Centre for Development and Enterprise executive director Ann Bernstein has criticised the push to expand public employment programmes, saying they substitute short-term placements for the kind of private-sector job creation South Africa needs. She contends that government targets count brief “work opportunities” rather than durable employment.

Bernstein points to manifesto promises that envisage millions of work opportunities over five years, but notes these are typically temporary and low paid, often ending within months. On her reading of available outcomes, the numbers translate into a fraction of full-time jobs and therefore understate the scale of the challenge.

She frames the country’s labour market as a deep, long-running crisis that cannot be eased by enlarging state schemes. In her view, an emphasis on public works risks diverting attention from the reforms required to raise investment, lift growth, and spur hiring across the economy.

Bernstein argues that a credible strategy should prioritise policy certainty, competitive markets, and a supportive environment for firms to expand. Public programmes may provide income relief and work experience, but she maintains they cannot deliver mass employment without a broader shift toward market-led growth.

Her intervention adds to mounting scrutiny of how employment is counted and created, and challenges the idea that scaling state-funded placements can meaningfully reduce joblessness without structural reform.