South Africa Jobless Rate at Over 5-Year Low

South Africa's unemployment rate fell to 31.4% in Q4 2025, from 31.9% in the previous period, marking the second consecutive decline. This was the lowest reading since Q3 2020, as the number of unemployed fell by 172,000 to 7.8 million and employed individuals rose by 44,000 to 17.1 million. The labor force decreased by 128,000 to 24.9 million. The number of persons employed in the formal sector increased by 320,000 in Q4 and those employed in the informal sector slipped by 293,000 over the same period. Seven of the 10 industries recorded job gains, led by community and social services (+46,000), construction (+35,000) and finance (+32,000). Conversely, declines occurred in trade (-98,000), manufacturing (-61,000), and mining (-5,000). The youth unemployment rate, measuring job-seekers between 15 and 24 years old, eased slightly to 57% from 58.5% in Q3, but remains stubbornly high.

South Africa's unemployment rate eased to 31.9% in Q3 2025, the lowest level since Q4 2024, compared to 33.2% in Q2, marking the first decline this year. The number of unemployed fell by 360,000 to 8.1 million, the labor force dropped by 112,000 to 25.1 million, and employed individuals rose by 248,000 to 17.1 million. The expanded unemployment rate, including discouraged workers, fell to 42.4% from 43% in Q2. Six of ten industries recorded job gains, led by construction (+130,000 to 1.39 million), community (+116,000 to 3.988 million), and trade (+108,000 to 3.424 million), while losses were concentrated in manufacturing (-62,000 to 1.61 million) and finance (-54,000 to 2.93 million). Unemployment declined in seven of nine provinces, with the largest drops in Limpopo (-5.2 points to 29.8%), Free State (-2.3 points to 36.2%), and North West (-2 points to 38.1%). The youth unemployment rate, measuring job-seekers between 15 and 24 years old, fell to a two-year low of 58.5% in Q3.

South Africa's unemployment rate rose further to 33.2% in Q2 2025, from 32.9% in Q1 and slightly above market estimates of 33%. It was the highest jobless rate since Q2 2024, as the number of unemployed individuals increased by 140,000 to a one-year high of 8.4 million while employed rose by 19,000 to 16.8 million. The expanded definition of unemployment, which includes those discouraged from seeking work, eased to 42.9% in Q2 from 43.1% in Q1. The number of persons employed in the formal sector increased by 34,000, while employment in the informal sector declined by 19,000. The largest job gains were recorded in trade (+88,000), private households (+28,000), and construction (+20,000), while employment declined in community and social services (-42,000), agriculture (-24,000), finance (-24,000), transport (-15,000), utilities (-6,000), and manufacturing (-5,000). The youth unemployment rate, which measures job-seekers between 15 and 24 years old, eased to 62.2% from 62.4%.