Millions of Gauteng residents are hungry, living in poverty and battling to find employment, according to the recently released unemployment statistics.
This is evidence that the Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has failed dismally to create sustainable jobs. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has tabled a motion of no confidence against the Premier for failing to deliver on his promises to create jobs and conducive environment to attract investors and grow our economy.
According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the third quarter of 2025, 2,586,000 Gauteng residents are unemployed. The official unemployment rate in the province stands at 33.1%. Furthermore , the Gauteng expanded unemployment rate has increased by 0.4% from 39.2% in the previous quarter to 39.6% in the year under review. This is a clear indication that Gauteng residents have given up looking for employment opportunities yet Premier Lesufi claim to be championing job creation.
The continuous failure to put Gauteng residents to work exposes the emptiness of Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s job creation promises. His words have not translated into real opportunities for the people of our province, many of whom have lost hope of ever finding a job.
The marginal decline in Gauteng’s unemployment rate is hardly worth celebrating when millions remain without work, and job schemes such as the Nasi Ispani and Amapanyaza programmes have collapsed, contributing to the province’s unemployment crisis.
The DA has not been a bystander to the deepening crisis. We have consistently urged the Lesufi-led government to foster job creation by tackling crime and corruption, addressing infrastructure decay, and encouraging economic investment.
Instead of recognising that the government’s role is to create a conducive environment for investor confidence and sustainable job growth, Lesufi has relied on gimmicks that provide only temporary relief, showing that he is out of his depth as Premier of Gauteng.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would set achievable targets for the Department of Economic Development to reduce red tape, streamline state entities, and strengthen partnerships with the private sector. Additionally, we would tackle corruption by implementing lifestyle audits for high-ranking officials and MECs. Effective and accountable governance would attract investment to create sustainable jobs for Gauteng residents.