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Beyond unemployment – Time-Related Underemployment in the SA labour market

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.

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.

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

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

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

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 455 000 to 6,7 million in Q2:   read more »


Youth graduate unemployment rate increases in Q1: 2019

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

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?

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 »


Youth unemployment still high in Q1: 2018

Youth unemployment still high in Q1: 2018

The South African working-age population increased by 153 000 or 0,4 per cent in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the fourth quarter of 2017. The rise in both employment (up by 206 000) and unemployment (up by 100 000) over the quarter led to the rise in the labour force participation rate now   read more »


P0211 - Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS)

This publication contains results of a Quarterly Labour Force Survey first conducted in January 2008, specifically designed to measure the dynamics of the South African labour market, producing indicators such as employment, unemployment and inactivity. It measures a variety of issues related to the labour market, including the official unemployment rate.read more »


P0211.3 - Volunteer activities survey

This publication contains results of a Quarterly Labour Force Survey first conducted in January 2008, specifically designed to measure the dynamics of the South African labour market, producing indicators such as employment, unemployment and inactivity. It measures a variety of issues related to the labour market, including the official unemployment rate.read more »


P0211.4.4 - National and provincial labour market: Long-term unemployment

National and provincial labour market: Long-term unemploymentread more »


Report-03-10-08 - The South African MPI: Creating a multidimensional poverty index using census data

The main purpose of this report is the provision of poverty maps and poverty data at provincial and municipal level. In so doing, this report details how the South African Multidimensional Poverty Index (SAMPI) was conceptualised and constructed using data collected by Stats SA through Census 2001 and 2011. The SAMPI, based on the Alkire-Foster method, provides another tool in Stats SA`s ongoing efforts to measure poverty and deprivation in the country. The SAMPI was born out of the desire to develop a new product that could build onto the work started with the development of the Provincial Indices of Multiple Deprivation (PIMD) after Census 2001. Unlike the PIMD, the SAMPI has the advantage of being fully decomposable by demographic and geographic variables; this shows not only in what aspects the poor are deprived, but also reveals the interconnections among those deprivations. read more »


P0211.4.1 - National and provincial labour market: Dynamics

The national labour market results mask variations at provincial level which can often be quite large. The nine provinces differ in population size, land mass, demographic profile, and economic structure. This report is the second in a quarterly series which will be released when the QLFS results are reported. The aim is to provide users with an analysis of various aspects of the South African labour market at provincial level, based on current labour market information. The analysis in this report is based solely on the results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) conducted in the third and fourth quarters of 2012 (Q3: QLFS) and (Q4: QLFS). The data have been revised to reflect the new population benchmarks from the population census of 2011 read more »


Tsolwana

Tsolwana Local Municipality has two main urban centres, Tarkastad and Hofmeyr, and about 11 rural villages scattered within the former Ntabethemba area, including Thornhill, Mitford, Rocklands, Tendergate, etc.  Tsolwana covers an area of approximately 6 000 square km in extent with a density of about six people per square km. The extent of local area of jurisdiction translates to 4,2% of the district as a whole.

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Lukhanji

Lukhanji is a category B municipality situated within the Chris Hani District of the Eastern Cape. It is made up of a combination of the greater Queenstown and surrounding farms and villages, Ilinge, Hewu/Whittlesea and Ntabethemba. Lukhanji is landlocked by the municipalities of Tsolwana and Inkwanca to the west, Emalahleni and Intsika Yethu to the north, and Amahlathi to the east. Lukhanji occupies a strategic geographic position within the Chris Hani District Municipality and covers approximately 4 231 km².

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Intsika Yethu

The Intsika Yethu Local Municipality is a category B municipality. It is one of the eight local municipalities found within the Chris Hani District Municipality.

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Engcobo

Engcobo Local Municipality is located in the Chris Hani District of the Eastern Cape, the second largest province in terms of land coverage on the south-eastern seaboard of South Africa. Engcobo consists of 20 wards, extends over 2 258,78km² with a population of 155 513, and constitutes 19,6% of the total population of the district, as per the Census 2011 information.

The majority of the population is female (56%).  There are about 66 people per square kilometre.  The population is predominantly black African, followed by an insignificant number of Asians/Indians, coloureds and whites.

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Nyandeni

This municipality is one of the five that make up the O.R. Tambo District Municipality. It comprises two magisterial areas, viz. Libode and Ngqeleni. It has a largely rural/traditional character. It is bordered in the south-west by the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality. In the north, it is bordered by the Mhlontlo Local Municipality and in the east by the Ntabankulu, Ingquza Hill and Port St John Local Municipalities. The population according to Census 2011 is 290 390 people, which is 21,3% of the population of O.R. Tambo District. In 2001, the population was 274 416 people, which constituted 21,2% of the district population.

The municipality covers an area of 4 231 square kilometers, which gives a population density of 68,6 persons per square kilometer. The municipality’s economy is largely dependent on agriculture.

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Work & Labour Force

There are different forms of work, these include work as employment (work to generate income), unpaid work which includes volunteer work and domestic work for own final household consumption. Statistics South Africa measures all forms of work including work which should be abolished like child labour.

Work as employment is measured from two sources, establishment surveys and household based surveys. The Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) is establishment based while The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) is a household based survey. The two sources differ in coverage, scope, unit of measurement and method of collection. Because of these differences, the two sources yield different figures. However, the two sources should be regarded as complementary rather than competitive.

Each source has advantages and limitations in terms of statistics yielded. The QES covers non-agricultural formal sector employment while the QLFS covers total employment in all industries and sectors. The QLFS can also provide information on demographic characteristics of the labour force (employment and unemployment) which the QES cannot provide.

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Unemployment

Employment is a key economic indicator and it is sensitive to the business cycle. For example employment peaked in 2008 to approximately 13,8 million when the economy was better. However, during the recession of 2009 and 2010 approximately 806 000 persons lost their jobs. After these two successive years of decline, employment grew by 204 000 and 258 000 persons in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Community & social services industry contributed the most to the growth in employment observed in the past two years. This was followed by Finance and other business services.read more »