Drastic action needed against skyrocketing unemployment
10 November 2026
For immediate release
Unemployment has skyrocketed to 33.7% despite numerous initiatives by government and the private sector to create more jobs.
MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, believes the latest Statistics South Africa figures, indicating that a staggering 8.6 million people are now without work, are a clear indication that South Africa has to go back to the drawing board to prevent unemployment from rising beyond 33.7%.
Martlé Keyter, MISA's Chief Executive Officer: Operations, says that compared with a year ago, 571,000 more South Africans are unemployed and 215,000 jobs have been lost. The number of discouraged work-seekers, people who have given up looking for work, has climbed to 3.7 million.
Employment in craft and related trade occupations, a category that includes motor mechanics, auto electricians, and panel beaters alongside other skilled trades, fell by 68,000 between the third quarter of 2025 and the third quarter of 2026.
"In August, MISA warned that unemployment had reached unacceptably high levels when it reached 33.6%. Three months later, there is no relief. MISA has repeatedly called on government to introduce incentives that reward businesses for creating permanent jobs rather than short-term placements that leave workers vulnerable. That call is now more urgent than ever.
'Every quarter we are told that recovery is around the corner, and every quarter more families are left without an income. This cannot continue. Government must take drastic measures to create jobs, including real incentives for businesses that offer permanent employment. When millions of people are locked out of the economy, desperation grows, and we have already seen how quickly that desperation can turn into unrest and xenophobic violence. Decent work is the foundation of a stable society,' says Keyter.
MISA calls on government, business, and labour to treat job creation as a national emergency and remains committed to advocating for workers in the motor industry and beyond.
Issued by Sonja Carstens, Manager of MISA's Media & Communication Department, on behalf of the Union.
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