Hundreds of South Africans have turned up at the job fair, CVs and school certificates in hand, hoping that they may get their big break.<\/strong><\/p>\n Queues are long. Many appear anxious.<\/p>\n Forget the high politics and low skulduggery playing out between the country\u2019s leaders ahead of the 29 May general election, the government-organised job fair in Durban’s Umlazi township is where one of the main issues on the minds of ordinary people is on display.<\/p>\n South Africa is facing crushingly high unemployment levels, with the latest jobless figures ticking up slightly to 33% – ranked by the World Bank as the worst of any nation. Among young people, it is even higher at 46%.<\/p>\n This may also explain why not everyone has much enthusiasm for the election.<\/p>\n Aged 37, Mondli Magwaza, says she has never been employed and is looking for any job \u201cbecause I\u2019m desperate\u201d.<\/p>\n She is among those who have decided they will not vote for the governing African National Congress this time.<\/p>\n Zara, 44, just got retrenched. She has no kind words for the ANC, a party she has always voted for after it led the campaign against white-minority rule.<\/p>\n \u201cEmpty, empty promises. I feel very bad.\u201d<\/p>\n The ANC is facing its stiffest test since winning the country’s first democratic elections in 1994<\/a>, as opinion polls indicate that its share of the vote may fall below 50% for the first time.<\/p>\n The state of the economy is certainly one thing that has got people considering political alternatives.<\/p>\n