The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West today led a march through the streets of Mahikeng, calling for urgent action to address the province’s escalating unemployment crisis. The march culminated in the formal handover of a memorandum to the Office of the Premier. MEC Wessels Morweng received the petition on behalf of Premier Lazarus Mokgosi and his Executive. (See pictures here, here, here and here.)
This action forms part of a broader, three-pronged DA Jobs Campaign, which began with a motion tabled and debated in the North West Provincial Legislature last month, followed by a province-wide petition drive led by DA public representatives and activists both online and on the ground, which garned more than 10 000 signatures.
The North West continues to suffer the highest unemployment rates in South Africa, with an expanded unemployment rate of 56% and over 57,000 job losses recorded in the most recent quarter. Yet, there remains no provincial jobs plan, no economic recovery roadmap, and no transparency on job-creating investments.
The DA’s memorandum outlines a clear five-point Jobs and Economic Rescue Plan, including:
1. Declaring unemployment a provincial disaster;
2. Establishing a Premier-led Youth Employment War Room;
3. Adopting a turnaround jobs plan with measurable indicators;
4. Prioritising infrastructure to unlock growth;
5. Releasing quarterly public reports on investment projects and job creation.
We call on the Premier and his Executive to respond within 30 days with concrete action.
This is not just a march, it is a call to action. The people of the North West deserve jobs, dignity, and hope for a better future. The DA will continue to fight for this, in every legislature chamber, committee, and community.