Gauteng lost 661 000 jobs due to Covid-19 - Makhura
Updated | By Neo Motloung
Gauteng has lost some 661 000 jobs since the coronavirus pandemic hit the country at the end of March.
Gauteng has lost some 661 000 jobs since the coronavirus pandemic hit the country at the end of March.
This was revealed by Premier David Makhura during a virtual media briefing on the Covid-19 situation in the province on Thursday.
Makhura said the statistics showed that the province had 5.1 million jobs in the first quarter of the year, but by the end of the second quarter only 4.5 million residents were employed.
"Between now to end March 2021, we need to use this period extensively to get every sector in the economy going. To avoid the eventuality, as a province, that scenario of losing 1.5 million jobs.”
Makhura said the province and the SME Fund has raised R500 million in an effort to help struggling small businesses.
The fund, which is expected to be rolled out at the end of October, will be used to revive the township economy.
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