South Africa Unemployment Rate2000-2020 Data | 2021-2023 Forecast | Calendar

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.

South Africa's unemployment rate fell to 23.3% in the second quarter of 2020 from 30.1% in the previous period. It was the lowest jobless rate since the second quarter of 2009, as the country's strict lockdown distorted labour force numbers with fewer people actively looking for employment. Accordingly, labour force decreased by 5 million to 18.4 million and the number of unemployed declined by 2.8 million to 4.3 million. Meantime, employment fell by 2.2 million to 14.1 million, the most since the survey began in 2008. Total employment dropped across all of the 10 industries, with the largest decreases recorded in community and social services (-515 thousand), followed by trade (-373 thousand), private households (-311 thousand), finance (-283), construction (-278), manufacturing (-250 thousand) and transport (-110 thousand). The expanded definition of unemployment, including people who have stopped looking for a work, was at 42%, up from 39.7% in the prior period.

South Africa's unemployment rate rose to 30.1 percent in the first quarter of 2020 from 29.1 percent in the previous period and above market expectations of 29.7 percent. It was the highest jobless rate on record since quarterly data became available in 2008, as the number of unemployed people increased by 344 thousand to an all-time high of 7.1 million. Employment fell by 91 thousand to 16.38 million from 16.42 million in the prior quarter. Total employment dropped in 7 out of the 10 industries, with the largest declines recorded in the finance industry (-50 thousand), followed by community and social services (-33 thousand), agriculture (-21 thousand), transport (-17 thousand), manufacturing (-15 thousand), construction (-7 thousand), and utilities (-4 thousand). The expanded definition of unemployment, including people who have stopped looking for a work, was at 39.7 percent, up from 38.7 percent in the prior period.

South Africa's unemployment rate held steady at 29.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019, unchanged from the previous month's 11-year high, as the number of unemployed people dropped only by 8 thousand to 6.7 million. Employment increased by 45 thousand to 16.42 million from 16.38 million in the prior period, likely influenced by the festive season. Total employment went up in six of the 10 industries, with the largest increases recorded in community and social services (113 thousand), followed by finance (76 thousand) and transport (36 thousand). Declines were recorded in the trade (-159 thousand), manufacturing (-39 thousand) and utilities (-14 thousand) sectors, as a result of severe power cuts. The expanded definition of unemployment, including people who have stopped looking for a work, was 38.7 percent, up slightly from 38.5 percent in the previous quarter. Also, the youth unemployment rate dropped to 58.1 percent from 58.2 percent in the previous period.