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Unemployment

Over 500 000 underemployed in 2010

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:23

Of the 13.1 million people employed, 544 000 were underemployed in 2010, a report by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has shown.

The figure represented 4.2% of the South African workforce. In 2010, the proportion of women who were underemployed was almost twice as much as that of men (5.9% as opposed to 2.8%).

Younger workers between the ages of 15 - 24 years were most likely to be underemployed than in other employed age groups.

Underemployment, according to the Labour Market Dynamics report released by Stats SA on Wednesday, refers to an inadequacy in the volume of work. They worked less than 35 hours a week, while they indicated that they wanted to work more hours.

Underemployment tended to be concentrated in the less skilled occupation groups.

Between 2009 and 2010, those who worked 40 to 54 hours per week were most likely to have access to employee benefits, which include paid leave.

The Eastern Cape had the highest proportion of underemployed workers at 5.3 %, followed by the Free State at 5.2%.

Underemployed workers were mostly concentrated in private households, construction and trade industries, said Deputy Director General for Population and Social Statistics, Kefiloe Masiteng.

Of the country’s working citizens, about 35% were not entitled to paid leave, while almost 43% of women were working in jobs that made no provision for them to take maternity leave.

Meanwhile, about 30% of employees were members of a trade union in 2010. – BuaNews