ANC's Masina suggests SA's rapid population growth concealing its progress in addressing unemployment

JOHANNESBURG - African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee (NEC) member, Mzwandile Masina, suggested that South Africa's rapid population growth since 1994 was concealing the party's progress in addressing unemployment.

Masina was responding to Soweto residents who conveyed frustrations over joblessness during 702's election town hall in the township on Tuesday.

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Despite the unemployment rate sitting at a staggering 32.9%, he dismissed suggestions insisting the ANC was losing the battle against unemployment.

"In 1993, eight million South Africans were working. Today, 18.7 million South Africans are working. However, the population has also doubled from 32 million to 62 million."

Soweto resident, Hunisani Makasi, said he’d been searching for employment since 2013.

"I graduated in 2013. We have found situations whereby we have not been included in the participation of the economy. Yes, there are policies that they’ve been talking about, but we’re not seeing them on the ground."