Cyril Ramaphosa says SA’s unemployment crisis keeps him awake at night

President Cyril Ramaphosa said if anything kept him awake at night, it was the country’s growing unemployment crisis.

He said that the state of the economy and the 11 million citizens who did not have jobs were among the country’s biggest challenges.

Ramaphosa was speaking a press conference on Wednesday following the parliamentary debate on his State of the Nation Address (Sona).

The president has drawn a line under the country’s economic recovery, stressing that it was his government’s biggest priority.

He added that the state of the economy – specifically joblessness – kept him awake at night.

“It’s very difficult to have to countenance 11 million people out of work who are not economically engaged in any activity. That is enough to keep me awake at night. It concerns me a great deal,” Ramaphosa said.

President Ramaphosa said that recovery, expanding employment, and increasing investment that followed the advent of democracy were disrupted by the 2008 global financial crisis.

He told MPs that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the issue.

-EWN

In other news – WATCH: Master KG buys Makhadzi a brand new AMG & books a whole restaurant for Valentines

Makhadzi and Master KG’s love story is goals. Despite coming through with a late entry into Valentine’s day fever, Master KG surely did make a statement.

He surprised his girlfriend Makhadzi with a brand new AMG. The exact model was not specified but all we know is, Makhadzi was gifted with a new car. Learn More