South Africa's employment rate inched up by just 0.1 percent during the first quarter of the year, Statistics SA said on Tuesday.

According to Stats SA, the formal non-agricultural business sector added just 9000 new jobs, the equivalent of 0.1 percent. The number increased from 7 248 000 to 7 257 000.

Moreover, gross earnings paid to employees in the sector actually decreased in the first quarter of 2006, down 3.7 percent from the fourth quarter of 2005.

In comparison to the same quarter in 2005, 312 000 jobs were added in the January to March 2006 period, a 4.5 percent hike, while gross earnings climbed 12.2 percent, an annual increase of R17 935-million.

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