers and employees with fundamental guidelines on how to prevent, eliminate and manage all types of harassment incidents in their workplaces. All types of harassment are forms of unfair discrimination that constitute barriers to women and prevents them from accessing equal employment opportunities, their right to equality and fair labour practices in the workplace.

In addition, through the EE amendments in the EE Amendment Bill that is pending the President’s assent into law, the Minister of Employment and Labour will be empowered to regulate sector specific EE targets intended to accelerate the rate of employment of women into strategic decision-making positions in various organisations. These policy interventions are aimed at enhancing the economic empowerment of women, their economic inclusion and active participation in the economic recovery strategies and programmes.

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