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The Democratic Alliance and the GOOD Party have reacted to the latest unemployment figures, painting a bleak picture for the jobless.
According to the latest statistics, 32.6% of South Africans are without a job or a proper income.
GOOD Secretary-General Brett Herron said although this figure is down by 0.3 of a percentage point compared to the last quarter, it still leaves a shocking number of South Africans desperately in need of support.
In the Eastern Cape, unemployment stands at 39.7%, down from 40% in the first quarter.
Just 23 000 additional jobs were created in the province over the last quarter, which resulted in a nominal drop in the second quarter unemployment rate, DA MPL Yusuf Cassim said in a statement.
The Quarterly Labour Force Survey for April to June 2023 was released on Tuesday.
Cassim added: "The Democratic Alliance welcomes the few jobs created, but it is cold comfort to the hundreds of thousands of individuals unable to find work and forced into poverty, hunger, and hardship.
"Crumbling infrastructure and collapsing service delivery at the hands of deployed cadres are devastating small towns across the province.
"It is, therefore, hardly surprising that the expanded unemployment rate in non-metro areas is at 49.3%."
Herron said the GOOD Party believes that the high unemployment rate once again highlights the country's desperate need for a Basic Income Grant.
"The GOOD party proposes that the R350 Social Relief of Distress grant be used as the foundation for a Basic Income Grant and that this be increased to R999 per month.
"This would place the Basic Income Grant at approximately the lower-bound poverty line.
It's not a charitable act but a Constitutional and moral one," said Herron.
Meanwhile, Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has called on government institutions to fast track the implementation of approved catalytic infrastructure projects and strategic agricultural projects which have a huge potential to create more jobs in the province.
“The province has been on a steady trajectory in relation to employment creation, we however acknowledge that more still needs to be done to put up a strong fight against unemployment and poverty,” said Premier Mabuyane.
