250,000 JOBS AT RISK
Solidarity asks Ramaphosa for urgent intervention

SA – Solidarity is urgently appealing to President Ramaphosa to personally intervene in the looming job loss crisis. In a letter sent to the President on 4 September 2025, Solidarity warns that almost 250,000 jobs in South Africa are at stake due to a wave of section 189 notices issued by large employers.

The latest retrenchments affect companies such as Glencore, ArcelorMittal, Ford South Africa, Assmang and Goodyear SA. All of these companies are core to the rest of the manufacturing value chain in South Africa and could lead to further retrenchments elsewhere.

“This is a bloodbath of job losses that will worsen South Africa’s already critically low unemployment rate,” warns Willie Venter, deputy general secretary of Solidarity.

The letter to Ramaphosa shows how these mass retrenchments are not only the result of global economic pressures, but that systematic government failures are making South African industries increasingly uncompetitive. These include Eskom’s sharp tariff increases that are making local production less competitive; Transnet’s rail and freight infrastructure that has come to a near standstill and is driving up costs; the government’s sluggishness to finalise favourable export tariff agreements, such as AGOA, on time; and a general lack of policy and support for infrastructure.

In the letter, Solidarity asks that the president immediately hold a crisis meeting with all role players — industries, unions and relevant government departments — to devise plans to prevent further layoffs. 

“Without effective and coordinated action, the social and economic costs of these retrenchments will escalate out of control – threatening not only jobs, but South Africa’s entire industrial future,” says Venter.

Solidarity press release extracts, 5 September 2025