The challenge of employment creation in South Africa
by Altman,M., 2013"State of the Nation: South Africa 2012–2013: Addressing Inequality and Poverty. Edited by Udesh Pillay, Gerard Hagg, Francis Nyamnjoh, Jonathan D Jansen. Chapter 6 pp.185- 221."
Altman reviews trends in employment, unemployment and working poverty, as well as the employment scenarios developed by the Human Sciences Research Council. Central questions relate to which sectors might create jobs, the role of government in direct job creation, the connection between employment and poverty reduction, and the need for social protection. Many of South…
read more >>Identifying Employment-creating Sectors in South Africa: The Role of Services Industries
by ALTMAN, M., 2006Development Southern Africa, 23:5, 627-647
Altman explores scenarios for employment creation, with an emphasis on services. It considers whether the government’s current policies for the formal services sector will achieve its 2014 target of halving unemployment. New employment has mainly been found in the formal and non-formal services, and future employment will probably come from such sectors as business services,…
read more >>South African Mining Sector Employment: Forecast To 2025
by BAARTJES, N., 2011Research report, Centre for Poverty Employment and Growth, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria
Baartjes focuses on trends in mining employment in South Africa, per sector, and includes a long-term forecast. He provides a profile of employment in the sector from 1995 to 2010, and discusses input shocks (e.g. electricity supply) and the commodity boom. He then reviews the primary mining sectors – gold, platinum group metals, coal, diamonds, iron…
read more >>Agricultural Employment Scenarios
by ALIBER, M., BAIPHETI, M. & JACOBS, P., 2009Another Countryside? Policy Options for Land and Agrarian Reform in South Africa, Chapter 6, Ed. Ruth Hall, PLAAS, School of Government, University of Western Cape, April 2009
Agriculture is often held up as a sector in which much employment can be created. However, employment on commercial farms in South Africa has been in long-term decline. SA’s high unemployment rates draw us to question if this trend can be halted, or better, reversed. Another question is whether there are alternative ways in which…
read more >>Employment Scenarios to 2014 & 2024 in the Context of a Global Meltdown
by ALTMAN, M, 2009Research Report. Centre for Poverty Employment and Growth, Human Sciences Research Council
The 2007 Human Sciences Research Council employment scenarios are updated in this paper, taking into account the possible impact of the global economic crisis on employment and poverty. Altman puts forward three employment scenarios, projecting economic growth rates averaging 2.5% (L-shaped recovery), 3.3% (U-shaped recovery) and 4.5% (V-shaped recovery) between 2004 and 2014. They all…
read more >>Editorial – Special Issue: Industrial growth and employment in South Africa.
by SIMKINS, C., 2008Research Report. Centre for Poverty Employment and Growth, Human Sciences Research Council
Simkins offers population projections from 2007 to 2024 for the Human Sciences Research Council Employment Scenarios. He uses the SPECTRUM model by population group, gender and age group, based on:· The population composition reported by the Community Survey 2007· Fertility as estimated by the Community Survey 2007·Mortality as determined by background mortality and the effect of…
read more >>Mining Employment Scenarios for South Africa to 2024
by BAARTJES, N., AUCHTERLONIE, A., SORENSEN, P. & GOODE, R., 2007Research Report, Employment Growth & Development Initiative, Human Sciences Research Council
Baartjes et al investigate the employment potential of the South African mining industry. They assess mining investment on a commodity-specific basis, the drivers of mining employment, how these relate to investment, and whether significant technological changes (greater mechanisation) would be widely adopted. This is followed by a discussion of employment, incomes and occupational skills levels,…
read more >>Identifying employment creating sectors in South Africa
by ALTMAN, M., 2005Research Report, Employment Growth & Development Initiative, Human Sciences Research Council
Will Government’s current policy priorities and plans in relation to the formal services sector guide the economy towards its 2014 target of halving unemployment? Net new employment has mainly been found in formal and non-formal services. Given the structure of the SA economy, it is most probable that future employment will also be sourced from…
read more >>2030 Horizon Scanning in South Africa: Domestic Economy
by ALTMAN, M., 2007Human Sciences Research Council report, presented at the DFID/Human Sciences Research Council Horizon Scanning in South Africa workshop, October 2007
Unemployment and poverty are among the central uncertainties facing the South African economy. Creating market-based jobs is the most sustainable way of addressing these problems. The Human Sciences Research Council generated scenarios for job creation to 2024, based on GDP growth rates of 3%, 4.5% and 6%. It projects that if the economy grew by…
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