South Africa Unemployment Rate  2000-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar

The unemployment rate in South Africa increased to 27.7 percent in the first quarter of 2017 from 26.5 percent in the previous period. It is the highest jobless rate since the first quarter of 2004 as unemployment rose faster than employment and more people joined the labour force. Unemployment Rate in South Africa averaged 25.41 percent from 2000 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 31.20 percent in the first quarter of 2003 and a record low of 21.50 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008.

South Africa Unemployment Rate
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Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus Forecast (i)
2016-11-22 10:30 AM Q3 27.1% 26.6% 26.4%
2017-02-14 08:30 AM Q4 26.5% 27.1% 27.3%
2017-06-01 10:30 AM Q1 27.7% 26.5% 26.7%
2017-07-25 10:30 AM Q2 27.7% 27.4%
2017-11-21 10:30 AM Q3 27.8%




South Africa Jobless Rate At 13-Year High Of 27.7%


The unemployment rate in South Africa increased to 27.7 percent in the first quarter of 2017 from 26.5 percent in the previous period. It is the highest jobless rate since the first quarter of 2004 as unemployment rose faster than employment and more people joined the labour force.

The number of unemployed persons rose by 433 thousand to 6.2 million, the highest since at least 2001. Employment went up by 144 thousand to 16.2 million. Job gains occurred in the formal non-agricultural sector (181 thousand) and in private households (21 thousand) but losses were recorded in the informal sector (-14 thousand) and in agriculture (-44 thousand). 

The labour force increased by 577 thousand to 22.42 million and those detached from it fell by 421 thousand to 14.63 million.

The expanded definition of unemployment, which includes people who have stopped looking for work, rose to 36.4 percent from 35.6 percent.

A year earlier, the jobless rate was lower at 26.7 percent. 

Statistics South Africa | Joana Taborda | joana.taborda@tradingeconomics.com
6/1/2017 11:06:53 AM


Recent Releases

South Africa Unemployment Rate Down To 26.5%
The jobless rate in South Africa fell to 26.5 percent in the last three months of 2016 after reaching a 12-1/2-year high of 27.1 percent in the previous period. Employment rose while unemployment fell and more people continued to join the labour force, bringing the participation rate up to a new high since 2002.
Published on 2017-02-14

South Africa Unemployment Rate Rises to 12-1/2-Year High
The jobless rate in South Africa went up to 27.1 percent in the third quarter of 2016 from 26.6 percent in the previous period, reaching the highest unemployment rate since 2004. Employment rose faster than unemployment while more people joined the labour force, bringing the participation rate up to its highest since 2002.
Published on 2016-11-22

South Africa Jobless Rate Edges Down to 26.6% in Q2
South Africa's unemployment rate slightly decreased to 26.6 percent in the June quarter of 2016 from 26.7 percent in the three months to March. The number of unemployed fell by 1.6 percent and employment went down 0.8 percent.
Published on 2016-07-28

South Africa Jobless Rate at Nearly 11-Year High in Q1
The unemployment rate in South Africa increased to 26.7 percent in the three months to March of 2016 from 24.5 percent in the previous quarter and above market expectations of 25.3 percent. It was the highest reading since September 2005, as number of unemployed rose by 10 percent whereas employment fell 2.2 percent.
Published on 2016-05-09



South Africa Labour Last Previous Highest Lowest Unit
Unemployment Rate 27.70 26.50 31.20 21.50 percent [+]
Employed Persons 9690000.00 9282000.00 9690000.00 3694977.00 [+]
Unemployed Persons 6214.11 5780.80 6214.11 3873.00 Thousand [+]
Labor Force Participation Rate 60.50 59.20 60.80 53.60 percent [+]
Labour Costs 142.40 139.90 155.50 1.10 Index Points [+]
Wages 18502.00 18104.00 18502.00 6742.00 ZAR/Month [+]
Wages in Manufacturing 16830.00 16376.00 16830.00 6250.00 ZAR/Month [+]
Population 55.91 54.96 55.91 17.40 Million [+]
Retirement Age Women 60.00 60.00 60.00 60.00 [+]
Retirement Age Men 60.00 60.00 65.00 60.00 [+]
Living Wage Family 10800.00 10434.30 25500.00 10434.30 ZAR/Month [+]
Living Wage Individual 7222.50 7054.90 7222.50 6640.00 ZAR/Month [+]
Wages Low Skilled 3650.00 3630.00 3650.00 2700.00 ZAR/Month [+]
Youth Unemployment Rate 50.90 54.20 54.50 48.80 percent [+]
Wages High Skilled 20100.00 19800.00 20100.00 17900.00 ZAR/Month [+]
Employment Rate 43.74 43.54 46.17 41.00 percent [+]


South Africa Unemployment Rate Notes

In South Africa, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force. This page provides - South Africa Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. South Africa Unemployment Rate - actual data, historical chart and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2017.

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
27.70 26.50 31.20 21.50 2000 - 2017 percent Quarterly



unemployment rate by Country

Last
Spain 18.75 Mar/17
Brazil 13.60 Apr/17
Turkey 11.70 Mar/17
Italy 11.10 Apr/17
France 9.60 Mar/17
Euro Area 9.30 Apr/17
Canada 6.60 May/17
Australia 5.50 May/17
Indonesia 5.33 Mar/17
Russia 5.20 May/17
Netherlands 5.10 May/17
India 4.90 Dec/13
United Kingdom 4.60 Apr/17
United States 4.30 May/17
China 3.97 Mar/17
Germany 3.90 Apr/17
South Korea 3.60 May/17
Mexico 3.50 Apr/17
Switzerland 3.10 May/17
Japan 2.80 Apr/17