South African unemployment dips

An uptick in construction jobs helped South Africa's unemployment rate ease slightly to 25.4 percent in the third quarter, official data showed on Thursday (30/10/2014).

Statistics South Africa reported that 3,000 fewer people were unemployed than in the quarter before, as 66,000 construction jobs were created.

For years, South Africa has struggled with high unemployment, sclerotic growth and rising prices, with little end in sight.

While African economies grow apace, the continent's most developed economy has lagged.

Anti-poverty lobby group Oxfam on Wednesday released a report saying that South Africa today is more unequal than at it was at the end of racist white rule 20 years ago.

The two richest South Africans tycoon Johann Rupert and De Beers cion Nicky Oppenheimer are worth as much as nearly 27 million South Africans, the non-governmental group claimed. - AFP