Despite the muted employment figures of the last quarter, it is important to take note of the real unemployment situation in South Africa.

In the fourth quarter of 2014, we had just over eight million unemployed people in South Africa.

During the 2014/2015 financial year, a further 91 000 people lost their jobs or became unemployed.

And during the next year, a further 713000 people became unemployed.

This takes the number of unemployed South Africans to a colossal 8.9 million people by the end of 2016, which means that 35.6% of South Africans are unemployed.

Those numbers speak for themselves. If those were numbers of medical patients, we would classify it as an epidemic. It is a crisis.

The government always blames the international economic slowdown for their economic woes.

However, when one compares the other emerging economies, it is clear that policies affect the results of the economic downturn in each specific case.

Venezuela, for example, experienced a total collapse of their economy when the downturn hit due to their choice of government, leaders and policies, while Australia made very different choices and weathered the storm remarkably well.

Governments, leaders and their policy choices make a much bigger difference in the long run than the external effects of the economic downturn itself.

The choices made by the ANC-led government caused our country to feel the full force of the economic downturn, albeit a few years late.

Our labour market is over regulated, the cabinet is largely ineffective at dealing with crises, infrastructure spending is limited, the education system is producing limited human capital and the skills shortage is severe - while we have nine million people without work or having given up on the possibility of employment.

The government can only point out two causes for this sad state of affairs. It blames the global economic downturn itself, or it blames apartheid and its effects.

It is clear from the examples of Venezuela and Australia, that the economic downturn can be managed in a way that allows the economy to keep growing if you put all the necessary measures in place. This clearly does not need to be a cause of economic downturn or unemployment if you put measures in place to attract or train skilled people, invest in infrastructure that speeds up the economy such as rail, road and internet highways, deregulate the labour market and small-business environment and work hard at growing the export pipeline.

The apartheid argument is more complex to deal with, of course. Undoubtedly, apartheid helped deliver our shortage of skills.

It unjustly prevented black South Africans from accumulating capital, getting a good education and gaining access to opportunities.

However, after 23 years of democratic government, we should be seeing the situation improving, and yet we are not. The education system produces matriculants whose ability and skill levels are ranked internationally as very poor.

The government has tied up the entire economy in red tape.

Infrastructure spending has not materialised as money was syphoned off to other projects, or due to general corruption, and it is more difficult for a skilled worker to enter South Africa than an illegal immigrant or undocumented person.

South Africa's wounds are self-inflicted and the government has been unable, in 23 years, to grow the economy. If those nine million people are to have any hope, these items need to be urgently addressed by a new government.

One which won't make excuses but which works hard, cuts corruption and spends public money efficiently for the people.

The minimum wage will do nothing to change any of these serious problems. Like a band aid on the Titanic, it may stop a tiny trickle of water, but the titanic economy of Africa has a gigantic hole and is sinking! It is time for change.

Ollis is DA MP and a shadow minister of labour