Note to Editors: Please note Hannah Lidgett sound bite in English
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) notes the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) results, which show that KZN was the only province to record an increase in employment during the first quarter of 2026, with a 1.1% improvement.
While the increase must be welcomed, we must, however, be honest about the full picture.
The message from these results is that while KZN has potential, provincial government needs to push far more aggressively to create the right conditions for economic growth as year-on-year 67 000 jobs were shed in the province.
According to Stats SA, KZN gained 6 000 jobs quarter-on-quarter – moving from 2.716 million employed citizens in Q4 2025 to 2.722 million in Q1 2026. This improvement comes at a time when South Africa as a whole has lost 345 000 jobs.
The latest statistics are a welcome sign for our province. They show that, despite extremely difficult economic conditions, KZN still has sectors that are growing and creating jobs.
A reported 5.4% increase year-on-year within KZN’s construction sector is also significant and is testament to the work being done by DA Public Works and Infrastructure MEC, Martin Meyer.
According to the statistics, KZN’s strongest gains were recorded in Trade, which added 48 000 jobs, Finance, which added 28 000 jobs and Manufacturing, which added 7 000 jobs. These are important sectors for KZN’s economy and must be supported.
The DA believes that there must now be a relentless focus on the basics. These include;
• Cutting red tape and speeding up investment approvals
• Supporting small businesses
• Rebuilding investor confidence
• Strengthening tourism
• Protecting our agricultural sector and
• Ensuring that infrastructure and safety are prioritised.
As a partner within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), the DA will continue to seek viable solutions as we fight for economic dignity for the people of our province.