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New numbers released by Statistics SA show a bloodbath in construction jobs over the past months, while the mining sector is steadily employing more people - for now.
The Quarterly Employment Statistics survey for the second quarter of the year showed that almost 10.2m people were employed in the second quarter, 2 000 fewer than in the first quarter of the year – but 141 000 more than a year ago.
In the past quarter to end-June alone, 16 000 jobs were lost in the construction sector – there are now 30 000 fewer workers in the construction industry than a year ago. But community services (including civil servants, health workers as well as part-time workers for the elections this year) and the mining industry reported increases of 44 000 and 3 000 jobs respectively over the past quarter.
Parts of the mining industry have benefited from stronger resource prices, particularly platinum and gold. But job cuts are looming: Sibanye-Stillwater, the biggest SA gold producer and the largest platinum miner in the world, may retrench almost 6 000 workers, while steel producer ArcelorMittal SA is also planning 2 000 retrenchments.
Mining employment
The manufacturing industry saw a sharp 15 000 drop in jobs in the past quarter compared to the first quarter of the year. It employed 1 000 fewer people in June 2019 compared to June 2018.
Manufacturing employment
The QES collects information on businesses registered for VAT with an annual turnover greater than R300 000, as well as government employers.
