Unemployment in South Africa: A Youth Perspective
South Africa, like many countries globally, grapples with the challenge of youth unemployment. This is supported by statistics indicating a 45,5% unemployment rate among young individuals (aged 15-34 years), in contrast to the national average of 32,9% in the first quarter of 2024. However, when looking at the Labour Market Dynamics in South Africa report read more »
Beyond unemployment – Time-Related Underemployment in the SA labour market
South Africa’s unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2023 was recorded at 32,9 %, and is among the highest in the world. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), this is an increase of 0,2 of a percentage point compared to the fourth quarter of 2022. While the unemployment rate may be high, read more »
Incidence of long-term unemployment among women is higher than the national average.
South Africa’s unemployment rate decreased by 0,2 of a percentage point to 32,7% in Q4:2022 compared to Q3:2022. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the fourth quarter of 2022, there were about 28 thousand more people who were unemployed than in Q3:2022. In the fourth quarter of 2022, South Africa had 7,8 read more »
South Africa’s youth continues to bear the burden of unemployment.
Youth in South Africa continue to be disadvantaged in the labour market with an unemployment rate higher than the national average. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the first quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate was 63,9% for those aged 15-24 and 42,1% for those aged 25-34 years, while the current official read more »
SA economy sheds 2,2 million jobs in Q2 but unemployment levels drop
The South African economy shed 2,2 million jobs in the second quarter of 2020, according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey Quarter 2: 2020 results, released by Statistics South Africa on 29 September 2020. The results indicate that the number of employed persons decreased by 2,2 million to 14,1 million in the 2nd quarter read more »
Unemployment rises slightly in third quarter of 2019
South Africa’s unemployment rate increased by 0,1 of a percentage point to 29,1% in Q3 of 2019. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released by Statistics South Africa, this is the highest unemployment rate since Stats SA started measuring unemployment using the QLFS in 2008. Between Q2: 2019 and Q3: 2019, the number read more »
Discouragement decreases and unemployment increases in the second quarter of 2019
The results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the second quarter of 2019, released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), indicate that the official unemployment rate increased by 1,4 percentage points to 29,0% compared to the first quarter of 2019. The number of unemployed persons increased by 455Â 000 to 6,7 million in Q2: read more »
Youth graduate unemployment rate increases in Q1: 2019
The youth aged 15–24 years are the most vulnerable in the South African labour market as the unemployment rate among this age group was 55,2% in the 1st quarter of 2019. Among graduates in this age group, the unemployment rate was 31,0% during this period compared to 19,5% in the 4th quarter of 2018 – read more »
Unemployment drops in fourth quarter of 2018
South Africa’s unemployment rate decreased by 0,4 of a percentage point to 27,1% in the 4th quarter of 2018 compared to the 3rd quarter of 2018 according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics South Africa. The working-age population increased by 149 000 or 0,4% in the 4th quarter of 2018 compared read more »
Who is most likely to be affected by long-term unemployment?
South Africa’s official unemployment rate is on the increase. In the past 10 years (2008–2018), the unemployment rate has increased from 21,5% to almost 28,0%. Unemployment refers to those persons who were not employed, had taken steps to look for a job or to start a business and were available to take up a job read more »