South Africa Province Slashes Unemployment by 6.2%

South Africa's North West province just delivered the country's biggest unemployment victory, slashing its jobless rate by 6.2% last year while the national average dropped just 0.5%.

Premier Lazarus Mokgosi announced the milestone, revealing that the province created close to 80,000 jobs in the final two quarters of 2025 alone. Agriculture, construction, and public service sectors led the employment surge.

The turnaround traces back to the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy, officially adopted in 2024 to revitalize the region's economy. After decades of high unemployment, the province is finally seeing concrete results from coordinated planning.

"We are now starting to witness an upward trajectory on our job creation initiatives," Mokgosi said. The numbers represent real families with new paychecks and renewed stability.

The province isn't stopping there. This Friday, officials will sign an agreement with South Africa's national Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to reopen Pilanesberg International Airport. The airport's revival aims to breathe life back into tourism around Moses Kotane Local Municipality, potentially creating even more opportunities.

The Ripple Effect

When 80,000 people find work, entire communities transform. New jobs mean children staying in school, local businesses gaining customers, and neighborhoods regaining hope after years of economic struggle.

The impact extends beyond individual families. Each new construction worker helps rebuild infrastructure. Every agricultural job strengthens food security. Public service positions improve community services that benefit everyone.

While critics point out that extended unemployment rates only dropped 1.9% and infrastructure challenges remain, the core achievement stands solid. Nearly 80,000 people who were searching for work six months ago now have income, purpose, and stability.

The province is proving that strategic planning combined with focused investment in key sectors can reverse even stubborn unemployment trends.