Volume II - The Northern Cape Provincial Spatial Development ...

Northern Cape PSDF
Volume 2
December 2011
Table E.15 below illustrates the social grants received on district level in the Northern Cape for
2007. It is evident that Pixely ka Seme receives the highest portion (32.1%) of social grants,
followed by John Taolo Gaetsewe (29.2%) and Frances Baard (28.0%). This is directly related to
the number of people in these district municipalities that live below the poverty line.
Table E.16: Social Grants received on district level in the Northern level, 2007 (Source: LED
Strategy).
DISTRICT NUMBER OF PERSONS WHO RECEIVED AS % OF DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY TOTAL
GRANTS IN 2007
POPULATION
John Taolo Gaetsewe 53 799 29.2
Namaqua 31 694 27.7
Pixley ka Seme 49 335 32.1
Siyanda 50 618 23.7
Frances Baard 87 990 28.0
E.2.4 LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
According to the LED Strategy, the province has the second lowest unemployment rate (18.1%) in
South Africa. In 2007, 40.3% of the Northern Cape were employed, 18.1% were unemployed and
41.6% were not economically active 24 . On an individual level this translates to approximately 269
000 individuals being employed and 121 000 unemployed.
However according to the PGDS the Province has a population of 710 000 persons that are
between the ages of 15 and 64, of this only 371 000 (Quarter 1 2010) are within the labour force 25 .
The labour force of the province in terms of year to year (i.e. March to March) shows a decline of
22 000, i.e. ‐7.6%. This is made up of 268 000 employed persons and 103 000 unemployed. While
persons that are not economically active are 339 000 and discouraged work seekers are 47 000.
Compared to 2001, the economically active population of the province has decreased to
approximately 383 000. From 2005 the economically active population has been growing and is
predominantly male. Employment grew by 2.3% between the 3 rd and 4 th quarter of 2008 bringing
the unemployment rate down from 22.6% in the 3 rd quarter of 2008 to 21.6% in the 4 th quarter, of
which 56% of the unemployed are females. The table below illustrates the employment structure
in 2007 of the Northern Cape compared with other provinces in South Africa.
Table E.17: Employment in the Northern Cape in relation to other provinces (Source: LED
Strategy).
PROVINCE EMPLOYED UNEMPLOYED NOT ECONOMICALLY
ACTIVE
South Africa 41.3% 20.2% 38.5%
Western Cape 55.1% 15.7% 29.2%
Eastern Cape 30.5% 19.9% 49.%
Northern Cape 40.3% 18.1% 41.6%
Free State 40.0% 22.3% 37.7%
KwaZulu‐Natal 35.5% 21.3% 43.2%
24
This classification includes housewives/homemakers, students or scholars, pensioners and retired people as well
as those not seeking work.
25
The labour force consist of people of working age (between 15 – 65 years) who are either employed or
unemployed, and is also referred to as the ‘Economically Active Population’.
Office of the Premier &
Department of Rural Development & Land Reform
88
Dennis Moss Partnership