Growth, structure and labour absorption: Economic reform and South Africa's jobs challenge

Helanya Fourie

Research Notes from Bureau for Economic Research Impumelelo Growth Lab

Abstract: The official data shows that only 4 out of 10 working-age adults are employed. The economy needs to become better at creating jobs and absorbing labour for unemployment to fall at the scale required. And to do this, large and small firms need reliable and affordable infrastructure, better local service delivery, improved spatial planning, and a predictable regulatory environment that does not constrain economic dynamism. Only if those basics improve will firms be more willing to take the risk of investing, expanding and hiring.

Keywords: growth; employment; labour absorption; structural reform; South Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J21 J23 O55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-05-13
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