jobs intervention needed
25 June 2008

Government needs to follow an interventionist approach and be a more active player in the labour market to ensure employment growth, the Congress of SA Trade Unions said. Reacting to the latest employment figures that shows employment had increased by 174 000 jobs between March 2007 and March 2008, Cosatu said the country was failing to create sufficient jobs.

"Cosatu is certain that such minimal growth in employment will not achieve the policy targets of halving the 2004 unemployment levels by 2014," the trade union federation said. "This will require a greater impetus from government to achieve substantial increases in creating decent, quality and sustainable employment opportunities."

Employment scenarios researched by the HSRC indicate that if unemployment is to be halved by 2014, then five million jobs had to be created between 2004 and 2014. This would mean employment growth of about 500 000 jobs per annum.

"Considering that these employment targets would have to factor in a labour force growth of between 350 000 to 450 000 per year, delivering sufficient jobs is becoming a distant dream. "Cosatu believes that an interventionist approach is required by the state to be a more active player in the labour market.

"While the National Industrial Policy measures are rolled out, government must allow for larger spending in public employment programmes," Cosatu said.

Sapa , http://business.iafrica.com