TimesLive reports that as SA grapples with joblessness and slow economic growth, the Ipsos ‘What Worries the World’ survey shows almost 70% of South Africans cited unemployment as their top concern.

Forty-two percent of the rest of the world chose inflation instead. “While other nations are showing signs of employment recovery after Covid-19, the growing unease about unemployment in South Africa serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing the country,” the study found. SA’s official unemployment rate stands at more than 30%, while joblessness for those aged between 15 and 24 is at more than 60%. The impact of unemployment is particularly pronounced for women, with a staggering 35.5% of them unemployed compared with 30.4% of men. “Unemployment in South Africa has deep-rooted causes that date back several decades. The Covid-19 pandemic has further compounded these problems, resulting in a loss of 3 to 4-million jobs that have yet to be regained. With the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, people are increasingly desperate to secure employment opportunities,” commented Kelly Arnold, manager for Ipsos in SA. The pervasive worry about unemployment in SA is not limited to concerns about the present, but also reflects a broader sense of unease about the country's future. Nearly nine in 10 South Africans believe SA is headed in the wrong direction.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kgaugelo Masweneng at SowetanLive

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