# The Congress of the People is calling on the Government of National Unity to declare unemployment a national disaster and introduce an urgent jobs and youth employment programme. The call follows a rise in South Africa’s official unemployment rate to 33.6-percent in the second quarter of 2026, up from 32.7-percent. COPE wants the government to prioritise industrialisation, manufacturing, infrastructure, agriculture, construction and small businesses, with measurable employment targets and quarterly public reporting.
COPE calls for national jobs disaster programme