Stats SA to ‘statistic away’ unemployment
There’s one way to reduce unemployment, change the way you measure it! Government’s statistical agency, Stats SA recently announced that it was going to stop using the “expanded” figure for unemployment because it caused “confusion”.
In March this year there were 4,28 million people (26,2% of the population) who were not working, but wanted to work and had been looking for work. This is what Stats SA refers to as the strict definition of unemployment.
However, the expanded definition of unemployment adds to this figure those who wanted to work but that had not been looking for work. Add these 3,82m people and unemployment jumps to 8.1m (or about 40% of the population).
So scrutinise those unemployment figures carefully in September. And see how they are going to categorise them in their pie chart in future? Will we still have a category of person called “discouraged” who is really someone that is unemployed but that hasn’t been searching for a job?
Municipal managers
Looking for a well-paid job that ranks along with Cabinet Ministers’ but does not require too many qualifications? Then submit your CV and become a municipal manager:
The West Rand municipal manager earns R690 000 a year. He has a matric certificate and “numerous short courses”.
Central Karoo municipal manager Truman Prince earns R579 343 a year. He has a diploma in education and a certificate in labour relations.
The Siyanda municipal manager earns R502 000 a year. He holds two education diplomas.
The Ugu municipal manager earns R692 868 a year. He holds various certificates and diplomas but no degrees.
The uThukela municipal manager earns R915 142 a year.
The Zululand municipal manager earns R726 385 a year.
The Nkangala municipal manager earns R871 976 a year.
These figures exclude performance bonuses.
How to choose your councillor
When you choose your councillor for the municipal elections be sure to heed this advice of a KZN congress delegate speaking at last year’s Numsa National Congress:
“We need to change this system of councillors, so that we know that he is coming with his constituency not just with his trousers, his wife and his 7-year old that can’t even vote.”