1 May is recognised internationally as Workers’ Day—a date to mark the role of workers in society and the legal protections established through organised labour. In South Africa, this public holiday has been observed since 1994 and acknowledges both the achievements and ongoing challenges in the world of work.
Unemployment in South Africa remains high. The national rate exceeds 30%, and youth unemployment is over 60%. In the rural Xhora Mouth Administrative Area, where the Bulungula Incubator operates, local unemployment is estimated at around 95%. Access to formal work is typically limited to opportunities outside the area, such as mining or seasonal farm work far from home.
The Bulungula Incubator is a place-based organisation located in Nqileni Village. 100% of our staff live and work in the community where we run our projects. At our organisation:
- We employ 128 permanent staff
- 12 volunteer DJs at Bulungula Community Radio who receive a stipend
- We support 40 paid interns through our Jobs Skills and Enterprise Programme (JSEP)
- 90% of our staff are from our local community
- 60% are women
- One-third are youth
- 83% of our senior management team was born in or are permanent bona fide members of the community
BI also prioritises equity in earnings. We operate with a 5:1 pay ratio between the highest and lowest-paid employees, covering senior roles such as programme managers, teachers, nurses, and the director/founder.
While unemployment remains a significant issue in our region, the increase in local job opportunities over the past two decades represents meaningful progress. Nearly 200 individuals can now work in their own community across BI and associated programmes.
On Workers’ Day, we acknowledge the importance of stable, fair employment and reaffirm our commitment to local job creation as part of our broader development work.