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EWN reports that Stats SA on Monday said that its use of the official unemployment rate and the expanded unemployment rate was merely to keep up with international standards and was not meant to disregard those who were not looking for work at the time of its data collection.
The agency’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey is a key instrument in determining the unemployment reality of over 12 million South Africans. However, the survey has come under fire recently, with some sections of society doubting its credibility. Stats SA’s chief director for labour statistics, Malerato Mosiane, said that the official definition of employment was limited to the agreed standard by the international community. “You should have been without work in the reference week when we are collecting the data and you should have actively looked for work and been available to take the job,” Mosiane explained. He said that the expanded definition of employment was the localised definition. “We also have those who have not actively looked for work but if you give them jobs then they will take them. Hence, we publish both - the official and the expanded definition. Even in our development plan, we are saying we want to lower the unemployment rate to about 6% in 2030. We have to publish the official rate for that reason and for international comparisons.” Stats SA advised that it would be removing the age limit from the unemployment data to keep up with international guidelines. At present, it only surveys people between the ages of 15 and 64.
Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Theto Mahlakoana at EWN
Read too, Stats SA defends the quality of its unemployment data collection methods, at EWN
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page