By JOHANNESBURG — Following the release of Statistics South Africa’s (Stats SA) Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the third quarter of 2026, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have launched a scathing critique of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The party asserts that the latest labour statistics demonstrate a failing national economy incapable of absorbing the growing pool of job seekers.
The Stats SA data shows South Africa’s official unemployment rate rising marginally from 33.6% in the second quarter to 33.7% in the third quarter of 2026. While 101,000 jobs were created—bringing total employment to 16.8 million—the number of unemployed individuals simultaneously rose by 97,000 to reach 8.6 million.
A Crisis Beyond the Official Numbers
In a statement issued on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, the EFF highlighted that job creation is barely keeping pace with new entrants into the labour market. The party drew attention to broader measures of economic exclusion, noting that:
- Discouraged Work-Seekers: The number of people who have given up actively searching for employment increased by 70,000 to reach 3.7 million.
- Potential Labour Force: When factoring in the 4.6 million people classified under the potential labour force, the official rate fails to depict the true depth of economic marginalization.
- Labour Underutilisation: The broader measure of labour underutilisation—encompassing official unemployment, time-related underemployment, and the potential labour force—remains stagnant at 46.3%.
According to the party, this figure indicates that nearly half of South Africa’s extended labour force is excluded from productive participation in the economy.
Youth and Vulnerable Sectors Hardest Hit
The EFF raised alarm over youth unemployment, noting that joblessness among South Africans aged 15 to 34 stands at 47.3%, leaving approximately 5 million young people without employment.
The statement also underscored job losses across critical sectors during the quarter:
- Informal Sector: Shed 98,000 jobs.
- Household Sector: Lost 68,000 jobs.
- Agriculture: Shed 34,000 jobs.
- Construction: Lost 8,000 jobs.
The EFF argued that the continued concentration of land, capital, and industrial capacity in the hands of a few leaves the majority of South Africans structurally excluded.
Political Attack on the GNU and ANC
Taking aim at the political landscape, the EFF framed the latest figures as direct evidence of the GNU’s structural shortcomings. The opposition party accused the coalition government of failing to offer a coherent strategy to dismantle economic inequalities rooted in the nation’s past.
Specifically targeting the African National Congress (ANC), the EFF stated that the governing party has allowed its policies to be constrained by the ideological framework of its coalition partner, the Democratic Alliance (DA). The EFF claimed the ANC has abandoned its historical commitments to radical economic transformation in favour of conservative coalition governance.
Call for State-Led Economic Restructuring
Reiterating its core economic platform, the EFF argued that addressing systemic joblessness requires direct state intervention rather than reliance on market-driven growth. The party called for:
- State Investment & Industrialisation: Expanding state-owned enterprises and driving a nation-wide industrialisation program to build domestic productive capacity.
- Manufacturing & Infrastructure: Expanding public infrastructure programs and protecting local manufacturing jobs.
- Land Redistribution: Implementing aggressive land redistribution policies to broaden economic participation.
The party concluded by declaring the current labour figures a national emergency that demands immediate, fundamental economic policy reform.
