SA Loses 230,000 Jobs — Expert Says It’s “Just The Same Trend”

South Africa is once again facing a devastating employment crisis. According to data revealed this week, the country has lost a staggering 230,000 jobs across various sectors, further inflaming the already dire unemployment rate.

Economics lecturer Charles Adams from the University of the Western Cape (UWC) joined 702 and CapeTalk’s Africa Melane to unpack what’s driving the massive job cuts in the country.

Expert: Jobs Loss Part of a Long-Term Trend

Adams was blunt in his assessment, stressing that the figures were not surprising given South Africa’s sluggish economy.

“As long as we have low economic growth, we cannot expect significant job increases. What we have seen now with these job losses is just a continuation of a trend, which has been happening now for the past several quarters in Africa,” he explained.

He added that South Africa’s persistent lack of investment continues to choke job creation, leaving millions vulnerable.

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The job bloodbath has not spared the public sector, where many part-time roles have been slashed as part of cost-cutting efforts to rein in government spending.

Meanwhile, Adams highlighted how the NGO sector has also been hit hard, pointing to a direct link between some job losses and the Trump administration’s withdrawal of support.

With multiple industries shrinking simultaneously, the latest blow shows South Africa’s uphill battle against an unemployment crisis that shows no signs of slowing down in the near future.

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