Date: 29 March 2006
The continuing growth in formal employment as shown by the latest Statistics
South Africa (Stats SA) survey was a clear vindication of the governmentâs
sound job creation strategies, Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana said today
(Wednesday).
Minister Mdladlana was reacting to Stats SAâs latest quarterly employment
statistics showing that 158 000 more jobs had been created in the formal
non-farming sectors by the last quarter of 2005 a growth of 22 percent more
than in 2004.
âWe welcome the Stats SA figures and feel we have been vindicated as the
department. We have always said that ours is a job creating economy in that
more and more people are entering the labour market. That is why the
Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) stresses
that the economy must go with skills development being a key component,â he
said.
Urging employers to play their part in skills training, Minister Mdladlana
said the governmentâs skills empowerment through apprenticeships and
artisanship strategies were once again proving a success.
According to Stats SA, the latest figures have taken the total number of
people employed in the formal non-agricultural sectors to 7.225 million.
Enquiries please contact:
Mokgadi Pela
Cell: 082 808 2168
Website: http://www.labour.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Labour
29 March 2006
