Tackling South Africa’s job crisis: What the major political parties are promising

South Africa continues to struggle with one of the world’s highest unemployment rates. This crisis fuels poverty, inequality, and social strain nationwide.

With the upcoming local elections bringing the issue to the forefront, voters are demanding real solutions rather than empty political promises.

While the state of our national economy affects every household, political parties differ on how to fix it.

Their proposed solutions range from cutting business rules and creating flexible labour laws to widespread state ownership, taking services back in-house, and guaranteeing jobs directly.

Here is how the country’s four biggest political parties plan to tackle job creation and unemployment if elected to govern:

ANC

For the ANC, solving South Africa’s severe job crisis requires municipalities to step up as local drivers of growth. This means bringing business and industry right into cities, towns, townships, and rural areas.

Their plan combines large public job programs with targeted support for small businesses, cooperatives, and local factories. To boost business activity, the ANC’s manifesto commits municipalities to becoming investor-friendly through online business services and faster building approvals.

The party focuses heavily on reviving main business hubs and township centres by improving basic services, safety, and public spaces.

Furthermore, they plan to use municipal buying power while strictly enforcing quick payment rules. They pledge to “pay every compliant and legitimate supplier within thirty days, so that the small businesses that employ our people are not made to carry the municipality’s cash flow.”

On the job creation front, the ANC plans to anchor employment by expanding public job schemes like the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and the Community Work Programme (CWP).

These programs aim to fix local infrastructure while providing up to “one million work, training, and enterprise opportunities.”

They also include trade apprenticeships for young people and local business support hubs.

DA

For the DA, South Africa’s unemployment crisis requires a major shift away from government interference and toward a business-friendly economy.

At the heart of their plan is a target to create millions of new jobs by cutting red tape, reforming spending, and removing strict business rules.

The party argues that current wage rules stop businesses from hiring. As a solution, it proposes a “Youth Employment Opportunity Certificate” to help young job seekers enter the formal workforce.

To support smaller businesses, the DA plans to free small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) from rigid industry-wide wage agreements. As the party’s policy framework notes, freeing SMMEs from these rules will “make it cheaper and easier for businesses to expand and take on staff.”

On the business front, the DA aims to build a “Start-Up Nation” by introducing a simple Business Starter Toolkit and improving access to small loans.

Furthermore, their economic plan involves turning the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant into a dedicated Job Seekers Grant. They also plan to change trade rules to boost farming exports, and fix basic services to attract vital private investment.

EFF

For the EFF, addressing South Africa’s job crisis requires ending the reliance on private contractors and labour brokers. Instead, they aim to build strong internal municipal teams.

Their strategy focuses on bringing core municipal services back in-house to create stable, permanent jobs. Thus, they aim to turn municipalities into local production hubs.

To tackle joblessness directly, the EFF’s manifesto explicitly commits to “insource security, cleaning, waste collection, maintenance, and other core municipal services to create permanent jobs.”

They plan to set up internal municipal teams for plumbing, electrical work, and road repairs. In addition, they focus on young people by reserving at least 40% of municipal job openings for citizens aged 18 to 35.

Furthermore, the party aims to support local small businesses by promising to “allocate a minimum of 80% of municipal procurement to local SMMEs, cooperatives, and township enterprises.”

To build long-term economic growth, the EFF supports local industry by setting up township and rural industrial parks focused on manufacturing and food processing.

They also plan to build youth innovation centres to provide digital skills, equipment, and market access for new businesses.

MKP

For the MK party, South Africa’s unemployment and poverty are direct results of historical land theft and failed free-market policies.

Their strategy relies on strong state action, taking key industries into public hands, and direct job guarantees to rebuild the economy.

Central to their job creation plan is a bold commitment to “provide permanent jobs for all capable and willing workers at a basic salary of R4 500, with training and skills opportunities.”

To drive long-term industrial growth and create jobs, the MKP plans to nationalise strategic mines and major banks. They also intend to rebuild state-owned companies and aggressively expand local manufacturing.

Furthermore, the party aims to unlock economic activity through major land reform. They promise to “expropriate all land without compensation and transfer ownership to the people under the custodianship of the state and traditional leaders.”

They also plan to overhaul social security and public works to lift poor communities out of poverty and economic exclusion.

A choice for South Africa’s economic future

The differences between these manifestos highlight a clear choice for South Africa.

Whether voters prefer the DA’s push to cut business rules, the ANC’s focus on public works, the EFF’s push to rebuild local industry, or the MKP’s strong state action, one thing remains certain: local government must become an effective tool for economic inclusion.

As election day draws near, the true test for all political parties will be whether their big economic promises turn into real jobs and lasting dignity for South Africa’s workforce.