South Africa's unemployment rate rose to 30.8% in the third quarter of 2020 from 23.3% in the previous period, though below market expectations of 33.4%. It was the highest jobless rate since quarterly data became available in 2008, with more people searching for work amid the easing of lockdown restrictions. The number of unemployed people rose by 2.2 million to 6.5 million, employment went up by 543 thousand to 14.7 million and the labour force increased by 2.8 million to 21.2 million. Total employment only decreased in utilities (-23 thousand) and transportation (-7 thousand), but rose mostly in trade (62 thousand), finance (200 thousand), community and social services (137 thousand) and private households (116 thousand). The expanded definition of unemployment, including people who have stopped looking for a work, was at 43.1%, up from 42% in the prior period. source: Statistics South Africa
Unemployment Rate in South Africa averaged 25.89 percent from 2000 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 30.80 percent in the third quarter of 2020 and a record low of 21.50 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008. This page provides - South Africa Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. South Africa Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on January of 2021.
Unemployment Rate in South Africa is expected to be 29.80 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Unemployment Rate in South Africa to stand at 27.40 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the South Africa Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 27.10 percent in 2021 and 27.00 percent in 2022, according to our econometric models.