May 31, 2022.

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Halima Frost.

Making headlines:

South Africa’s unemployment rate improves modestly to 34.5% in the first quarter

UN agencies says drought threatens starvation in the Horn of Africa

And, Agri SA proposes diesel rebate scheme increase to buffer food prices from fuel hike

South Africa’s unemployment rate improves modestly to 34.5% in the first quarter

The official South African unemployment rate has decreased by 0.8 of a percentage point to 34.5%  in the first quarter of this year, compared with the unemployment rate of 35.3 last year.

370 000 jobs were gained between the fourth quarter of last year and the first quarter of this year.

281 000 jobs were recorded in community and social services, followed by 263 000 manufacturing jobs and trade employing 98 000 more people. The mining sector also managed to gain 36 000 jobs in the quarter under review.

There were, however, job losses recorded from private households totaling 186 000 and finance totaling 72 000, while the construction and agriculture sectors also shed jobs to the tune of 60 000 and 23 000, respectively.

UN agencies says drought threatens starvation in the Horn of Africa

The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have warned that millions of people face severe hunger in the Horn of Africa as the worst drought in more than 40 years could extend to a fifth consecutive failed rainy season.

The March-May rainy season appears likely to be the driest on record, devastating livelihoods and deepening a humanitarian emergency in Ethiopia, Somalia and parts of Kenya, including a risk of famine in Somalia.

There is a risk that the October-December rainy season could also fail.

Drought has combined with a global rise in food and fuel prices, pushed up by war in Ukraine, to impact millions of people across the continent.

An estimated 16.7-million people currently face acute food insecurity in east Africa and that figure could increase to 20-million by September.

Agri SA proposes diesel rebate scheme increase to buffer food prices from fuel hike

Agri SA says a targeted intervention to increase the diesel rebate to the agricultural sector would buffer the cost pressures that impact food prices, while also being a more sustainable option over the coming months given pressures to the fiscus.

The agricultural industry and consumers alike are facing a significant hike in the price of fuel from June, with some estimates putting the increase in the region of R4 a litre if the R1.50 general fuel levy relief is not extended.

An increase of this magnitude will have serious knock-on effects for food security in South Africa.

The need for relief to farmers is especially urgent in that there is high demand for fuel in many parts of the sector as it is still harvesting season for a number of commodities, including summer grains and fruits like citrus. Winter crops, including wheat, are also currently being planted.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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